HAMPSHIRE BIRD SIGHTINGS FOR JANUARY 2025
BLASHFORD LAKES AND THE AVON VALLEY
A Lesser Scaup was a great find at Hamer Warren (1st-15th). Regulars at Blashford included the Red-crested Pochard, two Black-necked Grebes, two Great White Egrets and maxima of eight Goldeneye and 33 Goosander.
LYMINGTON-KEYHAVEN MARSHES
The year started with a couple of rarities, with a Lesser Yellowlegs at Keyhaven/Pennington (2nd-18th) followed by a Ferruginous Duck on Normandy Lagoon (12th). Offshore there were up to 10 Eiders, a Red-necked Grebe (4th) and two Slavonian Grebes. Other reports from the marshes included two Spotted Redshank, up to 20 Spoonbills, a Hen Harrier (4th), a Short-eared Owl (13th-14th), Merlin (18th, 29th) and Water Pipit (2nd, 10th).
TITCHFIELD HAVEN TO WARSASH
The Ferruginous Duck visited Brownwich Pond (13th-14th). In the Titchfield Haven area, the three Glossy Ibis remained along the canal path, where there was also a Siberian Chiffchaff and three Water Pipits (19th), while highlights from the reserve were a Ruff (31st) and three Spoonbills (22nd). Offshore from the area were a Scaup (4th), up to 28 Eiders, six Velvet Scoter and 13 Common Scoter, a Red-necked Grebe (8th, 29th-31st), Slavonian Grebe (21st, 30th), Little Gull (5th, 11th, 26th), Caspian Gull (18th), Yellow-legged Gull (19th), Razorbill (4th), Red-throated Diver (11th, 15th, 19th), Great Northern Diver (17th, 25th). On the Hamble, the Spotted Redshank remained at Bunny Meadows and there were two Spoonbills at Hook Spit (22nd), where there was also a Little Gull (28th).
LANGSTONE HARBOUR AND HAYLING ISLAND
The only reports of note from Farlington were of up to two Spoonbills (23rd, 30th) and a Ruff (30th). Three Scaup remained off Milton Common while elsewhere in Langstone Harbour there was one Eider, five Goldeneye, four Black-necked Grebes, a Black-throated Diver (30th), a Great Northern Diver (12th) and a Little Gull (12th). Cattle Egrets at Warblington peaked at 24. In the Sandy Point area, there was a good count of eight Slavonian Grebes (31st), as well as two Black-necked Grebes (22nd). Elsewhere on Hayling there was a Hen Harrier at Mill Rythe (25th) and a Short-eared Owl at Gunner Point (30th).
OTHER SITES
Weston Shore continued to host a Red-necked Grebe, up to two Slavonian Grebes, a Black-throated Diver (1st) and up to four Great Northern Divers. A Scaup was at Stokes Bay (1st-2nd). There was a good selection recorded at Lepe including a Red-necked Grebe (25th), one or two Slavonian Grebes (15th-16th), a Black-necked Grebe (22nd), a Spotted Redshank (11th, 30th), a Black-throated Diver (6th), two Great Northern Divers, up to seven Spoonbills and a Great White Egret (21st). Further records of Red-necked Grebe came from Southsea Castle (19th) and Lee-on-the-Solent (25th), while a Slavonian was in Portsmouth Harbour on a couple of dates (7th,10th). The only Bittern reported was at Fishlake Meadows (3rd). Away from roost sites, Hen Harriers were at Woolmer Forest (6th, 9th) and Widden Bottom (8th). A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Eastleigh SF (4th-8th), with another at Overton Lagoon (5th). Single Black Redstarts were at Daedalus Airfield, Southsea Castle and Calshot.