25th November - Titchfield Haven NNR, Hampshire

According to the recent weather forecasts, today, Tuesday looked like the best day of the week.  It was a cold start with lovely blue sky so I headed back to Titchfield Haven, where I hoped once again the light would enhance any photographic opportunities.  With a lack of winter visitors so far this season I have been falling back on photographing some of the commoner reident birds.

After checking in at the centre I walked along the east side of the reserve for a change, heading to the Meadow Hide.  I was hoping there might be some winter thrushes in the bushes, but drew a blank on that.  From the hide there were the usual two Curlew, plenty of Stock Dove, huge numbers of Canada Geese and in amongst them at least a dozen Egyptian Geese.

I headed back to the sea wall and started the walk around the harbour scanning the sea for any sign of the Red-throated Diver reported earlier, but with no luck.  Coming out of the harbour with four Gadwall was this smart drake Wigeon.

With the tide low and rising I decided to walk down to the beach and along the tide line.  Oystercatcher were feeding and resting on the edge of the water, the partially leucistic bird amongst a small group.

With the tide rising they Oystercatcher became restless, the leucistic bird flapping its wings.

But settling down, don't take the red eye of the bird as a sign of albinism, Oyster Catchers have red eyes.

Shortly after this the Oystercatchers took off and headed towards the reserve where they roost on the south scrape.

Also with the Oystercatchers were eight Sanderling.  I spent quite a bit of time with the Sanderling as they fed and roamed along the tide line.  The results were quite special and deserve to be a post all to themselves

After finishing with the Sanderling I walked back to the road.  A small flock of Eider appeared out on the sea, I counted 14.  A Water Rail was moving amongst the reeds and the shore that was exposed by the low water.

I went on to the reserve and into the Meon Shore Hide.  Almost immediately all the Woodpigeon, Stock Dove and geese went up over the meadow and amongst the geese were the Egyptian Geese, here a few of them.

A fe more Snipe on the island now, today seven after the desertion of the last few days.

One of the reasons for everything going up at the back of the scrape was the presence of Marsh Harriers, this female type soaring over the reeds.

However with the Marsh Harrier drifting away all the Lapwing went up on the scrape.

The reason?  A male Sparrowhawk flew across the scrape and settled on the west perimeter fence.

The male Sparrowhawk seen last week was ringed, it wasn't clear if this one was too, so it is possible there are two males in the area.

It seems that the Shoveler spend the morning on the bay, sheltering along the edge by the reeds, then slowly after midday they start to return to the scrapes.

A pair of Shoveler coming in.

Settling on the water.

With the tide high the islands provided some refuge for the waders, here Snipe and Redshank on one of the islands.

Lapwing on the edge of an island.

Teal too were moving, this drake enjoying the afternoon sunshine.

While another takes off.

Gradually, the Shoveler came closer to the hide highlighting there stunning plumage, the bottle green head and the orange brown flanks.  But first a female showing off here stunning orange bill.

A drake with an itch.

A close up of the rake, showing the filters in the large bill that gives it the name.

A drake enjoying the sunshine on a cold day like all the birds on the scrape.

A northerly wind had made the hide very cold and this eventually beat me and I left the hide and walked out into the sunshine.  Walking around to the spit there were waders circling around the roost area, the reason were two birders with telescopes.  These birders would be the first to accuse photographers if they were getting too close, so I found it quite appalling that these two decided they were okay to disturb the roosting birds.

Here Ringed Plover and Sanderling trying to find a suitable site away from the disturbance.

Settled together on the beach.

Sanderling flying in.

The flock of Ringed Plover and Sanderling flying around offshore.

Leaving the spit I walked around to the harbour bridge where a pair of Gadwall were in the sunshine close to the reeds.

Black-headed Gulls lined up on the railings in the sunshine, peeling off one after the other as I walked by.

A Great Crested Grebe in the reflections of the chalets on the Hill Head promenade.

A wider view of the promenade and the beach chalets.

A lovely late autumn day with some lovely light.  Look out for the portfolio of the Sanderling.