Midweek update.

Wednesday 4th January 2023.

Possibly the same bird Andy and I saw last Sunday, this Great Northern Diver showed well for the 'Lazee Birders' this morning. Photo by Andy Tew. 

I have not really had the chance to add to my year list this week and so the chances of me winning the Fly / Pye Cup looks very slim indeed, especially as Andy has gone on to smash in another 17 species this week so far (though he did have a blank today despite thrashing Catherington Downs, Langstone Mill Pond, Farlington Marshes and Southmoor and dipping on Barn Owl by 15 minutes at the latter site!). 

A female Sparrowhawk at Sandy Point. Photo by Andy Tew.

On Monday, Andy kicked off at Bluebell Wood, near Clanfield, where he picked up Marsh Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay and Stock Dove. Then onto East Meon where Red Kite, Buzzard and Mistle Thrush were seen and then Petersfield Lake for the Egyptian Geese and some dodgy Grey Lag Geese. Beacon Hill held a Bullfinch near the village of Chidden, Long-tailed Tit and a flock of 360+ Fieldfare rounded up that day. Yesterday, both Stonechat and Sanderling were added to his total. 96 species for the year and he just needs just the four species, while I am way back on 82 species.

Sandwich Tern at Sandy Point this morning. Photo by Andy Tew.

The ‘Lazee’s’ have been out and about and this morning, Andy Tew and Andy Dickety were at the Lifeboat Station overlooking the harbour entrance at Sandy Point where they had fine views of a Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Shag and Sandwich Tern. Other notable reports included an adult Little Gull off Fort Cumberland plus 2 Great Northern Divers. A 3rd winter Yellow-legged Gull was reported this morning on Canoe lake briefly. Birding pal, John Goodall, texted me earlier this week to say that he and his wife took a walk over Southmoor for the Owls around 4pm on Monday afternoon. There, he had a total of THREE Barn Owls hunting over the tall grass, with one flying off towards Hayling Oyster Beds. 

The new fatballs I bought recently at Stansted Garden Centre.

On a completely different tangent, I purchased recently from Stansted Garden Centre, some fat balls for one of the feeders and our local House Sparrows simply cannot get enough of them! At least 11 birds were blitzing the fat balls and I think they woofed the lot in under two days! Annoyingly, there is a flock of Feral Pigeons that now fly down to the patio to pick off the scraps the Sparrows drop. I don't mind so much, but it's the poo they leave behind!  I am glad to read that Winter Watch is back on the 17th January for TWO weeks this time. Excellant.