Shetland Mainland and Bressay - 7th October

Christ, it was a foul day to day. It started off windy and got more windy and wet as the day progressed. It was not a day for searching bushes for rare warblers and so I decided to head out for bigger stuff that could be seen from the car and from relative shelter. So I decided to start the day heading inland, partly to see what the weather held in store, and partly for an island tick, Red Grouse. So heading for I site I had been given I drove west along the A971 past Tingwall Airport and then north-east at Haggersta towards Stromfirth. Just before Stromfirth there is a heather covered peak where the heather 'spills' down slope and across the road to Loch of Strom. This was the spot for the grouse. I drove back and forth between a couple of lay-bys and was just about to give up when a female Red Grouse appeared in the heather just above the road. She showed well for at least 15 minutes in the blasting wind and rain feeding on heather buds before disappearing. On the Loch of Strom there was little but for two Mute Swan and eight Red-breasted Merganser.

Red Grouse - Stromfirth, Mainland Shetland

I then decided to head back to Lerwick and to board the ferry for the short crossing to Bressay. I had 45 minutes to spare before the 10:45 ferry and so headed out onto the pier at Lerwick where there were many Black Guillemot. This is a common bird in Shetland but being a southerner I don't see many and so the novelty of seeing good numbers so close persists. I spent some time watching them and taking, once again, far too many pictures in the poor light. Also here were around 30 Eider and many Kittiwake and Gannet offshore.

Black Guillemot - Lerwick, Mainland Shetland

Black Guillemot - Lerwick, Mainland Shetland

Arriving on Brassay at just before 11:00 my main goal was to find an adult American Golden Plover that had been present since 2nd October. I first drove north from the ferry terminal and saw a flock of around 30 Golden Plover in flight heading south but they didn't stop plus 15 Knot and two Bar-tailed Godwit. I reached the end of the road at Heogan and headed south once more, I drove the road east from Maryfield and then south towards the school and village shop but nothing but for a couple of Snipe. I then headed east from the store to Midgarth where I quickly come across a flock of around 75 Golden Plover, scanning through the flock I quickly came across a greyer bird with dark underparts and a distinctive flared white supercilium, this was the American Golden Plover. So I parked up, snuck along various walls, through ditches, got hammered by the rain and wind and was eventually moderately close to the bird. After taking a few snaps I watched the bird for ten minutes or so before the rain got the better of me and I retreated to the car, my camera and I were soaked.

Greylag Goose - Heogan, Brassay, Shetland

American Golden Plover - Midgarth, Brassay, Shetland

American Golden Plover - Midgarth, Brassay, Shetland

I spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon bimbling around Bressay but staying in the car with the heater on. I headed to the car park for the island of Noss and scanning across the straits and watching the hundreds of Gannet plunging into a raging sea and watching a brave Northern Wheatear battling in the elements. I explored virtually all the islands roads to their termination, there was little to be seen, two Razorbill near the light house, a few bedraggled Twite, a further 125 Golden Plover, around 150 Greylag Goose but not a lot else. I even headed back to the Citrine Wagtail but I could see around ten birders in the grounds of Gardie House who were clearly not watching the bird and in the weather conditions I thought better of it having see the bird a couple of days ago. I got the 14:00 ferry off the island and headed north on mainland for the next element of the plan for the day.

Gannet - Noss Sound, Bressay

View across to the island of Noss from Bressay

Adult Common Gull - Bressay, Shetland

First-winter Common Gull - Bressay, Shetland

Knot - Bressay, Shetland

Golden Plover - Bressay, Shetland

I drove north along the A970, the car buffeted by the wind and turned west along the B9076 to Sullom Voe. What contrast to Bressay, a landscape dominated by the oil terminal and its associated infrastruture, the skyline dominated by flaring stacks, this is not a particularly attractive part of Shetland. I scanned the sweeping bay to the south of the oil terminal, stopping at various laybys and gaining shelter from the car. To the south of the terminal the road follows the bay around the head of Garths Voe and here is a wide grassy lay-by which affords a good view of the seaweed covered shoreline I parked up and began scanning. After five minutes or so I saw a movement in the water not far from the car, and there was my target a dog Otter. He had clearly seen me and was keeping a close eye on me but he fed unconcerned in the shallows catching a multitude of small fish, mainly Butterfish and the occasional crab and goby. It was great to watch this animal at close quarters. It was 16:30 and the wind was increasing, the rain getting heavier and so I decided to head back to the hotel. On Scatsta Airfield there were 75 Greylag Goose, 25 Golden Plover and 75 Lapwing but further stops as I followed the coastline to Brae produced little. After a brief stop at Tesco to stock up on supplies for tomorrow I was back at the hotel by 17:45.

