The Diary of a Young Birder: Titchfield Haven ~ 26th October ~

I'll try and make this as short as I can, but I'm afraid it was a great days birding!! Started off on the beach near the sailing club where we quickly found some Turnstones (Tame as ever) and a few Redshank and Oystercatchers, which were not so tame!! We decided we were not going to cover the eastern side of the reserve today as last time we visited that side it was deserted. From the bearded tit platform, we could see no Bearded Tits, but could hear a number of Cetti's Warbler singing in the bushes. From the first hide (name I've forgotten!) we could see too much to list. We spent 80% of the day in this hide! Highlights included a Water Rail, Black Tailed Godwits, Snipe, Lapwings, Oystercatchers, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Greenshank, Redshank, Turnstones, Curlew and there are probably a few I have missed. There were probably well over 100 teal on the site, the most I have seen in one individual place, but surprisingly few Wigeon and Shoveler. From this hide we also had good views of my first ever Weasel who was right in front of the hide, but very difficult to photograph (see below). From the second hide it was much the same as the first with no new species being record, so after a while we decided to return to the first hide again. Not much else apart from a Buzzard which perched on the nearby fence posts. From the viewing platform outside the reserve only a few Cormorant and a Little Egret. Total number of species was something around the 65 mark, so a very successful day, lots of photo's below!!