Thursday 24 August 2017

An Early Autumn Visit to Titchwell Marsh

14th August 2017

It is early Autumn now in birding terms so time for a visit to Titchwell Marsh to see how the wader passage is getting on. At Titchwell they keep the water levels high during the Spring and Summer months to suppress the growth of vegetation and to give more protection for the nesting birds on the islands. Then in Autumn the water levels are reduced to provide large expanses of wet mud to provide feeding grounds for the migrating waders, and today all I can say is that this strategy works extremely well as conditions were perfect, so well done to Paul and his team.

In the Parinder Hide a newly arrived Teal was having a preen to smooth out those ruffled feathers after its journey. Also, a Redshank was feeding just outside and posed for a few shots










Some way away a Curlew-type bird was walking around and seemed to have a rather shorter bill with a slight hook to it, so possibly a Whimbrel. I asked it to stoop down so I could see the crown stripe and it duly obliged. How good is that?







Further up the channel a magnificent Grey Plover still in its breeding plumage was feeding amongst the puddles. It showed no sign of getting any closer for an hour or so, but eventually came in range for a few shots.




Here it is scurrying to water to wash the mud off its worm.




Out on the beach the tide was still going out with muddy margins only just starting to emerge. It was therefore no surprise that the first birds to appear were Bar-tailed Godwits, also in their breeding attire. Out of nowhere a Curlew ran across the beach to join them.












But the puzzle today was what were the Oystercatchers up to? Four of them formed a tight group, pointed their bills down vertically and peeped at full volume as they run round in circles. Possibly the sort of behaviour I might have expected in the Spring, but not in the Autumn.






Turnstone on this coast-line are compulsory but the advantage today was that some were still in their summer finery, and as the tide continued to fall the first Black-tailed Godwits flew in.










In the Island Hide there was mud right up to the windows although the waders performing outside were just of three species, plus a few juvenile Shelduck. The adult Black-tailed Godwits were moulting into their winter plumage giving a rather mosaic effect, but the juveniles were more of a uniform brown.








Avocets were doing what they do best, strutting their stuff in front of the cameras, and the juvenile Shelducks were practicing sifting through the mud to get their dinner. What messy eaters!!


















But the star performers here today were the Ruff which were by far the commonest wader, at least in front of the hide. These are all adult males moulting into their winter plumage apart from the sixth photo which is a juvenile.
















But the best was yet to come. As I was drawing out of the car park I was trying to think of other places to call in that didn't involve any walking as I was a bit strapped for time. I therefore decided to call in to Thornham Creek to see if there were any Curlews or Redshanks that wanted their photo taken.

I pulled up, got out and gave a cursory glance up the creek and noticed a long-billed wader mid-stream and assumed it was a godwit. I walked up the middle of the road to get closer, crept near the edge, peered over, and there right in front of me just 10 yards away was a super Spotted Redshank. Well, that took care of the next half an hour, so sit back and enjoy!!
















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