Early fog, Saturday, restricted our view of the estuary to around a hundred yards at the start of a short walk round the ancient salt-pan ponds. Only a couple of sleeping boats were in sight when we parked against the sea-wall.
The Needles lighthouse fog horn called regularly, with an occasional chorus sung by some vessel around Yarmouth, although all this was just part of a soundscape that augmented our restricted visual senses to remind us that the world was larger than we could see.
On the landward side of the marshes the straight path took us East, at an elevation low enough that most of the marsh life was hidden by bramble and overgrown thorn hedges festooned in lichens. Scanning with light binoculars I found a red doe; sitting very calmly, aware of us but untroubled.
At half way, we walked towards the beach again and the fog began to clear in patches. Lymington and its ferry emerged. A couple of small boats including a kayaker who appeared to be paddling the sky, just above a finger of marsh that jutted North at the river entrance.
The water was immensely still, only moving sluggishly and only washing at all with boat wakes. The tide was climbing, but so slowly that the dust on the water's surface mapped out the last hour of gentle gyres and currents. Spiral pools of dust, decorated by smudged lines.
Mostly the usual bird-life, always welcome, but familiar. A good view of skylark and reed bunting. The Hurst lighthouse poked through the shroud, followed shortly by the castle. The tops of the Isle's hills began to define themselves against a brightening sky. (Though the ferry vanished slowly as it crossed, meeting the bridge of its twin before leaving entirely)
The quiet mood seemed to infect those we met; we talked in hushed tones. Runners and cyclists were taking their time. A surprise splash from a dog, belly-flopping in after a stick.
On the largest of the ponds, behind the sea-wall path we followed, was a sleepy spoon-bill. Only obviously not an egret when it untucked its feeding machine from between its wings to preen.
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