Author: chrisbutton1

From the car I walked down to the beach, it was clear that there was a passage of finches. Along with Linnets, Goldfinches and a smaller numbers of Chaffinches I recorded at least 100 Lesser Redpoll and 50 Siskin all flying east. A group of seven Lesser Redpoll settled in a birch tree allowing me some extended telescope views. The Lesser Redpoll count is probably a record for the site. Graham Giddens trapped and ringed Lesser Redpolls here this week for the first time and the birds included individuals from Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. House Martins and Swallows were also heading east, at least 50 of each.

Bird of the day was an early Black-throated Diver, probably a juvenile, which I watched from the beach gate as it drifted east on the tide. The full breasted profile, horizontal dagger-like bill and greyish head and neck sides were obvious. Red-throated Diver is a slighter bird, paler necked and usually holds its bill up tilted. Great Northern Diver shows a blacker head and neck with a dark half collar and it’s head is lumpier often with a white surround to the eye. Perhaps the most striking and diagnostic feature, however, was the isolated white rear flank patch which was visible throughout. This is the rarest diver to occur in Hampshire and this record is the 2nd earliest Black-throated Diver to have been seen in Hampshire in nearly 30 years.

With a late morning high tide of 4.0m I headed over to the Estuary Scrape and had good counts of 170 Lapwing, 60 Ringed Plover, 50 Dunlin and 39 Shoveler. One of the Peregrines powered along the estuary fence line before swooping up to perch on one of the yacht masts where he remained for at least 20 minutes. While in B Water hide a female Merlin dashed over the reeds before heading over to the point. A Knot roosting at high tide from S hide was the first I’ve seen at NO.

A flock of noisy Long-tailed Tits moved down the bushes along the point with a pair of Marsh Tits and four Goldcrests following in their wake. Nearby four Rock Pipits flitted between the Warden’s Hut and the boats around the Clubhouse. The number of Brent Geese had increased significantly since last weekend with at least 200 in the river entrance and a pair of Raven honked overhead as they drifted out towards the Isle of Wight.

A Merlin dashing over the fields near B Water was the highlight today. The male Common Scoter remained off shore although distantly, almost mid channel. I saw only one hirundine all day, a single Swallow.

The Wheatear remained at the point and again it was the only one I saw. Nearby two Clouded Yellows paused regularly to nectar on late flowering Thrift. Other lingering migrants included at least 10 Chiffchaffs.

55 Lapwing roosted on the Estuary scrape and a female Marsh Harrier drifted over Inchmery while both Peregrines were perched up surveying the marshes. A Rock Pipit called from its vantage point on the Sailing Clubhouse and a pair of Raven drifted over.

Having seen the 1^st winter Wilson’s Phalarope on Fishtail Lagoon I headed over to NO. The highlight was one of the first birds I saw, a lovely Firecrest in oaks opposite the gate to the NP hide, associating with a mixed flock of Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests.

The sea was fairly quiet other than a group of four Eider close in shore. The number of Chiffchaffs was down to around 10 and I only saw one Wheatear during the five hours. It definitely felt like we were heading into winter and the first returning Brent Geese, twenty of them, off the point, added to the wintery feel.

Two Marsh Harriers were quartering over the B Water, a female and an immature male. There were three Greenshank from the Estuary Hide and I also heard but didn’t see a Spotted Redshank from there. The three Sandwich Terns remained, fishing off the point.

A walk through the scrub and bushes beyond NP hide produced lots of calling Chiffchaffs and there were still good numbers of Swallow passing through, perhaps 100 and half a dozen Wheatear feeding along the tideline. Later, I watched an immature male Marsh Harrier quartering over the reed beds adjacent to B Water and a Yellow Wagtail called as it flew over.

The main highlight today was watching a Little Stint fly onto the Estuary Scrape. I managed to watch it for 10 minutes but it was fairly flighty throughout and soon left strongly to the west. Six Greenshank were also feeding around the edge of the scrape.

A pair of Rock Pipits landed close to me on the pontoon before leaving to explore the sailing clubhouse. The male Common Scoter was again seen drifting close in shore out from the cottages.