A heavy downpour greeted the four hardy souls who defied the forecast of several hours’ rain. A scan of the shore and Solent did not improve the outlook as there was only a sprinkling of waders on the shingle. A handful of ringed plovers flitted around with a couple each of redshanks and turnstones among them. Two little grebes were an unexpected sighting at the edge of the sea while two great crested grebes could be seen further out. Some resplendent drake eiders were a cheering sight but after a fifteen-minute soaking a reviving cup of coffee beckoned. After the break the rain eased and from then the group was treated to a bright autumn day. Small numbers of ducks were seen at the river head including gadwall, shovelers and teal. The walk along the seawall to the west side delivered some nice birds, a common sandpiper, a rock pipit, a wheatear and eighteen recently arrived Brent geese. The Meon hide sported two curlew sandpipers that offered close views in good light. Redshanks, black-tailed godwits and dunlin pottered around in the mud while numerous lapwings indulged in their customary swoops. Several snipe were hiding in plain sight around the edges while a water rail scuttled briefly from cover. A flock of ringed plovers came off the sea with three sanderlings in their company. Stonechats were perched on the reeds and a yellow wagtail shot over. A lunch in the visitor centre (alas likely to be closed at the end of the year!) was followed by a walk along the east side. The river hide was unusually productive; two kingfishers were active, a sandwich tern flew along the river and swallow numbers increased markedly with the odd house and sand martin among them. Raptor contributions came from a sparrowhawk soaring above and a hobby hawking over the reeds. The meadow hide provided the final treat with three marsh harriers allowing prolonged views. It was a splendid walk with a list of 61 species.