Visiting brother (end of September)

Graham visited the island September 22nd - September 25th, so a shortish visit, but as ever, we maximised the time spent out in the field. 

Day 1 (Monday): an afternoon visit to Luccombe Down and Farm showing Graham my local 'haunts'. Day 2 (Tuesday): an early morning vis mig session at Whale Chine: the hirundine passage was impressive with an estimate of 20,000 swallows and House Martins moving eastwards along the coast. A Merlin was hunting over the nearby fields too. Later on, midday we tried WHD for migrant raptors, but only the locals put on a show including a Red Kite. Day 3 (Wednesday): another vis session on Luccombe Down; plus grounded migrants included two Groppers. Final day, day 4 (Thursday), we went back to WHD, and the highlights there were a male Ring Ouzel and 250 siskins east. However, for Graham at least (we'd parted ways at WHD!), the overall highlight during his afternoon visit to SCP was a Wryneck near Watershoot Bay, which stayed for a couple of days at least, so many got to see it too. A pleasant time and got lucky with the weather (bright/North Easterlies). 

Prior to Graham coming down, some raptor watches atop Luccombe Down in conducive conditions produced very little other than an Osprey back on September 21st. Plus, singles of hobby knocking about or heading through. 

IOW Trip 22/9-25/9 The best was saved to last, literally, in my last few hours spent at St Catherines Point, one of my favourite Island spots. I almost stepped on a cracking Wryneck which proceeded to give great views. Two Juv Hobby hawking insects added to a nice finish to the week.

[image or embed]

— Graham Sparshott (@fifevismig.bsky.social) September 27, 2025 at 8:48 PM

Kingfisher - exceptional views at Hersey NR - Sept 24th

Not often you get out of your car and are immediately greeted by a Pied Fly - Nansen Hill - September 21st

Grey Phalarope

A couple of days ago, a Grey Phal was found at Sandown Canoe Lake, which fortunately is lingering and I caught up with it today (Sept 18th); on the back of one at Hersey NR earlier this month.....

KENTISH PLOVER

Not a bad morning of local twitching:

Top find by Richard Barnard yesterday evening at Foreland and still present this morning - 29/08

Bonus Yellow-legged Gull nearby (in flight by DBH) - Foreland - 29/08

Looking south at Foreland - where the Kentish was before it was flushed by a dog

Enroute to Foreland - Ruff still present at Sandown Canoe Lake - 29/08

Pied Fly

Luccombe Down: Pied Fly x2 this morning (Aug 11th); a few more tree pips seen/heard including three northwards...The spell of settled weather continues with fairly high temps. 

Green Sand - Sandown Canoe Lake - Aug 18th

Tree Pipits etc

Nansen Hill/Luccombe Down: Tree pips are starting to increase, going over and/or grounded. Still a few Xbills (11 this morning/Aug 7th) but not as many as last week. Willow Warblers aplenty. Swifts and sand martins etc....

Green Sandpiper went over Nansen calling on Aug 10th, same date and location as one a year ago...

Nansen Hill - couple of grounded Tree Pips - August 7th

Juvenile and adult LBB gulls - Shanklin Esplanade - August 4th

Pied Fly & Tree Pipit (Xbills)

Luccombe Down and Nansen Hill this morning (July 26th): First Pied Flycatcher of the autumn and 188 Xbills (most over but some landed). Willow Warblers have suddenly increased (30+)...

July 28th (A.M): single Tree Pipit (calling) flew north; first of autumn; seen with Steve and Andrew. Plus, xbills (c100) etc. 

A sight and sound I'm yet to get bored of!

Crossbills (more counts)

Nansen Hill/Luccombe Down (this morning, July 21st, 06:45am onwards): c90 Xbills over (most North). Mark had 150+ at nearby Haddon's Pits over a similar time period. Also, a Sedge Warbler calling and seen; and c50 Swifts milling about. Some signs of early autumn migration. 

My first (juv) Yellow-legged Gull (SCP sea watch) back on July 7th. 

Interesting location: Common Sandpiper - Ryde Canoe Lake - July 15th

Crossbills (Parakeet)

Recent Xbill counts: 59 (North) over Haddon's Pits yesterday (July 3rd) and 51 (various directions) over Luccombe Down/Nansen Hill this morning (July 4th). Plus, a few Siskin starting to appear. Otherwise, pretty quiet for me of late - but proper autumn migration isn't far off now....

An odd 'Island tick' for me came in the form of a Ring-necked Parakeet heard (calling) at a Ryde location not far from Appley on July 2nd. Local IOW sightings of this species have increased in recent years it would seem. 

Painted Lady - Nansen Hill - July 4th

Haddon's Pits - July 3rd

Crossbills (LEOs Nightjar & RV Darter)

Evidently going to be a Crossbill year with more this morning (June 4th), either perched or on the move. At least 16 at Luccombe Village including 10+ that landed on a pine tree in a garden before leaving southwards. Evening-time: at least two juv LEO begging and Nightjar heard. 

