A Whimbrel over the Solent.

Wednesday 29th March 2023.

A pair of Med Gulls heading west over the Solent with Horse Sand Fort in the background

Continuing on from this mornings moths, the drizzle finally drizzled out and after reading that fellow ‘Lazee Birder’, Andy Dickety, who was birding at the seawatching site of Gilkicker, saw a dark-phased Arctic Skua flying east around 10.15am this morning. This spurred me on in doing a couple of hours checking the Solent for anything of note from one of the yellow Shelters near between the Pyramids and South Parade Pier. I used to sea-watch from here most Springs, but it has been a few years since.

Above, the lone Great Crested Grebe that was offshore all morning and below, a pair of distant Brent Geese heading east over the Solent.

An onshore wind was blowing, which, I hoped, would bring some migrants in and during the couple of hours I was there, it has to be said, it was rather quiet; however, I did get to see my first Whimbrel of the year, with a single bird flying south-west low over the water. Throughout my stay here, a Great Crested Grebe was swimming offshore, while at least 10 Mediterranean Gulls flew through and two small groups of Brent Geese headed fast east (2 and 4 respectively). Other sightings included three individual Oystercatchers heading east and a Sandwich Tern was fishing just offshore near the small rock jetty opposite the Pyramids.

This Sandwich Tern was fishing offshore near the new seawall.

Yes, it was a bit cold and though there were no Skua’s going through since Andy’s earlier sighting, there was always something to look at (a lot of Gulls were out in the Solent) to keep me on my toes and a few Cormorants passing through. Mr Dickety came up with the goods when he had an Osprey passing overhead at Gilkicker at 11.40am, but no such goodies for me I’m afraid. On reflection, I shall be back here in April to hopefully get the Skua’s etc passing through the Solent.