Bank Holiday Bonanza

Today saw another trip down to Pennington. My third in two weeks!!

It's Good Friday and a scorcher was on predicted, so like the rest of the South of England I headed to the coast.  Up early enough (after a late shift yesterday) I managed to miss most of the traffic and was at Pennington by 9.30. The air was full of the sound of reed warblers, sedge warblers and whitethroat, and the marshes were full of (breeding plumage) Ruff!  Amazing to see how they've changed in such a short space of time.  (when I say full of, I mean three or four,   good enough).

Snapped all the rest as I walked all along the sea front..
Home now and searching for the after-sun.
Click on pics to enlarge.  Ta for stopping by.

Cetti's Warbler

Whitethroat

A flock of Eider duck, way out, and in to the glistening channel.

Little Egret

The spotted redshank are also changing colour.

a lot of squaking alerts me to a distant cuckoo being mobbed

and then a couple of mallard chase a grass snake across one of the lagoons.

You know those avocet I snapped mating last week??  ;o)

Five spoonbill today, mostly sleeping in the distance.

The Black Tailed Godwits are looking stonking in their summer strip.

First Little Tern of the year,  heard one fly past, then saw seven on Normandy Lagoon

White Wagtail, not seen one of these for quite a while.

Hirst Castle, with The Needles behind.

The coastal path.  Being at the seaside, with out the crowds and traffic. Perfect.

Early April Adventures

A bit of free time and a need to see some sunshine, I've recently visited Pennington again, a quick trip in to the New Forest and equally quick trip to Blashford Lakes.  Sadly the last two were in cold gloomy conditions, as the wind has shifted to coming from the East and man it's cold!!

First up, pics from Pennington.. Avocet mating and some tidy Spotted Redshank.

Hadn't seen a swallow, sand martin or house martin this year, then picked up all three circling the reservoir by the ancient highway,

Next trip was to Acres Down in the New Forest - in the search of Redstart and Cuckoo.  I had thought I was a bit early for these Summer migrants. This cold wind is coming from the wrong direction to encourage the little birds to cross the channel, but after an hour of searching the paths and woodland I spot a pair of Redstart..  and then, I was finding them everywhere!  Must have seen a dozen males in the area I walked today.
Lots of crossbill in the tree tops and finally heard a cuckoo near the car park.  And then it was time to drive to Blashford and finally get warm..  The sun was being shy today.

A distant male Crossbill

At Blashford, the new Tern Hide is open and it's massive!  I've lived in smaller places!
It offers good views of more of Ibsley Lake, a more panoramic view, but it's still Blashford.  A place that serves a purpose (well) but hard to get excited about. You go to Blashford simply to pick up Winter 'ticks', and any other rarities that are listed.

Two Little Ringed Plover close to the hide, a Common Tern flying around and a Sandpiper shot past quickly. Too quick for me to ID.   Then a quick look in the Woodland Hide, hoping to see some Brambling. None seen and the lack of sun meant little point taking pics. 
That didnt stop one lady taking about 700 pictures of the same three or four blue tits and great tits on the feeders.. God knows why anyone needs that many pics of 'battery hen' wildlife. 
We're all different I guess.

Where to go tomorrow???

Blimey, its been a while..

Yup, no new post since November 2017! Blimey!

The 'year of the bike' sort of happened, I completed my 4000 mile challenge over the course of the year, but it sadly meant these kind of days out didnt happen, except for a flying visit to Portland - to say hello to everyone, as much as anything.

Anyhoo, Spring has sprung, the weather is currently pretty decent, so today was a visit to Pennington / Keyhaven. Just me and my knackered camera, and lots of sunshine. Happy enough with that, well, apart from the knackered camera bit.

Left Andover at 9 a.m. after grabbing some food and fuel, and was parking up at Lower Pennington at around 10:30.  Opened the car door to a Greenfinch and Cetti's Warbler right next to the car, being very vocal.  (click on pictures to enlarge).

Lapwing, Redshank, Curlew all heard as I walked from the car park to the first Lagoon, Fishtail.

The fields were very wet, and full of small waders and ducks,  plus a pair of roe deer happily munching on the grasses

I haven't really be paying much attention as to whats been happening at any of these reserves, but I did see that the spoonbill were still knocking about. Sure enough, one was on Fishtail Lagoon, sifting through the mud.

I'd heard that the local Dartford Warbler had been wiped out this winter, due to the cold. Not sure if that is true, but I found one at the edge of Keyhaven Lagoon, in the usual area.

As far as migration goes, it's very much in between seasons down there.  Plenty of Shelduck, a summer visitor, but also still Brent Geese, Wigeon, Teal and Pintail in the lagoons. They'll be off very soon to more northern countries.

Usually I see one or two Avocet down at these reserves, but this time there must have been 40+ spread out along a three mile stretch of coastline, from Keyhaven to Normandy Marsh.

Plenty of Reed Bunting around the borders and reed beds, and also caught a brief glimpse of 3 Bearded Tit as they flew over, 'pinging' and dropping in to the reedbed and not heard or seen again. The first beardies I've actually seen here.

Walking along the sea wall, I hear a screeetch that I recognise. A pair of Common Tern flying along the coastline towards me.  Some of the earliest returning terns, as there really hasn't been many listed at all on Hants Birds News.   (poor shot, shooting in to the sun).

Lymington Ferries

Hirst Castle in the distance

Back to the car and a quick drive around to Normandy Marsh.. and more spoonbill, Oysterchatcher, Black Tailed Godwits and Shelduck..  But no Wheatear or Yellow Wagtail sadly.

A great day, in a great place, but don't tell anyone, we don't want it getting too busy.