Last day of 2015/grey phalarope twitch Yarmouth I.O.W

 

Yarmouth station pools: really strong gusts hindered viewing somewhat and it kept to the back of the pool. Today another grey phal had been seen with it but I saw just this one. Top bird(s).
 

Medina

Last morning with Graham and we'd decided to twitch the GREATER YELLOWLEGS (an American vagrant found back on September 23rd 2015 and seemingly hasn't left the IOW since). Whilst walking along the cycle path we soon came upon a firecrest (Graham's had 8 during his stay), always a top bird. Quite a few Redwing and finches, plus a singing song thrush (?!).

Then got to the area we were told to check for the yellowlegs and sure enough it was there, seen as it flew off across the Medina calling (interesting to hear its greenshank-like though subtly different call). However our encounter was enough to tick it off as island ticks.
Then decided to check out another area along the path and a stunning short-eared owl was up and about; a good influx of them this autumn/winter. Traversed the area and found a Jack snipe; looked great in the sunshine. Walked back and ended with 2 firecrest - not too shabby - so a really enjoyable walk with much quality.

Final stop was Ryde: scanned out west of the pier and 1 black-necked grebe was showing, a great northern diver, and though distant, 3 eiders (2m/1f) were out in the solent too.

 

Distant SE owl - Medina

 

 

Looking north

 

St Cath's A.M

Southerly winds meant a sea watch was the worth a go, with my bro who's down for the Christmas period. Not a great deal to write home about, but nice to see red throated divers, auks (mostly guillemots but razorbills too), kittiwakes, and med gulls moving by the point. Plus 3 firecrest.

Brading NR P.M

Again out with my bro. Still unseasonably mild, but the wind was strengthening with a nip to it. Highlights from laundry lane: merlin (chasing a skylark), marsh harriers (of different sexes/ages), and a peregrine.

 

A grey phalarope was found at Yarmouth station pools today - picture taken by my brother Graham.

 

And a close great northern diver at Yarmouth bridge by Stephen Plummer

Seaview area: Redshank, rock pip, shag, mistle thrush (singing). Also one kingfisher seen at Hersey NR.

 

 

Brading NR

Pintail 2m,1f

 

redwing

 

fieldfare

 

 

 

Whale chine A.M

 LBB gull (a few moving west. Also herring gulls, 40)

 yellowhammer (group of 12)

West high down/Tennyson down A.M

Went west: -2 temp so nice and crisp, icy and frosty, but bright, so layered up and had a good walk around the headland. Highlight was a SNOW BUNTING. First obs was hearing interesting chu like calls over me but never saw it. Almost dismissed it really, the call sounded familiar but I couldn't pin it down immediately, but lap/snow bunt came to mind. But about 10 mins after the first encounter again I heard the repetition of that call (no rattle call or any other call heard) and this time I clocked the bird making it; it came in from the west and headed due east. Views of it were wholly from below obviously, with very white underparts. Shape/jizz suggested bunting; forked tail noted; flight quite bouncy and slightly undulating. Went out of sight but interestingly towards an area where one had been grounded two or three years ago, near the monument, so I headed that way.

When I arrived there I clocked a bird along the Tennyson down cliff edge that soon dived out of sight. But when it reappeared it turned out to be a Black redstart, a nice enough substitute. No sign of the snow bunting.

Group of seven rock pipits feeding nearby too. Otherwise a showy Dartford warbler provided the only other interest.

Very close Dartford warbler that appeared to be bathing in a puddle - ice cold mind

 

Black redstart

 

Dartford warbler

 

Fox: on the Needle's 'old battery' headland. Plenty of wabbits in the vicinity, but at times looked perilously close to the cliff edge.

 

 

 

P.M: Then went to Brading late afternoon. Shorty(s) have been seen there quite frequently recently and not long after scanning out saw one ranging over the fields south of the old sea wall. Then saw another, so two present.

 

 

Low level light - SE owl Brading

 



Great Shearwaters Estaca de Bares 14 nov 2015 from Antonio Sandoval Rey on Vimeo.

