Saturday 8 September 2018

Another Wryneck!

 Wryneck
  Another very quiet day for migrants on the peninsular, the Wryneck was still present and joined by another in the High Gorse, also a Common Redstart there and Merlin dashed through. Around the peninsular a few Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Whinchats and Wheatears. An influx of Kestrels on the peninsular at the moment, 11 around The Desert, 8 at the ARC, 12 at Galloways etc.
 The 2 Wrynecks showing simultaneously in the high Gorse

 Whinchat eating Blackberries at Galloways
 Whinchat
This afternoon Mike Puxley found a Pectoral Sandpiper on Dengemarsh, which quickly disappeared and was relocated on the ARC, but only stayed there for a couple minutes before being flushed by 1 of the many Kestrels on the peninsular, fortunately it was again relocated on Dengemarsh where I managed to catch up with it.
This evening 4 Cattle Egrets, 11 Great White Egrets and 3 Little Egrets roosted on the ARC. 10+ presumed Black Terns, it was to dark for me check for White-winged Black Terns.
Garganey and Little Grebe from Hanson 

Friday 7 September 2018

This morning many House Martins, Sand Martins and Swallows over the peninsular, the Wryneck was still just south of the trapping area today, at least 3 each of Common Redstart and Whinchat, 2 Tree Pipits over, 10+ Wheatears around and a few Blackcaps, Common and Lesser Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers.
Wryneck
At The Patch 2 Black Terns and a 1st cal year Little Gull of note.
From Hanson another 2 Black Terns, 3 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Garganey among the wildfowl.
13 Great White Egrets on Burrowes Pit this afternoon per DC.
I arrived at the fishing boats this afternoon just as LH spotted an Osprey over Lade Bay.
14.00-15.45 from the fishing boats with LH,PH and AJG who collated the numbers:
Fulmar: 1W
Gannet: 43W
Osprey: 1 out
Kestrel: 1 out
Mediterranean Gull: 2W
Sandwich Tern: 423W
Common Tern: 102W
Swallow: 3 out
 1st calendar year Caspian Gull
1st calendar year Caspian Gull
Late afternoon Richard Smith was further along the beach feeding the Gulls, attracting 2 Caspian Gulls and 2 Yellow-legged Gulls.
 2nd calendar year Caspian Gull
2nd calendar year Caspian Gull

Thursday 6 September 2018

Ortolan!


This mornings Convolvulus Hawkmoth
This morning my fifth Convolvulus Hawkmoth of the year was on the wall above the moth trap, it is still in the same place as darkness falls.
 This morning
Early morning from Hanson saw 5 Great White Egrets, a Greenshank and 3 Pintail among the 100s of eclipse wildfowl. The hide was shut most of the day to allow the reserve staff and volunteers to clear the vegetation in front the hide, an excellent job they did to. 
This afternoon
 This morning
This afternoon
Reed Warbler nest in front of Hanson
As I drove along the approach road near the lighthouse my first 12 Brent Geese of the Autumn flew west. Around the area several Common Redstarts and Spotted Flycatchers were seen, along with a few Blackcaps, Common Whitethroats and Wheatears.
Wryneck in the Desert
A very slow early afternoon sea watch which produced 2 Balearic Shearwaters and a couple of Yellow-legged Gulls was interrupted by by news of a Wryneck south of the trapping area. The bird was soon seen though did not give good photographic views in the time I was prepared to stay with it, a party of 5 Tree Sparrows over were a bonus.
Whinchat in the Desert
15.00-16.20 from the fishing boats with AJG:

Balearic Shearwater: 1W
Gannet: 31W
Yellow-legged Gull: 1
Mediterranean Gull: 2 around
Sandwich tern: 437W
Common Tern: 70W
Arctic Tern: 1W
Sand Martin: 37 out
Swallow: 156 out
Ortolan Bunting: 1 flew over the fishing boats towards the Lighthouses.  
Harbour Porpoise: 5+
Grey Seal: 1
Common Seal: 1
Yellow-legged Gull at the fishing boats

Wednesday 5 September 2018


06.00-09.30 from the sea watch hide with AJG who collated the numbers:
Teal: 23W
Wigeon: 5W
Common Scoter: 3E  4W
Fulmar: 2E
Gannet 330
Sanderling: 6W
Great Skua: 3W
Arctic Skua: 8W
Mediterranean Gull: 5E
Sandwich Tern: 1430 West from 0600 to 0700
Common Tern: 320 West from 0600 to 0700
Little Tern: 3W
Black Tern: 52W
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 15+

A few Blackcaps, a Willow warbler and a Garden Warbler were trapped this morning even though the bushes appeared very quiet. 8+ Wheatears were along the beach and this afternoon a Pied Flycatcher more Willow Warblers and a Sedge Warbler were in a private garden.
A quick look at the Boulderwall fields saw 2 of the Cattle Egrets, though 4 were seen later by SM.
At the ARC from Hanson a fem/1w Goldeneye and 2 Pintail were my first of the Autumn, 5 Great White Egrets were present and 100s of Sand Martins with fewer numbers of House Martins and Swallows were feeding over the lakes.

13.15-14.45 from the fishing boats with AJG who collated the numbers:
Shoveller: 2W
Teal: 1W
Wigeon: 2E
Gannet: 70 around
Turnstone: 4E
Great Skua: 1W
Arctic Skua: 4W
Yellow-legged Gull: 2 around
Mediterranean Gull: 3E all 1st cal yr
Sandwich Tern: 212E
Common Tern: 38E
Harbour Porpoise: 10+
Grey Seal: 2
Common Seal: 1




Tuesday 4 September 2018

Gulls!

