Birding again

At long last an opportunity to get out birding, a definite choice between the Roseate Terns at Rye or the Turtle Doves at Honer Farm. In the end we decided to go for the TD as it is No.1 on the list of most wanted. The walk along the North Wall was eerily quiet with few birds out in the harbour or on Breech Pool. Following the footpath north to Honer we were distracted by Meadow Browns, feeding frantically on the bramble flowers, until we heard that distinctive purring, consequently the butterflies were soon abandoned for later.

Hearing the bird was no problem, locating one was fairly difficult but success with a sighting of a bird - at least two hundred yards away. After about an hour and a half we were no further on, the bird being very mobile but at least vociferous, was never going to be close enough for a shot. So accepting what we had we went back to the Meadow Browns and to plan for another day.

As good as I could get with 400mm.

Back at Breech Pool a few more birds had turned up, several juvenile Redshanks, one of which was stated by other birders as a putative Spotshank. From the photographs I managed to capture I remain unconvinced and reckon it was a Common Redshank. Judge for yourself.
  

 

A roosting Green Sandpiper was an added bonus but the dog days of summer prevail and there are few birds to be seen.

However, proceedings were livened up with a long display by the Red Arrows over Goodwood for the Festival.

Come on Eight - catch up - anyone seen Nine??

That's better!

The Black Arrows - not the same class

Before we left in the morning I checked the moth trap and found this nice example of an Elephant Hawk Moth,

 Yesterday I noticed that space for mating damselflies was at a premium in the garden pond.