Early spring day on the south coast

On sunday decided to head for the south coast hoping for a few migrants and an excuse to visit one of my favorite sites down this way, Keyhaven Marshes. Despite the early start and getting for around 7 seemed I missed a Hoopoe by minutes but plenty of Meadow Pipits and Linnets around in the scrub with few Chiff-Chaffs and Cettis Warbler in full song.

Linnet in the gorse

Out on the pools there were still a few winter ducks around a handful of Wigeon and bigger numbers of Teal, Pochard and Shoveler. Waders were in bigger number with Oystercatchers, Curlews and Redshanks but the star wader was the Black-tailed Godwits looking superb in the summer plumage even found a ringed one which I pusume is from iceland and a few Little egret were around as well.

Black Tailed Godwit

Oystercatcher in flight

Little egret in flight

Then walked along the Seawall which was quite productive with a fine Long-tailed duck out on the sea with 3 Red-breasted Mergansers around and bonus of a Dartford Warbler which suddenly appeared in the gorse

Feeding Dartford Warbler

Walked back along the highway where a Beared Tit and Sedge Warbler where heard and a Kestrel was seen hunting while out on the field around the back some of the waders had moved around with big numbers of Curlews and Oystercatchers feeding out on the field.

After doing the lope walked along Pennington Marsh for a bit till i came to a nice pair of Spoonbill and Spotted Redshank feeding so spent quite a bit of time watching them feeding out on the marshes.

Feeding Young Spoonbill

Feeding Spotted Redshank

After a lunchstop at a new forest Raptor watchpoint where a bit of luck meant had a nice view of a Goshawk flying over my car as I was leaving stopped off at Thursley Common. Had a nice walk around the heath where I was amazed by the number of Stonechats seemed to be calling from most bushes. In between found a few Woodlarks which where harder to pin down and a fresh Wheatear in the Gorse before the rain started.

Woodlark

Wheatear