Glossy Ibis in Owl Copse

 Last night I missed the opportunity of being on the North Wall to witness the Cattle Egrets and  a Glossy Ibis going to roost. So, hoping the same would occur this afternoon I made certain I was in position at 4.00pm. At just before 4.30 the ibis appeared and circled over the copse and eventually dropped into the hawthorns. It actually did this three times and the light was getting more and more difficult for photography. Here are a few of my shots taken at an ISO of up to 6400 hence the grainy appearance but nevertheless I hope the atmosphere of the silhouettes of this unusual looking bird on a cold January evening can be appreciated.

So glad I made it this evening!

January!

    A couple of visits to the North Wall this week proved slightly disappointing from the point of view of any new or unusual birds turning up. Nevertheless two brilliant cold sunny mornings in the midst of the current dreary spell of weather was sufficient to make it well worthwhile.

Masses of Lapwings and huge flocks of Brent Geese plus the Wigeon,Teal and Shelduck would be a delight for any visitor not used to the amazing sights of Pagham Harbour but when its part of your local 'patch'  maybe its a case of familiarity breeding contempt.                                                .

One of the now familiar sightings is this Marsh Harrier....one of sometimes three birds over the Breech Pool reedbeds.

On the Spit very little is occurring at present...a pair of Stonechats have taken up temporary residency but the Goosanders and female Goldeneye have moved on.

Carrion Crows always on the lookout from a suitable vantage point.

Turnstones always turning stones in a continual search for food.

A drake Red Breasted Merganser accompanied by two females is now a regular.

...and the harbour seal can very often be seen entering and departing the entrance either side of high tide but often spends time  loafing on a mud bank after gorging on mullet.  

Thirty years ago a Little Egret would have been a surprise but with an established breeding colony of Little and Cattle Egrets in owl copse they get almost overlooked.

Roll on the Spring!

 It was good to be out on this bright and sunny morning although the keen nor'westerly was almost too keen for my liking! At the harbour mouth the new cut is changing the whole layout of the shingle banks and tidal flow almost daily. 

The birdlife is also adapting to the change especially so in what was the New Lagoon but  which is no longer! More waders are using the area now as a feeding ground and this will be interesting to watch in future.

However. this morning it was good to see a single Avocet in the harbour...

A couple of days ago there was a flock of eighteen Skylarks along the shoreline but this morning, just six. Here's one in flight.

Wigeon continue to out number all the other duck species

This Grey Plover was appreciating the newly exposed mud of the now tidal lagoon.

....together with several Turnstones.

A Little Egret was feeding quietly 

...until it suddenly planned a strike on an unsuspecting fish

...and wham...straight in for the kill!

A Kingfisher flashed past....too quick even for a record shot

Several Linnets were present in the dead brambles

The Brent Geese seem to have taken a liking to the new 'old' Lagoon area too.

All this in the space of 30 minutes a stones throw from our place on the beach. Can't be a bad place for a birder.

 It was pure joy to look out first thing this morning and to see this...

...the possibility of a sunrise following days of gloom and rain.

A few minutes later the sun had risen but was still partially hidden by clouds but good enough to tempt me out for a walk to the North Wall..

A quick check of the Lagoon revealed that the female Goldeneye was still present accompanied by Tufted Ducks and Little Grebe...a long way off though

Then it was along Whites Creek where the usual candidates were roosting or feeding.

Oystercatchers

Oystercatcher, Grey Plover and Lapwing.

Wigeon.

Teal

 

...and a very distant sleeping Spoonbill(heavily cropped from the above 565mm original!)

As always, plenty of Brent Geese .

...and Lapwings.

There was an enormous flock of Golden Plover wheeling very high over the harbour almost out of sight without bins.(1000+ maybe)

Once on the North Wall, it was evident that the water level had risen considerably since my last visit and there were no waders and just a few Mallards and Coot. A single Snipe did fly up a little later. A couple of Water Rail were heard and a hidden Cettis Warbler shouted from a bramble thicket.

A lone Cormorant was on his usual post.

 

On the rocks a Rock Pipit posed appropriately!

A pair of Stonechats were in the stable field just prior to my return along Whites Creek  (via the dog walk as the incoming tide had completely flooded the path) and all I noted were more Lapwings.

A great start to the New Year and hopefully the first of many more harbour meanderings.

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY FOLLOWERS 

and 

GOOD BIRDING IN 2022