Semipalmated Sandpiper, Oxey Marsh, Lymington - 19th November

On a dreary November day with occasional showers I headed down to Oxey Marsh to have a look at the Semipalmated Sandpiper which was found at the site on 16th November. At first this bird was considered to be a Western Sandpiper but the dark cap, pale rufous fringes to the scapulars and bill shape identify this bird as a Semipalmated Sandpiper, albeit a rather long billed bird. I watched the bird for around an hour as it fed at fairly close range on the pool often loosely associating with a Dunlin. A short walk produced a female Long-tailed Duck, three Spotted Redshank and two Greenshank on Oxey Lagoon, 15 Eider and six Red-breasted Merganser on the Solent. My eBird checklist for the morning can be seen here.

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Oxey Marsh, Lymington

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Oxey Marsh, Lymington

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Oxey Marsh, Lymington

 I have just started to use the video function on my Olympus E-M1X. Struggling
with focus at the moment but here are a few clips of the Semipalmated Sandpiper.

Long-tailed Duck - Oxey Lagoon, Lymington

Pennington Marsh - 12th November

After dropping Tobias at school I had a short wander around Pennington Marsh. It was a beautiful clear day but in the Force 5-6 NW wind it was distinctly cold and wintery. The water levels in the lagoons were high as was the tide and there were large numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Shoveler, Brent Goose, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit and Dunlin on the flooded meadows. There was a single white-headed Ruff amongst the Godwits and at least three Water Pipit forced to the edges of the marshes by the high-water. A male Marsh Harrier caused the birds to fly also flushing around 75 Golden Plover from the marshes. A single Chiffchaff was present in the Bramble of the old landfill.

Water Pipit - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Chiffchaff - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Grey Heron - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Brent Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Oystercatcher and Black-headed Gull - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Brent Goose, Wigeon, Teal and Dunlin - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Brent Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Black-headed Gull - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Wigeon, Teal and Shoveler - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Wigeon and Pintail - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Shoveler, Lapwing and Black-headed Gull - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Shoveler - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire

Shoveler and Wigeon - Pennington Marsh, Hampshire