Summer at Pennington

It's only been a couple of weeks since my last visit, but this South Coast birding mega spot was very different today! The winter visitors, all bar a couple of Brent Geese have gone back to their summer grounds and the hedgerows are alive with our own Summer migrants. In fact the first bird I saw as I got out of the car was a newly arrived Swift fly over my head as it had just come in off the sea. My first one of the year and pleasingly just inside April.

Yesterday I received a new toy. I have treated myself to a new lens for my camera. A Sigma 150 - 600mm zoom lens and after a very satisfying lap of my lakes yesterday I decided it needed a proper test down by the sea. The weather looked good and my sunburned head proves that the weathermen didn't lie.

On my last visit to the area, I felt that I hadn't given it enough time between visits. A little disappointing, stupidly, as I had managed to bag the Spoonbill and Long Tailed Duck that time.
Today made up for any false sense of disappointment. I'd go as far as saying it was one of my best days out with the camera in quite a while.

Walking across Pennington to get to the sea wall and there were many Whitethroat here (and everywhere else today).

Two of the sleepy Spoonbill were still in the area, sleeping mostly..

And a good number of Little Terns and a few Common flying over my head, and successfully fishing the lagoon. I had fun playing with the camera trying to snap them, but generally they were facing the wrong way.

A stonking Black Tailed Godwit was at the side of Fishtail, Not bothered by the crowd snapping it, just bumbling around eating worms.

I made my way to the end of Keyhaven, hoping to see the pair of Dartford Warblers I saw last time. No luck today, but a Stonechat and a few Linnet obliged. I believe I saw a Whinchat, but couldn't get a picture, and a few other birders pretty much told me I hadn't.

Then a shout of 'Osprey'!!
True enough, pretty high up, but an Osprey was circling briefly before heading out to sea.
The new lens proved a very good investment and I have to say I'm chuffed to bits with these!

Back to Pennington and a few Little Egret snaps and Whimbrel next to the sea defenses.

A few shots of The Needles, the big boats going in to Southampton and the Coast Guards on a training drill.

Three hours went very quickly. Walking back to the car I spotted another Whinchat and managed to get a snap of this one.  From distance, lit mostly by the smile my new lens had given me.
A bloody good morning's walk.