11th April - Brownwich Cliffs and Titchfield Haven Canal Path, Hampshire

A strange weather forecast had me initially thinking things could be good jus after dawn, but then the reality wasn't as expected.  I arrived at Hill Head with the wind quite fresh but coming from the south west and there wasn't any rain.  The tide was falling but the sea was quite rough and it was almost impossible to pick anything out sitting on the water.

The only movement through the air was a few Swallows coming in off the sea and several gulls off shore.  We stuck with a sea watch for about half an hour, then decided to walk up to Brownwich Cliffs to be able to look down on the water.

This was the right move as it didn't take long to find the scoter that have been present for the last few days.  I didn't see Common Scoter last year, but here was a nice male, although best viewed through the 'scope.

It wasn't alone and there was the bonus of a male Velvet Scoter as well, the head shape is slightly longer and of course there is the white flash in the wings.

We made our way back to the cars and moved them to Cliff Road.  After checking in we walked around to the harbour, a Sandwich Tern flew over, while there were mostly Gadwall off the harbour bridge.

Rather than go onto the reserve we were going to walk the canal path.  As we started at the bottom of the path there was a Whitethroat singing from the blackthorn.  It took awhile to locate it as it hid amongst the branches and blossom.

But, it didn't stay hidden for long coming up the branches to sing in the open.

Newly arrived male Whitethroats are a smart bird.

Leaving the Whitethroat we headed up the path, where the path opens up there was a male Roe Deer in the field on the west side.

There was plenty of bird song along the Canal Path with plenty of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps.  A Greenfinch was singing from a hawthorn bush.  

It took a while but we finally managed to get a Blackcap out in the open.

It is a lovely song at this time of year.

My favourite image.

A male Marsh Harrier drifted over the meadow.

We were on a warbler hunt and next was to get one of the Chiffchaffs.  There were plenty about but were singing high above us.

But then one dropped lower in a willow.

Another male Marsh Harrier appeared, this one a lot darker than the individual seen earlier.

We could hear Sedge Warbler singing in the reeds, but they never showed frustratingly.  There were at least a dozen singing Blackcap, while the numbers of Whitethroat were just a little less.  We came across another showy Whitethroat.

There were large numbers of hirundines above Posbrook Floods, mostly Sand Martin but there were also several Swallows and a few House Martins.  A search of the water and flooded vegetation did not find the elusive Garganey this year.

A Nuthatch was searching on the ground in front of us.

On the other side of the path Ian found a Cetti's Warbler either feeding or looking for a drink by the edge of the water.

There was a strip of corrugated tin on the ground by the fence and at first we thought we would have to lift it to see if the re was anything under it, but on top and in the sunshine was this Common Lizard.

We walked up to the car park at Bridge Street and found a bench to have lunch.  After hat we started the long walk back.  Out of the breeze the sun was warm and this was enough to bring out a few butterflies.  This a Green-veined White.

A little further along a singing Goldcrest.

The water levels in the canal were down, and this meant the water was quite still and clear producing some beautiful reflections.

The walk was then a little quiet and on reaching the bottom of the path we decided to try the Meon Shore hide, but there wasn't anything of the ordinary there, so we walked around to the east side and were treated to a lovely male Orange Tip off the boardwalk.

An open wing Orange Tip is always sought after, but here you get the best of both, the patterned green underwing and the orange tips.

With the recent sunshine there have been plenty of Comma butterflies about but I haven't been able to get a photograph of one.  That was corrected today as this one settled on a post.

We walked to the Knight's Bank hide where the male Kestrel was on the meadow, it has been seen catching bugs here.  As I raised the camera it decided to fly off, I caught it just as it took off.

The female Kestrel appeared but sat on a post out of view, behind the bramble.  The male did not return.  I waited but time was creeping up on me and I had to leave.

An interesting day with some common migrants along the canal path.

9th September - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

I managed to get a parking space along Cliff road this morning, so it was a short walk to check in and then make my way around to the west side of the Titchfield Haven reserve.  It was another bright and sunny start, a little more of the autumnal chill in the air, but a lovely morning.  Clouds were bubbling up away to the west and there was always the chance of a shower later.

Out on the rising tide a Sandwich tern sat on the Rainbow Buoy.

For once there were several people in the Meon Shore Hide but I managed to find a space at the window.  I had already been informed that there were three Curlew Sandpipers present and one of the Glossy Ibis that are in the area at the moment.  The Glossy Ibis was feeding in the water, the morning sunshine catching the iridescence in the plumage that gives it it's name.

The three Curlew Sandpiper had been on the left hand or west side of the scrape and had kept their distance, but gradually they made their way back towards the hide.  They seemed to prefer the still, shallow water that creates a dark background.  They are all three juvenile birds, with a buff blush on the breast and lovely buff fringed feathers on the upper parts.

As they got closer they started to move away, wading out into the deeper water.

Two Stonechat appeared on the surround fence and a Kingfisher flew across the scrape, the first I have seen here for a long time

The Glossy Ibis was joined by another and they eventually settled down on one of the islands closer to the causeway.  The Curlew Sandpiper made their way back up the side of the scrape and appeared to be closer to the Pumfrett Hide.  Despite the light problem, I headed to the hide to see if I could get some closer views.

Looking south from the Pumfrett was not easy with the sunshine, but it would go behind the clouds to make the light a little better.  The Curlew Sandpipers had turned back, of course, but there was a Ruff close in.

This being a female it is only slightly bigger than the Curlew Sandpipers and has similar plumage colour to the juveniles, which at a distance makes you wonder if there are more Curlew Sandpipers.

Of course the bill is shorter and the supercillium not so pronounced.

Also on the causeway was the obligatory Common Sandpiper.

These two waders allowed me to get the exposure right as one of the Curlew Sandpipers ventured closer, eventually coming just below the hide window.

These two sho the lovely peachy buff wash on breast and neck.

It flew off with the Ruff towards a small spit behind one of the islands, but returned to show even better now with the sun behind the clouds once again.

It then made its way back towards the other two and I decided to try my luck through lunch in the Spurgin Hide.  On the way I was told of a few Common Lizards sun bathing on one of the pieces of corrugated rubber.

This one looked like it had lost its tail at some point and it was growing back.

The Pumfrett Hide was very quiet, a distant Marsh Harrier being the only sighting of note.  As a result I walked back tot he Meon shore hide where it had now also become quiet.  The Glossy Ibis were gone, but the Curlew Sandpipers were still present and flew from the favourite west side to the island to the right of the hide in the small bay.  Once again some dark water helped to provide a lovely background.

I called it day not long after this as the Curlew Sandpiper flew back to their favoured west side and it looked as if it would remain quiet.  Despite their distance and the challenge of the light, I was pleased with the photos of the Curlew Sandpipers today