Thanks to local birder/photographer David Illman I was alerted to the fact that young Kestrels were present on Pagham Parish Church.  During this afternoon I paid a visit and sure enough a youngster was perched high up on the roof. I had hoped that by waiting, the parents would come and feed them but alas, this didn't happen whilst I was there. Initially I could only see one bird but as I waited another came into view. 

The lighting was not good and only one shot showed the bird in the sunshine with a catchlight in the eye.

 The other bird was completely in the shade but the only excitement occurred when a gust of wind almost caused him/her to topple!

Frantically managing to balance.

Composure restored.

As soon as I had returned home, a Sparrow Hawk appeared in the garden alley way within feet of me and tore this poor unsuspecting bird to pieces

That's nature!

These photos were taken through very dirty double glazed windows in the summer house. He remained about a minute before he saw me at close quarters and made off with his prey.

The resident Cuckoo has continued calling mostly in the late afternoons. There are still plenty of caterpillars of the Brown Tailed Moth about so he wont go hungry!

 ...and that's another week gone.

Spring into summer.

I was pleasantly surprised to find this Shelduck on Friday with a total of eleven youngsters in Whites Creek near the sluice.

Irresistible photographic subjects!

Breech Pool was very quiet with a pair of Black Tailed Godwits....

They were very wary of my approach and made off.

...and the usual Tufted Ducks

Male and female (below)

Other subjects were scarce so the Swan, up the rife, caught my attention !

She was obviously watching me as well!

During the week I have been practising my Tern photography attempting to capture the moment of entry into the water...with limited success!

Sandwich Terns are the most obvious choice as they are the largest but it is still incredibly difficult to judge the correct moment

Missed it again!

                          ....but this bird was also  unsuccessful in capturing its prey!

 Off to try again....and so shall I on another day!

I gave up on the Common Terns




---and the little Terns

Oystercatchers are always present in the harbour and are fantastic subjects to photograph.

Just look at the orange eye ring and the long bright orange beak...fantastic birds!

Here are few Skylark photos to finish off the week

...and finally a bumble bee on thrift.

Another couple of days on Pagham Spit.

On Friday morning there was a single Wheatear flitting from post to post as I approached the harbour mouth....

Keeping me under surveillance!

 

Apart from this overnight newcomer there was little else apart from two pairs of Skylarks singing and repeatedly dropping onto one of the posts...

With crest raised.

The Cuckoo has been 'cuckooing' for hours on end and continues to feed on the caterpillars of the Brown Tailed Moth which have become a real menace. Having stripped all the foliage off all the blackberry bushes they have  moved into the gardens and are now exploring anything and everything, even crawling up the walls, window panes and sometimes coming indoors!

We need a lot more Cuckoos to control these beasts!

This evening in quite a stiff breeze all three Tern species were patrolling the main inlet to the harbour...

Common Tern with fish.

The smallest and rarest...the Little Tern

The largest and most plentiful....the Sandwich Tern.

...and that's it for this week.