Freshwater Bay

A wildlife-dominated day for us. First, M and I took a trip to Yarmouth on Isle of Wight, by train and ferry. Then we walked beside  the Western Yar, mostly on the track bed of an old railway, to Freshwater Bay for a picnic lunch, the subject of my blip, and back. There were waterbirds including Redshank, Oystercatcher and three Whimbrel feeding in the brackish marshes, as well as Reed and Cetti's Warblers in the  reedbeds. In the scrubby and wooded areas we found Linnet, Chiffchaff, Robins and lots of Wrens. Also, we found  Herring, Black headed, and Black Backed gulls.  
Once home, it was a quick turnaround and a meal, before heading out again for a meeting  of Hampshire & IOW Wildlife Trust, where a Reserves Manager talked about the ongoing conservation of Winchester's St Catherine's hill,  and nearby old  waterworks. The area is  managed for native chalk downland plants and animals, which means keeping scrub in check.