SCP sea watches (Ventnor Shorty)

Breezy SW winds, overcast and drizzle at times, brought the mipits down low enough to see going over Ventnor Downs today. Made counting them easier, though movements were on a broad front, it didn't take long to get to an estimated c300 (in just over 1hrs obs) piling through Northwards. 

Also, first Willow Warbler in Coombe Bottom today. Couple of Sikins over. 

Ventnor Downs, 21/03: Brambling alighted a tree before leaving northwards, and Siskin (over).

SCP, Sea watch, 25/03, 06:00-10:30, south/SE winds (with several local watchers): eastward passage:

DB Brent 144, Gannet 93, RT Diver 9, C.scoter 66, Shoveler 4, Teal 10, Kittiwake 22, Sandwich Tern 12 etc....

SCP, Sea watch, 27/03, 06:00-09:25, due south to ssw winds, cool temps (with several local watchers): eastward passage:

BT Diver 1 (08:03), RT Diver 12, Arctic Skua 4 (two yesterday were the first), Manxies 3 (first of the spring), C. Scoter 45, Eider 4, Kittiwake 252 (most on a distant line), Gannet 178, S. Tern 17, DB Brent 36...etc....

SCP, Sea watch, 28/03, 06:00-08:50, SSW, (with OD & IMR): east movements:

Arctic Skua 3, RT Diver 6, S. Tern 1, Brent 28, Kittiwake 36, C. Scoter 47, Manx 1, Fulmar 5, Common Gull 8 etc....(Probable Bonxie and Whimbrel/Curlew). 

Ventnor Downs, 30/03, 11:30am: Easter weekend: sunny, winds going SE/E:

Short-eared Owl x1, Red Kite, Snipe x5 (notable), Siskin.

SCP, sea watch, 31/03, 06:35-10:40, Easter Sunday, E/ENE winds, overcast, with several local watchers:

A pretty good mix, eastwards: BT Diver 1 (photographed by Derek), RT Diver 5, C. Scoter 416, Little Gull 1, Shoveler 12, Barwit 20 (flock), Whimbrel 1, Shelduck 4, Oystercatcher 1, DB Brent 60, Sandwich Tern 39.. Etc...Linnets and chiffs in off.. And Ian R stayed on till midday adding an Arctic Skua and a Velvet Scoter.

SEO - Ventnor Downs 30/03 - first one for me since last autumn

Derek's BT Diver photograph, passed by east just after 8am, sea watch at SCP, 31/03 (DBH/IOW sightings website)

Spring (Brambling)

Sea watch(s). Quiet but not completely dead; some signs of spring..

SCP, sea watch, 06:45-09:00, 04/03:

Heading Eastwards: 68 Kittiwake, 22 Meds, 1 Shelduck, 2 Oystercatcher, 3 RT Divers, 8 Scoter, 60 Gannets...

A White-tailed Eagle appeared over Knowles Farm around 8:30 and carried on east towards Niton/Undercliff. First south coast one I've seen in a while.

Luccombe Down, 06/03, 7am: a lone Brambling (over east calling), Skylark 2E, a few mipits (south east winds)...

[Forecast is for Easterlies mid week onwards...]

Sea watch, SCP, 07/03, 06:30-09:15, with GAH and DBH:

East winds. East movements: Pintail 2, Shoveler 4, Teal 8, Duck sp 6, C.Scoter 19, DB Brent 56, RT Diver 5, LBB 3, GBB 9, Common Gull 14, BH gull 3, Little Egret 1. Plus a couple of alba wags, chiffs in off, and a few mipits, northwards.

Sea watch, SCP, 08/09, 06:25-08:15, (East winds):

East: Pintail 10 (mf), Teal 3on then east, C.Scoter 8, Mallard 2, RT Diver 1, GC Grebe 1, Med Gull 2, Common Gull 4, Mipit c75 (min) in off low and north. 

Sea watch, SCP, 09/03, 06:20-10:30 (Easterlies), with SS, IMR, OD:

East: DB Brent 135, Pintail, Teal 2, C. Scoter 24 (plus a duck sp?), RT Diver 19, Shelduck, LBB Gull 5, GBB Gull 16. Two Turnstone along the shore. 

Vis mig, Luccombe Down, 11/03, 10:00-11:15, light NW winds, overcast:

Highlight was 234 Chaffinchs over North/NE. Chiffchaffs arriving. Redwing x 33. 

[Following Easterlies, winds variable; but generally now south/SW, breezy at times, getting gradually milder].

Sea watch, Ventnor, 13/03, quiet, onshore winds: RT Diver 7e, C.Scoter 3w

Vis mig, Luccombe Down, 14/03, southerlies, 06:45-08:30, another Brambling over, Crossbill 2, and Siskin heard. A WT Eagle flew over (07:15) and carried on west towards the undercliff. Mipits trickling northbound.....Elsewhere, the first Wheatears have arrived on a typical date: WHD, Culver, SCP etc.

Teal on sea - St Cath's - before leaving eastwards. March 8th.

Following a very wet and dank Feb, nice to see some sun atop Ventnor Downs, if a touch chilly - March 3rd.