Recent sightings.

It is presumed that the Glossy Ibis has departed from the Breech Pool area as it was last seen on Monday ( I had my best views on that day). Early morning saw a movement of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and there were numerous Reed Buntings on the Spit bushes and a couple of Chiffchaffs. A few House Martins and Swallows flew west and during the afternoon 6 Brent Geese flew in and landed on the off shore spit for half an hour before continuing their journey westwards.
Wader numbers are increasing with Dunlins,Turnstones and Ringed Plovers outnumbering the Knot and Grey Plover.
The forecast is for a change in the calm weather we have experienced recently so maybe we can expect some changes in the avifauna!

Glossy Ibis success!!

Since my last blog I have been busy (domestically!) but have managed to get a couple of very brief sightings of the elusive Glossy Ibis during the past couple of days. However this morning dawned bright and sunny so hopes were high of a good viewing. At 7.30am on Breech Pool a group of enthusiastic birders gathered, but not until 9.05am did the head of the Glossy appear from a ditch behind a chunk of sedge. It did finally give itself up, but only for a few seconds before disappearing back into the sedge...too far away for even a record shot. Nevertheless a nice bird for the memory bank!

A good day!

An early morning recce produced just a couple of Wheatears and several 'flyover'Meadow Pipits but later in the morning I got to the Salt House and found Bar Tailed Godwits, Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank. A pair of Grey Wagtails were near the sluice gate and a group of Black Tailed Godwits were feeding/sleeping in the Breach Pool. A single Common Sandpiper was feeding along the muddy edge... 2 Water Rail were doing there 'squealy pig' thing and a couple of Cettis Warblers shouted at me !
The bushes along North Wall were alive with birds...Reed Buntings,Greenfinches,Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats and a Redstart. Yellow Wagtails were accompanying the cattle in the field along with Curlew and a Sparrowhawk flew overhead (flap,flap,glide). Hirundines were flying west and as the tide rose rapidly the numerous Little Egrets sought refuge on higher ground...it was another High Spring tide today!
When I looked at the SOS website later I saw I had missed a flyover Glossy Ibis at the very time I had been there! (Must have been looking the other way...drat! )

Suffolk/Norfolk....short break

Having just retrurned from a 10day break in East Anglia I have been hearing about the birds missed whilst away! The Osprey fishing in Pagham Harbour and the Cattle Egret in Breach Pool...it always happens as soon as I am away!!

However it wasn't all bad in.... Minsmere,Hen Marshes,North Warren,Cley,Titchwell,Holme, Snettisham, Ouse Washes...the very names conjure up the magic of birding in that part of the world.

No real rarities turned up as the weather was mostly calm and still and few migrants were seen. For me I suppose the highlights were a Cettis Warbler in the hand(courtesy of a ringing group at North Warren)30 ruffs plus Sanderlings, Golden Plovers and Bearded Tits showing well at Titchwell and rafts of Scoter off Holme plus a fair few Gannets moving south as well as all the usual waders,harriers (including a Hen Harriers) Hobbies etc

Back at Pagham Harbour yesterday there was an early morning passage of hirundines and a pair of Yellow wagtails briefly on the beach. Today at least 3 Curlew Sandpipers near the Salt House and a trickle of hirundines all day.

Another Windy Day!

A ferocious night with gusts up to Force 10! As I battled up to the harbour entrance I noticed the Greater Blacked Gulls were sheltering by a mud bank and the Little Egrets were huddled closely together on New Island. Apart from a couple of Wheatears on the path little else showed up.
During the day, sunny periods and heavy showers continued and several large groups of Starlings patrolled the beach with a few small flocks of Linnets occuring from time to time.
7 Teal were present on the Little Lagoon.

There will be a lull in this blog for a few days whilst I concentrate on birding a little further afield.

September has arrived with windy weather.

Very gusty SW winds this morning produced some inshore Gannets. Several Whimbrel flew up at my appoach to the harbour entrance but more unusually a pair of Grey Wagtails were feeding around the edge of the Lagoon...I more often hear them as flyovers but rarely see them around the lagoon. A single Wheatear was on my neighbours roof.