The four Tundra Bean Geese at Pennington Marshes with Brent and Grey Lags.
It was back to birding with Geoff and Andy today and also meeting up with both Matt and Emma Parkes. Our destinations for today were going to be Pennington Marshes, Blashford Lakes and to round the day off, Blackgutter Bottom in the New Forest. The weather today was near perfect, with unbroken sunshine all day, though very cold, but mostly little wind. Another 15 species were added to my year list and best of all, I saw my first ‘Hampshire’ Tundra Bean Geese!
Pennington Marshes and the surrounding area, nr Lymington:
Oystercatchers flying over the Reserve.
Geoff was doing the driving today and picked me up around 8.15am, it was a smooth ride all the way down to Lower Drayton Lane in Pennington. Even the new part of the motorway was completed a day early between Fareham and Whiteley, which was incredible. On the way there, we took the Ashurst route to get to Lyndhurst and from the front passenger seat, I saw a Mistle Thrush flying over to begin my first ‘year-tick’ of the day. I also had a possible Lesser Spotted Woodpecker flying over, but I wasn’t totally sure and so did not add the bird to my year list.
At least 6 White-fronts among the Canada Geese in this photo.
We arrived around 9am and saw both Matt and Emma walking to the bend in the road where to view the Tundra Bean Geese. After parking in the small car park, we eventually joined them, but not before picking out more new birds for our year list that included around 100+ Golden Plover, a couple of Egyptian Geese and several Grey Lag Geese. Most of the pools were frozen over and a heavy frost was on the grass. Close to the road, a Common Snipe was seen along with several Lapwing and Geoff had a brief view of a Raven passing behind the sea wall of which the rest of us had missed. We then met fellow ‘Lazee Birder’ Andy Tew and he told us the Bean Geese had not been seen and said he was going to try an area in fields behind the Balancing Ponds of which we all followed later.
Two of the White-fronted Geese in fields near the Balancing Ponds.
While scanning the fields, we saw a flock of four 'Grey' geese flying in and landing in the field behind where the Golden Plovers were and though they could of potentially been the Bean Geese and were most likely the birds, we decided to walk the very long footpath to where a flock of White-fronted Geese were supposed to be as the Tundra Bean Geese liked to associate with them.
The lone Barnacle Goose within the same flock of Geese.
The long walk had us making our way through some woodland adjacent to the footpath and within her, there were two Treecreepers on show (another ‘year-tick’) and Emma saw a Bullfinch land in some tall trees beside the footpath. No-one else saw the bird but we did hear it and as I can count ‘heards’ on my year list, it was another addition as was the Fieldfare we all heard and only Andy saw it!
Three of the White-fronts among the Canada Geese.
On exiting the small wood, we walked the long path to where the Geese had been seen. On our way there, at least two Marsh Harriers and a Common Buzzard were seen and a large flock of Meadow Pipits arose from the neighboring field as we passed. Over in the fields to the east, there was a large skein of Brent, Canada and Grey Lag Geese grazing on the short grass, but no sign of the Tundra Bean Geese among them. When we reached an area where the Geese were on the opposite side of the footpath, a good scan among them produced 12 White-fronted Geese and a Barnacle Goose among the many Canada and Brent Geese and in this perfect light, I managed to grab a nice array of photos and film footage of the White-fronts.
The White-fronted Geese among many other Geese this morning.
Happy with the ‘Goose chase’ we decided to walk back and this time, we headed to the sea wall and walked back east. Matt told us that Birdguides had informed him that the Tundra Bean Geese had been found and were in fields near the Jetty back at Pennington Marshes. So the very long walk had begun again, but not before seeing a superb array of birds and many more ‘year-ticks’! A small group of Turnstone were below the seawall, foraging among the flotsam and jetsam washed up by the tide and in the distance, resting on one of the islands, I found a nice group of around 8 Spoonbills roosting among around 20+ Curlew. That saved us a trip to Normandy Marshes for sure!
Above, Turnstone were scurrying around below the seawall and below, a showy Rock Pipit also below the seawall.
Above, a pair of Reed Buntings below the seawall and below, the eight Spoonbills among the Curlew on one of the small islands.
