First, the weather ….

The Met Office provides surface pressure charts online, continuously updating them; normally every 12 hours. Last Sunday at noon there was a very high pressure region of 1035 mb (millibars) at sea level and almost stationary over the mid north Atlantic.

This created a very light warm NE breeze, ideal for watching estuary birds, although visibility was a little hazy at a distance.
Temperatures were in the low 20 degrees C, very pleasant on the coast.

It’s mid-summer and the local breeding birds are busy raising chicks; this is the busiest time of year for our breeding estuary waders.

Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers are having a very successful year with more nests located than last year, due mainly to the fenced and roped off enclosures, new impressive signage boards and careful monitoring by volunteer members of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. Redshanks are just holding their own but numbers are precariously low.

Ringed Plover

A pair of handsome Shelduck were shepherding their brood of 8 ducklings around one of the marshy pools near Mount Lake.
Predators are still a huge threat with Carrion Crows by day and Foxes at night.

Visitor disturbance is a problem but most people stay on the main pathways.
Other birds of note are a beautiful summer-plumaged Knot and a handsome Common Sandpiper just stopping off to feed before heading south.
Sand Martins are gathering over the spartina covered marshes and a small party of 27 Dunlin in full summer plumage were feeding along one of the side creeks near the castle.
Little Egrets were in good numbers with 9 counted across the patch, 4 in one location where food was plentiful.
Sandwich and Common Terns were seen crossing the Spit heading west then seen returning a short time later with small fish in their bills to take back to their hungry young.
A group of 4 Ravens patrolled the Spit looking for food.

A great day to be on the coast.