SELECTED
SPOTTED REDSHANK SIGHTINGS
FOR WINTER 2015-16
in
reverse chronological order
Spotted
Redshank Home Page
Sunday
March 27 - 2016 - Spotted Redshank has gone
I checked Nore
Barn for the Spotted Redshank at about 12 noon in a
howling gale, but there was no sign of it in the
stream or along the shore. The regular colour-ringed
Greenshank (G+GL) was present in the stream but that
was all. I last saw the Spotted Redshank on Mar 21
(one day later than last year), so my guess is that it
has already left for its breeding grounds in Northern
Scandinavia, hopefully to return again to Nore Barn
next autumn for its 13th successive year.
Thursday
24 March 2016 - Spotted Redshank gone?
I paid two
visits to Nore Barn to check on the Spotted Redshank,
once at 9.45am before meeting Jayne and again at 11am
after meeting her. The tide was rising to high water
at about 12 noon. On both occasions the colour-ringed
Greenshank (G+GL) was present along with a Common
Redshank, but there was no sign of the Spotted
Redshank. This could indicate the departure of the
Spotted Redshank for its breeding grounds, but I will
check again over the Easter weekend.
MONDAY
MARCH 21 - 2016
I went over to Nore
Barn at about 1pm with tide falling to check on the
Spotted Redshank. It was already present in the stream
along with a Little Egret. The Spotted Redshank has
now exceeded last year's last sighting date of Mar 20.
TUESDAY
MARCH 15 - 2016
At about 2.30
I went over to Nore Barn to check on the Spotted
Redshank which is still here, feeding happily
among the seaweed on the shore at the end of
Warblington Road. The colour-ringed Greenshank was
waiting in the stream.
SATURDAY
MARCH 12 - 2016
Spotted
Redshank is still here!
I went over to
Nore Barn again late morning to check on the Spotted
Redshank. It was a beautiful morning with no wind and
a dead calm sea. There was nothing at all in the
stream when I arrived, but I decided to hang around
for a while just in case the bird turned up. I had a
chat with the members of the Nore Barn conservation
group who were just finishing their work session in
the woods. Then at about 12 noon when I was about to
give up I saw our feathered friend flying into the
stream from the harbour with a cheery 'chewitt' call.
So, contrary to my speculation yesterday, the famous
Emsworth Spotted Redshank is still here. I took some
photos just in case we don't see it again, though I
have thousands already in my computer files.
FRIDAY
MARCH 11 - 2016 - Spotted
Redshank gone?
I cycled over
to Nore Barn at about 11am this morning mainly to
check on the Spotted Redshank. The tide was rising to
high water in about two hours and the stream was
gradually filling. The colour-ringed Greenshank
G+GL was present in the stream, but there was no
sign of the Spotted Redshank. I waited around for
about an hour as the tide came in, but the Spotted
Redshank still did not make an appearance. The
Greenshank was present all this time. This could be
significant as it could well mark the departure of the
Spotted Redshank for its breeding grounds, though I
shall need to check again. My last sighting of the
Spotted Redshank this year was on Mar 8 which could be
a record latest sighting for this bird, the previous
latest was on 09-Mar-2012.
TUESDAY
MARCH 8 - 2016
I walked to
Nore Barn early this afternoon, mainly to check on the
Spotted Redshank. Yes, it is still with us! It
may be here for another week or two on the basis of
previous years. A Little Egret was in the stream
nearby. But little else.
MONDAY
FEBRUARY 22 - 2016
I popped over
to Nore Barn at about 14.15 this afternoon on a
falling tide mainly to check on the health of the
Spotted Redshank which I had not seen for a couple of
weeks. I found it looking perky as always and feeding
in the stream, but all alone. In fact, there was
virtually no other birds visible in the harbour, but
for a few gulls and Oystercatchers. Have they already
left for their summer quarters? From my previous
records, the Spotted Redshank should be with us for a
little while yet, but there is no telling in this very
unusual winter. Last year's final sighting was on Mar
20, 2015.
THURSDAY
JANUARY 14 - 2015
I had a quick
look at Nore Barn at 12 noon - about 2 hours to high
water. The Spotted Redshank and the colour-ringed
Greenshank (G+GL) were feeding together in the stream.
Nothing else of interest.
WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 13 - 2015
Nore Barn -
The usual Spotted Redshank was in the stream
with a Little Egret, standing like a sentinel.
There was no sign of the Greenshank.
SATURDAY JANUARY 9 - 2015
Spotted Redshanks at Nore Barn
I had a quick
look at Nore Barn this afternoon at about 2pm with the
tide still fairly high. There was a strong wind
blowing off the sea and rain in the air, so I did not
stay. However, I was delighted to see two Spotted
Redshanks feeding in the stream along with the regular
colour-ringed Greenshank (G+GL). This is the first
time I have seen this excellent group of waders this
year. Photos were difficult in the wind and dull
light. I could not get them all in one shot, so here
are the two Spotted Redshanks in one and a Spotted
Redshank and Greenshank in the other.
