tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73152096201519370802024-03-28T17:27:41.727+00:00Ian Bennell's Birding BlogGiving you all my latest sightings no matter how dull they are!!!!Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.comBlogger1622125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-29057768677977001272024-03-28T17:26:00.006+00:002024-03-28T17:26:52.286+00:00Tring + College Lake<p>Just my second visit of the year to Tring started off well with a small group of <span style="color: red;">Sand Martin</span> in the NW corner along with a single <span style="color: red;">Swallow</span>. By the Waddesden Estate gate near the path up to the dry canal I heard a <span style="color: red;">Willow Warbler</span> singing and just my 2nd patch <span style="color: red;">RN Parakeet</span> flew west. 150+ <span style="color: red;">Golden Plover</span> were seen to the north of Wilstone in flight and the <span style="color: red;">Pink-footed Goose</span> was still present. The other 3 reservoirs held nothing of note but College Lake had 2 <span style="color: red;">Oystercatchers</span>, 2 <span style="color: red;">Redshank</span> and 5 <span style="color: red;">Snipe</span> which were my first of the year! </p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-77841212617476940882024-03-28T16:22:00.002+00:002024-03-28T16:22:11.513+00:00Scotland Day 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpMUYwj2Hl2nZenCHXrcms2XKq9kEJMo7hF5YRGakROHEpGgksP6YMFEbH00AxM_JHsJwt8fABK_mPETbs0seGzNyRnX-ubzfjPNb_yfHXn3j7D7FE1l5X1ijSohd8Yv6shjlpto8eKRTNZJWgUNjAPSUmCeUbxfNTRs2_zMmKCb8g5e7aoBtazFdruAg/s1604/IMG_3770.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1604" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpMUYwj2Hl2nZenCHXrcms2XKq9kEJMo7hF5YRGakROHEpGgksP6YMFEbH00AxM_JHsJwt8fABK_mPETbs0seGzNyRnX-ubzfjPNb_yfHXn3j7D7FE1l5X1ijSohd8Yv6shjlpto8eKRTNZJWgUNjAPSUmCeUbxfNTRs2_zMmKCb8g5e7aoBtazFdruAg/s320/IMG_3770.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Black Guillemot</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjtLW1FDYzhyjL_EdUMqRp4fu3wFw9foZaRchK14hN-0IrUut3A3mqN67S6PNGcHLSM7RkBo2kgGTIwjUnkuv4n9LpgFbiRNKHbikxjfqPFjWt5yZ4NtDSMmva3t7EMh-VdmlRknaSpz0EfqwsUQCpcg_l_GzvFMrLX74MI63CgCfE03t6fyvS-ueh4hf/s1954/IMG_3789.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1466" data-original-width="1954" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjtLW1FDYzhyjL_EdUMqRp4fu3wFw9foZaRchK14hN-0IrUut3A3mqN67S6PNGcHLSM7RkBo2kgGTIwjUnkuv4n9LpgFbiRNKHbikxjfqPFjWt5yZ4NtDSMmva3t7EMh-VdmlRknaSpz0EfqwsUQCpcg_l_GzvFMrLX74MI63CgCfE03t6fyvS-ueh4hf/s320/IMG_3789.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Black Guillemot</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzHXpGSofNEKH7MFpeq1x1-Pr6PiGSJR4k61y-1W54myPFBh7tMKhCLNlOI2M_p_bm6cJnectrrMRznIZzmRj0t7YDuNPH4yTaxAjlxLLu8utDugWGGvywxPs-SXvV0b6-W1M4h5GlOwLUw6Yd13mWWbqIzGsMAlsNY5qs85ELCUuiGnKJdxQimbHk_9X/s1130/IMG_3809.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1130" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzHXpGSofNEKH7MFpeq1x1-Pr6PiGSJR4k61y-1W54myPFBh7tMKhCLNlOI2M_p_bm6cJnectrrMRznIZzmRj0t7YDuNPH4yTaxAjlxLLu8utDugWGGvywxPs-SXvV0b6-W1M4h5GlOwLUw6Yd13mWWbqIzGsMAlsNY5qs85ELCUuiGnKJdxQimbHk_9X/s320/IMG_3809.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Red-breasted Merganser</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After an indifferent nights sleep and morning fry up we headed back to Saltcoats where even before the car had stopped I picked out a couple of stunning <span style="color: red;">Black Guillemots</span>. In the end we had 10 birds and they were showing so well we could hear them calling and see them swimming underwater. Singles of <span style="color: red;">Razorbill</span> and <span style="color: red;">Red-breasted Merganser</span> were also seen along with yesterdays 3 <span style="color: red;">Purple Sandpipers</span>.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRQycYQT_-mfw4HSQ66dTzZldmvEpIoxNcrD8Fqy2XiRUujp82S42x-mXrqsZ_gApnkaPFw-uzOnDv1b6h4VhTgXuFqLmol4uelpbPmb8xwDLGRPXcAqZAqXZqzkyv-VdW3G1rpRy97YIj96lskbJxhE5-YgvGaPWsMNZ9tPZEOGaZGf4Su4K7LS27V2T/s2502/IMG_3829.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1877" data-original-width="2502" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitRQycYQT_-mfw4HSQ66dTzZldmvEpIoxNcrD8Fqy2XiRUujp82S42x-mXrqsZ_gApnkaPFw-uzOnDv1b6h4VhTgXuFqLmol4uelpbPmb8xwDLGRPXcAqZAqXZqzkyv-VdW3G1rpRy97YIj96lskbJxhE5-YgvGaPWsMNZ9tPZEOGaZGf4Su4K7LS27V2T/s320/IMG_3829.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Bullfinch</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We then headed up to Lochwinnoch RSPB reserve in another new birding county for me Renfrewshire. We crossed over the road and walked down the track to view over Barr Loch. Scattered over this Loch and Castle Semple Loch on the other part of the reserve were over 50 <span style="color: red;">Goldeneye</span> and a dozen <span style="color: red;">Goosander</span>. But the main prize on Barr Loch was the female <span style="color: red;">Lesser Scaup</span> that I managed to pick out in with a group of tufties. This was my 3rd in Britain but my first female. A female <span style="color: red;">Long-tailed Duck</span> was on Castle Semple Loch and a very showy pair of <span style="color: red;">Bullfinch</span> were seen in roadside bushes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a quick cuppa we headed for home and I arrived back about 8pm. Thanks to Brendon for the fantastic driving even when full of lurgy and to Rick as usual for his company. </div><br />Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-24272621771387776302024-03-28T15:23:00.001+00:002024-03-28T15:23:21.404+00:00Durham + Scotland<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBTGGkH4wBdWPaZWiiERpxT5efV5mr3jHCWNDrqqJHsmf3VRDb44eS94vxxojkf6iV3JI5XBinpKmmqeSiJyatKSOqYxDxoX86o3ppz_QD3gh-DQVVsMtTnImTNO1U0pBwgQUSBl2HEQQW3jZUcSvnl659zIt-VvxceeZ5SK6ZcZN6RCyFTkigMyWqyel/s1117/IMG_3749.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1117" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBTGGkH4wBdWPaZWiiERpxT5efV5mr3jHCWNDrqqJHsmf3VRDb44eS94vxxojkf6iV3JI5XBinpKmmqeSiJyatKSOqYxDxoX86o3ppz_QD3gh-DQVVsMtTnImTNO1U0pBwgQUSBl2HEQQW3jZUcSvnl659zIt-VvxceeZ5SK6ZcZN6RCyFTkigMyWqyel/s320/IMG_3749.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLl7o0EBeiLpkTLRrRe1-CMxzDWpA3QZRehFoBxkI8J26R3jz8ERGA687t3fdOizXRwprfX77AByR_MRR3DCke6wgbmNnUnqVtxIO0RfHReF9kMIdVZAxKA-Czi5bSsCSssrzEFDR6s_bl3HY0wK6GOpwmCBUfMM-mg2eMBLDH8QIhrzYyzpfsZYoeVg37/s1149/IMG_3748.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="827" data-original-width="1149" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLl7o0EBeiLpkTLRrRe1-CMxzDWpA3QZRehFoBxkI8J26R3jz8ERGA687t3fdOizXRwprfX77AByR_MRR3DCke6wgbmNnUnqVtxIO0RfHReF9kMIdVZAxKA-Czi5bSsCSssrzEFDR6s_bl3HY0wK6GOpwmCBUfMM-mg2eMBLDH8QIhrzYyzpfsZYoeVg37/s320/IMG_3748.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZLpSqxdxyE-d7BZj2COhuS1xJBmxw4wUPyNEEmRdzqxhHr-EfBOJO9iStUiWHI99P-KAYYtimuQj0EjHsrm9sJzH-KlSq1ltfSKYFk8PON9USTHsAVVAnM0v2M_kcaLkJ0dLgI47LH4FGSASsuBw_LehOC49FRHhR45OniVmvSOOvKKgU78yUfQE-Elv/s2110/IMG_3737.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1835" data-original-width="2110" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZLpSqxdxyE-d7BZj2COhuS1xJBmxw4wUPyNEEmRdzqxhHr-EfBOJO9iStUiWHI99P-KAYYtimuQj0EjHsrm9sJzH-KlSq1ltfSKYFk8PON9USTHsAVVAnM0v2M_kcaLkJ0dLgI47LH4FGSASsuBw_LehOC49FRHhR45OniVmvSOOvKKgU78yUfQE-Elv/s320/IMG_3737.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZOFj3zgU-4kFbOs31bEUL7tE7sCyHgzRvMrcHmHHrxxdDvkhhdl5TcBseBvZNaeJz59KVdWZE_pC2Ij30fNrHbgxq1mqI2X7HwOBXmXCGiarT9WhPQrvvfaH1MRMaEh1Ev6W4YYi5PxlDgkOSrMHnbY7Nb2DgCkMVirm5T0-etN6mkE3Ox487sDq1CKO/s1005/IMG_3750.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="1005" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZOFj3zgU-4kFbOs31bEUL7tE7sCyHgzRvMrcHmHHrxxdDvkhhdl5TcBseBvZNaeJz59KVdWZE_pC2Ij30fNrHbgxq1mqI2X7HwOBXmXCGiarT9WhPQrvvfaH1MRMaEh1Ev6W4YYi5PxlDgkOSrMHnbY7Nb2DgCkMVirm5T0-etN6mkE3Ox487sDq1CKO/s320/IMG_3750.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Yellow-rumped Warbler</span></div><br />Last autumn saw the biggest number of American passerines to ever appear on our shores with mega rarities from Scilly to Shetland and so it was hoped that during the winter some more would be unearthed. <p></p><p>A <span style="color: red;">Northern Waterthrush</span> in Essex wasn’t what I’d hoped for as I’d seen the Scilly bird back in 2011 but then news broke on the 20th February of a <span style="color: red;">Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler</span> visiting a garden in Ayrshire. This one I did need having not being able to get up for the last mainland bird in Durham 10 years previously. </p><p>Plans were made to head up with Chris Sharp but they were cancelled when he was told he had ‘his own surprise’ retirement party to attend! </p><p>More plans were then made with Brendon Fagan and Ricky Flesher and so at 5am we headed north but not straight to Scotland but first to County Durham. We had a quick stop at Barnard Castle not to check our eyesight but to try for <span style="color: red;">Dipper</span>. Sadly the river level was too high and so we struck out. </p><p>Langdon Beck was our next stop. This was a new site for me and looked very impressive and even more so when we spotted a couple of nice male <span style="color: red;">Black Grouse</span>. These were embarrassingly my first since I ticked them in Scotland way back in 1991! Further down the road we did see a <span style="color: red;">Dipper</span> on a small river and then Rick picked out a <span style="color: red;">Red Grouse</span>. A <span style="color: red;">Barn Owl</span> flying just after 11am was a bit of a surprise as were displaying <span style="color: red;">Curlew</span> which I can’t recall having seen before. </p><p>After our fill in England we headed north of the border and arrived at Kilwinning just after 3pm. We parked up, crossed the road and walked through 2 sets of doors in a housing block and into the tiny garden where we joined 4 other birders. After a couple of minutes we heard a call very reminiscent of <span style="color: red;">Long-tailed Tit</span> but it was coming from a pale bird with a yellow rump! Eventually it came down to feed on the numerous bird feeders and showed brilliantly on and off. I was watching my first ever <span style="color: red;">YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER</span> which was my 9th species of American wood warbler (my favourite family group).