The tide was slowly going out and on the shoreline, we found a pair of Reed Buntings searching for seeds and an obliging Rock Pipit was also searching for food very close to where we stood. As we neared the jetty, a small party of four Great Crested Grebes swam on the sea close by and another was a little further east. A very kind chap told us that the Tundra Bean Geese were still present with other Geese and it didn't take long to find the four Tundra Bean Geese grazing in a field with Canada, Brent and Greylags. My very first ‘Hampshire’ birds. The last time I saw this species was at Welney WWT, in Cambridgeshire several years ago with my wife. Behind us, out on the sea, we found the lone Slavonian Grebe swimming some distance out, but showing well through the scope.
Above, Brent Geese arriving on Keyhaven Marshes and below, a selection of birds including Brent Goose, Teal, Redshank, Shoveler, Pintail and Black-headed Gulls.
Above, Teal, Pintail, Shoveler and a Redshank on Keyhaven Marshes. Below, a pair of Teal in the bright sunshine.
Above, this Redshank was very close to the seawall and totally unconcerned about our presence and below, the Needles over on the Isle of Wight.
Above and below, Great Crested Grebes on the sea.
Above, my first Raven of the year, and was joined by a Magpie.
Very happy we finally found the bird we were after, we made our way back to the car park, but not before some kind lady pointed out a Raven for us! The ‘icing on the cake’ here for another ‘year-tick’ added to my ever growing year list. Next stop, Blashford Lakes.
The four Tundra Bean Geese behind the main flock of Geese on Pennington Marshes.
Blashford Lakes, nr Ringwood:
A female Goosander flanked by a Lesser Black-backed Gull and Herring Gulls on the west side of Ibsley Water.
We had roughly two hours of daylight left by the time we reached the car park by the Tern Hide and so we were surprised to see only a few birders left in the Hide and therefore plenty of seats to sit and scan Ibsley Water. Most of the birds were some distance away and mostly at the northern end of the lake and along the eastern edge. Earlier, on arrival at the car park, I saw a pair of Red Kites and quickly pointed them out to Andy for yet another ‘year-tick’ for him. He was now getting very close to 100 species in Hampshire for the year and once I had found both a Green Sandpiper and Goosander, he had finally reached the magic 100. Those two species were also new for the year for me too and when both Matt and Emma finally arrived in the Tern Hide, they were quickly onto the birds too.
Above, a Common Snipe roosting on one of the spits with a diving female Tufted Duck. Below, a Fox was seen over on the west bank in search of something tasty.
Above, few things actually swam close to the Tern Hide as usual, but this female Tufted Duck did and below, one of the three Grey Wagtails near the Hide.
Above, this redhead Goosander was preening with Coots nearby.
Other notable birds seen were a small group of three Grey Wagtails of which one of them, a presumed male bird, was singing to its mate as it flew past! I heard this scenario a few weeks back by my house in Southsea. At least four Goldeneye were seen that included three drakes and a female bird and a pair of Common Buzzards were feeding on a carcass over on the west bank. At least 10 Goosanders were counted on Ibsley Water with most resting on the islands on the west bank. Gulls were now pouring onto the lake and with a very large raft of Lesser Black-backed Gulls now on the water, I had to have a good scan through them in case there was something rarer. Sadly not, but it was worth a try. As the sun was now starting to drop, it was certainly getting a lot colder and with the light breeze coming in through the window, it really was getting very cold. So we made the decision to head off to Blackgutter Bottom for Hen-harriers.
Blackgutter Bottom, New Forest:
A distant male Hen-harrier gliding over the ridge as dusk approached.
We were well togged up with warm weather gear and I even got my hand warmers on within my gloves to help combat the cold as we made our way to the viewpoint overlooking the ridge to the south. A few small birds passed over including both Linnet and Meadow Pipit and a probable Mistle Thrush was seen heading high over the heath heading east. There were some other birders present further to the west by the Gorse Bushes and then Andy gave the shout there was a large raptor on show.
Above, as the last rays of the sun departed, the 'Supermoon' came out over the heath (below).
To the south-east, we soon were onto our first Hen-harrier for the year and a superb male bird too. Then out of the blue, a female Merlin flew up and gave chase to the bird before flying back down and landing on a small bush. The Hen-harrier then flew back from where it came from and shortly afterwards, another male Hen-harrier was seen further to the west over the ridge in the distance. The bird was seen a couple of times afterwards drifting slowly along the top of the ridge in the distance to round off a superb day's birding.
The 'Supermoon' rising over the heath.
On our way back to the car, the ‘Supermoon’ rose low over the heath and it really did look amazing as we got back into the car and headed off home, but not before having a chap with fellow birder Pete Appleton, who was also watching the Harriers this afternoon. Even the planet Jupiter could be seen below the moon when we were driving along the motorway.
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