10th October - Farlington Marshes, Hampshire

Yet another misty start that cleared as I headed south, pulling into the bottom car park at Farlington there was a mist about, but also plenty of sunshine and with the tide still out very still water in the harbour.

Walking along the sea wall there was a small group of Black-tailed Godwits around one of the, still visible, islands close to the wall.

Also there were four Oystercatcher enjoying the morning sunshine.

And a lone Curlew.

I was heading for the Lake in bright sunshine and hardly any wind.

At the Lake the reeds were covered in seeds and this produced an almost frosty appearance in the mist.

Pintail numbers have increased over the last couple of weeks and many are now in the beautiful breeding plumage.  This drake was feeding amongst the Glasswort just below the reeds.

It was already busy around the reeds with several photographers in place waiting for the Bearded Tits to appear.  As I arrived I realised I had the wrong glasses on so set off back to the car to change them.  Passing the islands once again, there were now only three Oystercatchers with some nice reflections.

Changed the glasses and ditched the fleece as it was quite warm in the sunshine.  Heading back a Little Egret was fishing from the stranded boat.

Adopting a similar approach to fishing as that used by the Green Herons in the Americas.

Then moving to the edge of the wreck and delivered some lovely reflections as it slowly fished the glass like water.

A little shake.

Back at the Lake the Bearded Tits were still not showing, but the Pintail were and I spent sometime photographing them.

It is always good to have this beautiful, elegant duck back in all its glory.

A pair together.

A Marsh Harrier drifted over the reeds.

There had been calls from Bearded Tits calling from the reeds at the back of the Lake, then it was like an explosion as at least twenty Bearded Tits flew up into the air and flew around the area above my heads, then settled back int o the reeds in front of us.

The one all the photographers are after, an adult male.

It seemed to be enjoying the morning sun.

A female.

They continued to fly around over the heads of all that were watching.

A male once more.

Then almost as quickly as they appeared they were quiet and not about.  The show had been about twenty minutes and it seems that they don't appear immediately at dawn but need about an hour before they show.

As the Tits went quiet the Marsh Harrier returned.

I set off around the sea wall, there had been a significant arrival of Brent Geese with about 300 in the harbour.

Grey Plover were roosting on another island further out in the harbour and in amongst them was a, still, summer plumaged Grey Plover.

Once again several Harbour Seals off the Sea Wall and quite a large Grey Seal.

A Dartford Warbler called from the bramble in Point Field and there was a male Blackcap showing well close to the sea wall.

There is work being carried out on the Deeps and this was keeping the birds away so it was a quiet walk back around to the visitor hut.  From there I crossed the field alongside the Stream and back to the sea wall and the Lake.  The tide was very high and there was a good roost on the Lake of Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits, and Knot.  I could only find one Avocet and just a few Dunlin.

I settled down for lunch and watched the Lake, a Pintail came close once again.

All of a sudden the Lake appeared to explode with waders and duck taking off in mindless panic.

You can see the panic in the images, just as if everyone is shouting PEREGRINE!!!!

Which is what was causing the panic, I picked it up as it flew past me and away over the sea wall and out over the water.  However when I looked through the photos later I found that I had picked it up in the first shot I took, whilst blurred it is unmistakeably a Peregrine, I have ringed it for good measure.  It must have come low over the reeds and then out over the water, which is when the panic started.

 Gradually things settled down and the Black-tailed Godwits started to cruise around the Lake the blind panic gone.

What remain of my visit was focused on the duck, with the tide falling they were leaving the Lake and heading out to the mud in the harbour.  Once again it was the Pintail that took centre stage.

With the return of the Brent Geese and the duck now assuming their breeding plumage there was a feel of winter around the marshes, although it took some imagining as I sat there still in a T-shirt.