In search of Paddy

Arrrived at Pagham Harbour North Wall at 0700 in search of the Paddyfield Warbler and spent the next 5 hours staring at a hawthorn bush waiting for this rare stranger to show. Feeling the cold I decided to go on a long walk in search of Smew and that was fruitless too. Plenty of birds about, the highlights being 7 White-fronted Geese on the fields behind the Breech Pool, a Kingfisher in the sluice, three Ruff  and a host of Pintail in the channel. Unfortunately it was a grey old day with precious little sunshine so even photos were hard to come by.



Ruff



Pintail

 


Pintail

 


Pintail



Even the Teal look bored

So off home with two year ticks, fairly satisfied, probably more than the birders who had left Burnley at 0400 and departed without seeing this rarity and were moving on to the Parrot Crossbill at Blackdown.