The Deskbound Birder: Pennington Marsh and Denny Wood

Thursday 5 February 2015

Pennington Marsh and Denny Wood - 4th February

I had a bird survey to carry out near to Marchwood and so, not being far from my patch, I couldn't resist a quick walk around Pennington Marsh. I started at Sturt Pond and the base of Hurst Spit, this is an area near to my main birding area that I rarely visit. I had a quick walk, the northerly wind was biting and this is a particularly exposed area, other than a few gulls, Teal and Snipe on Sturt Pond and 15 Sky Lark and a handful of Linnet there was not much to be seen so I headed back to the heating in the car and drove around to Pennington and more familiar ground.

I stopped at the floods off Lower Pennington Lane where the usual range of ducks and waders were present There were fewer Golden Plover today than on 1st February with perhaps 150 birds present. Lapwing and Redshank showed well close to the road and I spent a little time watching and photographing these.

Lapwing with fly-away crest in the strong northerly wind

Redshank foraging in the flooded grassland

Golden Plover in flight

I then wandered out past Fishlake Lagoon where good numbers of Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and wildfowl were present feeding in the flooded grassland at the back of the lagoon. I then headed back along the northern bank of Butts Lagoon to Shoveler Pools. There was not a great deal to be seen, a fleeting view of a Cetti's Warbler and an increase in the number of Song Thrush and Blackbird were notable.

It was fairly slow on the Shoveler Pools with a loafing Grey Heron and the Teal in full display. So I decided it was time to head for my survey although I did pass via the Efford Lagoon where there were approximately 60 Coot, 150 Herring Gull, 200 Black-headed Gull and approximately 20 Ringed Plover. The later were a mix of winter and summer plumage birds, the summer birds seemed to be getting territorial despite the blasting winds.