Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
Me old matey Geoff Farwell text me this afternoon to tell me that a juvenile Red-backed Shrike had been found at Mill Rythe, Hayling Island. I had never heard of the place till now and so I had to double check on the map where it was. So, Daniel, my son, and I hurried down to Hayling Island to get my first Shrike of the year.
Parking up in the boatyard at the end of Mill Rythe Lane, we walked ‘Scruff’ to the location by following the harbour wall footpath, which led to two birders within a small paddock containing some likely hedgerows for the Shrike to vacate. It only took a few seconds to pick up the bird perched on a bramble overlooking the paddock. The bird remained faithful to the hedgerows and showed very well all the time we were there.
Also in the area were two Spotted Flycatchers on a nearby bramble and a Common Whitethroat, which also showed extremely well throughout our half hour stay. Nearby, up to three Common Buzzards were flying and calling near the main road and Daniel and I saw at least two of them flying over the road on the way back. A male Kestrel was also seen hovering over the field.
So, the month kicked off well but we’ll have a job to beat last months total of 126 species.
While passing the Marshes on the way back home, I decided to pull in and have a look on the Lake for more waders etc. I t wasn’t to be disappointed as the tide was at its peak within Langstone Harbour and therefore the Lake was swarming with waders. The variety wasn’t as good as midweek but still good nevertheless.
There were only a few birders around and a chap called Simon came over and whilst we chatted, we picked up a few nice birds. An Avocet was feeding on the shallow water by itself, which were a bonus and my first for a few months. The main species were, by far, Redshank and Grey Plover with at least a 100+ of each on the Lake. Amongst them we had at least 50+ Knot (some still sporting their summer plumage), around 30+ Dunlin, 10+ Common Snipe, the two Curlew Sandpipers (adult and juvenile), which were present midweek, and three Common Sandpipers.
Other sightings included a Reed Warbler which flew from reedbed to reedbed over the Lake (didn’t see one last month!), a single Yellow Wagtail over the fields and a female Sparrowhawk which flew low over the Lake then settled on a fencepost behind the reedbeds.
Unfortunately, I missed a Spotted Crake by seconds as a couple of birders were watching one for some time but couldn’t be bothered to give us a wave to call us over to view the bird. Prats! I spent around 20 minutes with this fellow birder called Simon waiting for the bird to show again near the viewing area but the bird never showed nor the other bird seen earlier at the far end of the Lake. The long staying Spoonbill was also around today but out of view behind the reedbed, apparently. The day ended on 46 species for the month, which wasn’t too bad.
Right, the juvenile Red-backed Shrike at Mill Hythe this afternoon. Right, a Spotted Flycatcher in the same field as the Shrike.
