Just like yesterday morning the tide was very high. There was a group of Brent Geese out on the water, and one or two Great crested Grebes. With it being high tide we expected a roost at the lake and there was but maybe not the numbers we had assumed. Usually there are good numbers of Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank, but we could only find a few gathered in the far northern corner. There were around thirty Avocet, and good numbers of Pintail. With everything being distant the trick is to wait for the tide to fall and then pick off the birds as they leave the roost and head out onto the mudflats. Checking the tide times, high tide was 9.30am, it would depend on how quickly the tide fell, and at that moment it didn't look like it was moving at all.
It was very still, hardly a breeze but conditions were gloomy, although there was brighter conditions out to the south. We scanned the lake and reed bed, Ian then pointed out a Bearded Tit in the middle of the reed bed. I could just make out a white spot, which, on closer inspection was a male Bearded Tit.
There was more than one and every so often we could see them come to the top, or they would drop down and the reeds would move. With there not being any wind it was possible to track them as they moved, the reed tops waving as they did so.
As well as the Bearded Tits there were also several Reed Buntings, they were all feeding on the seed heads of the reeds, the conditions perfect for them. The Bearded Tits then exploded from the reeds accompanied by their contact "ping " calls. We stood and watched as the males came closer and showed off their acrobatics in perching on the reed stems.
It was though only fleeting views, but that sometimes adds to the scene.
Then a group came even closer, but unfortunately (can I say that?) the best views were provided by a female which lacks the impressive moustached markings of the male, but still a lovely rufous brown.
There is still though the beady eye and amazing legs.
She was also ripping the seed heads off the reeds and picking out the seeds
We watched the Bearded Tits for about 45 minutes, and in that time it appeared as if the tide hadn't moved. The birds out on the lake were still present and the only ones that kept coming and going were the Brent Geese. Out on the fields beyond the lake were large gatherings of Brent and Canada Geese, while every so often the flocks of Starlings would take to the air, clumped together in a tight ball if there was some kind of threat, loosely spread out if they were just moving around.
We decided to walk down to Point Field to waste some time before the tide started to fall. A Wren appeared on the fence post below us and alerted everyone to its presence with the rattling song.
There were Stonechat and Meadow Pipits around the fence and bramble bushes, and lots of Goldfinches feeding on the old seed heads. A Little Egret was hunting in the ditch.
A Marsh Harrier put up all the occupants of the fields, and flew over Point field and headed across Langstone Harbour towards Hayling. In Point field there were more Meadow Pipits, a pair of Stonechat and plenty of Greenfinch and Goldfinches. There was though no sign of any Short-eared Owls, a bird that has not been seen here with any regularity for some time. There could be several reasons for this, suppression of records, the placing of spikes on the posts to deter predator birds, or the fact that they have not been moving through. The bottom line though is that I haven't seen one for sometime.
We decided to head back to the Lake. The weather had suddenly changed with the skies clearing and the sun coming out. This increased the temperature and having dressed for cold damp conditions it was no w feeling quite warm.
The Canada Geese preening on a small pool were throwing some lovely reflections in the still water, highlighted now by the winter sunshine.
A feature of the marshes here at this time of year is the coming and going of the Brent Geese accompanied by their contact calls as the family parties move to and fro the mudflats and marsh.
The sound of winter on the south coast.
The sunshine changes the whole scene, turning the reed bed from a dirty grey brown to a lovely russet brown colour.
Approaching the lake I noticed a drake Mallard drifting through the reflection in the water of the reed stems. The sunshine changes and enhances all birds, even the overlooked Mallard
Another view across the lake.
and a completely different perspective of the reed bed.
The tide was still very high, it was now two hours after high tide, and it was if nothing had changed, there had been some drop but not enough to encourage the waders to move. There were four Greenshank at the back of the lake along with Redshank and a few Black-tailed Godwits, they were all quite happy in the sunshine. The Avocet too were all still grouped together heads under their wings. The only birds moving were Lapwing, every so often flocks would take off from the marshes and eventually break up with odd birds flying over the lake.
There was though plenty of activity in the reed bed, with plenty of ping calls and Bearded Tits fly back and forth over the top of the reeds. They would come close and we slipped down the sea wall to get closer, it proved to be an excellent move. A male showing well
They would move up and down the reed stems, disappearing at times to forage on the ground for seeds knocked out either by themselves or by the wind.
Some nice to know facts about the Bearded Tit, that will allow you to impress your friends:
Despite its name, the bearded tit is neither bearded nor a
tit! It actually has a moustachioed-look to its plumage and for a while it was
considered a member of the parrotbill family, but now it is thought to be more
closely related to larks.
