Monday 9th January 2023.
A much better day with the weather although there was a strong breeze blowing across Eastney Beach early this afternoon. However, it was bright sunshine with a bit of high cloud and after reading on the Hants Birding website that a pair of immature Little Gulls were off Eastney Beach, I fancied my chances in notching up a few more ‘year-ticks’. So, parking up down the track adjacent to Fort Cumberland Common, I made my way along the muddy track to the beach.
It didn't take too long to find the large flock of Sanderling on the beach, either sitting together in a tight flock or others wandering around near the shoreline like clockwork birds! Nevertheless, these beautiful little waders climbed aboard my year list. A good scattering of Gulls on the water included mostly Herring, Black-headed and Common Gulls, but it wasn't till I was looking west further down the beach, that I picked up at least one of the immature Little Gulls. I had some walking to do if I was going to get any photos of the bird.
Walking some 200 yards further down the beach, the sun did not help with it reflecting off the sea, but fortunately for me, the Little Gull flew back east along the sea and then turned back west where I managed to get some reasonably decent photos of this delightful small Gull. Who would've thought that I would get both Sabine’s and Little Gull in just two days? Incredible stuff, but that is what makes birding so unpredictable and enjoyable. The Little Gull then flew consistently westbound and so I decided to check out the area south of Fort Cumberland to see if both the Little Owls and Stock Doves were present.
Eastney Beach is famous in Portsmouth for the Naturists using this area to carry out so called ‘sun-bathing’ and believe it or not, there was one such individual there again today. So I am dressed up in a thick warm coat with my hands in my pockets to keep warm and this bloke is starkers below me! Bloody joke! Back to the birds; I walked as far as I could along the concrete wall and checked the usual holes for the Little Owls, but, yet again, no sign of the birds. Not a good sign, but maybe they might return next month? I did get my 3rd ‘year tick’ of the day when I spotted just the one Stock Dove perched on the wall looking north.
Another photo of the Great Northern Diver off Eastney Beach.
There have been a couple of Great Northern Divers seen here of late on the sea and today, I got lucky. I found both birds on the choppy sea: one in the harbour entrance and a second bird a bit closer, tackling a crab it had just caught. I did scan the sea in the distance for a possible Gannet or Fulmar due to the strong blustery winds blowing, but to no avail. Now I had to negotiate the large waves crashing over the seawall, which I comfortably achieved. Phew!
The Sanderling on Eastney Beach.
The adult Sabine’s Gull was still present today in the same place as yesterday and also took trips to Hayling Bridge and also the pools on Budd’s Farm, giving all that came to see this superb Gull some memorable views. With the sunny weather, I expect the Social Media accounts will be awash with some superb photos of the bird. The Great Grey Shrike was still showing early this morning at Pig Bush near the Car Park. Up to 9 Purple Sandpipers were counted this morning at Southsea Castle and on Farlington Marshes, one of the Short-eared Owls put in a brief appearance and the family flock of Russian White-fronted Geese were still present along with the Black Brant.
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