 Belgian ringed Mediterranean Gull 3739
Very little in the way of migrants this morning around the point, so I spent most my time around The Patch. Up to 5 Black Terns and 7 Mediterranean Gulls (all 1st cal yrs) were feeding around The Patch, 3+ Arctic Skuas were chasing the Terns, 11 Teal flew east then back west. On the beach I managed to read 2 colour rings both Mediterranean Gulls, 1 a Belgian the other a Czech Republic bird. 15+ Harbour Porpoises were offshore.
Czech ringed Mediterranean Gull ZHT2
These 2 provided some light entertainment at The Patch, note there fleece life vests!
Early afternoon the 3 Cattle Egrets were still in the Boulderwall Fields. From Hanson hide 4 Great White Egrets, 147 Golden Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Common Snipe, 2 Garganey and a Black-necked Grebe.
 1st cal yr Caspian Gull
At the fishing boats this afternoon:
Wigeon: 1 on sea
Common Scoter: 5E
Gannet: c40 around
Arctic Skua: 1 around
Mediterranean Gull: 16E all 1st cal yr birds
Yellow-legged Gull: 1 around
Caspian Gull: 1 around
Kittiwake: 5E
Sandwich tern: c100 around
Common Tern: c20 around
Grey Seal: 1
Harbour Porpoise: 8+
 Hooked bill Herring Gull by the fishing boats
Great Black Backed Gull JZ435 by the fishing boats

Sunday 2 September 2018

I didn't spend much time in the field today as the peninsular appeared to be taken over by visitors enjoying the beautiful weather. I did spend several hours sky watching from home, the Gulls in the field opposite were very helpful in alerting me to the presence of a raptor, with there help I managed to spot a mega high Honey Buzzard drifting SW, also 16 Common Buzzards, 4+Marsh Harriers, 2+ Hobby's, 3 Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk, also a steady stream of Hirundines going south.
 1,000s of mainly Black-headed Gulls following the tractor in the fields opposite my house
 Blizzard of Gulls every time a raptor came over
 1 of 16 Common Buzzards seen from the garden
 Kestrel tucking into a Great Green Bush Cricket by the entrance track this evening
An evening visit to to Burrowes saw a juv/1w Caspian Gull, 3 Black Terns, 18 Redshank, 4 Dunlin, 4 Knot, a Little Ringed Plover 
16 of 18 Redshank present this evening
 Short-eared Owl by the entrance track this evening
 Cattle Egrets on the old Cormorant Island
Marsh Mallow Moth 2nd record for the Plodland trap
Centre Barred Sallow new for the trap

Friday 31 August 2018


Cattle Egrets at Boulderwall taken yesterday
First thing this morning at Boulderwall at least 6 Cattle Egrets were still present, as yesterday they were always distant.
While walking around The Desert with SG seeing very little, news of a Terek Sandpiper being seen  by BW flying around the reserve but now lost in the Dengemarsh area came through. As the reserve and ARC were going to be searched others I decided to check The Midrips for the Terek. Yellow Wagtails were calling all around and a stream of Swallows were coasting eastwards. On the pools 34 Teal, 12 Shelduck, 15 Mallard and a Shoveler were feeding with 7 Greenshanks, 3 Spotted Redshanks, a poor video of 2 of Spotted Redshanks can be seen HERE also 2 Common Redshanks, 3 Dunlin, a Grey Plover, 15 Oystercatchers, a Whimbrel and 6 Curlew. 2 Common Buzzards and 2 Marsh Harriers flew through but no sign of the Terek Sandpiper. 
 Many thanks to Dave Bunney for inviting me into his private garden to see this very confiding Pied Flycatcher this afternoon, also a Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Reed Warbler.





Chiffchaff
Late afternoon I met AJG at the fishing boats where he had seen 2 Black Terns, a few Sandwich Terns, a Great Skua and Swallows leaving our shores. We decided to have a look around the back of Scotney for the Terek Sandpiper but only saw more Yellow Wagtails, a Little Owl and a couple each of Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier but not a single wader.
When I got home a kettle of 14 Common Buzzards was overhead, MH and SG had seen 37 nearby over Dengemarsh this afternoon.
Cetti's Warbler trapped at the obs yesterday 

 A beautiful Orache caught by Barry Banson last night
Common Darter

Wednesday 29 August 2018

Juvenile Osprey!

Aythya sp/Hybrid at Pett pools yesterday (image by C Turley)
As the weather this morning ruled out any wanderings around The Point, I went to Pett Pools with CT who had seen an interesting Aythya duck there yesterday. On arrival we could not find the bird on the close roadside pit where he first saw it, eventually through the rain we found it at the back of the neighbouring lake viewed from the gate. In the time time we were there it was constantly diving but stayed at the back of the lake the whole time giving poor views in in poor light in poor weather, leaving us none the wiser but assuming some sort of hybrid.
 As I was clearing out the MV this afternoon DB called me saying an Osprey was over Hookers Pit, a quick scan over the fields in front of the house and the bird came into view, thanks Dave for the call. A 3 minute drive to Springfield Bridge  and the bird was now perched on a telegraph pole. A short while later it started fishing appearing to catch and devour 2 small fish, eventually after flying around the peninsular a couple of times it caught another fish which was to large for this young bird to handle. 2 Hobby's were also present and few Yellow Wagtails.
Juvenile Osprey
Hovering
The strike
Struggling with the over size fish
Osprey about to drop its catch
Migrant Hawker Springfield Bridge
Pied Flycatchers
A late afternoon visit to the trapping area found 6 Pied Flycatchers though probably more were present, 2 Common Redstarts, 4 Whinchats, several each of Willow and Reed Warbler, Common and Lesser Whitethroat and Wheatear.