DECEMBER 14
- 2015
Nore Barn - In
the stream the same two Spotted Redshanks that
Peter Milinets-Raby had yesterday, were feeding
closely together all the time I was there, with no
hint of the aggressive behaviour which I had noted in
previous years. Clearly these were 'friends' and good
feeding companions. Neither was ringed. The
colour-ringed Greenshank G+GL was feeding
closely with the two Spotted Redshanks for much of the
time.
MONDAY
NOVEMBER 23 - 2015
I went over to
Nore Barn at 12 noon to try out a new 20-40 zoom
eyepiece that I bought on eBay to use with my old Kowa
TSN 601 spotting scope. The old eyepiece was badly
worn and the rubber cracked, though it has had very
good use over the past 20 years or so. I did some
digiscoping with the new eyepiece in place today and
it worked quite nicely, as shown by today's pics.
The Spotted Redshank was feeding in the seaweed
near the shore, quite unconcerned at people and dogs
passing not many yards away.
FRIDAY
NOVEMBER 13 - 2015
I arrived at
Nore Barn at about 9.30am Only one Spotted Redshank
was feeding in the rapidly filling stream along
with the colour-ringed Greenshank (G+GL) and the usual
assembly of Wigeon. Here is the Spotshank showing off
as usual.
THURSDAY
NOVEMBER 12 - 2015
09:30 - 10:00
- Tide rising to high water in about 2 hours. The
light was very poor for birdwatching and for
photography, made worse by steady drizzle blowing off
the sea. However, I was delighted to find two
Spotted Redshanks in the rapidly filling stream
along with the colour-ringed Greenshank (G+GL) and
about 20 Wigeon. One of the Spotshanks spent most of
the time snoozing alongside the Greenshank on the edge
of the saltmarshes surrounded by Wigeon. The Spotted
Redshank is on the left in the photo and the
Greenshank on the right.
Meanwhile, the other
Spotshank was busily feeding in the stream. Here it is
having caught a marine worm.
THURSDAY
OCTOBER 22 - 2015
Nore
Barn:
09:30 -
Falling tide was just right for birdwatching at this
spot. There were two Spotted Redshanks in the
stream for the first time this winter plus the usual
colour-ringed Greenshank. The two Redshanks flew off
together towards Thorney Island while I was there.
FRIDAY
OCTOBER 16 - 2015
Nore Barn:
11:15 - 12:15 Tide rising to high water at about
14:00. The Spotted Redshank was already present in the
stream when I arrived.
It was later joined by
its regular feeding companion the colour-ringed
Greenshank (G+GL). As I was leaving a Rock Pipit also
turned up on the edge of the stream, quite close to
the Greenshank.
WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 14 - 2015
Nore Barn - I popped
into Nore Barn on the way to Chichester at about 10am
this morning. The tide was rising to high water in
about 3 hours, but the tide was still well out and
there was no sign of anything in the stream. Richard
Hallett was present for the first time this winter in
response to my notification about the arrival of the
Spotted Redshank for the 12th winter running on
Hoslist. What a remarkable bird! It was good to see
Richard again, but I had to go so left him to it.
After I left, Richard walked along the shore and got
back to the stream by about 11am where he found three
waders busily feeding, including a Spotted Redshank,
the colour-ringed Greenshank (G+GL) and another
Redshank, which I am pretty sure is a Common Redshank
from Richard's photo. They were accompanied by a
Little Egret.
WEDNESDAY
OCTOBER 7 - 2015
Nore Barn -
The Spotted Redshank was in the stream feeding happily
with its the now colour-ringed Greenshank G+GL. This
is almost certainly the same bird that Peter
Milinets-Raby first saw here on 27-Sep. It is also
almost certainly the same bird that has been wintering
here for the past 12 years! One can't really tell from
the appearance of the bird, though its behaviour is
exactly what we would expect, the time of its arrival
is right, its relative tameness and the fact that it
feeds in the stream with its regular companion the
Greenshank.
SUNDAY
SEPTEMBER 27 - 2015 -
FIRST SIGHTING
Peter
Milinets-Raby at Nore Barn (from 7:38am): 1 Spotted
Redshank (very spotty along the edge of the wings and
tail end - see photos). This is almost certainly the
famous Emsworth Spotted Redshank back in the Nore Barn
stream for the 12th winter running. You can't tell
from the appearance, though the behaviour is exactly
what we would expect, feeding in the stream with the
Greenshank G+GL which has been its regular feeding
companion for many years. As Peter says, it is early.
In fact, this is the earliest date on record, though
the first sighting dates have been getting earlier
year by year. Last year it was Oct 3rd.
For
earlier sightings go to . . . Spotted
Redshank 2014-15
