The forecast was definitely not wrong for once. After the sunshine and blue skies yesterday today was a polar opposite, heavy grey cloud and a strong south westerly wind. Not the ideal conditions to be at Farlington with, as there is no cover should the rain come. Taking the path past the information centre (where incidentally there is no information!), it slowly started to become light. Looking across the marshes two Kestrels were hovering, hunting at first light. Coming up onto the sea wall, there were the first signs of rain, and a little further on it became quite heavy, sweeping in across the marsh. Shelter was taken near the pill box, and the rain eased. Canada Geese flew across the marsh, and there were a few Little Egrets out on the mud. The tide was probably at its lowest, and there was no sign of any waders.
At the Deeps there were small groups of Wigeon, and ten Black-tailed Godwits feeding along the edge of the pools. A look at the radar on my phone showed it was going to get wet. The only place to provide shelter was the sea wall at the end of Point Field. Here there are steps and a level area where it is possible to get out of the wind, there is still the rain, but without the blasts. The view though was not very impressive.
With the worst of the rain passed it was possible to scan the mud. Of note were the numbers of Ringed Plover. I counted 276 spread out across the mud. In the channel were nine Great Crested Grebes, while on the other side, in amongst the sea weed were 46 Little Egrets, and 54 Oystercatcher. It is interesting that that counting helps to pass the time. With the camera covered up from the elements there were no photographs.
The rain finally stopped, but the wind persisted. The walk from Point Field around the the viewing area on the lake produced very little, on the marsh were four Pheasants and Canada Geese spread out, while on the mud there were Curlews and Redshank.
At the Lake I was able to get the camera out, first to catch the eye was a single Snipe flying into to the cover of the reeds.
Then settled down.
Out in the middle of the lake a Grey Heron waded, not looking like it was fishing.
In front of a group of Black-tailed Godwits, were two Spotted Redshanks, feeding with the usual vigorous action.
The Spotted Redshanks mixed with the godwits, and when the godwits took off they went with them, only to return later at the back of the lake with three others to make five in total.
Another wader in amongst the godwits stood out, this time a Ruff, breaking away to feed alone. With the amount of white, and grey brown on the upper parts this is an adult male in winter plumage
The tide was now starting to rise and waders and duck were coming onto the lake from the estuary. There had been plenty of Canada Geese about, but coming over the sea wall were a group of Brent Geese, their numbers starting to build up. Coming with the wind they were fast, but they turned back into the wind which allowed the chance to photograph them.
A Kingfisher broke out of the reeds and flew around the lake before disappearing into the reeds on the north side. It was then followed by another coming from the same area.
By now the Ruff was coming a lot closer.
Giving some good views.
And had teamed up with a lone Black-tailed Godwit.
For some reason the Black-tailed Godwits all took off, producing a lovely spectacle of black and white wings.
The Ruff went with the godwits, and while the majority landed back on the lake, a small group headed out onto the mud, and the Ruff went with them.
Scattered around the mud were several Curlew, every so often you would hear their bubbling call, but mostly they patrolled the mud.
The Kingfisher appeared again, a welcome flash of brilliance in an otherwise gloomy dull morning.
The reason I had stuck around was in the hope of finding the Curlew Sandpiper that had been seen through the week. The Godwits were forming a large group in the middle of the lake, their numbers well in excess of one hundred. The Redshank too, were gathering together, and as I scanned through the Redshank and the Dunlin that were with them I found the Curlew Sandpiper.
It is a juvenile bird, the breast a peachy tint, and the upper feathers neatly scalloped, which give it a more elegant appearance than the surrounding Dunlin.
The wind was very wearing, and having found the Curlew Sandpiper, it was time to move on. Walking back to the car a Greenshank called, and there were three birds in amongst Common Redshank, coming from the corner of the marsh in front of the cars.
It wasn't a day to be out in the open. Regardless that the rain had stopped the wind was relentless, so Titchfield Haven was the next destination, and the comfort of a hide. Arriving at high tide, on the beach around the sailing club there was a large roost of Turnstone.
Walking to the Meon Shore Hide there was the pings of Bearded Tits, and despite the wind, a pair perched briefly at the top of the reeds before flying off across the reeds and away from the hopeful camera.
Once in the hide, it was calm, and looking out across the scrape very quiet. Two Dunlin, a Lapwing, Redshank and Snipe all fed together off one of the islands.
there were plenty of Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwings and Oystercatchers, but the one wader of note was yet another Ruff. At first at the back of the scrape, but it came closer as the Redshank it was feeding with flew over.
This time it is a juvenile, appearing more golden in colour, with scalloped feathers with dark centres. The colour of the legs is just visible despite the mud, greenish.
When it stopped and stood still it looked quite elegant.
The mud it was wading in was obviously very sticky, and it had to keep flapping its wings to lift itself out to move on.
In the deeper water the Black-tailed Godwits did not have the same problem.
The two Dunlin seen earlier finally came closer to the hide.
But were having the same problem as the Ruff in the mud.
