With the clocks having gone back, Sunday was beautifully autumnal with golden sunshine, today though the cloud had returned and with it drizzle. I hoped as I headed south that the skies would clear at the coast, but it wasn't to be. I walked to the visitor centre to check in with the high tide bringing in a leaden coloured sea matched only by the dark grey skies above.
From the visitor centre I headed towards the west side, but with the tide high I stopped to check the roost on the spit. I could see a good number of Sanderling settled on the beach, but of more interest was a pair of Sanderling feeding along the tide line just next to the gate.
I got down low and settled in to watch the Sanderling run up and down the beach.
I was able to get down lower, it was a risk because I wasn't sure how I was going to get back up, but the results were worth it.
This one a particular favourite.
Some with a nice blurred foreground.
These taken as the Sanderling came around a piece of driftwood adding some atmosphere.
I dragged myself away from the Sanderling and checked my phone, a message had come in of a Red-throated Diver off Brownwich Cliffs so I made my way along the beach and then up the slope to the first viewing point where it was possible to pick out the diver, my first of this season. It was distant but clearly a Red-throated Diver.
I spent some time scanning the sea but without anything of further interest. I walked back to the sea wall and then into the reserve and the Meon Shore Hide. There were plenty of duck on the south scrape, and a few Common Snipe on the island to the left hand side of the hide.
A shrill whistle heralded the arrival of a Kingfisher to the goal posts opposite the hide. A female bird it had a fish.
It did not stay long and I took four images and these were all of them the Kingfisher caught as it flew away.
With the wind in the south the duck were closer to the hide. This a smart drake Teal.
It was an opportunity to catch some of the other duck in flight. This shows off some of the beauty of their plumage. Here a pair of Gadwall.
A closer view of the drake Gadwall.
A shovler still looking to achieve full breeding plumage.
This one almost completely white.
I left the hide and walked around to the Spurgin Hide. It was starting to drizzle which reduced the visibility even more. It was very quiet in the hide and outside. The hoped for Kingfisher did not arrive and the Marsh Harriers were very quiet although one of the female type birds did pass close to the hide.
The time was passed while I had lunch, by a Little Grebe that was diving in the water close to the hide.
The rain came much harder and I waited for a window where I could walk back to the Meon Shore Hide. More duck were now closer to the hide including some Wigeon. However the majority were Shoveler. Here a pair showing off the key differences between the male and female.
The female type Marsh Harrier was hunting along the east side of the hide, coming in over the river and reeds to put everything up on the scrape.
There were several Common Gulls amongst the Black-headed Gulls on the scrape.
The immature Lapwing was back on the small island in front of the hide.
It continued very gloomy and with rain on and off, as I waited for the rain to ease so I could make my way back to the car I watched this drake Shoveler feeding in front of the hide.
A chance to see the underneath of the large bill, almost like the baleen on whales used to sieve the water for food.
Here the bill in action, sucking and blowing the water to sieve through the water for food. The constantly keep the bill in the water, only lifting the head occasionally to, I suppose, breathe
Not the day I expected, but despite the weather and gloom I was pleased with the Sanderling on the beach and a chance to enjoy the duck on the reserve now. The Red-throated Diver a sign of the changing season at last.
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