#eastney

A rare coastal stroll for me, in mood reviving winter sunshine …… such a lovely part of Hampshire, reminiscent of happy childhood summers.

New Year’s Day 2022: Blog three of three-Razorbill and more at Fort Cumberland and a quick look at Hill Head 

Following on from my last two posts, we then went to very nearby Fort Cumberland to look unsuccessfully in the end for another owl species today, the Little Owl. We shall aim to try again for it as the year goes on. But we were very happy to see its other specialty bird, another fine and sparkly little wader, with a Sanderling trotting along the shoreline and three flying past too. Always a beautiful bird to see and it excited me today. Stonechat and Reed Bunting were lovely birds to see and tick here too, both birds I haven’t seen on New Year’s Day many times before.

When looking for the Little Owls and also looking out to sea one of the moments of the day occurred when we were stunned to look onto the sea and see a splendid seabird, a striking winter plumage Razorbill. We saw it so amazingly close first of all, saw it a few times after that and some of a few lovely people I spoke to today saw it too which was lovely. Not a New Year’s Day newbie for us as we saw one similarly in Portland Harbour eight years ago today another extraordinary New Year’s Day, but it was just like it’s cousin Guillemot which we saw at Hayling Island two weeks ago my first of these birds I’ve ever seen from in Hampshire. This was a truly special moment with one of my original three favourite birds and I really felt so good to see this. Guillemot and Razorbill had been reported here recently so it wasn’t a great shock but if I was to see one I would have predicted the arguably commoner Guillemot so it was a big moment right at home in an extraordinary start to my year today. 

I am so glad Fort Cumberland which we first discovered for the Little Owls three years ago has become a big part of our years now especially towards the beginning with birds we need to see in years there as it’s such a beautiful spot. The Isle of Wight visible as well from here as it was from Southsea looked gorgeous with bits of sunlight penetrating through the clouds caressing it. There were also lovely views down the beach and a beach with dunes the other side of the water over on Hayling Island, and it was lovely to see people out and enjoying being out including some horse riders which was a great sight. I took the first two pictures in this photoset of stones and shells on the beach which looked nice and a wave coming in, and the third-eighth pictures in this photoset of views here.

We then called into Hill Head obviously where we were very near to earlier in the day at the canal path, and as hoped we saw some Oystercatchers on the mudflats which was lovely and was my 50th bird species of the year a figure I am over the moon to reach on day 1 of the year. I took the final two pictures in this photoset of views here. This ended well a phenomenal New Year’s Day, it definitely followed the trend of the last couple of years of a blockbuster really high amount of birds seen and so many amazing species with some really fantastic memories too. This year alongside the last two all had little differences with each other and some things the same too and they all felt amazing. It was just so lovely and rewarding to spend so much of the first day of the year outside and really enjoying nature.

Wildlife Sightings Summaries:

Fort Cumberland: My first of one of my favourite birds the Razorbill this year, my first Stonechat, Sanderling and Reed Bunting of the year, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeons well, some midges and I heard Meadow Pipit.

Hill Head: My first Oystercatchers of the year, Black-headed Gull, Mallard and Moorhen in the harbour, Canada Geese in a field on the way out, great views of Carrion Crows and a flock of finches possibly Goldfinches.