The forecast through the week was for a good end to the week, but on Wednesday evening the forecast changed, and once again there was early morning rain and overcast conditions, the wind though was coming from the south raising the temperatures well above the average for the time of year. Taking all this into account I decided to head back to Titchfield once more.
Walking along Cliff road the tide was out and close to the beach were a small raft of Eider. Here two males that had broken away from the main raft.
Also on the beach were my first Brent Geese of the season. Forty in total, here a small group, all adult birds.
There was a party of birders looking at the Eider and I decided to get to the hides before they took over the hide.
The South scrape was quiet, but very quickly became even quieter when a Sparrowhawk flew over from the west side scattering the duck and waders.
I decided to walk up to the Pumfrett Hide where it wasn't much better, but when tyhe Canada Geese arrived they had with them the Barnacle Goose. Close up a lovely delicate looking goose.
From the Pumfrett it was the short walk to the Spurgin Hide. The female Marsh Harrier was about, but distant over the Frying Pan area. Very soon the Egyptian Geese arrived. One thing I would say about these is that they do look good in flight.
There was a trickle of migrants heading south from up the valley. Skylark and Meadow Pipits would move through calling and they would be joined by Swallows, again adult birds with long tail streamers.
Shelduck have been absent for a few weeks so it was good to see a pair fly past and head towards the south scrape.
A Grey Wagtail had flown over calling as I approached the hide and it didn't take long for it to arrive in front of the hide once again.
Then up to a perch on which I think a lot in the hide would have prefered to be used by a Kingfisher.
Down to the beaten down reeds floating on the water.
There is an old French tradition that states the Wagtail originally did not have a tail and that when he was invited to the Lark's wedding he borrowed the Wren's tail so to look his best. Unfortunately he neglected to return it and he is said to keep wagging the tail to make sure that it is still there.
The Marsh Harrier then put in an appearance, the same modus coming around the bushes and then following the reeds at the back of the mere, holding and hovering in the southerly wind.
There was some rain still in the air.
A young Kestrel had been hunting along the newly mown paths and flew past the hide and then headed out across the Canal Path.
With it pretty quiet I walked back to the Meon Shore hide, where the Grey Wagtail was on the island and perches in front of the hide, the same male bird as I had seen earlier.
There were a couple of Black-tailed Godwits close in front of the hide. This one having a good stretch.
With the tide almost high there was a bit more activity on the scrape, good numbers of Teal, Gadwall and Shoveler, a single Wigeon and a Pintail. The Redshank were busy flying around and calling. This one coming in to land in the water in front of the hide.
Then, on the left hand side of the hide in the reeds an appearance from the Water Rail.
Creeping through the fallen reeds to start with.
But gradually it came out into the open before ducking under the fallen reed stems.
It was a case of waiting and watching and it appeared this time in the open, walking across the reeds.
Then into the water before sheltering once again from view.
They cross from left to right and back again, but normally cross the open water at speed, due to their secretive nature. But today it didn't appear to be in a hurry and walked through the water stirring up the mud behind it.
The Water Rail is another of those sort after birds to photograph, this is due to both it's secretive nature, skulking through the reeds announcing their presence by it's squealing call.
But there is a beauty in the bird's plumage, the russet brown and black streaked back, the black and white stripes on the flanks, the blue grey face and breast and of course the crimson red bill.
A lovely close up of the head and bill, the eyes set almost with a binocular vision.
It made its way steadily across the open water.
Finally disappearing in the reeds on the right hand side of the hide.
At last good views of the Water Rail. We considered there to be at least three birds in the area. Two were seen initially on the left hand side and as this one went into the reeds on the right hand side there were two birds squealing.
The Snipe were still about, but I could only count four birds today. One Snipe likes to feed in the open in and around the small island. But they always like to head back to the stubble of Snipe island. This provides the chance to catch them in flight.
At the weekend there was some discussion around the differences between the Common Snipe and Wilson's Snipe. The Wilson's is the North American counterpart to our Common Snipe, but was recently separated due to vocalisation and slight but consistent morphological differences. These are the width of the white trailing edge of the wings being narrower. While the underwing is a darker grey. There are sixteen tail feathers in the Wilson's with the display feathers that provide the drumming sound being two each side, only one in the Common Snipe.
Here you can see the tail feathers clearly and the two outermost tail feathers that do the drumming.
Here the bright underwing of the Common Snipe.
A male Kestrel flew across in front of the hide having just been hunting over the West Paddock. A closer look revealed the hunt had been successful with what looks like an unfortunate mouse in the talons!
The number of Mediterranean Gulls has dropped dramatically with only two being seen today. There were also two Common Gulls on the scrape, this one highlight by the dark water and the rotting posts behind it.
Walking back there was a Kingfisher at the harbour bridge, unfortunately it went from a prominent perch to hide amongst the branches, but I could see enough to establish it was the same bird I had photographed from the Spurgin Hide at the weekend.
Another good day, there is always something that turns up here and today it was the lovely Water Rail.
