Keyhaven - 16th October

The weather was cloudy and misty with a fairly strong wind. The temperatures were quite high, but the wind and damp made it feel fairly cold. There were few migrants today, the highlights being a few Swallows and House Martins, some Greenshank and 1 Black-necked Grebe.

9 of us met in the car park opposite the Gun Inn. At the first pool across the road there were lots of Teal and Pintail, mostly still in eclipse plumage. We heard a Kingfisher fly by, but couldn’t see it. As we walked along the road towards the coast path several small flocks of Black-tailed Godwit, Wigeon and Brent Geese flew over. Just as we turned to walk along the sea wall a large dead bird on the small beach there caught Jonathon’s eyes. It was a dead Great Northern Diver and it was headless! The Turnstones were not at their normal spot on the little sea wall, but we found them on the shore-line a little further on with several Redshank and Curlew. Other birds on the shoreline and the nearby bushes were Meadow Pipits, Stonechats, Grey Plover, Little Egret, Cormorant and Dunlin, while 2 Snipe flew over. Lyz also found a Greenshank on the mud of the estuary. No sign of the Osprey that had been here for a week or so.
At the first large pool (Butts Lagoon) the only real interest was 3 Shoveler which were soon joined by several others, and 3 Greenshank which flew over. There were a few Black-tailed Godwit and several Wigeon (also still mostly in eclipse) on the mud on the other side of the coast path. We walked on past Fishtail Lagoon (just a few Lapwing and Teal) and Jetty Lagoon. There were 2 Little Grebe in a ditch with a female Tufted Duck and a Buzzard was on a post in a far off field being mobbed by Carrion Crows. At the furthest point we reached there was a small flock of Dunlin, all in winter plumage.
Apart from about 5 Swallows and 2 House Martin that flew over and the 1 Red Admiral and 2 Clouded Yellows that were seen, all signs of summer are fast disappearing and winter is returning.
On our return we had a second look at the first pool across the road from the car park. I think this is referred to as Avon Floods. The same birds were there but we also found a Grebe. It was smaller than Great-crested, black above, white below with a red eye and a steep forehead shape – a Black-necked Grebe. Quite scarce in Hampshire overall apart from at the regular wintering grounds on the sea at Hayling Island and Studland Bay. A lovely bird to finish the walk on.