Gannets in the Solent.

Monday 6th May 2024.

A pair of Great Crested Grebes passing through east over the Solent.

With all those Skua’s passing through the Solent, especially a few Pomarine Skuas, I had to do a sea-watch this morning and so grabbing both Geoff Farwell and Andy Fisher this morning, we then made our way to Gilkicker to view from the concrete Shelter overlooking Stokes Bay. The weather was not looking great, with plenty of rain showers, although mostly over the Isle of Wight by the look of it, but having the benefit of the shelter, we had a trickle of movement this morning, which included another ‘year-tick’ for me and Geoff.

Above and below, Sandwich Terns flew up and down the shoreline in Stokes Bay.

Above, this male Pied Wagtail walked about our feet by the shelter and below, a pair of Shelduck flew west close in.

Stokes Bay:

There was a very light northerly wind blowing offshore and the Solent was dead calm and so picking off the birds over the Solent was relatively easy, though it was a bit misty at times. Swallows were coming in off the sea in fits and starts and heading north-west and even several Swifts were seen coming in. Though we had no Skua’s through during the four hours we spent there from 8am onwards, we did hear that an Arctic Skua and up to 4 Black Terns were seen off Cut Bridge (Milford-on-sea), with the birds over on the Isle of Wight side; but sadly, they never made their way past us.

Above, there was some huge shipping going through the Solent including this whopper and below, Sea Campion growing abundantly on the beach.

Above, Geoff checking the Solent from the shelter. Below, yet another Sandwich Tern fishing along the shoreline.

Geoff picked out a Diver passing through eastbound low over the sea and we eventually all agreed it was a Red-throated Diver. After checking photos on my laptop, it was in full summer plumage. Andy saw an adult Gannet flying west and I quickly got onto it through the scope. The same bird eventually turned round and headed off back eastbound and then another soon followed. About an hour later, two adult birds together also were seen flying east. These were my first Gannets of the year and that put a grin on my face. Andy had already seen one off Sandy Point way back in January. There were a few waders passing through that included two Whimbrel east; 6 Dunlin headed east along the shoreline (a group of four birds and then two birds; all in summer plumage) and at least two Oystercatchers. Sandwich Terns flew up and down the shoreline throughout the morning and just 7 Common Terns were seen during our spell here.

Above, though distant, this Red-throated Diver passed through eastbound and below, one of many Swallows seen coming in off the sea.

Above, one of several Swifts seen also coming in off the sea and below, a male Linnet in front of the shelter.

Other sightings today included two Brent Geese flying together eastbound, a pair of Mallard westbound, 2 Mediterranean Gulls west, 2 Great Crested Grebes east and one on the sea, a male Kestrel headed east along the shoreline and on the beach, a pair of Pied Wagtails fed a youngster on the promenade and a pair of Linnets were also seen. On Farlington Marshes this morning, a drake Garganey was present and yesterday's Wood Sandpiper was also present (Geoff saw the Wood Sandpiper yesterday).  

Above, an adult female Pied Wagtail was with its juvenile offspring on the promenade and below, one of the Swallows flying over the shelter having just come in off the sea.