Marcus writes:
Well, our first official tour out of Lymington with Andrew Colenutt and his friends, a young family of four. A busy Saturday in Lymington but we quickly left the crowds behind as we joined the seawall. With the tide at its highest, our first group of waders were a flock of 100+ Curlew sitting out the tide on the saltmarsh - while watching the Curlew we were buzzed by a flash of blue as a Kingfisher crossed the river and headed onto the marsh.
Bar-tailed Godwits, Oxey Marsh
Overall numbers of waders on the lagoons were low but comprised a nice mix of species, giving us the opportunity to scrutinise features and explore their feeding tactics and enjoy some interesting behaviour.
Grey Plover, Normandy Lagoon
A little later on, while crossing Oxey Marsh a hunting Marsh Harrier caused a large flock of c2000 Starling to start murmurating for a few minutes, a captivating sight for all. Pausing to watch the Starlings for a while we also picked up some vocal Yellow Wagtails that flew in to feed around the cattle giving some nice views.
Yellow Wagtail, Oxey Marsh
A small number of migrant passerines were evident, mainly warblers, but a single Wheatear showed off how it got its name and a couple of Spotted Flycatchers along Normandy Lane gave some great views with one catching and dispatching a wasp.
Spotted Flycatcher, Normandy Lane
Overall a very pleasant walk in great company with a couple of aspiring young naturalists, thanks to all for a lovely afternoon.
A nice view from the seawall across to the Isle of Wight
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