After the dullness and cold of Wednesday I headed to Titchfield in early morning sunshine and a frost. Parking along Cliff Road I could see the tide was high down by the Sailing Club. After checking in I walked around to the west side of the reserve and to the Meon Shore Hide once again.
There was an rainbow cloud to the left of the sun. A rainbow cloud can occur because of something called cloud iridescence.
It usually happens in altocumulus, cirrocumulus, lenticular and cirrus clouds.
Iridescent clouds happen because of diffraction – a phenomenon that occurs when
small water droplets or small ice crystals scatter the sun's light.
The water levels on the scrape were even higher today, rain on Tuesday evening having filled the scrape once more. As a result very few duck close to the hide. There was a Marsh Harrier sat in one of the trees in the middle of the reeds.
The Snipe island was struggling and the Snipe themselves hanging on to dry land.
There were two Avocet on the scrape and one came close to the hide.
Lapwing were almost on every island and this individual was stood on the wooden perches to the right of the hide.
The Marsh Harriers both female and male patrol the east side of the scrape using the dark shadows of the trees as cover as they come low over the reeds to surprise the occupants of the scrape. I watched this female come over the reeds and as it came into the sunshine managed to get these shots. I love the dark background providing the emphasis of the harrier, the sun catching the golden brown plumage.
It didn't cross the scrape though, pulling up to investigate something in the reeds.
I walked to the Spurgin Hide where it was very quiet, the only bird of interest a Kingfisher that flew past the hide. I walked out and headed to the sea wall to look for the previously report Red-necked Grebe. This Carrion Crow looked quite splendid sat on a post in the sunshine.
Walking towards the sailing Club there was a flock of 36 Eider out on the sea.
The males were displaying and their calls could be heard from the sea wall.
I walked to the view point. There was a good number of Shoveler displaying around the reeds.
There was an adult Mediterranean Gull on the water and five Common Gulls, this being one of them.
I walked around the sea wall and past the Sailing Club. The tide was out and there were waders feeding amongst the shingle. Turnstones of course and Sanderling and Ringed Plover.
I walked down to the beach and out to the tide line. Two Sanderling were amongst the Turnstones and I couldn't resist them.
With plenty of sunshine I wanted to try and find the Glossy Ibis at Posbrook. After parking I first tried the horse fields off Bridge Street. No Ibis present, but there were three Stock Dove feeding in the horse paddock. Its not often you can get close to them on the ground like this.
There was no Barn Owl in the split tree, and I haven't seen it for some time now, perhaps it has finally gone. Chiffchaff were busy in the willows and close to the water of the canal. This one though was feeding around the lichen on the branches of this willow.
A surprise was this male Marsh Harrier hunting over Posbrook. Despite it coming close to the water, the duck, Wigeon, Pintail, Gadwall and Teal did not go up.
There wasn't any sign of the Glossy Ibis and I started to make my way back. There were a pair of Herring Gulls in the field and every so often they would both call.
The Marsh Harrier was still around and I can only think it flushed the Glossy Ibis and the three appeared from the south and flew past me and proceeded to fly around the flooded area.
The Ibis dropped on to a flooded area between the Posbrook and Bridge Street floods, but unfortunately they were out of clear view. I watched them feeding with obscured views, the sun catching the plumage giving flashes of green and pink, but they never provided an opportunity for an photograph.
The sun was falling and there were cirrus clouds over the sky, it wasn't as cold as previous days
A lovely day in the winter sunshine. I was pleased with the Marsh Harrier today
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