Egrets and Owls!!

I set out to the North Wall, Pagham early this morning and hoped the Catttle Egret and Long Eared Owl seen over the weekend may still be present.

After a bit of a search I located the Cattle Egret in the hawthorn bushes at far end of the 'wall' a long way towards the back of the bushes and very difficult to see. A few shots with the 400mm lens and a big crop at least proved it was still there!!

Cattle Egret in breeding plumage.

The Long Eared Owl was closer but equally difficult to photograph because of it location in hawthorn bushes but thanks to Peter Callis I did at least catch up with it!





Long Eared Owl well concealed!





Apart from those two highlights there was plenty of other activity with Sedge warblers in fine voice...

Sedge Warbler

Reed Bunting

Linnet

Roe Deer

Blackbird

Black Tailed Godwits 


Woodpigeon 

Collared Dove 

....and that's it for today!

It's that time of year again!

The Nightingales have arrived...this morning at Pulborough Brooks I found seven birds....wonderful!
Despite trying top get the 'definitive' shot I failed! However a couple of birds showed quite well at the back of Adder Alley and kept me occupied for an hour or two but still another visit necessary!

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....and just for interest this Willow Warbler was singing high in a birch at the bottom of the zig-zag but his rendering included a Chiffchaff song  quite regularly...strange!

Yesterday was a non birding day but a social gathering in Arundel ...just 'happened' to have the camera with me! 

Drake Mandarin in the stream under the bridge.

...with his mate in attendance.

Moorhen on nest in stream by the road.

Black Headed Gull sporting full summer plumage.

Wood Pigeon...in close up.

Back on the Spit

Not a lot happening this morning...the harbour seems very quiet since most of the geese and ducks have now gone.
A surprise however was a single Long Tailed Tit, not often seen on the spit and very seldom a lone bird....

A charming little bird!

Birds from the hide included....

A Little Egret

A pair of Oystercatchers

A pair of Great Crested Grebes

Skylark....several pairs of these were present.

A female Linnet...four pairs noted this morning.

...and that was it!

A couple of hours in RSPB Pulborough Brooks.

Arrived at 8.15am and headed down the zig-zag.
Several Bullfinches were making light work of the blackthorn buds!

At the bottom of the zig-zag a Song Thrush was having breakfast...

A Blackcap was singing near Fattengates.

On making my way to West Meads hide I noticed a Tree Creeper low down on an ivy clad tree and very shortly it was joined by another and it soon became clear they were nest building...an opportunity not to be missed and both seemed unphased by my presence. A few hundred shots later I did obtain few acceptable pictures....they are fast moving birds and not easy to capture in the 'right' pose!

Some of the nest material was quite challenging!

On my way to the look out over the brooks a Red legged Partridge made a quick getaway...

...and on arrival at the watchpoint 

 the Peregrine was on his 'usual' tree and afforded a good photo opportunity in the excellent light!

As a bonus a Sparrow Hawk took up a position less than two metres away on a higher branch...an unexpected and unusual duo!

Even more unexpected were three low fling Red Kites over the A259 between Flansham and Felpham...unfortunately, photo not possible at 60 mph!