The bramble hedges were lit up beautifully by the warm early morning sunshine, and there was a bit of activity in amongst the branches with Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats taking advantage of the insects woken up by the sunshine. Here the Lesser Whitethroat paused in its search for breakfast to take in some of the warm sun rays
There are several things that can be guaranteed at Farlington, one of those (I will come to the others later) is the presence of a feeding Black-tailed Godwit on the lake close to the path and gate. This morning was no exception and with the golden morning sunshine the scene was enhanced even more.
It really did put on a good show and occupied some time as you waited for someone else to find the Wryneck.
My concerns over the clear evening and night contributing to the disappearance of the Wryneck were becoming more and more a reality as the morning wore on. Birders arrived, asked if this was where the bird had been seen, and tales were exchanged by those lucky enough to have seen it earlier in the week. All of this made me even more assure that it was probably now somewhere over France heading south. As you can see the conditions at this time of the day were beautiful, blue sky and loads of vapour trails criss-crossing the sky.
The clear night though, did not appear to have encouraged the Whinchat to have moved on, or maybe these were new arrivals. In the bushes alongside the reed bed were up to six individuals, a year tick for me, doing what Whinchat do, perch at the top of bushes and drop to the ground or fences.
A summer visitor to our shores, and while one or two are seen at the start of spring around the county they are more reliable in the early autumn as birds head south from their breeding grounds in north and western Britain.
A dumpy chat, a little smaller than a Robin, the Whinchat
has quite a big head and a short tail. Generally paler than the similar Stonechat, the Whinchat has a distinctive pale eye-stripe and a pale throat.
Males are streaky brown above, with an orange chest, but females are paler.
Whinchats have pale patches at the base of the tail, while Stonechat tails are
completely dark.
Not the best of photographs as the light from the low sun was not helping, and a certain amount of over exposure was necessary. The Whinchats provided another distraction in the wait for the emergence of the main event, but the wait was giving me itchy feet, and maybe, just maybe the Wryneck could be somewhere else.
We walked back along the main path. The Hawthorn bushes were lit up by the sun and were attracting quite a collection of birds. Blue and Great Tits could be seen among the ripening berries,, and Green and Goldfinches were perching at the top of the branches. Small flocks would pass by and at one point we had the briefest of glimpses of a Spotted Flycatcher at the top of one of the branches before it moved on with a part of tits. To complete the collection of possible migrants a swift flew over
In amongst the branches were more Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats, the latter standing out with their bright white underbelly as they crawled through the leaves and berries looking for insects.
We walked into the field and checked the bushes on the other side of the path that were in the sunshine, but other than more Whitethroats there was little about. Coming back to the bushes we had just stood watching a Kestrel had appeared on the edge of the bush. Now early I referred to guarantees at Farlington, here was another that begged photographs. Kestrels are guaranteed and always show very well. This individual was no exception as it sat quietly preening in the sunshine.
The small birds in the bushes approached but never started any serious mobbing, content in the fact that they could see it and for once it posed no threat.
We had been waited for about an hour and a half, and finally decided that the Wryneck was gone. As a result we took the decision to walk off towards Point Field. The hedges along the path to the sea wall held a few more Whitethroats, and we decided to explore some of the paths to see if there was anything else. This led to picking up a Sparrowhawk that flew low across the fields, then gained height where it was mobbed by Swallows. The Sparrowhawk though decided to fight back and made several unsuccessful lunges at the Swallows before heading low over the field again, almost completing a circle around us as it headed off low over the reeds.
At this time of year cattle in the Hay Field can be joined by more migrants, this time Yellow Wagtail, and as we walked down the path one called as it flew overhead, and was joined by three other dropping to the ground in amongst the cattle. As we continued to walk they could be seen flying up calling and heading across the field towards more cows.
On the sea wall a scan of North Binness Island did not find the reported Osprey in the dead tree, so we headed towards Point Field. In the bushes were more Whitethroats, and on the Deeps a single Common Sandpiper, and a fly over Whimbrel. Point Field itself was very quiet, and we didn't seen any significant birds until we reached the lake where there was a flock of well over 200 Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank.
Closer inspection found a Spotted Redshank feeding vigorously among the Black-tailed Godwits.
We scanned the lake picking out Dunlin, a couple of Common Sandpipers at the back of the lake along with a single Snipe. Waders, mostly Redshank were flying in from the estuary to swell the significant wader roost of Godwits and Redshank in the middle of the lake. Ian then found two more Whinchat on the fence and in a small tree to our right, and we were able to get quite close to them form the sea wall.
Then they flew into the small bush.
Then out again back onto the fence, where they allowed an even closer approach.
Like all the chats, a very smart well, contained little bird.
Back at the lake we returned to the wader roost, Ian also scanned beyond the reserve and picked out the Osprey on one of the trees on North Binness island. We had managed a sighting in exactly the same way last year, so this is what probably prompted him to check again
We decided to give the Wryneck one more chance, and dropped down from the sea wall to walk across the open grass between the bushes and the stream. As we did so another Kestrel flew towards us and started to hover just above our heads. To complicate matters it was hovering almost directly alongside the sun, but over exposing the shots provided with some interesting views of the kestrel hanging above us.
As discussed earlier Kestrels are easily the commonest bird of prey found here at Farlington, the open grassland providing ample opportunity for prey, which consists mainly of voles, shrews and mice, the same prey that attracts the Short-eared Owls in the winter months.
Back at the bramble bushes next to the information hut there was no sign of very much at all, remarkably quiet when based on the early morning activities. The godwit was still present but ignored, the light now washed out, and there was no sign of the Whinchat. So the decision was taken not to go for the Osprey, we both had seen one recently much closer, so we headed back to the cars and set off for the next planned location, Titchfield Haven.
Parking on the sea front the tide was already quite high, and I reckoned on a car covered with sea water a little later on. From the cars we walked to the visitor centre, and as we approached the harbour bridge Ian mentioned that the reserve have strategically placed some dead branches into the mud in the hope of attracting Kingfishers. On reaching the bridge I looked down and a blue flash gave away the presence of a Kingfisher which flew off into the trees on the left bank of the river.
Uncertain if it would work we played a few Kingfisher calls, and within minutes one appeared on the branch in front of us!
The branch was set in the sunlight with a dark background, which meant some bracketing around under exposing.
The Kingfisher played along as well sitting quite calmly for us.
Then a shuffle around to face us.
Its hard to believe that these feathers have no pigment, but the colour is derived from reflection of the light striking them.
And then he (as this is a male due to the dark lower mandible) was gone, flying off around the bushes just leaving its whistle call in its wake.
We waited but decided to walk on check in at the centre and then head along the east side where all the reports were suggesting an Osprey was sat on a post and "showing well"!
We did get a little distracted as we headed to the Knight's Bank Hide. A Southern Hawker dragonfly decided to settle on the bushes and show rather well
This is a very common dragonfly at this time of year in southern England. The male as this is has pale blue and green markings, while the female is more brown with green markings.
Walking into the hide there was a little bit of a commotion as people strained to look out into the sky. The "showing well" had turned into a "gone"! Apparently a Marsh Harrier had taken offense at the Osprey being present and chased it off, and both birds were now very high heading north away from the reserve and up the Meon Valley. We could just make out a distant dot as they flew away.
The hide emptied, but we remained in valiant hope that never materialised so eventually we decided to head around the the west side and the Meon Shore hide. We couldn't resist another stop at the harbour bridge and sure enough the Kingfisher appeared again. There were two, but it only seemed to be a male that would perch on the branch.
Thee are several birds that stir the soul, a hunting Owl, the sight of an Osprey fishing, but the Kingfisher must surely be one of the top sights. There is something about the combination of electric blue and orange, and the speed in which this electric blue arrow arrives or departs. It is one of those birds that make you happy, that make you smile as you watch it.
We were spared the black background this time, but still the exposure was a challenge.
Sometimes know as a Halcyon which comes from the Greek - Alcyone a moon goddess associated with the solstices who, when Zeus killed her husband Ceyx tried to drown herself and turned into a Kingfisher, while the Latin name Alcedo Atthis refers to a beautiful young woman beloved of Sappho.
It is a stunning bird and we were being treated to an excellent display.
