20/08/2020 With Paul James and Group Pagham Harbour, West Sussex

For the second of our outings this year we were joined by Andrew, Jan and Chris, swelling our ranks to 10.  This time we were in West Sussex at Pagham Harbour on a glorious autumn day - lots of sunshine and a gentle breeze.  Paul had planned the walk, starting on the east side, looking for waders on the incoming tide, then heading out west along the North Wall and returning just as the water levels reached their peak.

There was a bountiful array of birds on show:

• Cattle egrets were the dominant species today with nigh on 30 seen, 14 immediately as we headed east and the rest from the North Wall and surrounding fields.  It is incredible to think that they are now breeding here; it is only in 2014 that I saw my first one in the UK after several failed but humorous attempts to find one in Sussex, Hampshire,/Dorset and Devon.
• There were plenty of waders to see including a bar-tailed godwit, several black-tailed godwits, knot x2, common sandpiper, whimbrel x2, greenshank x2, grey plover x4,as well as the usual suspects dunlin, oystercatcher, ringed plover, redshank, lapwing and curlew.
• We even managed to see another whinchat on the fences with 6 or so wheatear on the west side later on.

Just after 1 pm 7 of us relocated to Siddlesham Ferry where the sandpipers were the focus.

• A wood sandpiper was still there - although it took some time to find it; there was also a green sandpiper and 4 common sandpipers.  
• By way of a bonus at least one more whinchat was seen on the fences at the back of the pool.

At this point the group started to break up with 2 more going home.  Paul had alerted me earlier to an osprey sighting at nearby Thorney Island and his advice was for me to head off there next before the tide went out too far.  So I left the remaining group members as they moved around the harbour towards Church Norton.

• I tried  the viewing gate opposite Eames Farm but it was occupied by another birder, who obviously didn't want company so I headed off to the west of the island along Thornham Lane to the MOD entry gate.   
• After scanning the area with my scope I found the bird sitting on a post by the cows in the distant fields.  It dropped to the ground after a while but soon reappeared on an adjacent post enabling me to get some reliable but distant views.  
• I alerted Lyn and her husband to the osprey and we continued to look until it dropped down from the post again and out of sight.  At this point I had to leave but I noticed that they tweeted later on that they had seen the bird flying.

• Another excellent day out with the group - we are gradually getting back to maximum numbers.  
• Can't wait for the next one Paul!