Otter - Sullom Voe, Mainland Shetland

Otter - Sullom Voe, Mainland Shetland

Otter - Sullom Voe, Mainland Shetland

Isle's of Scilly - 22nd- 28th September

Okay, this is quite a late post and, looking back, I feel quite underwhelmed by the birds seen during my time on Scilly. This is especially so when one looks at what has been happening on the East Coast and Northern Islands of late with Siberian Accentor, Two-barred Greenish Warbler, Siberian Thrush, White's Thrush, Eastern Crowned Warbler, Red-flanked Bluetail's and Orphean Warbler to name but a few. But, my time on Scilly this September was as enjoyable as ever even though it did not deliver on the bird front. Sarah, Tobias and I spent a few days with my Dad and Step Mum and we had a great relaxing time. I squeezed in some birding and the weather was largely okay.

22nd September - St. Mary's

We stayed in our cottage at Trowan overnight and were up bright and early for a 09:30 flight to St. Mary's. All was on time and we were on the island by 09:50. After a little wait for Spider at the airport while watching a few Wheatear on the runway we were off to our usual haunt of the Star Castle. After a coffee we headed for a short walk around the Garrison and to Juliet's for a much needed lunch and then back through Lower Moor's, over Peninnis and back to the Star. We saw little, a fly-by Turtle Dove while at Juliet's - my first of the year,  Chiffchaff in small numbers, a Pied Flycatcher, Willow Warbler and a couple of Whinchat at Lower Moors and a Black-necked Grebe at Porthcressa, a Scilly tick, and that was about it.

Chiffchaff - Lower Moors

Song Thrush - Garrison

Whinchat - Lower Moors

23rd September - St. Agnes

I was up early this morning and birded the Garrison before breakfast but there was little to show for it in a strong south-west wind. A few Swallow and a Spotted Flycatcher near the tennis court was the sum of it. A breakfast of bacon, sausage, hash brown and eggs at the Star Castle was most welcome.

Gannet - Garrison

We opted to head for one of my favourite islands today and after a massive tantrum from Tobias I left the family playing on the beach at Periglis Cove. I spent a little while looking for a Red-breasted Flycatcher at the back of Porth Killer and it showed incredibly well in the shadows of a pine tree. Such fantastic little birds, rather drab, but with a very attractive, almost friendly appearance. I then wandered over to Big Pool where a Lesser Yellowlegs had been present for a few days and it was not to disappoint showing well around the edge of the pool. A wryneck had been present at Browarth Point for a week or so but despite a good bash around I failed to find it, highlight here were nothing more than a few Wheatear.

Red-breasted Flycatcher - Port Killier

Red-breasted Flycatcher - Port Killier

Red-breasted Flycatcher - Port Killier

Red-breasted Flycatcher - Port Killier

Lesser Yellowlegs - Big Pool

We walked back past the Community Hall, Parsonage and the Lighthouse seeing little in the very sunny conditions. So we planted at the Turk's Head and enjoyed the view and a couple of pints before wandering along Barnaby Lane and over Wingletang Down again with little of note seen.

The Scillonian against the Garrison, St. Mary's

Shag - St. Mary's Quay

24th September - St. Mary's

Today dawned with a howling gale and with rain forecast from around 13:00 we decided to stay on St. Mary's. I had a wander around the Garrison before breakfast but saw little but for a Blackcap and two Spotted Flycatcher. After breakfast I spent a little time hiring golf buggies, my Dad these days is not so good on his feet due to osteoarthritis and so we thought this would be a nice way to see the island with minimal effort and a bit of shelter from the rain. They were £50 for the day which was okay but there really is only about 1.5 hours charge in them. We started with a walk at Halangy Down and up past the mast. A Wryneck had been present for some time but we had no luck. Next we stopped at Newford Duck pond and Tobias was entertained by the ducks jumping on the golf buggies for bread - we saw a Pied Flycatcher here but nothing else. And then as the rain started we headed for Juliet's for lunch and a few beers. Drunk in charge of a golf buggy, we headed up around the top of the island and stopped at Porth Hellick as the rain began to fall. We wandered to the bird hides, a Yellow-browed Warbler called and on the pool were four Snipe, two Water Rail, a Dunlin and a Greenshank plus around 20 House Martin and 15 Swallow. Tobias was shattered and fell a sleep on the buggy so we headed back for a bit of relaxation via the Atlantic for a few beers - it was now hammering it down.

