Marine Wildlife at SOC

April was a mixed month in the Lymington-Hurst area, with a good variety of birds recorded but very few notable moths. Several days were blighted by thick coastal fog. Bird of the month was Garganey, with a good total of 11 individuals including seven on 1st, part of a major influx into southern England at the time. This included a group of four males calling loudly and displaying frantically to a female at dusk. A single bird was then present for a few days mid-month before a pair arrived on 23rd and were seen intermittently into May. In addition, a single bird flew east with Common Scoters at the end of the month.

Sea-watching produced most of the expected species, with the best days for variety all occurring in south-east winds. On April 3rd there was single Black-throated, two Great Northern and three Red-throated Divers, a Little Gull, two Razorbills, 39 Eiders, 55 Common Scoters and 117 Brent Geese moving east. On 23rd there was two Black, three Arctic and 325 Common Terns, 11 Little Gulls, five Arctic Skuas, 70 Dunlin and 125 Whimbrel moving east, while on 26th there was three Manx Shearwaters, three Black-throated Divers, five Great and eight Arctic Skuas, 50 Bar-tailed Godwits, 90 Gannets and 700 Commic Terns moving east. Other highlights included at least a dozen Pomarine Skuas at the end of the month, and small numbers of Velvet Scoter, Arctic Tern and Great and Arctic Skuas on several dates. A group of up to 40 Eiders was seen regularly off Hurst, and apparently involved birds commuting between The Solent and Weymouth Bay, with birds moving east early morning and returning west in the evening.

Summer visitors began arriving in force, with early returns including Little Tern on 3rd, the same date as last year. The only significant migrant fall occurred on 25th, with light winds and overnight drizzle grounding a good variety that included single Turtle Dove, Nightingale, Grasshopper Warbler and Redstart, two Yellow Wagtails, three Whinchats, four Common Sandpipers, a flock of seven Tree Pipits, at least 60 Wheatears and good numbers of Sedge and Willow Warblers. Two elusive male Ruddy Ducks on Avon Water were also associated with this arrival.

Visible migration was relatively poor compared to 2004. Best day was 2nd with two Little Ringed Plovers, a Yellowhammer, 25 Sand Martins, 145 Linnets, 240 Meadow Pipits and small numbers of Goldfinch and Greenfinch moving north. At the other end of the month, on 29th there was an immature male Marsh Harrier in off the sea and a major arrival of hirundines with over 700 Swallows and smaller numbers of House and Sand Martins moving north in a condensed passage late morning.

Other notable spring migrants included several White Wagtails, a Scandinavian Rock Pipit early in the month, up to five Lesser Whitethroats, at least two intermedius race Lesser Black-backed Gulls loafing with several graellsi race birds before departing NE (2nd), an Osprey north (12th), a group of six Common Sandpipers (23rd) and a Siskin north (24th), while lingering winter visitors included a fem/imm Merlin (1st and 19th), up to 40 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Goldeneye (1st), three Water Pipits (3rd) with one remaining until 16th, and eight Spotted Redshanks (4th) decreasing to one by the end of the month.

Other miscellaneous sightings included an escaped Speckled Teal (2nd-19th), two Ravens NW (2nd), a couple of wandering Greylag Geese on several dates and a disoriented Fulmar moving SW over Oxey Marsh in foggy conditions on 29th.

Other wildlife included two Hares and a dead Grass Snake (2nd), and single Weasel and Grey Seal (16th). The dominance of cold, clear nights for much of the month meant moth catches were relatively poor. The only migrant was a Dark Sword-grass (28th) and the only night of real interest was 2nd when both Tawny Pinion and Acleris literana were trapped.