Normandy Marsh & Rhinefield Aboretum

We woke today with the rain coming down in waves in the gusts of wind, who in their right mind ventures out - only birders hoping to find some good birds.  After gathering with todays group in the car park at Lymington Jackie made the decision to walk anti-clockwise, in the hope the forecast was going to be correct and the rain would stop after an hour ,which would mean we would be sheltered by the hedgerows whilst it was raining and would be dry once out in the open walking the sea wall.

Walking the back lane we picked up a few woodland species Greenfinch and Bullfinch, Great and Blue Tits, Robin, Dunnock etc. On the back fields Redwing, Mistle Thrush and Starlings along with  many Curlews and Dark-bellied Brent.  We exited out on to the seawall in the dry but no sooner had we set up to scan over Oxey Lake the heavens opened up and the rain was coming in almost horizontal.  So with nowhere to shelter we stood with our backs to the wind and waited for it to pass which it did in a few minutes.  Now having chance to scan the lake a small group of grebes were picked up at the far side turned out to be four Slavonian Grebes looking very clean and tidy birds. Several flights of Dunlin flew in to join Lapwing and Turnstone on the rack of seaweed on the high tide mark. We also had our first  view of a Kingfisher which Jackie found sat on an outlet pipe.  We walked on around the seawall and two Slavonian Grebe were close in and gave an opportunity for a quick photograph.

One of four Slavonian Grebe present Oxey Lake © Nick Hull

Scanning over the marsh Lesley  found a lone Spoonbill preening alongside a small group of Avocet. Other wildfowl consisted of Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Mallard, Shelduck, Goldeneye and a large flight of Brent Geese flew in to bathe on the lagoon.  As we walked further round Bob picked up a group of Greenshank roosting with Redshank on the back edge of the lagoon.  Out off towards the sea marsh Jackie found a female Peregrine sat on a post on a spartina island, then the male was seen on another post further to the right.  We then had another brief view of a fly by Kingfisher ad found a closer Greenshank which enabled everyone get a much closer view.

Top Spoonbill & Avocet below Greenshank © Nick Hull

We then travelled to Rhinefield in the New Forest for a walk around the aboretum, our sole purpose for visiting here was to see one of the forests specialties Hawfinch, though this year hasn't seen many visiting probably due to the very mild weather.  Our walk around produce the usual species one expected with a small tit flock which had associating Siskin and Treecreeper.   We also had a pair of  Bullfinch and a couple of views of Marsh Tit.

Our first view of a Hawfinch was very brief when one flew over and disappeared behind a large fir tree.  Not long after another was seen to fly in, this time landing at the top of another tree this, was a female as it showing the grey panel in the wing all had a good scope view before she flew off.  We waited only a short time and another flew in to this time a male his slightly brighter plumage was quite obvious in the late afternoon light.  With everyone satisfied with the views they had we headed back to our cars. However we weren't quite finished because as we arrived back at the car park a small group of other birders had spotted something in the large redwood, and checking it out I located a male Crossbill feeding on a cone high up in the tree a very nice finish to an excellent day.

Sorry a poor iphonescoped shot of todays female Hawfinch Nick Hull