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This afternoon, Becky and I took ‘Scruff’ for a walk around Thorney Island. It was an overcast day with sporadic light showers but when the sun came out, it was quite warm and when you are wearing fleeces (in August!!), it didn’t take long for them to come off.
The Pony Field held at least 100+ moulting Canada Geese resting and preening near the small stream. Amongst them was an adult Bar-headed Goose, though apparently, there were up to two adults and two juveniles according to Barry Collins who phoned me this afternoon to tell me that two Ospreys were showing well on the east side of Thorney. Quite literally, as he was ringing me, my first Osprey of the year flew overhead, being mobbed by a Common Tern and some waders, while flying over Emsworth Harbour. At last, I finally got one this year!
The walk along the footpath opposite the paddocks produced several sightings of Common Whitethroats but nothing else of interest until I reached the Little Deeps. A couple of Greenshank flew over the fields from the harbour and several more were seen over the Great Deeps also. The Little Deeps was a little windy and therefore possible ‘Acro’ warblers and Bearded Tits couldn’t be heard within the reedbeds. Several Little Grebes and Tufted Ducks swam on the water whilst there were plenty of Hirundines flying around the reedbeds and neighbouring fields.
The creek adjacent to the footpath held up to three Common Sandpipers, which were seen flying past every so often. A pair of Kingfishers flew along the stream and by the Great Deeps. I managed to get Becky and good view of one of the birds through the scope as one perched on the edge of the stream. In the now strong sunshine, the colours were vivid and stood out well. The Great Deeps held at least two Common Sandpipers resting along the waters edge. A pair of Common Terns flew over the Deeps briefly as well as a single Sandwich Tern.
Out in the fields, a male Kestrel was hovering while behind the Little Deeps, on an overhead wire, a Turtle Dove sat quietly. It was seen again on overhead wires, or maybe a second bird, as we walked towards the car. Near the Little Deeps, a Red Admiral caterpillar walked across the footpath and so I picked it up and took a couple of photos of this beautiful caterpillar.
I am possibly off to Cornwall for some sea watching in the next few days with me old chum Geoff Farwell. But if he can’t make it, then Becky and I will go instead at the weekend. There have been a few big Shearwaters off there recently, so it would be nice to catch up on these as I do enjoy sea watching anyway.
Left, one of the many Little Egrets resting at the Copse on Thorney Island. Right, a Red Admiral caterpillar found walking along the footpath this afternoon.
