Pagham Harbour on a high tide.

A cold but bright morning so a drive to the coast seemed appropriate.

Pagham harbour at high tide.

At the harbour entrance I finally located Mediterranean Gull plus the usual Black-headed, Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls with Turnstones feeding along the pebble shore line. Out on the water were Red-breasted Mergansers, Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck and Northern Pintail.

A single Redshank making rings in the water.

Next was a very muddy walk, including a trudge through a waterlogged path, over to the North Wall to catch up with the large flock of Brent Geese. I scanned for the Black Brant and Pale-bellied but only located the latter amoungst all the Dark-bellied Brent.

The damp field and pool margins also held Tufted Duck, Shovellers, Lapwing, Knot, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit and at least 50 Common Snipe feeding out in the open. 

An erruption of Brent Geese as they moved to other locations with the tide on the turn.

Scanning skywards I located several Common Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk before commencing my return walk which also produced my first Yellowhammer for 2010 plus Chaffinch, Reed Buntings, Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Green Woodpecker, Grey Plover, Cormorant and a second Sparrowhawk.

Back at the Lagoon the scope was needed to finally locate a very distant male Scaup plus Little Grebes, Moorhen and at least 6 Goldeneye.

With tide falling I bade farewell and started the long drive home.  FAB.