Having survived the perils of Storm Eunice on Friday (save for three of the neighbours fence panels), we headed east Saturday morning in clear skies and a frost at home. I knew about this trip for several weeks and have been watching the reports of Shore Larks at Leysdown-on-Sea on the Isle of Sheppey. After dropping Helen off with my daughter I turned north towards Sheppey. As I negotiated the Sheppey crossing I could help wondering what the journey would have been like during the storm and concluded that the bridge must have been shut. This would not have disconnected the island as there is a lower bridge, the Kingsferry bridge that was the original crossing before the the newer Sheppey crossing was completed in 2006.
From the crossing I crossed the island to arrive in the town of Leysdown-on-Sea. It appeared as if the town consisted of more caravans and trailer parks that actual houses. I headed through the town and then out along the Shellness Road. I parked on the sea wall and was confronted with a low tide, the beach dominated by many groynes.
The Shore Lark had been present for some time, being reported from close to the Neptune's Beach Cafe, which was behind me, all the way up to the north end of the beach. They feed along the tide line. There was a small patch of dune and marram grass around the cafe and I checked this area first before setting off to walk along the beach towards the north.
With the tide out I scanned the mud, there wasn't much about but could see Brent Geese, Shelduck, Redshank and Oystercatchers. But what really caught my eye was even further out in the distance, in the Thames Estuary. These were the Maunsell Forts.
The Maunsell Forts are armed towers built in
the Thames estuary during the Second World War to
help defend the United Kingdom from invasion They were operated as army
and navy forts, and named after their designer, Guy Maunsell. The
forts were decommissioned in the late 1950s and later used for other activities
including pirate radio broadcasting.
I was walking the beach in beautiful sunshine with what wind there was at my back. As I walked I checked all the old sea weed and tide line rubbish but there was no sign of any birds let alone Shore Larks.
As I reached the north end of the beach I met a local birder who told me about the area they prefer, but he also said they are quite mobile so could turn up almost anywhere, not what I wanted to hear but I stuck to it and after reaching the end of the beach turned back into what was now a strengthening wind. The forecast for the day was for wind and rain in the afternoon, and dark clouds were gathering to the north. The area they preferred turned out to be an expanse of waste land that consisted of gravel and weeds with a large container and a couple of fly tippings. I scanned around but was only able to find a flighty Pied Wagtail, a fly over Linnet and this Meadow Pipit.
I waited for a little while but then decided they were not coming. There were plenty of dog walkers about on the beach so it was possible they could have been disturbed and as a resulted I turned and walked back the way I came. This time there was a Turnstone feeding on the algae on the sea wall.
While across the beach and mud the tide was rising and the Brent were beginning to move into the Swale.
I walked all the way back to the cafe and didn't see a single small bird on the beach. Back at the car I decided it was time to move on. I was later pleased to see that the birds were not reported, but as equally frustrated in not catching up with them.
From Leysdown I drove to the RSPB raptor view point that is located at Capel Fleet, a mound of earth that raises you above the surrounding fields and marsh. As I arrived a male Marsh Harrier was twisting and turning above a nearby reed bed, but once I had walked up the mound it was gone. I found a distant Kestrel on an overhead wire, but the highlight was a very distant Red-legged Partridge that I first heard calling before picking it out. The only year tick of the day.
With time running our for the advancing weather I decided today was not the best to stand here, to be honest I wanted to see what the area was like as I have heard of this spot for many years but have never visited. I must admit it was not what I had expected.
So moving on the next location was to be Elmley. After my first visit in many year in December last year I wanted to return, like that visit the clear skies of the morning would give way to the approaching cloud. I was also aware that the the approach track to the main car park is through the marsh and if the weather did turn inclement it would be possible to use the car as a mobile hide.
Turning on to the reserve the first birds to be seen were the Lapwing spread out by either side of the track. I stopped to check some distant grey geese, but these were Greylag geese so I moved on.
