HAMPSHIRE BIRD SIGHTINGS FOR DECEMBER 2021
BLASHFORD LAKES AND THE AVON VALLEY
The regular Ferruginous Duck remained on Kingfisher Lake. A Red-crested Pochard was on Ibsley North Lake (22nd-31st). Gulls roosting on Ibsley Water included Caspian Gull (2nd, 7th, 29th) and up to ten Yellow-legged Gulls. Other maxima from Ibsley were three Goldeneye, 37 Goosander, one Common Sandpiper, four Green Sandpiper, one Marsh Harrier and one Water Pipit. Two Great White Egrets were at Rockford Lake (22nd). A Siberian Chiffchaff was near the visitor centre (9th). Elsewhere in the Avon Valley, a Green-winged Teal was at Ripley Farm Reservoir again (1st-4th), as was a Kittiwake (1st).
LYMINGTON-KEYHAVEN MARSHES
A Red-necked Grebe was offshore (19th-21st), as well as two Slavonian Grebes and two Velvet Scoters (21st). Waders included nine Avocets, Green Sandpiper (16th), one Ruff, three Spotted Redshanks and five Greenshanks. Three White-fronted Geese were at Oxey Marsh (18th), after earlier being seen passing Taddiford. Raptors included two Marsh Harriers and a Merlin (11th, 21st). A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Keyhaven (26th). Two Black Redstarts were at Hurst Castle.
TITCHFIELD HAVEN TO WARSASH
The reserve at Titchfield Haven had a Jack Snipe showing well on the scrapes throughout, two Marsh Harriers and a Short-eared Owl (1st, 3rd). A Cattle Egret was on the floods at the north end of the canal path (20th, 28th-30th). Offshore there were up to 55 Eiders, six Velvet Scoters, nine Common Scoters, a Long-tailed Duck (19th), two Slavonian Grebes, four Goosanders, four Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver. A Barn Swallow was at Hook-with-Warsash (20th-22nd) and Chilling (21st). Warsash also recorded a Great Northern Diver (21st), Great White Egret (9th) and Marsh Harrier (20th).
LANGSTONE HARBOUR AND HAYLING ISLAND
Farlington Marshes had 34 White-fronted Geese (18th), up to 50 Avocets, a Whimbrel (16th) and a Marsh Harrier (14th, 17th). In Langstone Harbour were a Long-tailed Duck (4th-20th), eight Goldeneye, a Goosander (16th), six Black-necked Grebes, a Kittiwake (28th), Black-throated Diver (2, 12th; 1, 30th), Great Northern Diver (5th). There were eleven Cattle Egrets at Warblington. There was lots to see in the Sandy Point area, including a White-fronted Goose (21st), two Velvet Scoters (16th), four Goosanders (21st), two Slavonian Grebes, Little Gull (24th, 29th), up to 16 Razorbills and four Guillemots, Red-throated Diver (8th, 14th), three Black-throated Divers and four Great Northern Divers. Forty Avocets (30th) were unusual, as was the count of 200 Gannets offshore (28th). A Snow Bunting was at Sinah golf course (19th).
OTHER SITES
A White-throated Sparrow in Southampton Docks (13th) had apparently been present since August, presumably after arriving on a ship. An Iceland Gull was at Weston Shore (6th). Also off Weston were Slavonian Grebe (5th; 2, 18th), Black-throated Diver (5th) and two Great Northern Divers. Gilkicker Point had a Long-tailed Duck (19th), while Stokes Bay had a Black-throated Diver (31st). On the southern coast of the New Forest, a Cattle Egret was at Sowley (28th), up to 14 Spoonbills were at Inchmery and Lepe had three Velvet Scoters (5th-9th), a Great Northern Diver (24th) and Water Pipit (9th, 26th). There were unusually large numbers of auks, particularly Razorbills, along all of the coast. Fishlake Meadows had two White-fronted Geese (27th), two Great White Egrets and two Marsh Harriers. Testwood Lakes regularly hosted one or two Great White Egrets, with others at various sites on the Test and in the north east. Siberian Chiffchaffs were at Eastleigh SF (11th) and Darby Green (2, 27th). A Black Redstart was at Woolston (31st).