American Golden Plover no show.

Thursday 6th June 2024.

Low tide in Pagham Harbour, but no sign of the American Golden Plover among the few waders present.

Pagham Harbour had a little ‘purple patch’ yesterday with an American Golden Plover in summer plumage and a Golden Oriole reported early this morning, both birds in the north-eastern part of the reserve. The weather remained pleasant throughout the day and I had the opportunity to try my luck in seeing at least the Plover when I was offered a lift to the site with both Emma and Matt Parkes. I dropped my car off at the Farlington Marshes around 7pm and bang on time, we made our way along the A27 eastbound. Sussex is turning up some excellent birds which included their first Cirl Bunting this century in the east of the County. 

Above, evening at the Breach Pool and below, three Mallards fly out into the harbour.

A lot of my birding is virtually in Hampshire, but it was so nice to return to Pagham Harbour again, a site I know so very well and after parking up at the bottom of Church Lane, we made our way to the seawall and took the path leading south to join a small group of birders overlooking the harbour. It was low tide now and earlier this evening, a fellow birder rang me to say that he had great views of the American Golden Plover at high tide earlier in the afternoon, sat on an island and showing well. As we made our way to the guys present, a returning birder told us that the bird had not been seen, but that didn't deter us and so we joined a chap who possessed one of those BTX Swarovski scopes. This guy was convinced that he had the bird some distance away with Golden Plovers, but all I could see was a pristine Grey Plover in summer plumage and possibly a few Grey Plovers in winter plumage on the mudflats. 

Above and below, a male Marsh Harrier drifted over the reedbed by the seawall near the Breach Pool.

These birds were very distant and the light was not that great either (around 8pm now). Both Matt and I have the same scope and on 60x magnification and I was adamant that the American Golden Plover was not present here among the small number of waders on the mudflats. At first, the wind blowing across the harbour was not helping at all, but it soon dropped and studying the distant waders thoroughly, I was happy with the fact the AMG was certainly not showing. Yes, it could be in one of the many creeks or even somewhere else in the harbour.  It was low tide and a few Curlew, Lapwing and Redshank were present and looking south, behind the large number of mixed Gulls, I saw a large flock of smaller waders of which were probably Ringed Plover and Dunlin.

The sun was starting to set in the west over Owl Copse.

So, after a good 30 minutes here, the guys decided to call it a day here and take a look by the Breach Pool as the sun was slowly setting. A Common Whitethroat was seen earlier and in front of us, a few Reed Warblers were flying low over the reeds while a few more were singing deep within the reedbeds. A superb male Marsh Harrier flew low over the reeds and eventually dropped into the reedbed and minutes later, a female Marsh Harrier sailed slowly over the reedbed and then flew off north. Matt and I picked out a Barn Owl flying over the fields near some distant houses, but that was the last we saw of it. Watching a flock of Little Egrets flying out into the harbour with the sunset in the background would adorn many a magazine cover, but my camera is not of the standard for that, but I was happy with it nonetheless. I did miss tonight's Springwatch, but to be here at sunset is something to be treasured and with great company, I really enjoyed tonight.

A flock of Little Egrets flying out into the harbour in the sunset. Gorgeous.

Earlier today, I had a total of 14 species of birds during my both shifts at Pembroke Road, Old Portsmouth that included four species of Gull: Herring, Black-headed, Great Black-backed and Mediterranean Gull seen and a pair of Swifts put in a brief appearance.