A last minute change of plans left me with two full days to birdwatch, and for once the weather looked excellent, with a decent prolonged North / North Easterly Wind. A bit more cloud or rain overnight would have been perfect, but we'll settle for a decent wind!
Decided to go to old WInchester Hill, Farlington, and Titchfield on the Thursday, then, with slightly cloudier conditions overnight headed to Dorset on Friday. A Greater Yellowlegs was found on Wednesday afternoon at Farlington which guaranteed the place would be teeming with Twitchers, but I went along anyway! and no, I didn't see the Yellowlegs along with the majority of the crowd..
Old Winchester Hill looks good.. a strong passage of Swallows headed over form first light, and at ground level good sized flocks of Linnets and Goldfinches with a few Chaffinches, Meadow Pipits and Yellowhammers amongst them. Farlington was packed with Twitchers, and plenty of decent birds on the marshes: Peregrine, Wheatear, Yellow Wagtail, Cetti's Warbler, Bearded Tits, and a good selection of waders including Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Avocet, Ruff, Greenshank, Knot.
Headed to Titchfield Haven after lunch and despite a slow start it eventually produced the goods.. was about to leave the reserve in search of birds on the frying pan lake, when a Lifeguard's Helicopter flushed eveything from the frying pan onto the reserve lakes! This saved me a 2 mile walk, and best of all, 2 Spoonbills that have been in the area for some time now flew over and landed in one of the reserve's lagoons. Got great views, plus decent views of Common Sandpiper, Black Tailed Godwit, and a Marsh Harrier briefly. Off the sea wall I was alerted to a distant Arctic Skua harassing Terns, and also saw a small Flock of Eiders and a few Dark Bellied Brent Geese. A huge flock of Hirundines was gathering over the distant trees.
Friday, I decided to head to St.Albans Head. North wind was still in evidence but fairly mild compared to some days at St.Albans head! Overhead migration was in evidence from dawn with a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits heading West, along with 6 Alba Wagtails, 2 Yellow Wagtails, and 14 Siskin. Also later on 8 Golden Plover flew west. Meanwhile, a few hundred Swallows and House Martins, plus a single Samd Martin were all heading East (work that one out!).
On the ground were many Skylarks, Goldfinches, Linnets, Chiff Chaffs and Blackcaps, about 4 Wheatears, good numbers of Stonechats, and a single Whinchat, plus a Female Merlin, Spotted Flycatcher and a Grey Wagtail. My first 5 Redwings of the year were on the coastal path showing really well. Quite a busy morning, although Winspit valley was as quiet as I have ever seen it.
Spent the afternoon at Arne overlooking Middlebere lake. A nice challenge identifying waders in flight as they headed past the hide: apart from the obvious Black Tailed Godwits, Avocets, Dunlin and Curlews, picked out a couple of Knots and a single Bar Tailed Godwit. Finished the day with superb views of a Dartford Warbler, and several very close Sika Deer. |