Bearded tits are the only British songbird to stay in
reed beds all year round. Originally they were limited by the availability of
reed beds in Britain, but thanks to newly created or expanded reed beds, they are
now more widespread and can be found in parts of eastern and southern England,
Morecambe Bay in northwest England and around the Tay estuary in Scotland.
This male was putting on a very special show. Back to the facts:
Bearded tits survive in the reed beds all year round by
changing their diet from insects during the spring and summer, to seeds in the
autumn and winter. They cope with this by altering their gut morphology, and by
eating large amounts of grit particles that help to grind down the tough seed
fibres.
Although bearded tits are not well known for migration,
there is some movement in the autumn through local dispersal. On occasion,
there is also an influx of continental birds from mainland Europe. They are
more gregarious outside of the breeding season, and therefore tend to be easier
to see.
There are only around 630 breeding pairs of bearded tits
found in Britain, most likely due to the fact that they are limited by habitat.
They build their nests low down in the reeds, often on piles of dead reed
stems. They will use specially designed nest boxes, which have been created to
bypass their susceptibility to flooding. They are prolific breeders that can
have up to four broods a year, with four to eight eggs per brood!
Any views of Bearded Tits are special, they are as has been said a reed bed specialty and therefore not a regular sighting. With the colours, moustache and acrobatic antics they are a truly special event.
Then this male totally surprised us by flying from the reed bed, and on to a bramble stem alongside us. Not the habitat you would expect to see this bird in.
Then almost as if it realised its mistake it was off back into the safety of the reeds.
With the Bearded Tit show over the waders and duck on the lake were beginning to move. First to make the break were the Redshank. They were based in the north eastern corner of the lake, and would set off in groups of up to half a dozen birds, flying low over the lake, and then turning to their right to follow the open water and then up over the sea wall.
At first you can track them, but as they turn and head for the sea wall, where they will be at their closest they seem to gain speed and are past you before it is possible to react properly. You rely on a lot of luck. As well as tracking the birds there is the little matter of exposure which in its self is probably the bigger issue.
Here the Redshank low over the lake
Then they turn, gain speed and go in front of the darker reeds.
The Brent were a lot easier, here two adults and two juveniles (of which there appear to be good numbers this year) head across the lake, the adult birds calling for contact and maybe encouragement?
The odd Curlew would pass over.
Then three Gadwall.
The bearded Tits were still showing, but without the sun much more distantly, you could see them flying between the gaps in the reeds.
We had seen the Greenshank at the back of the lake, but we thought only four, in fact six flew past us and out onto the mud. Here are two of them.
There were two birds we were specifically waiting for. One was the Avocet, who were showing no sign of moving, the other was the Pintail. It was the Pintail to move first, he I have isolated a drake as it passed us heading out to the harbour.
As I have said many times, my favourite Duck!
It was now 12.30pm, three hours after high tide, and there was still no sign of visible mud, the water though was shallow as you could see the waders that had left standing out in the middle. We were just about to doubt the Avocet would ever leave and were considering going back for something to eat when suddenly the Avocet took off. They to came across the lake which was a shame as we had hoped they would go the other way.
They then followed the same route the Redshank had taken, heading out to the area to the west.
If they had gone the other way they probably would have banked showing the lovely black and white plumage.
Then they dropped and headed low across the mud.
With the Avocet gone we were just about to head back when a small group pf Black-tailed Godwits could be seen high over the lake.
After lunch we took the path out past the visitor centre. Everything was quiet with very few birds about. The fields though were full of Brent Geese but very distantly. As we reached the sea wall the tide was fully out now. Waders could be seen distantly on the waters edge, and Great crested Grebes and a single male Red-breasted Merganser were in the main channel.
At Point Field there was no Short-eared Owl, but a Kestrel was hunting from above
It wouldn't be Farlington without a Kestrel.
It was gloomy once again, the sun having disappeared and the threat of rain was all around. We completed the loop arriving back at the lake where the Pintail were still present. Mostly drakes they sat together drifting in the water.
Pintails are dabbling ducks and feed by upending, they also are able to lift straight of from the water rather than running across the water. It was nice the way they seemed to synchronise their movements in the water
One or two flew off, this individual with its two females was extending its neck as it looked to fly.
It did fly and I missed it. It left this pair looking superb.
We moved on now as the rain had started, the weekend ending where it started with heavy drizzle, but in between we had some good encounters, some quality birds and despite the weather some great photographs.
