Honey Buzzard

After missing a couple of autumn HBs (so far) over Luccombe/Ventnor Downs, it was nice to get one Honey B today (Sept 4th) over the downs. Watching with Neil, we picked it up at around 11:50am just to North of us, high-up and seen to circle for a time before making its way south-west passed the Radar Station towards St Lawrence. The local common buzzards were also out in force with at least 12 airborne and seen at any one time; plus sprawks etc. And very early on this morning a Falcon sp, perhaps a hobby, was seen heading on similar line to the honey. [Conditions were light North winds and broken clouds]. Also: hirundines aplenty/c100, Tree Pipits 10+ over, a few Grey wagtails etc. A female/juv Marsh Harrier over the downs midday back on Sept 1st; same day the lads had a honey as well. Plus, an interesting 2nd-hand report of a Hoopoe seen in nearby Coombe Bottom on Aug 29th. 

Luccombe Down

Hornet mimic hoverfly

100s/1000s of House Martins Whale Chine to Atherfield (17/09)

Atherfield Point and Cottages 17/09

Looking towards St. Catherine's Hill at sunrise

Sea watch - Sooty & Balearics

SCP (St Cath's Lighthouse):

Late afternoon/early evening (Aug 22nd), 15:50 - 18:40, blustery SW and drizzly conditions (Storm Lilian).

An intermittently interesting sea-watch at the 'point' with a single Sooty Shearwater (at 18:15) and Balearics x3 singles (West). Also, a few passing Manx and Kittiwakes x11. Etc. 

Otherwise, Tree Pipits have been steadily going over my usual Ventnor Downs site most recent mornings. 

28/08: Luccumbe Down: Tree Pipit x32 over (noteworthy morning count), Yellow Wag x6, Pied Flycatcher x1, Spot FC x3.

Great Green Bush-cricket Tettigonia viridissima - Ventnor (24/08)

  

Tree Pipits and Pied Fly (etc)

First half of August:

Sunday (Aug 4th) the more productive day so far. First tree pipits went over.

Luccombe Down: Tree Pipit x5 

Gropper (Nansen Hill)

Luccombe Farm area: c30 Willow Warblers (collective total). Spot FC x1.

And heading home via Bonchurch Down there was one Cuckoo on the slopes. 

Saturday 10th, Nansen Hill, AM: my first autumn Pied Fly, Spot FC, WWs c10, Siskin, and a flyover Green Sandpiper (calling/sound recorded); the latter being a site first for me. PM: met Neil atop Luccombe Down - but seemed quieter (breezy westerly). Wheatear, Swifts c20 overhead, hirundines including a few Smartins, etc.

Tuesday 13th, 06:15-08:15, Nansen Hill/Luccombe Down: Tree Pipits x26 (south/sw), Yellow Wags x5 (N/ENE), Green Sandpiper over at 06:26, c15 Willow Warbler, steady trickle of hirundines (mostly swallow), etc. 

My first autumn Pied Flycatcher (record shot) - Nansen Hill - 10/08

We are delighted to report that two White-tailed Eagle chicks have fledged from a nest in Southern England this summer. This is the second year that the adult birds have bred successfully.

Read more on our website here: https://t.co/WkuxLETjNn@SeaEagleEngland @ForestryEngland pic.twitter.com/Y0qfQ4HFY5

— Roy Dennis Foundation (@RoyDennisWF) August 7, 2024

Groppers

Some signs of early autumn migration have begun:

Yesterday (27th) on Nansen Hill, two active groppers showed well in a patch of buddleia, along with a Sedge Warbler seen and heard. More gropper-like calls were heard in the vicinity, so there may have been more hidden in the scrub. Willow Warblers were very evident too, working their way through the bushes, with c8 a very conservative count. One wheatear seen further up the slopes (and a Painted Lady). Overhead has been very quiet so far; yet to get a tree pipit even. 

From Nansen Hill looking towards Culver - a calm warm spell of weather - July 27th.

Yellow-legged Gull (4cy & juv)

As it's that time of year, I went looking specifically for a juv YL gull near Sandown Pier this morning, but instead came upon a mature individual, preening and resting. Age-wise, I assume it's a sub adult (4cy) as it appears quite advanced; and P10 appeared to have a mirror - but not an age I'm overly familiar with. [Single juvenile there on July 24th].

Not much else to mention: a couple of Siskin went over Luccombe (Village) back on 2nd. A Roseate Tern has been seen by other birders off Fort Vic/Solent waters. Sand Martins are starting to move south...

Yellow-legged Gull larus michahellis - Sandown Beach - July 10th

My first juv YL of the year - Sandown beach - 24/07

Juv Black Headed gull

At least nine juv Med Gulls - July 20th - Sandown

Marbled White - melanargia galathea

Ventnor Bay

Blyth's Reed Warbler (Ventnor Downs)

Heard another vocal 'acro' this morning (26/06), along Bonchurch Road (north side of Nansen Hill, Ventnor Downs) at 08:45am that immediately sounded very 'Blyth's' like. And the more I listened, the mimicry and scalic fluty-type notes etc made it apparent it was one. Sound recorded and shared a vid via the news group: Iain Outlaw soon joined me and got to hear it too. Mostly concealed in the downland scrub - but I may have seen it briefly perched in the open. It remained in situ for at least a couple of hours or so (and reported again in the evening). 

30/06: Another singing (common) Reed Warbler near Luccombe Village. At least one pair of Swallows have probably bred in the farm area (often seen overhead). Swifts (c50) over Ventnor. 

Scarce chaser

Second half of June: fairly quiet since the Greenish. Weather has been nice. Warmer temps. 

A Scarce chaser along Gander Down this morning (managed to get a phone pic). Pleasant walk from Yar bridge to Brading Marsh: Sedge and reed warblers, Lesser throat, Skylarks etc in song. One WT Eagle seen in its usual preferred spot/tree. 

♀ Scarce chaser Libellula fulva (23/06) Gander Down

From Gander Down looking North

Distant WT Eagle

Good showing of Viper's Bugloss - and Lupin? 

Looking west from Ventnor Downs (nr Coombe Bottom)

A very special encounter with this common stingray in the Isle of Wight’s Solent #seagrass! The Solent is one of few areas in Britain where stingrays occur regularly, but are still an uncommon sight underwater! A wicked glimpse of just how wild the Solent’s seas can be! #solent pic.twitter.com/7t3TH3cZfX

— Theo Vickers (@tvmarinelife) June 24, 2024