Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
Before my 2.30pm appointment in Southbourne, near Emsworth, I took a quick look from the end of Thornham Lane, Thorney Island to see if the Great White Egrets might be showing on the Deeps but not during my stay. The last reported sighting of them was on Monday where a single bird was still seen to be feeding on this stretch of water.
It was yet another grey day with visibility down to around a mile but during my 30 minute stay here, I got a couple of quality species to add to my month total. Best of all was one of the long staying Ospreys which circled the ‘Landing Lights’ field and put up everything below including an Avocet which has been around since Monday. Two very good month ticks within seconds of each other. The Osprey showed well, circling high over the field then disappearing over the fields heading west. The Avocet disappeared behind the reedbed, no doubt resting on the water.
Along the fence by the reedbed, a pair of Stonechats was joined by another female or was it an immature that is one of the breeding birds from the island. The birds busied themselves by the reedbed but obviously kept an eye out for any passing raptors, which included a male Kestrel, which perched on one of the Landing Lights and a Common Buzzard, which was seen perched behind the small lake. The Buzzard stayed put whilst the Osprey was flying around and probably the same bird, which was seen last Sunday sitting in the field.
A Chiffchaff flew past my head while I was scanning the field and landed in the hedgerow literally just a few feet away from where I stood. A Lesser Whitethroat was in full song somewhere further along the footpath in bushes but I didn’t catch sight of this bird. Two Short-eared Owls had been seen on Monday but there were no sign of them this afternoon but good numbers of both Wigeon and Pintail were seen on the small lake. Also, a good flock of Redshank were seen amongst the wildfowl and my first Common Snipe of the month flew up from the fields probably after being disturbed by the cattle.
Of interest, a Brown Flycatcher had been found at Flamborough Head this afternoon. I have only been to Flamborough Head once before and that was an unsuccessful twitch to see the Taiga Flycatcher a few years back. So, I very much doubt I’ll go for this bird. I have booked a B&B for Saturday night in North Norfolk to hopefully get the Snow Goose this weekend. Norfolk is hosting some very good birds at present, which include Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Subalpine Warbler, Lesser Grey Shrike, and many Yellow browed Warblers too. Fingers crossed for the weekend.
The adult winter Mediterranean Gull accompanied by two Black headed Gulls at Seaview beach yesterday.
