The pouring rain eased as I pulled onto the A27 just outside Titchfield, and when I pulled up at the sea wall there was a little drizzle, that did peter out for a while, in fact enough for us to spend some time searching the beach behind the sailing club. A group of ten Sanderling was the highlight, but we only managed views as the flew past us heading east. Out on the sea was the first substantial flock of Brent Geese of the autumn.
The sea was dead calm, and even with the tide rising, there was no concerns today of the sea crashing over the wall and over the car! As group of duck out on the sea turned out to be Gadwall, their identification confirmed as they took off and flew over our heads and up the Meon towards the reserve.
As we stood talking while waiting for the reserve to open we were entertained by the challenge of photographing the Oystercatcher that would fly over as the rising tide covered the shingle bar.
Here a strange flying position.
While others flew synchronised.
A Little Egret flew past with a slow and elegant flight in comparison.
There was also a passage of Swallows heading out over the water, and higher we could hear and see both Skylarks and Meadow Pipits, although there did not appear to be any definite movement in any direction
The Brent drifted closer on the tide, their continual calls floating out across the water.
I counted 69, Ian counted 70.
We walked to the bridge to look for Kingfisher, which did appear but veered away as it approached the branch.
Out on the tern islands a Cormorant dried its wings, there had been four diving and hunting all along the edge of the reeds.
With the tide reducing the amount of shingle and mud available the Turnstone moved to the groynes. These dumpy waders are quite resourceful and are quite prepared to search more unfamiliar surroundings for food.
They showed no fear of the passing cars, which I can't say we did, the speed at which some cars drive through a very narrow stretch is quite amazing.
We picked up the day permits and then headed off to the west side of the reserve. The weather was still behaving, but away across the Solent we could see the black clouds amassing.
The Meon Shore Hide was probably the best place to be, and with their only being one person in there when we arrived we were able to camp out in the middle of the hide. Looking out the water levels were high, the water itself mirror like, and almost in front of us was a feeding Common Sandpiper on one area that was exposed mud.
The high water level had pushed the sandpiper closer to the hide. On recent visits the area away to the left was exposed and the smaller waders would prefer to feed there, making any photography difficult but possible. Today it was much closer in, however it was the gloom tat didn't help today.
It would circumvent the small island and then wander through the middle.
After a while it was joined by a Redshank.
Teal were probably the most numerous duck on the scrape, followed by Mallard and Gadwall. There were also two Shoveler, but no sign of any Wigeon. A flock of twelve Pintail flew over the scrape heading out to see having come form further up the Meon valley, probably Posbrook Floods which could now hold quite a bit of water after the rain.
Several of the drake Teal were showing breeding plumage, and at one point several males could be seen displaying and calling to a single female. This drake was filter feeding in front of the hide.
With the Common Sandpiper in front of us there was suddenly panic across the scrape and large female Sparrowhawk appeared from over the hide, dropped low to the ground and headed straight for the sandpiper. The wader flew off, twisting and turning and the Sparrowhawk missed, turning away and heading low to the right and a perch within the reed bed. As a result of the attack the waders were all up in the air, and notably a group of twelve Snipe could be seen flying around, and finally coming down to settle on one of the islands.
They did not stay together too long and here four remained on one of the closer islands.
After its near miss with the sparrowhawk the Common Sandpiper flew off to the north side of the scrape, but proceeded to make its way bake by way of the west shoreline and the many islands dotted around the scrape. Finally it flew in a settled on a post just behind its usual island.
It would bob on the post as it viewed all around it.
The duck and waders close by were all rather nervous, and every so often they would fly away to the centre of the scrape. Another Sparrowhawk was then found, this time a male, sitting on one of the fence posts. In the scope view you could see the Sparrowhawk, and behind it was a Buzzard on another post. The Sparrowhawk then dropped from the post and flew low over the water and into the vegetation on the north side, chasing some of the Starlings. Once again the attempt failed and we watched the hawk fly off and into a tree in front of the west hide. As it flew in at least four Woodpigeon flew out.
Other waders on the scrape were a handful of Black-tailed Godwits, a single Avocet that spent much of the time sat on one of the far islands and a sizeable high tide roost of Oystercatcher that had been counted the previous day to include 96 birds.
There were plenty of Lapwing about, every so often they would all fly up and the flock would circle around with their large black and white butterfly wings contrasting with the whiteness of the overcast sky.In addition there were at least a dozen Redshank about, and one of these seemed to upset a Lapwing and the Lapwing flew at it, forcing the Redshank to take evasive action dropping low in the water.
It looked as if the lapwing realised its mistake and continued to fly on in the hope that nobody realised its mistake.
Settling briefly in the shallow water, before rejoining the rest of the Lapwing
The rain was persistent but not that heavy, more annoying. A group of about six House Martin appeared hawking for insects over the reed bed and out over the scrape. They were joined by at least two Swallows.
Ian then decided to go back to the van to get his lunch, and I sat back and waited for something to turn up. And of course it did, first one Kingfisher appeared.
Followed quite quickly by another.
Both birds were males, but seemed to be quite happy around each other.
