Keyhaven 3rd January

The weather was frosty, sunny and fine! Highlights were Red-breasted Goose, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Peregrine, Dartford Warbler and Kingfisher.

16 of us met in the car park opposite the Gunn Inn at Keyhaven. As we waited in the car park we saw several birds. A couple of Jay, a Sparrowhawk and Curlew, Snipe and a few Grey-lag Geese flew over. Avon Flash (just over the road from the car park) was fairly busy with Teal, Snipe and some Wigeon and Pintail right at the back. There were a few birds in the harbour as the tide was falling. Turnstone, Redshank, Dunlin and a few Black-tailed Godwit. As we got to the reed-fringed pool opposite the harbour Brenda had already found a Little Owl on the derelict farm buildings. As we watched it a Barn Owl flew across and went into the farm building – 2 Owls in one view – great! The pool had a Little Grebe and some Mallard – pretty quiet.
We walked around the harbour edge. Many Brent Geese had flown in and were feeding there. They made a wonderful spectacle as they flew in calling. We had good views of a Rock Pipit and a Stonechat on the foreshore and a Peregrine flew by a little way ahead. Then a closer look at the Geese revealed the Red-breasted Goose amongst them. This is a very rare bird and the only one in the UK at the moment so we were very pleased. We continued on around the harbour seeing Grey Plover, Curlew, Redshank and Goldeneye.
The first large lagoon, Keyhaven Lagoon, was mostly frozen, but there were a few Teal, Pintail and Gadwall. In the far corner several Shoveler gave us good views. As we passed some Gorse between Keyhaven Lagoon and Fishtail Lagoon some people had a brief view of a Dartford Warbler. On the sea there was a pair of Red-breasted Merganser quite a long way off. We walked on to Fishtail Lagoon and saw more ducks, Oystercatcher, Tufted Duck and Pochard. WE walked back seeing Goldcrest and Reed Bunting in the gorse between the lagoons, a Kingfisher, good views of a close female Red-breasted Merganser in the harbour and better views of the Red-breasted Goose with the Brents. Altogether a fantastic mornings bird watching.
Simon Curson.