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.

 

 

 

 

 

Ticking Off

Today was about getting a few ticks under the belt as my compatriot is rapidly catching up with me. Time to put a few points between us with some bankers. First up was Selsey Bill where large movements of birds had been reported yesterday. Well, with an offshore breeze and little swell there were few birds to be seen, although I did manage Slavonian Grebe, Great Northern Diver, Black-throated Diver, Common Scoter and Red Breasted Merganser. 

I hung around for a couple of hours but nothing developed, it was ominous when one of the fishing boats making for Littlehampton was being followed by only three gulls. Andrew House turned up and despite scanning the horizon for several minutes failed to find anything - "Just the same as Saturday" he said. I can't believe that I dipped on a Red-throated Diver - where have they all gone??

Next up was Church Norton, all the usual suspects out on the water, several Goldeneye and a huge flock of Knot. The leucistic Curlew, even at a distance, stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb. I swear it's going a delicate shade of pink.

I dropped into the Visitor Centre mainly because I wanted to check the Ferry Pool for Avocets, none present but in the distance another banker - Stock Dove, they can always be found at the back of the pool or in the fields down the West side. Then a walk down the west side, no Beardies but over in the fields four Red-legged Partridge and finally right at the end of the creek , seven Avocets.

A long way off but still a welcome sight

On the way home I diverted to Drayton House, plenty of wildfowl including Gadwall, but nothing to make the pulse quicken. Finally a quick trip down the Warningcamp/Wepham road looking for swans and geese, on up to the Burgh which gave a close encounter with a Red Kite and the final tick of the day, a pair of Grey Partridges. So at the end of a morning birding the total was 62 species giving 9 year ticks - not bad for a cold grey day.