It was a gloomy morning despite a forecast that promised sunny spells in the morning. Having escaped the winds from Storm Agnes I was still hopeful that there might be something of interest about. But as I walked along the beach it seemed unnecessarily quiet, Oystercatcher were feeding on the beach while there were several Pied Wagtails on the tide line, but apart from that it was very quiet. I walked up the Brownwich cliffs where a Kestrel was being mobbed by three Rooks that had broken away from feeding on the ploughed field on the cliff top. Coming back down through the chalets I heard one Chiffchaff call while from a roof top a Robin sang.
With the tide out there is always a chance of a Water Rail on the exposed mud in Duck Bay, but there was nothing. There were a couple of Turnstone on the beach behind the harbour and walking around to the beach behind the sailing club a search through more Turnstone could not find the Purple Sandpiper that was seen earlier in the week.
Off shore though there was a group of five Eider, two males and three immatures or females, at last something of interest.
I made my way to the visitor centre where a Grey Heron was perched on a dead tree.
Checked in I headed to the west side, as I passed the first view point I heard Bearded Tits and managed a brief view of one as it burst from the reeds for a second.
In the Meon Shore Hide I settled in as in front of me it was very quiet, the water was still high and there was very little in front of the hide. I scanned both scrapes but missed the Grey Phalarope that was pointed out to me by another birder, it was on the north scrape though and a way off for any decent views.
It was left to the Snipe to entertain, they would move from the island on the left to the area in front of the hide.
After a couple of hours I decided to move on and walked around to the Spurgin Hide, here too I was presented with a quiet scene, one Little Egret that promptly flew off. It did though return along with two others and hunted quite close to the hide which allowed me to get in close for these portrait shots.
I had my lunch in the hide, a few other birds arrived a Little Grebe and Grey Heron but there was no sign of the Kingfisher or Marsh Harrier so decided to move on and try the high tide roost on the beach.
Leaving the hide the Common Darters were using the wooden rails to warm up.
There was no high tide roost and only Turnstone in the harbour, the Purple Sandpiper must have left. I decided on the east side and walked around to the Meadow Hide where a pair of Great Egrets were feeding at the back of the Frying Pan.
But very soon after they both took off and headed high over the trees before dropping down on to what seemed like Posbrook Floods.
Highland Cattle were grazing around the edge of the Frying Pan and as a Marsh Harrier came across it flushed two Glossy Ibis that were feeding amongst them. There were three Marsh Harriers showing and away in the distance were three soaring Buzzards. One Marsh Harrier came very close past the hide which became the highlight of the day.
At first in front of the Spurgin Hide, ironically.
Then out over the reeds and bushes close to the hide.
It was then the turn of the Glossy Ibis to take off and both were seen again heading north high over the trees and dropping down on to Posbrook Floods.
Then the big surprise of the day, I picked up something very different with very long wings and a a long body heading east over the trees towards Stubbington. Getting on it with the camera was very difficult and these were the best I could do but I believe it confirms my initial identification of a Gannet!
Having made it to 15:00 was a significant achievement so I decided that it was time to call it a day. I did though pop into the Suffern Hide where the only bird of note was this majestic Great Black-backed Gull.
An immature Sandwich Tern was fishing in Duck Bay, this attempt was immediately dropped when it realised it was just a rotting reed!
There will be days when things do not deliver and today was one, but there is always the next!
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