Saturday 11th December 2022.
The icy temperatures over the UK continue and this morning was no exception here on the south coast. Though it was below freezing and a good ten minutes scraping the ice off the car and demisting the windscreen, it was always worth the hassle to explore what Mother Nature has thrown our way regarding the wildlife we are going to see today. It was -2 degrees when I got in my car to drive up to Andy’s house and by the time I got there, it was -5 degrees!
Andy has been hovering on 199 species of UK bird for the year and so we needed just that one more attempt for the Long-tailed Duck from the Southmoor Car Park to clinch the magic 200 for the year. When we arrived at the empty Car Park, we quickly grabbed our birding gear and set up overlooking a ‘MIll Pond’ calm harbour. Not a breath of wind blew and viewing the harbour looking south, I quickly got to work checking the channel just north off Long Island. A Greenshank flew low overhead heading east over the exposed mudflats as I scanned the water carefully and it didn't take too long to find the immature / female type Long-tailed Duck swimming and diving close to Long Island.
I quickly got Andy onto the bird and he was soon celebrating his 200th species for the year. Good numbers of waders were on the mudflats including Dunlin, Turnstone, Grey Plover and Curlew; while out on the flat water, Great Crested Grebes and Mergansers swam, albeit distantly. There was also a small number of Little Grebes swimming close to the islands too. Out on Long Island, a female Peregrine sat on a post, watching the world quietly go by. Has she had breakfast already or potentially eyeing up her next target? Still, all part of a gorgeous Wintry scene within Langstone Harbour in the bright early morning sunshine.
Behind us, Rock Pipits were calling and a ‘charm’ of Goldfinches were fluttering about on the embankment as well as a pair of close Stonechats. How these small birds survive such cold temperatures is always baffling, but they do and then do it all again to survive. Even a Robin popped down near us to hop around the vegetation in search of prey. I checked the harbour several times, enjoying prolonged views of the Long-tailed Duck as well, but as always with this bird, it was busy fishing, though it did occasionally preen and flapped its wings.
We couldn't leave here without having a look at the wildfowl on Budds Farm pools and so driving up and parking the car on top of the hill, we made our way to the viewing area and fully expected the pools to be frozen over. The only areas escaping the ice were on the far north side of the pools which held good numbers of Teal and Shoveler, though there were a few Mallard present along with a single pair of Pochard. At least 15 Little Grebes were counted on the water and the only wader present was a lone Greenshank seen walking on the ice!
A Kingfisher was heard, though Andy thought he saw the bird and both Water Rail and Cetti’s Warblers were heard calling. Close to where we stood, a pair of Goldcrests were busy searching the small branches within the trees and bushes for tiny insects. Time to warm up as we got back into the car, a quick check on the Birding sites from our respective mobile phones and then decide on where to go next!
Yesterday’s Tree Sparrow over Warsash was tempting, but still no reports of the bird being there; so to go somewhere completely different, I suggested Woolmer Pond. As we made our way up the A3 northbound, I watched the temperature gauge within the car drop, till when we eventually arrived at the small car park, just outside the village of Greatham, it was back to -5 degrees! The neighbouring trees were glazed with white frost as we negotiated the awfully busy road to cross and make our way to the Pond through the small wood. A few Redwing called somewhere within the trees as did a flock of Long-tailed Tits as we eventually were overlooking a very frozen Woolmer Pond.
It was typically a Wintry scene from a Xmas Card, with the strengthening sun shining down across a white, frosty trees and heath and a bit of steam rising from the ground. There was always a chance of something special flying over or perched on one of the bushes, but to be honest, it was kind of quiet here this morning. We spent most of our time enjoying a hot drink from our respective flasks by the gate next to the Cottage garden and simply waiting for the birds to pass through or fly over, where during the time spent there, we notched up a few species of note.
