A long and exciting day in Hampshire.

A long and exciting day in Hampshire. I got off to a great start with 3 Spoonbill, Slavonian Grebe, and Bearded Tit at Pennington, and realising I had seen 40 species by 8am, decided to dry run my quest for 100 in a day, ("self found" and within 20 miles of home).

A brief seawatch got me nothing, but an hour in the New Forest was excellent with Siskin, Crossbill, Woodlark, Stonechat, Tree Creeper, Nuthatch, and a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker drumming. 
Next stop was Blashford, and after seeing Goldeneye, Goosander, Black-necked Grebe, Kingfisher, and Green Sandpiper, I was on a very healthy 80, with farmland still to come, and quite a few easy species still up for grabs.

I was beginning to think that with a little luck, and a few surprises, I could get to 100, even without the help of the Summer visitors. My previous best day total being a mere 87.

Sadly, the afternoon became a huge struggle.. Corn Bunting and Linnet were seen quite easily, but Yellowhammer, and Grey Partridge eluded me. A brief stop at a Sewage works got me Chiff-chaff and Grey Wagtail as expected, plus a Lesser Black-backed Gull overhead. 92, with a couple of hours of daylight left. 100 was back on!

Looking down the list of birds I hadn't seen, there were some glaring omissions! Snipe (how?), Greylag (how?), Great and Green Woodpecker (incredibly!), Yellowhammer, Common Gull, Dartford Warbler, Ringed Plover, Peregrine. I figured a return to the coast at Badminston and Calshot would give me a chance of all of the above "easy" ones, plus maybe a bonus offshore.

This final bit of luck deserted me though. I got Green Woodpecker on the Common, and Ringed Plover at the coast, but the others stayed out of reach, and as darkness descended, I finished on 94.. there just weren't enough nocturnal species around this time of year to get me over the line, so I decided to call it a day. My biggest UK day total ever, and with Summer visitors, and longer daylight hours, I hope to get over 100 in the Spring!

#100inaday   #Hampshire   #Birding