31/05/2021

While I was at the observatory a Serin flew over DW and myself appearing to be heading ftoward the station area, I spent some time checking the Linnets but no sign of the Serin again. 

06.50-08.20 joined by AJG & JTM

Common Scoter: 1E

Fulmar: 2E

Great-crested Grebe: 3W    4 on

Gannet: 3W    4E

Oystercatcher: 1E

Dunlin: 8E

Kittiwake: 9E

Black-headed Gull: c70 at Patch

Mediteranean Gull: 10E   2 at Patch

Great Black-Backed gull: 17 on beach

Herring Gull: c150 around

Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2 on beach

Sandwich Tern: 2W   1E

Common Tern: 36E

Arctic Skua: 1E

Swallow: 1E

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 4

A wander around The Desert after the sea watch saw very little of note, the highlights being a Hobby that looked as if it had just come in off the sea, also the one eared Brown Hare appeared briefly before disappearing in the Broome.

The regular Common Buzzard at the gantry end of the ARC

A very distinctive Hobby was hawking over my house late morning, but no sign of the Bee-eater that JY heard just a few hundred yards from my house. Several House Martins were hawking high over the fields.
 

A lovely White Wagtail the highlight of my walk around the reserve this evening

My walk this evening  around the reserve in a stiff NE breeze was more a labour of love and hope, than anything else. A White Wagtail in the hay fields was a surprise, unlike the Yellow Wagtails, Corn Buntings, Marsh harriers, booming Bittern, Cuckoo, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, also present several each of Redshank and Ringed Plover. Burrowes held no surprises or waders, 20 Common Terns were noted there.

White Wagtail with a Yellow Wagtail

29/05/2021

Fulmar display team past the sea watch hide this morning

With a still quite chilly North Easterly blowing this morning and the time of year it was no surprise that the sea watch was quite slow. 

06.00-08.30  with AJG & RW

Shelduck: 2E

Common Scoter: 20E

Fulmar: 1E    3W

Great-crested Grebe: 3E      3on

Gannet: 8E      14W

Cormorant: 16 around

Oystercatcher: 2E

Curlew: 1E

Dunlin: 1E

Kittiwake: 3E      2W

Mediterranean Gull: 5E

Sandwich Tern: 2E     1W

Common Tern: 1E

Auk sp: 1W

Swallow: 1 in

Pied Wagtail: 1 on hide

Black Redstart: 4 female feeding 3 juveniles on compound wall

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 2

Mum and 2 of the 3 juveniles on the perimeter wall this morning

Around the peninsular it was very quiet avian wise, so much so that I even cleaned out the inside of my car, which was so disgusting inside it was an embarrassment.

Black-tailed Godwit still in the hay fields this evening

A walk right round the reserve this evening was pleasant enough but again uninspiring avian wise.

My first Poplar Hawkmoth of the year this morning

Toadflax Brocade a scarce moth in my trap

 

28/05/2021

 

Wheatear

Incoming

06.00-08.00 &10.30-11.00 with AJG & PS

Shelduck: 7E

Common Scoter: 211E     41W

Great- crested Grebe: 1E   2 on

Fulmar: 5W  1E

Gannet: 2W    22E

Cormorant: 7 on

Oystercatcher: 2W

Kittiwake: 21W

Common Tern: 22E

Sandwich Tern: 12E

Common Tern: 22E

Guillemot: 3E

Puffin: 1E (with 3 Guillemots))

Auk sp: 13E

Swallow: 7 in

Black Redstarts: 4 behind hide  ( 3 juvs being fed)

Wheatear: 1on sea watch hide.  new in?

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 6+

The Puffin was obviously the best bird of the watch, I did get a little distracted when 5 RIBs full of refugees appeared off shore.

An hours walk around the trapping area found no obviously new migrants apart from the odd Swallow heading in land.

Female Yellow Wagtail

A wander around the reserve the last night saw several pairs of Yellow Wagtails, 9 Corn Buntings, 10 Common Terns, a Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Ringed Plover, 10 Redshank,  a Kingfisher, several Bearded Tits and a booming Bittern. 

Whimbrel

Black-tailed Godwit

A little trip just off the peninsular yesterday found a couple of purring Turtle Doves 

25/05/2021

The Iceland Gull that wintered at The Patch reappeared there this morning after 3 week absence.

Iceland Gull at The Patch this morning

Avocets with Shelducks at Scotney this morning

Cold, Windy and showery walk at Scotney saw all the usual suspects, but breeding success so far seems to have been very poor.

Avocets with a Little Ringed Plover scuttling behind them at Scotney this morning

Yellow Wagtail at Scotney this morning

Red Fox peeping out of its den at Scotney this morning

2 of 3 Avocet Chicks at Scotney this morning were all I could find from at least 30 nests, a local farm hand told me the colony was attacked by Badgers.

Lesser Whitethroat at Scotney today in a brief sunny period

The Hobby's around the reserve this afternoon seemed to be catching some some insects, in the brief interludes when the sun came out. There were several Hobby's around the ARC in a quick look, also many Swifts and the Glossy Ibis. 

This Guy seemed to be warming itself on the pump hose which was quite warm to the touch after a few minutes of sunshine. On Burrowes all I could find of any note was a couple each of Dunlin and Sanderling. The only Terns I saw were a couple of Common Terns on Dengemarsh, where a Bittern was booming very half heartedly.

In hay field 3 this little guy was only chick I could find, if I can find it that easily the Crows will have no trouble spotting it, so I fear for it will go the same way as the others, as has been the case virtually every year. 

 

24/05/2021

Some of todays Manx Shearwaters

06.00-14.30 with AJG, OL, CT

Common Scoter: 79E

Fulmar: 2E     19W

Manx Shearwater: 417W      4E

Great-crested Grebe: 8W     4 on

Gannet: 521W         83E

Kittiwake: 37W    5E

Sandwich Tern: 6W    23E

Common Tern: 3E

Great Skua: 7W

Arctic Skua: 1E

Guillemot: 25W     3E

Auk sp: 36W       8E

Swift: 1 in

Swallow: 1 in

House Martin: 15 in (1 flock)

Harbour Porpoise: 6+

Grey Seal: 1

Baby Meadow Pipit fresh out the nest by the perimeter wall

 

One of the many Swifts around today

The Hobby's around the hay fields have been very photogenic, mainly because they are cold and starving 

I spent an hour laying on the beach in the rain on Saturday photographing this flock of 44 Sanderling. They were quite tame all the time I lay fairly still gorging themselves on the abundant shellfish washed up by the storms.

21/05/2021

3 Manx smudges from this morning

A horrible day of howling gales with intermittent light showers meant another a few hours spent in the sea watch hide, which will hopefully still be intact tomorrow as the storm continues overnight.

07.00-10.30 joined by AJG

Common Scoter: 88E

Great-crested Grebe: 17W  2 on

Manx Shearwater: 43W

Fulmar: 10E      9W

Gannet: 58E    118W

Cormorant: 7 around

Kittiwake: 18W

Sandwich Tern: 7E

Guillemot: 1E

Auk sp:14W     4E

Swift: 7W

House Martin: 2W

Swallow: 4W

Grey Seal: 1

Harbour Porpoise: 3+

Another hour watching this afternoon produced barely a bird.

The Tufted Duck had taken over the abandoned Coots nest

The Glossy Ibis pushed the Tufted Duck out and made some alterations

Admiring its work

Add a bit more weed 

Try it for comfort

Yup that will do nicely

The new owner of the nest today