</p><p>After taking it in for about half an hour we moved onto Saltcoats. Here we checked the harbour for <span style="color: red;">Black</span> <span style="color: red;">Guillemots</span> but they weren’t around. 3 <span style="color: red;">Purple Sandpiper</span> were thought along with many <span style="color: red;">Eider</span> and a handful of year ticks out at sea. By now we were all knackered and hungry so retired to our hotel for dinner and sleep.</p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-69815831408493711692024-03-28T12:16:00.003+00:002024-03-28T12:16:42.039+00:00Watford - 28.2.24<p>In the afternoon at work we had to go to Cheslyn House to empty the green bins and whilst there I heard a singing <span style="color: red;">Blackcap</span>. </p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-77190467652746019962024-03-28T12:13:00.002+00:002024-03-28T12:13:45.127+00:00Norfolk Weekend - 17-19.2.24<p>As it was half term we booked a long weekend away in Eccles-on-Sea,Norfolk. We stupidly headed up after work on Friday and so the 2.5 hour journey took just under 4 and we arrived in the pitch black with floods everywhere! Saturday morning dawned and the view from the caravan was a mass of wet fields and some great looking shrubs which in the spring and autumn looked like they could easily produce a good bird or two.</p><p>The kids wanted to go to the beach so a quick climb over the dunes and we were there. They ran off to build sand castles and throw stones into the sea but I took half an hour to do some seawatching. 8 year ticks later including 8 <span style="color: red;">Red-throated Divers</span> and 3 <span style="color: red;">Sanderling</span> and I joined the kids to show them how to skim stones!</p><p>Sunday dawned wet again, in fact it had rained for 17 hours straight and finally dried up at lunchtime so we went out to Happisburgh to see how much more had fallen into the sea then onto Horsey for some food and to see the seals on the beach. On the drive back a male <span style="color: red;">Hen Harrier</span> drifted over the road in front of the car near Waxham. </p><p>Monday and we packed up the car for the journey home but made a detour to see my dad in Caister. A quick stop at Rollesby Broad added a redhead <span style="color: red;">Smew</span> to the yearlist. </p><p>I stopped at Sandon on the way home and saw just a single <span style="color: red;">Grey Partridge</span>.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOTB-8r4kPEiKvDvdK-PqTMvVm4sbIwlrMiw67UgcHEnQw95kcxKFKQ2J3GzX0d6_gx2o00fWAx2Ogdw8YtNwdwumj2d4-rMN_R9wByxzM4HzI8x01lDDS40tV1MhTLZTlm6TYiMpxKH7F7zoBNTUNPHBc1i9POUDkZM1u6BaMLfoWhyphenhyphenO4EYHY-ME3y46/s2901/IMG_3661.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2176" data-original-width="2901" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOTB-8r4kPEiKvDvdK-PqTMvVm4sbIwlrMiw67UgcHEnQw95kcxKFKQ2J3GzX0d6_gx2o00fWAx2Ogdw8YtNwdwumj2d4-rMN_R9wByxzM4HzI8x01lDDS40tV1MhTLZTlm6TYiMpxKH7F7zoBNTUNPHBc1i9POUDkZM1u6BaMLfoWhyphenhyphenO4EYHY-ME3y46/s320/IMG_3661.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Seal</span>!</div><br /><p></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-4352199444298014692024-03-28T11:47:00.000+00:002024-03-28T11:47:32.947+00:00Watford - 12.2.24<p>Whilst walking into Goodwood Rec to do some litter picking I immediately heard a <span style="color: red;">Firecrest</span> singing just off the path. It came in closer and showed well. My 6th that I’d found whilst at work! </p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-13502366166564300952024-03-28T11:21:00.003+00:002024-03-28T11:21:39.616+00:00Tring - 3.2.24<p> I finally was able to head up to Tring Reservoirs to kick off my Patchwork challenge list. It was mostly a list of the usual suspects but a <span style="color: red;">Pink-footed Goose</span> and a couple of <span style="color: red;">Egyptian Geese</span> were noteworthy. 5 <span style="color: red;">Red-crested Pochard</span> on Marsworth were my 100th species of the year.</p><p><br /></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-36980082355278930842024-03-28T11:03:00.000+00:002024-03-28T11:03:07.939+00:00More At Work <p>16th - Saw the <span style="color: red;">Little Owl</span> at Cassiobury and completed the set of 5 owls</p><p>17th - <span style="color: red;">Treecreeper</span>, Cassiobury </p><p>26th - <span style="color: red;">Skylark</span>, Cassiobury followed on the way home with 42 <span style="color: red;">Waxwings</span> at Leavsden found by Brendan Glynn. </p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-2576987387566576982024-03-28T10:55:00.003+00:002024-03-28T10:55:19.719+00:00Verulamium Park - 14.1.24<p>A family day out to St.Alban’s just so happened to coincide with a decent county bird that’d been present a while. After some trampolining and playground things for the kids we walked down to the lake where the well known showy <span style="color: red;">Kingfisher</span> was delighting both birders and member of the public by showing to a few feet. I left the others to go warm up in the cafe so I could search for the main bird but I drew a blank. </p><p>After a nice hot chocolate I headed outside and o my third walk around the cathedral I picked up one of the breeding pair of <span style="color: red;">Peregrines</span> on the roof and eventually brief views of the <span style="color: red;">Black Redstart</span> as it flew out of a tree into bushes then up onto the cathedral then off round the corner.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafarb0NU16_A0hx4ntmq5i9YH09Fx-3ihHsyPb69eNlQRk05XAfmcI0LBflZYqQtgnvC9tnbirGF9pyqegTePHZz2Z1VWX4RM5sVQgOp8fxoe3Ak2qfiLpctBb8gp871m40QFYF2rFhut9otajGG2S8SkdoDPt60esY-wuOV6Tzmre5y_NTswewRGqZSu/s1440/IMG_3521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafarb0NU16_A0hx4ntmq5i9YH09Fx-3ihHsyPb69eNlQRk05XAfmcI0LBflZYqQtgnvC9tnbirGF9pyqegTePHZz2Z1VWX4RM5sVQgOp8fxoe3Ak2qfiLpctBb8gp871m40QFYF2rFhut9otajGG2S8SkdoDPt60esY-wuOV6Tzmre5y_NTswewRGqZSu/s320/IMG_3521.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Kingfisher</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoIrbQYUeY-ZEnxNoffyS_L3zWzgdZlt0N04kCs3N1-ArqveF7qbsxE7CL8nsHzyBystOEZoaHU4j5o5L5NBTQ7X8YG_miL9V3etQOH6S1-AoWPAATWU2B_rpgfDhM7_mCtJmwy27zEpqoWtBTm0MS1fqsWcroY-jDNQuQ66wjS0opQw8I3hmmwJECWL0/s1014/IMG_3531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="760" data-original-width="1014" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeoIrbQYUeY-ZEnxNoffyS_L3zWzgdZlt0N04kCs3N1-ArqveF7qbsxE7CL8nsHzyBystOEZoaHU4j5o5L5NBTQ7X8YG_miL9V3etQOH6S1-AoWPAATWU2B_rpgfDhM7_mCtJmwy27zEpqoWtBTm0MS1fqsWcroY-jDNQuQ66wjS0opQw8I3hmmwJECWL0/s320/IMG_3531.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Peregrine</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-881732535880771932024-03-28T10:39:00.007+00:002024-03-28T10:39:45.436+00:00Back To Work + Home <p> Over the next few days I added more species to the year list. </p><p>2nd - <span style="color: red;">Ring-necked Parakeet</span>, Cassiobury Park</p><p>3rd - 2 <span style="color: red;">Raven</span>, Hemel Hempstead </p><p>4th - <span style="color: red;">Nuthatch</span>, <span style="color: red;">Mistle Thrush</span>, <span style="color: red;">Siskin</span>, <span style="color: red;">Mandarin</span>, <span style="color: red;">Coal Tit</span>, <span style="color: red;">GS Woodpecker</span>, <span style="color: red;">Grey Wagtail</span> + <span style="color: red;">Jay</span>, Cassiobury Park</p><p>5th - <span style="color: red;">Lesser Redpoll</span>, Cassiobury Park</p><p>6th - <span style="color: red;">Dunnock</span>, Hemel Hempstead </p><p>9th - <span style="color: red;">Greenfinch</span>, Cassiobury </p><p>10th - <span style="color: red;">Lesser Spotted Woodpecker</span> seen in flight twice by mini railway, 2 <span style="color: red;">Chiffchaff</span> + <span style="color: red;">Chaffinch</span>, Cassiobury Park</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-68493517172208964462024-03-28T10:30:00.005+00:002024-03-28T10:30:53.105+00:00Owl’s About That - 1.1.24<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4XOceBVsvE5TPlZ__4Fk9GNzQDhskxb_EIeOQuR1JI12TbUlVk3EvBWcS0jQKpMiCP9ZslqcgXHK80090J3HkpmjTgxhzONevjAOdHyUobpqQPXkSvvpCZnK9DQmZGHSsx0Y6uP9_vokMp-yKjljApMKl34dVnq5JONujvJv1hKKGXKTLsuTS2g7jDKr6/s2946/IMG_3460.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2946" data-original-width="2410" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4XOceBVsvE5TPlZ__4Fk9GNzQDhskxb_EIeOQuR1JI12TbUlVk3EvBWcS0jQKpMiCP9ZslqcgXHK80090J3HkpmjTgxhzONevjAOdHyUobpqQPXkSvvpCZnK9DQmZGHSsx0Y6uP9_vokMp-yKjljApMKl34dVnq5JONujvJv1hKKGXKTLsuTS2g7jDKr6/s320/IMG_3460.HEIC" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Long-eared Owl (honestly!)</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1SZXTZopS9soPALCgPh77Fv5qBAs5oCuaF7uvjIivfb4cr0QWCFBdDCQhC-MLfgd-PpTYyBpdMDIbFAky1-NnP3UU94681xjke8egzZ07VMssSajqIFFhdHGeALupj3YrB-sMdzRtgsN6u9S-Hz4sWHSXhaRHRucUbD1FaeIk6B4k1KeZ9Z5PEJlb-p9/s1505/IMG_3467.