Scotland hols [RL Buzzard at Stainforth]

Trip up North, December - Jan.

24th: en route stopped at Stainforth/S.Yorkshire to see the Rough-legged buzzard.

26th: sea watch with my brother off Kinghorn/Fife included Long-tailed ducks.

28th: drake smew at Cameron Reservoir/Fife.

Also: decent numbers of goosanders, whoopers, crossbills etc. A dipper heard singing. And argentatus gulls.

Hatfield colliery tip South Yorkshire

 'Scandinavian' herring gull showing a darker mantle etc.

 Cameron reservoir Fife

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December

Not much of note lately; plus various hindrances have precluded me from doing much, one of which was a computer dying on me. A Black red at Chale on a pleasant day recently.  

Exploring

Wood pigeons

Big movements today and the island had a taste with tens of thousands moving along the south coast. Mark was watching from Blackgang and had undoubtedly the lion's share with 24,260 from the West/moving E/then SW and (presumably most) out to sea. Meanwhile, from a different position we only picked up c2000 moving ENE over Ventnor Town; although later on into the session I did notice a flock u-turn and head SW; it's also interesting that that probably coincided with a complete flip in the wind direction from NNE to south - perhaps influencing things.

The mystery of where do they go? Both vis mig watches were fairly synchronised and time-wise of similar lengths - and it's generally considered they don't cross the channel (no obvious spring migration and an autumn Westerly bias). So presumably the majority headed back West.   

  

St. Boniface

100's of woodpigs on the move over Ventnor Downs today (28th): ended up with c1800 east (NE) over Bonchurch Down; a reasonable island count of late.
On the 26th: a sooty shearwater went by west during a morning sea watch from La Falaise (strong southerlies); however, fellow local birder Nick - watching from a bit further east of me - had a swift sp. in off that was likely a 'Pallid' that went off east (NE).

30th: this snow bunting has been on Bembridge Down for a few days now.

SCP (Bat, Merlin, Dolphins)

I covered some ground this morning: from Castlehaven to Rocken End, everything in between, plus the Old Blackgang Rd..The highlight was an obvious arrival of black redstarts around the lighthouse, an arrival which had happened at other coastal hot spots along the south today. Otherwise it was fairly pedestrian, both vis mig and the bushes (though an increase in robin etc.). At least the wind has gone east for a change.

Another memorable moment (certainly something you don't see every day) came when I was watching a pod of Bottlenose dolphins pass by east. What followed was an interesting sequence of events: I picked up an inbound bat sp. over the sea (that must have passed right over the dolphins) and watched it progress towards the coastline - when seemingly out of nowhere a merlin went out to greet it. Although the melee was sometimes obscured and out of sight, from what I could tell the bat got away alive.

Near Watershoot Bay: In coming bat meets a merlin...

At least six in the area.

  

Buzzard

Outside my window/across the road - phone scoped.

At times this jackdaw looked almost 'eastern' but wasn't dark enough.   

My first fieldfare of the autumn dropped in on Bonchurch down. Other thrushes were noticeable including double-figures of blackbirds. 

Vis

Busy morning today on Luccombe (Ventnor Downs): mipits, chaffinches, skylarks etc. dominated.

 Ring ouzel flock alighted.

Couple of GS woodpeckers went over.

 Beginnings of a waterspout - but it didn't develop beyond this 'spiral pattern'.

October

With much talk and anticipation of American vagrants hitting our shores (aside from where they have already scored this autumn: Ireland, Isles of Scilly etc), coming upon this one wasn't quite what I had in mind/weird coincidence:

Weekend

A few things seen over the weekend.

Goldcrest numbers have increased locally. Firecrest too - though this one appeared to be one of the young ones lingering in its usual area. And this morning a merlin went over Bonchurch Down.

October

The Atlantic weather systems continue to dominate proceedings. Though in between there have been lulls and changes in the wind direction - it's often short lived. (Seeing other sites score Yank birds gives hope of finding something on the back of these westerlies).

On the 2nd: Vis mig at SCP included a movement of c8000 House Martins (counted with Mark B) [Northerlies]. 

3rd: Complete switch with southerlies and quieter; but plenty of chiffs.

 Snipe flushed at SCP (02/10)

 Today: nearly every bush contained chiffs.

 If you ever want a beach all to yourself....

If you ever want a rocky headland all to yourself..

 Gannets and gulls out in Chale Bay.

Sea watch

The strong westerlies (WSW/F6-7) continue to pummel the south coastline. A morning sea watch from La Falaise was interesting enough with quite a few balearics passing by: at least eight, plus another three distant shearwater sp that were more than likely of the same ilk. A few auks and terns too; and mipits were over the sea trickling through, plus a few hirundines etc.

Sooty shearwater

Sea watch from La Falaise (Ventnor) 7am - 9:15am: strong southerlies [F6-7] and rain. Very quiet up until one sooty went by west.

Record shot - but its distinct shape is at least apparent - with a bit of imagination.

Sprawk over St. Boniface

Sky high spoonbills

Just after 9:30 two came over Ventnor Downs at extreme height. And both were headed on a southward line and moving at some rate - no doubt aided by the tail winds. [Clear skies/ENE/breezy F4].

Practising digi-scoping with my new scope - bear in mind: v windy and through glass; no adapter used and no post editing. The buddleia attracted three painted lady and a hummingbird hawkmoth.

21/09: an obvious increase in stonechat near the south fence line (St. Boniface)