1st September - Farlington Marshes, Hampshire - Part One

It has been a while since I have visited Farlington.  This time of year can prove to be quite fruitful, so where better to spend the day on the first of September and the start of the meteorological autumn.

There is work going on around the ditches to open them for better breeding conditions next spring.  This meant that the lower car park was closed.  The work though did not have any impact on the birds around the reserve. 

I set off through the bushes and as I reached the open grass area there were plenty of Clouded Yellow about including this 'Helice' variation, a paler female.

Here the clean clouded Yellow, with a much fuller yellow colour.

There were Clouded Yellow everywhere, as I walked they would take off from the grass and were in numbers I have never experienced before, more than at Fishlake last Saturday.

As I came onto the white post path there was an immature Kestrel perched at the top of a bush.

Ity soon became clear that there was a lot of activity in the bushes with Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroats calling and buzzing around the bushes.

Here one of the Willow Warblers.

This warbler had me thinking and maybe hoping as it moved through the hawthorn bush, the colour and size of the bill much different from the Chiffchaff and Willow Warblers.  

Here eating blackberries I settled on a Reed Warbler, completely out of the habitat you would expect to see them in.

Several Whitethroat were about, this adult having a bit of a fight with a couple of Robins.

Another surprise was a few Spotted Flycatchers.  They showed very well catching insects from the hawthorn bushes.  At first hiding in the middle of the bush.

But then coming out into the open and perching from a prominent perch.

A lovely background and some great shots.

They moved around the bushes and would fly around the grass in a similar style to that used by the Bee-eaters.

It seems to have been a good autumn passage through the county this year, birds that are always welcome to see.

Finally some views from behind showing the white fringes to the flight feathers.

Leaving the flycatchers I chased another Clouded Yellow 'helice'.

I was trying to catch the butterfly in flight and this was the best I could manage.

As well as the Clouded Yellows there were plenty of Common Blues, this a smart male.

Leaving the bushes I heard a Lesser Whitethroat calling but was not able to find it.

From the Information hut this Common Sandpiper flew across the stream.

Passing the Hay field there were quite a few cattle, but I could only find one Cattle Egret and it was very distant and in a strong heat haze.

There were lots of flowers by the side of the path, mainly yellow daisies and in amongst them and the grasses were more butterflies.  A female Common Blue.

A Small Copper.

Small Heath

And another Common Blue perched on the seed had of a grass stem.

Walking along the east side of the sea wall, more warblers in the bushes.  This a Willow Warbler.  The wing projection isn't clear here

But in these two photographs you can see the long wings and flesh coloured legs.

Here you can clearly see the longer wing projection and the pale legs.

I followed this Kestrel uniting along the edge of the bramble bushes the other side of the sea wall.  There were two drops but both were unsuccessful.

A Whinchat was perched om a distant post and was joined later by another in the brambles close to the sluice at the Lake.

The tide was rising and a Little Egret was fishing in a chanel alongs side the sea wall.

I had my timing just right, I wanted to be at the Lake as the tide was about a couple of hours from being at its height.  I was hoping that there would be some good waders on the Lake, the conditions were looking perfect.  But I will save the details of that for part two of this post.

So far it was a very rewarding visit with some quality birds and some great photographic opportunities.