Waders in Pagham Harbour.

Last week I made a visit to the coast and wandered around a small part of Pagham Harbour between The Spit and the North Wall for a couple of hours. With high tide some hours away the only species that really came close enough for a photo was one of many singing Greenfinches.Most of the waders were distant views through the bins but it didn't stop me trying .... so here are a few cropped images.

Oystercatcher

Spotted Redshank

At least the stationery and over flying Gulls made things a little easier.

I even attempted to slowly creep closer to a group of preening Black-tailed Godwits, all resplendant in their breeding plumage but just as I settled down they decided  it was time to move on before I had time to change the camera settings!

Oh well ... better luck next time.   FAB.

North Wall at Pagham.

On the weekend after my trip to Pagham Harbour Anita intimated that she would like to have a paddle at the coast and suggested a visit to Pagham Spit. Once again the high tide wasn't until much later in the afternoon but with the sun shining we headed to the coast and while I sorted out my gear Anita carefully navigated her way over the shingle to find a spot to rest and read while waiting for the water to get closer.

I headed off towards the North Wall following the pathway and then the shoreline looking out initially on a very waterless landscape and most of the wildlife very distant.

A male Reed Bunting stopped briefly to say hello.

Looking inland at the North Wall the scene again appeared very quiet with little floating about on the pools.

However it wasn't long before Mrs. Mallard floated past with her ten little charges in tow.

I just wonder how many will eventually survive these early weeks of new life!

I then enjoyed the flying displays of several pairs of Black-tailed Godwits who have obviously decided to hang around and now sporting their rich breeding plumage.

I won't bore you with a list of the species seen but suffice it to say that I eventually logged a total of 51 including listening to Cetti's Warbler belting out its distinctive call from a hidden location.

 

The final poser was a [Common] Linnet and then it was time for me to respond to a text message ... return to the car ... collect the packed lunch ... and join Anita on her tiny patch of sand amongst the shingle. Sorry no pictures of the person paddling ... permission to publish denied.   FAB.

Sightings Update: Nothing new locally so a visit early this morning to Staines Reservoir enabled me to add a very distant Velvet Scoter, Slavonian (Horned Grebe) in breeding plumage plus Common Terns to year list. This was followed by a very brief walk at Barnes WWT (crowded with visitors as expected) to watch the Sand Martins plus an attempt to photograph a Reed Warbler singing deep in the reed bed.

Pagham Harbour on a moving tide.

A visit at the end of last week to Pagham Harbour in the sunshine ... what could be better and what would the day hold in store for me?

I started at the Sidlesham Visitor Centre and took a stroll to the Ferry Pool  [Point 1 on the map below]where there was very little action; Avocet and Coot both asleep plus Shelduck, Mallard, Teal, Gadwall and Black-headed Gulls were the main occupants on the still waters. Heading onwards the view at the head of the harbour was one of low water levels and acres of intertidal mudflats with open farmland to the west. 

Whilst there appeared to be only a few Redshank busily feeding I followed the elevated pathway [towards Point 2] as this passes the reed fringed Long Pool where I listened to my first Sedge Warblers and a couple of Little Grebe squabbling over something or nothing followed by a pair of Coot mating. 

A male Tufted Duck was also enjoying a 'bubble' bath.

Both sides of the pathway were bordered by the massed colourful blooms of the Blackthorn and Gorse, a haven for many insects and ....

  ... a Small Tortoiseshell who stopped briefly on the Blackthorn for a quick pollen fix followed by my photo call with a male Chaffinch (see previous post).

With little else to view I drove around to Church Norton [Point 3 on the map] and wandered around the churchyard just in case any new migrants might be lingering. Nothing unusual, just Chiffchaff and Blackcaps.

A Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) didn't want to show off its spotty chest and promptly flew away! A search across the estuary produced a resting Peregrine plus the usual loafing gulls, Cormorants, Shelduck, Great Crested Grebe, lots of Little Egrets, Mute Swan plus Dunlin, Grey Plover, Common Ringed Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew and a few Knot. Very high overhead I watched a kettle of at least 12 Common Buzzards slowly migrating northwards.

After some refreshments I switched direction and headed out along the shingle shoreline towards The Severals [more reed fringed pools at Point 4] where a Greenfinch (Chloris chloris) monitored the sky overhead for a possible predator.

 A single Common Buzzard starts to climb and soar on the very warm afternoon thermals.

A lonely Lapwing surveys the incoming tide.

Searching the shingle ridges along the beach I eventually located a Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) recently returned from somewhere in Africa and trying to stay unnoticed before continuing its journey northwards. (Sorry this pic is a bit grainy but I had to crop a very distant image).

As the tide encroaches into the harbour the previously muddy gullies become a patchwork of water and most of the wildfowl and waders move to shallower locations leaving just the gulls and Cormorants to sit it out on the slowly diminishing shingle islands. I also have to remember that on a very high tide the shoreline pathway no longer becomes viable unless you want to wade knee deep through or around the nearly impenetrable overhanging branches. Fortunately on this visit the alternative route was still accessible. 

Finally a [Common] Linnet (Carduelis cannabina) enjoys a spot of afternoon sunbathing. So I have once again experienced the changing mood of this important tidal estuary habitat and although many of the wildfowl and waders have been distant observations I did still log 60 species and my spirit is suitably refreshed by the experience.

Now I only had to make the two hour drive home .... if only the coast was a bit closer!!     FAB.

Windy Coastal Walk.

