16th January - Sandy Point and the Oyster Beds, Hayling Island, Hampshire

Thursday saw some really heavy prolonged rain, so it was very welcome to see the sunshine this morning.  After an appointment at 9.00 this morning I headed south, I was keen to catch up on some winter visitors around Hayling Island.  Knowing that the birds were likely to be distant I was relaxed about the fact that today would be a birding day and not photographic.

First stop was Sandy Point and as I walked around the rocks I was surprised by a juvenile Little Gull flying past me, of course I wasn't ready and missed the photograph.  Fortunately they had been reported earlier in the day.  Despite searching through the morning I wasn't able to find the gull again.

Mid channel there was a Red-throated Diver negotiating the waves in a strong southerly wind.

The Red-throated Diver then disappeared, but was relaced by a larger diver, a Great Northern Diver.

 

the token diver wing flap.

I walked up to the sailing club and took the footpath around the beach.  The tide was falling and wasn't that high, but there was a huge roost of Sanderling at the edge of the water.  There was one large concentration and a couple of break away groups.

Well aware that photographs are going to be sparse I decided to have some time with the Sanderling on a completely different location.

There was a few of the Sanderling feeding along the water's edge.

The roost remaing in place.

I positioned my self on the beach, getting low down and with the sun behind me and just waited and as is usually the case the Sanderling came to me.

A red RIB in the water reflected nicely in the tide.

And a yellow buoy.

This Sanderling found a cockle or whelk in front of me.  It opened it and was very keen to keep it away from any other Sanderling.

A quick shake.

Then dispatched.

They would speed past me with their clockwork like action.

While others waded in deeper water.

More birds joined the feeding flock, flying past me.

I walked back still checking for the missing Little Gull.  The tide had fallen and the waves were crashing on the rocks.

I left Sandy Point and headed to the car park by the Oyster Beds.  I had to park on the road that leads to the hotel.  Out on the water were six Avocet.

I scanned the harbour at the bend and found two Goldeneye, many Red-breasted Merganser and a Sandwich Tern.

Pintail were in the first lagoon along with three Shoveler.

A little further along there was a Greenshank.

And the now almost resident Whimbrel.

I walked to the end of the beds and scanned the water of the harbour.  One of my first successes was the Scaup, a drake but very distant.  I tried to digiscope but not very well I am afraid.

With the Scaup secured I scanned for the Black-necked Grebes and found two, and then a big prize a Red-necked Grebe but even further away than the Scaup.

Walking back I was put on to a Long-tailed Duck aagin a long way off but definitely a Long-tailed Duck.

So not a lot of photographs, but some special Sanderlings.  A good day though for special year ticks.