Long-billed Dowitcher and Goosanders

Whilst it is nice to bird away there is something about birding on your local patch, it's just that our patch stretches from Lymington to Dungeness. So we found ourselves in search of the Long-billed Dowitcher down at Pennington Marshes. It didn't take long to find the bird - well not long to be shown where it was by a kind local birder if the truth be known. Initially the bird was semi hidden in the company of three Snipe but obligingly emerged for a photo shoot.

I also recorded two ringed Mute Swans, I will pop off a report and wait to see if they have an interesting history.

Having started so well we decided to visit Mark Ash to see if we could locate an early Lesser-spotted Woodpecker but it was a dip. So too our regular Tawny Owl - it would appear that he has gone to reside elsewhere.  We finished up at Eyeworth Pond at Fritham where Martin was looking for some Marsh Tit shots and I thought we may find some recently reported Goosanders, Happily we both came away satisfied. The icing on the cake was the superb weather - spring has to be just round the corner.

 

 

I suspect that there are plenty of fish in Eyeworth

 

 

 

Long-billed Dowitcher

When I picked up Martin this morning neither of us had a clue where we were going; at the moment we are both crocks and long walks or arduous climbs are out of the question. So, it had to be somewhere flat and a short walk to be amongst birds. Initially it was going to be a trip to the Sussex commons but in the end, as the weather was so good, we decided on a return trip to Pennington Marshes for another crack at the Long-billed Dowitcher.

When we arrived a tractor was engaged in cutting both the grass and gorse hedges in the fields adjacent to the marsh. This seems to be a developing trend, everywhere we go someone wants to be "gardening". Anyway, shortly after our arrival the driver must have knocked off for a tea break as it went very quiet. On the way down to the sea wall Martin spotted a likely candidate roosting on one of the back pools, all we could see was the bird's back, the bill was tucked away and the legs obscured by vegetation - highly possible! From what we could see we were never going to get a positive ID, then the tractor started up again and everything took flight - well at least the bird had moved. On reaching the sea wall we took a right turn and just as we reached a position opposite the island, there was the bird in the open - ID no problem - the Long-billed Dowitcher. As it was the only bird of interest I suspect our blogs are pretty much the same but at least we had better shots than the ones from the previous bird that inhabited this place a couple of years ago.

The usual routine feed, preen and snooze.

Another Canada Goose showing dubious parentage - crossed with what  I have no idea.

Feeling smug with satisfaction from getting such a great result we dashed back to Farlington for another go at the Bearded Tits, this time in better light. Unfortunately a stiff north easter was blowing and no self respecting Beardies were going to come out and play.

Yesterday I put in a three hour vigil at Beeding cement works, hoping for an emerging Long-tailed Blue. Unfortunately a negative result but I did entertain myself with shots of an Ivy Bee and an unknown wasp, possibly Mellinus arvensis.   

And finally....... one for Dave Shepherd.