Still, calm conditions through the latter half of the week continued overnight, there was thick fog at home in Four Marks, but as I headed south this lifted and became just a light mist. On arriving at the sea wall at Titchfield the visibility across the Solent was not good and the light on cruise ship above glowed through the gloom as it slowly made its way up Southampton Water.
The tide was high, but there was an amount of beach visible which was covered in Turnstone. On the shoreline Brent and Oystercatchers fed and in amongst them were a good number of Sanderling.
Slowly the light began to break through as sun rise came and passed, the sun still obscured by the mist away to the east.
As the light improved it became clear that there were many more Sanderling on the beach just up from the shore line. I grabbed the camera and made my way onto the beach, crouching down low and approaching them slowly so not to unduly disturb them.
There were two main groups, one higher up the beach, the other just at the edge of the tide line. Those close to the water were constantly shuffling to avoid the splashes from the waves breaking. Every so often a larger wave would break and there would be an outbreak of hopping about to find a dry spot and then the head would return to its tucked position under the wing.
Every so often one or two would also break away and search through the weed and rocks scattered along the beach.
I love watching the groups as most have their heads tucked under their wings and twist and rock as one eye looks out for possible danger. One or two though will be alert and you can pick out the alert bird and focus on it.
Here the symmetry of two roosting birds either side of one looking straight at me.
Those eagle eyed amongst you, will have noticed that some have blue and white rings on the legs, these are birds ringed on Hayling Island.
I actually managed to count about 80 birds at roost, but there was every chance that there were more as they kept moving around and others were possibly further up the shore.
A dog walker came too close and suddenly the heads went up, a few calls were made and then they were off flying out over the sea. A flash of silvery white to start with
Then as they banked around the darker grey of the wings and the white wing bars very evident.
They returned to the beach despite the disturbance, but were still alert.
But then they were off again this time spending a little longer flying around off shore before returning once again.
Banking around with the rising sun lighting up the water through the thinning mist.
Higher up the beach there were a few Ringed Plover present. The bird on the right just out of focus has a green and black ring, apparently this bird was ringed in Germany close to the Denmark border.
As well as the Ringed Plover there were also two Dunlin.
But I couldn't keep away from the Sanderling, I love the silvery grey winter plumage it is so distinctive compared to the other small waders.
Then they were off , this time for what seemed to be for good as they headed off in the direction of the harbour.
The sun, while still not out from behind the mist, was throwing some early morning colour onto the water, providing a golden hue to the breaking waves along the beach.
and lighting up the sky through a hole in the cloud, maybe we could be lucky and have sunshine through the day.
Then finally the sun appearing just above the mist.
We decided to walk around to the sailing club slipway, divers had been seen off there in the week and the area can be sheltered and despite the calm conditions it was still a likttle easier around there than out in the main sea.
Unfortunately there was nothing off the slip way, the tide was high in the harbour and the Black-headed Gulls were all lined up oin the harbour wall taking in what there was of the sun's rays.
I then picked up what I thought at first was a crow coming across the water being chased by a Black-headed Gull. It was avoiding the attacks from the gul by twisting away, something I had never seen a Crow do and come to think of it it I had never seen a gull concerned about a crow at this time of year.
As the dark bird came closer in banked showing long pointed wings with white flashes at the base of the primaries, this was no crow, this was a Great Skua. It came over our heads continuing to twist and turn despite the gull deciding it wasn't worth chasing. I had called to Ian and we started to photograph it, but with the murky dark sky they were never going to be special, but they show that this was very much a Great Skua, the white wing flashes and the gull like head and bill.
It headed off towards the west following the shore and continuing to twist and turn, sometimes almost 360 degrees. It was later seen off Fawley and further up Southampton Water at Weston Shore. Apparently it continued to perform the twist and turns and the consensus was that made all was not well neurologically.
Elated, we headed back to the cars and decided to watch the sea, almost immediately Ian picked up a Great Northern Diver flying west towards Southampton Water once again.