Hardly anything was seen during the walk to the gate, though I was sure a pair of Common Snipe were flushed from a small stretch of water near the fence line. The sighting was very brief, but I did hear them call. A few Carrion Crows went over and a lone Black-headed Gull, but nothing else over the frozen pond. From the Gate, both Song and Mistle Thrush were seen from the same area over in the scrubby area north of the Pond. A Common Buzzard flew up into a distant tree and remained there for several minutes and then flew off somewhere while overhead, a pair of Redwing flew over and also a Meadow Pipit. Robins and Wren were flicking about the Gorse bushes nearby as I poured another hot drink from my flask.
We did spot another birder scouring the Gorse Bushes near the Forest and when he arrived by the gate, he told us that he had seen a few Dartford Warblers there and a Sparrowhawk earlier. Before we left to walk around the Pond, a Goldcrest flickered around the Conifer close to where we stood. Walking around the back of the Pond, we simply saw absolutely nothing, bar a few Wood Pigeons flying over, but it was very atmospheric here as we made our way back to the car.
On the way back southbound down the A3, we saw a pair of Red Kites soaring together high over the road, just before the turn off to Clanfield, to add to our Raptor list today. I asked Andy about first going to Greggs for serious grub and then Sandy Point? I got the thumbs up as we made our way to one of our favourite destinations. When we got to the end of the footpath at Sandy Point overlooking the harbour entrance, once again, the sea was flat calm and hardly a ripple on the water, which made good viewing with my scope in picking out anything interesting. We both agreed to view from the Lifeboat Station and during the hour or so we were there, some nice birds were seen to add to our day list.
A good scan across the harbour entrance and then north over the harbour was rather fruitless at first, with just a Cormorant seen bathing in the harbour. A little later, looking south out into the Solent, I picked up a pair of Razorbills loafing on the water and not too far away either. Auks are quite often seen here in the winter, but were there any Divers? I did see one very distant Diver out on the sea, which I could only assume was a Great Northern Diver, but it really was a long way out.
However, we got lucky with a Red-throated Diver which I picked up flying out from the harbour and then landed within the harbour entrance, though closer to the West Wittering side rather than our side. A female Goosander flew into the harbour, again over on the far side of the harbour entrance, but through the scope, there was no mistaking the plumage. I found a group of at least 12 Great Crested Grebes very distantly looking north into the harbour, just floating off Thorney Island and overhead, at least two Sandwich Terns were seen fishing. Though conditions for finding anything in the harbour were perfect, it did get rather quiet at times and so I suggested to Andy to check out the harbour from nearby Sparkes Marina.
Andy was 'Over the moon' with reaching 200 species!
On arrival, we noticed another birder checking out the waders through his scope. The chap confirmed he was taking part in the WEbs Count (Wetland Bird Survey) and so we left him in peace. Overlooking Black Point, looking east, there was a large gathering of waders to look through including Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Sanderling, Turnstone, Grey Plover and even a couple of Knot among them too. Up to three Sandwich Terns came down to bathe by the sandy shoreline and an odd duck flying through over Black Point turned out to be a Long-tailed Duck! Sadly, Andy never picked it up as the bird quickly flew east and lost to view behind the Sailing Club. Was this the same bird as the one we saw earlier in Langstone Harbour or a second bird? My theory is that it was a second bird and probably hanging around the yellow buoys area north of Black Point throughout the day.
Well happy with our birding today and a good variety too, especially with Andy getting his 200th species, it was going to be interesting on what was seen today in Hampshire. A probable Siberian Lesser Whitethroat was found by the chalets at Hill Head today, which was a very good record. I have seen a few of this species before, but not for many a year. Might be worth having a look if it is still around. Four Black-necked Grebes were seen in Langstone Harbour from the Oyster Beds and another bird was found in Portsmouth Harbour! The family party of White-fronted Geese and the Black Brant were still on Farlington Marshes, seen today by birding pal Geoff Farwell, but no sign of the Grey Phalarope. However, the most incredible news today must go to the Walrus seen in the harbour entrance at Pagham Harbour; a first for Sussex! Apparently, over 200 people went over to view the mammal but it eventually disappeared, though seen again late in the day.
.jpg)