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1505" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr1SZXTZopS9soPALCgPh77Fv5qBAs5oCuaF7uvjIivfb4cr0QWCFBdDCQhC-MLfgd-PpTYyBpdMDIbFAky1-NnP3UU94681xjke8egzZ07VMssSajqIFFhdHGeALupj3YrB-sMdzRtgsN6u9S-Hz4sWHSXhaRHRucUbD1FaeIk6B4k1KeZ9Z5PEJlb-p9/s320/IMG_3467.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Tawny Owl</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>New Year’s Day again and today I joined Brendon Fagan on a trip to the Cambridgeshire fens. The journey up was fairly productive adding numerous birds to the fledgling year list. The first good bird of the day was near a place called Stretham where Brendon said egret over there. I looked over and saw it was a <span style="color: red;">Great White Egret</span> in a random river! Near Littleport I picked up a <span style="color: red;">Barn Owl</span> hunting over the fields. It eventually moved so that Brendon could see it. <div><br /></div><div>Our first stop was Southery where in a freezing wind we watched both <span style="color: red;">Bewick’s</span> and <span style="color: red;">Whooper Swans</span> out in the fields. Welney was our next stop where from the access track we had 4 <span style="color: red;">Cattle Egret</span>, <span style="color: red;">Marsh Harrier</span> and <span style="color: red;">Ruff</span> and at the feeders by the WWT car park we had 10+ <span style="color: red;">Tree Sparrows</span>. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUcA0l-1BgjGDYwR2YcwB38zucRvokgjBF23WUTgcZM0RTLzh04ZGUPWKI0HCnzxZyPShybalszatpXG_Lh3_9Gf6owGBeT5q0mhNNTUOawDPmHf_QfmrmIw4Hd96ys1d_G62h_TUHZrQPrfJooCkaFk4HMe88VxEMRP5bhx-8e2KLAXIWf8UtIuomepK/s1724/IMG_3473.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1293" data-original-width="1724" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUcA0l-1BgjGDYwR2YcwB38zucRvokgjBF23WUTgcZM0RTLzh04ZGUPWKI0HCnzxZyPShybalszatpXG_Lh3_9Gf6owGBeT5q0mhNNTUOawDPmHf_QfmrmIw4Hd96ys1d_G62h_TUHZrQPrfJooCkaFk4HMe88VxEMRP5bhx-8e2KLAXIWf8UtIuomepK/s320/IMG_3473.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Glossy Ibis</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>We then headed to Nene Washes RSPB where after getting our eye in and with the help of another birder we could see a <span style="color: red;">Long-eared Owl</span> that was partially hidden in bushes. <span style="color: red;">Tawny Owl</span> was our next tartlet but we failed to see it so we carried on walking and added another dozen species to the list. But walking back to the car we came across a couple looking through their scope at the <span style="color: red;">Tawny Owl</span>. How we’d missed it I don’t know but it was probably because it was too obvious being sat in full view in its favoured hole not much above the water level. <div><br /></div><div>News then reached us of a <span style="color: red;">Glossy Ibis</span> not too far away so we headed off and once we’d worked out where we were supposed to view from we found the young bird feeding in a boggy field and showing well. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was then back to Nene Washes where a rare duck had been re-found from a few days earlier. The walk was livened up when I picked up our 4th owl species of the day with a <span style="color: red;">Short-eared Owl</span> that flew into my scope view and perched up on a fence post out on the flood. 2 more were seen hunting along the bank and showed really well. Eventually the duck was pinned down but it was very distant so the views of my 4th ever <span style="color: red;">American Wigeon</span> weren’t exactly inspiring! I ended the day on 71 species so a good day out. <br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div></div>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-23104124036326444692023-12-22T16:39:00.002+00:002023-12-22T16:39:15.566+00:00Waxwings! - 19.12.23<p>Whilst driving back to the yard at work (in the passenger seat!) I spotted roughly 10 <span style="color: red;">Waxwings</span> perched at the top of a tree in the Longspring car park (Watford). Was just about to say pull in there to the driver when they took off and flew east. As yet they’ve not been spotted again. </p><p><br /></p><p>Then on the way home just as I passed Kings Langley FC a flock of about 100 <span style="color: red;">Ring-necked Parakeet</span> flew east low over my car.</p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-44128841341087850582023-12-07T19:57:00.004+00:002023-12-07T19:57:56.315+00:00Tring - 18.11.23<p>News broke late Friday of a drake <span style="color: red;">American Wigeon</span> sat in front of the hide at Wilstone Reservoir mid morning. This was the first record in Herts since the late 1980’s! Sadly a host of misfortune saw that news didn’t get out until just before sunset. With this news I arrived at the hide before sunrise to join my fellow early risers but despite giving it a couple of hours and visiting all four reservoirs and College Lake there was no sign. My first dip of the year.</p><p>Consolation came in the form of adding <span style="color: red;">Green Sandpiper</span> (4) and a pair of <span style="color: red;">Red-crested Pochard</span> to the year list. </p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-51830113779386445552023-12-07T19:39:00.002+00:002023-12-17T17:58:46.022+00:00CANVASBACK - 2.11.23<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOefqIgyaocby17wKCJP9jEoK99BlrxWVHMfOejlwaJHveP7jes6t7r89IgKp84Tyh-4pmPch9ZYCVDOsSW7jHngudYuj1wG3Po5JeczBSGSbn1VdDR2F0rGJREc0cO_2b5IwAu64HNnPZBavYrnXU8tuJo2GUX4Nju5eOitaRxFWjNzDerHtxeeT_JA3/s1375/IMG_3367.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1375" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOefqIgyaocby17wKCJP9jEoK99BlrxWVHMfOejlwaJHveP7jes6t7r89IgKp84Tyh-4pmPch9ZYCVDOsSW7jHngudYuj1wG3Po5JeczBSGSbn1VdDR2F0rGJREc0cO_2b5IwAu64HNnPZBavYrnXU8tuJo2GUX4Nju5eOitaRxFWjNzDerHtxeeT_JA3/s320/IMG_3367.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Canvasback (front left bird) photo courtesy of Shaun Ferguson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2023 the year that keeps on giving delivered again when news broke of a drake <span style="color: red;">Canvasback</span> at Abberton Reservoir in Essex. It was 21 years since the last record so it was going to be popular and so myself and Matt Moreton headed down to get to the causeway for dawn and nab a parking space. As it was when we arrived we were the 2nd vehicle to park up, the first being George who’d made his own way down!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We started scanning for the <span style="color: red;">Pochard</span> flock and as we did around 200 of them flew over and landed but despite grilling them our quarry wasn’t in there. A <span style="color: red;">Great White Egret</span> was followed by 3 flyby <span style="color: red;">Cattle Egret</span> and 2 <span style="color: red;">Littles</span>. 7 <span style="color: red;">Egyptian Geese</span> flew over and a juvenile <span style="color: red;">Great Northern Diver </span>was seen distantly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The 3 of us decided to see if we could get further around the reservoir so wandered off but to no avail. As we walked back towards the now 70+ birders they all started running. The bird had been found from the viewing platform at nearby Billets Farm. Trying to run in wellies with a sore Achilles wasn’t possible and so I was the last one to arrive. I set my scope up and found the flock of <span style="color: red;">Pochard</span> but trying to pick out the bird was proving difficult given viewing conditions and distance but thankfully the bird decided to help us all out by moving to the front and left hand end of the flock so it was easier to see it’s big black ski slope of a bill and slightly paler body allowing us to get <span style="color: red;">CANVASBACK</span> on our lists. After maybe a minute of viewing the flock moved out of view. Due to me needing to be back home for many hours of DIY we headed off home which was a good move as it went missing for a few hours until it was found from the other causeway. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fingers crossed for another 1-2 surprises before the end of the year.</div><br /> <p></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-51776557939957126532023-12-06T22:07:00.002+00:002023-12-06T22:10:14.516+00:00What A Day! - 29.10.23<p>I was off work for the week and so I’d arranged to head up on the Wednesday to Flamborough Head in East Yorkshire to see a potential 2nd for Britain in the shape of a 1st Winter Male <span style="color: red;">Red-headed Bunting</span> with Brendon Fagan but he had to cancel until the Sunday which as it turned out was a very good thing as on the Thursday a <span style="color: red;">Two-barred Greenish Warbler</span> was found there. </p><p>Sunday arrived and along with Brendon and Ricky Flesher we headed up and thankfully arrived just as the rain started to dry up. As news of he bunting wasn’t good we headed straight to the Motorway hedge. A female <span style="color: red;">Brambling</span> was the first good bird of the day but it quickly got better as my first ever <span style="color: red;">TWO-BARRED GREENISH WARBLER</span> suddenly appeared and showed well in the set aside. </p><p>As there was plenty to see we soon left and after a quick look at some <span style="color: red;">Tree Sparrows</span> we joined a group looking over the cliff edge into some brambles. Before we saw our target bird I heard the familiar trill of a <span style="color: red;">Waxwing</span> as it flew over but it remained a heard only. Shortly after the <span style="color: red;">Pallas’s Warbler</span> flicked into view showing its lovely lemon rump.