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

Pallid harrier

Spent three hours yesterday on the downs above Burpham near Arundel,watching the stunning PALLID HARRIER.
Pallid harriers usually breed on the Russian steppes and overwinter in India or Africa, only about one a year is seen in the UK. This bird is an immature one with a chestnut red breast,and bold face markings.
Other birds of prey seen in the area were a male hen harrier,red kite,2 hobbies sparrowhawks,kestrels and at least a dozen buzzards.

Summer in the Tarn, France

Hot and sunny in the South west of France in early july,fields of warm yellow sunflowers standout against the backdrop of a bright blue sky.
Small groups of black kites follow the harvesters, picking off small mammals and insects caught out in the open, while a short-toed eagle circles overhead.
We took a drive into the hills above Salvagnac and soon found a few pair of bee eaters hawking for insects from the power lines,and a honey buzzard soaring on the thermals.
Glad to see the hoopoes are back in the area,but are still very wary,one landed 40ft from me but was soon gone again.Lot of pairs of black redstarts feeding their young, some having already fledged.

                                    scarce swallowtail

                            humming-bird hawk moth

                                           bee eaters

Always plenty of interesting insects around including some very bright red dragonflies I've not seen before.
Butterflies of interest were the cleopatra brimstone,southern white admiral and the graceful scarce swallowtail.
A few warm evenings  spent drinking wine and watching the humming-bird hawk moths.

Pagham sunset

Another glorious sunset over Pagham harbour late friday evening,with just the reed warblers singing and a cuckoo calling.Still some black-tailed godwits on the breach pool, now in full summer plumage,lots of swifts and swallows hunting insects over the water.

Somerset levels

Spent a few hours walking and birdwatching at Shapwick heath on the Somerset levels this afternoon with M.
Highlights included a fine male marsh harrier hunting over the reed beds,two bitterns seen and three booming males heard,three cuckoos seen close together, and over a dozen hobbies catching newly emerged four-spotted and broad-bodied chaser dragonflies above the reeds.
The whole area was alive with the birdsongs of willow warbler,chiff chaff, whitethroat,blackcap and reed warbler.

Back at Pagham Harbour

Took a walk along the North wall at Pagham harbour this evening, for the first time in nearly three weeks. Spring is well under way now, and the first swallows and house martins were hawking insects over the Breach pool, and both reed and sedge warblers had joined the cetti's and were all singing in the reedbeds.

A few black-tailed godwits remain on the breach pool,and look stunning in their summer plumage. A pair of little ring plovers have also returned to the breach pool and hopefully will breed again this year.

The first few little egrets are back in Owl copse again ,displaying and making their strange courtship calls, hopefully another good breeding season for them as well!

Hooded Merganser

Got a call yesterday from Rob at Pagham harbour V.centre to tell me that there was a hooded merganser on the ferry pool.This could be the bird that was rescued in dorset and has been around lodmoor for a few years. Also alot of chiffchaffs moving through now and the first few wheatears.

Early spring at Pagham harbour

Despite the cold east wind, there were definite signs of spring in the air today down at Pagham harbour. Many of the winter ducks have already left for their northern breeding grounds and the brent geese will soon be on their way back to Arctic Russia. Some of the wadeing birds like the oystercatchers and lapwings are already starting to display and pair up.

Adder

One of the first adder's of the year, just out of hibernation,basking in the early spring sunshine at Pulborough brooks reserve, it's dark colouration helping it to absorb the warmth.

The New Forest 12/02/11

Drove down to the New forest on saturday in the hope of finding a great grey shrike,despite no sign of one, it was still a very good day's birding. Started at Beaulieu road heath, then walked down to Bishop's dyke where there were at least five crossbills feeding in the larch trees on the edge of the wood.I then spent an a hour in Dennys'wood looking for lesser spotted woodpeckers, no sign of any but plenty of nuthatches, tree creepers and very close views of a flock of redpoll in the birch trees.Back out on the heath both a male and a ringtail hen harrier were hunting close by.
Next I drove up to Acres down(the highest point in the New forest) where there were at least three woodlarks singing,and a goshawk dispaying in the far distance.

The Burgh (south downs)

Spent a few hours around the Burgh today on the south downs above Arundel.Great views of a ringtail hen harrier which at one point flew right in front of me,also a red kite,and a male kestrel. Good numbers of yellowhammer and skylark around the edge of the fields,and at least 200 fieldfare,50 redwing and 20 corn buntings in the set-a-side field.

Pagham harbour/north wall

After all the rain of the last few weeks the north wall fields are now completely flooded and have become a haven for large numbers of waders and wildfowl.Today there were at least 3000 lapwing,1000 black-tailed godwit, and 400 golden plover as well wigeon,teal and shoveler. One of the two bitterns showed well out in the open for five minute before heading back into the cover of the reeds.

black-tailed godwits

snow buntings

Amazingly close views of a pair of these stunning little birds on the sea wall at Prinstead near Thorney Island, this afternoon.

Pagham harbour

A break in the weather mid morning today, gave me a chance to get in a few hours bird watching down at the harbour.Large numbers of waders and wildfowl out in the harbour and also on the flooded north fields,which included:
1000+ brent geese
1000+ wigeon
1200+ lapwing
500+golden plover and 300 black-tailed godwit.
Over on Pagham lagoon there was one male, and eight female goldeneye,at least 40 tufted duck and a female red head smew.Out on the shingle spit were oystercatchers,turnstones and knot.


tufted duck
goldeneye