19th September - Keyhaven - Lymington Reserve, Hampshire

Back home from Corfu, it was back to Hampshire birding.  There has been a Pectoral Sandpiper on Butts Lagoon at Keyhaven all week so I was keen to try and catch up.  However the morning was overcast and with a very strong south westerly wind blowing, but I was hopeful that with the cloud and rain overnight it would still be about.

I managed to park along the ditch at Oxey Marsh and then walked out across the marsh towards Pennington Lagoon.  A Kestrel was hunting in the field as I passed through the gate.

There were plenty of Horses in the fields but a check around the hooves did not find any Yellow Wagtails.  Three Curlew flew up from the field and flew over my head calling.

I walked up on to the sea wall and immediately felt the full force of the wind, but the skies were clearing with a bit of watery sunshine.  There were good numbers of Meadow Pipits moving through and out over the water calling.  On the path were good numbers of Linnet and Goldfinches on the dead teasel seed heads

I headed towards the Jetty, the tide was falling and on the shingle just before the Jetty were a few waders.  Close in were Turnstone and three Dunlin.

Further out there were three Grey Plovers all in their winter plumage.

On reaching Butts I scanned for waders but couldn't find any at all.  It was good to see some water in the lagoon, on the last visit there a couple of weeks ago the lagoon was bone dry.

I walked on to Butts Bay where a Bar-tailed Godwit was flushed by a loose dog.  Not only did the godwit go but all the other waders and some from Butts which was frustrating.

Fishtail too had some water and with it waders.  I scanned through them in an effort to turn Dunlin into a Pectoral Sandpiper, but it didn't work, they were all Dunlin.

There were also three Ringed Plover, all immature birds with the light fringes on the feathers.

I walked as far as Keyhaven Lagoon, but it was devoid of birds.  Walking back past Fishtail there were Pied Wagtails onb the mud and the same waders, still Dunlin.

I walked all the way around to Moses Dock and didn't lift the camera. As I approached the dock a Curlew was in the water with about a dozen Redshank.  It slowly walked away from me.

There was a Greenshank on the other side.

And the Curlew had made its way to the sea weed on the rocks.

I walked on towards Normandy, eight acre pond was full of water once more with the sailing boats out.  As I reached the corner near to Normandy there was another Greenshank close to the sea wall.

A feather was dislodged as a result of the preening.

Feeding on the mud.

A little Egret was battling in the strong wind and as it turned its back to the wind its crest was blown up.

Normandy was the same as all the other locations, devoid of birds.  I walked around to the southern side and found a Redshank.  I decided to settle down to have an early lunch and as I munched a Greenshank came close to the fence.

It came out of the water and stood on the mud.

The Redshank flew off and called in alarm, the Greenshank straightened, but stayed in place, providing a nice pose along with the red glasswort.

Nothing else showed so I decided the wind was ruining the day so I made my way back to the car.  There were More Dunlin on Oxey Lake.

While on Salterns a couple of adult winter plumaged Black-tailed Godwits.

A Kingfisher called and then flew all around Salterns before disappearing out of sight.  That was the last bird action of the day.  I headed back to the car and drove home listening to the misery that is Tottenham Hotspur.

My last day out was here, two weeks ago and the two visits could not be s o different.  I believe the wind ruined the day today, but why couldn't there have been a Grey Phalarope sheltering from the wind?