Trip reports

Farlington Marshes

Sunday, 15 March 2009

The group travelled to Farlington Marshes in good spirits, boosted by the excellent sunny weather forecast for the whole day. We arrived at a good time, with the tide just starting to rise. From the car park we were able to scan the exposed mud finding the first of numerous brent geese, a grey plover, redshanks, curlew and a solitary greenshank. The walk around the sea wall was well rewarded with interesting birds on both the land and sea sides. Teal and pintail were feeding on the mud accompanied by a mute swan and a little grebe. On the first pool viewing point we found black-tailed godwit, snipe as well as oystercatchers. A water rail was heard here, but it did not show for us! There were several sightings of meadow pipits, skylarks and a reed bunting was also seen. As we reached the half way point we had a view over the estuary to the sea. Here we saw at least a dozen red-breasted mergansers in the distance. Later, as we sat to eat lunch, these birds drifted past us on the tide. In the distance cormorants were in their traditional roost and three goldeneye were fishing in the presence of a group of great crested grebes. At the second watch point the pool was crowded with brent geese and wigeon. A few teal, tufted duck, mallard, shelduck and redshanks were also active and a second little grebe was seen near the reeds. Two buzzards were seen away in the distance close to the downs. A few canda geese could be found in the central fields alongside numerous curlew, lapwing, little egret and an occasional grey heron. One bird flying over head showed the distinctive white rump of the whimbrel. There were also small birds about. A wren, robin, song thrush, greenfinch, dunnock, black bird, blue tit, great tit, starling and chaffinch were all seen along the way. We spent time hoping to find the long eared owl that was present a few weeks earlier and a firecrest that was reported earlier in the day without success. However we came across a party of gulls loafing in the fresh water consisting of greater and lesser black backed gull, common, black headed and a single mediterranean gull. Returning to the car park we stopped at the first watch point where the now high tide had pushed numbers of waders off the mud to roost at the pool.