A parked car lured me to stop and a quick word with the owner revealed that there had been a Bittern present earlier and a lucky person had seen it walk from the reeds across the pool by a pair of fence posts. I pulled over and watched for a while, but predictably there was nothing to see.
Moving on a large Marsh Harrier, that looked like an immature bird, but being so big must have been a female, drifted across the road quite close to me, her wings dipping from either side as she negotiated a freshening south westerly breeze.
She drifted away and I watched as she settled on the bank of a dyke, I slowly moved forward to be in the best and closest position to view.
Lapwing were buzzing the Harrier, not dive bombing but flying over and dipping and calling. The Harrier watched them as the wind ruffled her feathers on her back.
Then she was off the long wings raised and flapped several times
Before taking to the air, the long yellow legs that are the killing machines hanging below the dark brown feathered "trousers"
.
I watched as she set off away from me in the hope that she would bank and return, but she clearly had different ideas and drifted away into the breeze and out of sight. I continued with the slow drive up to the car park at Kings Hill Farm.
Getting out of the car there was a small gathering of people looking into the field adjacent to the car park. When I saw the lady I had met on the last visit I guessed she must have once again located one of the owls in the long grass
Sure enough it was a roosting Short-eared Owl they were looking at. Here the view in normal vision:
Then zooming in a little closer.
The tussocky grass and plastic tree covers providing the perfect shelter from what was now an increasingly stronger wind.
I decided to take the footpath that heads down towards the Swale, passing the old school building. The Little Owl was keeping its head down and as I reached the reed bed towards the bottom of the path another marsh Harrier was distantly crossing the reed bed, here a contrast of wildlife and the industrial nature of the land around the bridge and the Swale.
I hung around waiting to see if the harrier would come any closer, but I watched it as it kept a good distance and covered the ground along the edge of the marsh and away out of sight. I scanned the marsh and fence posts in search of any possible Merlin sighting but could find any.
Heading back up the path a male Stonechat showed well against the dark shadow of the old school building.
Then on the fence that ran alongside the path.
From the car park I walked out towards the main reserve. The skies were more threatening now, dark grey the dominant colour and a cold wind. I passed the small pond with the willow trees behind. On the last visit I was excited to find that this was a Long-eared Owl roost, but today I had found out that they hadn't been seen for many weeks and that it was assumed that the lack of cover once the leaves were gone and the presence of so many Short-eared Owls had moved them on.
The marsh was full of grazing Wigeon, their whistle just about making it through the wind.
On the open water were Tufted Duck.
And a good number of Pochard.
With the tide rising there was a significant movement of birds from the Swale on to the marsh, here Shelduck coming across.
Small waders such as Dunlin and Ringed Plover were also gathering on the marsh. This is a very distant view of one of the collections that could be seen scattered across the marsh.
I managed to catch this female Pochard as it came across the join the others on the closest pool.
The marsh was alive with birds both grazing or gathered on the marsh itself or suddenly taking to the air in large flocks. As usual the Lapwing and Golden Plover were the most spooked and when they went up it would spook the duck as well causing a maelstrom over the marsh.
It was not clear if these incidents were caused by an actual predator or just nervousness that one maybe close by. I would scan all around but was not able to locate anything other than a Marsh Harrier that was well away from the chaos.
However the Golden Plover in the sky is always a sight to behold as the twist and turn flashing gold and silver in the sky.
They then came close over my head in this case sometimes to close to me.
Then the rain started and rather than fight it I decided to head back to the car. I stopped though as I passed the pond once again. A pair of Coot were feeding on the bank, one wasn't having it with me and toddled off into the water, but the other was quite happy for me to get close and to take in those lobed feet, more of which later. This is not a bird I photograph very often so it made a nice change.
Back in the car park I took shelter in the car and was able to eat lunch while watching the Short-eared Owl shelter from the weather.
Checking the radar it was clear that the rain was set in for some time, so it was time to use the car as a hide along the track that leads from the main road through the marsh. Closest to the path were the Lapwing and they were feeding very close with that methodical and careful movement that seems as if they consider every move they want to take.
