Thursday 1st June went down to The Mayflower Southampton to see Simple Minds.
Wednesday 7th June, and news of an Elegant tern on Hayling Island, had me jumping it the car and on my arrival, received negative news, went down to where it had been seen in the morning, not a lot happening, so I went round to the lifeboat station. Again not a lot about but did get some close views of Common & Little terns fishing close to the shore line, & a Mediterranean gull dropped in and ate a washed up squid/cuttlefish. On my way home I dropped in to Heath pond Petersfield, enjoyed watching all the Swifts, Sand & House martins zipping around. I noted the following: Mute swan, Canada goose, Egyptian goose, Mallard, Tufted duck, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed gull, Lesser black-backed gull, Woodpigeon, Swift, Sand martin, HOUSE MARTIN, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Reed warbler, Chiffchaff, Blue tit, Jay, Magpie, Carrion crow, Starling, House sparrow, Chaffinch & Muscovy Duck, Domestic White Mallard & Mallard Hybrids.
TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 25
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 180 (Hampshire year list = 167)
Tuesday 13th June after completing my work for the day, I drove to Church Norton (Pagham harbour) as the Elegant tern had been relocated and was spending time in the tern colony. Nearing the car park, I spoke with an RSPB volunteer who said the Elegant tern had flown out of the harbour about 30 mins ago. I was here now so I parked up and walked out to join the other birders, to view "tern island". We watched the comings and goings all the time looking for that large orange bill. On another island in the harbour were some ground nesting Peregrines, as I was watching these the call went out Elegant tern on the mud with some Sandwich terns. I was soon watching this tern as it rested a preened, manged some record shots, a new bird on my life list. But soon it took flight and landed on tern island and lost to sight behind the vegetation. Birds seen: Great crested grebe, Cormorant, Little egret, Shelduck, Mallard, Peregrine, Oystercatcher, Ringed plover, Grey plover, Mediterranean gull, Black-headed gull, Herring gull, Lesser black-backed gull, Little tern, Sandwich tern, ELEGANT TERN, Common tern, Woodpigeon, Green woodpecker, Blackbird, Cetti's warbler, Chiffchaff, Carrion crow, Greenfinch & Goldfinch.
TOTAL
No. OF SPECIES = 25
TOTAL
FOR YEAR = 181
TOTAL
No. OF SPECIES = 29
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 182 (Hampshire year list = 168)
TOTAL
No. OF SPECIES = 4
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 182 (Hampshire year list = 169)
TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 20
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 182 (Hampshire year list = 169)
I then drove down to Fishlake meadows to look for Hobby, none seen, but I had a good look around, walking down the path next to the canal and then followed the path down the middle of the water meadows. Birds seen: Great created grebe, Cormorant, Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Greylag goose, Canada goose, Mallard, Tufted duck, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed gull, Herring gull, Common tern, Woodpigeon, Swift, Kingfisher, Swallow, House martin, Wren, Dunnock, Robin (see photos of a fearless fledged robin), Blackbird, Song thrush, Cetti's warbler, Reed warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed tit, Blue tit, Great tit, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow & Reed bunting & Scarlet tiger moth.
TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 35
TOTAL FOR YEAR = 182 (Hampshire year list = 169)
