An evening walk around Farlington Marshes.

Sunday 20th April 2025.

The Lake area on Farlington Marshes. Will the reedbeds grow back to its former glory? The years I spent here since I was a teeneger and it only took a few weeks to nearly destroy an act of stupidity. Lets hope all goes well for the restoration of this wonderful place in the future.

When news reached me on the ‘Lazee Birder’s Whatsapp site that a Short-eared Owl was found on Farlington Marshes and photographed, I simply had to go down there and hopefully see the bird. I never saw one last year and with one so late for this time of year, it certainly would have been a good species to see for my year list. I arrived at the site around 6pm and on a receding tide, I slowly made my way around to the Point Field where it was last seen flying too. 

The Short-eared Owl on Farlington Marshes late this afternoon. Photo by Pete Gammage. Below, this male Kestrel posed nicely near the Lake area as I passed by.

I had met Pete Gammage within the Car Park who told me where the Owl had flown too and also Jason Crook by the Viewing Platform who said the same thing. But, despite a lengthy search for the bird, there was no sign of it, which was very disappointing, but being here with so many different birds on show certainly made up for that. In fact, there were a lot of species here that actually made the trip here worth the effort.

Above, one of many Redshank seen tonight. This one was on the small pool by the harbour wall and below, this male Wheatear had flown from the footpath to the neighbouring field.

Walking along the footpath while passing the Bushes area, I could hear Chiffchaff, Song Thrush and distant Reed Warblers singing. Med Gulls were ‘mewing’ everywhere and I wasn't quite prepared on how many of this species were on the reserve this evening. Simply hundreds!! The Lake area looks so different from years past, with stunted reedbeds due to the Sluice Gate fiasco from last year. Will the reedbeds here ever grow back to their former glory? At least the waders are returning onto the Lake as I passed a few Redshank feeding along the muddy fringes.

Above, a Shelduck near the Point Field and below, a Little Egret searching for a tasty fish.

As I briefly chatted to Jason and then made my way to the Point Field, a pair of Sandwich Terns noisily flew past and then I came across a superb male Wheatear that flew from the harbour wall and onto the edge of the field below. Meadow Pipits were displaying over the fields and the sound of the nesting Gulls on the islands out in Langstone Harbour was amazing. Like a cloud of white floating over the islands, the Gulls suddenly all got up as one as I checked for a passing raptor overhead. Could the Owl be out there or a passing Osprey?

Above and below, a noisy flock of Oystercatchers flew by from the Point.

Above, a pair of Dunlin near the Oyster Island and below, a pair of Little Terns flew past from the sea wall.

When I got up to the Point Field, there were Sedge Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers and Common Whitethroats all in song, though they were very difficult to see, hiding in the brambles, though I did see a few Whitethroats further near the Deeps area. A few Linnets were around and a pair of Gadwall that seemed a little out of place here; but no sign of the Short-eared Owl. I then made my way to the Deeps and found the near resident Spoonbill feeding in the shallow pools and showed superbly wafting its long bill through the water and then eventually the bird rested on the edge and began preening. There is something special about this species that one cannot fail to admire such a beautiful bird.

Above, the Spoonbill fishing on one of the pools upon the Deeps and below, a cloud of both Med and Black-headed Gulls on the islands.

Above, the number of Med Gulls among the Black-headed Gulls on the reserve was amazing. Below, the Tern Rafts were full of nesting Gulls.

It was the Mediterranean Gulls that really caught my eye for not only were they noisy but they were in such large numbers out over the Deeps and beyond in the fields, it really beggared belief. I can remember when they were such rare birds and way back in the early 1980’s, rushing to the Lake from the old Warden’s Hut (Where the Info Centre is now at) and finding one sitting there in fine summer plumage. Now they are all over the place 45 years later!!! Other birds picked up here on the Deeps included Tufted Ducks, Oystercatcher and Grey Heron, while Reed Warblers were singing deep within the reeds and with all the noise going on from the Gulls on the newly created islands on the Deeps along with the Tern Rafts, it was an amazing spectacle to behold.

Above, the newly created islands proved favourable to the Gulls on the Deeps and below, a found my first Cowslips of the year growing by the harbour wall.

A few waders were also seen over the reserve and the harbour that included a pair of Dunlin off Oyster Island, a few Ringed Plover darting about over the water and a small mixed flock of Turnstone and Redshank that I had flushed while walking close to the perimeter wall. I even watched a Whimbrel try to settle on what it had thought was shallow water then realised that it was deeper than expected and eventually flew back to the Saltmarsh nearby.

Above, a large number of Avocet were on the Stream area and below, the feeding Spoonbill on the Deeps tonight.

I constantly checked the reedbed by the Stream area just in case the Owl was there, but again there was no sign of the bird and while walking to the Lake, I found at least 26 Avocets feeding in the shallow water along with good numbers of Gulls and Mallard. It was now getting towards dusk and as I passed the Bushes back to the Car Park once more, I could hear the last sounds of a singing Chiffchaff somewhere deep within the Bushes to round off a lovely evening. Shame about the Owl, but what an excellent backing support.