Fortunately the wind and rain was coming from the south west and I was able to position the car so that the rain was hitting the back of the car, which allowed me to have the side window open without any rain coming in significantly. A drake Shoveler was also unconcerned as I pulled up to photograph it as it moved slowly along the edge of a flooded pool.
Despite the bill the Shoveler is a very smart duck
I was now at the pool where I had stopped on the way in to see if I could see the reported Bittern. Once again I positioned the car so the brunt of the weather was taken by the rear and off side and settled in to see if I could wait this one out. This was my view, and after the experience at Blashford a couple of weeks ago it could be there.
The rain came in fits and starts and across the marsh there were at least three Marsh Harriers quartering the marsh with that distinctive "V" shape of the wings hanging above the reeds and marsh.
One bird was seen stationary in the middle of the marsh and appeared to be eating something, later it moved away. But due to the weather conditions they didn't stay up for long dropping out of cover to stay out of the weather.
I mentioned earlier that there would be more about the Coot later and all around me there were several pairs, but if they would stray to close to each other, either on the water or the ground, they the Coot who saw it as their territory would rush at the other birds and in most case the intruding pair would take the hint and back away. But every so often the rush wasn't sufficient and a little more force would be requited.
Remember those lobed feet seen on the Coot feeding on the grass? Well at the end of those feet are some vicious looking claws, and the next step after the rush doesn't work is to lunge the feet forward with the Coot falling backward, the claws now becoming a nasty weapon and this usually has the right effect, although I have seen where the attacked Coot rights back with equal aggression.
Here the Coot who feels its territory is being compromised rushes the intruding pair.
The rain now was settling in and getting quite hard. There had been no sign of the Bittern, the birder that saw it earlier stopped to tell me where best to look, but when he said he saw it walk from the close pool to the pool and reeds at the back I came to the conclusion I wasn't going to find it. Still I gave it a little more time during which I took advantage of a Lapwing that came very close to the car. Here are views you don't normally get with these lovely birds.
I kind of new the Bittern would not show, so decided to drive up and down the track once again, the rain was now very heavy so as I turned around at the car park I decided it was time to call it a day. I was disappointed that the Shore Lark did not appear, but as I write this now on Monday they haven't been reported since the 17th, so it is likely that they hot footed away when the storm was approaching.
After the glorious weather on Friday, Saturday morning dawned clear and sunny but with a stiffer breeze, the hope was that the sun would remain and that maybe the breeze would ease as we headed towards sunset. After a very nice breakfast Helen and I set off to do the walk we enjoy, heading from the Crab and Lobster around Sidelsham Harbour to Church Norton and down to Selsey Bill along the east side of the peninsula.
The tide had fallen quite quickly from a high tide at about 8:00 am and the walk to the RSPB visitor centre at the Ferry saw very little on show. The Ferry Pool was also very quiet and even the hoped for regular Kingfisher on the Long Pool wasn't there. In fact the first bird of interest was a distant Buzzard flying low across the fields and this very vocal Little Grebe at the top end of the Long Pool.
The path from the Ferry to Church Norton was always notably difficult, deep muddy puddles and undulating, to walk it you had to watch your feet making it difficult to see anything else. But now the path had been worked on, presumably by the RSPB, the deep holes have gone and it is a pleasure to walk, yes there are some patches of mud but nothing like it used to be. So as a result I was able to pick up the huge flocks of Golden Plover and Lapwing that would take to the air every so often for no apparent reason.
With falling tide there was little to be seen close to the path. Shelduck could be seen distantly and there were Curlew, Redshank and what looked like Dunlin feeding. Wigeon, Gadwall and Teal were in the channels. We walked through the church yard of St Winifred's Chapel where a Goldcrest was singing and then back out on to the harbour, calls of Redshank ringing out across the marsh.
We walked down to the beach, where the shingle gave way to a sandy beach as the falling tide seemed to keep on receding. We were now walking into a very fresh south westerly breeze and despite the low tide the sea was sending in waves that crashed against the many groynes as we reached East Beach.
