Wordless Wednesday.
flight.
birdwatching
European Wigeon.
A good number of Wigeon are on-site at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve at the moment. They are medium-sized dabbling ducks. In the UK they breed in central and northern Scotland. Many birds over winter here these come from Iceland, Scandinavia, and Russia.
Gray Wagtail.
A flash of yellow in the New Forest draws one’s eye to this Gray Wagtail in the grass.
7am at the sea.
Early start to walk by the sea. Little Egret fishing at low tide.
Sea Spray
I spent an hour well-wrapped up from the cold wind and watched the incoming tide. I saw a few Turnstone dodging the spray along with some Sanderlings. You have to wonder how these small birds survive the power of the sea.
A rare duck.
A first in the wild on the South Coast for me today. A Long-Tailed Duck in Southampton Water off Hill Head today.
The Long-tailed Duck is a winter visitor to UK coastal waters, arriving from their arctic breeding grounds. The majority of these wintering birds in the UK are seen in the north, around Shetland, Orkney, and northeast Scotland. Smaller numbers are found further south along England’s east coast.
These sea ducks were formerly known as the “Oldsquaw” .
Hill Head.
Sitting on the spit as the tide changes and the Sanderlings arrive. they wait for the tide to drop so they can feed on the beach.
First Chicks.
Yesterday (2nd February) I spotted my 1st chicks of 2025. I saw 2 Little Grebe chicks. They have survived from the nest I spotted a few weeks ago on the icy pond on 12th January.
Cool look.
Firecrest.
This tiny bird vies with the Goldcrest for the title of the UK’s smallest bird. The Firecrest has a brighter green back, a white belly, and a bronze ‘collar.’ It also features a black and white eye stripe. They have a yellow and black stripe on their heads. They move quickly through trees and bushes in search of small insects.
- Weight5-7g
- Wingspan-13-16cm
Continued Reflections from my World. 