</p><p>Positive news on the bunting came through so we walked along the cliff top in the mud. A <span style="color: red;">Woodcock</span> flew in off the sea and briefly landed on the golf course. A minute or so later a Swift flew into view along the cliffs. Through the bins it looked good for <span style="color: red;">Pallid Swift</span> and sure enough it was soon confirmed as one soon after. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0MTZfRUPxjXSptlu3jE8mKbEpfOHzeUp1wtnCmIPm-Lg2qkppunok2LArgFslB6UPrc6Bioay9zz0_D4bEhf7DwXGwalII20V9S-te3uVKWDxLMXuPIL52aqfyrJT3FOvHaa4OYfUN-BiOeTyMT8hn9l3y3_16ZmmkudXsPbY6iwwHA3_MwM_FWmFAqr/s1105/IMG_3283.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1105" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP0MTZfRUPxjXSptlu3jE8mKbEpfOHzeUp1wtnCmIPm-Lg2qkppunok2LArgFslB6UPrc6Bioay9zz0_D4bEhf7DwXGwalII20V9S-te3uVKWDxLMXuPIL52aqfyrJT3FOvHaa4OYfUN-BiOeTyMT8hn9l3y3_16ZmmkudXsPbY6iwwHA3_MwM_FWmFAqr/s320/IMG_3283.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Red-headed Bunting</span></div><br />We arrived at the hide and waited for a good 45 minutes before we had a couple of brief views of my first ever <span style="color: red;">RED-HEADED BUNTING</span>. After it disappeared again I picked up a female <span style="color: red;">Hen Harrier</span> as it flew over and as soon as we stopped watching it I got onto the bunting again and there it sat in full view for a good 10 minutes. A <span style="color: red;">Peregrine</span> flew over as we headed back to the car but the day wasn’t over as back at the brambles we had brief but good views of only my 2nd ever <span style="color: red;">Dusky Warbler</span>. <p></p><p>An excellent day all round and amazingly my 3rd multiple tick day of the year.</p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-8685113668101785562023-12-06T21:26:00.000+00:002023-12-06T21:26:42.811+00:00Cornwall - 6.10.23<p>Another year had passed and so it was time to head down to the SW. My first stop was Caradan Hill near Bodmin. Here I wandered around dodging various animal 💩 for over an hour not seeing my intended target and so I headed back to the car when I bumped into another birder saying it’d just been found. So a hard trudge up the steep hill towards one of the quarries and we came across a small group of birders staring intently at a small Hawthorn tree. In it was just my 2nd ever <span style="color: red;">Lesser Grey Shrike</span>.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1SaK_moudZLzr4HR3SE7EEGR8GKSOXoJr3jp4slzWWPETIO3ESI_BEzzYgFr7ZFYAvsVnP8aMu-3a3O1xrQKJrTIG9UJNsYJMvUmEUN0iSSER-pmOgGeisTbwx2mCQ3CdTFcyP7h1Epr5EBq_i2Y8GsrT6Vk5tr6KYa8tChoOcHS2ITFwo6aRRoquDj6/s4032/IMG_2876.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO1SaK_moudZLzr4HR3SE7EEGR8GKSOXoJr3jp4slzWWPETIO3ESI_BEzzYgFr7ZFYAvsVnP8aMu-3a3O1xrQKJrTIG9UJNsYJMvUmEUN0iSSER-pmOgGeisTbwx2mCQ3CdTFcyP7h1Epr5EBq_i2Y8GsrT6Vk5tr6KYa8tChoOcHS2ITFwo6aRRoquDj6/s320/IMG_2876.HEIC" width="320" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Lesser Grey Shrike</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Marazion awaited and upon arrival the bird had disappeared from the field adjacent to the holiday camp so I went for a look over the reserve but saw nothing more exciting than 3 <span style="color: red;">Little Egrets</span>. I scanned over the field and saw the bird had returned so I shot over and watched only my 3rd ever <span style="color: red;">Woodchat Shrike</span> a nice juvenile. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjmeTnFJS8R7P4YlGweehtWj_KXfjZsTTe-KLjqtd8MOSTCsbQxgyX2qUGlV0nwglltHvipwOsF83FGN462etOTPa3ro-1mnqxuO8WXKjx16SDL8l2Oc4ayOAPIvt99MT4YvsFysOAZjDOKSG269miDVLY20GwNJ15QMldkNjLIX0eUvSbtFNrVMzSmgR/s2360/IMG_2883.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="2360" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjmeTnFJS8R7P4YlGweehtWj_KXfjZsTTe-KLjqtd8MOSTCsbQxgyX2qUGlV0nwglltHvipwOsF83FGN462etOTPa3ro-1mnqxuO8WXKjx16SDL8l2Oc4ayOAPIvt99MT4YvsFysOAZjDOKSG269miDVLY20GwNJ15QMldkNjLIX0eUvSbtFNrVMzSmgR/s320/IMG_2883.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Woodchat Shrike</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Hayle Estuary was the final site before dinner but other than an adult <span style="color: red;">Mediterranean Gull</span> it was quiet. Though a <span style="color: #04ff00;">Clouded Yellow</span> flying over the centre of the estuary was a weird sight!</div><br /></div><br /><p></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-34199807379093129032023-12-06T20:54:00.001+00:002023-12-06T20:54:42.316+00:00Cornwall + Scilly - 7.10.23<p>I had just over an hour to spare before I had to be at the airport for my flight so I decided to try for the female <span style="color: red;">Black and White Warbler</span> that’d been trapped and ringed at Nanjizal Valley a couple of days earlier and had been released at nearby Polgigga. The small group of trees on the map didn’t look much but in reality it’d be tricky to re find with 100 birders but there were only 3 of us there! As expected there was no sign of the warbler but 3 <span style="color: red;">Firecrest</span> were a nice consolation prize.</p><p>I arrived at the airport with lovely sunshine and blue skies but was then brought back to earth when I was informed that there was very thick fog on Scilly and flights were delayed. My 11am flight was cancelled about 20 minutes after it was due to go and so I thought it’d be Monday before I would get over but I went to speak with the lady at check in and said I just need one seat. She went into the office and came back out and said there’s one at 5pm so I said I’ll have it. Just 6 hours to wait 😩😂. </p><p>By the time I arrived I had about 30 minutes of daylight left so headed to Porthcressa where 2 <span style="color: red;">Greenshank</span> were the highlight. But it was good to be back. </p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-8516832752729326952023-12-06T20:22:00.003+00:002023-12-06T20:22:47.121+00:00Scilly - 8.10.23<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYMKH_M_Mmiee8utA2ft42ZxrDk2XPRfUo6rh5g8ltAi0zWkvylp5evAXFbUDmxW4DVD6djsLEaTj5LW5vuSkGVme9LAbSEF_wv630kXnOios9-kbMmFcsrAUHi0iOt6hHlitDHe8UsByYzcohkCuCqqdBxRMarjX1pGsxkFljP8t5nhzT9bAmm8E0ayy/s738/IMG_2924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="738" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYMKH_M_Mmiee8utA2ft42ZxrDk2XPRfUo6rh5g8ltAi0zWkvylp5evAXFbUDmxW4DVD6djsLEaTj5LW5vuSkGVme9LAbSEF_wv630kXnOios9-kbMmFcsrAUHi0iOt6hHlitDHe8UsByYzcohkCuCqqdBxRMarjX1pGsxkFljP8t5nhzT9bAmm8E0ayy/s320/IMG_2924.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Redstart</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My first full day on the islands got off to a frustrating flier. I wandered the short distance from my digs up to Peninnis hoping to see the male <span style="color: red;">Redstart</span> that had been found the day before and as I approached its favoured field I noticed half a dozen birders all looking in my direction and pointing to me that it was perched on a gate. As soon as I lifted my bins it flew across the track and vanished.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I walked along the start of the Peninnis farm trail track to scan the field it’d headed towards and after a couple of minutes a bird flicked up onto the top of the hedge then flew to the corner of the field. I got it in my bins and noted it was a bunting sp. I got it in my scope and was amazed to see it was a <span style="color: red;">Little Bunting</span>! It sat there motionless but constantly calling for the next 20-30 seconds before it flicked over the hedge and promptly vanished never to be seen again. I put the news out on the radio and despite people arriving within a minute everyone left buntingless. A few minutes later the <span style="color: red;">Redstart</span> appeared and showed well.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpztDmN3OOHzfDVciDQX4WyMjJn2M9JROn77X7GjfYo2k_gqorIJICUlJkX5s1fviHh7AO385WiwlMoT4cebX4JBDiwSZp9ms4sVkSvGzQVpyXn_ksoYLnQyRVzDcdJD1CkkTUR7tC5yAi_19MGcLggm-dlGDrqULOuOUxPHvxgaSZ_-vKShuHZRZbEFw/s1347/IMG_2904.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="1347" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDpztDmN3OOHzfDVciDQX4WyMjJn2M9JROn77X7GjfYo2k_gqorIJICUlJkX5s1fviHh7AO385WiwlMoT4cebX4JBDiwSZp9ms4sVkSvGzQVpyXn_ksoYLnQyRVzDcdJD1CkkTUR7tC5yAi_19MGcLggm-dlGDrqULOuOUxPHvxgaSZ_-vKShuHZRZbEFw/s320/IMG_2904.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Rose-coloured Starling</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As time was ticking by and I had a boat to catch I walked down to Porthcressa beach where after a few minutes someone picked out the juvenile <span style="color: red;">Rose-coloured Starling</span> stood alone distantly on a rooftop. Popplestone Fields on Bryher was my next destination. For those who don’t recognise the name it’s where last years <span style="color: red;">Blackburnian Warbler</span> was but this year I was after a different, less stunning but still nice warbler. A good 10 minutes elapsed before someone picked it up and we all eventually had great views of only my 2nd <span style="color: red;">Melodious Warbler</span> and a Scilly tick to boot. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqcx5Kir05uzZn7-V-uvMMST77HhCqkx0MQHKTXevCslgD-30FDxxNAXdcViCAZslZkqoVR3Hxx7iq_wWxxbgL599tszVKiHdVhqz2e2QpMWbYMXbkM1GfHNWLPuQeYeO_gEKIPWshZrrxYtVvkbZR3qWswtlYgBHZPPFqSPn1nFjKUdcvTK2OqqQTjDS/s2052/IMG_2914.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2052" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBqcx5Kir05uzZn7-V-uvMMST77HhCqkx0MQHKTXevCslgD-30FDxxNAXdcViCAZslZkqoVR3Hxx7iq_wWxxbgL599tszVKiHdVhqz2e2QpMWbYMXbkM1GfHNWLPuQeYeO_gEKIPWshZrrxYtVvkbZR3qWswtlYgBHZPPFqSPn1nFjKUdcvTK2OqqQTjDS/s320/IMG_2914.