On Monday I survived 3 and a half hours in the dentist chair being "tended to" by a direct descendant of Tomás de Torquemada (C'mon, when you clicked on this blog you didn't expect the Spanish Inquisition!! No-one expects the ............ etc etc 😉😁😁😂) in all honesty as root canals go it went fairly smoothly and I hardly felt a thing!! To celebrate my triumph over pain we decided to treat ourselves to a trip to Hampshire to see the Wilson's and Grey Phalaropes that I had been seeing awesome pictures of on the internet. So yesterday (13/10/2020) we managed to get on the road quite early, so organised I even made a flask of tea!! A brief stop for fuel and supplies (donuts) and we arrived 2 and a bit hours later, 2 lots of 50mph average speed cameras on the M27 and a lot of traffic the reason for the delay 😢😢.
Looking where the Birdguides dropped pin was, I parked at the Keyhaven end of the reserve (wrong decision!!) and after a few minutes getting kitted up, humming and hahring about whether to take the scope (I did, a decision I came to regret with Camera, Big Lens, Bins and the scope the weight is large and I didn't take the bloody thing of me shoulder once!! 😔) we set of , first bird of note was a Marsh Harrier that flew across the small harbour which spooked a Curlew which gave us great flight views of that as well!
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The Harbour by Margie
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View from the Path by Margie
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Marsh Harrier
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Spooked Curlew
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We continued along the path, various Pipits were along the Seawall and the ditches, mainly Meadow with a few Rock Pipits one of which posed ok.
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Lagoon by Margie
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Rock Pipit
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| Rock Pipit |
At this point I noticed that there were quite a few cows around with very few (none😲😢) fences between us and them ,my wariness of large quadrupeds is well documented but it is also inversely proportionate to the quality of the birds on offer so I pushed on regardless.(should also be noted that encourage and soothing words from Margie helped the situation "stop being a wuss", "they are not interested in you", and "man-up" being her favourites!!😂😂) luckily at this point we came across a small group of birders pointing Cameras ,Scopes and Bins at a reed filled ditch, however the Wilson's Phalarope was behind the said reeds and although we got tantalising glimpses as it powered along behind them couldn't get a picture, I being very smart noticed a clear patch up ahead and got into position, some birders laid flat on the ground to get the ultimate shot, Margie and I considered it, however the inevitable loss of dignity as we would have tried to get up again dissuaded us, although it is highly unlikely considering the amount of gear I had on that I could of got down there anyway!!😂. After a slightly tense wait ,where we thought it had turned around , the ruffled water and the moving reeds parted and the bird appeared and it has to be said gave stonkingly good views. With magnificent self-control I have limited myself to three photos of the bird, what a stunner
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Grey Phalarope
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| Grey Phalarope |
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| Grey Phalarope |
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| Grey Phalarope |
As well as fantastic views of the 2 Phalaropes we were also be treated to a fabulous display by a large flock of Swallows which as well as swooping all around us were landing on the fences and bushes in good numbers, I'm useless at judging numbers and it's impossible to give a sense of what it's like with the big lens on but I will say there were at least a hundred but possibly many more!
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Swallows
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Swallows having a breather
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The Grey Phalarope flew further along the ditch to the end pool where it joined the second Grey Phalarope and we had even better views in open water, although it has to be said they didn't seem to like each other much keeping a good distance between themselves and squabbling when they got to close subsequently I never got a shot of the two together. Though Margie managed a record shot
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The two Grey Phalaropes together by Margie
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By now I was getting slightly bored of taking Phalarope pictures (as no doubt you are of looking at them😍😂) Lucky then, that I could hear Bearded Tits calling in the Reedbed and so decided to investigate, Margie who by now was taking pics of the scenery (which is fantastic by the way) joined me and we headed into the gorse/bramble/reed area . The reedbed held a lot of Reed Buntings and even more Chiffchaff ,I saw a couple of Beardies but they stayed buried in the reeds or were flitting quickly across the top, though I include one record shot but it ain't great😢
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Reed Bunting lots of these about they spend most of the time chasing each other about
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Bearded Tit told you it was a bad pic!
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Chiffchaff
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Chiffchaff
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The Reedbed by Margie
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The Reedbed with Isle of Wight in the background by Margie
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The Phalarope Lagoon by Margie
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We decided to explore this area more, it was alive with small birds ,mainly Linnets, Goldfinch, Wrens, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds (couldn't find an Ouzel😢) and Greenfinch, but there were also Pipits running around as well, at this point the Swallow flock decided to descend and adorned the bushes all around us a fantastic site but as before the big lens doesn't lend itself to this kind of action😕😢
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Swallow sorting out it's feathers before the big push south
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Goldfinch on Teasel Classic!
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Reed Bunting
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We headed back to the Phalarope pool and grabbed a few more shots(just couldn't help myself sorry) and then headed further along the seawall.
The tide was fully in by now and the light made the views even better, not many waders on the jetty type thing a few Turnstones and some Dunlin and there were a few bits and bobs on the seawall scrub, Stonechats, Goldfinch and some Meadow Pipits ,couldn't find any Dartford Warblers despite reports from another birder although we did find the Spotted Redshanks he told us about, thanks very much also managed a record shot of a distant Kingfisher
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Meadow Pipit
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| Turnstones waiting for the tide to turn |
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Common Redshank
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Turnstone
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Stonechat
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Grey Heron
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Kingfisher
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Spotted Redshank
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Different Goldfinch on different Teasel
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Spotshank
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Margie was very much enjoying herself with the landscape and down on the seashore ,which she got some nice pics of seaweed Her pics below
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The Needles
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Swallow silhouette by Margie
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We decided to walk back through the gorse/bramble area ,to cut off the corner, much the same fare, though a Wheatear on a cowpat was nice, also felt like I was being watched were the cows making their move!!😱
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Wheatear on Poo!
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Posy Mipit
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Watcher
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Making it's moooove! (Margie made me write that)
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We arrived back at the Phalarope pool to find ,you will be glad to know, the two Grey Phalarope had disappeared although you may feel some trepidation when you hear that they had been replaced by the Wilsons!!!! Your fear would be justified as I filled me boots!!😀😀😀😀
Sorry!! a few 😀 pics below
With the weight of equipment taking it's toll and Margie making "subtle" hints about having had enough, apparently there was no part of her that wasn't aching!! We decided enough was enough happy in the knowledge that we had had a great day as we headed back towards the car ,my guard down I realised the cows had outflanked us!!!
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Bugger!
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So the alternative walk three miles back the other way or go through the cows, luckily laziness overpowered fear and I casually strolled through whistling a happy tune, though Margie suggests it was a slightly different experience from her point of view😆 Anyway we made it safely through the gate although it was touch n go for a minute there!!
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I let you live this time Evans, maybe next time !!
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Once past the gate we headed back to the car, a flock of Wigeon sped by and as we approached the car three Buzzards were frolicking over the carpark and a Marsh Harrier was working the Reedbed behind which brought us neatly full circle.
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