Glossies!!

A quick walk around Pagham Spit first thing  and a single Wheatear near the hide on the harbour wall allowed a close approach...

and a Cuckoo calling from the Church Norton side and about 16 Little Terns fishing in the extended harbour mouth...

...and then it was time to check the North Wall area to see if the reported Glossy Ibis was still present. On arrival I could see a few birders at the far end of the wall so it looked hopeful. Sure enough there they were...a pair of Glossy Ibis. In typical fashion I was told that if I'd been there earlier I would have seen that they were a lot closer. Thanks Dave ! (He'd been there for about 4 hours already...have a look at his blog (http://friendsofgroynenumber4.blogspot.co.uk/ ))

However I managed to get a few record shots despite not having my 1.4 extender. I shall return when the light is better,the birds are closer and I remember to take the right equipment!

Great crested Grebe on Breach Pool

Bank hoilday visitors.

Visits from my Gandchildren today precluded the possibility on any birding.
However we did have a somewhat unwelcome visitor that was not appreciated by the boys during lunchtime!

Say no more!

It's good to be back in Pagham....

...but I don't think much of the weather!

Have just returned from a couple of weeks in Mallorca...great birding.

At present trawling through a load of images from which I will select some for my Flickr site in due course.

A quick wander around Pagham Spit this morning and I clocked Whitethroat, Blackcap, Garden Warbler,
Willow Warblers and Wheatears. Dozens of Sawallows were flying East and I was pleased to note that the Little Terns were back in addition to Common and Sandwich Terns.

Sorry I missed the White Storks in Fontwell!

The wrong sort of Kites!

At 8.00 this morning I was surprised to note a car parked at the entrance to the now closed Pagham Spit car park in front of the no parking sign.

It wasn't long that the reason was clear as 2 Kite surfers were plying up and down in front of the Church Norton shingle spit and passing just in front of where the Little Terns will hopefully be breeding soon! They were probably visitors who had no idea of the disturbance they may cause but birds were few and far between this morning.

It didn't help that a man with 2 dogs was wandering around the gorse bushes within the fenced area...so no Linnets this morning...or much else for that matter.

I returned......downheatred.

A Spring day

As I completed my BBS on Pagham Spit  I noted  at least 12 pairs of Linnets obviously prospecting for suitable nest sites, House Sparrows collecting nesting material and a pair of Ringed Plovers on the 'alert'.  2 Wheatears 1 Chiffchaff  and several Sandwich Terns  were the only recently arrived migrants.

Later in the morning a visit to theNorth Wall produced a pair of Ravens

Huge size , wedge shaped tail

...and the 'cronking' call

....left no doubt as to identity!

 A Reed Bunting was doing his best to attract a female

...and the regular Little Egret was feeding by the sluice gate

 
 ...but maybe it was a Robin stole the show this morning!

Thinking about a 'dip'...shall I, shant I?

Yep...straight in, upside down!

....sideways!

...thats better.

A Common Tern ...............

... at Warnham this morning...my first!!

Also a pair of Gadwall on the lake but unlike my previous visit, no Redpolls or Siskins...only the 'usual'...so here's a couple of shots!

Back at Pagham late afternoon I was pleased to note an Avocet swimming on the Lagoon and a pair of Sandwich terns in the harbour mouth.

I managed to get a shot of the now resident Red Breasted Merganser and it is quite clear from this, the reason for its stay!

Red Breasted Merganser showing extent of damaged wing

Incidentally, my 11year old grandaughter , casually mentioned a Peregrine Falcon she sees most mornings on her way to school on the Lloyds building in Durrington. Sure enough there it was as we passed it at 3.30pm this afternoon on the Lloyds 'horse' emblem viewable from the shops (northern)side. I had seen it months previously from the bridge on the south side so it is still in the area. Anyone know if/where it is breeding?

A passing migrant.

The past week has been quiet on the spit as far as migrants are concerned. No more migrants have been seen except for a single Sand Martin over the Lagoon on Friday. The Brent Geese seem to have all gone apart for a very few stagglers and waders are thin on the ground (mud!) . Today however a Black Redstart appeared for a few seconds so it was a quick dash for the camera and an even quicker fiddle with the dials to get a shot through the double glazing!

Not bad for a quickie!