June 8th: x57 Xbills (North) Nansen/Luccombe. Also, a male Red-veined Darter on Nansen Hill.

Xbills calling

Nightjar and LEO juvs not far from home (June 4th)

Golden-ringed Dragonfly - Luccombe Farm (June 9th)

Small Tortoiseshell - Dunnose (June 15th)

Savi's (better-quality recording)

Following a week of no further reports of the Savi's (the grim weather had not helped), yesterday evening (May 30th) I returned to see if it was still there; fortunately it was in much improved conditions:

SAVI'S Warbler (reeling)

Yesterday evening (May 23rd) I could hear a SAVI'S Warbler, albeit distantly in breezy conditions and somewhat drowned out by the din of geese etc. I missed the last one (2020?). I managed to get a low quality sound recording of this one at least. Not seen. 

Xbill movements are increasing with c25 west (May 26th) over Ventnor: Nansen Hill (5) & and Leeson Road (c12); and Nick had x8 along the coast. 

Brading Marsh from Bembridge windmill

Luccombe Chine from Bonchurch Road

Barn Owl whilst walking home 

Savi's warbler
Scientific name: Locustella luscinioides
Savi's warbler is a species in grass warbler genus Locustella. It breeds in Europe and western Palearctic. The common name of this bird recognises Italian ornithologist Paolo Savi, the author of "Ornitologia Toscana".… pic.twitter.com/d8PrdvXcVe

— The feathers (@birdd111) March 28, 2025

THRUSH Nightingale (quite possibly?!)

This morning (May 22nd) a head wind dropped a couple of things near Luccombe Chine: a Reed warbler and this Nightingale singing away in some scrub: after a recording of its song was widely shared (and debated) it came to light it was likely a much rarer Thrush Nightingale! aka 'sprosser'. I'd messaged Mark B at nearby Haddon's Pits and we'd got to within a couple of meters of it....The Island's first (I believe) if accepted.

Thrush Nightingales are barely annual in Oslo although small numbers are regular nearby. A pair did breed last year and a male is back singing in the exact same spot. Hopefully a mate will turn up again this year. pic.twitter.com/r512ZzUtnH

— Simon Rix (@si_rix) May 15, 2025

Woodchat Shrike (twitch) Brading Marsh

A Woodchat Shrike was found yesterday (May 15th) at Fatting Marsh just to the south of Brading Marsh. However, early this morning (May 16th) it couldn't be found in that specific area, but luckily, it was seen again at the northern end of the marsh near Bembridge Ponds - and I got to see it around midday. My first since the 2017 bird at the relatively nearby New Bridge Pools (Carpenters Farm area). Also, a Hobby and Marsh Harrier seen. Otherwise: the odd Crossbill and a few hirundines have gone over (Haddon's Pits yesterday) and x8 Crossbill over Nansen Hill on May 18th. 

Unmistakable - at times showed better than my record shots might suggest! and at its closest only a few meters away. 

Painted Lady Luccombe Farm May 20th

Meanwhile in Hampshire:

Hudsonian Godwit-ad female-Titchfield Haven NR, Hants,GR8 find by @MarkFra64259515 & the first for the home county,really enjoyed this bird,even though I found the first for Portugal with @PeterAlfrey Terceira, Azores-July 2007 & seen on the nest in Churchill, CA this was class! pic.twitter.com/bCeagIVDSt

— Wader-World 🌍 (@Waderworld1) May 17, 2025

Golden Oriole (Bembridge Airfield)

I covered some ground today (May 14th) on a pleasant sunny morning - Bembridge Windmill to Laundry Lane via the 'old sea wall' (Brading Marsh & New Bridge) - and back again. Whilst crossing the airfield on my way back at around 10:25am I heard this Golden Oriole singing and calling from the trees near Brading Marsh. It was vocal for a good half an hour or so (not seen), with an accompanying Blackbird and Cuckoo (background). 

Great Egret - quite a scarcity a decade or so ago - but now resident 

Good numbers of Glanville seen - Ventnor Downs - May 15th

Couple of Painted Ladies - SCP lighthouse wall - May 10th (evening)

BB Chaser - Corner Cottage (Luccombe Down)

Barwit evening (SCP)

April 25th: St Cath's sea watch (17:15 - 20:00): as the easterly winds had swung more south during the afternoon I gave the point a go: Barwits dominated with 759 east; combined with 470 recorded in the morning, 1229 was the day total. (NB Dungeness recorded 3000+). Always a great spring-time spectacle. Also: 44 Whimbrel, 2 Arctic Skuas, 5 Manx, 12 scoter, 11 Kittiwakes, 1 RTD, 6 Sarnies etc. The land remains very quiet tho.....

