Oystercatcher update +

/ Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

Further to my post last week regarding the ringed Oystercatcher I spotted at Mayflower Park I have had some feedback.

The bird was 1st ringed as an adult in January 2019 in Southampton Water all recordings have been in the local area and all in the winter sadly as yet no summer sighting. UK numbers of Oystercatchers increase in the winter when birds come south from Norway so this bird could be one of those wintering birds.

Many thanks for the sighting could you please send the photo as a jpg attachment so I can enlarge it to help work out the black/blue ring. However, I think it has to be the bird below with a black ring. It is a bird we ringed at Dibden Bay as an adult on 1st date below. All such sightings are most useful.

FP45007 N O+R//NB 25-Jan-19 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 15-Nov-19 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 09-Dec-19 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 09-Dec-19 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 22-Jan-20 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 22-Jan-20 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 13-Nov-20 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 13-Nov-20 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 13-Nov-20 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 11-Nov-21 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 11-Nov-21 Cracknore Hard, Marchwood, Southampton Water.
FP45007 S O+R//NB 15-Dec-21 Cracknore Hard, Marchwood, Southampton Water.
FP45007 S O+R//NB 30-Jan-22 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 23-Feb-22 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 06-Oct-22 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 06-Oct-22 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 06-Oct-22 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 03-Nov-22 Dibden Bay, Southampton Water, Hampshire, S England
FP45007 S O+R//NB 24-Nov-22 Mayflower Park, Southampton, Hampshire, S England

Some further bird spots.

Dunlin in non-breeding plumage.

Northern shoveler ducks.

Shelduck.

A town park.

/ Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

A few hours in Mayflower Park Southampton this morning.

Mayflower Park is a waterfront park, in the old part of the City with views over the River Test. It is on reclaimed land near where the Mayflower left Southampton 400 years ago, Pilgrims embarked on their historic transatlantic voyage on August 15 1620. They were on two ships – the iconic Mayflower and the lesser-known Speedwell. The park is the only city centre waterside park with views across the River Test.

Feeding Gulls in the park.

There are always some shipping movements near the park.

An interesting lifeboat launch system on the bulk car transporter.

Herring Gulls, All different ages.

There were a few Oystercatchers on the grass of the park as the tide was high. One was ringed. So I sent off the details and I hope I will get some information on this bird. I will update my blog if I get any feedback.

After the rain.

/ Andy Finnegan / 6 Comments

We left home in heavy rain this morning and it looked like my walk into the New Forest may be a washout however the BBC weather forecast was correct and by 9.30 the sun was out and the Autumn colours were looking good.

Fallow Deer are the deer that most visitors to the New Forest see. Although not a native species, to the forest. The New Forest was William the Conqueror’s first hunting forest in England, and the hunting of fallow stags took place for over 900 years until it was outlawed in 1997.

I only saw one Stag but he was worth spotting and decided to sit down rather than move on!

Life passing the ditch.

/ Andy Finnegan / 2 Comments

Day and night wet or dry there is always someone crossing the ditch. Trail camera footage and stills from the film.

Roe Deer.

Lots of Robins pass the camera with their bright red breast you would think they would stand out but in the autumn leaves, they are quite camouflaged .

Devil’s fingers fungus.

/ Andy Finnegan / 7 Comments

I came across his strange-looking fungus called Devil’s fingers while in the New Forest this morning. It is also known as an octopus stinkhorn or octopus fungus. Its eye-catching red tentacles splay out like a starfish. It looks like it is from another world!

Purple Haze – revisited.

/ Andy Finnegan / 4 Comments

Back in February I posted some pictures of Parakeets in one of the parks in town (Southampton).

Today between heavy rain showers I decided as the leaves were thining on the trees to go back and see if the Parakeets were still about, before I reached the park I could hear them calling and flying through the trees. I spotted over 6 birds today – earlier in the year there was just a pair so it looks as if they successfully bred in the spring. Even though we are outside the breeding season one bird was showing a real interest in a nest hole this morning so hopefully the Southampton population will increase further next year.

Link to old post click on “Purple Haze”.

Purple Haze!