Saturday 13th January: SDOS at Pagham Harbour

 We joined the Shoreham District Ornithological Society at Pagham Harbour today, under the expert guidance of Bernie Forbes who was leading the walk. We congregated at Church Lane and walked along the side of White’s Creek with a rising tide. As we set off a vast flock of Brent Geese flew in, their evocative barking calls echoing across the harbour before they settled across the mudbanks. A brilliant start to our day. Scanning the exposed mudflats we encountered plentiful Wigeon and many resplendent Pintails, plus good numbers of Teal plodding about the mud. At the creekside Grey Plover, Redshank and Dunlin were active , and a few Bar-tailed Godwits and Curlew were also busy foraging. A Stonechat alighted on a small bush on the bank nearby. We continued walking towards the harbour mouth, picking up more waders, including a distant flock of Knot and a smattering of Ringed Plover and Turnstone. A Common Gull and group of Great Black-backed Gulls loafed on the mud. 

We arrived at the lagoon, which was very quiet, with just a few distant Coot noted, but as we watched a pair of female Goldeneye flew in, and we managed some reasonable scope views. A Peregrine dashed across the water, giving excellent binocular views, then a Rock Pipit was spotted in the saltmarsh. At the harbour mouth a red-breasted Merganser was diving along with  a Little Grebe. A few Mediterranean Gulls loafed on the shingle and a flock of Ringed Plovers alighted nearby. On the sea, around a dozen Red-throated Divers flew past. With the tide rising fast now, a mixed flock of waders included some more easily identified Knot with the Grey Plover and Dunlin. As we retraced our steps a lovely flock of Long-tailed Tits flitted through the lagoon side vegetation.

We paused at the cars for lunch, before setting off along North Wall. It was notably colder here, and the water levels were very high. A flock of Black-tailed Godwits flew over but didn’t land and small groups of Snipe were flushed by the high tide and circled above. Another Rock Pipit flitted along the bank and a Cetti’s Warbler was heard calling. Finally, a splendid male Marsh Harrier came into view, a superb finale to a very enjoyable day.

Photo by Ron Bewley