Linnets in Pagham and walk along the Chichester Canal - 27th March

Windy morning watching Linnets in Pagham followed by an afternoon walk along Chichester Canal

View of Gorse bushes and Church Farm Holiday Park from an area near Pagham beach

Linnets perching on a bramble bush - viewed from inside a prickly Gorse bush where I was hiding!

Not sure what this is - looks like a thatched garage or shed

Apartments in the canal basin at the beginning of Chichester canal

The old Poyntz swing bridge situated on the edge of Chichester Canal

Tranquil scene along the canal towpath

Chichester cathedral in the distance

Cormorant drying its wings while standing on a fallen tree branch

Thirsty ginger cat

Wood pigeon at the top of a tall shrub

Apartment along the edge of the canal

Buddha looking after the canal

 

Egrets, Herons, Grebe, Robin, Chiffchaff, horse and pony - Pagham Harbour nature reserve, Pagham, West Sussex - 26th March 2024

On Tuesday, 26th March, I walked along part of the North Wall in the nature reserve at Pagham until I reached the heronry, where there were quite a few large birds perching in the distance on top of a tall twiggy hedge.

Three Grey Herons and a Little Egret

Cattle Egret

Two Grey Herons having an argument

Grey Heron in flight

More Grey Herons

Two Little Egrets in flight and a Grey Heron at the top of the hedge

Majestic Little Egret viewing its kingdom!

There were several Little Egrets feeding in the lagoon as I made my way back to Pagham

I disturbed a Little Egret and it took flight

Great Crested Grebe waving its paddle-like foot

Horse and pony feeding in a field near the entrance to the nature reserve

The pony had a strange hair cut!

It was lovely to see some Primroses at the side of the path

A Robin was perching in a shrub

I saw a Chiffchaff at the top of a Pussy Willow as I walked back to the holiday park

Another Robin was perching on the Pagham Harbour sign at the edge of Church Farm Holiday Park

Birdwatching at Ferry Pool and Church Norton - Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve - 25th March 2024

Monday was a better day weatherwise, so I went by bus from Pagham to Chichester and then from Chichester to RSPB Pagham Harbour Visitor Centre for the second time within a few days.  Fortunately, it was not raining this time!  I then walked from the Visitor Centre to Ferry Pool.

Avocets in Ferry Pool at low tide

The bird hide is on the opposite side of the road to Ferry Pool, so I had to watch out for traffic!

From Ferry Pool I walked along a footpath to Church Norton, which was over a mile away

Pretty Blackthorn blossom at the side of the path helped me on the walk

There were hardly any birds in the lagoon - just a few Black-headed gulls

Pagham church spire in the distance on the other side of the nature reserve

Two Oystercatchers and a row of Turnstones were standing on a sloping platform in the water at Church Norton.  Church Farm Holiday Park, where I was staying, was in the distance - only problem was there wasn't a bridge I could walk across in order to get back there!

Close view of an Oystercatcher at the edge of the lagoon

The shingle of Church Norton Spit facing the distant shingle of Pagham Spit

I was greatly cheered by a view of a distant male Wheatear on Church Norton Spit

On the way back I sat for a little while in the Church Norton bird hide from where I saw a Little Egret

A Curlew helped me on the walk back to the Visitor Centre

Pretty Blackthorn and Gorse bushes at the edge of the path