Down at the old Gull and Goose

An adult winter Little Gull still in the field to the right of Saltern's Way from Chichester marina today. In the left hand field a Black Brant with the Brent Geese:



Little Gull:

Little Gull, terrible pic but you can see the underwing:

Black Brant at the back:

Hampshire Day Out

A day out over in the bandit country of Hampshire was most rewarding on Friday! Three Penduline Tits had been a Titchfield Haven for a few days and due to work I hadn't been able to get over to try to see them but after a three hour wait in West hide I was duly honoured with the appearance of the stunning adult male:

Penduline Tits:

A video here: Penduline Tit, Titchfield Haven


After that I went and got stuck in traffic for hours on the way to (and back actually) the female Ring-necked Ducks at Rooksbury Mill LNR near Andover. Only one showed in poor light, partly because I was checking the wrong lake..always read the signs...


Ring-necked Duck:

Earlier in the week a tweet from Bola at Climping alerted me to a Dusky Warbler by the Atherington pools. On arrival I was surprised to see just the man himself and no other birders and so we had the bird to ourselves for an hour or so while it dashed around the lower canopy and then the brambles calling constantly. Impossible for me to photograph I'm afraid but there are some pics on:
Birds of Climping. Still never managed to picture a Dusky or indeed a Radde's Warbler so hopefully next year!

Herring Gull

The other day on the SOS website Alan Kitson remarked on the particularly dark Herring Gull that has been at Pagham Lagoon for a few days. I went up there today and managed to get some decent close shots of the bird although no flight shots were possible due to the bad weather. 

Herring Gull, sp.uncertain:

Zoom in on barring on the undertail:

Rather than go through all the pros & cons for smithsonianus, the American Herring Gull, I would encourage readers to look at: American Herring Gull ID.

Hawfinches & Bramblings at West Dean

Hawfinch:

Bramblings:

Arctic Skuas

If you sea-watch on the south coast in spring this may be of interest, dark/pale morph Arctic Skua research on G.A Heath's Blog:

Arctic Skua Migration Research

Winter Birding

Some from Church Norton & Ivy Lake over the last few days:

Pochards, Ivy Lake:

Red-breasted Merganser:

Whimbrel:

Common Gulls/Black-headed Gulls:

Pale Geese & White Swans

ARK had reported five Pale-bellied Brent Geese near Pagham Lagoon on Wednesday and they were still there on Thursday along with other assorted wildfowl and passerines:


Pale-bellied Brent Geese:

Wigeon:

Goldeneye:

Pintail:

Chiffchaff bathtime:

Stonechat:

On Friday the four Bewick's Swans were also still present, this time from the footpath near Burpham Church:


Bewick's Swans: