Pagham harbour: cold spring day

Cold and damp down on the North wall at Pagham harbour today,but good numbers of birds around .
Two short-eared owls still hunting over the reedbeds behind the horse field,sometime resting on the fence posts before returning to hunt.
The two glossy ibis are now at the back of the north field next to owl copse
Lots of reed and sedge warblers in the reed beds around the breach pool and over 100 swallows  hawking insects low over the water.
Nice to see a few wheatears still around on the rocks below the path.  
Out in the harbour itself were a pair of noisy oystercatchers,some ringed plovers and at least ten whimbrel.

Pagham harbour ferry pool

Drove over to the west side of Pagham harbour today to see the spoonbill on the ferry pool.
The bird was resting near the back of the pool and spent most of its time standing on one leg with its head tucked under its wing.
Aswell as the spoonbill there was also an avocet feeding in the shallow edge of the ferry pool.
Saw my first willow warbler of the year in the bushes around the visitor's centre,it sang briefly as it flitted among the branches.

winter birding

The bitterly cold weather brought lots of birds to the feeders this morning, including 2 male blackcaps, 8 reedbuntings a pair of coal tits and even a grey wagtail feeding on crumbs under the fat bar.

In the afternoon I drove over to Hayling Island to see the shore lark,also saw red- breasted mergansers and large flocks of dunlin.

Back at Pagham harbour there was a marsh harrier hunting over the north fields,I waited until sunset to see if a bittern would come in to roost in the breach pool reed beds,but no sign of one 

grey wagtail

Paddyfield warbler

Spent alot of time down at the harbour this weekend waiting to see the paddyfield warbler around the beach pool.
The bird did eventually show well for a few minutes but with the presence of so many other "birders"was soon gone again.
Other birds that showed well were the water rails venturing out of the reeds onto the ice, and three bearded tits feeding at the edge off the pool.

Blackcap

A male blackcap back in the garden again this winter,feeding on the fat bar and old apples left out for the thrushes.

Dark-eyed junco

Went down to the New Forest today to see the Dark-eyed junco ( a small grey american bunting) at the Hawkhill enclosure,the bird showed well on & off between 10.30-11.00am.
Also at Hawkhill were at least 15 crossbills showing very well,the red males looking stunning in the winter sunlight.
Afterwards I  went on to Dennys wood and found marsh tit, nuthatch, treecreeper, redpoll, siskin, and large flocks of fieldfare,but missed the great grey shrike that had been seen on the heath several times that day.

Pagham Harbour Autumn 2011