Tussels at Tichfield

Started the day at western shore for some sea watching but the weather was dreadful and we soon moved on to Tichfield Haven in hope of seeing the scaup.

Saw what could have been a GNDiver fly west but was very distant and I was not sure, so no luck there.

We did see the scaup but it was asleep and observed through trees, not great views!

The most exciting thing of the day was from the far hide on the east side of the reserve. When we arrived there was a female marsh harrier hunting over the fields and reed beds and there was a peregrine sitting on a fench post in the field. Over the next hour or so we watched as the peregrine and Marsh Harrier kept having a go at each other. At one point there was a peregrine, buzzard and marsh harrier involved in the brawl, and a sparrowhawk entered the area but not for long because the heavy weights about no doubt. Few photos of the tussels but was very distant so nothing more than records really:

Peregrine returning to it's post after a dive bomb on a crow, there was contact made (I think) but neither got hurt:Marsh Harrier also made a brief attempt at catching a teal(??), but the teal dived underwater at the last minute, that's what the splash is on the photograph under the Harrier (again this was on the far lake where all the cormorants are so not great detail):weather took a turn for the better so we decided to go and see if the barn owl was about near hook-with-warsash. Parked up and looking into the first field along workman's lane I picked up a barn owl hunting very close to us. I got my camera ready and we tried to get a little closer. The owl banked downwards and caught something and was on the ground feeding. I picked up a kestrel coming in low and from a fair distance away but knew what it was going to do. Needless to say the barn owl left without it's prey which the kestrel must have taken. Photos taken with high ISO in failing grey light:Other birds of note were a large raft of common scoter. Year list is now up to 95. Was a fantastic day despite 'orrible weather!

Keeeep birding!