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An overcast morning promised very little in the way of bright sunshine, which is due later on this afternoon. Soaring temperatures and south easterly winds promised for the weekend will boost any migration under way and today, I got a taste of what is to come.
I had the day off so after reading about a Common Tern on Ivy Lake, I had to take a walk to see if I could locate the bird. I done better than that and counted five Common Terns, a year tick, flying up and down Ivy Lake with the four Little Gulls that has been present all week.
Two adult and two juvenile Little Gulls graced the Lake flying up and down with the Common Terns, occasionally pausing on one of the small buoys.
Also on the lake, at least four Great Crested Grebes swam on the water as well as good numbers of Tufted Duck. Overhead, the sky was void of Hirundines, which was unfortunate. A Green Woodpecker was searching for ants along the footpath and showed well enough to take some photos.
I took a walk up to Trout Lake and saw the usual Chiffchaff singing its heart out in the same tree as last time I saw it. There was nothing on Trout Lake of note so I walked back to the car. Just before I reached the car, a Greenshank flew over the water and flew east looking for somewhere to rest until disappearing from view.
A brief look on the Ferry Pool produced my first Little Ringed Plover of the year. This delightful little wader was close to the roadside so I managed to take a few good photos of the bird. Several Redshanks were also on the Ferry Pool and a male Reed Bunting was seen singing on a bramble next to the pool.
There was nothing of note regarding wildfowl but a few Shoveler and Teal were present. The fields were also quiet too with no Wheatears present in the long grass.
Church Norton can throw up a few surprises and as the day wore on, more and more surprises took place. The churchyard was relatively quiet but I didn’t want to hang around there long as a funeral was taking place later in the morning.
The tide within Pagham Harbour was slowly going out but still held a variety of waders to look at. When I arrived at the churchyard car park, a Whimbrel flew overheard calling loudly. Another two birds were seen within the harbour as well as two Bar-tailed Godwits, with one bird in full summer plumage. A lot of waders were attaining the summer garb with Dunlin, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover and Curlew all in good numbers.
Within the channel, a pair of Great Crested Grebes swam while overhead; a small flock of three Swallows flew east over the harbour. I heard the distinctive call of Sand Martens but only managed to grab a glimpse of at least one flying over the harbour. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard ‘drumming’ deep within the woodland.
As I neared the Pony Fields, I picked out a female Wheatear on the beach. The Pony Field was pretty quiet but by the Severals, I heard my first Sedge Warbler of the year singing away. Moving further to my left, I saw the bird well, perched on the edge of a
bramble and managed to film the bird singing. A pair of Linnets were seen close by with the male bird in full song.
Walking up the footpath leading to the road behind the churchyard, I watched a male Blackcap singing within the willows. A Willow Warbler was briefly heard but not seen but as I walked further up the footpath and onto the road, got to see one very well briefly singing within a tall willow. Things got even better when I found a male Redstart within the horse fields. The bird showed well dropping down to the ground to pick off an insect then alighting back onto a fencepost. A pair of Mistle Thrushes and a pair of Red-legged Partridges was also in the same field, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen perched on a fence post close to the woodland.
Further along the road, a male Kestrel was perched in a small tree overlooking the fields while more Swallows flew overhead. So, that rounded off a very good mornings birding and I look forward to what the weekend brings.
