One good tern deserves another

Wednesday 16th August, and a day on call, so drove down to Hayling Island (Black Point) to see the terns. I soon found Andy Johnson, who put me on the White-winged black tern. It was over on the West Sussex side, with a Black tern. We watched and watched, Andy left to do his rounds, I wandered down to view the end of black point and the mud flats opposite. On the deck were two terns, which turned out to be an adult Common tern but the other was an adult Roseate tern. I put the news out, but they both flew out into the harbour, before more Hampshire birders arrived. Andy returned and again we watched the WWBT & BT and watched, and eventually they came over to the Hampshire side of Chichester harbour, giving nice close views. Birds seen: Cormorant, Little egret, Oystercatcher, Ringed plover, Grey plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed godwit, Bar-tailed godwit, Curlew, Turnstone, Black-headed gull, Common gull, Herring gull, Great black-backed gull, Sandwich tern, ROSEATE TERN, Common tern, Little tern, BLACK TERN, WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN, Woodpigeon, Carrion crow, Starling & House sparrow.

TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 24

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 198 (Hampshire year list = 174)

I left Hayling Island, and spent the afternoon walking around Farlington marshes, seeing: Little grebe, Cormorant, Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Canada goose, Shelduck, Teal, Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Avocet, Oystercatcher, Ringed plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Ruff, Black-tailed godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Green sandpiper, Black-headed gull, Lesser black-backed gull, Swallow, Meadow pipit, Pied wagtail, Magpie, Carrion crow, Starling, Goldfinch & Linnet.

TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 35

Friday 18th August, and today I was working near Staines reservoirs, so I went up there at lunchtime, seeing the following: Great crested grebe, 500+ Cormorant, one large group roosting on the bank, Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Canada goose, Shelduck, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Tufted duck, Little ringed plover, Common sandpiper, Turnstone, Black-headed gull, Common tern, RING-NECKED PARAKEET, Swift, Swallow, Pied wagtail, Long-tailed tit, Great tit, Carrion crow, Starling & Linnet.

TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 28

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 199

Monday 21st August, and after work took the dogs for a walk around Busta Triangle Eversley, where I saw and counted the following: Canada Goose (69), Egyptian goose (12), Mallard (10), Tufted duck (1), Little ringed plover (1), Lapwing (14), Green sandpiper (1) & Robin (1).

TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 8

Tuesday 22nd August, and I was working in High Wycombe, so at lunchtime went to Lodge hill Saunderton Lee Buckinghamshire, seeing Red kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, HOBBY, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, YELLOW WAGTAIL two were feeding around some cattle, Pied wagtail, Robin, Goldcrest, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion crow & Starling.

TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 14

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 201

Wednesday 23rd August, and I tried another new place to walk the dogs, after work. I drove down the lane past St Mary's church, parking up at the end. I then followed the footpath into Warren heath Bramshill, where I saw the following: Canada goose, Woodpigeon, Tawny owl, Nightjar, Green woodpecker, Great spotted woodpecker, Swallow, Robin, Chiffchaff & Carrion crow.

TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 10

Tuesday 29th August and as on call, went down to Farlington Marshes and added three for the year list, and four for the Hampshire list: : Little grebe, Cormorant, Little egret, Grey heron, Mute swan, Canada goose, Teal, Mallard, Shoveler, Tufted duck, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed plover, Grey plover, Lapwing, Knot, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, Dunlin, Ruff, Snipe, Black-tailed godwit, Curlew, SPOTTED REDSHANK, Redshank, Greenshank, Common sandpiper, Black-headed gull, Common gull, Lesser black-backed gull, Sandwich tern, Feral pigeon, Woodpigeon, Swallow, Meadow pipit, Yellow wagtail, Pied wagtail, Robin, WHINCHAT, Stonechat, Whitethroat, Magpie, Carrion crow, Starling, Goldfinch & Linnet.

TOTAL No. OF SPECIES = 49

TOTAL FOR YEAR = 204 (Hampshire year list = 178)