Adie was starting at Sussex Uni today. I was up early enough to spend an hour outside just around dawn before we had to pack up the car. At least 3 Tawny Owl were being very noisy before going to roost. It was turning into a clear warm morning after yesterdays mixed weather, but still there were birds moving.
I counted 104 Meadow Pipits flying over in a Westerly direction, 43 Siskin, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Pied Wagtail and the biggest surprise was 4 Woodlarks together.
Thick stormy clouds were barrelling across the skies today, intermittently dropping heavy showers. It seemed to prompt a movement of birds. Unusually I had more than 10 Chiffchaffs moving through the trees near the house with a tit flock this morning, which included a Marsh Tit, Treecreeper, Blackcap, Goldcrest and Nuthatch and further along the treeline a brief Spotted Flycatcher.
This afternoon there was big movement of hirundines moving in an Easterly direction. I wouldn't say I'm on a migration route here so it is a fairly rare event, but there were hundreds of House Martin and Swallow streaming through, c70% were House Martin. Also a flock of c50 Goldfinch and 20 Siskins and unusually a large flock of 40 Rooks flew over.
With all the hirundines a Hobby was seen eating one of them mid-air !
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| Hobby with a Swallow or House Martin |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| The local 'Starling' Tree, with some occupants |
A wet and windy few days conditions could be described as being lively. The remnants of Hurricane Nigel brought strong winds and lots of rain with thunder and lightning. Nigel somehow must have picked up a range of migrating American birds from the east coast of the US and carried them across the Atlantic, dropping them as the remaining depression worked its way up the West coast of the UK into the Irish Sea.
Late on Tuesday a Magnolia Warbler had been found on the southern Welsh peninsula at St Govan Head. Within a couple of hours Gary Howard had arranged to pick me up at 4am for the drive to Wales. Apart from a few deep puddles and some heavy squalls we arrived promptly at 8.30am and walked from the upper car park for 20 minutes to where c300 birders had been watching the bird in some thick gorse and blackthorn scrub. We didn't have to wait long for our first glimpse of the bird, although that's all it was but our views improved over the next 2.5 hours, although the bird was spending most of the time invisible in the impenetrable scrub, until eventually it showed itself well for a minute or so giving us very satisfactory views. All the American wood warblers tend to be very colourful in comparison to their European counterparts and the Magnolia Warbler is one of the smartest so this was a joy to behold.
Any other birds had limited attention. A Sedge Warbler was seen in the same scrub and 2 Red-billed Choughs flew over a few Shags on the sea and plenty of Barn Swallows and Meadow Pipits a couple of Pied and Grey Wagtails a flew over.
As we were watching the Magnolia Warbler news was coming in thick and fast of other American vagrants between the Western Isles of Scotland, Ireland and the Welsh coast, but most were on offshore islands of Bardsey in the North, and Ramsey and Skokholm nearby. The list was staggering ..Bay-breasted Warbler, Black-and White Warbler, Alder Flycatcher, Bobolink, Baltimore Oriole, Tennessee Warbler and American Cliff Swallow. Despite the anxiety this brought on with those present, none of these birds could be described as accessible as no boats were running to the islands for 2 days due to weather conditions.
One of the commoner American vagrants is Red-eyed Vireo, a bird I have a habit of missing. One of these turned up further East in Wales but had not been seen since 10.30am, we were 2 hours away although ultimately would be heading in that direction if we were to leave Wales today. We weren't entirely sure what our plan should be as the news was still coming thick and fast.
We left St Govan Head around midday and drove to the WWT wetlands reserve in Llanelli about 50 minutes East. Once we had rather comically negotiated the wildfowl pens after a couple of circuits we eventually found a route to the hide overlooking the estuarial marsh, approaching high tide a few commoner waders were roosting Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Redshank, 12 Greenshank, 3 Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit and a bit distantly a Grey Phalarope. A Kingfisher and Sparrowhawk also made the list.
The next stop around 3.30pm was Sker point near Porthcawl, where the Red-eyed Vireo had been reported in the morning but not seen since 10.30am. We struggled a little to work out exactly where to go, but eventually parked up and walked about 2kms towards the coast along a good wide footpath with lots of attractive scrub in the hedge-line. A couple of Chiffchaffs, Blackcap and Whitethroat were seen and a few Stonechats were in the field edges.