At the Lifeboat station a harbour seal was seen just offshore, but was gone as I raised the camera. Just before our break for a well earned drink at lunch time, we came across a group of a dozen Sandwich Terns on the beach.
Once an early summer migrant, the Sandwich Tern can now be seen along our south coasts in the winter. There has been a good number in Chichester Harbour and only recently a count of 33 off Selsey Bill which this group are probably a part of.
I walked down the beach using the groyne as cover but they were easily spooked and took to the air.
But they didn't go far and came back to settle once again on the beach.
I can't recall being able to get photographs as close as this of Sandwich Terns in the winter before and the weather and light helped immensely. They are a very smart looking tern, not yet with the full black shaggy cap, but a very clear yellow tip to the bill.
Their pure white plumage standing out against the deep blue of the winter sea.
Leaving the Sandwich Terns to settle once again on the beach we headed for a drink. After that we started our way back, this time with the wind behind which made it a lot easier and pleasant in the afternoon sunshine.
A female Stonechat posed very nicely on a small bush close to the sea wall.
The tide was now reaching its lowest point and this was a long way out. Just walking along the sea wall the drop down to the water was at least over five metres and it showed the significant difference the tides bring the beaches.
Scanning the sea produced very little other than a Great Crested Grebe and a Red-breasted Merganser heading south.
Surprisingly there were large gatherings of Grey Plover on the beach close to the tide line. I say surprisingly because low tide is normally a time to feed while the high tide sees the birds roosting.
A little further along an isolated island just off the beach had more Grey Plover on it, and Dunlin and Ringed Plover.
But as with any large gathering of wading birds, it just needs one to become nervous and they all go up only to settle back down until the next time.
The shingle areas exposed by the low tide was being swarmed over by the Turnstones.
It is much easier to walk along the beach when the tide is as low as this, it also looks quite stunning.
And again a different perspective when converted to an infra red black and white.
Just as we were about to leave the beach and walk down towards the church yard an adult Great Black-backed Gull cruised along the beach scouring the exposed shingle below.
An up close encounter with this large gull never fails to impress.
The walk from the church yard back to the Ferry was in pleasant sunshine. Out on the mud were Grey Plover and Curlew, Redshank burst from the salt marsh as we walked past the calls alerting everyone else.
You could just make out the channel of water and here there were feeding Avocet and upending Shelduck and Pintail. Once again though there were the large flocks of Golden Plover and Lapwing taking off as something spooked them. They would wheel around high above us flashing silver and gold in the sunshine.
At the sluice by the Ferry there wasn't any sign of the Kingfisher, to be fair the water level was so low there was nowhere it could adequately perch to watch the water. There was a Little Egret and several Teal snoozing away the afternoon in the sunshine.
As we reached the middle of the afternoon the geese were on the move once again, this large skein coming across the saltmarsh, their calls heralding their arrival.
And here the video to enjoy the spectacle
And to finish things off, an infra red image of the Pagham salt marsh.
A pair of Wigeon were on the pond at Sidlesham Mill, I was taken by the reflection of the drake and the patterns on the water.
Back at the Crab and Lobster Helen went back to the room and I changed footwear and headed out to Halsey's Farm. I wanted to see if I could catch up with the Barn Owl once again, but as I had a little time I also wanted to see if I could find the Cattle Egret and Glossy Ibis in the fields around Marsh Farm.
I walked around the footpaths that went between the three farms in the areas, Halsey, Marsh and Honer. I could not find any sign of the both the egret or Ibis, there was also no sign of any cattle. What I did get though was a low fly past of male Sparrowhawk, it surprised me coming out of nowhere.
With time moving on I headed back to the field at the back of Halsey's Farm and positioned myself to be able to see all of the field and to be able to take advantage of the sunlight. The owls were apparently using a nest box in a barn to my left as I look out in the photograph. There was work going on at the farm with banging and fences being repaired, but this had been the case the evening before so I was confident it would not have any impact. The breeze had reduced and all was set fair.