Then once again as quickly as it appeared it was gone, the blue flash once again zipping low across the water and turning with incredible agility around a tight bend and gone from view.
One of the reasons the Kingfishers were about was the high tide and the water rushing through the sluice from the harbour, with this moving water come fish, and as well as the Kingfishers a family of Great Crested Grebes were also diving a little further back. Two adults and two juveniles still with their stripes were present. Here the adult Great Crested Grebe was the closest.
We walked on, the sea was bu now crashing over the sea wall and the cars, there was nothing we could do but head to the Meon Shore Hide. Here the view from the hide, with the dark clouds that now had replaced the bright blue skies and sunshine of the morning
There were a lot of waders at the back of the scrape, with odds closer to the hide. Two Common Sandpiper could be seen on the mud, and were quite mobile flying from island to island. One though came closer, showing well?
Black-tailed Godwits eventually came closer, digging deep into the mud leaving a very different pattern on the face.
It was very much a case of scanning and waiting, although one feature was the complete absence of any hirundines.
A large bird of prey was picked up at the back of the reserve, and when Ian and I got on it we identified it as a Marsh Harrier, which it was, but apparently this wasn't the bird originally seen, and shortly after seeing the harrier another was picked up, and this time it was clear it was an Osprey. As it flew towards us it was mobbed by crows, but its presence flushed all the gulls and waders on the scrape.
The crows though didn't give up and nor did the Osprey it was on a mission.
It headed towards the area in front of the Suffern Hide and then dropped. After a short while it appeared again this time with a fish, from where it then headed north and away into the distance.
We learnt later that the bird was a blue ringed individual, and this has been identified as PT5. It has been around for a few days, and can be identified as a immature bird hatched this year at the Loch of Lowes in Scotland. It was present there until 10th August after which it was not seen, turning up here over the Bank Holiday.
With the Osprey gone, attention turned back to activity around the scrape, a Lapwing in front of the hide.
A pair of Raven flew through heading away to the west. Shortly after several Mediterranean Gulls flew through, this adult and a juvenile.
Single Snipe were picked up on either side of the scrape, one coming a little closer to feed on the edge of an island.
For the record, shooting snipes, was considered an extremely challenging game bird for hunters., and as a result the verb to snipe was given to those with an excellent skill in shooting. This originated in the 1770's in British India, with the noun "sniper" appearing in the 1820s, with the term sniper first being used in 1824.
While dark clouds drifted across there were the odd spells of brief sunshine and this would highlight the Black-headed Gulls roosting on the water.
It also brought the best out of the partially summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwit.
Four Dunlin had been present all afternoon, here three of them feeding in front of the hide.
A sparrowhawk had been seen on one of the fence posts earlier, but after one had flown through close to the hide, all the waders the waders went up, and as things settled down once the all clear was declared, a Common Sandpiper was seen on one of the old posts in front of the hide.
Rain could be seen at the back of the reserve, but it was dry enough where we were to head to the cars. Time had moved on and it was time to go. On reaching the cars we were able to see the results of the high tide washing over the sea wall, not only was the car drenched with salt water, but there was also sea weed, the bright green ulva, or sea lettuce that seems to weld itself to anything, and creeps into places you never would think it could get too!
Driving home I went through patches of wet ground. We had been lucky to miss the rain, and all in all, despite the Wryneck, which was not a surprise, we had quite a good day, although I wish we had opted to camp out in the Suffern Hide.
On the sea wall a scan of North Binness Island did not find the reported Osprey in the dead tree, so we headed towards Point Field. In the bushes were more Whitethroats, and on the Deeps a single Common Sandpiper, and a fly over Whimbrel. Point Field itself was very quiet, and we didn't seen any significant birds until we reached the lake where there was a flock of well over 200 Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank.
Closer inspection found a Spotted Redshank feeding vigorously among the Black-tailed Godwits.
We scanned the lake picking out Dunlin, a couple of Common Sandpipers at the back of the lake along with a single Snipe. Waders, mostly Redshank were flying in from the estuary to swell the significant wader roost of Godwits and Redshank in the middle of the lake. Ian then found two more Whinchat on the fence and in a small tree to our right, and we were able to get quite close to them form the sea wall.
