A cold but sunny morning.

Early morning walk around the Spit via the Lagoon....

...a few Wigeon on the Lagoon

...also present 5 Goldeneye (1 Drake, 4 females).

A fisherman wandering on the saltflats had disturbed most of the feeding Brent ...
putting them to flight.

There were, unusually, 7 Red Breasted Mergansers in the harbour entrance...a group of 6 and one closer, in the main channel...

...and again, unusually, 5 Mute Swans in the Little Lagoon

A pair of skylarks were chasing each other and occasionally burst into song...Spring really is on the way!

The peregrine was in his usual spot on New Island...

( A bit distant for a 400mm lens)

In the evening 3 Ringed Plovers were doing their manic display flight over the Church Norton Spit!

Still no Wheatear!

Returning Brents

At 7.00 a.m a skein of about 250 Brent Geese flew high over the harbour, made out to sea and headed east....homeward bound. In view of their  height I  guess  these weren't from the harbour but probably from further along the coast e.g. Langstone, and had taken a short cut over land .

Notable absence of gulls on the spit today and apart from Linnets, Greenfinches and a pair of Skylarks on the shore little to report.

Linnet on the shoreline

...and the usual ducks...Teal

...and Goldeneye

When is that Wheatear going to turn up!!

A B.I.F. day!

Not a lot to report this morning but nevertheless the early morning light was great for flight photos illuminating the underwings of these Brent.

I disturbed this Heron as it was feeding just below the harbour wall adjacent to the Spit hide and also a Kingfisher but it was too quick for me!

A superb Oystercatcher...just look at that beady eye!

A few more Brent on the move.

A couple of flyover Grey Herons

Drake and two female Goldeneye flying past Church Farm

Drake Goldeneye

No sign of Iceland Gull today but plenty of 'Meds'.

West Sussex is the place to be for Gulls at present!

As I had to go to Worthing today I decided it was time to try for the much photographed Little Gulls at Brooklands Park. Many photographers had got some superb images of these birds so I thought it would be a doddle. ...wrong!!!

A real challenge ....fast moving, harsh lighting, erratic flight etc etc.

Took nearly 500 photos and the great majority have been binned! However a few have survived but I may have to return to try again!

They don't look too bad viewed small but lack of catch lights and focus problems leave a lot to be desired. However I think the general 'jizz' of the bird comes across.

Back at Pagham in the afternoon  there was a Chiffchaff in the Lagoon bushes (no hint of Siberian! ), a pair of Red Breasted Mergansers, Goldeneye 2f 1m and a pair of displaying Gt Crested Grebes. No sign of the Iceland Gull but I believe it was seen earlier in the day.

Pagham North Wall.

A bright sunny morning enticed me to the North Wall....I wanted to photograph Herons nest building.

The usual Wigeon had collected around the sluice gate and most were asleep but a couple were up and about.

The male Wigeon in his finery.

The duller female

A Pheasant was searching for food in the wet grass....

...and the Herons were busy

Carrying a small twiglet

...but this time  a much bigger twig.

The nest was just out of sight ...well concealed.

On the way back a confiding Little Egret was feeding in the shallows.

Now a common bird but always irresistible to photograph!

The Iceland Gull was seen on the lagoon by one birder but generally proved elusive to the many visitors hoping to see it.

However there were two Sandwich Terns and numerous Mediterranean Gulls.

Gulls

A few of the (mainly) Mediterranean Gulls flying along the spit today. The Iceland Gull was reported as seen during the morning and a  Little Gull was present on the Lagoon early afternoon. A Kingfisher showed up on the Lagoon and the Goldeneye and Red Breasted Mergansers are still present.
Little else of note.