My car was being serviced in the morning and fortunately I had an early morning slot which meant that I would be free around 10.00am. I arranged to meet Ian at Titchfield Haven and as I arrived it was raining, the weather having cooled down and provided some very welcome rain over the last few days.
As we stood catching up after a few weeks away I heard the call of a Common Sandpiper, and saw a small flock of waders offshore heading towards the high tide roost. We assumed these were just Turnstone and that the Common Sandpiper we heard came from the bay behind us. A Sandwich Tern was also fishing in the bay.
Finally we decided to walk to the visitor centre, but as we passed. the spit we decided to check the high tide roost, there might be some early Sanderling returned. There were several Turnstone, still in summer plumage on the groyne and they were joined by a lone Oystercatcher.
The Turnstone looking quite smart in their breeding plumage.
There was a group of Black-headed Gulls and in amongst them was an adult Mediterranean Gull. As I moved back from the gulls I noticed a collection of small waders on the groyne and the beach, at first I thought they could be Sanderling, but it became clear that they were Common Sandpipers.
At first I counted seven, here four of them.
And here the number rose to eight.
A distraction from the sandpipers was this adult Common Tern on the groyne.
Then something flushed the Common Sandpiper and they flew off out over the sea. Here a group of seven.
That eventually became ten.
I don't recall ever seeing as many as ten Common Sandpipers together like this. We watched as they flew out over the water and started to gain height before heading across the Solent in a southerly direction, eventually out of sight.
Before we left the spit I did manage to get some clear shots of the Mediterranean Gull.
We walked around to the visitor centre to check in and then to spend sometime on the east side. Entering the reserve the Broad-leaved Helleborine was finally flowering, although the cage put around it to protect it made photographs a little difficult.
We stopped off at the Meadow Hide for lunch. There wasn't a lot going on, a female Marsh Harrier put in an appearance and there were Whitethroats and Stonechat buzzing around in front of the hide. A Great Egret was fishing on the Frying Pan.
While this Kestrel hunted the grassland in front of the hide.
Walking back along the board walk we noticed quite a few Ladybird species on the reeds. This a Harlequin Ladybird, not a native species.
Another Harlequin, just about to take off, the wing cases opening.
As well as the adult beetles there were the cases of emerged ladybirds and the Ladybird larvae themselves. Another nice close up of a Seven Spot Ladybird, with water drops on the exoskeleton.
We walked around to the west side of the reserve. It was still overcast but warm and we were hoping the dragonflies would be about. But before walking to Darter's Dip we went into the Meon Shore Hide. It seems like an age ago when there were waders on the scrape, but today they were there. The Black-tailed Godwits looking smart in their summer brick red plumage and for once right in front of the hide.
Another feature of the scrape was the number of Common Terns, both adult and immature birds. They would be settled on the islands but would frequently take off to chase off any supposed threat from the air.
An immature bird.
Adults, the last with quite a sizeable fish to feed the juvenile birds.
Using the perches in front of the hide.
There were two Common Sandpipers on the scrape, these could be counted as additional to the ten seen earlier as they had flown away south. One of the sandpipers came onto the small island in front of the hide.
An unsettled day weather wise and fortunately we missed the down pour from these slide.
We walked around to the Pumfrett Hide and Darter's Dip, but couldn't find any dragonflies. The light wasn't good from the hide, but we did find a Green Sandpiper in the north east corner of the north scrape.
A little later, a second appeared and then another, three Green Sandpiper is a notable record here at Titchfield.
We had another look for dragonflies at Darter's Dip, but were only able to find this mating pair of Blue-tailed Damselflies.
So it was back to the Meon Shore hide where there was still some action. On one of the islands there were three immature Mediterranean Gulls. This one alongside a Black-headed Gull juvenile.
In both sessions we had in the Meon Shore there was a Lesser Black-backed Gull patrolling the scrape. There aren't any Avocet chicks around and it would seem that all of the tern and Black-headed Gull chicks are now too big for the gull, but it was checking for any opportunity.
It appeared once again and headed straight towards the hide, and then suddenly ducking down and diving into the bulrushes in front of the hide. There was a lot of calls and squeals and the Lesser Black-backed Gull appeared with its prize in the bill.
Black, long spindly legs with no lobes, and plenty of squeals from the reeds. My guess this was a Water Rail chick. What was interesting was the Common Terns that took up the chase, pursuing the gull as it flew away towards the river.
The gull went away and the scrape calmed down. A surprise was a Snipe that came out of the vegetation close to where the gull had dived in.
The Common Terns continued to fly around the scrape.
And settling on the branch.
A nice pose from the Black-tailed Godwit.
It was good to get back to birds, it has been awhile and there was plenty to keep us interested today. It would seem that the waders are on the move, lets hope something of interest turns up in the next few weeks.
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