Monday 24 October 2022

Short-eared Owl

Pagham Harbour - mild, showery, S 2-4 - Just back from a family long weekend at Pagham in West Sussex during which time the weather was unpredictable to say the least, with at times, violent thunderstorms followed by blazing sunshine. However, I managed a few hours early morning birding around the lagoon, foreshore, beach and the mudflats on the eastern side of the harbour, a part of the RSPB reserve. The highlight was this morning when a dog-walker flushed a stunning Short-eared Owl from a clump of marram grass along the beach. Viz migging on two mornings was also profitable with a steady flow of west-bound Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Linnet, plus several Redpoll, Siskin, Reed Bunting, a Swallow and a Lapland Bunting. Coastal scrub attracted a few grounded Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and a Fieldfare, while a line of elms by the church and around the graveyard held a host of Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests and two Firecrests yesterday. The harbour was full of `braying` Brents and `whistling` Wigeon along with plenty of waders such as Curlew, Redshank, Grey Plover, Oystercatcher and Dunlin. Happy days! 



                                 Redshank, Pagham Harbour

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