Little was moving in, so it was time to move on. The Spurgin Hide though could only produce a Buzzard on the fence post.
While from the Pumfrett Hide, the only item of interest was a Snipe roosting in amongst the Lapwing.
The rain returned and it became time to call it a day. Not the best of days, but you have to live with these to get the good ones!
Over the course of this month both Ian and I have endured some true sadness, and when we were last out together, at the very same location, at the start of the month neither of us could have imagined what was going to transpire through the month of September. Both of us were in need of some birding today, just to allow us to escape, and indulge in the passion we both have. So we agreed to meet up once again at Pennington, at sunrise. The conditions though were very different from the start of the month. Last time it was sun block and shorts, today it was rain gear, hats and even at one stage gloves. What a difference 28 days can make in many ways.
Despite the early weather forecasts of dry weather this Saturday, I arrived in rain, but by the time we set off it was dry, but there was definitely the threat of more rain coming. As a result of the overcast conditions it was very gloomy. Small groups of Little Egrets flew overhead in the direction of Fishtail and the saltmarsh. We walked down towards the sea wall, and Fishtail Lagoon.
On the gravel island in the middle of the lagoon were quite a few waders, Lapwings, a few Black-tailed Godwits, and a single Avocet
And a lone Spotted Redshank
On the far side were three Bar-tailed Godwits, unusual to be seen on the lagoon, and more Spotted Redshanks, they were spread out, and feeding with that ferocity, and would hide behind the clumps of bullrushes, but we estimated there were at least ten present.
A large Sparrowhawk flew low across the lagoon, not easy to pick up at first in the gloom, and gone into the bushes before either of us could react.
A Wryneck had been reported yesterday, seen on Keyhaven Marsh, so we decided to walk around to see if it was about, knowing of course that we would have to be lucky, and would probably be staring at grass and gorse for some time.. As we did so we flushed a pair of Wheatear on the path on the sea wall. They were not worried by us and allowed quite a close approach.
These are first winter birds, embarking on their first migration, the buff fringes to the wing feathers very prominent.
It seemed quite happy sitting on the gorse
The other bird preferring the post that ran along the side of Keyhaven Lagoon.
A whistling call, and Ian picked up a Kingfisher that was flying low across the water.
It circled around and returned to the shore, but we couldn't see it, so walked on to try and find it. Despite looking it was know where to be seen, but then suddenly burst from the reeds, and headed out once again across the water.
We were now looking out across the marsh in the same place we had been watching Clouded Yellow butterflies earlier in the month. Today though we were hoping for a Wryneck, but we were not sure if we were in the right place. As we debated this, a Dartford Warbler appear in the bramble below us
It stayed out in the open for a while giving some great views.
The recent reports for the Wryneck, were given as being seen from the "concrete block", and as we walked towards it there was a debate by some other birders on whether it was a concrete block, or really a polystyrene block. The reality is it is a polystyrene block covered at the top with concrete. I suppose it all depends on what is the more dominant, and at first glance it is a concrete block.
Any way it was from here that we stood and watched the bulrushes and grass blow around, scanning the various anthills in the hope that a Wryneck would appear on top of one of them.
It wasn't all grass though, there were a few birds about, a Lapwing in amongst the red grass.
And another two Wheatear.
Rain was threatening, and staring at the grass and marsh was becoming difficult to endure so Ian and I decided that waiting for Wryneck was not what we wanted to do today, so we decided to walk off in search of others. We both knew that when we left it would appear, but were prepared to take that risk.
As we walked back towards Fishtail, and small group of Brent Geese passed us, the first of this autumn.
On Keyhaven Lagoon, there were the first Pintail and Wigeon of the autumn, these Pintail still to retain their breeding plumage.
Out over the saltmarsh we had a distant view of the immature Spoonbill that has been around.
Suddenly our heads were turned by the pinging calls of bearded Tits below us. Looking down there was only a minimal bit of reed, and around them stubble. A pair of bearded Tits were moving through both, using the barbed wire fence as a perch. They kept behind the reeds as they moved along the wire, meaning it was very difficult to focus
After moving a fair way west, and us following them they flew up together and headed back east, flying high and over into the reeds bed on Butts.
On the island in the middle of Fishtail most of the waders had departed leaving a couple of Dunlin, one of which was a juvenile with the heavy streaking on the breast and flanks down to the belly.
Ian picked up the Kingfisher once again, this time sitting on an old boat in the middle of the marsh, where it was smashing a small fish on the side of the boat. After dispatching the fish it sat for awhile
It then flew off over the marsh, and we picked it up hovering over one of the channels in kestrel style. We were to get several more views of Kingfisher during the day, mostly flying out low over the water. In total I would estimate this was three different birds. A little later back in the same spot I saw what was probably the same Kingfisher hovering again while being mobbed by Meadow Pipits.
We walked on in partial drizzle, pushing another three Wheatear ahead of us along the sea wall. At the Jetty there were a good sized flock of Turnstone foraging through the sea weed that had been washed up with the tide. In amongst them were several Dunlin. The Turnstone would alternate between the jetty and the beach, taking the Dunlin with them. We decided to walk down and try to get to the same level as the birds on the jetty. One of the Dunlin was still showing remnants of its summer plumage.
