Having received a call from Ian that he was going down to the Haven, I decided to join him. I had been wondering where to go after spending some time with the parakeets. It was a thirty minute drive to the Haven and after parking walked around the sailing club towards the visitor centre., There were good numbers of Brent Geese on the beach and in the shallow water of the rising tide.
From the visitor centre I walked to the west entrance, but stopped at the viewing platform to check the edge of the reeds for Water Rail in the low water of the river. I couldn't find any Water Rail, but there was a pair of Stonechat close in, this female of interest over the weekend. It was considered to have a plain orange rump, which could mean it was of an eastern race.
One point against this identification could be its association with a male bird.
I met Ian at the sea wall and as we made our way along the sea wall there was the Goosander in the bay. For me this is now a male in moult to the breeding plumage. A large white panel on the wing, the pale flank and signs of green coming on the forehead are signs to me of this being a male. I can't wait to see it in full plumage.
We walked to the chalets where there have been two female type Black Redstarts reported that morning. It didn't take long to find them, one feeding on the ground flew up and over towards the beach. Looking from the beach it was around the gardens.
A greyish brown and not the black and silver of the male, but they all retain the red tail.
From the garden to the roof.
It then went missing for a while before finding it in the gardens once again. It looks like it had just taken a bath somewhere.
In this light the plumage looks a lot more black than brown.
We made our way back towards the reserve, checking the sea for anything, but despite the sea being calm, there were no birds other than Brent Geese.
On the reserve it was more of the same that has been around over the last few weeks. The breeze was from the north east so the duck were distant. Of note was a large number of Black-tailed Godwits, thirteen Shelduck and very few Snipe on the island. Far, far away over the Posbrook Floods a Buzzard and Red Kite were picked up soaring. That left these four Wigeon as the only record to photograph.
We stayed in the Meon Shore Hide for lunch, then decided to walk around to the west side, but not before checking the high tide roost on the spit. The tide was still rising and the roost was quiet, only half a dozen Sanderling, ten Ringed Plover and some Turnstone. These flew off but a few remained. A Ringed Plover.
Here all three species on the concrete groyne.
The east side was as quiet, maybe more than the west. The meadow had a few Stonechat, but little else. Plenty of gulls on the frying pan, but that was all. We decided it was time to leave and did so as the gloom and drizzle closed in. Hopefully there will be some sunshine this coming week, so far we haven't seen the sun for over twelve days.
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