14th November - Southsea Castle, Hampshire

Around this time of year we await the arrival of the Purple Sandpipers on the rocks below Southsea Castle.  At times there have been as many as over twenty birds present, but last year work started on repairing the sea defences and improving the esplanade between the castle and the pier.  This made viewing the rocks almost impossible, but there were reports of the Purpkle Sandpipers through last winter.

The work around the castle is now finished, although it now continues further to the west towards the hovercraft station.  So would it be easy to see the Purple Sandpipers?  The weather through the end of October and through November as be quiet and the view is that we need a storm to bring them to the site.  However, one was reported yesterday, seen as the tide was falling, so I thought I would give it a go as I have yet to see one this year.  When I arrived the tide was still high, but unperturbed I set off walking up and down the esplanade, scanning the rocks.

The problem is that he Purple Sandpipers are a dark grey and would easily merge amongst the rocks if there, so it was a case of standing on the wall and scanning seriously with binoculars and thermal imager.

I stuck it out for at least four hours, staring at scenes like this.

Unfortunately in that time the only birds I saw on the rocks were these Pied Wagtails.

There was a bit of action out on the sea, Black-headed Gulls started the melee, but were joined by Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls.  I can only assume the attraction was a shoal of fish close to the surface.  As I watched the gulls wheeling around above the sea this Mediterranean Gull flew in.

The back lighting emphasised the translucent white of the wings.

I also recognised a familiar call amongst the gulls the grating "kerrick" of a Sandwich Tern.  It was difficult to pick out against the sun and amongst so many Black-headed Gulls but I finally managed it.  With the short tail and the white forehead this looks like an immature bird still hanging around.

So after four hours I decided to leave.  Maybe there is a Purple Sandpiper here, and maybe it would be better watching on a rising tide, but it wasn't to be today.  I am going to have to come back.

And I have just realised this is my 150th Post of the year...Wow