Pagham Breech Pool

There is still life in the the Breech Pool even if it's only during periods of drought. The pool, at the back of the North Wall Pagham Harbour, could always be relied on to produce something worth viewing even when all other sites were birdless. However for the past couple of years (since the RSPB took over responsibility for the area?) no one seems interested in controlling the water levels in the pool. First it was allowed to dry out completely, then through last winter and the first part of this year water levels were far too high. Waders could not feed or roost, mud banks and reed beds were under water and birds like the Water Rail just disappeared from the area.

It is difficult to believe that the landowners and bodies like the RSPB and the Environmental Agency were happy to sit back and see such a wonderful site gradually deteriorate.

I still call in occasionally, just for old times sake. Today it was like a blast from the past. Water levels were down and birds were using the shallower parts of the pool to feed and roost. Not in the numbers seen previously but it's better than nothing. Reed Warblers could be seen climbing around in the base of the reeds and the place looked alive again, although no sign of the Water Rails.

Greenshank and Spotted Redshank

Greenshank

Spotted Redshank

Black-tailed Godwit - one of twenty on the pool

Colour ringed Black-tailed Godwit

and a couple of other birds from recent trips out

Whitethroat

Young Song Thrush feeding well

Also a bonus from the visit to the North Wall, a Ruddy Shelduck out in the harbour although too far away for a picture.

Red-necked Phalarope

Monday, we spent nearly five hours sitting in a hide at Titchfield Haven, waiting for a Semipalmated Sandpiper to turn up - it didn't. Which is probably just as well, as I am not sure that I would be able to tell it from Little Stint even at close range.

The drive home after missing a bird is always a bit depressing but we didn't let it get us down. This morning we were up early and over to Pagham North Wall hoping to find something unusual - we didn't and to make matters worse there were no reports of any good birds in the area. Running out of ideas we decided to go over to Thorney Island to have a look for the Red-necked Phalarope and I am pleased to say this time we were in luck.

The Phalarope has been there for  a few days now but has been distant for a lot of that time. Today it was just out of photographic range for most of the time but did make a couple of short forays into closer waters. It was then a case of trying to get a clear shot through or over the reeds and hoping that the light was reasonable.

We got a few record shots but it could have been better. If you are going to have a look at it, the late afternoon sun will give you the best lighting. For us, today, it was just too hot to stand around for a few hours waiting for things to improve.

To find the bird, park up at the triangle at (SU757049), cross the road and follow the footpath west to the beach. Turn left (south) and follow the seawall footpath for about 200 metres to the Little Deep (SU752048)

On Sunday we walked from Reculver out past Cold Harbour Lagoon. A short stop for pictures gave me the birds below.

Greenshank

Knot

Bar-tailed Godwit

Spotted Redshank

Wheatear

and this looks like another Little Stint - white braces on its back clearer in other shots

A couple of shots from Titchfield, taken whilst we were waiting for the Semipalmated Sandpiper that didn't show.

Ruff

Common Snipe

And two from last week at Pagham North Wall

Curlew Sandpiper and six Dunlin

Low flying Buzzard

The hot weather seems to have caused the autumn migration to stall. Am I alone in looking forward to the cooler and more productive days to come.

Long-billed Dowitcher

Today it really felt as though Spring had arrived. We were off down to Pennington to look for the Long-billed Dowitcher. It wasn't exactly warm but the sun was shinning, the sky was blue, and there was no wind, and for the first time this year the birds seemed to be out singing and marking out their territories.

On the walk down to the lagoons from the car park we had Linnets, that I didn't manage to photograph, a Reed Bunting and even a Wren happy too be sitting out in the open singing.

Reed Bunting

Wren

Waders were in short supply, as they have been for most of this Winter, but the comparison of this Spotted Redshank and Redshank made an interesting picture.

Spotted Redshank and Redshank

Spotted Redshank

A search for the Long-billed Dowitcher found it sleeping in the reeds along side three Snipe. It looked promising when we first spotted it but it wasn't until it raised its head and revealed the bill that we could be sure.

Long-billed Dowitcher and three Snipe

We watched it for a while and it was beginning to look as though it would not leave the cover of the reeds. Luckily a low flying Lapwing spooked the Snipe and the Dowitcher took to the air with them. I would normally have expect it to head deeper into cover.

The flight shot gives a good view of the white cigar shape on its back.

Long-billed Dowitcher - showing cigar shaped white mark on its back

The bird did not travel far and was soon heading back to its favoured resting place in the reeds

Long-billed Dowitcher

With the shot below showing the greenish/yellow legs and truncated bill with slightly down turned end.

and heading back to the reeds

Next stop was at Mark Ash wood in the New Forest but our usually reliable Tawny Owl seems to have moved on and our quick search for a Lesser-spotted Woodpecker revealed no sighting and no sound of drumming. Perhaps still a little too early in the year and certainly a little late in the day.

Next stop was Eyeworth Pond at Fritham. The small birds are always easy to photograph here  as they are very tame and use to visitors providing them with food. The only difficulty is getting a decent shot of the bird without piles of seeds getting in the way.

