November/December sees the peak numbers of winter visitors and these included Dark-bellied Brent Goose, Wigeon, Pintail, Curlew, Dunlin and Shoveler, both on the lagoons and offshore. Residents were well represented by Shelduck, Mallard, Coot and various gulls.
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| Male Wigeon (c) Simon Vale |
On the outward leg there was a Raven flying west towards Keyhaven, 3 squabbling Little Egrets, 4 Avocets seen feeding and in flight on Keyhaven Lagoon and excellent close-up views of a Grey Plover, Rock Pipits and Turnstones.
The return via Pennington Old Tip and along the "Ancient Highway" produced a female Bullfinch, a Shoveler on its spin cycle on the Western Balancing Pond and a perching Kestrel. Black-tailed Godwit were notably absent, presumably being either inland or on a more sheltered site.
The high wind also accounted for the lack of small bird activity. It would have been a tall order to match the number of sightings on Duncan's walk 10 days earlier but hopefully the provision of "Club" biscuits was some consolation.