Sunday 31 January 2010

Pagham Harbour on a high tide.

A cold but bright morning so a drive to the coast seemed appropriate.
Pagham harbour at high tide.
At the harbour entrance I finally located Mediterranean Gull plus the usual Black-headed, Great Black-backed and Herring Gulls with Turnstones feeding along the pebble shore line. Out on the water were Red-breasted Mergansers, Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, Shelduck and Northern Pintail.
A single Redshank making rings in the water.
Next was a very muddy walk, including a trudge through a waterlogged path, over to the North Wall to catch up with the large flock of Brent Geese. I scanned for the Black Brant and Pale-bellied but only located the latter amoungst all the Dark-bellied Brent.
The damp field and pool margins also held Tufted Duck, Shovellers, Lapwing, Knot, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit and at least 50 Common Snipe feeding out in the open. 
An erruption of Brent Geese as they moved to other locations with the tide on the turn.
Scanning skywards I located several Common Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk before commencing my return walk which also produced my first Yellowhammer for 2010 plus Chaffinch, Reed Buntings, Blackbird, Wren, Dunnock, Green Woodpecker, Grey Plover, Cormorant and a second Sparrowhawk.
Back at the Lagoon the scope was needed to finally locate a very distant male Scaup plus Little Grebes, Moorhen and at least 6 Goldeneye.
With tide falling I bade farewell and started the long drive home.  FAB.

9 comments:

  1. Wow Frank. What a mouthwatering list. I'm really missing not getting out at the moment. :(

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  2. A great sight seeing the Brent taking to the air Frank. I just like to hear them on the ground, quite unmistakable.

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  3. Great day with a lot of good species there Frank,Yellowhammer is a good one thats my bogey bird down here. We have them but I only seem to get distant views. In answer to your question on the Scaup the main pool at Tehidy can be covered quite comfortably by a 300 or 400mm lens with minimal cropping involved. Great day great photo's nice one

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  4. What a great day to be out and birding! Thanks for bringing us along.

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  5. Hi Frank,
    You got a beautiful day!!! Wonderful! Nice to see the brent geese are somehwere. We also get a beautiful day yesterday which produces new species on the year list too... Spring will be there soon!

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  6. A wonderful day for birding! Thanks again for the walk with you.

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  7. Wow! What a successful day you've had! Beautiful photos to illustrate it as well...thanks!

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  8. Wonderful sightings and stunning scenery.....crisp and cold, invigorating.

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  9. Keith. Hopefully when you are well rested the weather conditions will be just right for you to have a 'mega' day.

    Roy. A bit like guttural gargling!

    Monty. I have still to find a Yellowhammer close to home as well.

    Steve B. I think you would have enjoyed it in the flesh, so to speak.

    Chris. We are looking after them for a few months. Good to hear you are shooting again.

    Mona. You are always welcome to tag along.

    Susan. Another pair of eyes would have helped and I altered the camera settings in error so a lot of bird shots went straight in the bin!

    Cheryl. It was heaven to get out under a big blue sky for once.

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I hope you enjoyed your visit and I always appreciate your comments and feedback.

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