Lyz's Birthday Bonanza

Ever wanted to give someone a birthday present that is totally different. Derek did - read on.....
In April Derek asked if Project Fred could do something for Lyz's birthday. The result was a day's bird watching at Pagham Harbour in Sussex.
Although it had been foggy for a day or two with grounded Xmas flights at Heathrow, we arrived to a wonderfully clear and sunny day. We met at Church Norton and walked down towards the estuary. Lyz had already seen a female Hen Harrier fly across the road and a Redwing before we all met up, but the first bird we saw together was a Great-spotted Woodpecker sitting and calling right at the top of a dead tree in the car park.
The tide was fairly low, but coming in fairly fast and on the estuary mud of Pagham Harbour there were loads of birds. We stood and searched through them. Curlew, Redshank, Brent Geese, Wigeon, Little Egret, Cormorant, Teal, Turnstone, lots of Grey Plover, a few Ringed Plover, Dunlins and Oystercatchers. Lyz found a couple of Shelduck far across the other side of the harbour and we saw a pair of Pintail as we watched the Shelduck. Yvette pointed out a bird swimming in one of the channels – a female Red-breasted Merganser. Among a group of Grey Plover and Dunlin were some waders that looked between the two in size. They were Knot and it was great to compare the three species all in one group. A Sparrowhawk flew over and landed in a tree. We moved position, but couldn't quite see it again.
Then Lyz really excelled herself. "Is that a Godwit in winter plumage?" she asked. "It looks like Bar-tailed". It was. A Bar-tailed Godwit feeding out on the estuary in summer plumage – very odd. As we watched a few Greenfinch and Goldfinch flew over and there were some Woodpigeons in one of the trees. Mandy found some Little Grebes in the channel in front of us and Derek spotted a Great-crested Grebe. A great hour standing in the sun seeing all those birds!!
We walked over towards the sea. Jeff saw a Heron standing in a fir tree and then said "What's that in the top of the tree?" It was a Stock Dove enjoying the sunshine. We got great views in the telescope. As we walked on towards the sea there were a couple of Magpies in a field. At the beach we scanned the sea for any birds. It was very calm and we soon found 4 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Great-crested Grebe and a couple of Teal. We walked on to a reed fringed lagoon known as the Severals. Just one Coot at the edge of the frozen water. A Wren called from the reeds and a couple of Starling flew over, but it was very quiet. 2 Great Black-backed Gulls flew over the sea behind us.
As we walked back to the cars Jeff asked how many species we had recorded so far. 36. We wondered if we could get to 50. 37 – a Moorhen on the grass near the car park.
We drove round to the reserve centre at Sidlesham. A couple of Great Tit were calling in the bushes and a Robin was singing. In the centre Lyz got a chocolate birthday cake and a bird book as birthday gifts. After a slice of cake each we walked to the hide overlooking Sidlesham Ferry – a freshwater pool near the reserve centre. A Lapwing flew over and a Kestrel was hovering near the hide. On Sidlesham Ferry there were several Shelduck, some Coot, a few Mallard, a female Shoveler and lots of Black-headed Gulls. In the fields behind were Lapwings and Curlew with a few Woodpigeon. Mandy saw a bird of prey land on a fence post. It was a Buzzard, which sat for a few minutes while we admired it. Then a small flock of Canada Goose flew in. This took us to 45, then Lyz remembered some Mute Swans they had seen earlier in the day – 46. Things were getting really exciting now. We decided to walk up the bushy path by the long pools to see if we could see any other species. Great Tits and Greenfinches were calling here. Then I heard a Reed Bunting call and we all saw it on top of a Willow bush – 47. As we walked back to the car park we saw a Blue Tit in the scrub – 48. Redshanks, Shelduck and the Kestrel were all seen on the way back to the car park, but no more to add to the day list!
We drove to a pub in Fishbourne for something to eat. When we arrived we had all seen Rooks and Herring Gulls on the way. We had done it – 50 species in a day! We tucked into an Xmas/Birthday lunch – a splendid 3 course meal, which was very much appreciated.
Once we had finished there was still some light left so we walked along the foreshore from Fishbourne. The muddy estuary was on one side and fields on the other. A flock of Brent Geese were feeding in one field and Reed Buntings were coming in to roost in the reedbed. They arrived in ones and twos calling as they disappeared into the reeds. Out on the estuary the birds were looked through again. More Black-headed Gulls, Redshanks, Curlew and Oystercatcher with a few Grey Plover, some Black-tailed Godwit and a Common Gull. A different wader caught Jeff's eye. It was like a Redshank, but paler and greyer – a Greenshank. We walked on a little way and saw a Stonechat on a fence before turning back. The light was fading fast, but we saw some Meadow Pipits flying from the field and a small flock of Pied Wagtail flying over to roost somewhere nearby.
We had had a wonderful day. The weather had been great. What could have been a foggy and dull day turned out to be wonderfully sunny and bright. We had recorded 56 species altogether and had a lovely meal.
We do hope that Lyz enjoyed her birthday. She certainly seemed to!!
Simon Curson