Birding Normandy Marshes, Lymington

It was good to be back out with our first group meeting of 2016 yesterday, 6 January.  Our first Wednesday group met at Normandy Marshes, with a bit of sunshine and hardly a breath of wind it was ideal.   

The morning started nicely with a Kingfisher, sat out on a branch below a Little Egret in the same tree, and a Sparrowhawk over 8 acre pond, also Tufted Duck, Redshank, Mallard and Little Grebe.  Looking along the edge of the field we had at least six Bullfinches, two Song Thrush, Greenfinch and Blackbirds.   Our first Stonechat sat up on the gorse and a few Meadow Pipits in the rough grass.  I heard a Greenshank call and watched two fly out to the smallest piece of ground showing in Oxey Lake.  A female Red-breasted Merganser and Great Crested Grebe were seen further out.

Robin © Nick Hull

With our first look over Normandy Lagoon we had Wigeon, Teal, Lapwing, Pintail, Shelduck and a single Avocet and a superb Spotted Redshank.  Brent Geese were flying in large number to and fro the field and lagoon and unlike the noisy Canada Geese give a softer and more soothing call.  Moving down and looking over Oxey Lake again we had two Slavonian Grebe and a little later another Slav flew in.  Jess pointed out a Common Seal by the salt marsh spit and then called our attention to some Eider duck sat out on the marsh which included a beautiful adult drake.  Also on the spit was a Spoonbill being quite active feeding on the marsh, plus Grey Plover and a single Bar-tailed Godwit. 

Back to the Lagoon where we had a good number of Dunlin and Ringed Plover, a female Goldeneye was diving along with Little Grebes.  A single Oystercatcher flew noisily in, then to add to the list was Snipe and Shoveler.  A Reed Bunting briefly showed, we had Stonechat again, then a little flock of Long-tailed Tits and with them was a Goldcrest and Chiffchaff.  We also had three sighting of Dartford Warbler though it may have been just two individual. 

On the walk back to the cars along Normandy Lane one of the fields held a large flock of Curlews, also a Roe Deer.  A Green Woodpecker called and some of the group saw another Sparrowhawk and a Buzzard.  

Our new programme for Spring and Summer is now on our website www.twoowlsbirding.co.uk why not join us on one of our walks.