New Toys

 After a run of excellent mornings on patch things have sort of ground to a halt recently with several more or less windless days. There has been the odd migrant on the land, but virtually nothing out over the millpond sea, and it's all started to feel very samey.

Early this week I had a few hours out in the New Forest, checking out some traditional Wood Warbler sites in a vain attempt at finding this locally fast-disappearing breeding bird. I did, however, see my earliest ever Spotted Flycatcher, and finally heard my first Cuckoo of the year.

This morning's stray from patch was to Keyhaven and Pennington marshes, and it gave me the chance to use my newest purchases for the first time: my old (about 20 years or so) Swarovski bins, 10x42 ELs, have served me well. They're still a pretty good pair of binoculars, if battered and bruised, but the focusing wheel has been playing up a bit so I figured it was as good a time as any to treat myself to new ones. Much as I would've liked to splash out on the newfangled NLs, I really couldn't afford them, so have opted instead for the more updated ELs that preceded them - nearly £800 cheaper, and not inferior enough to justify that extra money.

Fat bloke with new bins

While I was waving the credit card about I also bought a new tripod, with my old Velbon having fallen apart at the weekend. I've actually opted for cheap with this, and no doubt a lot of serious birders wouldn't consider a £99 tripod, but the Slik Sprint Pro fulfilled two other important criteria as well as cost: it's very lightweight (my ageing shoulder will be grateful), and also folds down really small, which will be especially useful when I finally get back travelling again.

Very dinky tripod!

The birding around the marsh was pleasant as ever, with very few people about being an added bonus, and I did a full lap (sea wall and inland paths) from Keyhaven to Oxey.

The air was full of bird song:

The species list of 73 was a little low for the date, and it was a reflection of how things have gone this year that I only saw two hirundines (singles of Swallow and House Martin) and no Swifts (I've only seen one of those this year so far), and despite the glorious weather the only raptors seen were the resident Peregrines and a Marsh Harrier, although that did have the courtesy to pass close by:

There was evidence of new life:

There was a reasonable selection of waders, albeit in not particularly good numbers, but including a few Whimbrels:

And both species of godwit:

Nice summer plumage Bar-tailed

4 Bar-tailed (one in winter plumage) and a Black-tailed

Black-tailed

The Avocets were as photogenic as ever:

With a watchful Little Ringed Plover

The wildfowl included a couple of late male Wigeon on Keyhaven Lagoon:

Two pairs of Teal on Fishtail Lagoon:

This is actually a pair!

And a single male Pintail on Butts Lagoon:

With the ever-present Gadwall (and of course Mallard), only Shoveler was missing from a full winter dabbling duck haul.

It's nice to occasionally get back to my old patch, with its guarantee of lots of birds, but on a more casual basis so without the frustration of the total lack of any will for a local grapevine or birding network among most of those who go there.