29th April - Titchfield Haven and Fishlake Meadows, Hampshire

Over the last few days there have been easterly and south easterly winds blowing, but they were very light and have not produced a lot on the sea.  This morning the forecast was for more of the same, light south easterlies with some mist early then sunshine.  Arriving at Hill Head the tide was high and the sea very still, there was hardly any breeze.  Out on the water several Common Terns were fishing while others rested on the buoys.

Oystercatchers were moving along the shore, their reflections demonstrating the calm conditions.

The tide wasn't a high one and there was still plenty of beach available, nothing was moving off shore so I decided to walk down to the beach where there were small waders feeding along the water's edge.

There were Turnstone, of course and the Sanderling, however the difference was the waders were assuming their breeding plumage making for some very different photographs.

There were about thirty Sanderling feeding along the tide line, many showing different amounts of breeding plumage.  You’ll most often see Sanderlings in nonbreeding plumage, when they are very pale overall: light grey above and white below, with a blackish mark at the shoulder. In spring and summer, however, Sanderlings are spangled black, white, and rich rufous on the head, neck, and back. At all times, their legs and bills are black. In flight, white wing stripes contrast with dark wings.

This individual was probably the most advanced, the rufous and black speckling extending around the neck and head, this will become a deeper darker colour in a few weeks time.

Here a lovely view of the rufous, back and grey fringes of the feathers.

The name Sanderling derives from Old English sand-yrðling, meaning "sand-ploughman"

This bird is similar in size to a Dunlin, but stouter, with a thick bill. It shows a strong white wing bar in flight, and runs along the sandy beaches it prefers with a characteristic "bicycling" action of its legs, stopping frequently to pick small food items. 

Sanderlings feed on invertebrate prey buried in the sand in the upper intertidal zone. When the tide is out, these crustaceans live in burrows some way beneath the surface. When the tide comes in, they move into the upper layers of sand and feed on the plankton and detritus that washes over them with each wave. They then burrow rapidly down again as the water retreats. They leave no marks on the surface, so the sanderlings hunt for them by plunging their beaks into the sand at random, consuming whatever they find. Their bills can penetrate only 2 or 3 cm and as the water swirls around and retreats, the sand is softer; this makes it easier for the birds' beaks to penetrate further.

The birds appear to rush madly around at the edge of the surf, but in reality they are maximising their chances of catching as many prey animals as possible when they are at their most vulnerable near the surface.

Gradually I was able to get closer and to be able to get closer to the ground to photograph almost at eye level to produce a different perspective.

It was really nice to be able to appreciate these little waders in a different plumage, maybe they won't be heading north, but I like to think they would be.

There was a bonus in that along with the Sanderling there was also three Dunlin all in summer plumage.  Normally Dunlin don't get much of a look in, usually scanned to ensure they are not something else and then left to get on with their lives, however in their breeding plumage they are quite spectacular.

Often mistaken for other small waders in their winter plumage, the Dunlin is unmistakeable in its summer plumage: adults are brick-red above, with a black belly patch.

Many can seen in moult in the autumn with the black belly and some red upper feathers, but these birds were in full summer plumage.

There was also three Ringed Plover, these were a little more cautious and would not come as close as either the Sanderling or Dunlin.

Just off shore were three Brent Geese, would this be the last we will see of them until September?

After an hour and a half very little had moved, in fact there had been nothing, so I decided to walk up the canal path.  I could hear both Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler, the latter showing as they took off on their display flight, the Reed Warblers though staying out of sight.

A Cuckoo was calling from the area around the Frying Pan and I was able to pick it up as it flew between the trees and then out of sight.  There were plenty of Whitethroat singing, this one being the most confiding, coming out onto a branch to sing at me.

A message then came in regarding a sighting of three Arctic Skuas moving east off Hill Head and annoyed I headed back to the sea wall, passing the Pumfrett Hide a Cuckoo called very close which prompted another to call in the distance.

Back at the sea wall it was much like I had left it, very quiet, although the breeze had picked up a little, the only thing of interest while I was there were the Sanderling.

A Grasshopper Warbler had been reported from the area just north of the West Hide, so I decided to go onto the reserve.  As I passed the Meon Shore Hide I could hear a Lesser Whitethroat singing.  It was perched on the top of one of the bushes to the right of the hide.

The Grasshopper Warbler was apparently liking a clump of bramble on the left hand side of the hide, as I walked in I heard a burst of the reeling song, which for some of a certain age can be difficult to hear, fortunately I could just hear it, but that was all, returning to the hide I sat staring at the bramble with no luck.  I decided to come back later and headed for the Meon Shore Hide, a Garganey had just been reported and on entering it was hanging around at the back of the scrape.

A Drake Shelduck was showing really well on the, what is now a small island in front of the hide.

