Birding London two-day trip to Pagham Harbour and Church Norton, West Sussex, the New Forest, Hampshire and Wraysbury, Buckinghamshire on 23-24 June with Ivan Call — led by Gary Elton

Itinerary

Ivan was met from his transatlantic flight at Gatwick airport at 9.30am on Monday morning, after which we headed south towards Pagham Harbour, an area of coastal estuary and surrounding scrub habitat. The weather had previously been wet, but as we arrived at Pagham the sun came out and we enjoyed good dry sunny weather for the remainder of the trip. Several hours were spent at Pagham after which we stopped briefly at the roadside Sidlesham Ferry pool, en route to Church Norton, a further area of coastal estuary with a shingle beach. We had booked into the 14^th century Ranvilles Farm House for the night near Romsey, where we arrived in the late afternoon. We were warmly welcomed by the proprietor and enjoyed tea and cake in the garden before setting off to the New Forest for some evening birding, visiting Knightswood Enclosure and the Canadian War Memorial.

The next day saw us up early for a pre-breakfast walk around the guesthouse grounds, followed by a substantial breakfast. Our first port of call was Bolderwood Farm where we met up with an old friend, and local birder, Barry Goater. We then visited Milkham Enclosure (Wood Warbler and Hobby), Pipers Watch (Common Buzzard and Tree Pipit), Black Gutter Bottom (Dartford Warbler and Coal Tit) and finally Ocknell for a short walk around the old airfield.

We then left the New Forest and headed back to London, stopping close to Heathrow Airport at Wraysbury Gravel Pits to add several more species to the trip’s total. Ivan was returned to Heathrow Airport in time to good time to catch his onward flight to Kenya.

81 species were seen or heard during the two-day trip.

Species list

Great Crested Grebe — Several were seen at Wraysbury.

Great Cormorant — Five were noted at Church Norton.

Grey Heron — Good views were obtained of birds at Church Norton and Wraysbury.

Little Egret — Several were seen at Pagham and Church Norton.

Mute Swan — Pairs were seen at Pagham and Wraysbury.

Common Shelduck — Noted at Pagham Harbour and Church Norton, with large numbers of young birds on the Ferry Pool by the roadside at Pagham.

Mallard — Noted at Pagham and Wraysbury.

Common Eider — Four immature birds were on the sea at Church Norton.

Eurasian Sparrowhawk — A male flew over the garden whilst we had afternoon tea at the B&B.

Common Buzzard — Noted on numerous occasions in the New Forest, with a single bird also seen at Pagham Harbour.

Common Kestrel — Lots seen along the roadside between Pagham and the New Forest.

Hobby — Brilliant perched and flight views were had of a bird at Milkham Enclosure; a second more distant bird was also seen.

Common Pheasant — Heard and seen briefly at Pagham and the New Forest.

Common Moorhen — Noted at Pagham Harbour.

Eurasian Coot — Noted on the Ferry Pool at Pagham.

Eurasian Oystercatcher — Seen well at Pagham Harbour and Church Norton.

Pied Avocet — Four were present on the Ferry Pool.

Ringed Plover — Several were seen at Church Norton.

Grey (Black-bellied) Plover — Around six non-breeding birds were seen at Church Norton.

Northern Lapwing — Good numbers were seen at Pagham Harbour.

Red Knot — Three were seen at Church Norton.

Dunlin — Two noted at Church Norton.

Eurasian Woodcock — A calling bird gave excellent views as it circled round us at dusk as we waited for Nightjars near the Canadian War Memorial.

Eurasian Curlew — Several were seen at Pagham Harbour and Church Norton.

Common Redshank — Seen at Pagham Harbour and Church Norton.

Ruddy Turnstone — One seen well at Church Norton.

Black-headed Gull — Seen in small numbers on both days.

Lesser Black-backed Gull — One noted from the car en route to the New Forest with good numbers, but very distant views, over the rubbish tip from Pipers Watch.

Herring Gull — Several immature birds noted at Pagham Harbour and Church Norton.

Sandwich Tern — Seen well, fishing over the sea at Church Norton.

Common Tern — As above.

Little Tern — Distant birds were seen feeding off the point at Church Norton.

Feral Pigeon — Common.

Stock Dove — Seen at Pagham, The New Forest and Wraysbury.

Woodpigeon — Common.

Eurasian Collared Dove — Noted on wires en route to New Forest.

Ring-necked (Rose-ringed) Parakeet — Several were seen and heard at Wraysbury.

European Nightjar — Excellent perched and flight views were had of a churring male at dusk near the Canadian War Memorial.

Common Swift — Noted at Pagham Harbour.

Green Woodpecker — Seen well at Church Norton and the New Forest.

Great Spotted Woodpecker — Good views were had of several birds at Bolderwood Farm in the New Forest.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker — A calling bird could not be located at Knightswood Enclosure in the New Forest.

Skylark — Heard and seen at Pagham and the New Forest.

Barn Swallow — Good views were had of birds around their nest sites at the B&B

House Martin — As above

Tree Pipit — Heard and seen in good numbers in the New Forest at a variety of sites.

Meadow Pipit — As above.

Pied Wagtail — Good views of this species at the B&B.

Winter Wren — Common but elusive with good views finally obtained during the pre-breakfast walk at the B&B.

Dunnock — Common, seen well at Pagham.

Eurasian Robin — Common.

Common Redstart — An elusive female was glimpsed at Knightswood Enclosure, with a more confiding bird seen further along the track.

Common Stonechat — Good views were had of birds during our day in the New Forest.

Common Blackbird — Common.

Song Thrush — More often heard than seen.

Mistle Thrush — Several seen at sites in the New Forest.

Reed Warbler — Heard and eventually seen at Pagham.

Lesser Whitethroat — Heard but not seen at Pagham.

Common Whitethroat — Several heard and seen at Pagham.

Dartford Warbler — A scolding bird gave poor views at Black Gutter Bottom, surprisingly the only one seen.

Garden Warbler — Heard and glimpsed at Wraysbury.

Wood Warbler — A singing bird seen well at Milkham in the New Forest.

Chiffchaff — A singing bird seen well at Church Norton.

Goldcrest — Seen well at Bolderwood Farm in the New Forest.

Spotted Flycatcher — A single bird seen well at the B&B on both days.

Long-tailed Tit — A family party was seen at the B&B on both days.

Coal Tit — Lots of calling birds in the New Forest, with one finally seen at Black Gutter Bottom.

Blue Tit — Common.

Great Tit — Common.

Common Treecreeper — One seen at Bolderwood Farm in the New Forest.

Common Magpie — Common!

Western Jackdaw — Easily seen at the roadside, particularly in the New Forest.

Rook — As above.

Carrion Crow — As above.

Common Starling — Seen well at the B&B.

House Sparrow — Seen well at the B&B.

Common Chaffinch — Good views were had at the B&B and Bolderwood Farm

European Greenfinch — Common.

European Goldfinch — Several seen at Pagham and the B&B.

Eurasian Siskin — Two were noted at Milkham in the New Forest.

Common Linnet — Easily seen at Pagham and New Forest sites.

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