Lots of 'Lazee Birders', Divers and Auks!

Saturday 11th December 2021.

Razorbills off the harbour entrance at Sandy Point.

Not quite an early start this morning as I paid a visit to my Father before meeting up with Andy at his house. I read yesterday that there was a good selection of birds within Chichester Harbour including all three ‘common’ Diver species and plenty of Auks and so, we took a drive down to Sandy Point to hopefully see the birds. It was a grey overcast start to the day and at 5 degrees, we knew it could be rather cold down there. However, there was hardly any wind and the sea was flat calm; superb viewing conditions for finding anything swimming on the sea or within Chichester Harbour.

Great Northern Divers in the harbour entrance.

On arrival, we parked up and almost immediately, a car pulled up behind us revealing two of the ‘Lazee Birders’, Andy Tew and Andy Friend greeted us and then Hampshire birder, Pete Gammage popped up! While walking down the footpath to view the harbour entrance, who should we bump into…. Both John Goodall and John Cronin! They had seen both the Black-throated Divers earlier this morning (in fact, 3 birds were later reported) and at least 4 Great Northern Divers and lots of Razorbills. We had a quick chat then made our way to the harbour entrance when almost immediately, we were onto our first Razorbills of the morning, feeding just offshore!

One of many Sandwich Terns flying into the harbour this morning. Local birder, Andy Johnson, had counted over 30 birds in the harbour recently!

Behind the Razorbills (I counted at least 6 in this particular area including some further south out on the sea with many more in the harbour. I have never seen so many in one location away from the breeding colonies! ), we counted at least 3 Great Northern Divers, including two birds that were swimming together. The water was so calm, it was easy to see birds at least a half a mile away out in the harbour and we made the most of the excellent conditions. Ok, it wasn't brilliant for photography, but I wasn't complaining. Also from the harbour entrance, I found a distant Red-throated Diver, but it was so busy fishing that it was difficult to pin down on the sea. An adult Shag was also in the same stretch of water along with at least 6 Great Crested Grebes.

Yet another close view of one of the Razorbills. There were a few Guillemots present this morning but we failed to locate any.

We walked up to the Hayling Sailing Club and joined Andy Johnson for a chat and thankfully, he pointed out the location of the Black-throated Divers for us. The birds fished together within the many buoys out in the harbour, but always remained distant. Still, my third Diver species of the day. Sandwich Terns were in good numbers here this morning with several flying into the harbour and several more perched on the buoys within Chichester Harbour. I counted at least 20+ Great Crested Grebes and possibly 30+ Mergansers within the harbour and Mr. Johnson found a drake Goldeneye over on the West Sussex side of the harbour to add to our nice collection of birds seen so far this morning.

The Black-throated Divers were very distant from Black Point and this record photo does not really do them any justice.

We walked around the Sailing Club and back to the car for our next destination would be Southmoor to check Langstone Harbour from there. The walk back produced several more sightings of Great Northern Divers and this time, I did count four birds in total as well as more Razorbills and Great Crested Grebes. I later learnt that two Slavonian Grebes were seen around midday north of Black Point. 

The three Black-throated Divers in flight over the harbour. Photo by Andy Tew. 

I decided to drive up to the top of Budds Farm and park up there to view Langstone Harbour. I was hoping to find last week's Long-tailed Duck that was being very elusive and my perseverance paid off when I found the bird fishing just north of Hayling Oyster Beds. I quickly got Andy onto the bird, which was a ‘year-tick’ for both of us and looked to be an immature bird judging by the dark colouration of the bird. Eventually, after some searching, I found the Black-necked Grebe flock, which numbered 6 birds all huddled in one tight flock as per usual. Good numbers of both Great Crested Grebes and Mergansers were present and another drake Goldeneye was seen near the Oyster Beds. A good count of at least 21+ Little Grebes were swimming close to the North Binness islands making the most of the calm conditions.

The Greenshank seen by the shoreline at Langstone Harbour.

Below us on the mudflats, a lone Greenshank showed very well feeding around a small pool along with many common waders including Turnstone, Redshank, Dunlin and Ringed Plover. We soon made our way over to the pools by Budds Farm Sewage Works and checked out the area. There was a good variety of wildfowl on the pools and among the Teal, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Tufted Duck and a couple of Pochard, I found an interesting Aythya species of duck and was most likely a Tufted Duck x Scaup hybrid. However, I have just had it confirmed that it IS a female Scaup, my first for the year! Happy days indeed. 

The female Tufted Duck x Scaup hybrid was re identified as a female Scaup on Budds Farm pools!

As well as the wildfowl, there were at least 6 Little Grebes on the water and nearby, we could hear a Chiffchaff calling and eventually, the bird gave itself up and flew past us at pace. We were not surprised as a male Sparrowhawk belted past us apparently for only Andy glimpsed it! Raptors were in short supply this morning, then Andy spotted another raptor, a Common Buzzard, perched on a post by the large water containers behind the pools.

The Common Buzzard perched on a post behind the pools.

So, not a bad morning's birding with a great selection of birds again and a good chat with many familiar birders too. Most enjoyable. And apologies to Andy Fisher again for making him spill nearly a whole cup of Greggs coffee over his lap in the car today, lol!! 

