Friday, 4th October 2013

The good Autumn run of scarce birds continued today with a supersonic Nuthatch being found in the morning. This is a rare bird here as there is a lack of woodland on the peninsular and it is much rarer than Yellow-browed Warbler for example. It was first heard calling in the cemetery but could not be located and 35 minutes later it was heard in the Mount further along the coast before showing itself in the pines. It then flew out of the Mount gaining height and left high to the SE over the town centre!!

Offshore 

41 Wigeon west, 178 Common Scoters west, 1 Red-throated Diver west, 1 Guillemot and 1 Razorbill.

Visible Migration

1 Kestrel south, 6 Snipe east, 4 Jackdaws south, 31 Carrion Crows south, 3 Blue Tits high south-east, 6 Swallows south, 6 Mistle Thrushes south, 3 Grey Wagtails south, 34 Alba Wagtails south, 678 Meadow Pipits south, 29 Chaffinch south, 4 Greenfinch south, 55 Goldfinch south, 8 Siskins south, 3 Linnets south and 3 Reed Buntings south.

 

 Chaffinch

Grounded Migrants

1 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaffs, 1 Nuthatch, 12 Robins, 5 Wheatears and 2 Dunnocks.

 

 Wheatear

Others 

400 Wigeon, 6 Pintails, 1 Merlin, 65 Golden Plovers, 600 Lapwings, 23 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Spotted Redshank, 2 Med. Gulls, 60 Goldfinch and 70 Linnets.

Ringing 

3 Blue Tits and 2 Great Tits.

 

 Redshank

Thursday, 3rd October 2013

Another Yellow-browed Warbler was discovered this afternoon along the Burglars Alley footpath in a large mixed Tit flock. The bird was vocal calling frequently and was seen twice along the Hawthorn hedge before disappearing down the old railway lines.

Offshore

41 Common Scoters west, 1 Gannet west, 1 Red-throated Diver west and 2 Auk sp. west.

Visible Migration 

10 Jackdaws south, 2 Coal Tits south-east, 2 Grey Wagtails south, 15 Alba Wagtails south, 158 Meadow Pipits south, 1 Rock Pipit south-west, 27 Chaffinch south/south-east and 1 Linnet south.

Grounded Migrants

1 Goldcrest, 1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 8 Chiffchaffs, 2 Blackcaps, 1 Garden Warbler, 30 Blackbirds, 7 Song Thrushes, 1 Redwing and 3 Wheatears.

 

 Wheatear

Others

215 Wigeons, 3 Pintails, 1 Little Egret, 1 Peregrine, 500 Lapwings, 23 Golden Plovers, 15 Black-tailed Godwits and 1 Med. Gull.

 

 Small Tortoiseshell

Wednesday, 2nd October 2013

We finally had a Yellow-browed Warbler at the Obs today. They are all over the country so it was nice to finally get to grips with one. It was discovered first thing calling frequently from Sycamores by the Lighthouse on Pharos Street and it was seen twice before disappearing inland. The nearest site with enough cover was the Mount where it was heard once in the morning and seen briefly at lunchtime.

Offshore

26 Common Scoters west, 2 Red-throated Divers west, 1 Great Crested Grebe west, 2 Sandwich Terns west, 1 Guillemot, 2 Razorbills and 17 Auk sp. west.

Visible Migration 

2 Grey Wagtails south, 18 Meadow Pipits south and 1 Chaffinch south.

Grounded Migrants 

1 Yellow-browed Warbler, 4 Chiffchaffs, 17 Blackbirds, 5 Song Thrushes, 2 Redwings, 1 Stonechat, 9 Wheatears, 5 Dunnocks and 1 Grey Wagtail.

 

 Wheatear

 

 Blackbird

Others

37 Ringed Plovers, 75 Sanderlings, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 42 Dunlins and 200 Turnstones.

 

 Red Admiral

Tuesday, 1st October 2013

The Glossy Ibis was seen again this afternoon briefly in flight over the marsh. It looked like it came off the tip possibly feeding on one of the pools on the old part of the site. Also the male Cetti's Warbler was heard again today.

Offshore

3 Shelducks east, 8 Wigeon west, 4 Teal east, 1 Pintail west, 32 Common Scoters west, 1 Red-throated Diver west, 8 Sandwich Terns, 3 Guillemots, 11 Razorbills and 44 Auk sp. west.

Visible Migration

42 Pink-footed Geese south, 1 Grey Heron east, 1 Golden Plover south, 1 Greenshank west, 1 Redwing south, 14 Alba Wagtails south, 182 Meadow Pipits south, 2 Goldfinch east and 45 Linnets south.

