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| Common Seals © Richard Smith |
On Sunday Brian,
deputizing for Duncan, led 10 LymNats from Keyhaven following the 5km Brent Trail
out along the sea wall and back via the "Ancient Highway". The
morning was sunny and clear with light winds from the SW but the severity of
the recent cold snap was still evident in the frozen lagoons and the
snow-covered fields on the Isle of Wight.
The sea was flat
calm and a lot of birds were to be found offshore being denied access to open
water on the lagoons. The first sighting, perched on its customary hedgerow in
Keyhaven, was of a Marsh Harrier - on any other day this might have been the
highlight. Next came a male Bullfinch and then, looking across Hawker's Lake
towards the yacht moorings, two Common (or Harbour) seals were hauled out and
lounging on the
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| Rock Pipit © Chris Robinson |
Offshore, a
Peregrine made an unsuccessful low-level attack. On Butts Lagoon a Rock Pipit
auditioned for "Dancing on Ice", dexterously plucking insects off the
surface of the ice. Passing the Shoveler Pools, Chris was able to identify two
Water Pipits with his 'scope, stating that it was his best ever view of this
species.
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| Common Snipe © Richard Smith |