Hampshire (5 Viewers)

[Jon Turner]

Just got back from a walk around the heath at Petersfield, where I saw an adult Mediterranean Gull, and two Common Terns. The Terns flew off east, but the Gull landed on one of the boats moored out in the middle of the lake.
This is the first time I've seen either of these species on the Heath and I've been walking around it (on an occasional basis) for 35 years!

Jon

 

[pdwinter]

Yellow-legged Gulls

There were 20 Yellow-legged Gulls at Lower Test this afternoon - failed to see Common Sandpiper despite standing by the old bridge for 2 hours!

 

[teamsaint]

36 Curlew Sands at Keyhaven/Pennington this afternoon apparently.

 

[skatebirder]

36 Curlew Sands at Keyhaven/Pennington this afternoon apparently.

...But none today!
I got there at about 7am and they had all cleared out overnight. Consolation prizes included Little Stint, Peregrine, Med Gull, Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Water Rails and lots of the commoner warblers.
David

 

[stevetb]

I didn't start very early, but still had 2 nice little stints and a peregrine on/over the Butts lagoon today.

 

[cwpbirder]

Pectoral Sandpiper " on small pool off Hayling Billy track 300m south of Oysterbeds car park" today - I'd be grateful for more details of location etc - is this the car park behind the petrol station south of the bridge?? not familiar with the precise loacation. thanks

 

[bren-escape]

Great White Egret at Blashford, saw it today myslef but has been about a couple of days.B

 

[dwallace]

Hi CWP Birder,
Yes, you're about right for the Pec Sand location. You head south over the bridge towards Hayling Island and the first garage on your right is an Esso garage. Turn right along a short track immediately after the garage: this is the Oysterbeds car park. Walk south along the old Hayling Billy line for about 500 metres and there is a small pool on your left-hand side. Today the Pec Sand was the only bird on the pool and was very confiding. It was still showing late afternoon. Good luck if you go for it.

Regards

Dave W

 

[JohnnyH]

Farlington

Good selection of Raptors present this morning, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, watched a Peregine attempt to snatch a wader from the lagoon, & best of all a Female Marsh Harrier quartering the reedbed nr the info hut. Also the Avocet was still present on the lagoon.

John.

 

[cwpbirder]

Long-billed Dowitcher

Still showing well at Ibsley north lake, Blashford, at 6.35pm this evening - I've looked up past records for Hants - is this the first record in the county since 1988?

 

[teamsaint]

The last one was in 1989 at Pennington so we were certainly due one.

No sign this morning however, so hopefully it will turn up somewhere else soon.

 

[Deer Stalker]

Firecrest singing at Millyford Bridge the other day.

 

[Gwaihir]

Keyhaven

Quite a few people there today, sunshine obviously brought them out including me,

first visit for a while. Quite a lot of activity although nothing special. Heron, little egret, brent geese (50), common sandpiper, redshank, curlew, black tailed godwit (seemed like millions), oystercatchers, turnstones, grey plover, little stint?, BH gulls, heard warbler but couldnt see it. Am bound to have forgotten something else as well.

I did enjoy it though,

oh yes I knew i had forgotten something, there was also a ruff

 

[Wells-man]

goose at warsash

Went to Warsash on monday (26th). In amongst a large flock of Canadas and a few 'domestic' geese, there was a goose neither I nor my son nor the passing volunteer worker for the area could identify.

It was a uniform collared dove-grey colour, no stripes or different underbelly etc, with a yellow/white head 'mohican' strip coming down into the bill, which I think was black at the tip. Pink legs/feet. Looked like it had black wing tips, but didn't fly while I was watching. Similar size to a Canada , bit more tail perhaps, quite assertive!

It was on one of the islands on the lagoon that you normally watch from the seat that has been taken away!

Anyone else seen it? Can anyone identify it for me please? It didn't fit any of the usual goose pictures. Colouration was far too uniform for a greylag or a pink-footed for example, even without the head stripe. Some sort of hybrid? Or am I missing something obvious?

K.

 

[Richard Ford]

Hello

Sounds very much like the escaped Cape Barren Goose that has been knocking around the area and is more often seen a Tichfield i think. see this pic here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cape_Barren_Goose_edit1.jpg

 

[Wells-man]

Hello

Sounds very much like the escaped Cape Barren Goose that has been knocking around the area and is more often seen a Tichfield i think. see this pic here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cape_Barren_Goose_edit1.jpg

That is indeed it. Thanks.

(Bit disappointed I've not found a previously unknown species of goose!)

K.

 

[Nikon_Wozz]

Hi,

I'm new to birding and was interested to read the Cape Barren goose thread.

I was out near Warsash (possibly at the same scrape unless I have my location wrong!) on the 17th Oct and saw what looked like an Egyptian goose with the Canada's. It was my first visit to that area and wondered if it was a regular there?

Cheers,

Warren

 

[John P]

Hi,

I'm new to birding and was interested to read the Cape Barren goose thread.

I was out near Warsash (possibly at the same scrape unless I have my location wrong!) on the 17th Oct and saw what looked like an Egyptian goose with the Canada's. It was my first visit to that area and wondered if it was a regular there?

Cheers,

Warren

There was an Egyptian Goose reported at Warsash on the 8th, 21st, 24th and 26th, three at Titchfield on the 15th and two at Brownwich on the 15th, all October.

See :- Hampshire Bird News

 

[Wells-man]

Had a cracking day at Keyhaven on Saturday. Nothing extraordinary to report, but wanted to 'bump' this thread to keep it going. Most of the usual birds: Brent (and Canada of course) geese, wigeon, teal, redshank, black-headed gulls, all in large numbers. Also quite a few little egrets, oyster-catchers, grey herons, turnstones, curlews and little grebe, plus a linnet showing nicely on the gorse. Only a few godwits though, in contrast to earlier reports.

The canadas flew over from further inland in a very large flock. Sounded as if put up en masse by gunfire. Does anyone shoot in that area? Or was it more likely an automatic bird-scarer on a farm?

Weather was just fantastic in the morning, sun shining on the water and lovely fresh breeze; birds were unusually cooperative in standing still when viewed, and pub lunch at The Gun was acceptable (though not brilliant). Well worth the drive down from deepest northern Hampshire where I live.

And then to top it all, back home to find a kestrel sitting on a tree in my garden, posing, waiting for its photo to be taken.


K.

 

[Kits]

Visited Keyhaven today on the back of your post, Ken. Fabulous breezy day and very long walk. Saw lots of Little Egrets, Black Headed Gulls, Canada Geese, Brent Geese, Oyster Catchers, Redshank, Wigeon, Curlew, one Little Grebe a wren and a pied wagtail. Had a okayish lunch at The Gun (have had better!). And then back home to deepest North Hampshire for us too.