In recent days the Farlington carpark has been rammed full of cars due to the presence of an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler, a county first I believe and today (Monday) was no exception. Ironically I'm guessing this was the'unknown' warbler shown to me by Tony Heath on his phone at TH on the last visit and assumed to be Chiff/Reed or somesuch!! That's a small bright screen and no glasses for you!!
Both on arrival and departure the bushes were full of people mostly chatting and aimlessly wandering about and massive lenses poking into bushes waiting for a brief glimpse.
For myself a leisurely stroll, mostly due to severe back and shoulder pain, produced plenty of commoner birds on a rising 'high' tide.
Lots of the ubiquitous waders included some Knot, a dozen Greenshank and a single Curlew Sandpiper; three groups of noisy but invisible Beardies held down by the breeze and a point blank female Kingfisher just under the viewpoint.
The RA fenceline held six Whinchats, three at each end and three acompanying Wheatears. Sadly, but unsurprisingly, searching the patches of Sea Aster didn't reveal any C. halophilus and Small Heath was the only obvious non-white butterfly species.
The seawall walk was mostly devoid of birds and the deeps are now so dry that Meadow Pipits were hovering and landing in the water to wash, maybe just an inch deep.
A single Osprey was on North Binness and shown to three members of a Farnborough group and two Peregrines were both perched on the same wooden fencing on Baker's Island. The south end of the hayfield had cattle and attendant Yellow Wagtails, maybe ten-ish with a few elsewhere on the marsh.
The EOW watchers were all still in situ as I left.
Today, Tuesday, saw a brief visit to TH where there were just 4-5 Stonechats and two Whinchats on the reserve and still two Wheatears on the sailing club fence. A Kingfisher was again from the bridge plus the piping grebes but little on the scrapes due to mowing. Probably 50-100 Swallows east.
With a lunchtime finish and such a glorious day of cloudless blue sky and light breeze it seemed worth dropping into Farlington on the way home where the EOW crowds were much reduced, plenty of parking available and just eleven other people on arrival; the bird was immediately and continuously on show in great light - I'm very glad I didn't waste time in yesterday's conditions. Elsewhere, much the same as yesterday including the Osprey but a few more Greenshanks. And yet again Chris and Kerry and group!!
PS My first Hampshire and UK 'tick' in 51 months!!
(Photo of Eastern Olivaceous Warbler below courtesy of and copyright of Nick Bond).
