Another day of sunshine and a cold north easterly wind, so with a restricted timetable I decided to head back to the Haven once more. On reaching the Meon Shore hide I was told that the two Little Stints seen last Tuesday were still about and just before I arrived they were in front of the hide. It didn't take long for them to return to the mud in front of the hide and the light was good, so it was a case of make the most of it, as normally these little diminutive waders are a distant speck.
They are smaller than a sparrow or wagtail, but are rather dainty and very quick moving when they need to be.
These are juvenile birds with the two white "V"s on the back and the white forked supercillium.
Every so oftent he two would come together, seemingly forgotten the spats they were having on Tuesday.
The autumnal sunshine was throwing some long shadows on the mud.
While the shallow water on the mud provided some nice reflections.
The Stints flew away from the area in front of the hide and attention then turned to the Glossy Ibis. One had caught something and the other bird was looking to steal.
It turned out that the "catch" was a sizeable eel. I find it amazing that these fish manage to live here on the scrape and in quite high numbers.
But the squabble meant the eel was able to escape.
On Snipe island the numbers were beginning to build up, the maximum today was five with another three seen around the scrape.
The Little Stints came back into range, this time feeding n the shallow water to the right of the hide.
Once again some noce reflections.
And shadows as the pair fed alongside each other, picking the small flies off the surface of the mud.
Things had quietened down, and with the north easterly wind it was cold in the hide, so I decided to walk up to the Spurgin Hide.
Settling in it was quiet, a Kingfisher flew through once again but didn't stop, then on the left hand side of the hide an immature female Sparrowhawk flew to the tree.
This bird has been regularly seen over the last few weeks and clearly was looking for something.
After this it flew into the Reedmace and then appeared with something in its talons, it looked small and I couldn't be sure if it was a bird.
From the reedmace it flew back behind the hide and I had to wait about forty minutes for it to reappear, flying once again into the same tree.
There was another two dives into the reeds, but this time without luck and it flew to the centre of the tree where you could see those steely yellow eyes.
It came out and was on th elook out once more.
I thought this would be another swoop, but it only moved to another part of the tree.
From here it flew off around th epond and settled on one of the Kingfisher posts at the back of the pond. This was where I left it after an hour watching it around the tree.
I was having to go home, but I had some time to drop into the MeonShore hide once again and I was rewarded with some great views of one of the Little Stints in front of the hide.
I think the reflections were even better in this light.
Having to leave I finished with one of the Snipe on the island and a blurred Little Stint feeding on the mud behind it.
Perhaps not the variation of the previous visits but some quality subjects.
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