Saturday 16th May 2026.
Avocets on Pennington Marshes today.
Another busy Saturday’s birding here on the south coast which took us to the superb reserve of Pennington Marshes and then back into the New Forest to Brockenhurst where we went in search of the rare butterfly, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary. The weather was looking good for the morning although light rain was predicted for the afternoon, but again, it was chilly in that westerly wind during the morning and being so close to the Solent, we certainly felt it! Still, we saw some superb birds and I even managed to pick up three more species for my year list here.
Again, both Andy Fisher and myself had our respective Moth Boxes on overnight and although the numbers were low, there was a reasonable variety. The icing on the cake was that Geoff Farwell came with us today to make up the Gruesome Threesome!
My Moth Box:
This Treble-lines moth sharing the egg tray with a Vine's Rustic moth.
The Moth Box held a few more Moths than a few days ago with a count of 14 moths of 11 species and although there was nothing new there I could find early this morning, it was when I got home from birding that I looked out the kitchen window and found my first Yellow-barred Brindle of the year sat on my neighbours kitchen wall! Earlier this morning, notable moths included a Freyer’s Pug perched on my kitchen wall and my second Buff Ermine of the year. The micro moth, Black Cloak (Notocelia cynosbatella), a very smart little moth, was my second of the year.
Above, a Freyer's Pug and below, the Black Cloak.
Above, I found this Yellow-barred Brindle moth late this afternoon.
Other insects present that my Box attracted included 2 Ichneumon Wasps, a Sawfly species and 2 Cinnamon Sedge Caddis Flies.
Cinnemon Sedge Caddis Fly.
Below, the Moths recorded in my garden today:
Andy’s Moth Box (Cowplain Marsh):
My first Common Marbled Carpet of the year.
With Andy being more in the countryside, so to speak; overnight temperatures tend to be a degree or two colder than where I live in Southsea; so I expect to see that moth numbers tend to be lower than mine and today proved that. However, there was a moth here this morning that was new for the year, a Common Marbled Carpet, which was perched under the guttering of the house near the Moth Box. Not only could the moths be either in the Moth Box or on the egg trays, sometimes you have to do some searching around the garden and today it paid off. I did pack up his Moth Box for him as I will be taking it with me to Devon next week.
Pennington Marshes and the Solent:
The adult Little Stint (far left) with Dunlin on Butts Lagoon.
Over the past few days, both the drake Garganey and a summer plumage Little Stint had graced this superb bird reserve and hoping they might still be around, luck was on our side as both species were present for us to add to our year lists and to top it off, a Little Tern was also added to my year list (though they have been here for around a month and in good numbers too).
Above, a good number of Swifts were flying low over the reserve and below, this male Chaffinch was in full song by the Car Park.
Above, a singing Common Whitethroat over in the Brambles and below, there were carpets of Bulbous Buttercup between the Brambles.
As per usual, parking in the ridiculously small car park at the reserve was going to be a problem, but we just about managed it. As soon as you stepped out the car, Swifts were zooming low overhead and Warblers were everywhere with both Sedge and Reed Warblers were singing around us along with the Common Whitethroats, which literally were everywhere! Even a Cetti’s Warbler burst out its explosive song nearby.
Above, another Common Whitethroat holding territory and below, more Swifts seen on our way to the Reserve.
Above, one of the many Avocets present with this one keeping guard for any predators and below, a distant male Marsh Harrier over the fields behind the Car Park.
Yesterday, the Little Stint was seen in the evening on Fishtail Lagoon and so we made our way there first as we made our way down the footpath, enjoying a host of birds showing quite well, including Geoff's first Sedge and Reed Warblers of the year! He predominantly does his birding deep within the Hampshire countryside of late. A quick look northwards over the countryside, I quickly pointed out a distant male Marsh Harrier flying low over the fields and a probable Common Buzzard soaring near the Harrier. The breeze was fairly strong from the west and with me only wearing a fleece, my hands soon got a bit cold and it wasn't till I got back to the car that I realised I had packed a pair of gloves in my rucksack! Doh!
