26th March - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

Happy Birthday Freddie!

After a morning trip to the dentist, I headed around the M27 to Titchfield Haven.  The strong winds and heavy showers had been replaced by sunshine and a light breeze, but it still remained a lot colder than last week.

I walked around to the Meon Shore Hide, the tide was low but still the water levels in the bay and on the scrapes was high, but there were a few islands showing now and they were completely covered with Black-headed Gulls.  It was the Black-headed Gulls I turned to for some photography, at this time of year they look very smart in the ir chocolate brown hoods and deep crimson bill and gape.  The water was also reflecting the blue sky nicely.  An amorous pair.

I love the water colour here, contrasting well with the gull's plumage.

Avocet numbers have steadily built up over the last few days, on Tuesday there were 26 on the south scrape, today I counted 42.  One pair worked their way around the scrape and ended up in front of the hide.  A nice opportunity to get in close.

Again some interesting water reflections contrasting with the black and white plumage.

Some preening in the shallow water.

There were several pairs mating around the scrape and this would lead to some scraps amongst the pairs.  Here a single bird is not welcome around the pair.

It tries to move away.

But still one of the pair had to ensure that it went away.

Aside from the gulls and the Avocets it was quiet on the scrapes, on  Tuesday there were good numbers of Wigeon and teal on the scrape, today the numbers were much reduced, with only a pair of Wigeon remaining and very few Teal.  Gadwall and Shoveler numbers remained about the same.

I decided the try my luck on the east side, the bushes there shelter from the cold breeze and with the sun w=quite warm now there is always a chance of a butterfly and so it proved with a red Admiral amongst the Blackthorn blossom.

I made my way to the Knight's Bank hide and settled in at the far end close to the Kestrel box.  However there wasn't any sign of the Kestrels and the Marsh Harriers stayed distant.  I had been made aware that there had been a female Wheatear in front of the hide and after some scanning I found it amongst the bullrush grass in front of the hide, but distant.

The first Wheatear of the year is always a welcome find, both male and female look so fresh in their breeding plumage.

There will be better photographs of Wheatear through the year, but you have to have a record of the first even if it isn't of the best quality.

After my lunch I had to head home, I stopped just before the visitor shed.  They have been putting feeders up and this has attracted quite a few birds, earlier there had been a smart male Greenfinch, but I don't do birds on feeders.  Now there were several birds in the associated bushes, Chaffinches and Blue and Great Tits showing well.  Then three Reed Buntings came to the feeders.  I waited but they flew to the bushes and were obscured by the emerging leaves.  Then one flew to the feeder, but perched on the pole and that is acceptable.

A short visit, but with some great shots of the Avocet and the first Wheatear of the year!

24th March - Bridge Street and Posbrook Floods and Titchfield Haven.

The weather changed today, it was overcast with quite a fresh breeze that was cold.  On the look out for migrants I decided to start at Bridge Street.  From the car park I walked around to the view point by the traffic lights that let me look out over the floods.

Still a lot of water about and at the back of the flood, hidden from view from the canal path were two Glossy Ibis.

Out on the water were six Pintail, three pairs upending in the middle of the flood.

I came back to the canal path and headed south.  Scanning above the floods there was a sizeable flock of Sand Martin, probably thirty plus hawking high up.  A Red Kite also flew along the tree tops.

I scanned the water and the flooded vegetation searching for Garganey, but only found Mallard, Gadwall, Teal and Shoveler.  Out in the middle were several Tufted Ducks.

Movement in the trees by the side of the path caught my eye and it turned out to be a Treecreeper with a small piece of wood.

I watched it as it crept around the trunk of the tree and then it made its way into a hole in a cut part of the trunk.  I waited and then it appeared in the hole.

I watched it coming and going quite a bit, in and out of the hole in the tree.

Rather than walk the canal path I turned back and made my way to the reserve.  I checked in and then walked around to the west side.  I had a brief stop in the Meon Shore hide, but everything once again was on the central causeway and around it on either side, so I walked up to the Pumfrett Hide.

On the central Causeway, good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls.

The drake Goosander was on the north scrape and seemed to not be popular with the Black-headed Gulls.

