Bee-eater (Ventnor area)

My early morning local stroll today produced a vocal (heard only) Bee-eater at 06:58; after arriving at the top of the hill near Luccombe Down (very top fence line) I suddenly heard it (or perhaps them?) and the calls became progressively louder: so perhaps heading east? Despite a thorough scan to the south of me, over Leeson Road etc, I did not see it/them at all; with some mist over the downs presumably it was keeping lower down towards the clearer coast line. Nice to hear even if very brief. [Half-a-dozen to ten calls heard in total; sound recorded the last two]. 

Also: a vocal Cuckoo in Luccombe Copse; the third or fourth migrant bird to drop into the area this spring. [SSE light winds at the mo].

19/05: Haddon's Pits: Siskin. And Willow Warbler (vocal) Luccombe Village. First Glanville enroute. 

20/05: Reed Warbler x1 seen (Luccombe) and Tree Pipit (over) Luccombe Down, A.M

25/05: My first Hummingbird hawk-moth of the season, Leeson Road, Bonchurch. [Bird migration tailed off somewhat...]

My first Bee-eater since 2022 (Sept 15th) when one went over Luccumbe Down.

 

Extremely! brief recording of the calling Bee-eater.

Common Cuckoo (plus Blackcap & LT Tit etc) - Luccombe Copse - 17/05

Spot FC - 23/05

Orchids - Common spotted and Bee

After spending time in East Anglia earlier in the year, G625, the 2023 wild-fledged English White-tailed Eagle, has flown north to the Cairngorms.
Here's an update on his explorations by @timmackrill: https://t.co/7wn8DIU26j@SeaEagleEngland
Photo: Ben Brown pic.twitter.com/aq14sgkqVk

— Roy Dennis Foundation (@RoyDennisWF) May 23, 2024

Excellent views of the two Bee-eaters at ARC, Dungeness today pic.twitter.com/a16nzBNRZ6

— David Scott (@BirdingDave) May 31, 2024

After spending time in East Anglia earlier in the year, G625, the 2023 wild-fledged English White-tailed Eagle, has flown north to the Cairngorms.
Here's an update on his explorations by @timmackrill: https://t.co/7wn8DIU26j@SeaEagleEngland
Photo: Ben Brown pic.twitter.com/aq14sgkqVk

— Roy Dennis Foundation (@RoyDennisWF) May 23, 2024