Pagham Spit...in the sun!!!

At last, a really pleasant autumn day. This must be an opportunity for me to photograph the Eider duck which has been around the harbour for three weeks or so, but usually too far away for even a record shot of the bird. However having tried in the morning to locate the eider and failed I made a second attempt at 2.00 pm and found a photographer with camera trained on the bird  but still at a  air distance and in less than ideal lighting conditions. I recognised the photographer as Andy Wilkes from his numerous tweets and had a pleasant conversation about birds and cameras.
The sun was almost behind the Eider but I did manage to obtain a few poor shots...

During the course of our conversation we discussed that Short Eared Owls had been difficult to see this autumn and we parted company. However a little later I caught up with Andy looking seaward and he said he'd just seen a Short Eared Owl  fly in from the sea.
Sure enough the bird was hunkered down in the long grass...

It remained there some time and as Andy made off  a dog walker disturbed the owl and it took off...

..and headed towards the harbour and landed in the marsh.

Yet again it was disturbed  and flew over the harbour upsetting the ducks

Thanks Andy....I would not have spotted this without you!