 

25+ lesser black backed gulls moving past St Catherine's

St Cath's

With the ongoing movement of 1000s of woodpigeons (Portland and generally along the south coast) I thought I'd head to the most obvious watch point. However, due to a work commitment I didn't arrive there until about 10am, so probably missed any 'big' movement if it had encroached the island.

A black redstart hanging about the lighthouse was the only real thing of note.

Distant black red sheltering from the SW winds

 

 

And a link to the new IOW sightings website: http://www.goingbirding.co.uk/isleofwight/birdnews.asp

Brading marsh NR

With a great white egret and short eared owl being seen there recently, a trip there seemed a good option to hopefully see two species I haven't had good views for a while. However, strong winds meant very little was showing. A marsh harrier provided most of the entertainment, otherwise v quiet.

Brading wigeon winter flock - though still exceptionally mild for November

Looks like the st caths pipit I had recently was more than likely a water pipit - a good record of much scarcer pipit. These shots show a classic rock pipit hanging about the needles battery.

St Cath's

Headed south again to the coast. Surprisingly not much change in proceedings: vis mig mostly involved finches; 250+ goldfinch; 5 brambling; 40 linnets; 1 siskin; 3 redpoll. Also 20 meadow pipits some of which pitched in. 1 grey wagtail.

Also a bird over the sea was mobbed by a couple of great black backed gulls and moved inland and north. Not a great view but probably a SHORT EARED OWL, which was confirmed by another birder.

Rocken end didn't deliver much other than goldcrests (8 milling about). 2 bullfinch.

The only other bird of interest was a pipit hanging about with 2 mipits and the grey wag along the shoreline rocks. Never got a great photo but it's head markings were quite striking esp. the supercilium. Also its outer tail feathers seemed prominently white, though not seen in flight. Water or maybe a different race of rock pipit?

 



 

  

 

 

 Nice vid of a barred warbler.

Interesting link: https://vimeopro.com/south422/animal-gps-track-animation

 

Locally at night been hearing migrating redwings flying over.

 

S-SE winds/high pressure

Interesting conditions bringing mild and damp weather that looks set to continue including on my days off in the week. Could be promising....

Slight random moment yesterday: my work takes me to different places locally on the Island, and whilst washing up in a house in Ryde , I suddenly looked out of the window only to clock a BLACK REDSTART alight a fence. Only momentarily there mind, before flying off. Had a brief look around the neighbouring properties but not to be seen again.

Reminded me of a wheatear I saw in Wootton about a month ago, also whilst on my rounds, which was quite an in-land sighting as they're probably more a coastal migrant.

Wheatear - September in Wootton

 

My impression of the fleeting encounter with a black redstart

 

Headed south again

Goldcrest predominated at St Cath's and were well represented under Gore Cliff and along the old black gang road. Remarkably I couldn't pick anything out with them. Continued on and a classic long tailed tit/chiff/gc flock flitting about really gave me hope, but again, nothing scarcer tagging along with them. At least nothing vocal or obvious. Still, being surrounded by see-ping goldcrest is always a welcome autumn experience, especially when you think about their migratory feat.

This was posted on my facebook from BBC springwatch:

Fact of the Day time!
People used to think that Goldcrests were too small to cross the channel from Europe, as they only weigh about the same as a 20p coin. This led to the belief that they rode here on the backs of Woodcocks, which often arrive around the same time.
For this reason, Goldcrests were often given the rather lovely name of Woodcock Pilot!
...

Of course, we now know that they do make the mammoth journey all by themselves!

 

The humble goldcrest regulus regulus. Most photographers are aiming for pin sharp shots, normally of the bird perched and posing, which has its merits, but I felt these shots capture what it's like in the field watching these restless little delights. Or maybe I'm just a crap photographer. But I like them.

 

 

Coastal path Atherfield: Common gull with med and BH gulls

 

 

Perched stonechat shots are probably 10 a penny but this shows the underwing quite nicely