We found the area the bird had been seen near to Sker House as 3 other birders were still looking around the bramble scrub. We waited around for over an hour without any sign and the light started to get lower, the scrub and trees around Sker House looked interesting but the signs were all screaming 'Private no-entry'. We wandered back to the car and headed home, later to hear that the Red-Eyed Vireo had been seen around 6.30pm in Sker House gardens !. It remains a bogey bird !
A great day and the Magnolia Warbler was a great bird to see.
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| Magnolia Warbler |
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| Magnolia Warbler |
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| Magnolia Wabler |
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| St Govan Head |
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| Its been done before but.... A Shag on the rocks |
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| Some of the birders looking for the Warbler |
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| Warbler was at the end of the Rainbow |
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| If he hadn't seen the bird he would have kept on going |
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| Rather distant Grey Phalarope |
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| WWT Lanelli |
A forecast of some inland mist a warm day with a southerly breeze sounded ideal conditions for migrating birds to be seen on the coast and I arrived at Selsey Bill just before sunrise. I had just about set up my scope and was scanning around when I saw a large bird approaching from way over the houses to the East. It was just around sunrise at 6.40. I knew it was a bird of prey but what kind ?- Initially I thought it must be a Marsh Harrier but as it approached the end of the beach It was becoming a more familiar shape and flight - A Honey Buzzard. It continued directly out to sea and both Paul B and I managed to ensure Bart saw the bird through the scope. I have become so used to seeing Honey Buzzards this summer after monitoring breeding birds, that it didn't feel like a big deal but migrating birds on the coast are quite rare to see.
As the morning progressed there was quite a bit of overhead migration, mainly with hirundines, A total of 430 Swallow, 130 House Martins with another 200+ around the houses and 8 Sand Martin. 8 Yellow Wagtails, a couple of Grey Wagtails and 4 Pied Wagtails and on the sea 9 Eider went East then West.
A brief stop at the Ferry pool which held 5 Spotted Redshank, 8 Dunlin, 3 Snipe, 2 Shelduck, 20 Lapwing, 30 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Ringed Plover.
I then moved to the North Wall and walked to the breach pool. The Egret Colony was busy with many young Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets visible, a Whinchat was near the path and there were a total of 11 Curlew Sandpipers another Spotted Redshank, 5 Snipe and a Water Rail.
A decent morning that was turning into a hot day.
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| 9 Eider East |
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| Yellow Wagtail |
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| House Martins |
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| House Martin |
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| Spotted Redshank |
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| Ringed plover and Dunlin |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Curlew Sandpiper (front), Dunlin (back) |
Wednesday 13th
Yesterday there was a slight blip in the hot dry weather cloud, some rain and a distinct change in the feel. I noted a high count of 110 Starlings in the village Starling tree (a dead oak at the back of someone's property that sticks out above the houses, lets hope they don't decide to clean up and remove the tree). At the back of the sheep field a bird flock led by Long-tailed Tits included a couple of Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcap and a Firecrest and the surprise was a Spotted Flycatcher , my first at home this summer. There was also small movement of Meadow Pipit with 18 counted flying North.
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| This was the corner the Spotted Flycatcher was in. |
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| view back to house from corner |
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| A small fraction of the Siskins - there are 10 in this picture. |
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| Siskin Feeding on the Silver Birch catkins |
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| Chiffchaff |
On Sunday afternoon an Aquatic Warbler had been found in Upper Beeding at Beeding Brooks, which is about 50 minutes from me. The bird was still there this morning so I drove there and walked along the footpath beside the Adur to the spot where about 10 people were already watching. The bird in question had been seen about 15 minutes ago and had gone to ground on the weedy embankment between the footpath and the river. It was about 40 minutes later that the Aquatic Warbler re-appeared, albeit briefly, called and then went to cover again, it did this twice more in the next 30 minutes. Eventually, after bumping into Gary and James, the bird showed much better, not for long periods but well enough often perching just above the thickest grass in an dried umbellifer stem.
A very smart looking warbler, which even though rare, used to be a recorded in the UK on a more regular basis, but not so much in the last decade or two. The Aquatic Warbler has been designated as Vulnerable and on the Red list for endangered species as its European breeding populations have come under threat, with much hope they will start to stabilise.