Then they flew into the small bush.
Then out again back onto the fence, where they allowed an even closer approach.
Like all the chats, a very smart well, contained little bird.
Back at the lake we returned to the wader roost, Ian also scanned beyond the reserve and picked out the Osprey on one of the trees on North Binness island. We had managed a sighting in exactly the same way last year, so this is what probably prompted him to check again
We decided to give the Wryneck one more chance, and dropped down from the sea wall to walk across the open grass between the bushes and the stream. As we did so another Kestrel flew towards us and started to hover just above our heads. To complicate matters it was hovering almost directly alongside the sun, but over exposing the shots provided with some interesting views of the kestrel hanging above us.
As discussed earlier Kestrels are easily the commonest bird of prey found here at Farlington, the open grassland providing ample opportunity for prey, which consists mainly of voles, shrews and mice, the same prey that attracts the Short-eared Owls in the winter months.
Kestrels have a reputation of being the medieval villain and
having thuggish credentials due to the relative difficulty in taming the bird, as is the case with other falcons. In
fact the Kestrel was seen as the bird for a Knave while it was an eagle for an
Emperor, and a Peregrine for a Prince.
Much has been written about this wildness in the Kestrel, with perhaps
the most famous being Barry Hines’s book, “A Kestrel for a Knave”, which was
the basis for the film “Kes”
A lot of this is attributed due to the hunting method of
hovering almost motionless over any form of landscape, semi urban to wild open
countryside. In this shot there is a
sense of that exquisite moment as the bird hangs with a motion less head, while
all around it’s fighting to control the wind and the force of gravity.
It drifted away with the breeze with a turn of the head, and an ease the belies the frantic wing flapping we had just witnesses and head off to wards the lake. We walked on and a little farther along the track came across yet another, this time perched on one of the new fence posts put in place to take what seems to be anew electric fence.
It was then the challenge how close could we get, creeping closer, stopping, then setting off again. Finally we flushed it from its perch and it flew off low over the tops of the bramble bushes as alarm calls rang out from within the distant Hawthorn bushes.
Back at the bramble bushes next to the information hut there was no sign of very much at all, remarkably quiet when based on the early morning activities. The godwit was still present but ignored, the light now washed out, and there was no sign of the Whinchat. So the decision was taken not to go for the Osprey, we both had seen one recently much closer, so we headed back to the cars and set off for the next planned location, Titchfield Haven.
Parking on the sea front the tide was already quite high, and I reckoned on a car covered with sea water a little later on. From the cars we walked to the visitor centre, and as we approached the harbour bridge Ian mentioned that the reserve have strategically placed some dead branches into the mud in the hope of attracting Kingfishers. On reaching the bridge I looked down and a blue flash gave away the presence of a Kingfisher which flew off into the trees on the left bank of the river.
Uncertain if it would work we played a few Kingfisher calls, and within minutes one appeared on the branch in front of us!
The branch was set in the sunlight with a dark background, which meant some bracketing around under exposing.
The Kingfisher played along as well sitting quite calmly for us.
Then a shuffle around to face us.
Its hard to believe that these feathers have no pigment, but the colour is derived from reflection of the light striking them.
And then he (as this is a male due to the dark lower mandible) was gone, flying off around the bushes just leaving its whistle call in its wake.
We waited but decided to walk on check in at the centre and then head along the east side where all the reports were suggesting an Osprey was sat on a post and "showing well"!
We did get a little distracted as we headed to the Knight's Bank Hide. A Southern Hawker dragonfly decided to settle on the bushes and show rather well
This is a very common dragonfly at this time of year in southern England. The male as this is has pale blue and green markings, while the female is more brown with green markings.
Walking into the hide there was a little bit of a commotion as people strained to look out into the sky. The "showing well" had turned into a "gone"! Apparently a Marsh Harrier had taken offense at the Osprey being present and chased it off, and both birds were now very high heading north away from the reserve and up the Meon Valley. We could just make out a distant dot as they flew away.
The hide emptied, but we remained in valiant hope that never materialised so eventually we decided to head around the the west side and the Meon Shore hide. We couldn't resist another stop at the harbour bridge and sure enough the Kingfisher appeared again. There were two, but it only seemed to be a male that would perch on the branch.
