A tale of two Salvonians

15th Novemeber, On holiday this week, finished redecorating the bathroom, so time for some birding, first stop Manor Lake Thorpe Surrey for the long staying Salvonian Grebe. I parked down Church Approach and walked down the footpath to view Manor Lake. I scanned the lake and quickly found the grebe in the SW corner, and watched it as it dived at regular intervals. Up to 223.

SW corner of Manor Lake (Salvonian Grebe is on the water between the viewing panels and tree)

Great start to the day, headed back home to collect the dogs and then of to Pagham Harbour (Church Norton) Wesr Sussex. Arrived at the Church Norton car park around 12:30, then we walked down to the harbour, but did not get very far as the tide was in, and it was a very high tide covering all the footpath. So we walked back to the car park and then down the road until we got the road/footpath on the left which goes through the farm.

.Looking round the farm buildings, birds seen here and on the way to the Severals, Kestrel, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling and Chaffinch. Then on to the beach and looked over the Serverals adding Mute Swan, Mallard, Coot and low over the reeds a Sparrowhawk.

On the beach near the Severals looking towards Pagham Harbour. Oystercatcher and Turnstones on the beach.

Polly and Thomas.

Charlie and Reg.

We then walked along the beach up to the harbour mouth seeing some Skylarks, Tide going out. Gulls seen Black-headed, Common, Herring and Great Black-backed. Out on the sea Great Crested Grebes and a Salvonian Grebe.

Birds on the water and roosting in the harbour, Little Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, DB Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Pintail, Red-Breasted Merganser, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Dunlin, Curlew and Redshank.

Roosting waders - Knot, Grey Plover and Turnstone.

Looking back towards the hide at church Norton.

The Harbour Mouth

We then started to return to the car park at Church Norton as all the footpaths were now clear of water. On the way there were Stock Doves in the trees, and then one last look over the harbour mud, adding Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit, I then saw a very pale large bird! Which turned out to be a Leucistic Curlew, and finally in the trees in the car park Greenfinch and Goldfinch.