Monday 27 February 2012

Pagham Paddy again

I spend a good morning at Canons Farm yesterday in the company of Paul 'P-Go' Goodman, Phil Wallace and Linda Mount. Highlights included a female Peregrine, the first for the site of the year, and a female Stonechat (following a male the previous day, another first for the year). Common Buzzards and Sparrowhawks were in the air but it was difficult to know how many were around - a bare minimum of three and two respectively.
female Stonechat at Canons Farm
Phil and I left to pick up Alex Bowes and we shot down to Pagham Harbour - my companions hadn't yet seen the Paddyfield Warbler, even though Alex had narrowly dipped it twice. I fancied another look at it, anyway. I haven't been there many times at all but I really like Pagham Harbour - there was a good variety of waders present, including three Bar-tailed Godwits, a bird I don't see all that often when I think about it. Good numbers of Golden Plovers, too. The gathering of birders was a fair way further along the wall than last time and that the bird was in was a little denser but with patience some excellent views were had of the PADDYFIELD WARBLER. Not well enough for my cruddy 300mm spare and half-broken lens though!

Colin Manville's shot of the Paddyfield Warbler