Velvet Scoters (Little gull)

Short sea watch at SCP this morning (Feb 6th): bright conditions with NE winds: very quiet save two Velvets (east) at 07:55, something (at least) and quite close in/good scope views... 

I then went over to Western Yar where a (2cy) Little Gull was found a couple of days ago: still there favouring the 'scrape' near Mill Copse. Always nice, and at least the second island bird this winter, on the back of the adult found at Atherfield (Ash Hill Farm) last month. 

Little Gull - Feb 6th - Mill Copse scrape

At least one Spoonbill (distant) - as many as five have been seen this winter.

Western Yar

BN Grebe

Personally, January was some what of a lean month, to say the least...but spring is getting closer...

A Black-necked Grebe was off Ryde Pier with a slav (yesterday/Feb 1st). And DB Brent(s) x300+ along the strandline, though nothing else apparent with them (either PB or Black). A couple of Bearded Tits have been regularly seen at Yarmouth (I haven't been over yet). Otherwise, usual fare it would seem...

WTE flyover - end of Jan

Black Redstart (SCP)

Walked from home (Ventnor) to SCP today (Jan 14th): nearly 10 miles there and back - on a pleasant and slightly milder day. I had Black Redstart in mind and sure enough one was near the lighthouse; my first of the year. Some (perhaps) early signs of spring included a butterfly sp on the wing (may have been a peacock?), hazel catkins, snowdrops etc.

Jan 26th: Post Storm Eowyn (quiet) a.m sea-watch at SCP, (SSE/breezy/F6), 08:00-09:25: could only muster 17 RTD, 22 Kitts, 50 Gannets, a few common gulls and fulmars etc...

 Black Red - SCP - Jan 14th

Ravens - six of seven coasting - Whale Chine 21/01

Humpback sightings continue in Sussex 🐋

Thank you to all those who have been reporting humpback sightings over the last week. This footage, recorded by Stan Coddles on Sunday at Birling Gap shows the Humpback whale pectoral fin slapping, a form of non-verbal communication.

🧵 pic.twitter.com/S5UtKS4daU

— Sussex Dolphin Project 🐬 (@SussexDolphin) January 13, 2025

Drake Lesser Scaup at Longham Lakes this afternoon showing well in poor light. @DorsetBirdClub pic.twitter.com/WydAQGZmnw

— Mike Gibbons (@cloudedyellows) January 17, 2025

Sea watch (& Purple sand)

Chilly start to the year with temps just above freezing since the beginning of January. 

The winds swung due East today (Jan 10th). A morning sea watch (07:55-09:25) at SCP produced a few bits (light winds/overcast): a single BT Diver (E. at 08:16), 12 RTD, Common Scoter, 169 auk sp (west) etc. 

Later on I came upon a lone Purple Sandpiper near Wheelers Bay - showing well (with Andy). 

Wheelers Bay - Ventnor

Green Sandpiper (record shots) - Bathingbourne Res - Jan 12th

Purple Sands (Ventnor)

Today was another fine sunny and crisp day. Bumped into Andy B along Wheelers Bay who told me he'd seen three Purple Sandpipers further along towards Ventnor Esplanade: after he grabbed his camera from home I tagged along: sure enough we found two near the Esplanade car park. Up to four have been along this stretch of coast since (at least) just before Christmas day; a high count for Ventnor. 

One right below us (Ventnor) - very active (feeding) and seemingly unbothered by the attention - Jan 3rd.

(female) Kingfisher - Bembridge Harbour - 03/01

(1st winter) LBB Gull - Sandown Canoe Lake - 08/01

Cropped image of the LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Pennington Marshes, Hampshire.
Original photo by Jeremy MCclemen, pic.twitter.com/LMYyYNmJVm

— MarcM381 (@aquilabirding) January 6, 2025

New Year (WTEs)

New year's day: similar conditions as over the Christmas period: mild, gusty S.W, and some rain. A quiet NYD sea watch at SCP: auk sp, lone DB Brent, eight fulmars, Kittiwakes etc. 

Jan 2nd: a complete change: sunny, cooler temps just above freezing, light Northerly winds. Three White-tailed Eagles circled around right above me, near Atherfield (coastal) Cottages; always a welcome sight and hard to believe it's been six years? since they were first re-introduced. A lone Dunlin with common gulls at the coastal pool - but pretty quiet...

Jan 2nd: soaring Eagles - and nice to see blue skies after a very dull December

 Dunlin - pool near Atherfield Point/Cottages - Jan 2nd

End of year

A look back of sorts: some of my more interesting moments (probably not exhaustive by any means). The year started off as it left with the Hooded Crow still at Cowes College. A Black-necked Grebe off Ryde pier on Jan 31st. Spring included sea watches that were pretty average (by memory). However, a calling Serin flew past me and landed briefly atop a tree near Haddon's Pits on April 14th was nice; the start of a few scarcer highlights: a Wood Warbler singing (Luccombe Down copse) on May 3rd, an odd singing acro (poss. marsh/blyth's?) and a Hoopoe (seen with Mark B, Luccombe) on May 13th, followed by Bee-eater calls heard over Ventnor on May 17th. 

The month of June was memorable: finding a very vocal Greenish Warbler near Corner Cottage, Luccombe down, on 3rd, which many local birders got to see and hear too; and Steve J finding a Marsh Warbler along the Ventnor coast later the same day. The next morning (June 4th) I heard a Golden Oriole near Luccombe Farm. Capped off by finding a singing Blyth's Reed warbler on June 26th, hanging about the scrub on Nansen Hill (also part of the Ventnor Downs complex); it stayed for most of the day. 

Autumn: good Tree Pipit counts over the downs (Aug/Sept). SCP sea watch included sooty and Balearics. A Honey Buzzard over Ventnor Downs on Sept 4th, seen with Neil, was the only one I saw departing the coast line, which was odd given the numbers I've had in times recent - but several singles were recorded by other birders during that period. 

It was an autumn for Hawfinches with my first one on September 25th that landed before moving off (Nansen Hill). It would be the 1st of many and part of an influx: four on Oct 23rd (Luccombe Copse) and three over Bonchurch Down on Nov 1st being notable; but overall and collectively over the period were nigh on 20 birds in the Ventnor area alone. A probable Corn Bunting went over Nansen calling on Oct 17th.

A Richard's Pipit at SCP found by George H on Oct 15th was still there on 16th: seen in flight and heard. However, the autumn's real highlight was the Hume's Warbler at Ventnor on Oct 26th found by Steve J, along Bath Road - and many of us locals (10+) got to experience it too; and later it was joined by a vocal Siberian Chiffchaff - nice! My last Hawfinch experience (heard-only calls) came on November 6th, again near Luccombe Copse. However, four lingering birds were eventually found by others, in and around Shalfleet Church (early December), the same place where I found one back in 2018.......Here's to 2025!

Sandown Bay - December

Ventnor Bay - New Year's Eve