11th November - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

Early Sunday morning there was a report of two Penduline Tits seen from the Spurging Hide the previous afternoon.  Despite several looking on the Sunday there was nothing seen.  Then on Monday afternoon another report of a single bird seen from the same hide at a similar time, just before the reserve closed.

So it was that I was off to the Haven this morning, arriving just before opening and walking around to the Spurgin Hide.  I was planning for a long day, it was sry, but there was an annoying wind that seemed to get stronger through the day, moving the reeds around which wasn't good.  I settled in on the right hand side of the hide and stared out onto the reedmace and reeds in front of the hide.  

To save any poetic license, in five hours of looking I and others in the hide saw very little.  Bearded Tits would show very briefly at the back of the pond, flying quickly across the reeds before diving out of the wind.  A Little Grebe was seen diving around the base of the reeds and a female Stonechat appeared at the top of a reedmace stalk while both Cetti's Warbler and Chiffchaff could be heard.  There were two calls that were probably Penduline Tit, but nothing showed and I eventually left the hide at 14.00.

The one thing that kept all of us going in all that time was the appearance of the two immature Marsh Harriers, maybe another reason why little showed in the reeds.  They would appear from the north coming over the reeds and then along the line of reeds at the back of the pond.  They would use the strong wind to hang, checking out for anything worthwhile in the reeds below.

On leaving the hide I walked around to the Meon Shore Hide.  It was murky now, what sunshine there had been long gone.  For once the scrape was busy with an incredible number of Teal being the main feature.  Something must have upset the scrape though as there were around half a dozen Snipe in the shallow island in front of the hide.

With the strong wind from the south it was probably the reason the duck and waders were close to the hide, using it and the surrounding reeds as shelter from the wind.  A kestrel hunting around the hide was probably the reason everything spooked again sending the Teal into a large flock that circled the scrape before settling down.  What is noticeable here is the different colour the speculum shows as they twist and turn, in on angle a green, in others a teal blue

The duck soon settled down and returned to the shelter of the hide, using the shallow water around the island to stand and preen.  It is good to see the breeding colours looking very smart once again and in many areas groups of males were gathering to display to available females.

Once again the variation in the speculum feather colours, from purple to green.

I couldn't leave without a photograph of a drake Shoveler.  I had hoped for some flight shots, but they didn't seem to be too bothered by the swirling Teal.

So not the most successful day and it looks like I will have to try again.

NB: A single Penduline was seen on Wednesday 12th November, so it looks like I will be back on Thursday.