Yesterday afternoon had been a real tonic, blue sky and light winds after so much adverse weather. This morning it was going to be dry for a while before the wind and rain would return later in the day, it was time to make the most of it while we could.

A short walk was needed as we’d got rather a lot on, it was low tide, so a visit Bosham Hoe seemed to be a good choice. As soon as we’d parked in Smugglers lane the immense number of crows made their presence felt. Some roosting in the many trees along the lane, some in the adjacent field, many just flying around.

Once on the foreshore there was little to see of the usual birdlife as the tide was right out and the channel hidden from view. Clearly there were plenty of Brent due to all the noise they made but you couldn’t see them though as they were hidden by the mudbanks. Very few waders on the mud either, possibly as it was only a few minutes after low water.

The only birdlife visible was even more Crows, on the mud or swooping about. Why they were so numerous was not clear, there couldn’t have been much to attract them.  Accepted wisdom is that they’re not particularly sociable, don’t nest together (only one crows nest on a ship), but do aggregate at good feeding sites and roosts especially in non breeding times.

Closer to Bosham there were a few of the usual inhabitants, in particular Oyster catchers in a highly agitated state. As the channel became visible so did the Brent, sunning themselves on the bank.

On the way back along the road the shoot had clearly put down many pheasants this year as they’d strayed far from the cover crops. Two shelduck sat in the field alongside the road; we’d got quite close before they finally flew off, annoyed by being disturbed.