Above, three very young Avocets on the waters edge and below, a singing Sedge Warbler.
Above, two Avocets keep guard on the young and below some of the Dunlin on Butts Lagoon.
Above, the Isle of Wight and the Needles in the background. Below, another Avocet chasing off a potential threat to their young.
As we neared the Fishtail Lagoon, Andy caught sight of our first Little Terns of the year, with a pair of birds flying west low over the reserve, with a fabulous backdrop of the Isle of Wight Needles and Hurst Castle in the background. As the morning progressed, we saw scores of the birds and some showed incredibly close too. When up close, they really are such tiny birds. Both Sandwich and Common Terns were in good numbers here, with large flocks of both species seen on the islands out in the Solent with more flying low over the sea.
Above, a pair of Avocets keep guard with their two youngsters and below, three Gadwall flying over the reserve.
Above, Thrift plants were growing on the seawall and below, Dunlin on Butts Lagoon.
Above, the sleeping drake Garganey on Butts Lagoon with Dunlin feeding closeby and below, an adult Med Gull passing over the Lagoon.
We noticed that Fishtail Lagoon held large numbers of Avocets and many fiercely defended their young chicks that were feeding along the waters edge. Should any large bird approach their young, they would rise and fly at any intruder, calling loudly. A good scan over Fishtail Lagoon produced no sightings of the Stint or the big flock of Dunlin it was associating with and so we tried our luck at Butts Lagoon where we could see a good number of birders on the seawall training their scopes on the Lagoon.
Above, all the waders were flushed briefly, but settled out in the open. Can you spot the Little Stint among the Dunlin? Below, a feeding Black-tailed Godwit in its splendid summer plumage.
Above, the Little Stint (far left) feeding with the Dunlin and below, a Common Tern flying over Butts Lagoon.
Above, a Little Egret flying over Butts Lagoon and below, a small group of Black-tailed Godwit in the same area.
Above, Dunlin and a Sandwich Tern offshore and below, some of the Dunlin making their way back to the pools.
A passing birder kindly told us that both the Little Stint and the drake Garganey were present and quickly getting my scope ready, it didn’t take long to pick out the Little Stint feeding within the grass tussocks on the western edge of the Lagoon (they look so different from the juveniles we see in the Autumn). I quickly got the guys onto the bird and then we found the drake Garganey fast asleep behind the main flock of Dunlin. Two excellent birds added to my year list. I had now time to film the birds and took my time enjoying, especially the busy Dunlin in their smart summer plumage. As Geoff explained, these are the Schinzii race of Dunlin, which are the smaller race of Dunlins compared to the other two other races, Arctica and Alpina.
Above, a Common Tern passing over Butts Lagoon and below, a Little Tern over the same Lagoon with Black-tailed Godwit in the background.
Above, a resting Little Tern with Black-tailed Godwit and below, Dunlin flying off the seawall.
Above, Geoff checking out the Sea Kale growing on the shoreline and below, two passing Common Terns with Turnstone in the foreground.
Above, Turnstone resting near the seawall and below, two Sandwich Terns flying close in over the Solent.
Other birds present here included a small number of Black-tailed Godwit (though their numbers increased later on the walk back to around 30 birds), a few Redshank, two Ringed Plovers that had just flown in from the Solent and of course, plenty of Avocets. Little, Sandwich and Common Terns were also flying over and earlier, a White-tailed Eagle had been seen that consequently flushed everything off Butts Lagoon; but thankfully, all returned. We bumped into fellow ‘Lazee Birder’ Kathryn (a birder from the Hythe area we bumped into at Fishlake Meadows a few weeks ago) who told us that it was her first ever drake Garganey. Later that morning, she had seen her first Arctic Skua go past through the Solent! Apparently, a flock of three birds had been seen entering the Solent from nearby Cut Bridge!
Above, a Little Tern bathing briefly on the Butts Lagoon and below, more Dunlin coming onto the reserve.
