30th August - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

I was meeting Ian at the sea wall at Titchfield this morning, his last day before he jets off to Canada for almost a month.  As I arrived there was some excitement as a Manx Shearwater had been seen offshore amongst the feeding flock.  I spent some time searching with others but couldn't find it.  Ian and I decided to go onto the reserve and headed around the harbour.  The young male Goosander was fishing in the harbour.  It is now in eclipse plumage.  Many are reporting it as a female, but the white in the wing and the fact that there has been a Goosander in the harbour for over a year and that was in male plumage during the spring, point to this being the same bird.

It moved into the dark water of the harbour.

It came close to the viewpoint.

Moving around and snorkelling to see if the fish are about.

After checking in, we spent sometime on the east side.  Very little about though, no Cattle Egrets, or other large herons on the frying pan.  No sign of any Yellow Wagtails either.  A Kestrel was hoving close to the hide and dropped into the grass and came up with a vole which it took to the willows where it was ripping the vole apart.

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We left the east side and walked around to the west.  We stopped briefly at the sea wall where a Grey Phalarope was reported, but it was long gone.  With Ian having packed his scope and tripod, he couldn't join in, so we went on to the reserve and the Meon Shore hide.

The hide was empty and right in front of us was a Ruff, feeding on the small island close to the hide.

I never managed to catch up wit a Ruff in the spring, so this was a welcome year tick for me.

It was then joined by one of two Common Sandpipers present and hanging around the small island.

Some interesting action.

One then flew to the depth marker post.

On the left hand side of the scrape there were three Green Sandpiper, a bird that is similar to the Common Sandpiper, but slightly larger and it lacks the white that is on the shoulder.

Slowly one came closer to the hide.

Another identification feature is the white rump on the Green Sandpiper.

Showing nicely in the darker water.

Delicately picking the insects off the surface of the water.

There were two Ruff, both females, which are smaller than th emale birds.  They would move between the mud in front of the hide and the north end of the scrape.  But when they were in front of the hide they would show well.

A good flock of Starlings were around the scrape, mostly immature birds just coming out of their juvenile plumage, they would bathe at the edge of the islands.

A couple of immature Ringed Plover flew to the island in front of the hide.

Harder to see around the scrape due to the thick vegetation at this time of year every so often a Snipe would fly across the scrape.  This one was feeding on the right hand side of the hide close to the reeds.

Then it flew to the island where it didn't appear to be quite happy.

It looked like it was going to fly.

But when it did I missed the flight shot as it flew to the Snipe island to the left of the hide and looked more at home.

These three Lapwing were just off the Snipe island, there heads pointing into what was now quite a fresh south westerly wind.

The Common Sandpipers would come and go, appearing on the island then wading through the mud to disappear beneath the reeds in front of the hide.  The challenge was to catch them in flight as they came from under the reeds.  These two were acceptable.

A Buzzard was sat on the fence on the right hand side of the scrape and edged closer, eventually putting up all the waders and gulls.  These Lapwing passing in front of the hide.

The Black-tailed Godwits dropping back down on the water.

With high tide approaching the Oystercatcher roost was growing and there were at least half a dozen Common Terns now around the scrape.  Both adults and immature birds it was a surprise to see the immature carrying the fish here.

Adult and immature together.

On one of the far islands a couple of Sandwich Terns.

Good to catch up with Ian today, hope you have a great time in Canada!  Bird wise, nice to get the Ruff, would have been good to get the sea stuff, but it wasn't to be

29th August - Hayling Billy Line, North Hayling Island, Hampshire

Wryneck, my bogey bird, I have seen one, but only three and I have spent so much time searching, and waiting for one to appear, had to endure knowing one was showing well while I was at work.  Early this month I went after two, one at the Paddocks here on Hayling and then at the TLC at Warsash, both predictably failed.  So after seeing a report of one at Hayling once again while sitting in Pafos airport, I was hoping it would still be about today.  Early morning there was a report so I was off, arriving at he Billy Line path just after 11.00am.

I was told by birders leaving it had shown off and on all morning, but as I arrived at the spot I was the only one present.  With Wryneck, a good number of eyes is essential, still I was a little more confident this morning.  In front of me there were several Small Whites on the ragwort and a smart Small Copper.

there was a good number of House Sparrows around the bramble and they could be distracting, but then I thought one was a little bigger and different.  The Wryneck had appeared and despite the poor light and branches was able to get some nice shots.

Then as became the pattern it dropped out of sight only to appear about twenty minutes later on the top of the bramble.

Then gone again and another wait until I found it once more in amongst the bramble branches.

There was plenty of other activity with several Common Whitethroats.

And at least three Lesser Whitethroats.

Other birds seen were a Cetti's Warbler, Goldfinches on the teasel heads, Linnets and of course the House Sparrows that would sometimes confuse.

The theory was that the Wryneck was feeding amongst the many ant hills that were underneath the bracken.  The House Sparrows were dust bathing amongst them and this might have been bringing out the ants for the Wryneck to feed on.

This theory was further reinforced when it appeared in a bush well away from the last place it had been seen.  Shame about the branch in the way.

This was where it showed for the longest.

But then dropping about of sight only to reappear on the bramble about twenty minutes later.

My last sighting, the six of the visit was in the bramble close to the willow bush it had spent the most time in.

Stretching the neck and head that gives the bird its name.

With success at last I decided to head home.  Not the most stunning of photographs, but photographs and finally after some time I have seen a Wryneck once again.  I will take it and there is still plenty of time to get the crippling views.