Greater Yellowlegs at Titchfield Haven Hampshire

We opted for Hampshire this morning in search of a lifer. News was good yesterday so we took the plunge and made the 114 mile trip to Titchfield this morning some five months after the bird was first reported so hardly a twitch worthy of the word. We arrived at the reserve at 7.30am to find it didn't open until 9.30am so instead made the short drive to the other side of the reserve where access could be got to the scrape known as Posbrook Flood. We walked about half a mile to find just a few Swans and ducks on the flood stopping along the way for a Roe Deer and Water Vole.

Water Vole Titchfield Haven

Water Vole

Water Vole

Fox at Titchfield Haven

I think he was thinking of dinner!

Back at the reserve for 9.30am we paid the £4 entry fee and marched along the main road to access the rear hides leading to the North Scrape which is the birds favoured place or so they say. As we approached the hide a Fox posed for the camera and from the hide we had Med Gulls, Avocet and Lapwing with chicks. The bulk of the birds being breeding Black-headed Gulls. A Cuckoo called and flew over along with Swallows and Martins and the usual Warblers were very evident. (Sedge, Reed and Cetti's) High tide was due at 11.05am and we thought that would bring in the bird. At 10.45am a single Black-tailed Godwit dropped in and then at 10.53am the pager bleeped into life saying that the bird was viewable on North Scrape from the very hide we sat in. A debate then started in the hide as to who had put news out and where was said target before the pager bleeped again to correct the sighting this time saying viewable from Knights Bank hide. This meant a walk back to the main road, back along the road and as far as you could walk along the reverse side of the reserve which we all did at some pace to find the target walking about in the distance with a small group of Blackwits. Fantastic we had our lifer and we enjoyed good scope views before the heat haze appeared and made viewing more difficult.

On the way home we dropped into Acres Down where we picked up a nice Wood Warbler and male Redstart.  A good days birding with the Jims and I can't wait for the next one.

Year list now at 221 and life list now at 358