A good day for Grebes, and Sibe Chiffchaff still present

• Black-Necked and Slavonian Grebes off Lepe
• Singing Firecrest at Calshot
• Siberian Chiffchaff still looks the part - but no call

Arrived at Lepe shortly after dawn for a pleasant stroll along the coast before the crowds arrived. Always lots to check out here. Today's highlights were the 3 Black-Necked Grebes relatively close to the shore and 3 very distant Slavonian Grebes, probably on the limit of identification with a 60x eyepiece. (Great Crested and Little were also present giving me 4 out of the 5 regular UK species). Also offshore were 2 Eiders and 4 Red-Breasted Mergansers. Not as many Med.Gulls today, but some of these were approaching full Summer Plumage. and ducks included quite a large number of Pintails plus Teal, and Wigeon.

Black-Necked Grebes off Lepe


Late morning, I checked out Calshot beach. Very little offshore here, but the Firecrest was singing in the pines, and still a single Chiff Chaff in the area.

Finished the day in warm sunshine at the Sewage treatment works South of Horsebridge, where the Siberian Chiffchaff was showing amazingly well once I had tracked it down to a hedge with an abundancy of insects. It responded to Tristis calls by moving closer, and responded to Tristis song with a brief wing flicking and flying straight at me and over my head before returning to the hedge. I'm of the opinion, this bird must be the real deal now. All that's missing is some vocals from it.

Siberian Chiffchaff