Trip reports

Pagham Harbour

Sunday, 2 September 2007

Our trip to Pagaham Harbour was a welcome return to group bird watching after the summer break. Our opes were high for good sightings of autumn migrants in addition to the resident estuary species. We started at the Ferry Pool close to the visitors centre. There were a number of waders present; black tailed godwit, lapwing, dunlin, knot and green sandpiper. Mute swan, mallard, teal and shelduck in eclipse plumage mingled with the numerous black headed gulls. In the fields beyond a buzzard sat on a fence post and several stock doves were spotted.

Returning via the estuary path our first redshank and close up grey heron came into view. Far out on the mud flats at the limit of even scope identification three birds of prey were seen. The first was thought to be a peregrine and the other two buzzards, who were feeding intently. In the scrub near the centre a linnet was singing and several other small birds were feeding.

We resumed our day at Church Norton. In the estuary were a good number of grey plovers, many still in full summer plumage. Large numbers of turnstones, ringed plover and dunlin were feeding on the rising tide. Also present were knot, little egret, cormorant, oyster catcher and curlew. A great black backed gull, herring and common gull could be found among the numerous black headed gulls. A pair of sandwich terns were preening by the waters edge for a short time. Away from the water in the trees adjacent to the Church there were a number of willow warblers, 2 gold finches, a male pheasant and at least two spotted fly catchers. A number of swallows and the occasional house martin were swooping on flies above our heads.

A short sea watch identified fishing great crested grebe and common terns. A number of the estuary birds seen previously were flying overhead. With the tide nearly fully in we returned to the ferry pool were two curlew sandpipers had joined the dunlin and a common sandpiper was also found. A kestrel was spotted hovering over the fields beyond the pool, while a number of yellow wagtails were feeding around the feet of the grazing cows.