Had a pleasant afternoon at the Haven yesterday, culminating in a year tick in the form of a Juvenile Little Stint. The bird showed well overall from the Spurgin Hide. Unfortunately it wasn’t tempted to come any closer to the hide that about 30 metres, so the images I captured are somewhat cropped. Plenty other species on view including a Green Sandpiper which did come a little closer and several Snipe which put on quite a display. I did keep an eye out for the Blue Winged Teal but it wasn’t to be discovered lurking somewhere hidden in the reserve. Good to bump into Dave Wallace and his wife. Although Dave did seem to struggle getting into the hide!!

Also very nice to see Chunky out and about ticking off the Little Stint for his year list. On the way out of the reserve I stepped up onto the new Bearded Tit ramp and it does exactly what it says on the can. Literally within 30 seconds I had a cracking male Bearded Tit (Bearded Reedling) in the Camera lens; the only drawback was………..well you can see in the image below. That said it was my first shot of the species so quite happy. Also from the ramp was a cracking Cettis Warbler giving great views perched out in the open, albeit too brief to capture.

Little Stint, Titchfield Haven, 19 Sep 2009

Green Sandpiper, Titchfield Haven, 19 Sep 2009

Snipe and Green Sandpiper, Titchfield Haven, 19 Sep 2009

Snipe, Titchfield Haven, 19 Sep 2009

Snipe. A bird I like enough to name my dog after. There again, shouting Buff Breasted Sandpiper after a Terrier would seem strange.

Goldfinch, juvenile moulting into adult plumage, Titchfield Haven, 19 Sep 2009

Bearded Tit, Titchfield Haven, 19 Sep 2009

Steve Copsey