5th December - Hill Head, Hampshire

 

All was well Friday night, the forecast was not bad, cold with maybe the odd shower.  We were planning to meet at Pennington and when I got up, looking outside it was dry, but there was no sign of the ice that had been the subject of a weather warning on Friday.  I picked up my phone and noticed another warning, this time for rain in a very concentrated are right over the New Forest and Pennington.  I looked at the the weather radar and it was bright red, not the place to be.  A quick Whats App to Ian and we changed our plans, I would meet him at Hill Head.  On arrival I was greeted with a fiery sky above Lee-on-the Solent as the sun still had twenty five minutes before it would rise.  It was dry though which was what we had hoped.

As I got out of the car a flock of Lapwing flew up from the scrape and headed out to the sea, they flew around in a tight flock for about ten minutes before settling on the end of the exposed Rainbow Bar that was exposed by the low tide.

The skies above Lee continued to be dramatic and fiery red.

Whilst it was dry there was a very strong south easterly wind and fortunately the tide was low otherwise the sea would be whipping over the sea wall.  The gulls were cruising along the sea wall using the concrete wall to gain lift.  Here a Herring gull comes close through the gloom.

As we edged our way towards sun rise at just before eight the sky was lightening and the clouds being lit up by the sun.

A pair of Eider flew past us and settled on the sea just off the beach by the harbour entrance.  We locked up the cars and then rushed around to try and get close to them.  From the beach the drake was up ending in the shallow surf.

But as we tried to get closer they started to become aware of us and they made their way out into deeper water, their heads raised as if concerned we were too close.

Then just after this photograph they were off and flew off to settle on an exposed spit further out.

We walked around to the Sailing Club, and a pair of Wigeon were just off the landing slip.

Walking back to the cars the gulls continued to cruise up and down the sea wall.  Here a Great Black-backed Gull.

There were several Common Gulls out on the Rainbow Bar and others would join the Black-headed Gulls over the sea wall.

Looking out to the east there was a definite split in the clouds in the sky, almost as if the a line was drawn running south east to north west through the Solent, the Isle of Wight looking like it was about to get very wet.

We were using Ian's van as a shelter from the south east wind I was watching the Sanderling along the beach, looking to see if there was yet another opportunity to get close to them on the beach.  Every so often they would fly along the shore line either to avoid the waves or disturbed by walkers along the beach.  I watched what I thought was a Sanderling fly across the beach and drop onto the middle of the Rainbow Bar.  As it stalled to land I noticed there was a lot of white in the wing and a black bar, it also looked very small.  I quickly picked up on it and realised that it was not a Sanderling but a Snow Bunting.  A group of people with dogs were heading on to the beach and I shouted at them to keep away from the Bar.  They looked at me a bit strange but did as I asked.

I rushed on to the beach and made my way towards the Bar.  It was difficult to pick it up amongst the stones and it was feeding amongst the stones.  I found it again and then had to get Ian onto it.  Finally he managed to see it and we moved forward.  Here you can see how difficult it can be to see, I was very lucky to have seen it fly in.

We moved closer stopping as we went, although our experience of Snow Buntings was that they were always unconcerned if you did get close.

With the dark black primaries this was a male bird, it was already searching amongst the stones, this could possibly be a bird that has just dropped in.  We edged closer still.

Of coincidence was the fact that Ian and I were only talking about there having to be a Snow Bunting about when we walked on the beach behind the harbour.  The last Snow Bunting here was just over a year ago when one stayed on the green at Saltern's Park.  That bird was very approachable, we edged ever closer.

Then it flew, came around and settled again higher up the beach amongst the sea weed.

But then again it was away and up further along the beach and onto the small wall.

We thought this time we would be able to get closer but it was flighty once again, it dropped off the wall and on to the beach.

It then flew a little way toward the main sea wall and out on to the beach.

And then it was off, flying around the sea wall and in the direction of the beach behind the harbour.  Returning to the cars we realised we had left the 'scopes and tripods behind and the cars were unlocked.  Putting the scopes away and locking the cars we walked around to the beach.

Scanning the beach there was no sign of it at all.  Others were now beginning to arrive after I posted news of the bird, however continued searching could not find.  We eventually returned to the cars and returned to watching the sea and telling others that it had gone.  Then another message it was found near the chalets and was heading back towards us.  We rushed to the beach and immediately picked it up.  As we made our way towards where it was on the beach it flew up, this time gaining height and we watched it flying high away over the sea and south west towards Calshott, It was not seen again.

This bird was unusually flittish for a Snow Bunting, not allowing any close approach, most unlike previous Snow Buntings here.  The thought was that this was a new bird just arrived and that could account for the behaviour.  It was a great find and I thanked the Lord I was fascinated by the Sanderling once again.

It was then a case of what to do and we opted to walk back to the harbour and hope the Kingfisher might arrive.  It didn't and from the bridge we had to make do with the sight of the Brent Geese rising up from the fields up on Brownwich Cliffs.

The tide was rising but there was still plenty of sea weed exposed in the harbour to keep the Turnstone interested.

The dramatic clouds over the Isle of Wight had smoothed out and area of rain looked like it was finally going to head our way.

Opening up to a wide angle a little more dramatic view.

The Sanderling were roosting on the beach and once again we couldn't resist.

One bird with its eye on me amongst all the others sleeping.

The rain then came along with hail and stronger winds, we sheltered until it passed us.  It was then a case of going nowhere and sea watching while using the van as shelter.  Disappointingly there was very little moving, a few Great-crested Grebes on the sea, one or two Eider moving, the highlight coming just before we left with a Red-throated Diver heading east.  

The weather continued to change, with rains showers one minute and then the sun appearing the next.  Dark skies to the north and west with plenty of dark clouds over the Isle of Wight, but pockets of sunshine lightening up the grey sea.

I always think there is no better view than that north over the Titchfield reserve and up the Meon valley in the winter sunshine, it picks out the colours in the reed bed and the remaining leaves on the trees.

More dramatic with a dark overcast sky as the background.

Throw in a rainbow and all is complete.

The camera than took its own photograph and did pretty well with this view of the clouds to the south.

On the island in the Meon shore had two Great Black-backed Gulls sitting on it, beautiful gulls.

Just as we were about to pack up all the waders and gulls on the reserve went up, the Lapwing had been doing this all afternoon but this time they  were joined by Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits.  The reason became evident when a Peregrine came across the reeds and then over our heads and out across the sea.

As that moved away from us we decided that was enough, it was cold and little was likely to turn up now.  A day that started off with a change of plan turned out to be a success, although I don't think those that turned up asking where the Snow Bunting was only to be told "it had gone and did they want to see a photograph" saw it that way!