25th November - Hill Head and Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

While eating lunch just off the Lower Test Marshes we debated various places to visit in the afternoon, but with the beautiful weather we were concerned about the crowds, so in the end we opted to try Hill Head, where earlier there had been reports of an almost summer plumaged Grat Northern Diver.  Another diver I know, but an opportunity to see and photograph one in summer plumage was too much to pass on.

Pullin up on the sea wall it was a stunning sight, the tide out and the sea so blue under the winter sunshine.  A female Stonechat was on the fence.

We decided to walk to the sailing club when we saw Sanderling and Ringed Plover  On Duck Lake there were six Common Gulls.

We stopped to talk to some who had been photographing the diver.  Apparently it had been close but had now disappeared.  It was then seen just off the Rainbow Bar and everyone headed over to try and get to a position where the glorious sunshine would not be a problem.

Just off shore the light was not helpful but it was possible to see the neck collar, the only visible area of moult was under the chin and on the neck.

The same classic features as described on the morning's bird, but this time with the summer plumage.

We were treated to the obligatory wing flap.

It drifted around into the sun and we walked as close as we could to the edge of the water to get a good light position.

Here you can begin to see the red eye a feature of the divers and grebes.

The red eye is controlled by the colour of the iris which controls the diameter of the pupil and the amount of light coming in.  It is though the colour helps to filter the light in dull and drab conditions, like those found underwater, making it easier to see underwater.  But not all diving birds have the same eye colour, so the jury is still out.  Maybe the divers and grebes have managed to get this evolutionary advantage ahead of others?

A chance to see the bill, the Great northern has dark lines on the culmen (the top) and the cutting edges that are slightly serrated to help with grip.

here the diver swims into the light and the eye colour is picked up by the reflection of light from the water.

No alterations to th eye colour have been made.

After some superb views it decided to head out towards deep er water and we decided to head into the reserve and the Meon Shore Hide.

Once again some beautiful light and duck close to the hide, these Teal standing out in the sunshine.

Avocet have been absent since early autumn so it was good to see a pair on the scrape.

Shoveler are always lovely to photograph in flight, the colours that are hidden in the wings at rest are then on show.

There was an appearance from three distant Marsh Harriers and plenty of snipe.  The last two visits there had been Reed Bunting in the reeds to the left of the hide, but today they were gone.  There was though a male Bearded Tit that showed on and off as it fed on the seed heads of the reeds.  It never showed well but did produce some interesting images as it pushed its head through the seed head.

Then a brief view of all of the bird.

We decided with the sun falling and the light going to head back to the car.  Outside the sky over the Solent was looking spectacular, this view from above the reeds.

Looking closer you could see the rainbow produced by the ice crystals in the cirro-stratus clouds, unfortunately a sign that the weather was on the change.

It was going to be a stunning sunset over the beach and sea.

Looking to the west the clouds were lovely.

And one final look across the reserve, the reed bed lit up by the golden light.  While away to the right the visitor centre that now has its own For Sale sign, goodness knows what that will mean, I don't think it will be for the good

26th October - Farlington Marshes and Titchfield Haven, Hampshire

My plan as I set off this morning changed as I left the house.  My plan was Titchfield first and then try Farlington in the afternoon, but as I drove I thought there had been a lot of overnight rain so I changed the plan and headed to the A3 and down to Farlington.

This turned out to be an inspired decision and for once I will give some notice on what to expect in this post.  There is going to be a lot of photographs with very little commentary, it was down to the way the day unfolded and the birds came.

I left the car park and headed towards the Lake, it was a lovely morning, blue skies all around with hardly any wind, the tide was high but with the light wind it was gently lapping against the sea wall.

As I reached the Lake the water was very high, the base of the reeds completely under water and the surrounding grass flooded.  Here Pintail could be seen feeding amongst the grass, and s few were out on the water close in.  This particular Pintail was busy preening in the morning sunshine.

I know I say it all the time but they are a beautiful duck, love the white "Starsky and Hutch" flash on the neck.

And the blue and black markings on the bill.

There was notice of the Short-eared Owls showing already in the morning which had vindicated my change of plan, So having stopped to see if there were any Beardies in the reeds, which there weren't so I am then walked on with some others towards Point Field.

There had been a count of four Short-eared Owls reported the day before and this is a little early for continued day time viewing.  As we approached the east side of Point Field I could see one Short-eared Owl flying above the bramble and as we reached the gate there were two flying around the field and over the bramble.

Now you will get some idea of what I meant about lots of photographs that really don't need the words to describe them.  I give you the Short-eared Owl.

