Marine Wildlife at SOC

December opened with the discovery of another adult Black Brant, first located and photographed on 4th at Pennington Marsh. The other adult bird, first seen in November, was also seen intermittently at Keyhaven Marsh throughout December. Careful analysis of photographs and video confirmed that two different adult birds were involved. The other wildfowl highlight was a long-staying first-winter male Scaup on Normandy Lagoon, which was present from mid-month to the end of the year. This followed a group of three Scaup offshore briefly mid-month.

The other highlight on the sea was a first-winter Red-necked Grebe, which was heard calling at dusk on 11th. There was also up to four Slavonian Grebes and single Great Northern, Red-throated and Black-throated Diver, Black-necked Grebe and Shag during the month, and maxima of three Eider, four Common Scoters, 10 Goldeneye, 17 Great Crested Grebes and 47 Red-breasted Mergansers. Up to 23 Pochard resided on Normandy Lagoon, while a dead auk picked up at Hurst was thought to be a Little Auk or Puffin.

Waders included three Avocets, three Spotted Redshanks and a peak of 30 Bar-tailed Godwits. Up to six Mediterranean Gulls were seen regularly, including four adults. Raptors were represented by a fem/imm Merlin, a pair of adult Peregrines, two Little Owls, single Short-eared and Barn Owl, a singing Tawny Owl, and up to three Buzzards, with one moving south to the Isle of Wight on 3rd.

At least two Snow Buntings were seen intermittently at Hurst Beach during the month, although locally much rarer was a Corn Bunting in stubble off Saltgrass Lane (24th). Other passerine sightings included one or two Water Pipits, single Firecrest, Grey Wagtail and Chiffchaff, three Dartford Warblers, five Stonechats and six Bearded Tits.

The only moths recorded during the month were December Moth, Winter Moth, Feathered Thorn and Mottled Umber. A Red Admiral was seen during sunny weather on 10th.

A total of 206 bird species was recorded at the site during the year, compared to previous totals of 204, 204 and 197 for the years 2002-04. A total of 247 species of macro moth was trapped at Pennington Marshes, compared to the total of 289 species recorded in 2004.