Pagham North Wall

The opportunities for a birding blog have been slim just lately, not that the birding has been poor, the exact opposite in fact, the birding thus far this year has been excellent. Just that to blog you need some decent material to accompany the text. A birding blog without pictures is a diary.

Today was no exception, the BBC couldn't forecast anything, their predictions being consistently wide of the mark, yet gain we were out  and about under grey skies rather than sunshine.  After a fruitless foray in order to obtain improved shots of the Climping Hoopoe we found ourselves on the North Wall at Pagham in search of the elusive Water Pipit. To say the bird was in cover was an understatement but we managed to find it - far too far way for any sort of shot. However, we did manage to obtain what have been described on SOS as "embryo shots". Satisfaction multiplied by being able to direct other birders on to the target.

Very secretive - staying in the reeds for most of the time.

As the tide rose we expected more birds to arrive in  Breech Pool but, sadly, we could have waited a week before anything of note turned up. The Cetti's Warblers are very active at the moment, darting from the reeds and sitting for just a few seconds in a nearby bush. No hirundines present but I did hear the scratchy tune of a Sedge Warbler just twice, but confirmed by Ian. About forty Black-tailed Godwits were in attendance, some of them sporting that gorgeous rusty coloured plumage that indicates summer is on the way. Amongst them, three colour ringed birds that I duly recorded, one ringed in France, one in Montrose and the other in Portsmouth - they do get about!

B+GR - A Solent bird - denoted by the lower left Red

O(f)L +RY a bird ringed in France

OB+WG - a bird ringed in Montrose - reported previously in the same location
last November by yours truly

Finally as we departed Martin spotted a Curlew in the horse field, seemingly delighted to be rummaging for grub in the large expanse of horse poo -  that is the Curlew not Martin.

Heaven is a pile of poo!

Not wishing to give in too easily we decided on a visit to the Burgh, again disappointment, just two Stock Doves being the notable spots.