Semipalmated Sandpiper

Over the weekend there had been lots of reports and also a few good pictures, of a Semipalmated Sandpiper on Oxey Lagoon, Pennington. Monday dawned fine and clear so I decided to make the journey. This is a site I have visited a few times in the past but it is really at the edge of my day birding area. It's a pity that it is so far, as there are always a good selection of birds to see there.

It wasn't difficult to find. I parked up and walked a mile or so along the coast path and soon saw a gathering of three or four people standing overlooking the lagoon. I had expected more, it's quite a rare bird, a life tick for me, and there had been some discussion over the possibility of it being a much rarer Western Sandpiper.

There wasn't a great deal to do. It didn't seem fazed by our presence and I watched it feeding for about half an hour taking a few snaps as it moved around.

Eventually it hauled out under the bank, spent a few minutes preening and then settled down for a siesta. A good time for me to move on. 

As for the issue of Western or Semipalmated - I am no expert and the bill does look a bit long for a Semipalmated but everything else seems to support this conclusion. Colour, straight stout bill, breast markings, etc, but it is a difficult call. They are very similar species and I have no experience of the variations within each. This is one where I will have to be guided by more experienced eyes.

I picked up a Long-tailed Duck on one of the other lagoons

and there were probably seven or eight Spotted Redshanks about but none of them were giving good picture opportunities.


There were probably other things to see around Pennington Marsh but this time of year daylight hours are short and the hours for photography are even shorter. I wanted to call in at Eyeworth pond on the way home to see if there were any Mandarins at home. The ones on my local pond back in Sussex have gone AWOL this year, or at least they have on the occasions I have gone looking for them.


I was pleased to find that there were Mandarins on Eyeworth although they were keeping their distance and sheltering under the bushes on the opposite side of the pond for most of the time I watched them. There was also a Goosander

and a wonderful Muscovy Duck that came rushing over to see one lady who then proceeded to feed it from a dog bowl full of seed.

Possibly an escapee or just a bird that has learnt how to get an easy meal but it needs to take care or it could end up on someones Christmas table.

By now the light was going so I headed back to the car and off back to Sussex.

Snow Bunting

It looked promising today, the wind had dropped, the sun was breaking through and there was no rain in the forecast. The target was the Snow Bunting at Medmerry and it was good to get out, into some decent weather for taking photographs.

But perhaps not that decent. About a hundred metres from home and I was in thick fog that stretched all the way along the coast to Chichester and down to Selsey. Still I was out and I needed the fresh air so there was no point in turning back. Parking up at Selsey, if anything, the visibility had closed in even further. However, the walk to the Medmerry Breach would be good exercise particularly as most of it was on shingle.

The highlight of the walk was a flock of about forty Ringed Plovers hunkered down on the beach. I had no idea they were there and it was quite a shock when they spotted me and half the beach seemed to lift into the air. They did one quick circuit allowing me to make a quick count but then disappeared westward probably to the Stilt Pool on the other side of the breach.

The breach itself was really spectacular. It was the first time I had seen it with a real high tide running and with the fog making it impossible to see the other side the warnings not to attempt a crossing really carried some weight.

Sitting on the rocks eating my sandwiches the sun started to make itself felt and the fog gradually began to clear. Soft bright light opening up the view and there was the Snow Bunting sitting on the fence of the last caravan.

It was perhaps more wary than some Snow Buntings that I have photographed but as long as you moved slowly it showed little inclination to flight.

I did lose it at one stage when a gardener complete with strimmer appeared and put it to flight but as he moved on the bird soon reappeared and started searching the grassed areas for seeds. I watched it for a while and then had a second chance to photograph it on the fence.

It was good to get it isolated from its background. Most times you see Snow Buntings they are on shingle and their colours tend to blend into the background.

I searched for Black Redstarts but did not see any and with rain threatening I headed back to the car. Half an hour finishing of my lunch, in the car park at the Bill, gave me a few Turnstones but with the rain setting in I headed for home.

I was lucky, it didn't last for long but this was my best lighting and best picture opportunity for months.

Great Bustard

I had left it a few days but in the end I had to go to see the Great Bustard. It had been reported over at Rookery Hill, on the downs just outside of Bishopstone. The bird, which is showing a red ring with the number 92, is a juvenile female and part of the Salisbury Plain re-introduction program. However, you cannot see that from my pictures. As well as being knee deep in Kale it is over 300 metres away. I would have liked to have got closer but there is no point in upsetting the farmer.

Apparently she did fly in from Spain, back in May, but  that was in the form of an egg. She was hatched and then released in August, to join the rest of the reintroduced population. Why it is now in temporary residence in Sussex and what it will do next is still unclear.

I guess I will have to wait a few more years to see a British born Great Bustard but it was well worth going to see. A great bird even if it is half tame.


The best of the rest from a few trips out around Selsey and Pagham Harbour and up onto the Downs. Starting with one of the many Black Redstarts that have been appearing locally.

Black Redstart

Cattle Egret

Chiffchaff

Singing competition

Stonechat

Wren

Nothing unusual but it is at least nice to see a few birds. Is it just me or are they getting very thin on the ground? Some of the once reliable places I visit now seem to be completely devoid of birds.