Cold, but busy, over Hayling Oyster Beds.

Saturday 4th December 2021.

Grey Plover and Dunlin over the Oyster Beds this morning

I only had a few hours spare this morning as I promised my wife that I would take her Xmas shopping over Fareham. So, thinking fast, I opted for a walk around Hayling Oysterbeds. It was bright and sunny again with the occasional cloudy spells, but with a fresh cold north-westerly breeze over the harbour, I was most certainly glad that I wrapped up well.

This Grey Heron was resting out of the wind at the northern end of the Beds. So sad to see human rubbish next to the bird. 

A pair of Pintail on the Beds.

High tide was at 11am this morning as I arrived in the small car park an hour before. There was a lot of overnight rain and the slippery muddy footpath leading to the Oyster Beds nearly got the better of me. How I ever kept my balance when I slipped on the mud, I shall never know; but my language was a tad blue! Up ahead, I could see a gaggle of Brent Geese on the water and waders, including Oystercatchers, Grey Plover, Curlew and Dunlin were busy in search of food. Even a Rock Pipit flew in to join them and showed nicely in the bright sunshine.

Shelduck accompanying the waders on the Oyster Beds.

A very smart drake Pintail. 

Drake Mallards coming into land on the Beds. 

There was just the one pair of Red-breasted Mergansers on the Beds, although a bit distant, but the waders were entertaining. The harbour was too rough to pick out any Black-necked Grebes and so I did not take the scope, so I took a slow walk around the Oyster Beds and then back south down the Hayling Billy Trail. Waders were pouring onto the Beds and putting on another spectacle in the sunshine, while I checked out the roosting waders among the walls separating the Beds. Both Turnstone and Redshank were in good numbers and another pair of Rock Pipits flew over and headed south.

Curlew with an Oystercatcher in the foreground. 

A Greenshank roosting on the pool behind the Oyster Beds. 

Wigeon, Pintail and a Curlew at the northern end of the Beds.

On the northern end of the Beds, there were a lot more wildfowl present including good numbers of both Pintail and Wigeon. A lone Great Crested Grebe swam with the wildfowl to add to the variety of birds present and a solitary Grey Heron stood on the edge of the Beds standing what looked like a beer can (see photo)! 

There were plenty of Wigeon present this morning.

This Great Crested Grebe was swimming with the Wigeon too. 

Once I got to the Hayling Billy Line, I decided to walk north to check the large pool and came up trumps with a roosting Greenshank. There were several Redshank present along with a lone Black-tailed Godwit. A few years back, a superb Grey Phalarope graced this very pool. There was very little to report along the Hayling Billy Line as I made my way back to the car, except for a few Greenfinch and Goldfinches.  There was no birding with Andy this morning as he wasn't well. Hmmmmm!