An evening watching the sea from Meon Shore.
A Great black-backed gull on the beach.
By the sea.
Nature on the beach
The return of the terns.
Common Terns have returned to the Solent and Southampton Water in the past week – I always look forward to their arrival and their numbers are increasing daily as they reach our shores from Africa. My 1st pictures this year which I am very pleased with. I have until September to practise when they will again leave.
Coastal spring.
Down on the coast along Meon Shore and Titchfield Haven, spring is advancing. Birds are starting to pair up courtship is in the air. Soon the Brend Geese and the Sanderlings will be off to their breeding grounds. Other birds who breed on our shores will arrive Avocents have started to arrive and soon I expect to spot returning Common Terns.
Canada Geese are no native birds, having been introduced from North America some 300 years ago. After the Second World War, they spread across the UK. They are now found in large numbers. These birds do not migrate from the UK and in some areas are now considered a pest.
Cormorant and Little Greebe fishing.
Some regular birds on at the Haven.
Lapwing.
Godwit
Redshank.
Winter Gulls.
Gulls are all in winter non-breeding colours at this time of year.
Common Gull.
The Common gull looks like a small, version of the herring gull I do not see them in great numbers in my local area however the odd ones I do see are always close or within flocks of Black-headed gulls
Black-headed gulls.
These noisy small gulls are the most abundant gull in my local area. They are always on the lookout for an easy meal. Humans are an easy touch for a meal.
Making a splash.
Sanderlings on the beach on Southampton Water. One of my favourite small waders and were in an area where I have only seen the odd bird in the past. Sanderlings were feeding as the tide went out and making a splash this morning.
Brent.
Our smallest goose, around the same size as a mallard duck the brent goose spends the winter feeding on vegetation such as eelgrass in our estuaries and grazing in coastal fields. They arrive in the UK in large numbers in autumn and leave for the long journey back to Arctic Russia in early February. Numbers are over 100,000 birds. These birds were on the estuary of Hamble River.
Shake rattle and roll.
Little Egret has a shake after half an hour of fishing.
A Christmas Day walk.
Christmas day was spent on a reasonably quiet coast, sadly the weather was damp and dull but at least we had no rain.
The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest gull in the world they have a length: of 64-78cm with a wingspan:150-165cm {5ft} Weight:1-2kg
A powerful bird with a domineering attitude.
Many of our usual birds were resting on the beach.
Common Ringed Plovers.
Sanderling
Dunlin.
Single Dunlin with Sanderling.
Having a Paddle!
Oystercatchers Eastney Beach Portsmouth.
Gatherings!
Ringed Plovers and Sanderlings gathering at high tide rest out of the wind
Continued Reflections from my World. 