A visit to the beach at Eastney.

Wednesday 29th November 2023.

A flat calm sea over the Solent this morning from Fort Cumberland, Eastney.

It looks as though it is going to be quite cold and wintry for the rest of the week, with even a threat of snow on the horizon and this morning, it was definitely ‘woolly hat’ weather. I had earlier notched up 16 species of birds during my first shift at work this morning, with probably the Cormorant being the most unusual, but to be honest, I am so close to the sea that I should see them daily. A Goldcrest was heard calling (surprisingly over the din of the cars going by!) in the Holm Oaks and I will most likely get a Firecrest or two over the coming weeks.

Above, there was at least a 100+ Sanderling on the foreshore at Eastney and showing very well. Below, among the Sanderling, several Common Gulls were present.

I took the dogs somewhere different for a change and opted for a walk along the front of Fort Cumberland for the Barn Owls that were roosting in the old Little Owl holes in the concrete wall. But, sadly, they were not on show today; but there was a reasonable supporting cast around the area. The sea was flat and calm, but there was literally nothing on it. I was hoping for an Auk or Diver, but the best I could get was a distant Cormorant. Thankfully, there was a good number of Sanderling on the beach with at least a 100 birds present; though they did get disturbed by a dog off its lead. Among the many Sanderling, a couple of Common Gulls were present, which are always smart looking birds.

Above, the view looking east towards Hayling Island from the south of Fort Cumberland on a high tide. Below, Sanderling heading west low over the sea.

Above, more flighty Sanderling flying over the sea and below, a female Stonechat was foraging around the waste ground in front of Fort Cumberland.

There were no Black Redstarts lingering around the derelict buildings, but one or possibly two Stonechats were flitting about in the vegetation nearby (one being a female bird) and a few Robins also in the area. Though no Owls today, there were at least 14 Stock Doves resting on the wall and a flock of 6 Mute Swans flew low overhead and then headed off towards Hayling Island and then flew back west over the Solent.

Above, the female Stonechat perched in the scrub south of Fort Cumberland and below, at least 14 Stock Doves were noted near the Owl holes.

Above, a juvenile Mute Swan and below, an adult and two juvenile Mute Swans were among a party of six birds flying low over the Solent.

After making our way back to the car, I drove down to the harbour entrance and took the dogs for a stroll up to the spit opposite the Hayling Car Ferry. From here, I picked out a distant pair of Mergansers in Lock Lake along with a solitary Great Crested Grebe. Looking north, the only birds of note were a small group of Turnstone resting by a boat, but nothing in the harbour entrance whatsoever. Boo! There are now TWO Black-throated Divers off Redbridge Wharf this morning along with a Great Northern Diver and showing very well again it seems. The Short-eared Owls are still at the Point Field on Farlington Marshes and some thoughtless idiot has been well and truly vilified by entering the field to disturb the Owls just to get a photo. Of course, this is totally unacceptable behaviour and rightly so and not only the ‘Lazee’s’ condemned this, but the guy got chastised by several people.   

Above, the party of Mute Swans heading out westbound over the Solent. Below, some of the resting Sanderling by the shoreline.

Above and below, the Sanderling chilling out on the beach.

To end the day with, on my last shift at Pembroke Road, there was a nice flock of 10+ Long-tailed Tits, 4 Blue Tits and a Goldcrest foraging in one of the trees adjacent to Governor’s Field late this afternoon, to equal my highest species day total here of 17 species. It is nice to see the Glossy Ibis still inhabiting the  Posbrook Floods, though I am not so sure about the two Ring-necked Parakeets seen over Havant today. 

Above, a small flock of Turnstone resting on a buoy north of the spit and below, a pair of 'redhead' Mergansers in Lock Lake.