St Cath's

Another stab at early spring sea watching off the 'point' today.
And with the southerly winds I was reasonably hopeful - but it ended up being quite 'hard' graft.
Although there was a steady easterly movement and turnover of kittiwakes, com.scoter, rt-divers, and brent; there was precious else to report.
Early days mind. And the winds are forecast to be more SE over the next few days....

 





Hirundines

St Cath's

2 Sand Martin (in off then N)
8 Wheatear (present, mostly ♂)
Divers (E) and mipits (N) on the move too.
Despite the headwind, the clear skies meant a lot of the mipits were passing over high. Probably 100s on the move.  

Marsh harrier

Yarmouth yesterday, very distant..

 

♀ over Rofford

 

 

Pintail ♂ + ♀  Brading marsh

White-fronts

Today, 29 white-fronted geese circled Brading marsh.

 

 

 

 

More snow

 

One Pale-bellied brent - Seaview 16th March

 

 

 



Iceland Gull

2nd winter off Seaview esplanade today. Very close in. And probably the 'Selsey' bird?
Temp had dropped again and it was snowing.

 

It's been a good year for Iceland gulls on the IOW. This is probably the sixth one; and the second one I've seen this year.

Culver

Lunchtime, felt spring-like - but for how long?

 

♂Wheatear - probably my first 'proper' spring migrant of the year

 

 

 

 

St Cath's

Sea watch (SSE) 07:00 - 11:00

Fairly busy but lacking variety some what.
Of note (all east bound) :

14 Eider (Flock of 10 ♂ landed; group of 4 [3♂, 1♀] headed east)
41 Red-t-diver
28 common scoter
4 Sandwich tern

 

Eider - good island count

LITTLE BUNTING

Back on March 2nd, when we had some hard weather, a local couple unwittingly took photographs of a bird frequenting and feeding in their (Brading) garden; both unaware and unsure of what it was. Luckily a picture of it was passed on to a birder and subsequently put on social media where it was ID'd. And the rest is history. 
After dipping yesterday (in crappy weather it has to be said) I got up early on a much brighter morning and - as they say - it showed well. Although looking over their fence (even if they didn't mind) seemed a bit odd and intrusive, we saw it on their apple tree and lawn.  
Excellent bird and record: only the second for the island in so many years. Photo (with a chaffinch).

 

 

St Cath's:

 

As it's spring more or less, I thought i'd give the 'point' a go for the first time since new year's day.

Two smart male black redstart seemingly pitched in along the coast, though soon scared off by a roaming dog and disappeared. Not much else on the deck of note (1st wheatear spotted yesterday).

 

On the sea (of note - from about 8am - so latish):

 

Kittiwake 8E

Red-t-diver 3 (2E, 1W landed)

 

 

 

 

 

Early 'lonely' days. But soon they will come.



 

 

 

 



Bittern

Having never photographed one before - I'll take them

Ravens

Hard weather

Casual obs:

Woodcock (flushed)
Snipe (2 seen from the car flying over the road)
Poss Jack too (Private land)