Trip reports
SWANWICK AND HOOK WITH WARSASH - THURSDAY APRIL 24TH 2008
Thursday, 24 April 2008
The weather forecast was correct, in that we drove down in rain and had the first hour wet until the front went through. Cool and cloudy, but becoming drier brighter and windier by lunchtime. In the afternoon, very windy on the Solent, with heavy thundery showers always just north of us.
Unfortunately no sign of nightingale at Swanwick despite arriving elsewhere, notably at RSPB Pulborough. Blackcaps, chiffchaffs and several whitethroats showed, and much time was spent trying to see a singing reed warbler. This was ultimately successful. Remarkably, a high level arctic tern was spotted overflying the reserve.
After lunch at the Swanwick Education Centre, we drove to the southern edge of the Hook with Warsash Reserve to look for the green-winged teal that had been seen on the main scrape for the last few days. Although not immediately seen, we watched common (15), little (4), and a single arctic tern - the latter hard to identify until it landed (dark bill), or flew at right angles to us, showing the much longer tail.
The islands held 50 black-tailed godwit (it was high tide), and some black-headed gulls, whilst we added a few shelduck, a pair of shoveler, a male gadwall, a pair of tufted duck and some mallard on the water. A digiscoper then arrived and shortly afterwards announced that the green-winged teal had emerged from the vegetation. It could be seen, together with a female teal, at the very far south east corner of the lake. Despite the wind and distance of the bird, the tell-tale vertical white stripe could be seen clearly. Much time was spent enjoying this American vagrant - a new species for some. A single swift then appeared - very much the first of the spring for all of us. By now the strength of the wind prevented further birding on the Solent Way, so we retraced our steps to the woodland part of the reserve, although no new species were observed here.
Considering the poor forecast, and despite the absence of nightingales, this turned out to be quite a good day with 58 species recorded.
Little Grebe ( an active nest in the reeds at Swanwick), Grey Heron (1 high over Swanwick), Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Shelduck, Mallard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Tufted Duck, Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, BH Gull, Herring Gull, GBB Gull, Arctic Tern, Common Tern, Little Tern, Stock Dove, Wood Pigeon, Swallow, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, LT Tit, Starling, Jay, Magpie, Crow, Jackdaw, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Reed Bunting, Goldcrest, Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, House Sparrow.
Reported by Steve Oakes