After the damp squib that was Storm Benjamin, the morning was sunny and bright and for the first time this autumn a little cold. I had decided to try Fishlake Meadows once again, looking for the immature White-tailed Eagle that has been in and around the area for a few weeks now. I had been given details of the best place to see it, should it be there. After parking I headed down the rat run that runs south of the reserve. The trees open up here and last year I had some nice views of Osprey here.
There wasn't any sign of the Eagle when I arrived but a Great Egret was showing well in the bushes.
Then another joined it in the tree. Unbeknown to me the reason for the egret appearing was that the White-tailed Eagle had stirred.
However it wasn't where it was supposed to be, I could only just make it out behind the trees alongside the road.
It was a case of moving back and forth and trying to get a view through the branches. It then needed a switch to manual focus to get through the branches. This was a start.
But things did get better and I was able to get clearer views.
This is G625 a two year old male that came from the first brood to breed in southern England for many years on private land in West Sussex. His parents surprised everyone because they nested and raised young when only two years old, normally maturity is reached at three years.
G625 has been quite mobile along the south coast over the last few months and as well as here at Fishlake it has also spent time at Alresford Pond in Hampshire.
It was now a game of trying to get a better view so I made my way to the viewing areas and while it couldn't be seen from the original area it could be seen for the new area.
Eventually it flew off and returned to the area behind the trees, so I decided to try along the Canal Path for the Yellow-browed Warbler again. It was though a case of watching the skies for raptors. This a male Marsh Harrier.
It was possible to see the eagle from the canal path and was at first in the original spot, but then flew and found another dead tree in the middle of the reserve.
Another bird of prey flying over, a Red Kite.
The Yellow-browed Warbler was calling and every so often would give very quick views. It was against a white background and the light was awful, so all these contributed to an awful record shot.
The eagle had gone from its position in the middle of the reserve so I decided to walk back to the road viewing spots and lucked out it was sitting on a tree, for once relatively close to the area.
And at last some good clear shots
Well worth the running up and down!
It then flew back to the same tree it had first been on. While I waited a Buzzard flew through and this Kingfisher appeared.
I walked to the central screens and had lunch while nothing happened, no duck or any waterfowl at all, I suppose you have to expect this with an eagle about!
Walking back I came across this Migrant Hawker, its getting late for these insects.
I had a confrontation with a dog walked who wanted to take their dog down the central path, and then coming back to the Canal Path I noticed this clump of Sulphur Tuft in a dead bough about 10 feet up. I wondered how the fungi could have got there, I suppose spores.
Coming back down the Canal Path I passed birders who were watching the eagle. It was perched on th edead trees in the area in front of the viewing area, so I speed walked back there. It had flown off when I get there so I walked down the road once again. It was n't there so I came back and it was back, but at the back of the lake, so not ideal.
It flew again and I hadn't the energy to go looking once more. I did drive there before I left and there wasn't any sign, so I decided I had enough for now, who knows it could be around for a while.
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