We came to Hurst Spit to look for the Shore lark today and were amazed to see this well decorated and special bird flitting around in the stones in quite the camouflage, a smashing bird. We got some great views of it to begin with on the stones then saw it fly, seeing it again in dashing sunshine further up. What a bird to see, it’s only the second time I’ve ever seen one after Hayling Island in October 2016 and it’s the milestone 130th bird of my year and what a fitting species for that. I feel so amazed to reach this figure inside January, the first time I ever have got here inside a month in a splendid start to my birding year. Shore lark as only the second I’ve ever seen adds to my first ever Sabine’s Gull and only my third ever Scaup - a nice thing to get one of all three - in a strong crop of top birds I’ve seen this month. This stunning Shore lark is one of my birds of the year so far. I took the second picture in this photoset of the Shore lark and with quite a high photo yield today I have done a second post with ten more pictures I took of the Shore lark as I took loads of it and the link to that post is here: https://dansnaturepictures.tumblr.com/post/707814653679550464/29012023-post-2-of-2-ten-more-pictures-i-took.
On the stones flitting around it’s reminiscent of the types of views we’ve been so lucky to have of Snow Buntings over the years. In 2016 weeks after Shore lark was a life tick for me Snow Bunting was so I always associate the two with each other even if I’ve gone onto see Snow Buntings a lot more. It was great to speak to many others watching this bird today including people we know/have seen before and it was good to see some of them engaging other people in the bird including warning unaware walkers that might have been on course to unintentionally disturb the bird.
At this spot also it was good to see some scrumptious looking Brent Geese I took the sixth picture in this photoset of some, marvellous multi-coloured Shelducks, shining Dunlin groups I took the seventh picture in this photoset of some, Grey Plover and Redshank in nice light. Here we also saw; lots of Mute Swans, possible Wigeon a way out, Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Black-headed Gull and Meadow Pipit.
We had a little look at nearby Keyhaven before the end having not been here for a while where the sight of a flock of Brent Geese almost doing a murmuration flying together in the air, doing a bit of a circuit then flying right over our head was a sight to behold. What a breathtaking moment watching these wondrous birds and hearing their evocative honks I was so immersed and fixated on them in that moment. This natural winter spectacle has long been something I’ve adored and one of the things that epitomises winter for me, them doing this at Farlington Marshes in my childhood hooked me on the species in those crucial days of my birdwatching interest growing, but I thought a few weeks ago I’d not had the moment where I saw this and really had them right over for a while so it was good to feel the splendour of seeing it. It was good to see them a few times on the little walk here in the air and coming onto the sea wonderful time spent with a favourite bird of mine. I took the ninth picture in this photoset of the big group flying.
Also at Keyhaven we were treated to some stonking views of Ravens on the path, nearby and flying into the air like a jet, seeing their epic scale and regal features, majestic corvid beauties which it was an honour to see so well hearing one bark too. It was good to see Little Grebes a key bird across this weekend as well and Pied Wagtail, with Mallard, Shelduck again I’ve had a top weekend for seeing these and Buzzard in a tree seen here too.
Lichen, teasel seed heads, more nice cleavers lately and gorse in flower were lovely to see at Keyhaven, with nice leaves in the stones of Hurst Spit. There were some stunning coastal views at both sites today, with marsh, mudflat, stoney habitats and fields blending seamlessly. Hurst Castle was a beautiful focal point of the landscape glowing in the winter sunlight, being so close to the Isle of Wight near the castle the closest you can be to the island from land making out the features we often see from afar at Lymington-Keyhaven Nature Reserve in focus close up was great with the Needles made out well. At Keyhaven the sun lowering created beautiful and enticing sky scenes. I took the first, third, fourth and fifth pictures in this photoset of views at Hurst Spit, eighth of a view from there with dark sky and tenth and final picture in this photoset of the sun going down at Keyhaven.
On the way here it was nice to see a Buzzard in a tree by the railway line as I saw on Thursday, Roe Deer again and a waxing gibbous moon I believe, a Buzzard soaring soon mobbed by a crow at dusk over a field on the way back with Starling seen at home this morning. A fantastic packed and wild weekend again, I hope you all have a good week.
