2nd February - Hayling Island and Titchfield Haven Canal Path, Hampshire

Snow....A dusting arrived early in the week, and then again overnight on Thursday into Friday morning.  But what was unexpected was the storm that hit Friday afternoon.  I was in Basingstoke and did get caught out, it taking me six hours to get home.  This meant that the plans Ian and I had for Saturday had to change and as I dug the snow off my car and drive once again.  Ian was at Southsea Castle watching the Purple Sandpipers and a a Shag.  I finally caught up with him at the top of the Hayling Billy path, after a lovely drive through snow covered fields and trees in glorious sunshine, but still below freezing temperatures.

The tide was high, and from the car park a group of Brent Geese were close in on the water.

We were walking to the Oyster Beds.  A Redshank stood in the pool alongside the path.

We walked out to the Restored railway signal and scanned the sea.  On the far side looking north there was a good collection of duck.  Mostly Wigeon and Pintail, there were also several pairs of Red-breasted Mergansers.  There were also a few rafts of Great-crested Grebes, I managed to count 24 in total, with groups of 12 and 10 together.

With the high tide there was a cold north westerly wind blowing, so we headed back to the path and set off for the Oyster Beds. Out on the rocks there were plenty of Brent Geese and Oystercatchers, further out there was a large wader roost of Dunlin and Knot.  Something disturbed them and the whole flock went up, wheeling away over the water, the whole group flashing silver and white in the sunshine as they turned about over the water.

We walked out to the usual viewing point, an Oystercatcher came in close, searching for food along the water's edge

While a Rock Pipit busied itself amongst the dried sea weed and pebbles, using an old branch as a vantage point.

It appeared at first as if there were no birds present, but a search around the banks of the old oyster beds revealed roosting Redshank

And good numbers of Oystercatchers

Within the lagoon were a couple of Little Grebes keeping out of the wind close to the banks, while out on the sea there was very little.  I managed to pick up one Black-necked Grebe, but nothing else.

It was difficult to understand why there was a lack of birds out on the water.  The sea was not that rough, there was a cold breeze, but this would not normally be a factor, and it was bright so visibility was not a problem as could be shown by the view looking north away to the snow capped South Downs hills.

With the tide starting to fall there was a little more activity around the lagoons with the Brent in the water, joined by several Pintail

But for some it was still the time to take a snooze in the sunshine.

From the Oyster Beds we went around to the Northney Marina, with the tide still high there is always a chance of something being tucked away here.  However we did not expect to be able to see the two Cattle Egret that have been at Warblington on the other side of the water all winter.  The two Cattle Egret, while very distant could easily be made out by there shape and movement around the cows.

Needless to say there was nothing else about on the water!

We headed south, down to Sandy Point, where a walk around the point and sandbar in the sunshine was very pleasant, the temperature being a lot higher than it had been at the Oyster Beds.  There was still though a lack of birds.  Nothing on the sea at all despite reports of over thirty Red-throated Divers the day before.  The only signs of bird life were a large flock of Brent Geese over the beach huts at Wittering

And some Brent a few Teal, a couple of Redshank and this single Grey Plover on the sand bar.

We were going to go to the west, but reports of similar conditions there put us off, so instead we decided to leave the island and drive west, and to explore the Titchfield Canal Path.  In the sunshine we were pretty much guaranteed a year tick at least.

And we were not to be denied, looking across the field to the split tree, the Barn Owl was fats asleep, but showing very well

A beautiful afternoon walk, but once again devoid of birds.  At Posbrook floods there were Black-tailed Godwits, and wildfowl in the form of Wigeon, teal, Pintail, Shoveler and Mallard.  In one field to the west of the canal there was a good sized flock of Redwing, but the search for the regularly reported Water Pipits proved unsuccessful.

In the grassy fields Woodpigeon could be seen feeding around the tussocks, and we came across a pile of feathers.  As I remarked about something having met its maker here I noticed a dark shape move close by.  The dark shape turned out to be female Sparrowhawk.  She had been the cause of the feathers and she was standing over her kill.

The area all around her bill, and head was covered in blood, and this made those menacing yellow eyes even more chilling.  As the cameras went off she tried to fly off with her kill.

The Woodpigeon though must have been too heavy to fly off with and she settled back down, and covered the kill with her wings

We can only assume that the Sparrowhawk surprised the Woodpigeon feeding in the grass, using the line of the canal path as cover, and killed it on the ground

It was then a case of what to do.  She was very aware we were close and kept looking at us, but refused to give up the kill

I don't recall ever having seen so much blood on the head of a Sparrowhawk like this before, it was almost vulture like.

The stand off the Sparrowhawk was having with us gradually eased, and she started to pluck the feathers from the Woodpigeon

This, though, became a bit of a problem for her, as the feathers started to stick to the blood on her bill and throat.

Which then needed some extensive scratching to try and remove the feathers, only to move them to the feet

When this didn't seem to make any difference she just plucked sending feathers everywhere

Interspersed with some more frantic scratching to try and remove those feathers that continued to stick to the blood.

Then stopping to give us that stare as if to say what are you laughing at!

We left the Sparrowhawk merrily tossing feathers in the air and frantically scratching, and decided to head back up the canal path.  We stopped again to check the field for Water Pipits, this time there were several Song Thrushes, a few Blackbirds and a single Fieldfare.  The field is split with a fence, and the area closest to the path there was longer grass that had not been grazed.  

There was also frozen water, maybe one of the reasons why there were no pipits, but as you looked Snipe began to appear, at least six maybe a few more, sometimes only the head or back but they could be made out as your eye became used to picking out the shape.  As we watched the Snipe a pair of Roe Deer wandered into the paddock at the back of the field.

The afternoon sunshine was that wonderful golden type, and sent some lovely reflections of the twisted branches into the water of the canal

A large flock of Black-tailed Godwits settled at the far side of the field to the east of the path, and a wren called from within the grass tussocks in the field, then appeared on the barbed wire.

A very sleepy quiet day bird wise, born out by the fact that as we passed the split tree once again the Barn Owl was still asleep not having moved at all

I suppose it takes time for the winter weather to move birds about, and then for them to be found, today though it had been very quiet.  The weather is set to change at the start of the week, back to milder conditions and some rain.  Lets hope something turns up to change the situation.