HAMPSHIRE SIGHTINGS FOR DECEMBER 2024
BLASHFORD LAKES AND THE AVON VALLEY
Long stayers at Blashford included the Red-crested Pochard, two Black-necked Grebes and two Great White Egrets. The Ibsley Water gull roost held 10 Yellow-legged Gulls on the 4th.
LYMINGTON-KEYHAVEN MARSHES
A Bean Goose flew over Normandy (11th). The Long-tailed Duck remained at Pennington, usually on Fishtail Lagoon. Offshore there were up to four Common Scoter, 11 Eider, 14 Red-breasted Merganser, a Black-necked Grebe (1st), a Slavonian Grebe (14th) and up to three Great Northern Diver (16th). Wintering waders included three Spotted Redshank. The Spoonbill flock peaked at 34 on Normandy Lagoon on the 16th. A Merlin was seen regularly at Keyhaven.
TITCHFIELD HAVEN TO WARSASH
The three Glossy Ibis remained along the canal path floods where there was also a Merlin (15th) and a Water Pipit (26th). Offshore from the area were up to 36 Eider, Velvet Scoter (1, 6th; 2, 14th-25th), four Common Scoter, a Black-throated Diver (16th-17th), one or two Great Northern Divers (8th-13th)
LANGSTONE HARBOUR AND HAYLING ISLAND
Langstone Harbour held up to four Scaup, one Eider, a Red-necked Grebe (4th, 14th), a Slavonian Grebe (30th), one Black-necked Grebe and two Great Northern Divers. Two Whimbrel were wintering at the Oysterbeds. The only notable report from Farlington Marshes was of two Great White Egrets (10th). A Black-throated Diver showed well on Emsworth Mill Pond (18th-25th). On Hayling Island there was a good count of 36 Cattle Egrets at Northney (14th). In Chichester Harbour there was a Red-necked Grebe (5th-6th), four Slavonian Grebes, a Black-necked Grebe (2nd, 22nd), a Black-throated Diver (5th, 31st) and four Great Northern Divers. A Yellow-browed Warbler was at Sandy Point (5th).
OTHER SITES
The upper Southampton Water area between Weston Shore and Hythe held two Velvet Scoter (13th), a Red-necked Grebe, up to four Slavonian Grebes, a Red-throated Diver (16th), two Black-throated Divers, four Great Northern Divers. Around Gosport there was a Scaup at Stokes Bay (from 15th) and a Black-necked Grebe at Hardway (25th). On the western Solent coast there were seven Spoonbills at Inchmery (22nd) and five at Lepe (30th). Fishlake Meadows hosted the only Bittern of the month (27th). Up to two Cattle Egrets were at Nursling. Away from roost sites there were Hen Harriers at Hill Top (8th), Breamore, Martin Down and Lane End (all 22nd). A Yellow-browed Warbler was found at Hilsea, Portsmouth (10th-16th) and a Siberian Chiffchaff was at Darby Green (12th). Black Redstarts included three at Southsea Castle and two at Daedalus Airfield. A single Water Pipit was at Lower Test with no reports from other regular sites.