Here it was alerted to something and then flew with its Shelduck mate to the causeway.

The Mediterranean Gulls were performing still.

I then walked up to the Spurgin Hide for lunch and hopefully some Marsh Harrier action.  Two female types were showing well.

One found something of interest in the reeds.

Drifting past through the bushes.

Some really good views as one female came in from the north on the left side of the hide.

A twist and dive into the reeds.

Just before I left the hide three Curlew flew south, quite a high number for around here.

I popped into the Pumfrett once again.the Mediterranean Gulls were still gathered on the causeway.

A Gadwall flew past the hide.

A typical March day at Titchfield, quiet, cold and grey.

21st March - Keyhaven - Lymington Reserve, Hampashire

When I arrived at the car park at the end of Lower Pennington Lane my concerns were realised.  Recently parking charges were introduced for the camper vans that parked along New Lane at Cut Bridge.  Consequently the owners have looked for somewhere that doesn't have charges and the closest of course was this car park.  Fortunately Ian andI were able to find spaces along Normandy Lane.

Our normal route out on to the reserve now changed we walked down the side of the Eight Acre Pond.  On reaching the sea wall we decided to walk to the west.  It was very quiet, both bird wise and people, but with the sunshine we assumed we would soon be inundated with day trippers.

There were a few Wigeon on Salterns sitting in the morning sunshine.

We walked across the fields and then up to the sea wall at Pennington.  As we reached the Jetty there were a few Brent Geese on the marsh, numbers have fallen as the birds start their journey back to Siberia for the summer.

Another Wigeon on one of the pools.

We walked from the Jetty to check the Shoveler Pools, this time of year and weather would be perfect for Garganey , but nobody seems to have told the Garganey.  There was very little on the pools.

A Cetti's Warbler sang from the scrub bushes, for once showing really well.

We were able to creep closer without disturbing it.

We crossed the Old Tip and then walked alongside the ditch at Fishtail.  A pair of Tufted Duck were a little concerned as we approached.

And eventually took off.

Fishtail Lagoon was quiet, the water levels are still very high.  There were Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall, but no sign of any Pintail.  The Lapwing were displaying over the water with their acrobatic flights.  Here the sun catches the plumage on the back of the Lapwing.

There were sic Pintail at the back of the Keyhaven Lagoon and a good sized flock of summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwits.  A Greenshank was also feeding in a distant pool.  We decided to walk around the Ancient Highway in the hope we might find some early butterflies.  However aside from singing Chiffchaff the walk was very quiet.

Rather than walk back to the sea wall we carried on along Lower Pennington Lane.  Ian stopped and pointed out a White-tailed Eagle coming across the marsh with a few Shelduck shadowing it.  The light was not helpful unfortunately.

You can make out the radio transmitter on its back and from the all dark plumage this was an immature bird.

Walking along the back of the marsh you are almost guaranteed to find Roe Deer, and we did.

 

A young buck shedding the winter coat.

Things brightened up when we reached Normandy, there were a good number of waders on the lagoon.  Close in was this Spotted Redshank, already beginning to show some dark feathers, let's hope it stays around.

A roost of breeding plumaged Black-tailed Godwits, reflecting well in the sunshine.

I recalled it was three years since I acquired the camera my first photographs with it of summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwits.

Black-tailed Godwit and Avocet alongside each other.

A Greenshank on the shore of the lagoon close to the path.

The Greenshank preening.

Many of the Avocet were paired up and could be seen going through the mating display.  This one was being aggressive to the godwits, chasing them away for no clear reason other than they were there.

Some nice reflections in the still water.

A qucik shake after a preen.

We had lunch with the tide very high, but nothing to show for it.  After there was some time to watch the waders once again.  A few Ringed Plover and Dunlin appearing on the shingle, while out on the lagoon there were four Pochard and red head Red-breasted Merganser.

To be fair we had walked a long way today and were beaten, it was time to head home.  As we walked buy the Eight Acre Pond a male Stonechat sat nicely on the tip of a branch.

March can be a frustrating month, in good weather it can promise so much and deliver nothing and that was definitely t he case today.  Never mind, wonderful weather, good company what more do you need?