4th December - Southsea Castle, Hampshire

I had wanted to try the Purple Sandpipers at Southsea Castle once more.  Having checked the tide times today seemed to be the best day.  Its best to arrive about three hours before high tide.  Today it was at 13.00, I arrived around 9.30.  The day before the whole area was closed down due to an unexploded bomb found by the construction workers.  Fortunately all was now safe so I parked in the D-Day car park and walked around the castle to the sea wall.

The first thing I saw as I reached the esplanade was a Shag sitting on the rocks.

Another factor in my decision to come back was over the last few days there has been some lovely light and I wanted to get the sandpipers in better light than I had before.  However today was overcast, the sun was there but not providing the light I was after.

I scanned the rocks near the water but no sign of any Purple Sandpipers.  However there were small birds that turned out to be a Black Redstart.

It looks like an immature bird as it shows plenty of white in the wing, the body yet to go the grey black.  The tail however was a bright red and it flicked as it moved around the rocks.

Spent time fly catching around the sea weed.

Every so often it would spring up into the air from the rocks chasing insects.

Showing off brilliantly the bright red tail.

From the rocks to the grassy area around the castle.

It then flew into the castle and out of sight and I resumed my search for the Purple Sandpipers, but without any luck.  out on the water the Shag was now fishing.  I wanted to try and catch the Shag as it dived. it is very diagnostic, the bird leaping high out of the water.

However timing it was difficult, always missing the leap in the air.

But with patience, the sandpipers were not showing, I persisted and in the end managed the sequence.

I walked towards the Blue Reef Aquarium, in fact I did the walk several times.  At the east end there were two more Black Redstart, again one looked like an immature male.

Chasing the insects once again and showing the red tail.

On yet another walk back there were now two Shags on the water.

Something different, the Blade Runner next to one of the Napoleonic sea forts.

What I hoped was a Rock Pipit turned out to be a Meadow Pipit.

So no Purple Sandpipers, where do they go?  But some interesting stuff anyway, Black Redstarts and the Shags.