Beginning of another week at Pagham Harbour.

Another cracking morning on Monday with bright sunshine and very little wind...a Short Eared Owl was being harassed by several corvids high over the harbour...



...going higher and higher as it drifted west until out of sight.



Duck numbers are increasing with good numbers of Pintail...


...and Wigeon spread through the harbour

Some in splendid winter plumage...others not so!



Plenty of Lapwings are present although the Golden Plover seen last week seem to have moved on.


The regular Curlew was feeding in the sunlight by the sluice gate and was an obvious photographic subject!









On Tuesday the day dawned in a somewhat drab fashion so photographs too, looked somewhat drab.

Subjects were difficult to come by  as it was mainly Mute Swans and Grey Herons.









On the return trip along Whites Creek I managed a few very long distance shots of a pair of Spoonbills...apologies for quality but at least I had the pleasure of seeing them.

 ....and finally for today a few more Pintail.

 Bit of a grey morning and decidedly cooler than of late.

An early start

I was up before the sun arose at the North Wall, Pagham Harbour in the hope of seeing the seven Cattle Egrets reported a couple of days ago. Although I was reasonably pleased with the group I captured a week or so previously there is always room for improvement!
At 7.34 a Mute Swan took flight in Whites Creek..



..and then a small flock of Canada Geese was just caught in the sun above the trees of Owl Copse

...and then a single Cattle Egret flew up from the field just beyond the Breech Pool catching me unawares...a few grab shots but these are  the only ones in reasonable focus with the sun just lighting up the underwings. It flew off in a northerly direction and that was it...gone!

The only other excitement was meeting Owen and hearing his ventures to Shetland(in the rain) seeing a Lanceolated Warbler ++ and a twitch to Lands End (there and back in a day) to see the much publicised Catbird!
Whilst chatting, this Grey Wagtail showed up by the sluice gate.

A flock of Lapwings  joined the waders in the harbour

A Cettis Warbler sang in a nearby bush and a Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank called from the creek.Pleasant!

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness....

Autumn has arrived!

 Birding from the North Wall was a little difficult first thing. 

...but the mist soon cleared as this Black-tailed Godwit was feeding near the sluice gate.   

 A walk further along the North Wall produced this Water Rail scuttling along the rife...a bird more often heard than seen.

 A good morning for reflections as this Moorhen proves!

 ...and this Mallard!

 Numbers of wintering Teal are building up now....the green speculum on this one just showing.



A watchful Heron in a hawthorn....just look at that beady eye.

 A single Little Egret in the dead tree...posing in the sunlight.

 ...and finally a Reed Bunting.

The forecast for tomorrow is not good so I had to make the most of today. I was hoping to find the Great White Egret but that was a total failure...perhaps next week...here's hoping. 

What a week!

The past week was spent in North Cornwall ....fantastic weather but alas, birding was disappointing, to say the least. High pressure dominated and the sun shone every day. Good for holiday makers but not good for birders....so we enjoyed just being on holiday in the sunshine.

 Few birds hence few photos....

Peregrine on cliffs near Treyarnon Bay

Stonechat (f) Porthcothan Bay

Little Egret...Hayle RSPB Reserve

Wheatear in stubble field Porthcothan.
Only saw two in a week!

On the day we left, reports came in of a Brown Shrike at the Lizard...typical!!

 Back to Pagham Harbour now  in dull gloomy weather....but there is a reported  Great White Egret around  soon to be stalked down...hopefully!