Its been a long time since I had a two Phalarope day so I decided on a drive to Blashford where the previous afternoon's Grey was still present on Ibsley Water but very distant, even more so than the two at Pulborough in autumn 2014. Not much supporting cast bar Kingfisher and a couple of Yellow Wagtails. Very pleasant chat in Ivy South with a couple originally from South Africa whilst watching two Grass Snakes, one above, a few Kingfisher flypasts and a Brown Hawker.
Off to Thorney where the Red-necked Phalarope was hiding, but soon came out on the Little Deep and gave good scope views, distant but nothing like as bad as the Grey. The high tide egret roost at Langstone Mill, viewed distantly, held in excess of fifty birds. A bit of banter with a few birders whilst watching the phalarope including Alan and Miou and three guys who have Tices' Meadow as a local site. A lone Buzzard, perched on a telegraph wire, was hassled by a very noisy Kestrel and a single Cetti's Warbler was close and vocal.
From the gate opposite the riding stables two Ospreys, one with a fish on a post and a second which went hunting, immediately flushing a fair few Redshanks and Greenshanks from the deeps and catching a fish at its third attempt, returning to eat it on a post near the first bird. Finally, plenty of Migrant Hawkers on the wing.