A water Rail called from a ditch and I managed the briefest of views as it scurried across the ditch into cover. Above Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Blue Tits called and could be seen feeding in the top branches of the surrounding trees. A large flock of gulls passed over head and were joined by a flock of Curlew, calling as they went. Then from behind the trees came the reason, a Marsh Harrier heading towards me, the wings held in the slight "V" and rocking back and forth as it watched the ground beneath.
They seem to be able to sense you are close and it only came so far before banking and gaining height, the golden light of the setting sun catching it as it glided away without a wing beat.
But the banking allowed it to gain height and it came back around again heading towards me.
I kept shooting as it came closer before finally disappearing behind the trees
It then drifted across the field and back towards the sea wall footpath. As it drifted over the harbour Wigeon and Teal could be seen coming up from the mud in panic.
I settled back into the task at had, time was moving on, getting close to the time we had watched the two Barn Owls the day before.around 16:25, the sunlight had now gone and the sky was taking on the blues, grey and pinks of a sunset. Then from out of nowhere a Barn Owl appeared, it appeared through the trees and floated around, its creamy white plumage contrasting against the dark background of the trees.
You don't watch Barn Owls, you encounter them, you stand and watch them and marvel in their beauty, a cream pale bird in a gloomy environment, that has you hooked to watch.
Eventually it went behind the trees and for a brief moment disappeared, I stood and waited and hoped for it to return and come closer which is what it did, appearing from the trees once more.
What is it that captures us and holds us in awe of this beautiful bird, is the inquisitive expression of the eyes and bill, the ghostly appearance in the gloom, or the way it quarters its habitat, gliding and swooping as it checks out every possible sound or opportunity?
The pictures shown below were taken as the Barn Owl flew towards me.
Then it flew through the trees that I was standing next too. From above and behind me I heard the alarm calls of Blue Tits and Robins. The owl flew on and appeared to settle inthe trees.
I walked around the copse in the hope of finding the owl, but it had disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. Coming back around I caught glimpse of two owls interacting back over the reeds by the stream, rushing over, the were gone, and I never saw them again.
While I harboured thoughts the owls may return, my other thoughts turned to the other two specialities currently at the North Wall, I hadn't manage to find them on my work around the fields, but maybe I could see them come into roost. They have been using Owl Copse along with the regular Little Egrets.
At 16:37 a tight flock of egrets appeared over the tree tops heading towards the copse. There were 18 Cattle Egrets and they dropped low and eventually into the copse and out of sight.
Oner down one to go, the sun was sinking fast, but had broken through the clouds once more, I had positioned myself by the bridge over the stream and looking back a good sunset was building.
Much to my surprise a Grey Wagtail flew towards me calling, it dropped onto the mud alongside the stream, probably not able to see me through the gloom.
It then flew to the other side to walk around the mud that had been broken up by cattle. After picking out a few invisible morsels it flew away, calling as it went.
The light was fading fast and it was becoming cold, I could feel the cold creeping into my legs and arms, however I was determined to stand this one out, I was certain the Ibis would appear. A large dark bird appeared above the copse, it had a long neck a for a few seconds I wondered if it was an Ibis, but then realised it was a Cormorant.
The at 17:07 a tight group of black birds appeared through the trees and then above them heading towards the copse, this time there were six and they all had the curved bills, a long elongated body with trailing legs, the Ibis.
The Glossy Ibis is a gregarious bird, feeding together in flocks, but I found it interesting that these six were sticking together, all coming in to roost together and not arriving separately, clearly there was a message between them that it was time for bed!
The Ibis dropped into the copse and my day was up. Normally the walks around herer were not conducive to photography, the birds being distant, but this weekend had been exceptional with some great birds and photographic opportunities. Views of Barn Owl are always magical though and I headed back to the Crab and Lobster with a smile, heading into a lovely sunset and a wonderful dinner to come.
