the Solent & Southampton Water,

Beside the sea.

/ Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

Today was a bright sunny day that made it a joy to be by the sea at Lee on Solent, paddling in the retreating tide all be it in Wellington boots!

The Sanderling looks great in the sunshine.

When the tide is in the Oystercatchers roost on the island within Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve. As the tide starts to fall they take off and move out to the beach and follow the tide as it goes out. When the tide turns and starts to come in they make their way back to the reserve. Without looking at the tide table I knew the tide was going out as when I arrived the Oystercatchers were flying out.

4 Buzzards were circling – I have noticed these high soring groups of Buzzards group together at the start of the breeding season the 4 birds were soon joined by 2 more. 6 was quite a sight. 50 years ago to see a Buzzard I would have to travel to Exmoor in the West Country to see a Buzzard. These large birds of prey have quadrupled in number since 1970. Their wingspan is around 4 feet.

Turnstone.

Wood Pigeon enjoy the sun.

Goosander.

/ Andy Finnegan / 1 Comment

This diving duck is a member of the sawbill family, named for their serrated bills, that they use for catching fish. A largely freshwater bird, the Goosander first bred in the UK in 1871. This female was in the harbour at Titchfield Haven {the male has a green head and their body has more white}

Wagtail.

/ Andy Finnegan / 1 Comment

A Pied Wagtail on Meon Shore Beach. Frantically wagging their long tail up and down is an easy way to ID these little birds. I regularly see Pied and Grey Wagtails and very occasionally Yellow Wagtails. Their favourite food is insects.

Still, the photographs below are stitched together and run fast to show tail wagging.

Diving for fish!

/ Andy Finnegan / 6 Comments

Cormorants are great divers for fish -although this one was unlucky while I watched the action.

Cormorant fishing is a traditional fishing technique that fishermen have used in China and Japan. They train the birds to catch fish. It was once a successful fishing method, today it serves the tourism industry. It is no longer used anywhere except in southwestern China.

To control the birds, the fishermen tie a loose rope near the base of the bird’s throat. The snare does not stop the bird from swallowing small fish but prevents the bird from swallowing larger fish, these are held temporarily in their gullet. When a cormorant has caught a fish in its throat, the fisherman brings the bird back to the boat to regurgitate the catch.