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Melodious Warbler </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A female <span style="color: red;">Merlin</span> flew over as we were watching the warbler and further along the island we had ridiculous views of a juvenile <span style="color: red;">Dotterel</span> as it fed amongst the stunted vegetation. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtw4gvN2FpJxZSr9Lhb73q9xmJCMSMjCAiTHnwkfL6dQ22gyMztblV4CtOCcyOYVU0Qzy_SyV2Xugm0402cQP4zUkqKELalFHmc2-d4TBdp_cBBwtsbY2lessaIegrtSztvNJxGc0aiVkDyxAxpDFz29gYcnDTPGGLV6TT82_QxphtFeaxC-x4AHNl4-7i/s1060/IMG_2939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="795" data-original-width="1060" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtw4gvN2FpJxZSr9Lhb73q9xmJCMSMjCAiTHnwkfL6dQ22gyMztblV4CtOCcyOYVU0Qzy_SyV2Xugm0402cQP4zUkqKELalFHmc2-d4TBdp_cBBwtsbY2lessaIegrtSztvNJxGc0aiVkDyxAxpDFz29gYcnDTPGGLV6TT82_QxphtFeaxC-x4AHNl4-7i/s320/IMG_2939.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Dotterel</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Samson Hill was my next port of call where despite giving it a good go I failed to connect with the <span style="color: red;">Red-backed Shrike</span> in the horse paddock nor the <span style="color: red;">Barred Warbler</span> on the other side of the hill. Though I did manage to find a very brief <span style="color: red;">Wryneck</span> whilst dipping the warbler! Thankfully the <span style="color: red;">Wryneck</span> did show to others the following day. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I finished the day back on Peninnis with another/same female <span style="color: red;">Merlin</span> and 73 <span style="color: red;">Cory’s Shearwater</span> past the headland.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-9055237044716960972023-12-05T22:15:00.002+00:002023-12-05T22:15:38.685+00:00Scilly - 9.10.23<p> I started the day at Lower Moors hoping to see a <span style="color: red;">Jack Snipe</span> but I failed in that quest but I did see the female <span style="color: red;">Pintail</span>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4A3CKUvwEr-KSvU9TYJRa2JO4-Jlalz0KSIaZK3O6rYYh3sHNCdB3vY2Qhg5eKhJ2DDYrzN683rCbtQyExpzHZR1woX4sRKKMks35IUidw_MSWkoe8JldhIzmbWmX7P6kgZfP0TBsaMOddl-haDcYhjGj0RtNTplYekKG4BMGkVx8xRKLYtUASraur3X/s1440/IMG_3060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4A3CKUvwEr-KSvU9TYJRa2JO4-Jlalz0KSIaZK3O6rYYh3sHNCdB3vY2Qhg5eKhJ2DDYrzN683rCbtQyExpzHZR1woX4sRKKMks35IUidw_MSWkoe8JldhIzmbWmX7P6kgZfP0TBsaMOddl-haDcYhjGj0RtNTplYekKG4BMGkVx8xRKLYtUASraur3X/s320/IMG_3060.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Pintail with Teal</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Up at Peninnis the stunning male <span style="color: red;">Black Redstart </span>showed well perched near the top of the lighthouse and at Carreg Dhu I had 2 vocal and showy <span style="color: red;">Firecrest</span>.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83Lw_rkHUBOg2GkjiSA1d0ts3yklEWg9kZXJ5X5gHvpZlZchoucOBB3pCiXK1Dp1_qrSSz9ChPvoS3OfeAV7j7GgsUl2Q5DcdBEdddrL9xqsGwh150oX8DOhv3Q0fy2TTQi25IeamZyiNC4RkSTKTVy0AJALFNVXQBZEUl-SVlZFrxJXaYpFTwNXlfF1o/s954/IMG_2951.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="954" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg83Lw_rkHUBOg2GkjiSA1d0ts3yklEWg9kZXJ5X5gHvpZlZchoucOBB3pCiXK1Dp1_qrSSz9ChPvoS3OfeAV7j7GgsUl2Q5DcdBEdddrL9xqsGwh150oX8DOhv3Q0fy2TTQi25IeamZyiNC4RkSTKTVy0AJALFNVXQBZEUl-SVlZFrxJXaYpFTwNXlfF1o/s320/IMG_2951.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Black Redstart</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">News of 2 <span style="color: red;">Richard’s Pipits</span> showing in a field south of the entrance track to Carn Vean tearoom had me walking up to Pelistry but when I was a couple of minutes away they took flight and thankfully flew over my head calling before landing in the field to the north of the track. Good views of my first multiple sighting of this species were had as well a <span style="color: red;">Black Redstart</span>.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkap1zr5MtSGQQY_L0aWAlzU03AudakoKD73S3DaHR2AwTmoipLJX9OMz_1nZNyu2Jq6rXg8Lzb0Jjhfw-82_Oozen-GPhyAFLhygqlxAPvEpRJLZk0FuETQsJC28fL5JhxpFValDLU4NC2Ly4qpMg7sa02vJUSPooXDnHUoTUJPicLKnI8ZLnfmgbirUo/s1860/IMG_3026.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1395" data-original-width="1860" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkap1zr5MtSGQQY_L0aWAlzU03AudakoKD73S3DaHR2AwTmoipLJX9OMz_1nZNyu2Jq6rXg8Lzb0Jjhfw-82_Oozen-GPhyAFLhygqlxAPvEpRJLZk0FuETQsJC28fL5JhxpFValDLU4NC2Ly4qpMg7sa02vJUSPooXDnHUoTUJPicLKnI8ZLnfmgbirUo/s320/IMG_3026.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Richard’s Pipit</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Just up the road at Maypole a <span style="color: red;">Wryneck</span> was sat in a field but flew up to the hedge as soon as it saw someone looking at it. I revisited Lower Moors where this time I was successful in seeing the 2 <span style="color: red;">Jack Snipe</span> from the screen and hide.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKZ00dY_5hZc29RRIuip22H5Nye5AkgCcVwy_E91lFUn_GvddgL8G5snOFnrP9nuzlYzE3mxb5EgFXD7MLJEMRum-Prf5go5cPZEBzC689daW6Gb21gRolXaghaTEjgE0PR3WxVAVZ7ApJWeZyh7QocH7rD35juiPGkz_9bFoa42PXRIbWiNwrkLiBXVx/s1069/IMG_3053.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1069" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKZ00dY_5hZc29RRIuip22H5Nye5AkgCcVwy_E91lFUn_GvddgL8G5snOFnrP9nuzlYzE3mxb5EgFXD7MLJEMRum-Prf5go5cPZEBzC689daW6Gb21gRolXaghaTEjgE0PR3WxVAVZ7ApJWeZyh7QocH7rD35juiPGkz_9bFoa42PXRIbWiNwrkLiBXVx/s320/IMG_3053.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Wryneck</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the far end of Carreg Dhu was a field covered in plastic sheeting and at the front edge was a <span style="color: red;">Glossy Ibis</span> that had probably never seen humans before as it performed to about 10 feet away! In fact us birders had to move back to be able to focus on it for photos! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cidVrm7n4suO-thR2mx6clbTErde20xpWjP7JgKt79Sr4UQ3VvSg_bXMS9b6gwFdpOp927zBoZWgnPKBXeEIEj-5kbg-vvUEsyzqAl7FT2rM1Gc9EmOIi_kzy_VYDb_XPOyhZ8sQgQzc1VvYeW15tnhkOsXCppURVOOMWpJbtGNW3nNYHMbZy5n7f85H/s736/IMG_3057.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="736" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cidVrm7n4suO-thR2mx6clbTErde20xpWjP7JgKt79Sr4UQ3VvSg_bXMS9b6gwFdpOp927zBoZWgnPKBXeEIEj-5kbg-vvUEsyzqAl7FT2rM1Gc9EmOIi_kzy_VYDb_XPOyhZ8sQgQzc1VvYeW15tnhkOsXCppURVOOMWpJbtGNW3nNYHMbZy5n7f85H/s320/IMG_3057.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Glossy Ibis</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>As my stomach was rumbling I headed back to my digs to get freshened up before heading out for dinner but just gone 6pm a <span style="color: red;">Great White Egret</span> that’d been around for a day or two had been seen flying over Porthcressa Bay and landed in trees on the Garrison. I grabbed my gear and power walked down there and thankfully got onto the bird for a couple of minutes before it headed off over town. A nice Scilly tick to end the day.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGbHWY_uUfKwGyL1atPNrmdF72dpi8Ea2Vpsm_Adfq5tEpQANRaX3h4uW2No5bJkAniXl5udn26y5Ks3gn6_2aRcnspdqRpf1RGSduCSBABVapeScxVD3YCmh468M7_YMiiUCRzsIJE4oQdmDkccFEz5dogZ_Gk0Km4lit6B-uXB1Mdcn7STuT46c0d8y/s432/IMG_3061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="432" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGbHWY_uUfKwGyL1atPNrmdF72dpi8Ea2Vpsm_Adfq5tEpQANRaX3h4uW2No5bJkAniXl5udn26y5Ks3gn6_2aRcnspdqRpf1RGSduCSBABVapeScxVD3YCmh468M7_YMiiUCRzsIJE4oQdmDkccFEz5dogZ_Gk0Km4lit6B-uXB1Mdcn7STuT46c0d8y/s320/IMG_3061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Great White Egret</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the log the 3rd <span style="color: #04ff00;">Banded Nycteolone</span> moth for Britain had been brought along for photos and became the rarest thing I saw all week!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlNdVJTu7HCE8CIJz-Z-AfuFRI1VwYKF4R6XBmrO7h2-L8cw8XZ3mNmHKYE0OV_pWg06I4idCQ9rJz6lub_jKzHDs4Ne3Zv2H8aCAq4J3jQ4jZDV13CbY2Kp4l9o2JpIjBEdwVSceo6kF4u8Dha2NY8v0cXannFmb41fxk7aETS2qxvZeqGltNfxqncpJ/s1903/IMG_3062.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1776" data-original-width="1903" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwlNdVJTu7HCE8CIJz-Z-AfuFRI1VwYKF4R6XBmrO7h2-L8cw8XZ3mNmHKYE0OV_pWg06I4idCQ9rJz6lub_jKzHDs4Ne3Zv2H8aCAq4J3jQ4jZDV13CbY2Kp4l9o2JpIjBEdwVSceo6kF4u8Dha2NY8v0cXannFmb41fxk7aETS2qxvZeqGltNfxqncpJ/s320/IMG_3062.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Banded Nycteoline</span></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-23801334186635880862023-12-05T21:52:00.001+00:002023-12-05T21:52:40.357+00:00Scilly - 10.10.23<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With my new found sea legs thanks to Phenergan tablets I decided to join the days pelagic hoping for a mega rare seabird. Sadly that didn’t materialise but I did managed 3 Scilly ticks. A 2nd year <span style="color: red;">Pomarine</span> <span style="color: red;">Skua</span> hung around for a few minutes and became my 200th species of the year. My 8th adult <span style="color: red;">Sabine’s Gull</span> of the year was the 2nd tick followed by the rarest bird in terms of Scilly listing that I saw all week when a 1st winter <span style="color: red;">Caspian Gull</span> was picked out and almost followed us back to the island. This was just the 5th record for the islands. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Other highlights were a whopping 500+ <span style="color: red;">Cory’s</span> and 350+ <span style="color: red;">Great Shearwaters</span>, 2 <span style="color: red;">Grey Phalarope</span>, <span style="color: red;">Puffin</span>, 9 <span style="color: red;">Sooty Shearwater</span> and a <span style="color: red;">Red-throated Diver</span> off of Watermill Cove.