I was back at Titchfield Haven today, following the same pattern as the day before. However walking from the visitor centre to the West gate I ignored the likelihood of anything on the beach behind the sailing club.
What did catch my eye was a Grey Heron, statue like, in a small inlet in the reed bed, waiting for something to pass by that could be food.
As I walked towards the west gate there was a Wheatear on the road, hanging around the wheels of a large car.
As I got closer it flew off over the sea wall and was lost somewhere on the beach.
As always, I dropped into the Meon Shore Hide, but for once didn't stay, there was nobody else there which is unusual for the time of day and out on the scrape the water levels were very high and there was hardly any birds on view.
So from the Meon Shore I walked around to the Spurgin Hide. There were quite a few people in there when I arrived but I managed to find a place on the left hand side. Looking out across the mere the view was much the same as the day before. I settled in for the long run and hoped secretly that the Kingfishers would show today.
It was quiet to start with and the only thing of interest were the Jays flying to and fro, this one without an acorn.
Then the female / immature type Marsh Harrier flew past heading towards the scrapes where it was then lost from view.
Then, what most of the occupants of the hide were waiting for happened, a Kingfisher turned up and settled on the perches in front of the hide.
There some slight differences between the Kingfishers, while are all male the beaks and plumage has slight features that allow them to be separated. One definitely has a ring, but the beak on this one appears to be perfect, while another has a slight white tip and damage to the lower mandible. The white tip would indicate a juvenile bird.
The forecast was for it to be dry through the morning, with some showers in the afternoon. The skies though from the hide appeared moody.
There was then a long spell when pretty much nothing happened, the harriers didn't show and the Kingfishers kept away. One bit of amusement was this Grey Heron that dropped into the mere and decided to have a bath.
In this shot it looks like it is as fed up with the high water as a lot of us are here at Titchfield.
The first bird of prey flew from left to right, a Buzzard, it then returned with the wind and then hovered above the mere quite high up.
A lot of people think the Kestrel is the only bird of prey that would hover to hunt, but we saw it in the Osprey the day before and Buzzards can be seen doing it regularly, but will usually do so facing into the wind.
The hide then started to clear out and with the very long lenses gone the action started. A Marsh Harrier came past the hide quite close and this was a different bird from the female / immature bird seen yesterday and earlier today.
There is a significant amount of grey in the wings around the tertials and secondaries, but still retains the orange buff markings on the shoulders and crown. The other bird is mostly brown and orange with buff fringes to the tips of the feathers.
It took interest in an area beside a bush and dropped down.
Then it was up again and here as it banks you can see the differences in the feather colour on the upper wings.
Then it turned and twisted and went to drop but pulled out.
It then headed towards the scrapes with the wind, upsetting everything there and then drifted back with a large Lapwing escort.
Very much like a Russian bomber testing air defences over Europe and finding itself escorted out of the air space by fighters.
Then the Kingfisher returned and probably another different bird, this one having breast feathers that appear to be abraded and dirty, not the immaculate orange seen in the others.
It also has a little damage to the top tip of the mandible with a white tip. Also some nice spider's web on the perch.
Showing off the beautiful colours on the back, the light refracting to produce the colour.
The clouds away to the east were building, some grey others snowy-white, giving the impression of a distant mountain range.
The duck were moving up the valley, first was a group of six Pintail and these were then followed by twelve Wigeon a sign that winter is not that far away.
The grey Heron returned and this time walked along the edge of the reeds as if it was looking for settled dragonflies. Reaching the end it stopped and gave the chance for a nice portrait.
Another Kingfisher returned this with a white tip, it sat on the perch looking down into the water.
As I watched the Kingfisher through the camera I noticed with with my left eye a Marsh Harrier coming over. I pulled away from the Kingfisher and caught the Marsh Harrier as it wobbled over the top of the perch with the Kingfisher on it.
The Marsh Harrier pulled away and headed off across the reeds towards the scrapes. The Kingfisher was still on its perch unconcerned by the presence of the Harrier.
The Kingfisher flew off and with it I decided to move off as well. Good to have the Kingfishers back and the Marsh Harrier were a definite bonus.
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