Our Wednesday group started from Keyhaven this morning with look from the bridge over Avon Water. With a low tide it was easy to see a Water Rail picking it's way along the reed edge and a Common Tern flew over our heads into the harbour.
We then walked along the back lane which was fairly quiet until we got to the pool at the end of the lane. Here we had a variety of gulls with Lesser Black-backed and Great Black-backed, Herring and Black-headed Gulls loafing about. The inevitable Canada Geese were on the bank and on the waters edge a Common Sandpiper picked it's way along, over the water were hawking House Martins and Swallows, then Jess brought our attention to a few Swifts above us. On the other side of the pool we found two Little Ringed Plovers, a second Common Sandpiper and an Oystercatcher. On the water was a female Tufted Duck with 6 ducklings, a couple of Great Crested Grebes and several Little Grebes. A passing birder then brought our attention to a Buzzard flying behind us which then flew round and perched up on a post in the field.
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| Little Ringed Plover © Nick Hull |
At last tearing ourselves away we walked on towards Fishtail Lagoon, on the way we stopped to watch several small birds in the bushes with Goldfinch, Greenfinches, Linnets, Great and Blue Tits, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and a male Stonechat. As we looked down on Fishtail lagoon there was a Grey Heron with some prey, our reptile expert Chris identified it as a Grass Snake, it put up a good fight but finally we watched it being wriggled down the Heron's throat. Also on the lagoon were Black-tailed Godwits and a few Lapwing.
On Keyhaven Lagoon were two Greenshank while on the salt marsh there were good numbers of both adult and juvenile Dunlin, also Ringed Plover and another Little Ringed Plover, a single Whimbrel and a few Curlew. We found a single Grey Plover in stunning summer plumage. Approaching the car park we had a number of Turnstones on the waters edge and a fly by Sandwich Tern. An excellent morning.
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