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsw3emi2B8IuyfZ_RRkolZuLZHOli92sZXdjvCpNYnrPc2-vfKPK6KdwlUG5PeEVBqfXLqunOLd5f2pE05cyV_Jh_9_P3OtqcQ95DSHBfvI08JQgVYo5C3KT9DPL9W5UWrMykMEumS9PQmxjNsX77BgPmax_PGSTMT95xyXsW-3nQp2hQavUhMhoSswlM/s1376/IMG_3066.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1032" data-original-width="1376" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsw3emi2B8IuyfZ_RRkolZuLZHOli92sZXdjvCpNYnrPc2-vfKPK6KdwlUG5PeEVBqfXLqunOLd5f2pE05cyV_Jh_9_P3OtqcQ95DSHBfvI08JQgVYo5C3KT9DPL9W5UWrMykMEumS9PQmxjNsX77BgPmax_PGSTMT95xyXsW-3nQp2hQavUhMhoSswlM/s320/IMG_3066.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Pomarine Skua</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3OPmIPikgHxNG9lomMaQ4RGTYL3igQEnshhOYWrtqIfEHVUJHz7Pykgm7VIERJRUsxhCLPZHxgh_D95uV6M_asnON0IAUtevioiZvCIrb23cmH2olL7kYQwS8FQJxwHgvVJFTpNn7S4mU1oRasHnTSdUKqkJzeDUR5MkEoGfKAvmJzHsDOlCcUKQnQxZ/s4032/IMG_3070.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3OPmIPikgHxNG9lomMaQ4RGTYL3igQEnshhOYWrtqIfEHVUJHz7Pykgm7VIERJRUsxhCLPZHxgh_D95uV6M_asnON0IAUtevioiZvCIrb23cmH2olL7kYQwS8FQJxwHgvVJFTpNn7S4mU1oRasHnTSdUKqkJzeDUR5MkEoGfKAvmJzHsDOlCcUKQnQxZ/s320/IMG_3070.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">A raft of Cory’s + Great Shearwaters</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskA9li1oVYDFKK79cXE7QJ5B395boGyUtLEEOUm3KjvRPmYrJyKMdxmGH3TicuIZAizy7-V5HnerlOfhcvu7Bm2XOiPsHOJdhvWajB-eV841u-oijstwiDGbvGg8AsEk7E0HpAjDhLzNlFNd-Ux2qnNnyvGvxbjM3YznHt0p-oz1JAbDKFNzs3GNmionA/s2089/IMG_3077.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1567" data-original-width="2089" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgskA9li1oVYDFKK79cXE7QJ5B395boGyUtLEEOUm3KjvRPmYrJyKMdxmGH3TicuIZAizy7-V5HnerlOfhcvu7Bm2XOiPsHOJdhvWajB-eV841u-oijstwiDGbvGg8AsEk7E0HpAjDhLzNlFNd-Ux2qnNnyvGvxbjM3YznHt0p-oz1JAbDKFNzs3GNmionA/s320/IMG_3077.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Grey Phalaropes</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wZlUQzb6kYyoQxLhhop4sIqAMT-D5hi3VoLNZxdtl-7T2z6pFckTCpbdvGJfcxxwPOWtsEuS0DqhdF8f5tF-EuoIDsfHTekEtO_vRulIW-KMQpD58Ciz57Q5GqCwx_lVcfSVonDt1cBCnMaRfXo_Bl3x8zhK1bNSSMm2W0Bh4vqqp2eqQWNLcA2S6h6s/s884/IMG_3078.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="728" data-original-width="884" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wZlUQzb6kYyoQxLhhop4sIqAMT-D5hi3VoLNZxdtl-7T2z6pFckTCpbdvGJfcxxwPOWtsEuS0DqhdF8f5tF-EuoIDsfHTekEtO_vRulIW-KMQpD58Ciz57Q5GqCwx_lVcfSVonDt1cBCnMaRfXo_Bl3x8zhK1bNSSMm2W0Bh4vqqp2eqQWNLcA2S6h6s/s320/IMG_3078.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Caspian Gull</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Back on dry land and I found a <span style="color: red;">Spotted Flycatcher</span> perched atop a tree adjacent to Old Town churchyard.<br /><p><br /></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-17528689712624576502023-12-05T21:36:00.007+00:002023-12-07T19:59:05.687+00:00Scilly - 11.10.23<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A fairly quiet day was interspersed with the odd good bird. The <span style="color: red;">Great White Egret</span> flew over me at Porth Hellick Pool, 2 <span style="color: red;">Black Redstart</span> were still at Pelistry and a year tick <span style="color: red;">Pink-footed Goose </span>was in a random field near Normandy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQswlTuaG72HkppEOAJv8FKXyvgX1uyEHD9RShfIvgDmyBR20wrrjyx-DW-N_OT0iKa5tZcAXkDWpUhLnsPmSMleF8-T4ClqU9DADmT5addojZIQAOKGueBzlBqPGzIEqijojSJ8xixvYNEDnjv0Zs8JsSnwN7Yc0Z559UFUwlEzYfhR-m8rY6AaYokTC3/s1582/IMG_3101.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1582" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQswlTuaG72HkppEOAJv8FKXyvgX1uyEHD9RShfIvgDmyBR20wrrjyx-DW-N_OT0iKa5tZcAXkDWpUhLnsPmSMleF8-T4ClqU9DADmT5addojZIQAOKGueBzlBqPGzIEqijojSJ8xixvYNEDnjv0Zs8JsSnwN7Yc0Z559UFUwlEzYfhR-m8rY6AaYokTC3/s320/IMG_3101.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">Pink-footed Goose</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tolls island held 3 <span style="color: red;">Whimbrel</span> and the summer plumaged <span style="color: red;">Red-throated Diver</span> was still off of Watermill Cove with a fly over <span style="color: red;">Peregrine</span>. The only <span style="color: red;">Yellow-browed Warbler </span>of the week was heard at Higher Moors and a <span style="color: red;">Ruff</span> at Porthloo was another year tick. Another <span style="color: red;">Black Redstart</span> was on Porth Mellon beach and when walking to dinner a couple of <span style="color: red;">Golden Plover</span> were heard calling from the darkness. At the log Ralph Parkes brought along a whopping <span style="color: #04ff00;">Convulvulous Hawkmoth</span> for people to see.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaVsw2SmIS58fjgu_H0GFFXHN3qEGVDJChwxGf13FDeGOrQAYKd0_DfVNin5FweGiCjEd7CPZz7vvSrHlbDPMNl48PGeWWHULjkobjShUkURhsBuDtuDwIEino3TGebkIecyca-zqKZ4_MHntI46wTEfvSdhmjiclaYbRyF9V4n1yG9NyZx-33UQQCj2C/s2751/IMG_3130.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1741" data-original-width="2751" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoaVsw2SmIS58fjgu_H0GFFXHN3qEGVDJChwxGf13FDeGOrQAYKd0_DfVNin5FweGiCjEd7CPZz7vvSrHlbDPMNl48PGeWWHULjkobjShUkURhsBuDtuDwIEino3TGebkIecyca-zqKZ4_MHntI46wTEfvSdhmjiclaYbRyF9V4n1yG9NyZx-33UQQCj2C/s320/IMG_3130.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Red-throated Diver</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYGFPWb6xUvTsKD9Q-pZ0xt7wGeEGKWdbaCx_rxwMrYEnOoejDL6OYU91ptP9Cm8fRVwf7XbqX2N_aS7pKsJCB29f1t2shFjHceZ52ICMx__ywRQ9NqUwH-tqgU6uluNutp_LirX63G86AAS-9iASiaML54PcWPLQOS8yxMXmS74eMvnMN5L5BnH9-VZs/s2728/IMG_3134.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2728" data-original-width="2022" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKYGFPWb6xUvTsKD9Q-pZ0xt7wGeEGKWdbaCx_rxwMrYEnOoejDL6OYU91ptP9Cm8fRVwf7XbqX2N_aS7pKsJCB29f1t2shFjHceZ52ICMx__ywRQ9NqUwH-tqgU6uluNutp_LirX63G86AAS-9iASiaML54PcWPLQOS8yxMXmS74eMvnMN5L5BnH9-VZs/s320/IMG_3134.HEIC" width="237" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Convulvulous Hawkmoth</span></div><br /> <p></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-57237927480497766852023-12-05T21:23:00.001+00:002023-12-05T21:23:17.871+00:00Scilly - 12.10.23<p> Today I paid only my 2nd ever visit to St.Martin’s hoping to see both <span style="color: red;">Rustic Bunting</span> and <span style="color: red;">Arctic Warbler</span>. My first and only visit had been back in 2002 when I managed to tick <span style="color: red;">Citrine Wagtail</span> from the boat as it fed on Higher Town beach! A couple of hours staring into a field at Perpitch saw everyone fail to see the Bunting despite it being their first thing. As I walked past the warbler twitch it hadn’t been seen for a couple of hours so I decided to get the first boat back to St.Mary’s which of course meant the warbler was seen soon after! A quiet day.</p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-66687892768926928772023-12-05T21:16:00.000+00:002023-12-05T21:16:19.192+00:00Scilly - 13.10.23<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RoRLsrcgxTfzXUt7o8hibdf5q7rMwMUOEwBxqwxWYHpjBhuT6D6lkf2Z5_lcQrGdg-HoFGpg7cazihzLVq3UVPSUn02kFfVEvj9chxF46tbanCEwgVkc9iRQr6sTLxAipQgo26SUHf3gEE2dLanhoPDtWO6Km_5_Vr1tosiB68mgfiQO6jVs7SXb1WON/s1536/IMG_3224.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1169" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1RoRLsrcgxTfzXUt7o8hibdf5q7rMwMUOEwBxqwxWYHpjBhuT6D6lkf2Z5_lcQrGdg-HoFGpg7cazihzLVq3UVPSUn02kFfVEvj9chxF46tbanCEwgVkc9iRQr6sTLxAipQgo26SUHf3gEE2dLanhoPDtWO6Km_5_Vr1tosiB68mgfiQO6jVs7SXb1WON/s320/IMG_3224.PNG" width="244" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Pallid Harrier</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The morning started dry and in some style. News of a possible <span style="color: red;">Pallid Harrier</span> broke from St.Martin’s but soon went cold but as I was walking past the entrance to Old Town churchyard the radio burst into life saying that the now confirmed harrier was over Lower Moors. I quickly joined a handful of birders in the Standing Stones field but here was no sign. Once again the radio announced its presence perched in trees opposite the ISBG hide. A quick walk and I got into position at the end of the viewing screen and had fantastic views of the juvenile female <span style="color: red;">Pallid Harrier</span> as it sat preening before flying off towards town after 5 minutes. My 6th Scilly tick of the week!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just north of the hide a confused <span style="color: red;">Willow Warbler</span> was singing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeZ3sbNZI9yd0zUtUvFBdJo4fvqgFf8nJlrmIXR9LVAbPUVRb8kBr0fveVFOWGux8Ks7Cs5N1_v5UV4-0zEt2iWqDQx-A9p2DqPeMfpItsfqWfVjTREA3UodgdHs93eM01YwoRIEJ_JLV0OMSfmbuclKwGacnL3Q7PdQIV-KsyFVRwBg-zN-iXE_xFxwo/s857/IMG_3225.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="752" data-original-width="857" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoeZ3sbNZI9yd0zUtUvFBdJo4fvqgFf8nJlrmIXR9LVAbPUVRb8kBr0fveVFOWGux8Ks7Cs5N1_v5UV4-0zEt2iWqDQx-A9p2DqPeMfpItsfqWfVjTREA3UodgdHs93eM01YwoRIEJ_JLV0OMSfmbuclKwGacnL3Q7PdQIV-KsyFVRwBg-zN-iXE_xFxwo/s320/IMG_3225.