I am aiming to take advantage of the family membership of Calshot camping club, and devote some time this Autumn to...

I am aiming to take advantage of the family membership of Calshot camping club, and devote some time this Autumn to vis-mig from the Calshot coastline.

Previous vis-mig from nearby Badminston was ok, but nothing ever spectacular, and sadly the gravel pits are now converted to fishing and bird life looks to be much reduced there.

This season will be interesting in comparison with 2015 which I spent watching from the Test Valley, inland. The inland viewpoint could just make out Fawley tower and the Isle of Wight, and many birds, mainly Woodpigeons, could be seen over the Calshot area. Will the numbers and species share some common ground?

Calshot also has the advantage of sea, albeit, obstructed slightly by the Isle of Wight.
This weekend paid dividends with a single Manx Shearwater the highlight, a bird not recorded anywhere else along the Hampshire coast the same day which is interesting. (My only better seabird seen in Hampshire was a Leach's Petrel, again from Calshot!). Other highlights were a small number of Black Terms roosting on low tide sandbanks with Common Terns, and a bird looking to be passing thru.

Challenges for the season will be morning sunshine producing a fairly nasty glare, and difficulty visiting before work on weekdays. It is also not obvious which seabirds are genuinely on the move, or involved in their daily commute to food, but this is a problem at most places.

Other highlights from the weekend was a large number of Chiff-Chaffs in the bushes, well over 20, with Whitethroat, and Sedge Warbler also seen. A Migrant Hawker dragonfly finally gave me excellent, if brief views, and Soprano Pipistrelle round the Calshot buildings put on a good show after dark.