Fort vic

Bro down for a bit for Christmas.

Tried west Wight. Bits and bobs. A great northern diver flew in and landed quite close.

Slav grebe - Solent

 

 Ok - a touch distant



Parkhurst forest

With quite a few parrot crossbills being found on the mainland recently - plus the obvious national hawfinch influx of late as well - I opted to have a nose round Parkhurst (probably another severely under watched island location) and see if I could unearth any. But... didn't have such luck finding those this time, or even a common xbill. But I'll certainly keep checking that area and persevere through the winter.

However, just as I was leaving an ickle restless firecrest saved the day and put on a good show, at least up until a walker came bounding along with a massive dog.

Cattle egret

CE Still at Brading
And numerous fieldfare

 

 

Fly over marsh harrier (montage)

 

Foreland

Ryde to Seaview

Around lunchtime I had a look along the sea front at Ryde. Quite a build up of dark bellied brent in the Solent is typical for this time of year - hundreds gather there. Always worth checking for something scarcer and today with the DBs were at least two pale-bellied (race hrota).

Also tried Apply park before arriving at Seaview - given the influx of hawfinch across the uk this autumn, this area (historically) seems like a place to keep an eye on - though today, I didn't find any. A few redwing etc.

Further along at Seaview a quick scan of the sea didn't produce many grebes or divers; only 3 GC grebes. Plenty more brent, med and common gulls.

Hersey reserve: nearby at least, was a black redstart atop the beach hut apartments. Plus a kingfisher flew along the reserve.

 

 

st cath's sea watch

Despite the strong southerlies, a morning sea watch off St Cath's produced little in the way of variety: just fits and bursts of kittiwakes, gannets, and auks, mostly heading east. Probably too bright and mild.

local stonechats

 

Glossy ibis and cattle egret

Back to Brading marshes this afternoon:

1 glossy ibis and 1 cattle egret; presumably the same birds knocking about.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ibis with a blackwit



 

 

Fly over cattle egret - just about got the camera on it

 

 

marsh harrier

 



Brading NR

Last Monday (13thNov) morning I went atop Headon again (staying faithful) with some hope of catching some vis mig: but aside from a few brambling and redpoll, there wasn't much to report on that fresh (northerly wind) and bright morning.

Today, and much milder, I visited Brading NR in the afternoon. Must admit it's been some time since I had a good look around the reserve, so it was nice to get back to a place I used to spend most of my birding time; and on the back of recent reports and finds of a white stork, both cattle and GW egrets, a bittern, and a glossy ibis; it seemed like a good idea to visit(!)

Did I see any of those? Well. No. But had some good views of peregrine (that had picked off a starling), marsh harrier, sprawk, and a flock of snipe (13). Probably heard and saw in flight a water pipit too.

 

Peregrine carrying its prey - a starling

 

marsh harrier

 

sprawk

 

Incoming snipe (all vid caps)



Headon - bramblings

Another week and another vis mig session on the Warren this morning; with clear blue skies and possibly the first frost of the autumn, it's safe to say British summer has ended. Early doors and there was some movement over head, though it is starting to feel like we're approaching the tail end of autumn migration as things soon petered out.

Finches were the main movers and the highlight was some brambling pitching in not far from my VP and alighting the trees; albeit briefly as they soon moved off in an easterly direction joining or with others - so a possible seven in total and a good island count. Also a black redstart present.

And on the way back after passing through Shalfleet I noticed several raptors circling around together over some farmland; so I pulled up and studied them: a total of 12 buzzards together. It almost felt continental watching such a large group together like that up in the still blue sky - and probably the biggest group I've ever seen together.

 

 

 

Duff shots but gives an impression - brambling

 

 

Only managed to fit 7 of the 12 in - common buzzard