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Buff-breasted Sandpiper</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I then decided to head up to the airport where after getting soaked I managed to pick out the juvenile <span style="color: red;">Buff-breasted Sandpiper</span> feeding just to the left of the runway and a single <span style="color: red;">Wheatear</span>. Another <span style="color: red;">Wheatear</span> was near Giant’s Castle alongside a very tame <span style="color: red;">Snow Bunting</span>. I had a quick 10 minute sea watch and noted 300+ <span style="color: red;">Cory’s</span> and 50+ <span style="color: red;">Great Shearwaters</span> past as well as 10 <span style="color: red;">Sooty’s</span>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-23BBYsIlJoWTukYw9sJDGDijoRegGabCiRfClpfpMPV2gknqkWyEuJOvKEZEmHaeNxerMd8533k3JHkMMEImFh_wczM_fOJwuvI_BIcvIPdsR32ExjUJuQ2s65fEb4ChBMvLYl21p_T-nHb7t84zTbSYanGs-v-y10ZL2WgsKQfce1HXPNs4qxDxh-PK/s1232/IMG_3171.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1232" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-23BBYsIlJoWTukYw9sJDGDijoRegGabCiRfClpfpMPV2gknqkWyEuJOvKEZEmHaeNxerMd8533k3JHkMMEImFh_wczM_fOJwuvI_BIcvIPdsR32ExjUJuQ2s65fEb4ChBMvLYl21p_T-nHb7t84zTbSYanGs-v-y10ZL2WgsKQfce1HXPNs4qxDxh-PK/s320/IMG_3171.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Snow Bunting</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After more of the bunting I noticed a small group of people huddled around staring at the floor. I checked the WhatsApp news and realised they were all staring at a <span style="color: #04ff00;">Crimson Speckled Moth</span>! This African/Mediterranean migrant was one of my most wanted moths in this country so I shot over to join them and laid eyes on the stunning white, black and crimson moth perched in some gorse. Apparently it’d been seen to fly in off the sea! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFcBmXY_mQ_1p07RyBddT1tqiwtGNasQLzuDF3MGT1MDiGqj7LiQe1j8WhE2jaFypEtHhS59wpKsTmIoWBwZreu8m0nkv6YRntsntKmCyd78N5yXM-46uUGLrEybH3NkWuD2amIxpkg2SdsuYz6mMzZHW2Yj6GGufxAhmDENAEuTlWomlbmHV-q7_KuVl/s4032/IMG_3217.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFcBmXY_mQ_1p07RyBddT1tqiwtGNasQLzuDF3MGT1MDiGqj7LiQe1j8WhE2jaFypEtHhS59wpKsTmIoWBwZreu8m0nkv6YRntsntKmCyd78N5yXM-46uUGLrEybH3NkWuD2amIxpkg2SdsuYz6mMzZHW2Yj6GGufxAhmDENAEuTlWomlbmHV-q7_KuVl/s320/IMG_3217.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Crimson Speckled Moth</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #01ffff;"><br /></span></div>After having my fill of the moth I headed up towards Porth Hellick aiming for a slice of lemon drizzle cake at Longstones! At the entrance to PH Down I heard a call that superficially sounded like a <span style="color: red;">Chiffchaff</span> however when it perched up in full view the penny dropped and I realised I was looking at a <span style="color: red;">Siberian</span> <span style="color: red;">Chiffchaff</span>. Up at Normandy I bumped into Charlie Wilkins and whilst having a chat a <span style="color: red;">Lesser Redpoll</span> flew over calling. The rain then started falling again but even heavier. By the time I’d reached Pelistry I was totally soaked through and even finding a brief female <span style="color: red;">Redstart</span> didn’t help. After a much needed cuppa and cake I wandered through Lower Moors hoping to catch a view of a <span style="color: red;">Glossy Ibis</span> is as it was flying over but I only managed 3 <span style="color: red;">House Martin</span>. Down at Old Town I jammed in on the lingering <span style="color: red;">Wryneck</span> before it vanished and with it came the end of my week.<div><br /></div><div>The week saw 120 species seen which included 6 Scilly ticks and 21 year ticks. Roll on next year.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /><br /></p></div>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-3129565439819079942023-09-29T13:18:00.186+01:002023-09-29T15:59:34.862+01:00The Ultimate Hat-trick? - 23.9.23<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p>When stood watching the <span style="color: red;">Black-winged Kite</span> in Suffolk if someone had said to me within the next 7 weeks you’ll have been to Scilly and Cleveland and seen both <span style="color: red;">Red-footed + Brown Booby</span> I’d have called them mad. </p><p>If at the <span style="color: red;">Brown Booby</span> someone had said in 13 days time you’ll have seen 3 American wood Warbler species I’d have called the men in white coats! 🤪</p><p>But that’s exactly what happened in this year of quality birds.</p><p>It all started on 20th September when ex-hurricane Lee swept in from the Atlantic and dropped a <span style="color: red;">Blackburnian Warbler</span> in Co.Kerry then 2 <span style="color: red;">Cliff Swallows</span> (Scilly + Co.Clare) followed by <span style="color: red;">Alder</span> <span style="color: red;">Flycatcher</span> on Skolkholm but the best was saved until last when a <span style="color: red;">Magnolia Warbler</span> was found at St.Govan’s Head in Pembrokeshire by Toby Phelps!</p><p>The 21st produced goodies such as <span style="color: red;">Bobolink</span>, 2 <span style="color: red;">Black and White Warbler</span>, <span style="color: red;">Bay-Breasted Warbler</span>, <span style="color: red;">Tennessee Warbler</span>, and <span style="color: red;">Baltimore Oriole</span>. Unfolding was the best few days in British birding history for American birds.</p><p>Plans were hatched on the 22nd to head to Pembrokeshire for the <span style="color: red;">Magnolia Warbler</span> the next day and a slice of luck saw me book 3 tickets for the boat over to Ramsey Island for the chance at another mega Warbler.</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL7VKmuxvqodINB7XDEGjLotbGDJlyTJ8gRtJSSO1k-vo4cgbb8aUNU0F9SENCQGfgtVEQYboMQG0_NMwgqxx3u4e7QB_ByzJimjoK5Rnr4jUKdMTx9wKq1hCtkQxxlaZ0F6kPJTd8qYdfoYWNKCddzBth0D3MEgRUTvatROzkLS0svC6Mdvss7bew7ol/s721/IMG_2811.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="721" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL7VKmuxvqodINB7XDEGjLotbGDJlyTJ8gRtJSSO1k-vo4cgbb8aUNU0F9SENCQGfgtVEQYboMQG0_NMwgqxx3u4e7QB_ByzJimjoK5Rnr4jUKdMTx9wKq1hCtkQxxlaZ0F6kPJTd8qYdfoYWNKCddzBth0D3MEgRUTvatROzkLS0svC6Mdvss7bew7ol/s320/IMG_2811.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Magnolia Warbler. Photo courtesy of James Thorpe</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_ILOnvztAE1ZBbwxYDbB9cEqY3QRnfkdomP3g2gdLiNC66PBBuxo54UxepdpcJT3A3IiC_c6dBmzry1iz9G4xa2sayAXXwZa4lH38UN0S2fjjAUtvqgb1So4I69CovsGJIV6lUNVV6jxAxEyWoHZ5fNxXZ7OgyZN4aBw1udH7wYhPtYcmSm2-ePGeHbv/s603/IMG_0559.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="603" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV_ILOnvztAE1ZBbwxYDbB9cEqY3QRnfkdomP3g2gdLiNC66PBBuxo54UxepdpcJT3A3IiC_c6dBmzry1iz9G4xa2sayAXXwZa4lH38UN0S2fjjAUtvqgb1So4I69CovsGJIV6lUNVV6jxAxEyWoHZ5fNxXZ7OgyZN4aBw1udH7wYhPtYcmSm2-ePGeHbv/s320/IMG_0559.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Magnolia Warbler. Photo courtesy of Shaun Ferguson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At 1.30am on the morning of the 23rd myself, Matt Moreton and Dave Woodhouse set off for St.Govan’s Head and apart from junctions 20 and 19 of the M25 being closed the journey down was a smooth one and so we arrived just before 6am but worryingly to crystal clear skies and even a slight ground frost! Nevertheless we were the first to wander over to the viewing area and set up our scopes. The previous 2 days the bird had been showing before 7am so it was a tad worrying when at 7.30am there had been no sign. Had it gone overnight? Thankfully the call went up soon after that the bird was still present and for the next hour or so it teased us with brief glimpses until the sun came out and the bird decided to start showing off. The bright yellows, greens and blues shone brightly and lots of expletives were said! For the next 30 minutes we watched it and took in that Britain’s 3rd <span style="color: red;">MAGNOLIA</span> <span style="color: red;">WARBLER</span> was on our lists.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Around 9am we decided to head off north towards Pembroke to try and find a loo and a cafe and also a petrol station as we only had 30 miles of fuel left! After driving for about 15 minutes we parked up and just as I was about to get out the car I read a tweet from Adrian Kettle saying I’d turn around if I were you <span style="color: red;">Canada Warbler</span> at the same place! None of us had had an alert to this so I said to the other two what the message said and more expletives were said! So we headed back not knowing exactly where to go but thankfully news started coming in of where it was and where to park and Simon Nicholls kindly rang me to see if we’d heard the news just as we were arriving. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqO6vNJShkVqB6fOUPt2DqnM7Q9vNwuf2IiA342zIdlBnv8y5Acao5HmXF6iRPObYNVmDYao5oV-cgUgL6kBrFlFE5Vp6gQ9mwNTA_53cz3JUMsMTieZolLSzimiMx7RuyBlJ-zsOHPiYK0iWDE1Tk63nhBCATuGw-XI0i6_fy5PoLqFjJzuojWk0DnAxj/s2048/IMG_2809.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1786" data-original-width="2048" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqO6vNJShkVqB6fOUPt2DqnM7Q9vNwuf2IiA342zIdlBnv8y5Acao5HmXF6iRPObYNVmDYao5oV-cgUgL6kBrFlFE5Vp6gQ9mwNTA_53cz3JUMsMTieZolLSzimiMx7RuyBlJ-zsOHPiYK0iWDE1Tk63nhBCATuGw-XI0i6_fy5PoLqFjJzuojWk0DnAxj/s320/IMG_2809.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Canada Warbler. Photo courtesy of James Thorpe</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We abandoned the car at the side of the track and hurriedly joined the small throng of birders already here. There’d been no sign for at least 20 minutes. It was then we found out that the finder of this birds was the same Toby Phelps who’d found the <span style="color: red;">Magnolia Warbler</span>! That double probably won’t be beaten anytime soon. With just over an hours drive ahead of us to catch the boat we set 10.30am as the cut off time to have to leave. It was around 10.28am when we said right we’ll have to go when suddenly the shout went up that the bird was on show. We all went into the trees to try and get a vantage point. Every now and then people at the far end were on it then the middle group then finally myself at the right hand end was lucky to have it sit up on a branch at the back of the trees allowing me to firstly see the pale bluey/grey uppers then it shifted position and the bright yellow underparts gleamed brightly. Ooof!