6th September - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

My first full day our of the month and I decided on Titchfield.  There is always a chance something will turn up and this is also one of the best times and place to see Osprey and I have yet to see one this year.

As I walked around to the west side there was a constant stream of hirundines coming from the west and heading into a south east breeze.  I could only see Swallows and Sand Martins, no sign of any House Martins.

I headed for the Meon Shore hide and once again had the hide to myself.  Last visit no Avocet, this morning a single bird feeding in front of the hide.

Then once again, for no reason I could see, all the waders went up, revealing that there were in fact thirty two Avocet on the scrape.  Here a few of them.

Heading out to sea were a couple of Sandwich Terns, with one showing really well.

The waders spooking like they had has the act of shaking everything up and moving some that were previously hidden.  One of those was one of the two Ruff present, which appeared by the reeds on the left hand side of the hide.

I then picked up the two Grey Phalaropes that had been present for the week, These are an adult bird with a juvenile. The adult bird is on the left with the clean grey markings with the black stripe through the eye.  The juvenile on the right with the buff wash on the throat.

They preened and bathed in the shallow water, then swam to the right side of the scrape, showing the difference in the plumage.

Then as quickly as they appeared they were gone and were picked up later on the north scrape, but distant from the hides.

A Common Sandpiper appeared from nowhere, settling on the island in front of the hide

Then the waders all went up again, this time a Sparrowhawk appearing from behind the hide.  It didn't seem to be actively hunting and turned and headed off towards the west hide.  About ten minutes later it returned, coming in from the westlow over the scrape and scattering everything once again.

The phalaropes appeared once again, this time a little closer, but didn't stay long before heading back to the north scrape.  This is the adult.

There had been reports of Hobbies from the meadow, so I decided to try my luck on the east side of the reserve.  Walking along the boardwalk there were Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small White butterflies.

I decided to watch from the Meadow Hide.  Soon after arriving all the large gulls were up and as I scanned in amongst them I picked out an Osprey, exactly what I had hoped for today.

Here  it was being mobbed by a Lesser Black-backed Gull.

It shook off the attentions of the gulls and headed closer to the hide showing very well.

Stopping to hover and start to dive before pulling out.

It then soared around before heading back towards the Frying Pan.

Over the Frying pan a few circles then a hover and dive.  Here is a sequence of events as it drops towards the water.

I lost focus as it went below the trees and into the water.  There was a wait and then eventually the Osprey appeared with its catch, a sizeable fish.

A lot of speculation over what the fish was, but the consensus of opinion was a Grey Mullet, one of their favourite prey.

So the perfect end to the day, the bird I was hoping for and some great views too.

30th August - Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

I was meeting Ian at the sea wall at Titchfield this morning, his last day before he jets off to Canada for almost a month.  As I arrived there was some excitement as a Manx Shearwater had been seen offshore amongst the feeding flock.  I spent some time searching with others but couldn't find it.  Ian and I decided to go onto the reserve and headed around the harbour.  The young male Goosander was fishing in the harbour.  It is now in eclipse plumage.  Many are reporting it as a female, but the white in the wing and the fact that there has been a Goosander in the harbour for over a year and that was in male plumage during the spring, point to this being the same bird.

It moved into the dark water of the harbour.

It came close to the viewpoint.

Moving around and snorkelling to see if the fish are about.

After checking in, we spent sometime on the east side.  Very little about though, no Cattle Egrets, or other large herons on the frying pan.  No sign of any Yellow Wagtails either.  A Kestrel was hoving close to the hide and dropped into the grass and came up with a vole which it took to the willows where it was ripping the vole apart.

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We left the east side and walked around to the west.  We stopped briefly at the sea wall where a Grey Phalarope was reported, but it was long gone.  With Ian having packed his scope and tripod, he couldn't join in, so we went on to the reserve and the Meon Shore hide.

The hide was empty and right in front of us was a Ruff, feeding on the small island close to the hide.

I never managed to catch up wit a Ruff in the spring, so this was a welcome year tick for me.

It was then joined by one of two Common Sandpipers present and hanging around the small island.

Some interesting action.

One then flew to the depth marker post.

On the left hand side of the scrape there were three Green Sandpiper, a bird that is similar to the Common Sandpiper, but slightly larger and it lacks the white that is on the shoulder.

Slowly one came closer to the hide.

Another identification feature is the white rump on the Green Sandpiper.

Showing nicely in the darker water.

Delicately picking the insects off the surface of the water.

There were two Ruff, both females, which are smaller than th emale birds.  They would move between the mud in front of the hide and the north end of the scrape.  But when they were in front of the hide they would show well.

A good flock of Starlings were around the scrape, mostly immature birds just coming out of their juvenile plumage, they would bathe at the edge of the islands.

A couple of immature Ringed Plover flew to the island in front of the hide.

Harder to see around the scrape due to the thick vegetation at this time of year every so often a Snipe would fly across the scrape.  This one was feeding on the right hand side of the hide close to the reeds.

Then it flew to the island where it didn't appear to be quite happy.

It looked like it was going to fly.

But when it did I missed the flight shot as it flew to the Snipe island to the left of the hide and looked more at home.

These three Lapwing were just off the Snipe island, there heads pointing into what was now quite a fresh south westerly wind.

The Common Sandpipers would come and go, appearing on the island then wading through the mud to disappear beneath the reeds in front of the hide.  The challenge was to catch them in flight as they came from under the reeds.  These two were acceptable.

A Buzzard was sat on the fence on the right hand side of the scrape and edged closer, eventually putting up all the waders and gulls.  These Lapwing passing in front of the hide.

The Black-tailed Godwits dropping back down on the water.

With high tide approaching the Oystercatcher roost was growing and there were at least half a dozen Common Terns now around the scrape.  Both adults and immature birds it was a surprise to see the immature carrying the fish here.

Adult and immature together.

On one of the far islands a couple of Sandwich Terns.

Good to catch up with Ian today, hope you have a great time in Canada!  Bird wise, nice to get the Ruff, would have been good to get the sea stuff, but it wasn't to be