On Saturday morning we met up with our friends Tony and Jean on the south coast at Pagham Lagoon Spit for a walk around the harbour to the North Wall. The Lagoon held a few Tufted Ducks, 5 Goldeneye, a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and the usual Little Grebes. Unfortunately the tide was falling so our intial views across the harbour were the very large numbers of Dark-bellied Brent Geese moving between the water and distant fields to feed.

Dark-bellied Brent Geese.

The view on arriving at the North Wall was one of water, water everywhere ... totally flooded fields and very little to be seen close by. However once we ventured along the embankment we picked out Wigeon, Pochard, Mallard, Teal, Shoveler, Shelduck, Canada Geese and finally large numbers of waders much further away. 

With many of the species somewhat distant I hunkered down to reduce the effect of the strong wind and attempted some digiscoping while watching the thousands of Lapwing lift off, circle around and then resettle on the very wet meadows.

Apart from the Lapwing there were also good numbers of Black-tailed Godwits, Knot, Curlew, Dunlin, Redshank, a few Grey Plover, Oystercatchers plus Ruff and Common Snipe.

I would have preferred to get some closer (and sharper) views but keeping the gear steady while attemting to focus on the continually moving waders in such poor light tested my patience somewhat! Anyway watching large numbers of species, especially waders, is always a delight.

 A line of Golden Plovers resting face on into the wind.

A few Redshank taking shelter.

Other sightings included a Kestrel and a very distant Sparrowhawk, 5 species of gulls including Mediterranean, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Skylark and Linnet plus I also heard a Bearded Tit calling from the reeds. By the end of the day I had added 14 species to my year list so together with an unexpected sighting of 2 Hawfinch during a local patch walk (Horton C.P.) my January total now stands at 90.  All I need now is some decent weather and light to add some species to the photo album.    FAB.

Pagham Harbour - Late September.

Just over a week ago I travelled south to Pagham Harbour (2 hour drive) and parked at The Spit, a natural shingle bar which overlooks the sea, a narrow harbour entrance and the extensive area of tidal mudflats which becomes the home to a dazzling array of wildfowl and waders throughout the winter.

Some two hours or so before high tide the scene appears very quiet apart from the blustery wind but I can assure you that there are birds out there somewhere! Initial sightings included Redshank, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Turnstone, Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Wigeon, Teal, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Canada Geese, plus Black-headed, Herring, Lesser Blacked-backed and Great Black-backed Gulls.

My first photo opportunity was a Little Egret feeding in the  Breach Pool way down below my feet.

Historic research indicates that the Little Egret was once present in Great Britain but disappeared during the 16th century due to various factors. It reappeared in significant numbers during the late 80's and I distinctly remember my first sighting (1st Jan 1994) .... peering through my scope at a very distant white blob amongst reeds on the far side of Pagham Harbour with everyone who passed by saying "You're wasting your time looking at a white plastic bag!" Well some 20 minutes later the white object sprang into life and flew across the harbour. Over the ensuing years their numbers have dramatically increased so it is a poor day when you don't see any.

After chasing a couple of Wheatears and two seperate large flocks of Linnets constantly moving away from me I decided to head into the Spit hide and spent some time watching up to two dozen Little Egrets patrolling the waters edge as the tide came in. I took masses of shots and have put together two collages to provide a flavour of their activities.

From time to time new birds would fly in from other parts of the harbour, meet and greet their friends, and then slowly the numbers dwindled as high tide reached its peak.

Please note that all of the flight shots have been cropped.

A Cormorant dropped in briefly before joining its friends on a fishing exercise in the channel.

At high tide most of the wildfowl and waders had moved further up into the harbour so I took a short stroll over to the Lagoon poll with Little Grebes appearing and then disappearing from the waterside reeds. In total I counted 16 so obviously a good breeding season this year.

As usual there were plenty of Coot on the water.

Other sightings included Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Ducks, more Little Grebe in close company with a Coot and plenty of Mallard plus Mute Swans.

Returning to the car I had my first distant glimpse of 40 Brent Geese flying along the Spit, a definite sign that migration is well underway, so I'm looking forward to further visits as the year progresses.   FAB.

Coastal Visit.

Yesterday morning I headed southwards to Pagham Harbour and arrived just under two hour before high tide so most of the wildlife was very distant but would slowly get closer as the day wore on.

Little Egret fishing on the Lagoon Pool.

Other species included Little and Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Ducks, Mute Swan and Coots.

As I headed inland there were the usual Black-headed Gulls, Black-tailed Godwits and Curlew feeding plus a few Magpies. Lots of  Swallows were skimming the water and feeding up before their long journey south for the winter. Linnets, Goldfinches and Chiffchaffs were also seen.

As I approached the North Wall two Common Sandpipers called as they flew off but fortunately one returned but it was well camouflaged amongst all the tidal sludge! During the next 45 minutes I added Grey Wagtail, Teal, Wigeon, Canada Geese, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Grey Heron, Reed Warbler, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Robin, Woodpigeons and Carrion Crow.  

I then joined up with a group of birders who were watching a WRYNECK and just managed a distant record shot (heavily cropped) before it flew out of sight.

While scoffing my packed lunch several Little Egrets flew overhead, a Cetti's Warbler called out several times and I also added Reed Buning, Greenftinch, Common Whitethroat, Chaffinch, Starlings, Common Buzzard and Kestrel to my day list.

The only real 'full frame' shot of the day...a Migrant Hawker sunning itself.

On the return journey back to the car a Northern Wheatear provided one of the last photo opportunities.

I slowly crept closer and closer before it decided to find another resting post. Won't be long before it takes off and heads southwards towards Africa.

Finally it was time to stop 'swanning around' and head home.   FAB