Not so elusive Purps

 GH's recent NQS blog post regarding a single, twitchable Purple Sandpiper on his patch led me to pop down to Southsea with M for a  breath of sea air, a socially distanced walk within Covid-acceptable travelling distance and the chance to sea the purps for the first time since January last year - where has the time gone??

First surprise was the presence of LCT 7074 the WW2 landing craft recently opened after renovation -  see here for details - and sitting underneath its  'wavy' roof.

The tide was higher than I'd  hoped and, except for a single Shag and a few gulls, it was birdless ; even the Rock Pipits were  absent and no sign of yesterday's Black Redstart nor Great Northern Diver. Luckily the eighteen Purps were roosting high up the sea defences just a few yards away from the railings, mostly asleep with bills tucked in over their  shoulders. Every once in a while birds would wake, call and disturb their neighbour whilst jostling for better roosting positions before settling down  again. I can't think of any other waders other than maybe Turnstone that will roost so close to an area with high pedestrian access - today there were no dogs to flush them and a few people (non birders) seemed interested enough to watch and take phone camera pics.

On the way back a hundred or so Brent were flushed off the common and presumably headed to join those on the pitch and putt course.

Today, a quick local walk was fruitless and sadly the Mallard ducklings were down from fourteen to seven with mum having to chase off a couple of Brown Rats.

At last !!! .... and an early start

Today's local walk gave, yet again, point blank views of the heron in the flattened reeds; taking my eyes off it for a few seconds meant that I missed its lunch. Just some 'licking of lips' and a bulge in its throat!! Elsewhere a tree had been cut down since yesterday and the general tramping down of vegetation around it gave Blackbird and Robin some more feeding opportunities but opened up the views into which popped a silent Water Rail, the first I've  seen here since December 2017 and, unsurprisingly, a year tick. The Pochards from yesterday had decamped elsewhere but the semi-resident drake Gadwall popped out, tempted by a family of duck-feeders with a bag of grain.

Slightly more surprising  was a brood of fourteen 1-day-old Mallard chicks - I'm  guessing the earliest I've ever seen. 

Little things

Number 30 takes it up to 21,000 pieces!!

Six of the twenty or so Shovelers today in nice bright conditions - one of the best days of the year so far although not predicted to last. Shame the phone camera is about as useful as a potato!! On the bright side two very smart drake Pochard were a real surprise as they are very infrequent here (Hants GoB shows only four previous singletons in seven years!!). No other changes although with such a poor start to the year weather wise, Covid and no real opportunity for birding, getting year ticks is pretty easy - and so Pied Wagtail was added to the list, typically full of nervous energy and flittering around the pavement adjacent to the crossing, and brought the year total to a pathetic 39 rather than the more usual 130-140 January total. 

First for a while... plus local owls.

 

After the spring and summer blitz on jigsaws over the first lockdown and subsequently, a winter hiatus was broken with this above, one of a two-pack purchased from Age UK the day before everything shut for LD2.

A short car outing yesterday (within reasonable Covid rule distance) on a suitable tide, saw virtually nothing from the harbour mouth, neither grebes, divers nor sea duck and only few distant waders. Moved to the sea front where it seemed as if all the town's  dog walkers were out and the prom and beaches covered in people. The walk to the furthest east of this hideous eyesore of a site took ages at such a slow hobble with just 60+ Sanderling for company, being continually moved along the shoreline by an endless stream of pooches!! Other birdlife was pretty much nil and, unsurprisingly, no obvious signs of the previous day's  Black Redstart. However, both Little Owls were at home roosting 30 yards apart  in the recesses in the old fort wall albeit typically motionless.

Staying (very) local.

 Just a short local walk with a calling Cetti's of note, the first I've had here this winter but still not cold enough  to draw in any Water Rails.

Shoveler much reduced to less than ten unless the rest of last week's birds were tucked away on the island. The heron was again hunting but much further out and well concealed this time and a couple of Cormorant flew in to roost from the west.

With the local coffee shop still open and doing business there were more people carrying takeaway drinks, now presumably NOT labelled 'picnics'(!!), than were wearing masks. For my part - needing to shield until at least covid jab presumably February/March time - I'll  continue to wear mine.

The last few days have seen a surge in garden bird activity with Goldfinches reappearing, lots of House Sparrow and Starling activity and Blue Tits checking out neighbour's nest boxes - I think they sense spring is just around the corner.

The local foxes seem particularly vocal these last few weeks with barking individuals in and around the garden most nights usually triggering security lights multiple times.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night....

 ...well, certainly pre-first-light. In the days between  Xmas and New Year a male was chortling away by 06:45 although  sometimes 'late on parade' and silent on the coldest and wettest mornings. Nice to hear some bird noise that isn't raucous Herring Gulls!!

So from LD2 to tier 3, then tier 4 and the inevitable overnight move to LD3 with the situation deteriorating nationwide and personal issues needing me to shield until the spring and the (currently) group 5 classification for Covid vaccination. DrT suggested a possibly earlier appointment due to current drugs and immune system issues but time will tell. Luckily M has had both of her shots.

The last ten weeks, since the brief visit to Pulborough, has seen just hospital visits - another tomorrow - a sole visit to a major supermarket and one local walk.

For the most part life in general, and birding in particular, is being lived vicariously through blogs, vlogs, YouTube channels, podcasts and social media (whilst avoiding COVidiots, conspiracy nutters and Trump and his merry band).

The local walk saw a very close and 'focussed' Grey Heron ignoring the crowds just yards away with phone cameras and so intent on the job in hand that a close Brown Rat was ignored, but surely a potential lunch item. Just a single roosting Little Egret, 30 or so Shoveler and two or three times as many Tufted Ducks - really must make an effort to count them next time. No passerines other than a Dunnock by the path singing stronger than either of the two birds back in spring. Sadly the spring Peregrines, reliable most days, decamped to elsewhere in town and now have the prospect of recently installed, or at least soon to be installed boxes, courtesy of KB/HOS at.

Locally, pleased for MW to have a Yellow-browed Warbler on several dates in his garden this week; one here or round the pond would be very welcome.