I was able to get close to the Dunlin
Again a juvenile bird.
Leaving the waders on the jetty we walked on, coming across more Wheatear on the sea wall. In total we must have counted twenty different Wheatear around the area, and there was probably more that we didn't come across.
On Pennington Lagoon there were a few Black-tailed Godwits. With the tide as high as it was today I had expected to see many waders about, but aside from Fishtail the water levels in the lagoons was quite high, and maybe this had stopped them from coming in.
In the marsh at the back of the lagoon were good numbers of Curlew though, and they were also quite mobile.
Another feature of the day were the small flocks of Wigeon and Pintail moving about, and coming into the pools. In a strange way, as it signals the oncoming of winter, it is good to have them back.
Rather than walk around Oxey Marsh we decided to cross it, and stopped at the clump of bramble and hawthorn to see if there was anything about. Swallows passed over us, and there were Goldfinches, Greenfinches, and Linnets about. Within the bramble we could hear the contact calls of warblers but were only able to find a couple of Chiffchaffs.
We walked all the way on to Normandy marsh, but disappointingly there were only two waders of note. One a Greenshank flew off as we approached, but the other stayed to allow a good shot of the Spotted Redshank.
As was to be expected a check of Bird Guides revealed that the Wryneck had indeed appeared a little after we left it, we knew it would
We walked back around Oxey Marsh at first in a quite heavy shower, along the sea wall there were more Wheatears, a couple of Dartford Warblers and many Meadow Pipits about. Offshore a drake Eider flew past, and a Great Crested Grebe flew in. A little further on we passed a female eider bobbing about on the water.
The tide was falling slowly, and a small patch of mud had become exposed. Oystercatchers and Grey Plover had taken up residence.
As we watched, two Ringed Plover flew in, and were joined by the Turnstones and Dunlin once again.
On the beach at the Jetty, the Turnstone were working the sea weed still, and in amongst them was one still showing signs of its summer plumage.
As the tide was falling we decided to check out the mud at Butts Bay, but the water levels remained quite high with no exposed mud at all. Very little else was on the lagoons so we decided to head back to the car park for lunch.
Pennington Marsh is still very dry, but there were large numbers of Canada Geese grazing in the middle of it, and plenty more noisily flying in from the surrounding area . I noticed a large flock of small birds, probably Goldfinch and Linnet fly up from the marsh, and then one of the groups of Starling take off and move into a tight flock. Coming in from behind them was what I first thought was a Sparrowhawk, but then realised was a falcon, a male Peregrine. It flew past and out over the camp site.
A quick check of the lake on the landfill site after lunch produced a single Common Sandpiper feeding on the edge.
We hadn't given up on the Wryneck, and we headed back towards Fishtail, to walk on to the "Concrete block" where of course it had been seen this morning. Fishtail was empty of waders, it was strange where they had all gone. However in the channel on the other side of the path was a very confiding Greenshank.
As we walked closer, it would fly off but settle again to feed, only flying off across the marsh when disturbed by walkers coming towards us.
The tide had fallen a little, and exposed the green algae on the mud. With the skies now clearing and the sun out it the colours on the marsh looked quite beautiful.
Despite the fact that the mud was exposed here, the tide was still high elsewhere, and apart from two Dunlin feeding on the mud there was no sign of any other small waders
A single Curlew though stood amongst the algae
There were several other standing and looking longingly at the anthills and grass once again, we stuck it out until everyone else had gone, then decided to call it quits ourselves. The Wheatear and Meadow Pipits were still there as were the Linnets that had the heart race a little bit when they appeared, but the main event refused to show. Wryneck had been a blocking bird fro me for sometime until I managed to see one at Hook a couple of years ago. We did find one last year at Moses Dock, when it appeared in front of us. It will always be an enigmatic bird, but equally frustrating, you just have to accept it and move on
Walking back towards Fishtail the immature Spoonbill had appeared on the lagoon and once again was actively feeding.
They are still an impressive bird, even if they are now becoming a lot more frequent.
It is hard to remember that a sight like this just on twenty years a go would have been a mega record, a Little Egret and Spoonbill being seen feeding together then was very rare, today the little Egrets are accepted as common fare, while we also expect to see Spoonbill too on every visit.
We checked the bay once again, and the tide was still high and there was nothing about. On Butts Lagoon, the few Black-tailed Godwits had decided to roost.
We hadn't seen them earlier but managed to find some Snipe feeding on the edge of the lagoon. There were six present.
It was now quite warm, the mild southerly wind being enhanced by the sunshine. The birds had decided to call it a day, and so did we, heading back to the car park, a little reminder that there is still warmth about at this time of year, a Red Admiral sunning on the nettles.
Despite the lack of Wryneck it had been a good day, and the chance to switch off from the trials of the month.
This post is dedicated to my Father, and to Ian's Mother both of whom surprised us by passing away this month, may they both rest in peace.
