Warsash late November

Posted on 27th November 2017 by Richard

Visiting family in Southampton has the added bonus that it’s close to the River Hamble as it goes into Southampton Water at Warsash, always a good spot for Waders and other coastline / wetland birds, especially through the Winter Months.

A visit there at high tide this week gave sightings of over 200 recently arrived Brent Geese, Curlews, Plover, Turnstones, plenty of Redshanks, Pochard, Wigeon and more all along a stretch of half a mile northwards from the Hamble / Warsash ‘Pink Ferry’.

Regrettably the tide was just on the turn when I arrived so there was no sign of the often seen resident Kingfishers.
I also hoped to see the Seals who, as the tide starts going out, are seen swimming back downstream and into Southampton Water.

Female Stonechat

Meadow Pipit

Smaller bird wise, apart from the usual, just some Pipits and Stonechats.
After walking this stretch I usually drive further along to Hook-in-Warsash, have a stroll to the beach then into the Fields and Woodland where a number of Green Woodpeckers and a Little Owl are seen, but insufficient time.

Wigeon

The Southampton area is a good base for various Reserves; Arne, Selsey, Pagham and the New Forest all close by and easily reached. I’m never bored down this way!
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Sunny day at Dungeness

Posted on 18th January 2017 by Richard

I arrived at RSPB Dungeness at 0945., clear, sunny, no wind and zero degrees.
Earler I had ensured I had ample clothing; on top I had 2 T-Shirts, 2 Jumpers, a Shirt and my thick 100% Wool Nepalese Jacket.
After about 200 meters, I was too hot !

Meadow Pipit

I started off with a quick look to see if the two Long Eared Owls were giving everyone a show, neither of them did so I wandered off around the Hides, made my way to the Viewpoint and headed back.
It was nice as unlike my last few visits smaller birds were appearing; a male and female Stonechat were busy amongst the Gorse between the Christmas and Dengemarsh Hides, this was followed by a nice pose from a male Chaffinch perched in the bushes. In fact, there were probably 20 plus there.

Male and Female Stonechat

Next stop would be the Beach by the Power Station, but as I was getting in the Car, a Greenfinch appeared just opposite.
Not only were there quite a number of small birds around but many Humans as well, the most I’ve seen there since last Autumn.
Shame is that speaking to some it seemed they were there to see the Owls and the Ringed Neck Duck. At least they saw the latter who is still displaying well at Boulderwall.
No sign of the Slavonian Grebes on the New Diggings.

Meadow Pipit on wall at Dungeness Power Station

Meadow Pipit not in Meadow! – Early morning on Reserve – Greenfinch

I parked up at my usual spot beside the Old Dungeness Lighthouse and before enjoying a Roll and brew up, looked at the Garden. Nothing to be seen but even in this cold cold weather, there are still Bumble Bees flying there.

Male Chaffinch

Onward to the Beach. I walked up to where the Nuclear Station waste water is pumped into the sea which attracts literally hundreds of Gulls weaving and ducking. With three others I searched for the Icelandic Gulls which arrived two days previous, but I’m afraid our eyes could not keep up with them.
I took lots of photos to bring home and expand on the larger screen, but couldn’t pick them out.

Some of the hundreds of Gulls around the Point</center>

On my way back to the Car, a Meadow Pipit started jumping up and down on the Power Station Wall. Most obliging it was too and I managed to get a few half decent shots.

Other than that, there were two Great White Egrets at the ARC and a Sparrowhawk beautifully posed on a dead tree which, naturally, flew off just as I clicked. A nice close up of a branch and blue sky though !

Goldcrests and more at Dungeness

Posted on 9th October 2016 by Richard

Visiting Dungeness always springs surprises, that’s to say, when you think there’ll be a lot around, there isn’t and vice versa. Today was a day where I expected it to be busy; I’d heard about the Cattle Egret, an Osprey, Glossy Iis and more but nothing was seen by me.
However, no day out to Dungeness is without something even if it’s a better view of a bird than you’ve had before.

Europes smallest bird, The Goldcrest

I did my usual circuit starting off by parking the Camper at the old Lighthouse, venturing on to the beach then a walk up to the BTO House and around the Moat.
The tide was in so not much there. I walked around the bushes between the Miniture Train Station at the road leading to the BTO. Here was a mass of Starlings and quite a few Goldcrests.

A trip to Samphire Hoe Nature Reserve

Posted on 12th August 2016 by Richard

A sunny and warm English summers day, so rather than going to my usual haunts I thought I’d pop down the 16 miles or so to Samphire Hoe just south east of Dover.

Looking toward Folkestone Warren

Samphire Hoe is if you like, a striking result of making use of man made land from the spoils of digging the Channel Tunnel which opened in May 1994.
Several sites to ‘dump’ the spoil were put forward but as it was more or less right above the tunnel workings on a lesser reachable part of the Cliffs, Samphire Hoe was chosen.
Upon completion of the Tunnel, the spoil was landscaped and ‘converted’ into a Nature Reserve, owned and maintained by Eurotunnel.
About a mile and a half long and in places going about 300 meters out from the 350 feet high cliffs, it’s mainly made up of Meadow land and a few ponds which attract both birds and other wildlife.

Juvenile Black Redstart

At the south east end of the Reserve you have a shingle beach with some sand, this stretching all the way along to Folkestone Warren. At the other end it is basically rock with Shakespeare Cliff towering above it, this being probably the best place to observe land and sea wildlife.

Juvenile Stonechat

Like most areas, being late Summer makes some species of birds hard to spot but I was most pleased to get photos of the Stonechat and Redstart.
Other birds present were a huge number of Sand Martins plus Kestrels and Sparrowhawks flying predating close to the Cliffs.
Unfortunately I found it difficult to get settings on the Camera to focus in on anything with the white background. Maybe too sunny.

Looking toward Dover Eastern Docks

Getting to Samphire Hoe is pretty easy, it’s approached through a tunnel from the A(M)20 about one mile on the London bound side of Dover.
Careful in the tunnel though. It’s not well lit and on a sunny day driving from the brightness into the darkness is a bit tricky on the eyes. Also a very steep gradient.

But well worth a visit and on a clear day you get a good view of the cliffs north of Boulogne in France.