I parked on the sea wall and walked around to the visitor centre. The tide was high and in the harbour amongst the mallard and farm ducks was a drake Pochard. Usually a difficult bird to photograph due to the light grey and dark plumage, close up it was much easier.
This duck was here last year, and likes the company of the Mallard here in the harbour.
I walked around to the back of the visitor centre, where in the garden there are bushes of Cotoneaster, and Pyracantha. Apparently the Barred Warbler feeds quite openly on the Cotoneaster berries, and has a favourite bush, this bush though was looking a little bare now, there was though another bush to the right of the favourite one.
There was no immediate sign of the warbler, but there were plenty of House Sparrows chirping in the bushes.
It was cold, but I was feeling determined. It had been seen this morning, and just before I arrived there was a brief glimpse by the pond. It seems quite regular in its habits, and has been loyal to these bushes, I was certain it would appear.
The cold started to work its way up through my boots, and the constant sight of empty red berries was starting to worry me as we approached the hour mark. A large white duck flew over, and at first I though it would be a Shelduck, but to my surprise it turned out to be a drake Goosander, and headed out towards the sea.
A crowd had gathered by now, but still there was no sign, the Sparrows continued to chirp, and every so often, a Robin or Dunnock would raise hopes, as they appeared in the bushes. I have spent so much time looking at leaves, and reeds, and now I can add berries to the list.
Another problem was the weather, rain was forecast for the afternoon, and looking at the radar on my phone, it wasn't far away, probably arriving in the next fifteen minutes
Then a shout came from the path, it had been seen in sailing club car park, so we wall ran over there. A walk around didn't find it, so I walked back across the road when it flew from the bushes, across the road and into the tree above me.
Not the best of views, but much better than my previous one 27 years ago!
It then flew off, and into the reserve car park. I decided to make my way back to the berries, it seemed to be making its way to them.
It was then picked up once again in the trees on the other side of the path. It sat in tree watching us.
Moving at times to show the barring.
It has been aged as a first year bird, but there was debate today as to whether it may be an adult female. The eye is yellow, where in an immature bird it would be dark, but the tip of the bill is dark as is found in a first year bird.
It was dark and dull and the pictures are rather grainy.
Then it flew towards us and up into the tree above us, now along with the gloom I was faced with back lighting.
Some though capture the skulking nature of the bird.
Not interested in these berries.
Then it flew from the tree, once again over our heads and to the Cotoneaster berries in the bush on the wall. Everyone scrambled up the steps, and found the warbler in the hebe bush, but it came out and headed for the berries.
Squashing them before swallowing.
The rain was starting, right on queue, but it didn't matter the warbler put on an excellent show.
Checking out for more berries.
Maybe some above?
This one?
My turn to get photographs of the Barred Warbler eating berries.
It sat quite happily despite the number of cameras pointing at it.
Finally I had managed to get some superb views of a Barred Warbler.
They breed in Eastern Europe, east of Germany and Italy, they are also found in southern Sweden. Highly migratory, they winter in eastern Africa, but a few move west, and are regular autumn visitors to the east coast of Britain.
I suspect this one arrived on the east coast in the autumn, and then tried to move south in an attempt to reach Africa, ending up here in Hampshire, and finding the berries and habitat very much to its liking, having been here since the middle of November, being seen on and off at first, but much more frequently over the last two weeks as it feasted on the berries.
Having made it through the recent cold snap, it will probably stick around while the store of berries remain, hopefully into the new year when it would be another very welcome year tick.
Having filled up on berries it returned to the shelter of the hebe, but then coming out once again creeping along the ground to the cotoneaster berries.
The rain was now a little harder, so I decided it was time to leave, After a two hour wait the bird performed very well, all had been worthwhile.
As I walked back to the car, I could see three Shelduck on the Meon.
A Common Gull was also sitting on one of the posts in the rain.
The tide was still high so despite the rain I walked along the beach to see if there were any waders roosting. First to appear was a Ringed Plover.
Then a Redshank walked along the edge of the water.
On the shingle alongside the harbour mouth were a group of Sanderling and Ringed Plover.
A careful approach can allow you to get quite close to these roosting waders. The Sanderling are lovely in their silvery grey winter plumage. The only part of the ring I can read here is "26"
Happy to continue roosting.
Some more Ringed Plover.
And another single Sanderling, this time awake!
As I walked back to the car a single Great-crested Grebe was just off shore, you can see the rain was now quite hard, it was also very cold.
As I sorted myself out the car I looked across the the Meon Shore hide in the reserve. Mist was welling up across the scrape as the warmer air started mix with the cold.
I decided that he best place to be would be back home, so I packed up the car, and set off home, satisfied with the day's proceedings.
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