 

 Goldfinch

Grounded Migrants 

1 Goldcrest, 3 Chiffchaffs ,2 Song Thrushes, 1 Stonechat and 5 Wheatears.

 

Wheatear

Others

1 Glossy Ibis seen in flight over the marsh this afternoon, 300 Wigeon, 70 Teal, 14 Pintails, 2 Shovelers, 1 Peregrine, 38 Ringed Plovers, 16 Knot, 85 Sanderling, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Kingfisher and 1 Cetti's Warbler.

 

 Purple Sandpiper

Monday, 30th September 2013

After a quiet morning on the peninsular 10 minutes of madness in the afternoon made it a special day after it was decided to top up a few feeding stations around the Obs. On arriving at the Nature Park instead of walking all the way around to the scrub at the back a short cut through the reeds was taken. After exiting the reeds onto the Tyre Pool a Glossy Ibis was flushed!! After dropping the buckets of food it was watched flying off over the tip and disappearing. Then a few minutes later a burst of song came from the Willow scrub by the C.E.G.B. Pool; a male Cetti's Warbler!! Not a bad 10 Minutes!

Offshore

6 Shelducks east, 14 Common Scoters west, 3 Goosanders came across the bay and went SE inland, 1 Gannet east, 3 Red-throated Divers west, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Guillemots and 10 Razorbills.

Visible Migration 

15 Pink-footed Geese south-east, 4 Swallows south, 4 Grey Wagtails south, 10 Alba Wagtails south, 126 Meadow Pipits south and 1 Rock Pipit east.

Grounded Migrants

1 Cetti's Warbler - male giving bursts of song at the Nature Park this afternoon, 3 Chiffchaffs and 4 Wheatears.

 

 Wheatear

Others 

1 Glossy Ibis flushed from the tyre pool on the Nature Park this afternoon and flew south over the tip towards the marsh/I.C.I. pools, 180 Wigeon, 50 Teal, 4 Pintails, 2 Shovelers, 1 Little Egret, 47 Ringed Plovers, 165 Sanderlings, 17 Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe, 7 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Greenshank, 180 Turnstones and 2 Med. Gulls.

 

 Blackbird

Sunday, 29th September 2013

Offshore

11 Shelducks east, 18 Wigeon west, 25 Common Scoters west, 1 Gannet west, 3 Red-throated Divers west, 4 Sandwich Terns, 2 Guillemots, 2 Razorbills and 10 Auk sp.

Visible Migration 

140 Pink-footed Geese south, 1 Golden Plover east, 2 Snipe east, 6 Skylarks south, 62 Swallows south, 5 Grey Wagtails south, 34 Alba Wagtails south, 429 Meadow Pipits south, 8 Linnets south, 1 Chaffinch south and 2 Reed Buntings south.

 

 Pink-footed Geese

Grounded Migrants 

5 Chiffchaffs, 1 Whitethroat and 11 Wheatears.

 

 Wheatear

Others

100 Wigeon, 45 Teal, 1 Garganey, 47 Ringed Plovers, 62 Golden Plovers, 125 Sanderlings, 23 Black-tailed Godwits, 220 Turnstones, 1 Med. Gull and 1 Kingfisher.

 

 Butterfly Bush!

Saturday, 28th September 2013

Offshore

3 Shelducks east, 34 Wigeon west, 22 Pintails west, 16 Eiders, 45 Common Scoters west, 3 Red-breasted Mergansers east, 4 Red-throated Divers west, 4 Sandwich Terns, 3 Common Terns east, 1 Razorbill east, 5 Guillemots and 8 Auk sp. west.

 

 Sandwich Terns

Visible Migration

205 Pink-footed Geese south, 2 Snipe south, 1 Jackdaw south, 5 Carrion Crows south, 30 Skylarks south, 176 Swallows south, 4 House Martins south, 12 Grey Wagtails south, 122 Alba Wagtails south/south-east, 1 Tree Pipit south, 2,017 Meadow Pipits south/south-east, 2 Rock Pipits west, 11 Chaffinch south, 2 Greenfinch east, 15 Goldfinch east, 6 Siskins east, 13 Linnets south and 5 Reed Buntings south.

 

 Alba Wag and Meadow Pipit

Grounded Migrants

3 Chiffchaffs and 16 Wheatears.

 

 Wheatear

Others 

800 Pink-footed Geese, 74 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 140 Golden Plovers, 140 Sanderlings, 1 Little Stint, 70 Dunlins, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, 5 Med. Gulls, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls, 1 Barn Owl and 2 Kingfishers.

 

 Comma