Back to the afternoon of the day of Hampshire Birding showing ex-pat Clare around part of SW Hampshire on her first day of UK Birding: She normally gets out Birding around Delhi. After leaving Blashford Lakes, it was on for a couple of hours at the bridge at the base of Hurst Spit: which is always a good place to see some of the regular coastal species. The Birds are used to people & can be quite approachable here.
Clare looking towards Hurst Castle & Lighthouse: The original fort was built on the orders of Henry VIII to protect the Western end of the Solent & was completed in 1544. It was updated in Napoleonic times & again in the 1870's, with further additions in the Second World War
Brent Goose: The common South coast subspecies is bernicla which is commonly known as Dark-bellied Brent Goose
Oystercatcher
Ringed Plover: 1st Winter. The scaly edges to the wing & mantle feathers with pale edges and a darker inner border indicates this is a 1st Winter Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover: 1st Winter. Adults would have a blacker lower face and band above the white forehead and a darker breast band. This is a new species for the blog
Turnstone: Adult male. The extensive chestnut in the wings indicates this is an adult which has still retained a lot of its bright Summer plumage. The extent of whitish in the face suggests it's a male
Turnstone: Adult male. I can't resist another photo of this great looking Turnstone
Turnstone: Winter adult: A more typical plumaged adult for the start of Oct
Turnstone: 1st Winter. They are much duller than the Winter adults
Black-headed Gull: The Winter plumage only has this black spot behind the eye. Clare saw more Gulls today than in her 3 years of Birding in India
Rock Pipit
Finally, it was time to head back to Cadnam & drop Clare back at her car. As this was also Clare's first visit to the New Forest, then we went via the Rhinefield drive & bumped into this cracking stag Red Deer.
Red Deer: A great finale to the day