Pagham Beach Brent Geese disturbance!

Despite 3 lorries,a grabber and a tractor the Brent continue to feed unconcernedly in the shallows!

An Autumn morning....much cooler than of late!

Good westerley movement of Meadow Pipits and Skyklarks along the coast this morning and a single Chiffchaff in gorse by lagoon.


Quick visit to nearby Ivy Lake Chichester revealed a pair of Whooper Swans along with c80 Mutes.

The diggers have arrived on Pagham Beach!

On looking out at 7.00 a.m. this morning after hearing the roar of engines I discovered the day had arrived to start work on protecting the beach bungalows. We had received notification a few days ago that this would happen before the Brent Geese arrived, to avoid disturbing them. Obviously nobody had told the local council that the Brents have been here for over a month and anyway they seem to be feeding quite happily in the foreground!
By 9.00am the tide was coming in and the vehicles retreated. I was told by the workman that this was a trial run and work would start in earnest next week.
The Wheatear was still on the beach and a seal was fishing in the harbour entrance.

It's gone !!

Yes, the Lapland Bunting was not present this morning. Suspicion lies at the door of the resident Sparrow Hawk seen patrolling the area on a regular basis...but there is no proof!

Nevertheless there was plenty to see...3 Avocets in the main channel from the Salthouse, Spoonbill asleep on its usual spot, Spotted Redshank, Redpolls (flyovers)and if you were up early c3500 Wood Pigeons going west with a few small flocks of Stock Doves.

Knot flocks are building up but the Brents are not here in any great numbers yet.

On the beach in the afternoon a late Wheatear and a brief view of a Black Redstart and a couple of birders had seen a Short Eared Owl being mobbed by a group of Gulls at about 2.00pm

Two good birds....still here!

Another morning when Wood Pigeons were streaming westwards from about 7.15 for an hour or so....small flocks averaging about 350 but totalling 4000 (approx!). A Spotted Redshank and a single Knot on the Little Lagoon with a Greenfinch flock (350)on the spit were the only birds of note.
In the afternoon I went to check on the Lapland Bunting and it was still present on the North Wall...tamer than ever! I've posted some close-ups on my Flickr site. www.flickr.com/photos/pagman/



The added bonus today was the flypast by the Spoonbilland although the images aren't perfect I was pleased to get a couple of flight pictures.







Shortly after this I made a run for home and almost got there before the heavens opened and then the sun came out and hey presto a superb rainbow.

Half Term Treat !!!

Just as I was settling down to play shops with my 9 yr old grandaughter Jasmine, the phone rang and it was local birder Tim Edwards 'I've got a Lapland Bunting on the North wall'. I explained it was a problem as I was entertaining my grandaughter but on reflection I thought this may be of interest...Christmas is coming,Santa Claus, Lapland...Wow, a bird from Lapland!!!! We soon got togged up and with camera and binoculars (she insisted on my Leicas!) and set off to the North Wall. We very quickly located Tim and the birders and whilst I photgraphed the Bunting, Jasmine looked around and found a Spoonbill on a mud bank and then there were Black tailed Godwits, Curlews, Redshanks, Wigeon,Pintail. Time passed quickly and we were soon back playing shops!

Not a bad morning!!!

SUMMER HASN'T GONE YET!!

The sunrise from our window this morning looked somewhat wild and I didn't expect the day to pan out as well as it did. A quick early morning walk around the Pagham Spit produced the usual Brent Geese along the shoreline,a superb Kingfisher and more surprisingly a Greenshankon the Lagoon. The long stay Spoonbill was loafing with Greater Black Backed Gulls on a mud bank.
During the afternoon a visit to the Salthouse on the North Wall produced a few late Swallows and a Clouded Yellow and lots of Painted Lady butterflies. The unseasonally warm weather really is producing some surprises.