19th October - Titchfield Haven NNR, Hampshire

It was back to Titchfield Haven today, after the rain of Wednesday it was bright with a brisk wind from the south.  Parking along Cliff Road I spent sometime watching the sea as the tide eased in, but with nothing moving I walked around to the visitor centre.  Passing around the sailing club it was good to see numbers of Brent Geese off shore, they seem to have been late in arriving this year, probably due to the lack of northerly winds through October.

After signing in at the centre, something I try to make sure I do now so that the number of visitors is recorded, I headed off to the west side.  In Duck Bay a Cormorant was settled on one of the posts, not a bird I would normally photograph, but I was taken by the bronze colouring on the upper parts.

Whilst the tide was coming in, the Rainbow Bar was still exposed and out on the edge furthest away were eight Sanderling.  I walked out to get a better view.

I can't resist a Sanderling.

After just settling in to the Meon Shore Hide the Marsh Harrier appeared on the right hand side, coming low as it always seems to do, over the reeds using the trees as cover.

Hovering over the reeds.

Was very interested ion something in the reeds.

Eventually it drifted back from whence it came, but the danger for the birds on the scrape was not over.

Suddenly there was panic from the duck in front of the hide and a female Sparrowhawk came from behind the hide, dropping low to the water and heading straight for a Teal.  The Teal took evasive action by diving under water and the Sparrowhawk pulled up and for a second appeared to hover above as if waiting, as the Teal surface it dropped and the Teal dived again.  The Sparrowhawk though realised it was beat and turned and to the delight of those in the hide flew to one of the positioned Kingfisher posts.

She appeared very alert watching around her checking everything out with those piercing yellow eyes.

Not sure what she was looking at here.

Ooh that stare, it goes right through you.

Close up portrait.

Yes I am looking at you!

Her bill is open here, although we never heard her call.

A close up on the killing machines, the talons are very long and are used to deliver the fatal blow.

Then she became aware of something to the right of the hide, dropped the head raised the tail.

Following this she was off and away across in front of the hide and then over the fence and across Duck Bay.

The water levels on the scrape were high and with the arrival of the Sparrowhawk everything had moved to the north end, even the Snipe had abandoned their favourite island.

I decided on a change and walked around to the Spurgin Hide.  Almost immediately a bird appeared on one of the carefully positioned branches, but it was not the one that was hoped for, it was a female Stonechat.

A Little Egret fishing close to the hide provided a nice portrait opportunity against a dark background.

The Kingfisher did appear, but kept its distance unfortunately.

Not sure what sex the first one was, but this one is a female.

It took a while but the Marsh Harrier did appear but was closely escorted by a pair of crows.

A pair of Jays were constantly flying back and forth from behind the hide, at times carrying acorns to cache somewhere in the middle of the reeds.

As a detour on my way back to the car I walked to the beach behind the sailing boats, the tide was still very high and with the fresh southerly wind the sea was being whipped onto the beach.  There was not that many birds present, but in amongst the turnstone was this one Ringed Plover.

And then at the far end a Sanderling, just the one but it was happy for me to take its picture.

This pool is on the rubber mat that leads across the shingle.

Not the birds of recent weeks, but a day with views of a Sparrowhawk like I had today has to be a good one.