My second bite of the Sabine's.

Friday 20th January 2023.

The female Siskin by the Bridge Street Car Park this morning.

I was going to make my way to Southmoor this morning to see if I could find the Long-tailed Duck in the northern half of the harbour, but I got a report on my phone that a Yellow-browed Warbler had been found behind the car park on the Bridge Street Flood end of Titchfield. So grabbing my birding gear I ventured out into the icy cold again to see if I could get to see this little gem.

Above, the female Kestrel perched on an overhead wire. Below, a male Chaffinch sunning itself in the winter sunshine.

I was lucky to get the only available parking spot within the tiny car park here at Bridge Street and so donning all my gear, I was just about to make my way behind the car park when a female Siskin flew low over my head and landed in a nearby Silver Birch tree. Thankfully, it remained there long enough for me to grab a photo or two (see photo). There was a frozen pathway heading east behind the car park and I was soon joined by a couple of other birders also after the YBW. Waiting patiently, there were sightings of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, both Blue and Great Tit and even a Redwing was picked up high in the trees; but there was no sign of the Yellow-browed Warbler.

Above, a female Stonechat near the main footpath and below, the Barn Owl in the 'split tree'. If you look closely, you can just make out a second bird to the left of the Owl.

The two guys I was with wandered off and so I decided to make my way down the Canal Path. I was hoping the YBW was going to be vocal, but there was no sign of the bird whatsoever, which was disappointing. Walking down to the area adjacent to the ‘Split tree’, I could see the Barn Owl in its usual hole, but it wasn't till I noticed in my photos that there were two Owls within the tree! Out in the fields looking towards the floods, there must have been at least a dozen or so Pied Wagtails seen near the small Copse, searching for food in the iced-over field along with several Meadow Pipits. A pair of Stonechats were also close by, the female bird was much closer.

Above, both Common Snipe and Black-tailed Godwit were feeding together with the Black-headed and Herring Gulls on the main pool at the Bridge Street Floods. Below, a buck Roe Deer grazing in the field near the 'Split tree'.

A female Kestrel flew in, scattering all the passerines on the ground, then landed on the overhead wires and stayed there for some time. I checked the floods thoroughly for anything of note, where I picked up a lone Common Snipe feeding with a Black-tailed Godwit near the main flood. Wigeon, Teal, Mallard and Pintail were swimming on the main flood and a few Canada Geese were also in attendance. I could not find anything interesting among the many Black-headed Gulls and so moved on slightly where there was a fallen tree. From here, I could hear the scolding call of a Cetti’s Warbler. As I have not seen one this year yet, I stood my ground and waited patiently for the bird to show and eventually, it popped out nicely on the nearby fence until flying off quickly to the Canal side and out of view.

Above, my first Cetti's Warbler of the year finally showed and below, this one of two Chiffchaffs feeding together near the car park.

Checking my watch, I really fancied going for the Long-tailed Duck at Southmoor and so made my way slowly back to the car, but not before having another quick look at the sleepy Barn Owl. Back near the car park, a few more birders had turned up for a sighting of the Yellow-browed Warbler, including one of the chaps I was with earlier, but there still was no sign. A couple of Chiffchaffs showed well low down in the Willows on the Canal, but not the star bird. So, I got back in the car and headed off back east.

Above, the Sabine's Gull putting on a nice show for the Birders & photographers present this morning.

I was half expecting the car park at Southmoor to be ‘full to the brim’ but there were a few spaces available. The adult Sabine’s Gull was spending yet another day here on the floods and attracting its many admirers, yet I was here for the Long-tailed Duck. However, despite a good search for around 20 minutes on a high tide, there was no sign of the duck whatsoever. At least two pairs of Goldeneye, 4 Great Crested Grebes, 6 Little Grebes and all the usual wildfowl were present, though I did pick up two Black-necked Grebes swimming not too far away from the Oyster Beds. Another birder joined me and I asked him if the Sabine’s Gull was still showing well. He said it was and so, seeing it was such a beautiful sunny day, I thought I would give it another look at this charismatic Gull.

Please forgive me for all the photos of the Sabine’s Gull, but I remember reading someone wrote that this has to be the most beautiful Gull they had ever seen! There was simply no argument, for it was gorgeous and in this light, what a stunning bird it was and so I joined the dozen or so birders present. The gull was actually so close that it was flying over birders heads as if they were not there, giving some of those present views down to around 20 feet! Occasionally, the Gull took flight, flashing off those gorgeous tri-coloured wings then settling briefly on the harbour and then returning to the same area. Though I only spent around 15 minutes there, I was conscious of the time and so I made my way back to the car to reflect on another lovely couple of hours birding.

When I got home, I got the news that the Yellow-browed Warbler had reappeared back at the Bridge Street Car Park, though behind the car park on a different footpath. Though not vocal, the bird was keeping quite low and a few guys got some superb photos of the bird. They are normally quite easy to pick up when they are calling, but when they are not, then it's just pure luck if you see them. Just to rub salt in the wound, the Long-tailed Duck was seen off Southmoor around 3pm this afternoon. I think the phrase rhymes with Clucking Bell!!!!!   

I can now see why so many photos have been published on various blogs and sites of this beautiful Gull. Photographers have been going back for seconds and thirds of this bird and who can blame them.