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just a couple of hours after ticking the 3rd Magnolia Warbler for Britain I was now ticking the 1st <span style="color: red;">CANADA WARBLER</span> for Britain. Madness! Matt at the far end had had crippling views of it but Dave hadn’t yet got on it and was prepared to leave to allow us to get the boat. We said have 5 more minutes and luckily it perched out for him to get the views he wanted. High fives were exchanged but celebrations would have to wait as we now had to drive north west and hope we’d arrive in time for the boat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were almost into single figures of remaining miles when we found a petrol station but once filled we were on our way. Sadly not as fast as we’d have liked as the Welsh government had brought in new 20mph speed limits a few days earlier and everyone was adhering to it. We had to be on site by 12.10pm to get on the boat so 5 miles away I rang to say we’ll be there but maybe a minute or so late to which the reply was just be here before 12.30pm and you’ll be fine. We arrived and nabbed the last spot in the car park and ran down to the pier with just 8 minutes to spare which frustrated a handful of birders who’d turned up to try and nab a place on the boat should others not turn up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFiXzHVfya5_jm-ExmIroMlpGvzxYKJF6V3ygHWUFyriwh_DGn-ugP5usf5VDVht_Uekcsr3TuOOb5NDCCx4LLktNg9pChWXfKM56kO67iGDrFSUjvMp_2mT80eICqHczEN7kOtIfgLpDjSjxjlOwDCCi7CQhcphHLmZoBV9JUbBeOluRHjx7oNKmJAEH/s1089/IMG_0561.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="1089" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFiXzHVfya5_jm-ExmIroMlpGvzxYKJF6V3ygHWUFyriwh_DGn-ugP5usf5VDVht_Uekcsr3TuOOb5NDCCx4LLktNg9pChWXfKM56kO67iGDrFSUjvMp_2mT80eICqHczEN7kOtIfgLpDjSjxjlOwDCCi7CQhcphHLmZoBV9JUbBeOluRHjx7oNKmJAEH/s320/IMG_0561.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Bay-breasted Warbler. Photo courtesy of Mark Dowie</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a brief safety talk we boarded the boat and 10 minutes later we were at Ramsey Island. Another quick talk and we were finally allowed to walk up the path to the viewing area. Once set up we found out that it’d not been seen for 15 minutes. Another 5+ minutes elapsed before Rob Jones said he’d got it feeding in gorse on the slope to the right of the house. A nervy minute or two later and I finally laid eyes on my first ever <span style="color: red;">BAY-BREASTED WARBLER</span>! This was a 2nd for Britain and personally my favourite looking of the the 3. We all enjoyed great views of this bird for the next 10 minutes before we said let’s go and have a celebratory cup of tea!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggN2MGMwl5P_AZ-Dx_2zMl9jKjjxKt78EoVvkQomDKFNyslCyWny3_LBvq1rZotVjs0laLnjkS0_mf-ozwQMixesUjMf5fwQY76wXpXSE_QN0BTLmSvMBLQjdbue0lhsnvrVtQADcQNsKndxKohCRr5OubK5g9AGuxvgICyW5in3EWkFBcizbUr7nnEtzu/s1098/IMG_2813.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1098" data-original-width="1098" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggN2MGMwl5P_AZ-Dx_2zMl9jKjjxKt78EoVvkQomDKFNyslCyWny3_LBvq1rZotVjs0laLnjkS0_mf-ozwQMixesUjMf5fwQY76wXpXSE_QN0BTLmSvMBLQjdbue0lhsnvrVtQADcQNsKndxKohCRr5OubK5g9AGuxvgICyW5in3EWkFBcizbUr7nnEtzu/s320/IMG_2813.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Matt’s excellent diary entry for the day.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With a long journey ahead of us we finished our drinks and headed back to the quay for our boat home. With all the excitement the 8 <span style="color: red;">Chough</span> and a flock of 7 <span style="color: red;">Raven</span> earlier in the day were complete also rans. We made good time on the journey back up until the M25 so we had to make a detour around the houses. We arrived back at mine just before 8pm but none of us felt tired as the adrenaline rush from seeing a 1st, 2nd and 3rd for Britain in a day and all of them American wood warblers (my favourite group of birds) kept us going. Thanks to Matt for driving and to Dave for his company. I’m now up to 8 lifers this year and it’s still not October. Who knows what awaits us especially as during the time it’s taken to write this a <span style="color: red;">Cape May</span> and <span style="color: red;">Tennessee Warbler</span> have been found!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Many thanks also to James, Shaun and Mark for allowing me to use their photos. These three birds were a bit beyond my photography skills!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7315209620151937080.post-79827368219459972782023-09-17T21:36:00.003+01:002023-09-17T21:36:59.479+01:00BOOBYTASTIC Part 2! - 10.9.23<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jE87peRa49qunkvmaqgRSySKDddGVPe7GPfwaCqpu0blOkTILvSJSuVyp4WrV27ZA76H6P5Cy6KlPL8eu7WkzOv9tAH60Qc8jUELYpHU0mtrJawpMqlR_XZrT0KCNB8dd2KRiwXVsy2U6QqKFKfAWLwcDsd9h3lV1RFlOsTUE4kPOZH5yyeDI2MHMc-_/s4032/IMG_2730.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jE87peRa49qunkvmaqgRSySKDddGVPe7GPfwaCqpu0blOkTILvSJSuVyp4WrV27ZA76H6P5Cy6KlPL8eu7WkzOv9tAH60Qc8jUELYpHU0mtrJawpMqlR_XZrT0KCNB8dd2KRiwXVsy2U6QqKFKfAWLwcDsd9h3lV1RFlOsTUE4kPOZH5yyeDI2MHMc-_/s320/IMG_2730.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6OthVfr_mmiCfe2faJV_-QQCo29FiDEvE1QfRTM_4Tdli1J_PDf8wNZv_G5utFyzvA-7BVT69wRGoDgN2HzoKNOcANgF2sK-EDQc7LfspFaT5hDS7hWDPpUs4EPTQC9DqseaPszT-nZjFB3_yjV487BJ_nUFazJaI6XaqIP9S0kyz51BnoybAnz2ilsU/s1730/IMG_2729.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1297" data-original-width="1730" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK6OthVfr_mmiCfe2faJV_-QQCo29FiDEvE1QfRTM_4Tdli1J_PDf8wNZv_G5utFyzvA-7BVT69wRGoDgN2HzoKNOcANgF2sK-EDQc7LfspFaT5hDS7hWDPpUs4EPTQC9DqseaPszT-nZjFB3_yjV487BJ_nUFazJaI6XaqIP9S0kyz51BnoybAnz2ilsU/s320/IMG_2729.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Brown Booby</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back in September 2019 I managed to dip the UK’s 2nd <span style="color: red;">Brown Booby</span> near St.Ives,Cornwall on the 1st then on the 7th I managed to dip the UK’s 3rd <span style="color: red;">Brown Booby</span> on The Lizard,Cornwall and I thought I’d missed the chance of seeing one. But fast forward to this Summer and the warm temperatures of the sea had delivered 2-3 more to our shores including one that amazingly shared the Bishop Rock lighthouse with its <span style="color: red;">Red-footed</span> cousin for a day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of these birds had been seen off of Flamborough Head then numerous sites along the coast. Thankfully it decided that the numerous buoys just off of South Gare,Cleveland was a nice place to hang out and so on Saturday 9th I was up at midnight and on the road at 1am. Unfortunately before I’d reached junction 13 of the M1 I hit something on the road and it caused my car to start squealing like a pig from one or more of my wheels. I turned around and climbed back into bed just before 2am as I didn’t want to risk something happening on the 8 hour round trip!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My lovely wife said I could borrow her car and so along with Matt and George Moreton (who’d both dipped the Lizard bird with me) we left my house at 1am and headed north. We arrived at South Gare and parked up in between the numerous camper vans as somehow it was a favourite part of the country to go camping. Despite it still being dark we got out the car and got ourselves set up. Around 6am I managed to pick out a booby shaped bird on top of one of the green buoys and as it slowly got lighter the three of us were able to finally grip back and tick <span style="color: red;">BROWN BOOBY</span>! The bird an adult female is roughly the 12th for the UK and despite staying for over an hour it never moved from its spot. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy with our views we headed over to Saltholme RSPB where after a few minutes I re-found the juvenile a <span style="color: red;">Buff-breasted Sandpiper</span> as it flew through my scope view. Sadly it was a tad to distant to get any kind of decent photo as you can tell below! It was another tick for Matt, a second for George and my 8th!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPE7A4jxi5kS96sP8oRBW9mB5-IA1yVl5UnopYETd-T-PRLGCiWEWanQgEVfDaVJMUQiDsYpCujVjcYnfqW28Q7Zhlkggw6kM7SwUDSSbfEmLzKm9FNqzxhdu81Df0HcQl2FZ49vkVhL9Yy-_rDjyqc0UNxPo49EU-QpyMwgkDU_TCUDDVN89wM73-6r1/s1612/IMG_2747.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="1612" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPE7A4jxi5kS96sP8oRBW9mB5-IA1yVl5UnopYETd-T-PRLGCiWEWanQgEVfDaVJMUQiDsYpCujVjcYnfqW28Q7Zhlkggw6kM7SwUDSSbfEmLzKm9FNqzxhdu81Df0HcQl2FZ49vkVhL9Yy-_rDjyqc0UNxPo49EU-QpyMwgkDU_TCUDDVN89wM73-6r1/s320/IMG_2747.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Buff-breasted Sandpiper</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A single <span style="color: red;">Curlew Sandpiper</span> was also noted which was a nice year tick. We did miss both <span style="color: red;">Temminck’s</span> and <span style="color: red;">Pectoral Sandpipers</span> which was a shame. We arrived home just after 11.30am and I sat down with a much needed cup of tea knowing that I’d seen 2 species of Booby in the UK in 21 days!</div><br /> <p></p>Ianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15003805486095178409noreply@blogger.com0