Thee are several birds that stir the soul, a hunting Owl, the sight of an Osprey fishing, but the Kingfisher must surely be one of the top sights. There is something about the combination of electric blue and orange, and the speed in which this electric blue arrow arrives or departs. It is one of those birds that make you happy, that make you smile as you watch it.
We were spared the black background this time, but still the exposure was a challenge.
Sometimes know as a Halcyon which comes from the Greek - Alcyone a moon goddess associated with the solstices who, when Zeus killed her husband Ceyx tried to drown herself and turned into a Kingfisher, while the Latin name Alcedo Atthis refers to a beautiful young woman beloved of Sappho.
It is a stunning bird and we were being treated to an excellent display.
Then once again as quickly as it appeared it was gone, the blue flash once again zipping low across the water and turning with incredible agility around a tight bend and gone from view.
One of the reasons the Kingfishers were about was the high tide and the water rushing through the sluice from the harbour, with this moving water come fish, and as well as the Kingfishers a family of Great Crested Grebes were also diving a little further back. Two adults and two juveniles still with their stripes were present. Here the adult Great Crested Grebe was the closest.
We walked on, the sea was bu now crashing over the sea wall and the cars, there was nothing we could do but head to the Meon Shore Hide. Here the view from the hide, with the dark clouds that now had replaced the bright blue skies and sunshine of the morning
There were a lot of waders at the back of the scrape, with odds closer to the hide. Two Common Sandpiper could be seen on the mud, and were quite mobile flying from island to island. One though came closer, showing well?
Black-tailed Godwits eventually came closer, digging deep into the mud leaving a very different pattern on the face.
It was very much a case of scanning and waiting, although one feature was the complete absence of any hirundines.
A large bird of prey was picked up at the back of the reserve, and when Ian and I got on it we identified it as a Marsh Harrier, which it was, but apparently this wasn't the bird originally seen, and shortly after seeing the harrier another was picked up, and this time it was clear it was an Osprey. As it flew towards us it was mobbed by crows, but its presence flushed all the gulls and waders on the scrape.
The crows though didn't give up and nor did the Osprey it was on a mission.
It headed towards the area in front of the Suffern Hide and then dropped. After a short while it appeared again this time with a fish, from where it then headed north and away into the distance.
We learnt later that the bird was a blue ringed individual, and this has been identified as PT5. It has been around for a few days, and can be identified as a immature bird hatched this year at the Loch of Lowes in Scotland. It was present there until 10th August after which it was not seen, turning up here over the Bank Holiday.
With the Osprey gone, attention turned back to activity around the scrape, a Lapwing in front of the hide.
A pair of Raven flew through heading away to the west. Shortly after several Mediterranean Gulls flew through, this adult and a juvenile.
Single Snipe were picked up on either side of the scrape, one coming a little closer to feed on the edge of an island.
For the record, shooting snipes, was considered an extremely challenging game bird for hunters., and as a result the verb to snipe was given to those with an excellent skill in shooting. This originated in the 1770's in British India, with the noun "sniper" appearing in the 1820s, with the term sniper first being used in 1824.
While dark clouds drifted across there were the odd spells of brief sunshine and this would highlight the Black-headed Gulls roosting on the water.
It also brought the best out of the partially summer plumaged Black-tailed Godwit.
Four Dunlin had been present all afternoon, here three of them feeding in front of the hide.
A sparrowhawk had been seen on one of the fence posts earlier, but after one had flown through close to the hide, all the waders the waders went up, and as things settled down once the all clear was declared, a Common Sandpiper was seen on one of the old posts in front of the hide.
Rain could be seen at the back of the reserve, but it was dry enough where we were to head to the cars. Time had moved on and it was time to go. On reaching the cars we were able to see the results of the high tide washing over the sea wall, not only was the car drenched with salt water, but there was also sea weed, the bright green ulva, or sea lettuce that seems to weld itself to anything, and creeps into places you never would think it could get too!
Driving home I went through patches of wet ground. We had been lucky to miss the rain, and all in all, despite the Wryneck, which was not a surprise, we had quite a good day, although I wish we had opted to camp out in the Suffern Hide.
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