We also had three Eider, and six Goosander heading west, three male and three female. With this activity we considered a better position would be up on the cliffs at Brownwich so we made our way along the beach and then up onto the cliff, stopping at the first open point. The sky was ever changing the sun still fighting the mist but not managing to break through.
Sanderling continued to occupy us, this time we could look down on them as they moved along the shoreline below the cliff, walkers disturbing them.
And again out over the water, this one ensuring it didn't lose its prize limpet.
Another |Great Northern Diver then dropped on to the sea a little distant but still good enough for a reasonable photoigraph.
Along with the birds on the sea was a yacht that was accompanied by another boat that appeared to be filming it.
A Red-throated Diver was picked up going east, identified from Ian's photographs, and out on the sea there were groups of six and sixteen Eider, mostly males. Making up the cast were about six Great-crested Grebes.
Behind on the field there were large groups of small birds, we could hear Skylark and Meadow Pipits but there were also several Linnet and Goldfinch flocks. A female Stonechat appeared in the scrub bushes close to the path.
The sun had now finally won its fight with the mist and was out creating a lovely day and with it came the crowds. We left the cliffs and headed back to the cars.
We decided to walk around the harbour and sailing club once again, but did not get far, distracted once again by the Sanderling roosting on the beach behind the sailing club.
They were all packed together and it seemed right to try a black and white image.
The roost with a background of breaking waves.
Again one bird alert to any possible danger.
Pulling ourselves away from the Sanderling next stop was the bridge at the harbour. The reserve itself is closed so the closest we could get was looking out across the reed bed towards the scrape and then north up the Meon River.
Three Little Grebes were on the water below us, the reeds throwing lovely reflections in the water.
The hoped for Kingfisher did not materialise and despite hearing the pings of Bearded Tits they too, did not show themselves. A Mediterranean Gull flew up the Meon Valley.
A distant Marsh Harrier, a female bird then gradually made its way towards us, normally they stay at a distance over the reeds but this one kept coming closer allowing us some great views.
With perfect light and a very confiding bird produced some of the best Marsh Harrier pictures here at Titchfield Haven.
Ironic then that the best views of the Titchfield Haven Marsh Harriers came from when the reserve was closed.
With the Marsh Harrier drifting away we turned back to the Little Grebe, now right below us.
Here you can see the legs, positioned at the back of the body, something we will see benefits them as the dive.
The water was very clear and we could follow the Little Grebes as they dived for fish and even shrimp.
The way the grebe uses its legs was fascinating. Here the sequence
The legs are turned out at ninety degrees to the body to obtain the maximum thrust, you can also see the lobed feet.
Once again
And again
A pair of Gadwall drifted past
The Black-headed Gulls were also looking for any opportunity of food from the many people that were about.
The other Little Grebes were looking very special in the reflections of the reeds in the water.
This one swimming through the reflection of the reserve sign asking for no fishing.
It was time to move on, the plan was to go to the top of the canal path, after lunch we turned up at the car park but there was no space, eventually we found somewhere to park and walked down the path. We were here to try and see the Barn Owls flying, so the first stop was to check if the owl was about. Fortunately there was a gap in the leaves which were still on the tree. We could make out a sleeping Barn Owl in its usual spot.
If Sanderling are irresistible to my camera then so are the trees at Posbrook Floods on the canal path. Here looking south.
And here looking north as we walked back to wards the car park
Around the floods and the canal were full of goats, these Magpie hitching a ride on one.
We parked ourselves at the point where we could watch the owl, but it was still sleeping and didn't look as if it would be going anywhere soon. Out on the floods were Pintail.
Black-tailed Godwits flew in.
In the field in front of the owl's tree a pair of Roe Deer appeared.
But through all this the owl slept on. As the sun dropped in the sky we hoped it might make a move but as it became murkier it was clear it had no intention of moving, probably having had plenty of opportunity to hunt and cache food.
So the day came to an end, some wonderful weather, some great photo opportunities and the pleasant surprise of the Great Skua coupled with a year tick Red-throated Diver. It was just the Barn Owl that let us down, we will have to come back.
