Long-tailed Duck at Southmoor.

Friday 25th November 2022.

This Common Buzzard showed well behind the pools at Budds Farm.

The weather had finally changed for the better today with bright sunshine, a near clear blue sky  with just a light breeze blowing across Langstone Harbour over a fairly high tide. I thought I would try my luck again for the Long-tailed Duck and this time it was third time lucky. Though to be honest, it really took some finding. There was a good supporting cast of birds this morning as well, which made the trip here even more enjoyable.

Above, Teal and a Coot on one of the pools on Budds Farm and below, the distant Great Northern Diver off Southmoor Car Park. 

I parked up around 10.30am within the Southmoor car park, sharing the car park with a couple of guys sea angling by their van. A light breeze came across the harbour, but the visibility was good and the water was nowhere near as choppy as it was yesterday. A couple of flocks of Red-breasted Mergansers swam nearby along with good numbers of Great Crested Grebe dotted about the harbour, including a few close birds that needed their photograph to be taken! A little further out were at least 5 Goldeneye bobbing on the water that included three drakes and two females.

Above, another photo of the Great Northern Diver. Below, a pair of drake Red-breasted Mergansers swimming together. There were many Mergansers in the northern half of Langstone Harbour this morning.

I picked up a Diver species some distance out near Long Island and through the scope, I could clearly see it was a Great Northern Diver; a rather thick-set bird with a large dagger like bill and an immature bird judging by the upperparts. A little while later (I couldn't relocate the earlier bird seen), I saw three Great Northern Divers together, albeit distantly, swimming and fishing west towards Long Island and the island behind. A good number for Langstone Harbour I assume? While checking the Divers, something interesting popped up in front of them and sure enough, it was the immature / female type Long-tailed Duck at last. I had almost given up hope in finding the bird but it was a busy little blighter and never stayed above water for long. I saw the bird a total of three times during my stay here, but at last, it climbed aboard my year list. 222 species for the year now. 

Above, a few Great Crested Grebes were close in and below, were joined by good numbers of Wigeon.

Back nearer to shore, a large contingent of Wigeon came in from the west close in and among them I found two Little Grebes bouncing on the water. Regularly checking the islands to the south for any raptors, I noticed three guys walking across Long Island, which I assume were from the RSPB. I watched them intently for a while, but I am sure that they were there for good intentions. There were plenty of waders resting on the islands with large flocks of Curlew, Dunlin and Lapwing flying around over the islands. A Chiffchaff began calling behind me and I saw the bird perch up on a bush from the hill behind me and then flew off towards Southmoor.  

Above and below, a pair of drake Goldeneye swimming offshore.

I couldn't leave here without checking the pools by the Water Treatment works and on return to the car, I noticed a Grey Wagtail some distance away in the road, but the bird flew towards me and landed by a large puddle close to where I stood and so I took a few photos and some film footage of the gorgeous little bird. Then a Chiffchaff was heard calling nearby and I found it flying into the nearby tall grass near the Wagtail and then returning to the roadside bushes. Eventually, it flew over the road and into the bushes on the opposite side. 

Above, the Grey Wagtail within the car park and below, a Chiffchaff joined the Wagtail. 

Overlooking the pools, the usual wildfowl were present, though no sign of any Pochard this morning. A resting Grey Heron was joined by at least three Little Egrets by the Pools, all picked out nicely from the bright sunshine. A large gathering of Redshank (60+) were joined by at least 5 Greenshank among them and on the fence separating the Pools and the Water Treatment tanks, a Common Buzzard was perched. The local Crows and Gulls did not take too kindly to it being there and flushed the bird until it disappeared to the west. Where I stood, by the small trees overlooking the Pools, a flock of Long-tailed Tits came in and showed well and they were joined by another Chiffchaff, my third sighting of the morning (or was it the same individual?). Temperatures have dropped a lot over this week and so getting a bit cold, I decided to make my way back home, reflecting on a great morning's birding.

Above, the Common Buzzard soon flew off and below, the resting Grey Heron taking in the sunshine on the Pools.

There have been some very good sightings around Hampshire this morning that included yesterday’s Snow Bunting still foraging around on the short grass by the Needle Eye Cafe at Milford-on-sea. From Sandy Point this morning, a Grey Phalarope was found briefly by fellow ‘Lazee’, Becky Ladd, along with 3 Little Gulls, a Slavonian Grebe and a Great Northern Diver! What else will be found today?        

A couple of roosting Greenshank with a Redshank on the Pools at Budds Farm. Below, some film footage of the Grey Wagtail at Southmoor Car Park this morning.