Pied Flycatcher(s)

Back to birding and no better place to start than Pagham, we began the day on the North Wall and were heartened to see the Breech Pool looking much better. Lots of birds in residence, Greenshank, Redshank, Spotted Redshank, Green Sandpipers, Common Snipe, Dunlin and of course the Black-tailed Godwits.  Even two Bar-headed Geese in with the Canadas. All was fine until two Buzzards flew over and then panic set in - six and two threes as some birds disappeared and others were flushed out. Fly by of a Sparrowhawk, two warring Kingfishers and two Common Terns completed the list.

Next up was Church Norton, two Pied Flycatchers had been reported the previous day but I pessimistically thought that they would have gone overnight. We met Chris Janman  who informed us that he had seen one only an hour before, so we sat on a bench in the shade of a fine tree and waited. We didn't have to wait long before the bird turned up - Sod's Law - I hadn't bothered to get the camera out - panic to get set up but the bird remained in the vicinity and I managed to capture it. During the next couple of hours we discovered there were at least two birds present and probably three, but they were mobile. Chris had noticed that one bird had more white markings than usual and he was proved right as I managed to snap a bird with an extra wing bar and a white patch - consensus is that it is just a PF - excitement over.

All in all a good start to the coming migration.



 

 

 

Definitely two present.



 

Martin and I had a go at deciphering the ring but all I got was a best guess of Z49592, which doesn't look to be complete.

 

 

 

And some from the North Wall

 

Bar-headed Goose

At least there are still fish available

Waders well represented