I do like this one, the yellow eyes.

The light was a problem as we were on the east side of the field, the sun back lighting the wings.

Head on coming at you.

The general opinion is that when the owls arrive they will usually hunt in the night, coming out to hunt during the day more into winter.  To see them like this in good light was something special.

One down side of this is of course they become a target for the Crows and both birds were driven out over the water and high above us but they would always look to return.

Watchful for the mobbing crows, but he owls would give as good as they get and would sometimes go after the crows with talons.

Such a distinctive flight action slow with strong beats on long broad wings.

THe Shortie being escorted over the field by a Crow.

Coming back into Point Field.

Both birds then dropped down out of sight amongst the bramble.  I walked around to the west side to see if there was any sign of them around the ant hills but I couldn't see any.  This view across Point Field shows what a lovely morning it was.

And this dog Fox was enjoying the morning sunshine.

I walked back to the south side of Point Field and stood and waited.  There was one brief view of an owl as the crows seemed to find it in the bramble, but it almost immediately dropped back down.  A check of the radar showed a storm coming and with two hours since the owls had shown I decided to walk back to the Lake and to see if there was any chance of the Bearded Tits, but there was no sign of them and with the threat of rain I decided to get back to the car and head off for Titchfield.

Again, the right decision as the skies opened and it rained very heavily as I drove to the Haven.  When I arrived the rain eased and I checked in, then headed to the west side.  I stopped at the harbour bridge and was amazed to see how high the water was, the branch for the Kingfisher was completely covered.

With the tide was still very high and I checked the spit behind the Sailing Club and on the groyne there were quite a few Sanderling.

I couldn't turn down the opportunity and took the chance to try some different views.

Leaving the Sanderling, I walked towards the west entrance, like the harbour bridge the water in Duck Bay was also very high, the island completely covered and this platform just showing.

It was pretty much the same from the Meon Shore Hide with the south scrape pretty much under water.

The Oystercatcher struggling to find somewhere to roost (note the new letter signs)

No island in front of the hide and the duck were struggling to reach the bottom.

The owner of the DA, a drake Gadwall.

A Little Grebe swam past below the hide.

I felt the best chance of anything special might be at the Spurgin Hide and made my way there and again was greeted with a lot of water.

I settled in to wait, I seem to have come to terms with some patience over the last few weeks and this soon paid off when a Kingfisher arrived, although it did insist on staying at the back of the mere.

Then moved through a selection of perches before landing on the tall branch in about the middle of the mere.

It is a female Kingfisher and it would make several sorties around the mere, at times hovering over the water.

This was the closest she came, hiding in the reeds.

Then across to the reedmace.

Finally catches a fish that is quickly dispatched.

A little earlier I had seen what I considered was a Sparrowhawk fly past the right hand side of the hide.  While the Kingfisher was sat at the top of the tall branch it suddenly called and flew straight at the hide and then away to the left side.  Somebody then said there was a Sparrowhawk on the branch where the Kingfisher had been, when I got on the branch this is what I saw.

Not a Sparrowhawk but a Merlin, I couldn't believe it.  It sat motion less on the branch

In the morning I had been discussing the opportunity to be able to photograph Merlin and not just see them dash past you, so I really couldn't believe this.

It then jumped along the branch, finally settling down at the tip of the branch.

The merlin is our smallest falcon, not much bigger than a blackbird. They feed on small birds, especially meadow pipits which they chase in flight, low to the ground. Their small size also allows them to 'hang' in the breeze as they pursue their prey. In the winter, our merlin population increases as breeding birds are joined by migrants from Iceland in search of warmer climes.

The plumage indicates this to be a female bird, but the size of the bird and then its behaviour over the rest of the day and into the next makes me wonder if it was an immature male.

The position doesn't change that much, but this is a Merlin and this opportunity may never rise again.

Then it was gone, flying pastthe left hand side of the hide and away towards the canal path.  It was later reported along the canal path hunting Meadow Pipits and then around the sailing club at the sea wall.  The following day it was roosting in a Scots Pine outside the visitor centre and this allowed many to see and photograph it, but this was my bird.

With the time approaching closing the heaven's opened again and this was the scene looking out of the hide.

And as it stopped and the dark clouds drifted away rainbows appeared in the sky.

Storm clouds had never been very far away all afternoon and as I walked back to the car this was the scene over the Isle of Wight.

What a day!  A day where Short-eared Owls were almost forgotten with the arrival of a Merlin in the afternoon.  I still can't believe it, a wonderful day that will remain in the memory for a long time.