Auks

A brief window today, and triggered by AL's goingbirding posting regarding auks off Southsea Castle. A shame today was totally overcast with light drizzle and rather breezy after yesterday's very spring-like conditions, but two Shags were both easily visible as were two Oystercatchers feeding amongst the rocks. A Great Black-backed Gull and a handful of Herring Gulls were poking about with washed up starfish and a couple of Meds went east. Four Purple Sandpipers were on distant rocks and these two appeared just in front - see above, both taken with the phone, the latter through the scope.

Guillemot was going to be a year tick (and only the second one in February) but all I could find was five Razorbills. Eventually, on the point of giving up, a Guillie popped up slightly closer than the nearest Razorbill.
The auks were too distant and contantly diving for any phonescoping.

Back home within the hour.

Interesting  to see Swallow, Osprey, Great Spotted Cuckoo and LRP all recorded in the last day or so.

With the A29 re-opened, and after a brief visit to PCW for a new SD card, the White-fronted Geese at Pulborough beckoned; luckily today they took no finding being close in to Westmead, eventually having a wash and brush up in the pond (and visible from reception). Two separate Foxes were patrolling, one close in keeping all the geeses on their toes; and reserve staff activity out towards the Arun flushed up a few Snipe.

One Peregrine on the south brooks was seen later in company of a second bird high over north brooks - high enough for a passing Easyjet to be a useful pointer!! Also two Marsh Harriers and the odd Buzzard. The raptor activity was stirring up 1000 Lapwing, 500 Black'wits and three Ruff.

The sunny weather brought out at least three male Brimstones and one or two Red Admirals but no Adders as yet; maybe next week if the weather holds up.

Earlier, others had a Merlin flashing across Upperton's Field and two singing Woodlark on the heath. Hopefully the newly scraped south facing patch on the heath will prove to be a hotspot (literally) for insects this summer.

South Brooks Panorama

Alone again or... Ode to the Goshawk

Forever changes by Love

... I won't forget
All the times I've waited patiently for you
And you'll do just what you choose to do..

A solo jaunt for Gos produced a Raven escorted northwards by an irate crow as I unloaded the car, with singing Skylark and Woodlark (first new bird for the year in February) on the east side of the road. A big, glistening white blob of a Gos was obvious in the bins even before getting the scope out; it was perched up in the spindliest of the mid-range conifers where it sat watching, preening and 'muting' for half an hour. Meanwhile, a distant second was circling off into the murk whilst another close bird looked as if would come straight in head-on, but sadly veered off into the trees. The larks stopped singing and the soundscape changed to Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Mistle Thrushes; a Hawfinch rocketed past and a couple of Buzzards come over.

Finally, the first Gos hopped between trees, circled a few times and cruised off.

Poor blurry photo hand-holding the GX9 to the scope. On leaving a Sparrowhawk popped up over one of the pylons and started to display; a gutsy show surrounded by so many Goshawks!!

In need of caffeine, a quick stop at the garage adjacent to the turn off.

At Blashford, few feeder birds (and still no Bramblings), no Bitterns nor GWEs and nothing at Ivy South other than five Buzzards.

These fungi (sorry, no idea of name) and partly 'chewed' Scarlet Elf Cups were taken with the short zoom.

Quick chat with Keith and TS followed by lunch in the car - picnic area fenced off for pond excavation work.

At Ibsley concrete hide base being noisily broken up ensured the 'mound' was empty. Water Pipit, Black-necked Grebe, Yellow-legged Gull and twenty Goosanders; no obvious Casps.

Change of plan...

After today's extended bank session an intended visit to Pulborough was scuppered by a lorry spillage and closure of the Whiteways/Bury Hill area, so WWT it was instead. Over a late soup lunch several Snipe were visible from the restaurant as was a persistent Kingfisher and good old 6MZ preening away on the shingle island again. Curiously, no Wigeon today, just three Buzzards and two very high and distant kites.

Elsewhere a typically confiding Water Rail, two Firecrests, three each of Chiffchaff and Goldcrest, five Mandarins and another 30 or so Snipe.

Gleaned some advice from another Panasonic shooter and had a brief chat with Lizzie.

After closing-time a stint at the Black Rabbit carpark in company of MD produced at least eight Marsh Harriers in to the roost; unfortunately I missed the Hen Harrier which either chose to roost elsewhere or slipped in low and unseeen; six Herons went northwards presumably to some roost tree further up the valley. Despite staying until almost dark, Tawny Owl remains missing from the yearlist.

The almost spring-like conditions today were enhanced by masses of Song Thrush song both on site, along Offham Hanger and from the pub carpark, with a good amount of Skylark song beyond the river during the sunnier part of the afternoon.

Hopefully, some Adders soon with decent weather forecast for the next couple of weeks and highs of 12-13 degrees and sun.

6MZ

Robin on tractor

New kit experimentation..

With a 75 page 'Basic User Guide' and another 343 pages of  'Advanced Guide' it's going to take a while to get to grips with the new Panasonic and its quirky 1:1 macro lens. A couple of starters above.

Need a boat, not necessarily a bigger one..

Rubbish weather with rain all day and loads of surface water especially on the return journey where headlights, front and rear fogs plus double speed wipers was the order of the day - and yet some people refuse to put any lights on at all. Felt like a boat might be more appropriate!!

No real chance to try out the new camera and certainly nothing macro-able like yesterday. Snipe down to 17 only but I'm guessing many more were hunkered down out of view. A Kingfisher was just outside and reappeared later landing on the roof before making off to the new hide. I'm guessing the raised structure and support beams gives it/them somewhere to keep out of the worst of the weather.

Lots of feeder activity (usual suspects plus Nuthatch) with a Marsh Tit, only heard, but seen by others.

Pochard up to sixteen, a dozen each of Lapwing and Wigeon and both Scrape Water Rails feeding close by and unperturbed by (discrete) watchers.

Nice to catch up with M&LH (with 3 year old - star 'em young!!) for the first time in over four years.

Sadly missing glove not in lost property.

First hovers....

... plus loads of honeybees  and a few bumbles, either B. terrestris or
lucorum(agg) and a few diptera in the Bishop's Garden on a very sunny but cold and windy day. The insects were taking advantage, mostly, of Vibernum.
Birdwise just a curious Goldcrest in one of the conifers.
The hovers were all females and either E. balteatus or M. auricollis; unsurprisingly nothing more interesting.