Above, a feeding Avocet and below, this Little Tern was fishing Little Tern was on Jetty Lagoon.
Above, a view of the reserve looking east and below, an Avocet by Jetty Lagoon.
Above, this Great Black-backed Gull drifted over with a big Crab in its bill and below, the sleeping Little Ringed Plover at the back of Fishtail Lagoon.
On the way back to the car, we clocked a male Stonechat among the Brambles as well as many more Common Whitethroats displaying. A small flock of Sand Martins flew over as did several Swallows and some chap we spoke to said he had heard a Grasshopper Warbler singing briefly by the ditch near Fishtail Lagoon. So we went off to explore, but there was no sight or sound of the bird, though we did find a Little Ringed Plover at the back of Fishtail Lagoon to round off an excellent trip here.
The drake Garganey with Dunlin.
Standing Hat Inclosure, Brockenhurst:
Above, some extraordinary behaviour from this male Common Crossbill at Standing Hat Inclosure.
After grabbing some lunch at the ‘not so expensive’ Service Station just outside Lymington (the Waitrose one was very expensive for their Meal Deals!!), we made our way to the Standing Hat Inclosure car park. One has to pay for parking now in all New Forest car parks, but although Andy gave me his bank card to pay the £3 fee for 2hrs, the place only accepted Ringo and so I paid that before we grabbed all our gear in search for the Pearl-bordered Fritiliarys. Sadly, the weather was not looking favourable with heavy overcast skies and a bit of rain falling, but just that one break in the clouds, we had around ten minutes of sunshine and out came one of the Pearl-bordered Fritillaries! Though we had to double back a few times as the butterfly was very flighty, it stopped long enough for me to check it out through the binoculars and sure enough, it was the first Pearl-bordered Fritillary I had seen for around 20+ years for the last sightings were up in the Aviemore area in Scotland. Sadly, the butterfly didn't linger and soon it flew down the ride we were on and disappeared.
Above, Andy found this Dor Beetle (type of Dung Beetle) in the Inclosure and below, another photo of the male Common Crossbill. It looks as though it is using this branch to lift it up into the tree?
Above, Geoff checking out a Wood Ants nest (below).
There was a good variety of birds within the Inclosure too as we had a flock of 17 Common Crossbills fly over! More singletons and a small flock also went over while we had lunch and as we made our way back to the car park, we found a small flock searching for food high up in some Oak trees, which was most unusual. What they were actually feeding on remains a mystery, but there were at least 8 birds up in the tops of these trees.
Above, a Soldier Beetle and below, a Song Thrush was searching for food.
Above, a pair of Mistle Thrushes were on the footpath.
Other birds seen included a pair of Mistle Thrushes and a single Song Thrush on the footpath and several Siskins were seen flying over. Both Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were singing in the woodland as were at least two Blackcaps and a Marsh Tit showed briefly for both Andy and myself while Geoff was checking out a large Wood Ants nest! Andy found a Treecreeper climbing a bough of a tree while we were watching the Crossbills. A Common Buzzard soared high overhead, but that was the only raptor seen here today.
Above, a Pill Millipede on the footpath and sadly, the only butterfly photographed here today was the Speckled Wood.
Above, one more photo of the male Common Crossbill.
A Brown Silver-lines Moth was flushed from the footpath and I found my first (and only my second ever) Small Emerald moth flew over the ride and eventually settled nicely on the ground for me to get a quick photo. Other notable insects found included a Dor and Soldier Beetle and Geoff found a Pill Millipede while we were eating our lunch!
Above, one of the giant Wood Ant nests and below, only my second ever Small Emerald moth.
Foxgloves were starting to bloom.
So, another incredibly good day’s birding with three more bird species to add to my Hampshire Year List (currently 182 species for the year) and my first Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly for a very long time and a first for Hampshire too. Birding pal Matt Parkes had come to Standing Hat Inclosure earlier today and managed to get a few photos of the butterfly (see photos).
Pearl-bordered Fritilary. Photos by Matt Parkes.
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