Unfortunately the Garganey did not come any closer and with the time approaching 10:00 am I headed back to the car to pay the parking.

I spent some more time watching the empty sea and debated what to do next.  While I had these mental arguments the Common Terns continued to move back and forth between the sea and the reserve.

I decided to head back to the West Hide and give the warbler another go as I walked in a flock of Black-tailed Godwits flew over and out to sea.

Back in the West Hide there was an extra pair of eyes and ears, the Grasshopper Warbler was singing and eventually showed although shrouded by bramble stems.

A rather non-descript brown/buff plumage make the grasshopper warbler difficult to visually recognise. Instead it is usually identified by its high pitched call.

Rarely seen but given away by its insect like trilling call; the movement of the head during calling makes it tricky to pinpoint the exact location of singing perch.

As we get older unfortunately the first part of the hearing to deteriorate is the exact pitch the grasshopper warbler sings at! Sad to think most of us will stop hearing them at some stage in our lives.

This was the best view.

The views were brief as it moved around the bramble, every so often singing from within.

I decided to move on, at the Meon Shore Hide the Lesser Whitethroat was again showing in the bushes.

Bac at the car I decided to move on in the hope that maybe Fishlake would deliver for once.  The car park was very full, but fortunately there was one space for me.  After some lunch I walked around to the viewing area where there was absolutely nothing.  Not strictly true there was a pair of Great Crested Grebes and a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls but apart from them, nothing else.

Back on the Canal Path a Sedge Warbler sang from within a Willow tree.

Sedge warblers are sandy brown. They are paler underneath and streaky above, with a dark, streaked cap. They have a distinctive white eye stripe.

At the first viewing platform what I was hoping for were hawking in the sky above the reeds and open water.  There were in fact two Hobbies, but with the warm clear skies they were catching insects quite high up, so I was only able to get a couple of acceptable shots.

The Hobby is an elegant falcon, slate-grey above and pale below, with black streaks on the belly and brick-red 'trousers'. It has a white throat and cheeks, dark moustache and mask. With pointed wings, it looks like an over-sized swift in the air.

Smaller than a Kestrel, with their long wings and streamlined shape, they are perfectly evolved for catching dragonflies and small birds, such as House Martins and Swifts, on the wing, often transferring their quarry from talon to mouth in mid-air. 

There were no dragonflies about so they were catching any winged insects, which meant they were out and about for quite awhile, it was just so frustrating they were so high up.

As we stood watching the Hobby a Cetti's Warbler burst into song behind us and then showed well, briefly.

Leaving the Hobby I walked along the Canal Path, Brimstone and Peacocks were on the wing plus I was able to see my first Orange-Tip, Comma and Red Admiral.

The centre path leading to the screens was flooded once again but I was able to get through, albeit on heel and tip toe to avoid flooding the boots.  A pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker flew to the dead trees, here the male showing well.

A Cuckoo was calling from the bushes to the east of the path and I picked it up as it flew across the water, finally settling in the dead trees away in the distance.  Not the best ever Cuckoo photograph.

The Hobbies could be seen again, still high in the sky catching insects.

Walking back I came across a Sedge Warbler singing close to the path.

A great mimic, the male sedge warbler introduces random phrases into its repertoire, never singing the same song twice; he attracts more mates the more phrases his song has.

Then it was gone.

All the butterflies so far today had just flown past and non stopping long enough for a photograph.  But as I closed the gate and turned onto the canal path this male Orange-Tip could not resist the flowers of the wild mustard.

A Chiffchaff singing in the Willows.

I stopped at the first viewing platform to watch the sky and reeds, but other than a few Greylags there was not much happening.  I was surprised there were no hirundine and had hoped for a Swift with no luck.

The canal path at Fishlake is a reliable site for Garden Warbler, but so far every song I thought could possibly be one turned out to be a Blackcap, I always doubt myself and think it might be Garden and not Blackcap, but then when I hear the Garden Warbler sing it is so obvious.  As I approached the small bridge that leads to the car park I heard one.

A medium-sized warbler of woodland and tall scrub, the Garden Warbler shares its habitat with the Blackcap. It is a plain, sandy-grey warbler, with a pale grey neck and pale underparts.  Notoriously shy birds, they are found to be skulking around in shrubs and bushes and only give themselves away when in song which is similar to the Blackcap but usually longer and more scratchy.

The Garden Warbler is a plain, sandy-grey warbler, with a pale grey neck and pale underparts.

Here a comparison with the male Blackcap that was singing in the trees close to the car park.

A relatively successful day despite the complete lack of any movement on the sea.  It has been a while since I have seen Grasshopper Warbler so that was nice, and some great views of Hobbies and a good selection of warblers through the day.