Garden Warbler - Haddon's Pits - April 27th

Pied fly (Ring ouzel & Gropper)

A bit of a slow start to my spring birding campaign; work stuff getting in the way; but hey/ho that's life. Plus, the recent successive (seemingly endless) run of bright easterlies maybe not so great for the patch. I managed to dip an Alpine Accentor at Gore Cliff back on April 5th: an exceptional rarity found by Graham A. and the Island's second record. The next morning (April 6th) it was not seen again; but we did see an in off male Pied Flycatcher fly past us after coming up and over the cliff. Plus, an equally smart male Black Red in the spot the accentor would have been. 

April 15th (conditions have changed): Luccombe area (including Village and Farm etc) yielded a flyover Yellow Wag, reeling Gropper, Sedge warbler, and Ring Ouzel (of note). Whitethroats are back on territory singing away...

April 23rd: Gropper (Nansen Hill) & Sedge Warbler (Haddon's Pits). 

Gore Cliff - where the Alpine Accentor was on April 5th

Grey Heron - just below the lighthouse (St Cath's)

Island Tick

April 1st/Tennyson Down: came upon a Large Tortoiseshell along the footpath west of the 'quarry' NT car park. Initially very settled affording decent views in the bright sunshine - but seen to fly off, away from and then back past me as it headed up the slopes. A first for me but had been on my radar for some time and they're recorded annually on the Island (albeit small numbers). 

April 2nd/SCP/Sea watch (with George H): some variety and numbers (Easterlies/ENE) mainly ducks: another good push of Scoters (403), Gadwall 2 (irregular here), Eider 3 (2m/1f), pintail, teal, c40 S.Tern, Jackdaw 2 (seen way out at sea before arriving over land), steady mipits, white wagtail and swallows in off. 

Bee-fly on primrose - Luccombe Down

Haddon's Pits 

SCP (Scoters, Little Gulls, swallow etc)

SCP March 20th: easterlies (due east, slight se), bright, milder. Sea watch 06:30-10:30 with Steve S & George H: productive session with decent totals and variety (east): C. Scoter 827, DB Brent 230, Shoveler 61, Shelduck 3, Pintail 7, Avocet 1, Little Gull 19, Sarnies 18, Arctic Skua, Mute Swan (west/unusual at SCP), Cormorant 5 (in off), and some waders (curlew, grey plover) etc. An early, and first of the season, Swallow in off. Lepidoptera: a Brimstone on the wing near Knowles Farm. 

Luccombe Down March 21st: overcast, ESE. Brief visit/7am: Black Redstart (fem type, calling), and c40 Starlings east. 

Wheatear (male) and a Yellow Wagtail sp (heard only) over on March 25th (foggy morning/conditions then clear); latter could well have been Blue-headed given the south coast influx including two at Brading Marsh on 24th. 

Blackcap - Nansen Hill - March 23rd

WT Eagle (mobbed by Herring Gulls) - Haddon's Pits

Green Tiger Beetle - Luccombe Down - March 31st

Harrier (St Cath's)

March 18th: SCP sea watch with George H (06:30-09:30). Breezy Easterlies (due east), bright. 

Moving east: 91 Common scoter, 54 DB Brents, 14 LBBs etc. A Marsh Harrier (in off), initially picked up a fair way out at sea, made land at 09:13; a cracking adult male to boot! 

Watershoot Bay/Rocken End - looking West - where the Marsh Harrier arrived.

SCP (Skua, Velvets etc)

Wheelers Bay Ventnor: (fem type) Black Redstart on March 5th. 

SCP (St Cath's):

Sat March 8th: morning sea watch with George H [06:40-08:50]. Easterlies (ESE). Given it's early March, there was enough to keep us interested with a few highlights: an Arctic Skua east (by date early in the season), as well as three Velvet Scoters (with a scoter flock), a mixture of ducks (100+ scoter, Pintail, teal etc). LBB gulls. In off mipits etc. Number-wise somewhat paltry compared to Dunge?! but enjoyable all the same.  

Sun March 9th: similar conditions (easterlies): SCP [06:40-09:35] with George (then Ollie): slow going, but some things moving eastwards: C.Scoter 26, LBB 10, Shoveler 7E, RTD 12E/2on, Common Gull 13, etc. Mipits in-off c60, a few alba/pied wags including a good candidate for White Wagtail (coasting low and east). My first singing Chiffchaff. 

Ventnor: Hummingbird hawk-moth on March 10th (and chiff calling over Leeson Road).  

SCP

Looking west - nr Atherfield Point

Mind boggling Pintail numbers!!! Full totals ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/fqG5Avaug1

— Dungeness Bird Observatory (@DungenessBO) March 7, 2025

End of Feb

Nice spell of weather at the moment. Spring like with cool temps...see what March brings...(A Siskin over Nansen Hill on Feb 27th).

St. Lawrence 

Orchard Bay

Much in song including this firecrest (a ubiquitous species nowadays)

A Black-throated thrush found in nearby Hants (I've not been over to see yet) brought back memories of the Whipsnade Zoo individual I did see (and photographed) back in January 2020