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

 

 

 

 

 

Pied Flycatcher and Nightingales

Yesterday's birding started with good intentions, first up was a shot at the Black-winged Stilt reported on Ferry Pool at Pagham. Unfortunately a no show, we missed it by minutes. So, carrying on with the plan we made our way to Selsey Bill, after all the southerly winds were bound to be bringing something in.  There had been a mini "fall" in the garden, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler and a Blackcap plus an added bonus of a Wheatear on the next door neighbours roof. Not a lot in birding terms but for my garden definitely remarkable.  How wrong can you be - visibility down to 50 yards and not much hope of it clearing. A visit to Church Norton gave the usual suspects in the cemetery and again any scoping of the harbour was curtailed by the impenetrable mist. We returned to RSPB Pagham on the off chance of gaining some uplifting news. Sure enough Owen Mitchell and Bernie Forbes came up trumps, news of  4 Pied Flycatchers in Paddock Lane, so we left poste haste to see if we could find them. The initial searches revealed nothing but with other birders on the scene we finally had tremendous views of a stunning male Redstart  and two Pied Flycatchers. Unfortunately the pictures don't do it justice, but it was a bird to be seen in the flesh as it were.

News of other birds, gleaned from fellow birders, had us visiting Long Pool for Whinchat and a Gropper, unfortunately we found neither but managed to get on to a Short-eared Owl. The number of Wilchiffs in the hedgerows was immense, they seemed to be everywhere. Nice to meet Dave Shepherd again and really glad to know that the PF was a "lifer".

Today was somewhat different, time for a visit to Pulborough Brooks for a year tick in the form of a Nightingale. The birds here, apart from being vociferous, are more disposed to perching in sight. Unfortunately, today, the birds present were outnumbered by the birders and photographers. Of course, when the birds stop singing they start foraging, normally around the base of the same bushes and it was here I got my better shots. Perhaps a return visit when the hullaballoo has died down. Nice to meet Paul and David again, also Russ whose information is always invaluable.

And finally a Jay in an unusual pose....

... and a Song Thrush belting out his song.