A gruesome sight!

I managed to get out between the showers this morning and saw my first Slavonian Grebe in the harbour just to the west of the Spit hide.
As I made my way along the harbour entrance I suddenly became aware of a face looking at me ....and then I discovered it was the head of a fox poking through one of the many rusty holes of the iron retaining wall. On closer inspection I found that the body was hanging down on the inside of the sea wall in perfect condition. It must of been trapped by the incoming night tide and tried to escape through the hole but had become completely wedged. Poor thing must have stuggled in a vain effort to escape. I couldn't release it as it was totally jammed but will return later with a suitable implement to push it back through the hole.

What a contrast in the weather!

Frost on breakwater....Pagham Harbour entrance

After the continual battering of gale force winds of the past few days, (weeks even!) it was a pleasant to enjoy a dead still ,sunny morning and a first frost.
Huge flocks of waders were wheeling throughought the harbour comprising Knot, Dunlin and Golden Plover whilst the sea was like a millpond with just a few Great Crested Grebes enjoying the peace.

Knot flock with Chichester Cathederal in the background...click to see full size

The diggers have gone.

The diggers have gone for the time being but we expect to see them back in February/March next year. We are hoping there will no storms before then if we are to remain intact, as more shingle than ever has disappeared from in front of our dwelling during the past two weeks!

The sun shone this morning after a very stormy night with thunder and lightening and hailstones keeping us awake in the wee small hours!

The Peregrine was keeping watch on New Island and numbers of Lapwing have built up considerably accompanied by Golden Plovers. In Slipe field a large flock of finches comprised mainly of Linnets and Greenfinches but also Goldfinches, Chaffinches and a few brightly coloured Yellowhammers...really bright in early morning sunshine. Good numbers of Teal, Wigeon with a few Shoveler on Breach Pool but Pintail again in good numbers in the main 'salthouse' channel.

According to local birder Tim Edwards I missed a Leach's Petrel flying past my place this morning at 8.30am!

Some interesting developments regarding the local reserve appeared yesterday ...see links below.(copy and paste)


http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/website/content/view/2944/32/


http://www.sos.org.uk/latest-news/county-council-in-talks-with-rspb-over-management-of-pagham-ha.html

Another wet day?

Early morning view from the window.

After another noisy night with high winds and lashing rain I ventured out to the shoreline (which is getting closer by the day). Dozens of Turnstones were foraging through the seaweed but the recently reported Purple Sandpipers couldn't be found. The resident Peregrine was sitting on his usual spot on New Island and distant flocks of Golden Plover and Knot were facing the wind on a mudbank. The Lagoon was devoid of birds apart from 3 Goldeneye...two females and a superb drake and a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers....and then a flash of an emerald jewel coincided with a break in the clouds...a Kingfisher shot past me and perched briefly on a clump of reed stems in the sunshine before quickly disappearing.....not such a bad morning after all!!

Just got back before the heavens opened again...haven't we had enough yet?
I

Shingle work continues

.....in rain and wind this morning at 7.00am....view from window.

Knots and Surfers

Nothing excepional to report today but 35 skylarks feeding in front of the Spit hide was a good number to see.

A view from the Spit hide towards Chichester cathederal with the flock of Knot wheeling! (Click on image to view large)

A trio of surfers enjoying the slightly calmer sea today!

More wind!!

Little to report today except for a splendid drake Goldeneye accompanied by two females on the Lagoon. The black headed gulls looked pretty miserable as they crouched low on the beach endeavouring to get out of the wind.









This flag shows the amount of wind we have had recently....flying in one of the beach bungalows!