South Coast (and Coate Water)

20 Feb - another south coast trip in fine but cold weather. En route, an early morning visit to Coate Water produced excellent views of the roosting Tawny Owl that has been present for a while now (photo 1, copyright Graham Cox). Alongside the A4 at Froxfield I saw a Little Egret and a Green Sandpiper on the roadside stream.
First stop was Walpole Park, Gosport, and while the Ring-billed Gull could not be located, I got excellent views of a winter-plumaged Mediterranean Gull (2,JM). Ringed Plovers and Brent Geese were in the creek here. Next, on to Southsea and the rising tide produced excellent close views of 14 Purple Sandpipers on the rocks here (3,4JM). A couple of Rock Pipits were also present, and a flock of Sanderlings flew past. Finally, Hill head near Titchfield gave fairly distant views of the 3 long-staying Velvet Scoters offshore.
En route home, I stopped at Bury Down and 3 Short-eared Owls(5,JM) were seen well, perched in the evening sun.