There are usually Mandarins on display although they tend to stay on the far side and shelter under the trees but the bonus on this visit were four Goosanders, three male and one female.

Goosander

Goosander and Mandarin Duck

Goosander and Mandarin Duck

Mandarins escorting the female.

We had great fun watching and photographing these and there were a number of flight shots that nearly made the grade but in the end were all consigned to the bin. It is amazing how different the male Mandarin looks in flight.

Then it was back to the feeding station and a few shots of the more common birds.

Great Tit

Great Tit

Marsh Tit

Marsh Tit

Nuthatch

A great days birding with, for a change, some decent lighting for the photography.

Kingfisher

I had to make a trip up to Horsham today and with an hour to spare I thought I would call into Warnham LNR for a quick look. I wasn't expecting too much and that is exactly what I found. Wanham is a site to visit in the winter if you are looking for birds, although it can be worth a visit in the summer for butterflies and dragonflies.

Fortunately there were two Kingfishers mobile around the site. It was difficult to get a clear shot but I did manage the one below. The bird was mostly in shade which gave me a chance to get the iridescent blue colour along its back. This is usually too bright for the camera to record when it is in direct sunlight.

Actually the feathers are a dull brown rather than blue but the structure of the feathers scatters and reflects the short wavelength blue light much more than the longer wavelength red light thus giving the bright blue effect. So to be correct I should be referring to it as the "Tyndall Effect" rather than iridescence.

Kingfisher

And a few shots taken at Pagham North Wall the day before.

Wheatear

Reed Bunting

Two Spotted Redshanks taking to the air. Black-tailed Godwit in the background.

Mandarin Ducks

The weather looked reasonable on Tuesday morning so I picked Dave up and we managed a couple of hours birding before it clouded over. Clouds don't stop you birding but they do stop the bird photography. We hadn't been down to the North Wall at Pagham for a few weeks. Water levels had been very high in the Breech Pool and although there were plenty of ducks and geese about the waders were in short supply and most of the birds were some distance off on the flooded fields.

Things had improved for this visit. The water levels were down, there was mud showing, and there were a few waders about, although nothing unusual. The Black-tailed Godwits were back in the pool along with Redshanks and at least four Spotted Redshanks. We also saw a couple of Snipe and one Water Rail.

Black-tailed Godwit coming into summer plumage

Spotted Redshank coming in to land (or in this case water!)

An elegant bird but it's difficult to keep up appearances with muddy feet

The wind was picking up on the coast so we decided to head inland and have a look for Firecrests at Arundel. No luck with that but we did find a pair of Mandarin Ducks in the stream alongside Mill Road. Having spent a recent afternoon in the New Forest trying to photograph distant Mandarins that would not come out of cover it was odd to see this pair quite happy with people and dogs walking past less than six feet away. Spring is obviously in the air and perhaps the pair had other things on their mind.

Chasing after him

Giving him the definite come on

Doing the business

Looking pleased with themselves

Great birds to watch. The female was in exceptional condition with very subtle colouration and hard as it is to believe, really outshone the drake on the day.

Greenshank and Others

Today was about catching up with a few of the birds I had missed out on over the past few weeks. Top of the list was the Little Gull. There have been plenty of reports of the bird but I had failed to connect with one despite visiting all the right places. So today was a visit to Wyckham Farm at Steyning to see if I could find the birds reported there.

I had a quick look for the Siberian Chiffchaff but I am not sure I would recognise it if I saw it. There were a few suspects about but they all had too much yellow showing to be the Siberian. Still it's always good fun trying to get any of the little brown things in focus long enough to get a picture.

There were gulls on the field as reported but unfortunately they were all Black-headed. I walked on and came back about thirty minutes later to find two more promising suspects flying with the Black-headed gulls.

Little Gulls - showing black underwing and bill

The birds stayed very distant but I still managed to get a couple of record shots.

Little gull

Little Gull

Next stop was the Nore stream. The Spotted Redshank was there as usual but this time it had a Greenshank along for company.

Spotted Redshank

Greenshank

keeping an eye out for aerial attack

Posing for another picture

I think that Greenshanks are one of the most impressive of the waders and this bird looked in great condition. I always expect them to be a lot more flighty than the Redshanks so was really pleased to get these shots although they do not really convey the quality of the bird on the day.

Flushed with success I then headed off to East Head to see the Snow Buntings. No luck this time. There were a few birds about but the sand was really whipping across the head. It was uncomfortable for me so it must have been difficult for the small birds. The majority of the birds were hunkered down on the exposed sand spits but the Sanderling seemed oblivious to the wind and driving sand and were still running around on the waters edge.

Sanderling

There were also Meadow Pipits feeding on the more sheltered eastern side of the head.

Meadow Pipit

And, one final picture. The red orbital rings on this Great Black-backed Gull caught my eye. They apparently indicate a bird in full breeding plumage.

Great Black-backed Gull

Perhaps the fish head is a little treat for some prospective partner.