2021

A look back:

Spring was (personally speaking) pretty unremarkable. Though perhaps, one got away: in the form of an in off pipit at SCP calling, sounded interesting....but fleeting..

Summer trip to Scotland, August 16th - August 24th, highlights being a Long-tailed Skua (Ferryhills/Forth), Roseate Tern(s) at Burntisland, a Sabine's Gull (adult) plus an in/off Wood Sandpiper (calling) at Fifeness; all enjoyed and experienced with my brother Graham - very memorable.  

IOW autumn migration highlights included the twitch-able Greenish warbler at Haddon's Pits on September 3rd. Two Honey Buzzards over Ventnor Downs on two separate dates Sept 6th and Sept 17th (the latter single a Male bird). A spell of Balearic Shearwaters in numbers by Ventnor/SCP plus a Sooty Shearwater (Sept 28th). Late Autumn vis-mig atop Ventnor Downs included a Snow Bunting (vocal, trying to settle, on Nov 5th) and a flyover Hawfinch (Nov 10th); both of which were sound recorded on my new (purchased last summer) recording set up, a Dodotronic parabola and mic combo.

Year's end

2021 closing out....

Seaview: mild, blustery westerlies...

Red-necked Grebe x1 and 2x Slavs (Dec 29th).

Up to 11 Glossy Ibis at Brading Marsh (reported).

Ringed GBB (1st Winter) but code obscured - green left tarsus and metal on right. Sandown canoe lake on 28th.

GND and RNG (Gulls, Adult and 2cy Yellow-Legged, Scandi)

Seaview has been productive: Slavs, Red-necked Grebe, GN Divers (x3) etc.

Sandown Canoe Lake: adult Yellow-legged gull and scandi/argie type herrings of note. 

Adult Yellow-legged at Sandown on December 15th.

2nd Winter Yellow-legged at the same site on 17th:

Argie/Scandinavian Herring Gull:

Darker mantle/heavy streaking/'fierce' expression.

Wing pattern:

Extensive white on P10, obvious greyish 'tongues' extending into the black.

GBB:

1st Winter GBB

Grebes

 Seaview 11/12/21: GND, Slav, Razorbill, Sarnies, C.Scoter (plus a duck sp)....

Pale-bellied (Dec)

Ryde Pier: plus 350 DB brents 

From last year: WTE at Ventnor, November?

Water Pipit - Brading Marsh

29/11/2021

Brading Marsh: Water Pipit, Great White Egret x2

Seaview: Sandwich Tern [x5 West]

Nov Vis Mig

Progressively and noticeably quieter; diminishing returns...

Odd Brambling, siskin etc... Late-ish Swallow on November 17th, Thrushes in healthy numbers....

Looking north from Nansen Hill; settled and reasonably mild temps..

November (vis mig HAWFINCH)

Bonchurch Down: overcast, SW, mild, some rain. 

The highlight was a Hawfinch (flyover) seen/heard/sound recorded at 08:12 on November 10th; it offered great views as it flew right over myself and the recorder, almost stalling for a bit mid flight before continuing on Westwards towards Ventnor. Plus movements of Brambling (10+), Siskin, Chaffinch etc....

jonspar · Hawfinch20211110

November Vis (Snow Bunting)

Highlights:

Luccombe Down: Short-eared Owl, Woodlark, and Golden Plover on November 2nd. A Snow Bunting on November 5th, initially seen in the (now disused) end car park; flushed and circled round; persistently disturbed by dog walkers. Plus the usual fare including Brambling, Redpoll, and Siskin. Woodpigeons [1654] on November 2nd. 

Snow Bunting - sono

October Vis

1 x Tree Pipit (late bird) 11/10/2021

Brambling 11/10/2021

 

Rouzel and Noc thrushes

Overnight noc mig, 06/10 - 07/10, included a movement of Redwing (1st of the autumn) and Song Thrush. 

Morning foggy conditions produced precious little atop Ventnor Downs save a Ring Ouzel, also a first for the autumn.  

September Shearwaters

Shearwater influx along the south coast. Winds: SSW/F7 gusting. 28/09/2021.

A quick look off Ventnor 7am: 1 Arctic Skua and two Balearic Shearwaters. West.

Then moved onto SCP (8am), met Derek there (he'd already had a few Balearics before 9am) and had a total of 17 (west) by 10:15, including a flock of five, close in. 

Back to SCP later on, afternoon, 14:45 - 17:00, and one Sooty Shearwater and two more Balearics went by west. Nick had three sootys at Ventnor (28th) and one on 30th. 

Blast....2013

Blast from the past..looking through old photos..

Rosy starling at SCP, September 24th 2013....

Photo by Graham Sparshott - 24/09/2013

Honey

Ventnor Downs 07:00 - 12:00 

Southerlies and broken cloud; became more overcast by lunchtime. 

Highlight from the 'raptor' mound watchpoint: ad male Honey Buzzard at 09:35, my second HB of the year/autumn; picked it up over the east corner of the Radar station compound; carried on eastwards and circled; left southwards. Vis mig included 1000's of hirundines (in every direction), one tree pipit, two grey wagtails, a couple of hundred mipits (some grounded near the old car park), and a wheatear.

Photo by Derek Hale - departing adult male Honey Buzzard

 

YL Gull

Fort Victoria 14/09

Visited Fort Vic in the morning as the wind direction was ENE; had terns in mind; but was quiet in that respect. A 1st winter Yellow-legged was at least something to admire; seen to leave over Solent waters in a westerly direction.

Yellow-legged Gull comparison with Herring 

Cone Head on Bonchurch Down 13/09

HB Ventnor Downs

September 6th:

Ventnor Downs highlight was a Honey Buzzard south over Luccombe Down and Bonchurch Down past the radar station at 11:45am; seen with Neil & Perry, from the 'raptor mound'. Also southbound Marsh Harriers (x3) including one male as well as at least 10 Tree Pipits etc. Nick had a Wryneck near Coombe Bottom too later in the day. [Light ESE winds, bright & sunny, 18c].

Noc

Back in August I purchased some new equipment:

Sabine's Gull (Fife Ness)

Fife Ness, Scotland:

22/08/2021

Twitch and sea watch with Graham.

Adult. With Kittiwakes - xema sabini 

Scotland 21

Holiday: August 16th - August 23rd

16th/17th; Lancashire overnight (Warrington/Formby Point - dipped Elegant Tern). Many sarnies and Arctic Skuas on the beach. 

17th; Inverkeithing. 

18th: FerryHills (Vis mig) with Graham & Derek: three Artcic Skuas, tree pipits etc. 

19th: Ferryhills (Vis mig) with Graham; highlight a Long tailed Skua. Also Tree Sparrows.

20th: Dunkeld (Tay Forest/Pine cone viewpoint); M90/A9. Crossbill (singing) and Nutchatch etc. Osprey. 

21st: Kinghorn and Burntisland; Roseate Terns (adult 3 and 2 juvs) and juv Arctic Tern; Arctic skuas etc. 

22nd: Fife Ness: Sabine's Gull [ad], close in and flight; in off Wood Sandpiper (calling!); Little Gull juvs x2, Bonxie and manx etc...

Roseate(s) on the 21st

And juv Arctic Tern 

Med and LBB

 More juvs...Ryde sands

With BHG juv

LBB juvenile - Ryde Sands

Yellow legged gull

 Juvenile at Sandown (beach) on 23rd and 27th.