SW Hampshire wildlife reports:
August 2005
Russell Wynn
(with assistance from Marc Moody, Marcus Ward, Tim Parminter, Martyn Cooper and Pete Durnell)
The August highlight at Keyhaven/Pennington Marshes was a Grey Phalarope found on Butts Lagoon (25th), which appeared the day after an unseasonal SW gale. The early date means it becomes the earliest autumn record for Hampshire, and ensured the bird was still largely in its juvenile plumage. It was seen by over 30 people on 25th, but the following morning it had moved east a short distance to Oxey Point Lagoon, where it was looking flighty and frequently calling. It appears to have departed soon after as it was not seen later that day. Other scarce migrants seen during the month included a Spoonbill (19th) and a Quail flushed from behind Normandy Lagoon (9th).
Sea-watching at Hurst during the gale itself on 24th produced nothing more than an Arctic Skua, 13 juvenile Kittiwakes and 14 Common Scoters. A juvenile Little Gull off the marshes early on 25th was presumably re-locating westwards. The only Black Terns seen were two on 27th.
Passage waders were generally in short supply, with peaks of 11 Knot, 10 Greenshank, six Curlew Sandpipers, five Common Sandpipers, four Little Stints, four Whimbrel, two Green Sandpipers, two Little Ringed Plovers, and single Sanderling, Ruff and Avocet (19th and 28th).
Big raptors passed through in small numbers, with a Marsh Harrier (7th) and an Osprey (19th). Another Osprey was seen catching and eating a fish (23rd) with a juvenile Hobby the same morning. Up to three Buzzards and a Peregrine were regular, and Tawny Owls were heard on several dates. A Little Owl was at Keyhaven (28th).
Passerine migrants included the usual scatter of Wheatears, Whinchats, Tree Pipits, Grey Wagtails and Yellow Wagtails. Scarcer migrants included two Grasshopper Warblers (19th), a Turtle Dove (22nd) and an early Woodlark (23rd).
Small numbers of the regular wintering wildfowl began to return, and four migrant Garganey appeared on 19th with two remaining until 23rd at least. Other sightings included a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull (28th), and up to 35 Eiders and 29 Little Egrets.
Moth-trapping at Pennington Marshes produced an unusual highlight in the form of a female Purple Hairstreak (5th), which had presumably been drawn to the light after being displaced during a night of strong winds and rain. Migrant moths included small numbers of Diamond-back Moth, Rusty-dot Pearl, Rush Veneer, Dark Sword-grass, White-point and Silver-Y. Other notable records included Olive and Gold Spot (9th), Clay Triple-lines, Bordered Beauty and Sitochroa palealis (10th), Antler Moth (11th) and Mullein Wave (27th).
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Grey Phalarope |
Yellow-legged Gull |
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Yellow Wagtails |
