Sea, sand, and a surprise

This morning, we joined  friends from the local RSPB group for a visit to Titchfield  Haven nature reserve at the estuary  of the river Meon. The marshland, reed beds and  scrapes  attract numerous bird species. Today we saw gulls (Blackheaded, Herring and Lesser and  Greater Blackbacked), a couple of Redshank, one Snipe and, excitingly, at least a dozen elegant Avocets, and a few Black tailed Godwits  in their beautiful summer plumage. Then there  were Shoveler ducks, Shelducks, a few Great Crested Grebes, and  a couple of March Harriers. We also spotted our first Swallows this year.
I'm not into bird photography so my blip is of the  view taken from close  to the  reserve, of the  beach huts at Hill Head and the Solent. 

This evening we were invited to a surprise party for one of our neighbours who has just turned 70, which was hosted by other neighbours. Bob has done a lot for our close and was the chair of our management committee for many years.There were more than twenty people from the road in attendance, and Bob was truly surprised! All his wife would tell him  was that they were going for an evening out, and so he had googled events taking place nearby. All he had found was a ghost walk at the  hovercraft  museum in Gosport! Fortunately, Bob thought his party proved a far better alternative! It was a long night- from 6 until  past 11pm but greatly enjoyed by all. Might be a few sore heads tomorrow....