I decided late afternoon to make a visit to Farlington Marshes, the Short-eared Owls have been showing really well and I had been wanting to catch up with them. The conditions were perfect, clear skies winter sunshine and cold. I couldn't believe the car parks when I arrived and just managed to find a space. Amazingly though, despite the number of cars there were not too many people around the sea wall.
I headed around the west side of the reserve, pausing at the Lake to check the duck on a partially frozen piece of water, the tide was low and there was not a lot of wildfowl present. This pair of Teal were standing on the ice that was surrounding the reeds, I like the blurred reflection on the ice.
At the back of the lake a Grey Heron glided slowly over the water caught against a background of golden reeds lit up by the late afternoon sunshine
On the other side of the wall the water was pouring out of the sluice into the harbour, a Greenshank was scuttering about feeding in the flowing water.
A Curlew was also present but its actions were more tempered, wading slowly through the flowing water.
I moved on quickly, heading towards Point Field where a crowd of people were now gathered. I assumed position on the west side of the field with the sun on my back and waited.
The support act appeared, a Kestrel, and hovered above the field before drifting away, then after a little while the shout went up, "owl" and a Shortie appeared from between the bramble and gorse bushes.
It flew to a small tree on the edge of the field.
From here it scanned the filed as if to be determining if it was ok to hunt.
Then it flew off, dropping below the bushes.
It was then picked up heading across the marsh towards the reed bed at the back of the Lake. I watched it go and pondered the decision, do I follow or do I stay and see if it returns or another appears. I elected for the former and set off back around the sea wall watching the progress of the owl as it made its way over the meadow.
It settled on the posts for a while but was soon off, quartering the scrubby grass area, before flying over and around the reeds, all the time in the beautiful golden winter sunlight.
Then from the reed bed it drifted along the wire fence moving closer towards the sea wall and the sluice.
Twisting and turning and occasionally dropping into the grass, but coming up with nothing.
It returned to one of the posts again and sat there looking around the area.
I was distracted by the huge numbers of Brent Geese coming across the marshes, despite the distance and the noise of the traffic their calls were easily heard.
Back to the Shortie, it left the post and continued to quarter the shorter grass along side the fence.
It then turned and headed across the Lake to the north side where it settled for awhile. I then picked it up crossing the reed bed where it had a tussle with a female Marsh Harrier that appeared from out of the reeds, before heading at height back across the marsh towards Point Field.
I had to wonder if the owl had decided there were too many people around Point field and decided to move away until they had dispersed as they had. Now it was quieter it had returned. I decided to make my way back, but arrived a little later than the owl, which had decided to go back into hiding. The Kestrel appeared once again as if to provide some entertainment while we waited for the the owl to return, but it never did while there was sufficient light.
As the sun slipped away behind the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth I walked back towards the car park.
This is the best time to view the cityscape of Portsmouth, even the incinerator looks acceptable.
Looking away to the north east the setting sun was producing a pink hue to the sky, which was reflecting in the ice and water of the Lake.
The Pintail were reflecting nicely in the pink waters of the lake, albeit a little grainy in the gloom.
It was a good show, but of course I always want more and I always want closer, I decided to return, and soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment