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 sixteen 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: 57 Xbills (N) 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)

Savi's (better-quality recording)

Yesterday evening (May 30th) I returned to see if the Savi's was still there following a week of no further reports of it (the grim weather didn't help); fortunately it was and 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

CASPIAN Gull (Sandown)

Feb 14th: Found a 1st winter Caspo today (around midday) at Sandown Canoe Lake (in brisk easterlies), which didn't linger unfortunately: after bathing/preening for a few minutes or so, it departed westwards (NW/inland). Managed a few record shots (phone/scope). A good bird for the island given the lack of recent records - no doubt overlooked.....

Feb 19th: Sea watch (SCP), 07:25-08:55 [S.E winds]: RTD x31 (including 27E) and one Diver sp, Auk spp x93E, a few gulls etc. And after quite a protracted period of easterlies and chilly temps, it's due to become much milder with southerlies, which could encourage the first early spring migrants to arrive.  

Caspo with a 'classic' look - Sandown - Feb 14th

Woodside beach (Solent) - looking east

The second 1st-winter Caspian Gull of the year at Perelle yesterday. Two days after the first and a different, smarter, bird. @GuernseyBirds pic.twitter.com/uOl09RxBlI

— Wayne Turner (@WayneTurner4) February 11, 2025

Velvet Scoters (Little gull)

Short sea watch at SCP this morning (Feb 6th): bright conditions with NE winds: unsurprisingly quiet save two Velvets (east) at 07:55, something (at least) and quite close in/good scope views... 

I then went over to Western Yar where a (2cy) Little Gull was found a couple of days ago: still there favouring the 'scrape' near Mill Copse. Always nice, and at least the second island LG this winter, on the back of the adult found at Atherfield (Ash Hill Farm) last month. 

Little Gull - Feb 6th - Mill Copse scrape

At least one Spoonbill (distant) - as many as five have been seen this winter.

Western Yar

Back in 2020 - Little Gulls on spring passage (April/south coast)

BN Grebe

Personally, January was some what of a lean month, to say the least...but spring is getting closer...

A Black-necked Grebe was off Ryde Pier with a slav (yesterday/Feb 1st). And DB Brent(s) x300+ along the strandline, though nothing else apparent with them (either PB or Black). A couple of Bearded Tits have been regularly seen at Yarmouth (I haven't been over yet). Otherwise, usual fare it would seem...

WTE flyover - end of Jan

Black Redstart (SCP)

Walked from home (Ventnor) to SCP today (Jan 14th): nearly 10 miles there and back - on a pleasant and slightly milder day. I had Black Redstart in mind and sure enough one was near the lighthouse; my first of the year. Some (perhaps) early signs of spring included a butterfly sp on the wing (may have been a peacock?), hazel catkins, snowdrops etc.

Jan 26th: Post Storm Eowyn (quiet) a.m sea-watch at SCP, (SSE/breezy/F6), 08:00-09:25: could only muster 17 RTD, 22 Kitts, 50 Gannets, a few common gulls and fulmars etc...

 Black Red - SCP - Jan 14th

Ravens - six of seven coasting - Whale Chine 21/01

Humpback sightings continue in Sussex 🐋

Thank you to all those who have been reporting humpback sightings over the last week. This footage, recorded by Stan Coddles on Sunday at Birling Gap shows the Humpback whale pectoral fin slapping, a form of non-verbal communication.

🧵 pic.twitter.com/S5UtKS4daU

— Sussex Dolphin Project 🐬 (@SussexDolphin) January 13, 2025

Drake Lesser Scaup at Longham Lakes this afternoon showing well in poor light. @DorsetBirdClub pic.twitter.com/WydAQGZmnw

— Mike Gibbons (@cloudedyellows) January 17, 2025

Sea watch (& Purple sand)

Chilly start to the year with temps just above freezing since the beginning of January. 

The winds swung due East today (Jan 10th). A morning sea watch (07:55-09:25) at SCP produced a few bits (light winds/overcast): a single BT Diver (E. at 08:16), 12 RTD, Common Scoter, 169 auk sp (west) etc. 

Later on I came upon a lone Purple Sandpiper near Wheelers Bay - showing well (with Andy). 

Wheelers Bay - Ventnor

Green Sandpiper (record shots) - Bathingbourne Res - Jan 12th

Purple Sands (Ventnor)

Today was another fine sunny and crisp day. Bumped into Andy B along Wheelers Bay who told me he'd seen three Purple Sandpipers further along towards Ventnor Esplanade: after he grabbed his camera from home I tagged along: sure enough we found two near the Esplanade car park. Up to four have been along this stretch of coast since (at least) just before Christmas day; a high count for Ventnor. 

One right below us (Ventnor) - very active (feeding) and seemingly unbothered by the attention - Jan 3rd.

(female) Kingfisher - Bembridge Harbour - 03/01

(1st winter) LBB Gull - Sandown Canoe Lake - 08/01

Cropped image of the LESSER YELLOWLEGS at Pennington Marshes, Hampshire.
Original photo by Jeremy MCclemen, pic.twitter.com/LMYyYNmJVm

— MarcM381 (@aquilabirding) January 6, 2025