15th November - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

Back once again to Titchfield, this time meeting Ian with the intent of trying once again from the Spurgin Hide.  We met on Cliff Road for once, it was a lovely morning with mist hanging around the sea front and out on the water

The chalets being lit up by the filtered light on the Hill Head promenade.

Mist out on the Solent.

We checked in, then walked around the harbour.  The tide was full and the waders were on the spit behind the boat yard.  There were Ringed Plover and Turnstone on the shingle with the Sanderling being flushed and out over the water.

A Stonechat was showing well at the entrance to the west side of the reserve.

We walked around to the Spurgin hide and settled in once again to look at the reeds.  It was misty and quite dull.  There were very few birds to be seen but after awhile a Marsh Harrier appeared on the north side of the hide, quartering the reeds.

The sun finally punched through the mist and we could see blue sky.

I picked up a Sparrowhawk in a tree at the back of the pond, the tail and wing feathers were spread out as if the Sparrowhawk was drying them out.

A female Stonechat teased on the reedmace at the back of the pond and there was also a Reed Bunting and Blue Tit showing.  It was left to a Little Grebe to entertain.

Some nice reflections.

Once again boredom got the better of us and we decided to walk back to the Meon Shore Hide.  The sun was warming up the day and providing some lovely soft light on the south scrape.  This Teal in front of the hide.

I like this composition with the scrub alongside the sleeping Teal.

There were many Lapwing on the scrape, their calls being heard across the water.  Unusually though this Lapwing was sitting on one of the branches.

With the tide falling the Oystercatcher were all beginning to return to the beach.

The partially leucistic bird.

Egyptian Geese numbers are increasing on the reserve, last Thursday I counted 28 on the meadow, today there were 12 across the two scrapes.  This pair deciding to leave and head off in the direction of Brownwich Cliffs.

The drake Teal had woken up and was going through its stretches.

A Lapwing close in and again reflecting like a mirror in the dead calm water.

A Marsh Harrier drifted over the reeds putting a lot of the scrape up.

Another Lapwing taking up an unusual spot.

A maximum count of 35 Snipe on the island, here, just a few.

We left the hide and walked to the beach, our hope that there would be some waders was dashed by the many dog walkers along the tide line.  We decided to walk around the harbour, stopping at the bridge to take in the view.

We made our way to the Meadow Hide where there were the two Curlew once again in front of the hide.

From the Meadow Hide we walked to the end of the path and the Knight's Bank Hide, on the way the amount of berries on the Holly trees was impressive and looked very good against the blue sky.

The only problem from the Meadow and Knight's Bank hides is that everything is so distant for photography, the exception recently being the Curlew.  From the Knight's Bank there was a large flock of Stock Dove, probably around 100 birds.  We eventually found the five Glossy Ibis amongst the Canada Geese and a Marsh Harrier was sat on the owl box.

The clouds rolled in and the light went, so it was time to head back.  An enjoyable day as ever and enhanced by the warm conditions.  Walking around the sea wall there were 18 Eider off shore.