An evening stroll with a surprise!

 Yesterday morning  I had a male and female Blackcap  in the garden and that usually indicates that migrants have arrived overnight and that the North Wall in Pagham Harbour would be alive with birds!

Alas, only a few Chifchaffs and a Blackcap were amongst the 'usuals' along the wall but I did meet Les who remarked that a Barn Owl was seen the previous evening. So, at about 5.30 I set out for the North Wall and was pleased to find two Curlew Sandpipers by the sluice gate.

As I was taking a few photos I looked up and saw Les beckoning me to come quickly. I thought he had seen the Barn Owl so hurried along and there on the Breech Pool....A Glossy Ibis! 

What a surprise....the light wasn't particularly good for photos but having taken almost 200 shots I show below a couple of the ones that show the amazing beak and the iridescence of the wings 

What a bird (but no sign of the Barn Owl)!

Its good to be back to the home patch!

 A quick visit to the North Wall this morning.

I was greeted by Stumpy, the now regular Greenshank.  Just as I arrived a dog (off lead ) literally galloped onto the sluice area disturbing a Kingfisher! However the Greenshank remained and on close inspection of the beak it does not show any obvious signs of damage and certainly doesn't affect its feeding

Curlew in Whites Creek

  

Black Tailed Godwit...with jewellery.

Must have been at least a dozen Blackcaps in the bushes alongside the wall. Here's a female.

A flock of LongTailed Tits were literally bouncing in and and out of the shrubbery.

Several Greenfinches chose the high viewpoints

...but my highlight this morning was this Redstart.

Superb bird.

The Breech Pool is amazingly, full again!

Must have rained a lot...we had none in Suffolk!

Hope to get back to some serious birding soon but it was just a taster this morning.

Suffolk in September

 We always look forward to a week in Suffolk in September and have made scores of visits throughout the past 50 years after we first discovered Thorpeness in1970! 

Minsmere is only a short drive away and although we've seen many changes over the years we have never seen so little water in the reserve. The hide overlooking the East Scrape never disappoints but this time it was cracked and dry and 'desertlike'.

View from East Scrape hide...usually perfect for waders but without water of very little interest.

Waders were very few and far between and even those that we could see from West Hide and North Hide were very distant.  3 Green Sandpipers, 5 Curlew Sandpipers and a few Dunlin. the  occasional Black Tailed Godwit and on one occasion, 15 Avocets. 

Ducks were starting to move in where patches of water were available... mainly Teal, with a few Wigeon and Gadwall.

Photography was at an all time low but below are a few random  'highlights'. 

Stone Curlew on the outskirts of the reserve.

Barnacle Goose...part of a local 'feral' flock maybe.

Cormorant...on Island Mere

Closeup of a Muntjac.

Distant view of a Marsh Harrier

Greylag Goose

Black Tailed Godwits  ...just the two.

Resident Canada Geese

Leucistic Canada goose ?

Greylag Goose

Spotted Flycatcher

Initially took this to be a Chiffchaff but on looking at the photo noticed a touch of orange in some breast feathers and a rather grey crown. Suggestions please. 

Distant Marsh Harrier

Great White Harrier from Bittern hide (but no Bittern seen)

Juvenile Cuckoo by the slice gate on the beach.

Whilst back at home around Pagham Harbour Wrynecks (plural!). Redstarts, Whinchats, Little Stint, Glossy Ibis, Ospreys were all being seen!

The weather was a plus factor for a holiday with undiluted sunshine which seemed somewhat different to what was happening on the south coast.  

 Heyho, can't win them all!