Watching 'Comrade' Andy negotiating the rocks by Hayling Sailing Club. Most enjoyable, lol!

Nice variety of raptors on Portsdown Hill.

Thursday 9th December 2021.

This Great Northern Diver was seen exactly three years ago to the day from Broadmarsh Car Park. It showed superbly well during my stay there where I was to obtain some lovely photos of the bird.

The weather was much brighter and sunnier today and in the sunshine, it was fairly mild. I had a very busy day at work, which took me to Porchester a few times and also into Southampton and at least four times over the top of Portsdown Hill! Of course, even though I was driving all day, I did manage to see quite a few birds while on the move.

Raptors were in good numbers over the top of Portsdown Hill with up to 3 Kestrels seen, one hovering Common Buzzard, a male Peregrine soaring overhead and finally, a Red Kite that was seen late in the afternoon. The latter is still scarce around the south coast and only occasionally I would come across one. Other birds seen included a covey of at least a dozen Red-legged Partridges in one of the roadside fields, which I pointed out to my work colleague.

At Portchester Crematorium, a pair of Pied Wagtails and a Grey Wagtail were resting on the roof of the Crematorium and in the nearby trees by the railway line, a lone Redwing flew onto one of the tall Poplar trees and rested there, calling occasionally. I have virtually given up in search of any moths here now as I have not seen any at all for a few weeks now.

Another photo I took of the Great Northern Diver fishing off Broadmarsh Car Park.  

In Hampshire today, there were some nice birds inhabiting the Hampshire side of Chichester Harbour that included a pair of Black-throated Divers, 2 Great Northern Divers, a Red-throated Diver, 2 Razorbill, a Guillemot and an Eider. The nearby harbour entrance held a Slavonian Grebe. Four Velvet Scoters were off Hill Head yet again. Interesting news comes from West Sussex, when I read on the Birds of the Selsey Peninsula website that the RSPB are now going to charge a parking fee for the use of Church Norton Car Park and the Centre Car Park. Though the fee isn't too bad, the money gained from this is to help towards the upkeep of the reserve.   

Working on the Isle of Wight today.

Monday 6th December 2021.

Goldfinches at Hayling Oyster Beds last Saturday. It was nice to see them on my feeder in my garden.

I was working on the Isle of Wight today, which meant a trip across the Solent on the Car Ferry at 9am. The sea state was relatively calm, but that was literally the ‘calm before the storm’ as by 11am, the heavy rain came in and remained that way till around 3pm. I am pleased to hear that the monstrosity built by the Isle of Wight Ferry Terminal, the Ben Ainslee Racing Headquarters is to be mothballed. How on earth that ugliness got planning permission is beyond belief. I wonder what those Council idiots have in store for us this time to replace it?

I got on one of the newer Car Ferries and was surprised at how filthy the seat I was sitting on was and don’t even go there with the windows! I was hoping to take a few photos using my mobile, but the heavily stained windows put paid to that idea. I hardly saw any birds while we sailed over to Fishbourne, bar a few Gulls that were mostly Black-headed, Common, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls, though I did see a flock of 6 Shelduck flying west over the Solent. 

Brent Geese in Langstone Harbour near the Oyster Beds.

In days of old, I used to stand with my car overlooking the Solent with my binoculars when I spent a lot of my working days on the island, but now, because of Health & Safety (and probably due to a lot of suicides), one must vacate their car and go into the ship and wait till the order comes through to return back to the cars. How times have changed. Nevertheless, it was a calm crossing, but the worst of the weather was on its way.

Driving along the A3056, I saw a Kestrel hovering over the roadside verge just outside Arreton, checking out the rough grass below the bird. A little further along the road, a male Sparrowhawk flew south, being pursued by a Jackdaw until disappearing behind a small row of trees. A Covey of Red-legged Partridge was seen, approximately 12 birds in all, in a field on the corner of Downend Road and the A3056; all looking rather forlorn in the heavy rain. I was making my way to the Isle of Wight Crematorium and on arrival, a flock of 16 Redwing flew over, with a further 8 more birds seen a little later. This was the last place I had seen a Red Squirrel anywhere in the UK, but I think the bad weather put paid to seeing any today, although one of my work colleagues sees them most days on the island.

A nice mixture of birds in this photo by the Oyster Beds last Saturday, including Pintail, Wigeon and a feeding Curlew.

I caught the 3pm Car Ferry back home to Southsea and in Fishbourne Harbour, looking through much cleaner windows, I spotted a Grey Heron flying up the harbour and landing near a flock of Oystercatchers resting on an island at high tide. A Great Crested Grebe was seen swimming in the harbour as we were leaving and a small flock of Brent Geese flew in and settled on the calm water to round off a wet, but enjoyable day with the Isle of Wight crew.

It was fairly quiet today in Hampshire though there were reports of an adult Iceland Gull flying up the River Itchen, near Southampton. The Long-tailed Duck was seen again at the northern end of Langstone Harbour and the Jack Snipe was again seen from the Spurgin Hide, Titchfield Haven. Another Storm is expected to arrive tomorrow - Storm Barra, which I expect more wind and heavy rain. Joy!