A beautiful morning, clear blue skies and wonderful winter sunshine, which of course meant that it was cold, never mind its better than the rain. I set off to catch up on some year ticks, starting in the village of Warblington just on the border with West Sussex. This has been a reliable site over the years for Cattle Egret. No doubt they will be about all over the county later in the year, but for now this is the best place to catch up with them.
As I pulled into Church Lane I could see the cattle in the field and with them were plenty of white birds. However these could also be Little Egrets so I didn't get the hopes up too soon as I have been let down here before.
There was no need to worry as there were twelve birds tucked up with the cattle in the south corner of the field, both taking in the morning sunshine.
The classic hunched appearance.
Also in the field were Woodpigeon and several Stock Dove.
I walked along Pook Lane to see if the Barn Owl was in residence, but there wasn't any sign of it.
I was also able to photograph through the hedge which gave the impression of framing the Cattle Egrets.
These were taken from the gate to the field.
As they walked through the field, the height of the ground meant that I was able to get an almost head on view.
Another view through the hedge, you can see the start of the rusty feathers on the head, the breeding plumage.
And here the opportunity to compare the two smaller white egrets. The Cattle Egret with the shorter, more stocky yellow bill and the Little egret with the black, long needle like bill.
The cattle then decided to walk to the next field and all the egrets, Cattle and Little went with them, so I decided to move on. My next stop was the be the Oyster Beds on Hayling island. The Long-tailed Duck that arrived last year was still around and there was always the chance of something in the harbour.
The tide was high and the waders were gathering on the old walls of the Oyster beds. I walked to the last bed, that was now a lagoon. The sunshine was bright and it made it difficult for me to see what flew up from the shore. It turned out to be a Kingfisher and I was able to walk past it and view with the sun behind me.
A female, the lower mandible a bright red.
Something, probably a gull bothered her.
There were ten Red-breasted Mergansers in the lagoon fishing.
Just like last time there was no immediate sign of the Long-tailed Duck, so I walked around to scan the harbour, this proved to be a good outcome as I picked up a very distant Red-throated Diver. I had also hoped to find the Black-necked Grebes but despite some extensive scanning I couldn't find them.
Looking back into the lagoon the Long-tailed Duck was by the island.
Then gradually came closer.
Quite a difference in its plumage from when I saw it last year, a female now in adult plumage.
As I left, the duck was diving close to the island.
Grey Plover and Dunlin roosting on the islands.
From the Oyster Beds it was short drive to Sandy Point, the tide was now falling and this is a good time to look for divers in the channel. When I arrived the quite fresh north east wind was whipping up the waves and creating some impressive white horses.
I walked to the lifeboat station seeing absolutely nothing, but as I walked back I found a single Great Northern Diver in the middle of the channel. It was distant so not the best photo, but a record of the bird. Two divers in the day is always good.
Walking back I stopped to photograph the waves once again.
My last stop was to be Farlington Marshes. The light was perfect, but unfortunately the wind had been getting stronger through the day, a north easterly, it was cold too.
The tide was far out and the high levels in the lake were making the water pour out of the sluice and a Greenshank was feeding around it.
A slight turn of the head.
As well as the Greenshank there were Teal and a couple of Avocet in the main channel.
I walked to Point Field in the forlorn hope the Short-eared Owl would be sitting in the sunshine, the wind would probably mean that they would not be hunting. By the first gate at Point Field a drake Mallard was sitting in the sunshine, showing off the beautiful green head.
There was nothing at Point Field and i didn't stay too long, it was cold. I decided to walk back to the car, stopping for the Shelduck close to the path.
At the Lake the reeds looked beautiful in the late afternoon light.
Brent on the Lake gradually decided to leave, flying out into the harbour.
Pintail were also moving.
A lone Common Gull was searching the bladder wrack on the exposed mud.
An Oystercatcher in amongst the bladder wrack.
Not a bad day, some nice year ticks and quality birds, cold but the sunshine somehow takes it all away.
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