the Solent & Southampton Water,

The return of the terns.

/ Andy Finnegan / Leave a comment

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.

V.S.V.

/ Andy Finnegan / 1 Comment

What goes on the Water at nearly 60 mph and prefers to pierce waves rather than jump over them. The Very Slender Vessels concept is simple – instead of slamming across the top of waves, it is designed to slice through them. Adopted by several military and enforcement services around the world. It had a hull low to the water, making it harder to detect on radar.

Spotted in the Solent this afternoon.

Passing through.

/ Andy Finnegan / 8 Comments

The Osprey became extinct in the British Isles in 1916 but recolonised in 1954. Scandinavian birds migrate through Britain on the way to their breeding sites.

The Ospreys’ main UK stronghold is now in Scotland. In 2001, they began breeding in England in Cumbria, at Rutland Water. {here they were introduced}.

UK breeding:240+ pairs.

Birds are seen in our area on migration – We spotted this bird with fish today at Titchfield Haven which I expect stopped off for lunch on passage North.

Far off so zoomed in. A rare spot for me in the UK.