To misquote a previous Prime Minister,
just over a week is a long time in the walks programme of Lymington
Naturalists! Following a spell of mild weather during which we enjoyed the
Keyhaven walk, Storm Freya arrived for this walk. However, despite the wind and the
rain, the enthusiasm of Chris, Brian and John, with Duncan leading, was not dampened!
We joined the sea wall from Maiden Lane just after
High Water (Lymington) and walked to the Yacht Haven before heading back along
Normandy Lane.
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| Curlew © Chris Robinson |
On Normandy Lagoon the group enjoyed close views of
a variety of ducks and waders including several Grey Plover, two Avocets, six
Red-breasted Mergansers, two female Goldeneye, good numbers of Dunlin,
Black-tailed Godwits and Turnstones, a drake Scaup and three Greenshanks. Indeed,
one landed on the footpath in front of us!
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| Sweet Violets © Chris Robinson |
After leaving the sea wall along the recently
refurbished footpath, the field to the left contained more than 60 Curlews.
Other birds of note seen during our walk were Rock and Meadow Pipits.
Walking back along Normandy Lagoon, we saw a Roe
deer. Of botanical interest, we enjoyed seeing sizable patches of Lesser
Celandine and Red Dead-nettle as well as a smaller area of Sweet Violet Viola odorata, our earliest flowering
member of the Viola family.
We
arrived back at Maiden Lane just after midday having seen 42 species of birds
although, arguably more importantly, with a collective feeling of ‘that was
good, I’m glad we didn’t let the weather beat us’. (DW)