Farlington Marshes Fieldtrip.

On Sunday I drove southwards to lead a Surrey Bird Club field trip at Farlington Marshes.

The weather forecast was not promising with heavy rain predicted for most of the morning but fortunately this failed to materialize with any significance. Under an overcast sky and light drizzle just two members, Trevor and Victoria, joined me at 9am for the planned walk around the reserve.

High tide was due at around 11.30 so we started by scanning the extensive mudflats locating numerous Dark-bellied Brent Geese plus good numbers of Shelduck that traditionally overwinter around Langstone Harbour. Small groups of Northern Pintail with the elegant males in their full finery were spotted together with a few waders; Dunlin, Grey Plover, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher and Curlew.

As the tide rises the Brent Geese leave the harbour to fly into the grazing marsh.

Heading inland towards the stream the first of several Cetti’s Warblers boldly called from the nearby vegetation, typically moving ahead of us out of sight! Amongst a small group of gulls we found two Mediterranean Gulls enabling a clear comparison with their Black-headed companions. A few Lapwing briefly appeared in the sky above the reed bed. Due to the damp conditions, not surprisingly, we failed to see any Bearded Reedlings near the information building where we sheltered briefly from the constant drizzle. At this point Victoria unfortunately decided it was time to return home.

The sun eventually tried to make an appearance and the drizzle finally abated so under a lightening sky and hopeful for an interesting afternoon Trevor and I walked out to rejoin the sea wall path.

Oystercatchers flying across the harbour. This image was taken just a week earlier under better lighting conditions.

With flat calm waters on the falling tide we finally spotted a small flotilla of Red-breasted Merganser, a single female Goldeneye and Great Crested Grebe. An LBJ flitting through the field edge shrubbery was eventually identified as a Chiffchaff. Walking towards The Deeps we added Wigeon, Shoveler plus a distant perched Kestrel eating its prey.

Another image shot a week earlier shows a collection of waders; Dunlin, Grey Plover, Turnstone and Knot: taking refuge on a tiny reducing island at high tide.

At the Deeps, a winnowing Little Grebe failed to make an appearance but a pair of Reed Buntings and Tufted Duck were added to our day list. Several more Skylarks were seen and heard. Having earlier heard a Meadow Pipit calling in flight we located 2 Rock Pipits feeding in and out of the grass margins on the sea wall path.

At around 1.30pm while watching various flocks of waders moving out across the harbour I turned around only to find a Short-eared Owl hunting over the Point and then disappearing out of view. We retraced our steps and relocated this individual sitting on a fence post before it eventually flew of east towards North Binness Island.

Chatting to another birder helped us to get scoped views of a preening Spoonbill at the back of the distant reed bed. A definite rarity for this site and an excellent addition to the trip list. Shamefully I had previously spotted and discounted an unmoving white blob well-hidden way out in the grass as probably a plastic bag!!

Moving further around the Point and thinking that having seen one ‘Shortie’ was a bonus we were delighted to have even closer views of a second bird who after briefly flying around perched on a grassy mound allowing for another photo opportunity.

Short-eared Owl. 

Returning full circle back to the main pool we enjoyed close views of a feeding Little Egret and Common Snipe and logged 5 Greenshank and a single Spotted Redshank in its typical grey winter garb.

Little Egret.

My thanks to Victoria and Trevor for their company and making this a worthwhile trip to the coast with a final tally of 60 species. FAB.

Linking to:
I'D-Rather-B-Birdin'

Farlington Marshes LNR.

On Sunday (28 Feb) I will be leading a field trip for the Surrey Bird Club (SBC) to Farlington Marshes LNR that comprises around 300 acres of coastal grazing marsh, reed beds, scrub, with both freshwater and brackish pools. The land was first reclaimed from Langstone harbour between 1769 and 1773 by building a clay and timber wall to provide grazing land for cattle. The sea wall has been much improved and provides an ideal route around the reserve to view the wildlife both within the marshes and on the sea or extensive mudflats at low tide. 

On Tuesday I made a recce visit to check out the wildlife and to get some images of the species that can be seen here just in case the windy weather that is forecast for Sunday doesn't provide me with many photo opportunities.

During the winter months one of the main attractions are the very large flocks of Dark-bellied Brent Geese that feed on the grazing marsh.

At this time of year the marsh also supports good numbers of Curlew, Northern Pintail, Oystercatchers, Lapwing and Teal plus I was also fortunate to get several sightings of two Short-eared Owls.

During my recent visit I also saw three species of Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser, Shelduck, Shoveler, Wigeon, Gadwall, Dunlin, Redshank, Grey Plover, Knot and Turnstone plus good numbers of Black-tailed Godwits (see below) disturbed from feeding by a low flying Common Buzzard.

At high tide I also watched the spectacle of many hundreds of Dunlin streaming close above the water seeking out a suitable spot to roost and wait for the mud to reappear while inland there is always something else to capture one's attention such as ....

a perching Stonechat, one of many Northern Shoveler in their full breeding plumage and the various gull species including the Black-headed Gull. The site also hosts reasonable numbers of Little Egret (see below).

During my wandering I logged about 50 species but with more eyes on Sunday it is possible to add a few more including Kingfisher, Peregrine, Merlin, Water Rail, Rock Pipit, and the elusive Bearded Tits. FAB.

Linking to: Saturday's Critters, I'D-Rather-B-Birdin' and Through My Lens.