Yellow-browed Warblers at Sandy Point.

Saturday 5th October 2024.

It has been a few years since I have seen one of these beauties. Both the Yellow-browed Warblers showed today, though the one at the bottom of Seafarers Walk showed very well. I well remember the call of this species and it didn't take long to find one of the birds.

With the Yellow-browed Warblers down Sandy Point showing well during the last few days, Andy, Geoff and I had to go for the birds and also join a throng of ‘Lazee’s to view the birds. Last night, I went to another gig to see the Smyths at the Wedgewood Rooms and not only was it a superb gig, I was drinking non-alcoholic Cider all night to have a clear head the following day. Sensibly, I put the Moth Box on before making our way to the gig and though I checked out the egg trays before leaving to pick Geoff up, it was still too dark to check inside the Moth Box and so once I got back home from today's birding, I had the chance to study what was inside. The weather was excellent today with a near cloudless sky and plenty of sunshine though there was a breezy southerly when we arrived at Sandy Point.

The Moth Box:

A Bloxworth Snout caught this morning and quickly potted.

Again, there was nothing new for the year here today from the Moth Box, but a few notable moths again included a Bloxworth Snout and a Clancy’s Rustic. There were at least 38 moths of 11 species recorded today. Sadly, our Andy was too pickled from last night to put his Moth Box on, but having a coffee outside within his garden, we picked out at least 4 Song Thrushes flying high over. Shouldn't be long now before we get our first Redwing of the season. 

The moths present this morning included the following:

MACRO MOTHS

• Bloxworth Snout
• Garden Carpet
• Pale Mottled Willow 3
• L-album Wainscot 6
• Feathered Ranunculus 2
• Lesser Yellow Underwing 7
• Clancy’s Rustic
• Angle Shades
• Double-striped Pug 4

MICRO MOTHS:

• Rusty-dot Pearl 2
• Light Brown Apple Moth 10

Seafarers Walk, Sandy Point, Hayling Island:

Chiffchaffs were all over the place this morning, probably well into double figures.

We arrived at Seafarers Walk around 9am and walked down the footpath leading to the harbour entrance, we then made our way to the big empty car park behind the Lifeboat Station and joined up with fellow ‘Lazee’s’ Pete Gammage and Keith Turner. There were Chiffchaffs everywhere here and a few Blackcaps too, but it didn't take too long before we heard our first Yellow-browed Warbler of the day. The bird was deep within a copse and only fleeting views of the bird were had and so we decided to walk the long way round the houses to view the bird from the other side of the gated off area.

Another photo I took of the Yellow-browed Warbler off Seafarers Walk. The bird was hard to get a photo off though, thankfully, it showed very well at times.

When we got round the other side, we met up with three more fellow ‘Lazee’s’, Pete Appleton, Graeme Loader and Rob Porter (these kind chaps allow me to use their superb photos on my blog) and from here, the Yellow-browed Warbler, which was calling frequently, showed very well at times and I even managed to grab a half decent photo of the bird. The bird was seen both on the outside of the Copse and also in some Sycamore trees on the other side of the road, but was never an easy bird to get a decent view of as it was constantly on the move. 

While walking through the Sandy Point Nature Reserve, we found this dead Slow Worm. I have not seen one in many a year.

Other birds noted here included good numbers of Swallows passing through and a Skylark was heard flying high overhead. There was a lot of migration going on overhead and birds seen included Meadow Pipits, Linnets, a Grey Wagtail and a male Kestrel also put in an appearance. Something was tapping a tree bough somewhere nearby and sure enough, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was eventually seen flying overhead heading west. A Vapourer Moth was obviously disturbed by something and flew around where we all stood at the bottom of Seafarers Walk.

Above, Parasol Mushrooms on the reserve and below, a Sandwich Tern flying past Sparkes Marina near Black Point.

After an hour or so and having some great views of the Warbler, we decided to take a trip to Sparkes Marina to see if there were any waders on Black Point. However, there was a change of plan as both Andy Friend and Simon King (more fellow Lazee’s) drove up and they took us on the Sandy Point Nature Reserve to view the other Yellow-browed Warbler. This individual did not show nearly half as well as the first one, though some of the others managed to connect well with the bird; but to view the bird deep within a small copse proved very difficult at times. At least a pair of Goldcrest showed very well in front of us as did a few Chiffchaffs. More 'Lazee's' arrived that included JB, Becky and Kev Brooks were all there too and after around an hour, we decided to call it a day here and head off to Sparkes Marina.

A Little Egret off Sparkes Marina. Sadly, no roosting waders at Black Point, but despite warning signs about roosting waders there, the ignorant people there simply just walk on there anyway. Nature loses again.

As expected, there were no waders at all on Black Point due to dog-walkers and a load of dudes doing water sports, but a large flock of Ringed Plover flew south to the beach and Swallows were pouring through heading south. A Sandwich Tern flew up and down the harbour and after having lunch, we then made our way to Hayling Oyster Beds. Both Matt and Emma Parked managed to get down to view the Yellow-browed Warbler which was a ‘lifer’ for them. Well done guys.

Hayling Oyster Beds, Hayling Island:

Ringed Plovers and Dunlin off the spit at the Oyster Beds.

Parking here at this site was looking improbable, but I managed to grab the last parking space here before we walked up to the Oyster Beds. It was high tide within Langstone Harbour as we made our way to the site. Our first notable bird was a Wheatear along the foreshore. The bird showed very well as we made our way to the end of the spit to view the waders here. There was a good variety of waders showing well that included Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Dunlin and Turnstone resting among the rocks. Over the harbour, I found my first pair of Red-breasted Mergansers flying over the harbour and landed among a large number of Brent Geese (also my first of the season) near the islands. A lone Knot was seen among the waders here too.

Above, the Wheatear by the Oyster Beds and below, Ringed Plover and Dunlin at the end of the spit.

Above, waders flying around the Oyster Beds and below, fellow 'Lazee' Rob Porter walking away from the Wheatear he was photographing.

Above, a mixture of Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and Oystercatcher and below, good numbers of Oystercatchers resting on the small islands.

Above, Ringed Plover & Dunlin flying across the water and below, a Dunlin flying past us from where we stood.

Above and below, more waders are coming into roost.

Above, Andy takes a rest, but always keeps an eye for anything flying over. Below, what's not to love? A tranquil scene here on the Oyster Beds.

Above, Grey Plovers roosting further north on the Oyster Beds and below, a drake Common Scoter swimming just behind the rocks.

Above, a male Common Darter resting on a fence post near the Hayling Billy Line.

We made our way further north to check the waders roosting here and found good numbers of Grey Plover here and a few Curlew among them. Three Little Egrets stood with two Grey Herons among the waders and best of all, I found a drake Common Scoter swimming just behind one of the islands, of which I quickly got the boys onto the bird. A Common Buzzard was seen soaring over by the roadside trees; our second raptor of the day. So not a bad days’ birding and our first new species of bird in Hampshire for around nearly two months!

Above, photos of the Yellow-browed Warbler this morning by Emma Parkes.