Very nice to see, a lifer for me as well.
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| Aquatic Warbler |
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| The weedy river bank of the Adur which the Aquatic Warbler was taking refuge in. |
An early morning visit to Selsey was particularly quiet for this time of year, a light South Westerly was blowing giving a slight change in the weather but did nothing really for bird activity, The only sea movement was 9 Wigeon, whereas migration was highlighted by 2 Hobby, 14 Grey Wagtails and a handful of Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin.
This was followed up with a visit to Church Norton where again it was fairly quiet, a male Redstart behind the hide was a highlight with a few Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and 1 Lesser Whitethroat near the Severals.
The harbour was at high tide with 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel, 63 Grey Plover, 4 Knot reflecting the low wader numbers. 9 Pintail were in the channel and a Peregrine and distant Marsh Harrier were seen. Better times will come !!!
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| Redstart |
The last couple of days have been spent around home. With not much to report, on Saturday a few hirundines were seen to be moving over but small totals of 15 Swallows and 14 House Martins. A Firecrest was seen along with a Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff. The first Song Thrush for quite a while and Treecreeper, Nuthatch and both Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers.
The highlight though was not a bird but a moth, with a Clifden Nonpareil (Blue Underwing) caught in the trap this morning - a stunning and huge moth.
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| Clifden Nonpareil |
With the Goodwood Revival meeting on this weekend I always feel rather snookered with travelling to the coast as I can't easily get to the Selsey / Pagham area, so I stuck with local this morning on a hot day.
It was quiet, as it has been. I found a Spotted Flycatcher at the Southern end, and with a group of Stonechat and Dartford Warbler, a single Whinchat which only gave a brief sighting before disappearing. There were a couple of groups of Siskin that flew over 22 in all. It was only when I returned to the northern end I found a bit more activity as a group of birds held a male Redstart and 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Wheatear and c15 Willow Warblers.
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| Wheatear |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Dartford Warbler |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
After a cool and wet July and August, suddenly we have a heatwave. For many of my younger years, September would be the end of Summer and within a week of going back to school a distinct autumnal feel with much cooler days and nights with the reducing daylight. The last few years September has been the best month of weather for the whole of Summer and this year it looks to have started the same.
Monday 4th September.
Arriving in Norfolk in the morning on the Kings Lynn side of the coast, decided to go to Snettisham RSPB, as it was close, and walked out to the far end of the beach, where it had just reached high tide that had just started to turn. The wader spectacular was astonishing. In their tens of thousands, mostly silently, flying over our heads from the roosts in the pits to the falling tide of the Wash. I could only estimate what must have been present, but bird spectaculars such as this are rare in the UK.
Knot 50,000+
Grey Plover 20,000+
Bar-tailed Godwit 3,000+
Dunlin 3,000+
Oystercatcher 2,000+
Redshank 1,000+
Ringed Plover 250 +
Sanderling 1,000+
Curlew 200 +
Black-tailed Godwit c20
I hadn't taken my camera out of the car, but the lens would not have captured the spectacle, just a couple of phone pics.
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| The spectacle could never quite be captured. |
After a spot of lunch, I ended up at Titchwell in the afternoon. Despite being a Monday, it was packed, the main walkway from the visitor centre out to the beach was like Waterloo station in rush hour.
There were plenty of birds on the Freshmarsh, 25+ Spoonbill were roosting and a large number of Black-tailed Godwit. A close flock of Golden Plover interested me as previous days had reports of an American Golden Plover. Despite several scans through the flock I couldn't find anything different. Many Ruff were present amongst the eclipse Teal and Wigeon. I walked out to the beach but there was very little on the saltmarsh. A single Yellow Wagtail flew over calling and a couple of Swallow were the only additions. I returned to the Parinder hide and as I walked in another birder had picked out the American Golden Plover. It was not with the Golden Plover flock but alone on an island in the middle of the Greylag Geese. So a good end to the afternoon arriving later at the great place we were staying.
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| Golden Plover |
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| American Golden Plover |
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| Arctic Tern |
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| This Grey Seal had found its breakfast |
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| Down in one ! |
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| Burnham Deepdale |
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| Holkham beach with Fog. |
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| Great Egret |
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| the back of a Curlew Sandpiper ! |
