29th July - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

I decided to return to the Haven after yesterday's visit with Freddie, the season is beginning to change with the chances now of some good terns turning (!) up and of course the start of the wader passage.  It was a completely different day, with heavy clouds and the threat of rain in the air.  I checked in and then made my way around to the west side once again.  

The tide was out and on the beach were a few gulls and several terns.  I picked out an adult Mediterranean Gull with a juvenile bird alongside it begging to be fed.  Mediterranean Gulls, both adult and juvenile are not unusual here, but seeing a family pair is.

The Common Terns were flying in and out of the scrapes and some were fishing around the bay.

In addition a pair of Common Terns were tackling each other high above the bay.

There were several waders on the exposed mud, a single Common Sandpiper, three Redshank and several Black-tailed Godwits.  I walked into the west side and into the Meon Shore hide.  I had the hide to myself and settled down.  On the left hand side on the exposed mud were two Common Sandpipers squaring up to each other.

There was also some displaying, flaring the tail feathers and looking to lay horizontally on the mud.

These antics played out for most of the time I was here, they would then chase each other around the scrape, calling as they did so.

I turned my attention to the Common Terns.  A smart adult on one of the posts.

These two immature birds not happy about being too close to each other.

The Black-tailed Godwits were close once again to the hide.  The breeding plumage is beginning to fade, but this makes the markings all the more interesting.

A dab of water with the bill and then the bill used to tease the feathers back into shape.

An adult Common Tern came to the island in front of the hide and then walked out into the water.

It then started picking insects off the surface of the water.

This adult had something larger.  Several of the adult terns could be seen flying around with fish.  The immature birds and juveniles would all be calling, but the adults would wait with their catch.

At one point I saw an adult dunk the fish into the water, maybe it was getting a little dry.

Finally this adult found its offspring and duly delivered the fish.

A Redshank appeared in front of the hide.

And an immature Avocet and a lovely reflection.

One of the Common Sandpipers returned in front of the hide.  It started to preen and once again the tail was flared showing the white tips to the feathers.

Again nice reflections as it walked around the edge of the island.

As it moved away from the island the mud became stickier and the sandpiper used its wings to lift it out of the mud.

Back to the Common Terns, the posts and perches provide a great opportunity to catch the terns as they come in to settle on them.

An immature Common Tern.

An adult showing off the long wings.

A message came in regarding sightings of Roseate and Arctic Terns on the scrape.  I couldn't see them from the Meon Shore so I walked around to the Pumfrett Hide where I was able to pick them out amongst the many Common Terns.

The Roseate here, the second bird from the left hand group.  The body much brighter than the surrounding Common Terns and a dark bill.  The bill early inthe season is black, but as it season moves on it takes on a small amount of pink.

The Arctic Tern was on the ground behind the woodwork, again an adult with the short red legs, the full black cap and the all red bill.

I decided to walk up to the Spurgin Hide.  A Large White was on the Hemp Acrimony.

And just before the hide a female Common Darter settled on a willow branch.

There had been a Kingfisher during the morning from the hide so I decided to stick around.  Unfortunately it didn't reappear while I waited, all there was aon one of the perches was this Oystercatcher.

I made my way back to the Meon Shore Hide.  It was pretty much the same as earlier, the Common Terns, Avocet and a Common Sandpiper.  I was able to find the Roseate Tern form the hide.  It was perched on the woodwork on the same island.  But from here I could make out a ring on the left leg, could this be the male Roseate that bred last year at Normandy and then returned earlier in the year, but couldn't find its mate?

A day that delivered when not expected, the weather was unusual for the year, but fortunately the hides provided some protection.

28th July - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

Back in April during the Easter school holidays I took my grandson Freddie to Titchfield for the day, so with the summer holidays just starting we were off again.  The journey was a little longer than he expected, but when we arrived and were out of the car he was clearly excited.  We checked in and then walked around towards the west side.

We stopped at the Haven bridge to look for Brown Rats on the beach.  We managed to see a couple and this very smart looking Turnstone in summer plumage.

He was keen to go into the hides so the first one was the Meon Shore Hide.  From here he was able to tick off the birds in his book, Coot, Avocet, Oystercatcher and Black-tailed Godwit were ticked and then a Common Sandpiper that came close to the hide calling.

Common Terns were everywhere, both physically and with their calls.  Adults and immature birds could be seen on the perches.

Attention span waivering we went for a walk down to the Pumfrett Hide.  The sun was hazy, but it was a warm day and there were plenty of Speckled Wood butterflies along the path and in the bushes.

There were also Gatekeeper and Meadow Browns around the bramble.

I let Freddie take some photographs using the view finder screen and letting him push the button.

Looking out from the hide over the south scrape.

The packed lunch had been calling and Freddie wanted to go back to the Meon Shore Hide to eat his lunch.  As we left the hide I noticed a yellow butterfly cross the path and fortunately it stopped on the bramble, another Clouded Yellow, the second here at Titchfield and my third of the year.

Walking along the path a Southern Hawker was patrolling the bushes on both side and eventually it perched up on the bramble.

Back in the hide, as well as eating lunch Freddie, was interested in taking some more photographs, so with the same method here is another Common Sandpiper.

And a beautiful Lapwing.

This was my effort.

We had managed a very good three hours so we decided to make our way back to the car and then to the visitor hut.  During his time in the hides Freddie took the chance to sketch some of the birds he saw.  I will leave it to the reader to identify them.

The first time I took Freddie bird watching was wonderful and it was the same today, he was attentive, interested and also surprised a few with his knowledge.  We will be back.