A Random selection of recent photos.

Major excitement on the morning of June 20. An American Royal Tern had been spotted on Tern Island during the evening before but unfortunately for these twitchers (viewed from Pagham Spit)  photographed at just after 7.00 the following morning it had flown west at about 4.20a.m. and had only been seen by a few early risers!

As I have been somewhat inactive during the past few weeks (for various reasons) I show below a few of the 'regulars' although the family of Canada Geese on the beach on Wednesday morning was a bit of a surprise!

The youngsters were sleeping but on my approach...

...they soon made off.

Last seen heading towards the harbour.

Nothing particularly unusual about but the recent sunny weather has seen Pagham at its very best especially in the early mornings!

Little Egret reflection - showing his  yellow foot.

Greenfinch...what a beak!

Magpie...the local threat to all small birds at this time of year.

Reed Warbler....Breech Pool. One of many nesting in the reed bed.

Male Linnet...another successful local nesting bird.

Lapwing in flight..Whites Creek

Wood Pigeon...increasingly numerous.

The Swan family on Pagham Lagoon

Goldfinch with a nest nearby. Who said English birds are dull!! 

Roe Deer with one of her two fawns...behind Breech Pool.

Two of four Herons that flew over Breech Pool this morning, landing briefly before heading north.

 Another Swan family...this time in Whites Creek.

Well that's it...for now!

Tawny Owl and owlet.

Having not visited Pulborough Brooks for some time I was delighted to find the reported Tawny Owl in an oak tree between Westmead and Winpenny hide using the 'old' route. The two youngsters were in an adjacent oak but difficult to see let alone photograph!

One eye very slightly open ensuring the admiring photographers stayed their distance!

Just look at that vicious beak

This is one the two owlets...the most visible one!

A pair of Egyptian Geese had bred successfully and were just visible the other side of the Westmead pond...only four youngsters can be seen here but there were more.

Nightingales were in short supply and I only heard two singing males with just a fleeting glimpse of one at the bottom of the zig zag.

However Adders were showing well in the stack of pallets at the top of the zig zag...

A short but pleasant visit and good to meet up with Dave and Martin and to learn about their latest adventures! 

Migrants galore

Another perfect morning! 
I set out from the beach and made my way towards the North Wall and soon realised there had been an overnight influx of warblers. Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were singing
from the Slipe Field bushes and Lesser Whitethroats were very active feeding but very difficult to photograph, constantly flitting from bush to bush....

Very occasionally they would pause and enable a record shot.

However best of all was a superb male Redstart in the field nearest the end of the dog walk.

Poor cropped shots but I was just delighted to have this brilliant bird on the patch.

On the return journey an obliging Collared Dove, Wren in full song and a spadge!

A short but rewarding walk.

Waders and problems for Grey Lags.

A  wander along Whites Creek this morning produced a distant Buzzard over the harbour, a few Chiffchaffs and a resplendent Spotted Redshank.....

In flight,even at a distance, the lack of a white wingbar distinguishes this species from the commoner Redshank.

A few Black Tailed Godwits were feeding on the mud although further out there was a flock of about 120.

In flight the black tail is usually more noticeable than when feeding or resting.

On the Breech Pool a pair of Grey Lag Geese were feeding quite peacefully....

...but soon began to become very restless giving me some good photographic opportunities!

It soon became clear as to what was causing the chaos......

This was a VERY territorial Mute Swan who  chased off the geese relentlessly and it was some time before the Greylags got the message and moved off a little way away from where the Swans mate was sitting on a nest!