Snipe. Golden Plover, Avocets, Shovelers, Shellducks, Lapwings galore, Teal, Little Egrets, Godwits, Ruddy duck and more: a great afternoon at Pagham Harbour last Wednesday.

 The view from the Ferry Pool hide at RSPB, Pagham Harbour looks across the road to Selsey in West Sussex.  In the distance were a fine number of bird species.  Click on any picture to expand them.

Above, a Godwit and by comparison, a tiny little Snipe, plus lots of Lapwings.

 A Shellduck, Avocet and Lapwings, above.

Shovelers and Laapwings... and thanks to Maurice (already in the hide) for showing me a Golden Plover through his telescope -- mid picture above.  Thanks also Maurice for advising me that Snipe had been seen at Pagham Wall.

Teal

Shovelers

 Mid picture in the harbour were more Teal, a long way off.

The light was poor on this cold afternoon.  The camera used was a Panasonic DMC-FZ1000, which performed well under difficult conditions.

Passing Siddlesham Quay and approaching Pagham Harbour Wall, a little Egret was fishing with Redshanks and Curlew walking about.

At Pagham Wall I asked another enthusiast if he had seen any Snipe.  Though his telescope he was immensely kind to show me one on the shore of the very far inlet, just off-center to the right of the above picture.
He made my day!  Thank you: I would never had spotted these tiny little birds, so well camouflaged against the reeds.

There it is: tiny compared to the Mallard ducks.  But what is the little duck?  A Ruddy duck perhaps.

Some shots were taken in "burst mode" among which these two showing the Snipe flying off, disturbing the Ruddy Duck.

More Snipe on the shore, another Ruddy duck and a Teal swimming.  

What a fine place to see these birds, many of which may have flown a very long way to get here.

Some of these shots will no doubt, be used in my public talks: details at www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk  Let your mouse hover over "TALKS" at the top of the page for a drop down list of nature talks.