The Great Northern Diver was still showing well from the beach gate and at least half way out a distant flock of Common Scoter headed west, a single male accompanying five female types. Still no Slavonian Grebes. I heard one of the Dartford Warblers but couldn’t locate it and a walk around the wetter parts failed to produce snipe of either species.

On the walk to the hides distant shack-shacking from a Fieldfare was soon followed by a distant bird perched up and a mobile Long-tailed Tit flock included a Goldcrest and a Coal Tit.

Fieldfare

The Lapwing roost on DL’O had grown to 601 birds together with good numbers of Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler and six Avocet. A Raven was perched on one of the fence posts, the Rooks on the adjacent posts providing useful size comparisons.

The female Marsh Harrier was particularly mobile ranging from Inchmery to the Reedy Ditch. From the sailing club the number of Spoonbills sleeping on Inchmery had grown to eight although I later saw all eight heading towards Lymington before two of them doubled back.

At high tide the single Bar-tailed Godwit was again present roosting with Grey Plover and a female Red-breasted Merganser was associating with Great Crested Grebes in the mouth of the river.

From the car park I could see a drake Eider heading east and then what looked like mergansers heading west, they were too distant to be certain. With some activity on the sea I decided to head there first.

The first few birds I picked up on a flat calm sea were Great Crested Grebes but then a Great Northern Diver. He sat very low in the water with a big lumpy head, huge bill and dark half collar. I tried to get some video but it was very frustrating. He dived for a minute reappeared in a different position and was then on the surface for less than 10 seconds, by the time I’d found him again he was diving.

I’d been half expecting mergansers for a fortnight and so it was great to finally watch three Red-breasted Mergansers heading west, a patch tick and the first of the winter.

The walk over to the hides was fairly quiet other than three Fieldfare overhead. A pair of Pochard were resting directly out from B Water hide. Around 200 Lapwing were on the scrape viewable from DL’O hide, there was a single Black-tailed Godwit with them. I’d also noticed a single Black-tailed Godwit with a large group of Lapwing on 4^th November, perhaps it was the same godwit still thinking he was a Lapwing. Nearby yesterday’s seven Avocet were still on the scrape feeding in the slightly deeper water.

Pochard and Gadwall

I spent an hour or so watching from the Sailing Club, there were few bird highlights here although it was great to find a Common Seal looking straight at me and showing his heart shaped nostrils.

After a sandwich I headed down to the beach again and soon picked up a distant diver heading west. Even at this distance it looked too slight for Great Northern Diver. As it flew closer I could see a smallish head which was extensively white and with a characteristic head nodding movement. My first Red-throated Diver at NO.

As I was watching the diver I could hear the Dartford Warbler calling behind me. After the diver had disappeared towards P Shore I began to look for the warbler. I ended up with some reasonable pictures and was surprised to see that it had a metal ring on its right leg.

This is definitely a second bird. Based on my photos I’d say this 2nd bird is a female and the first is a male. If I’m right and they both stick around then this could be the return of breeding Dartford Warblers.

Still no sign of any Slavonian Grebes or Red-breasted Mergansers on the sea first thing or again mid afternoon, they’re both often here by mid November.

A Treecreeper was a slightly unexpected find 200 yards west of the S Hide. There were plenty of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes around and with them a single and silent Redwing halfway along the walking trail. I walked over to the hides to find that the reeds had been cut to improve visibility in front of the NFOC hide although there were few birds on B Water or on the scrape from DL’O.

A single Siskin called overhead and a group of seven Avocet flew up the river and over onto DL’O scrape. A pair of Spoonbill were roosting distantly on the far side of Inchmery. They have a reputation for always sleeping but on this occasion they were flushed by the rising tide and flew straight towards me and two minutes later they were right overhead.  

Brent Goose and Little Egret

Highlight of the day was a Bar-tailed Godwit roosting with Grey Plover on Inchmery. It’s the first I’ve seen here, they’re fairly regular but not guaranteed. Three Sandwich Terns in the mouth of the river are looking like wintering birds now.

At least six Skylark were feeding around the warden’s hut and as I walked around the sluice gate one of the Kingfishers flashed turquoise as it flew away. When the wind dropped it was much warmer and there were at least three Common Darter still on the wing.

I headed back towards B Water hoping for a late afternoon Hen Harrier, Barn Owl or Short-eared Owl, no luck unfortunately. Fourteen Stock Doves were roosting in the trees on JV island until they were evicted by Rooks.