The furthest one sitting on the tern island then flew closer, daring in to perch on the post that the Common Sandpiper had settled on earlier.
It was then a case of slight movement, here bill pointing up.
Then it flew to the bench like shape.
And started to call.
A check down in the water, but I can't believe that there was much there to catch.
Front on it looks a bit like Timmy Thomas, the white throat feathers creating the look of a very fluffy moustache.
Then back to more calling. The call was slightly different to what is normally heard, and it wasn't clear if it was calling to attract the other, or that it wasn't happy with it about.
Ian then arrived back with the other Kingfisher still sitting proudly on the "B" sign. It too flew to the post, as if copying the other bird.
And again like the other bird from the post to the bench, and a similar mustached look.
And then off into the reeds. One bird did return heading away across the scrape and off in the direction of the West Hide.
Attention then turned to a Little Egret that flew into the island in front of the hide. At first the Common Sandpiper was a little nervous of it, but once it realised the egret was not interested it continued its lap of the island once again.
The egret walked across the island towards us.
It was a case of stop and go, and as it went it was stabbing at what we can only think were small insects on the surface of the water.
What with the weather, and the lack of birds, a Little Egret close in can provide some satisfying photographic opportunities. The egret proceeded to come closer, and we thought it was heading into the reeds where the water looked clearer.
But then it turned around and strode back to the shallower water close to the island, and just paused with crossed legs
Then walked to the left hand side, and adopted the all to familiar pose.
But another panic from the Teal close to the reeds saw everything fly off and the egret went with them.
After awhile all settled down again and the Common Sandpiper returned once more after a tour of the scrape.
It was raining, but not the sort of the rain that stops you doing anything. We decided it was time for a change and we left the Meon Shore and walked back to the cars, dropped the scope and headed for the west side. At the bridge there was no sign of the Kingfishers, but there was a very confiding Little Grebe sheltering under the reeds.
There were several Cormorant fishing together close to the bridge and I think that the grebe was a little wary of them. As they swam off back into the open water the grebe came out of the reeds, stretched its wings and then started diving. You could see it go down, and I was surprised at how deep it dived.
We headed down the boardwalk with the calls of Long-tailed Tits and the odd wren in the trees and bushes on either side. We stopped to look and listen for anything that might sound different but there was nothing.
We headed all the way down to the Knights Bank hide and as we approached we encountered another large flock of Long-tailed Tits. Again we stopped waited and listened. This time there were other birds. Meadow Pipits were at the back of the bank, and House Martins and Swallows low over the trees and out over the meadow. With the tits were a good number of Chiffchaff and they showed well in a bush close to the hide.
We stood and watched in the hope that there could be a smaller warbler in with the Chiffchaff, but once again our luck wasn't in and we had to be content with some great views of the commoner Chiffchaff.
We spent some time in the hide where out on the meadow were a pair of Stonechat, and on the Frying Pan a group of four Wigeon. The Swallows and House Martins continued to hawk low over the field. These will probably be the last sighting for the year, where has 2019 gone?
We decided to walk down to the Suffern Hide. As we arrived there was little going on. Three Cormorants were on the branches along with a Herring Gull, and on the water were several Gadwall and Great Crested Grebe.
The rain then started to really kick in, the heaviest we had all day. It was quite gloomy and quiet, the only entertainment being a distant Buzzard in a tree on the west side.
With the gloom I wondered if it would work in black and white but I am not sure.
An immature Grey Heron then flew past and settled on the dead tree on the corner of the reeds. Here you can see the rain falling!
Some activity in the bushes to the right of the hide saw a few Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits in the reeds and bushes and with them this little Goldcrest.
Then I heard a Kingfisher call. Ian played some tape and I saw it fly just below the reeds to a post on the edge of the reeds where it sat looking at us.
Then it flew low across the water and ended up in the tree to the right of the hide. But of course it didn't sit out in the open, it tucked itself well in amongst the branches.
Then it flew off to the branches in the water. While it was a way off, the very light grey of the water and the stark monochromatic scene created by the weather was punctuated by the bright orange and blues of the Kingfisher.
It was a male, and from the bushiness of the white throat feathers I suspect it was one of the birds we had seen earlier on the scrape.
Then it flew straight at us and under the hide, only to appear again in the trees on the side. Then again below the reeds where it found a post. We could see it, but focusing was difficult through the reeds. Finally I found a spot and was able to get some atmospheric shots.
Then another appeared, and the first bird flew at it to chase it off. The second bird then took evasive action diving into the water to escape. The first bird then returned to the branches in the water for some more monochromatic shots.
Then one more time on the post in the reeds and more auto focus challenges.
It was at this point we realised the Kingfisher had entertained us with its game of hide and seek for over an hour. The rain was still falling, but it had all been forgotten. It was time to leave, and as we walked back to the cars we reflected on a day that by all rights should have been a disaster, but in fact we had enjoyed some great views of while not exceptional birds, but great entertainment non the less. Kingfisher sightings always warm the heart, and the two we had encountered today certainly did that. Hopefully our next outing will be in better conditions.
No comments:
Post a Comment