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.