August photos.

 Although still busy I have managed to get out on a few occasions to make sure the camera is still working. There have been a few special moments

The 'all to common' garden predator feasting on a young Wood Pigeon she had taken from the feeding station.

An unusual visitor to the Breech Pool!

A much more interesting unusual visitor has been showing very well from time to time.

The Great White Egret....what a bird!

Whilst this Little Egret is always present in good numbers,

Eclipse plumage....?   

A splendid Whimbrel in Whites Creek

...and on Pagham Spit several Wheatears making a stopover before flying South

On one evening hundreds of Hirundines alighting on the temporary fencing on Norton Spit,,,just a few here

One of the Sand Martins catching flies over the harbour 

The Lagoon has been very successful this year for breeding Great Crested Grebes 

....and a few of the regulars.

So that's August...and now for the Autmn migrants!!

A life tick for me!

 A bird believed to be a Little Stint on August 3 subsequently turned out to be a Semipalmated Sandpiper. It was initially viewed in the harbour from the benches in Church Norton. As days passed it was showing more regularly on the ferry pool but unfortunately I was unable to get across at that time. However a report came in on Sunday evening at 8.00pm that it was on the Ferry Pool . So at 6.15am today I hastened over to Siddlesham  and found a group of birders watching it at a considerable distance. Even with an 800mm lens this was the view!

However at about 10 to 7 it flew a bit closer to the shallow water on the right hand side, accompanied by a Dunlin.

Unfortunately it didn't stay long and soon took flight towards the harbour accompanied by a Dunlin which it  seem to have befriended.

There was a splendid Spotted Redshank near the left hand bank and a Buzzard watched from a distant fence post. 

Not a bad start to the day!

A look back at July

 It's been awhile since I updated this blog but life has been very busy and birding has taken second place. 

Hopefully with the migration season fast approaching more time will be spent  'in the field' or at least down at the harbour during the next few months.

So, I will just post a few of  my highlights below.

A second brood of Great Crested Grebes on Breech Pool

A superb Cattle Egret in one of the Halsey farm fields

A particular highlight at home in the garden on the morning of 28th July was an unexpected Pied Flycatcher in the birdbath taking it in turns with a Blackcap and the usual tits and finches.

I wish I was able to to read the ring no.

In lovely evening light this Snipe was present on the Breech Pool 

...and this splendid Lapwing seemed unperturbed by my presence

The evening sun showed the wonderful colouration of the wings.

This morning this Moorhen  was was drinking from an overhanging branch whilst her youngsters were exploring clump of ivy

...and then the bird I was after but had missed on two previous occasions appeared from the reedbed. A Great White Egret! affording good views and a notable photographic opportunity. Magic!

 

     

Lets hope for more birding time in August!

Red-Necked Phalarope!!

 When a WhatsApp message came up reporting a Red-Necked Phalarope on the Ferry this was a bird not to be missed. So a hurried change of plans for the day resulted in an an immediate visit to the RSPB info centre where parking was very difficult. It wasn't as a result of a massive twitch but there was, in fact,  a  pond dipping event going on! Children and parents everywhere.

Having reached the hide there were only four other birders present and after some help in locating the bird through the 'scope at the far end of the pool I decided it was almost too distant for photography but I gave it a go and here are a few record shots....heavily cropped. 

I picked it out initially being chased by an Avocet

...and then noticed the difference in size between it and a Redshank!

It was a long way off...

...but nevertheless I was delighted to see it

I later learned that the previous occurrence of a RNP at Pagham Harbour was 2015. 

It really was a stonking bird.

A Week in Wales

 Five years ago we visited the Elan Valley in Powys and strayed in a superb house on the Elan Estate. At the time we promised ourselves a return visit and so, a week in May 2024 was decided upon to replicate the dates of the previous visit. The valley was just as beautiful and the weather turned out to  be a lot better than the forecast a few days before we arrived. On the previous occasion I saw many of the species for which this part of Wales is famous but, as a keen amateur photographer, I always believed there was room for  improved photographs....especially when Dippers and Wood Warblers were concerned, species not found in Pagham Harbour!

I visited all the previous sites I had found these two species and spent best part of the week searching these areas in a vain attempt to capture the ultimate photograph. Not only did I not photograph either species I neither heard them or had the opportunity to photograph them! I had a fleeting glimpse of a Dipper for a mere 20 seconds as it flew up the Wye near the Gilfach Nature Reserve just west of Rhayader, but that was it. Very strange!

The Pied Flycatchers and  Redstarts were showing well but even so the numbers appeared to be reduced. However it was a very enjoyable time and a visit to the Osprey nesting site in the Dyfi Osprey Project Centre proved successful as a trout was being disgorged during our time there.          

A very distant and highly cropped shot (Canon R7 8oomm)

Goosanders on the River Elan

Pied Flycatcher (m) 

Female Pied Flycatcher...calling non-stop.

Grey Wagails ...the most numerous species all along the streams and rivers.

Siskin on the feeder at Ynys Hir RSPB reserve

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Tree Pipit, Gilfach Reserve

Numerous Kites!!

An interesting break in a totally different habitat from Pagham  but will have to visit again  to check on Wood Warblers and Dippers...a good excuse to return sometime!