My last day off - mixed weather but mostly pleasant.

St Cath's A.M

Walked the headland and only one wheatear about - wind was quite strong westerly. But near where I parked along St cath's road there were at least two firecrests - seemed to be a fall of them recently, and a good winter for them in general. One was heard singing.

Brading NR - P.M

Again fairly quiet about, but just before the heavens opened, a flock of alba/pied wags flew in from the east of me and landed to the west - two were white wagtails. of the race motacilla alba alba, a slightly more scarce but regular spring migrant...

A bit distant - white wagtails west of Laundry lane

Note the extensive paler grey back and defined border along the nape, plus cleaner flanks.

Not hanging about - a sand martin that's just about discernible..

wheatear - St Cath's

Bembridge - evening

Driving along I spotted this short-eared owl perched on the roadside fence near the airport. Only had my bins and phone camera at hand - got some record shots at least. Seemed content there and unfazed by the passing traffic.

Shorty - bottom pic shows the diagnostic thicker barring on its tail along with the white trailing edge on the wings, thus distinguishing it from the similar looking long-eared owl.

Brading NR - A.M - sunny

4 x hirundines over the marsh, distant, but one appeared to be a house martin (just about made out the white rump)

med gull north

wren singing

jay - one of four pitched in at Laundry lane

Blue sky - blue tit

Spring firsts..

Always nice to see your first returning common migrants. On my first day off of my second holiday period, and with the weather looking to change imminently, I thought I'd head to the west wight.

Whilst driving along the middle road towards Freshwater, cruising seemingly along side me was a hirundine - my first swallow of the year. Possibly my earliest one too. I also caught up with some wheatears on west high down, all male ones, on a date that it is quite late for me - I'll blame my recent cold that put me out of action for a bit for that anomaly. Otherwise pretty quiet. Winds are changing to more southerly soon though....

Lepus europaeus - hare - seen from the middle road/west Wight

northern wheatear - back from Africa

Culver cliff

YOU SHALL NOT PASS

Black red

Newly arrived chiffchaff

Male and female kes

As it's nearly easter

Just help yourself

Whale chine - Roud - Brading NR

Feeling somewhat under the weather at the moment it took me a while to get going today. Eventually decided quite late in the day to head to the south coast first, maybe chance a wheatear, but no such luck along the coast there - sure there have been. The temp was much more spring like today.

Second stop was Roud sewage works. Really want to keep an eye this spot as it's always teeming with food. Again it was late in the day so wasn't overly surprised to find it quiet. A few chiffs, though didn't spot the sibe candidate this time. A few redwing still about and fieldfare too.

Third stop was Brading NR. Again fairly routine stuff as I worked my way along the lane, though I did pick out a white wagtail in the field east of me, and two other wags (poss white) flew off north too.

Also tried the MACRO setting with my camera combined with my bins and really pleased with the results.

Admittedly this raven was unusually close and didn't seem to mind my proximity, but probably as good a pic as you could ever hope for. 

This lone fieldfare has been hanging around this area near Bexley point Brading nature reserve for the most part of the winter. Again using macro setting. 

Brading NR - early evening

The northerly wind continues, so still chilly. But vis mig has picked up, though not much locally it would seem.

A late in the day visit to Brading didn't produce much really, beyond the usual anyway. Although two cetti's warblers rose to the top of the reeds - faced one another - and sounded off with some sort of display/territorial exchange. You don't often see one exposed, so to see two was interesting. Also their vocalizations were new to me in that context.

The fading light made it difficult, but I tried to capture the cetti's 'face off'
There was regular wing flapping and posturing from both, which lasted maybe 3 mins. It ended with the lower bird retreating first.

Last day (of my holiday)

Started off at St.Cath's - gorgeous weather if fresh. Mipits and alba wags predominated flying over. And one chiffchaff, obviously fresh in, dropped in near the lighthouse, called once, then flew north over the fields. No wheatear though - checked both sides of the lighthouse/headland.

Second stop was Whale chine/Atherfield. Again mostly mipits, but possibly a wheatear in/off? headed north across the field. Not enough to say with certainty.

Nice walk though...

Dunnock singing and alba wag over - St caths

Stonechat - Atherfield

New Forest - sunny early spring like weather...

Spent a day on the big island. Went to a place where I stood a pretty good chance of seeing a goshawk, but with time against me, and having no real knowledge of the area, it was always going to be a long shot - suffice to say I didn't get to see one. However, another novelty bird (based on the difficulty of ever seeing one on the IOW - though not impossible) in that area that I did get to see was woodlark. Again, i didn't know exactly where to look really, but suddenly heard one, then almost stepped on it! It flew to the nearest shrub, with a second bird with it. Managed a (crappy) recording of them. And took pics - they were quite camouflaged.

Didn't score much else though, but lovely area, need more time etc....

Piper's wait

Said woodlark - Lullula arborea

Marsh tit was near Shatterford (Denny wood) - again a very rare if almost obsolete island species presently.