Snipe - Porth Hellick Pool

Snipe - Porth Hellick Pool

Snipe - Porth Hellick Pool

Greenshank - Porth Hellick Pool

Greenshank - Porth Hellick Pool

Greenshank - Porth Hellick Pool

Greenshank - Porth Hellick Pool

Greenshank - Porth Hellick Pool

Greenshank - Porth Hellick Pool

Water Rail - Porth Hellick Pool

Water Rail - Porth Hellick Pool

25th September - Tresco
It was my Birthday, 45 this year, and so I wanted to find a rare, I don't want much just something to get the adrenalin going, a Red-flanked Bluetail would do, any sort of BB rare would be fine so my birding intensity was up a notch. I was up and birding the Garrison pre-breakfast in bright, sunny and still conditions. Two Spotted Flycatcher, Black-necked Grebe, Pied Flycatcher and a self found Yellow-browed Warbler was a fair start. After breakfast we headed to Tresco and walked from New Grimsby quay south to Abbey Drive and cut inland.  It was slow going, a Blackcap at the east end of Abbey Drive and a group of 40 Greenshank on the pool plus around 60 Swallow and 40 House Martin. We wandered up Borough Road and I dropped back a bit to bird, at Borough Farm I caught up with Dad and heard a familiar 'swee-wee', Yellow-browed Warbler. I stayed back and tried to see it but no luck. Wandering on, a short way past the farm a pale blob on the edge of a field that I initially thought was going to be a Song Thrush turned out to be a nice Wryneck, another self-found. A little further along the same a hedgerow was a Redstart. Wandering on the family were keen to head for lunch while I just wanted to bird so I said to them to wander on and I would catch up. I stopped at Green Porth where I was convinced that a flock of around 125 Linnet would contain something good, maybe a Little Bunting but I scanned and scanned but there was nothing. Time to head for lunch, we had a fantastic seafood platter followed by Hake and a few beers and then a little birthday cake, all very nice. I was itching to go birding so headed south back along Borough Road and along the north side of Great Pool. I had okay views of the Yellow-browed Warbler at Borough Farm that I had heard calling earlier, two Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard and that was about it.

Back on St. Mary's I had a short wander onto the Garrison but saw nothing and then ordered a bottle of Champagne that Sarah and I enjoyed on the veranda celebrating my 45th birthday and our 6th wedding anniversary while Tobias played with his cars. Maybe next year I will find a rare but maybe after at least six years on Scilly at this time of year with no major find this is not the place.

Small Copper - Abbey Pool, Tresco

Wryneck - Borough Farm, Tresco

A yacht against St. Martin's

Stonechat - Tresco

Cromwell's Castle, Tresco - I proposed to Sarah at the top right of the castle on this day in 2010 and hence the draw of Scilly at this time

26th September - St. Mary's

I awoke early today as Tobias has taken to sleeping in our bed this holiday which is fine as long as it doesn't continue when we get home. So, in a strong wind and semi-dark I headed out over the Garrison, it was not only windy but there was a thick fog and drizzle. I loitered around in the dark realising that I had got up far to early, as the sun began to rise I recognised the shapes of Dunnock, Blackbird and Song Thrush but it was almost an hour before I could make out the first noteworthy bird, the now familiar Spotted Flycatcher at the tennis courts. I wandered on and saw another Spotted Flycatcher near the football club house. There was a certain rare feel about the weather conditions but other than a Pied Flycatcher and a Yellow-browed Warbler on Lower Broome Platform I saw little so I headed for breakfast. The plan for the day was to head to St. Martin's but due to the poor weather we stayed on St. Mary's. Sarah and I wandered over Peninnis Head, through Old Town Church Yard and through Lower Moors to Juliet's for lunch. It was slow going, a Redstart on Peninnis  two Chiffchaff in Old Town Church Yard, a Snipe, Greenshank, Kingfisher and a couple of Chiffchaff at Lower Moors and that was about it. The rains started to hammer down so after lunch we made a dash to the Atlantic to meet my Dad and Step Mum and that was about it for the day.

Herring Gull - Juvenile Porthcressa

Black-necked Grebe - Porthcressa, a Scilly tick for me

27th September - St. Mary's and Flight 

Again I was up early wandering the Garrison in thick fog seeing very little but for the usual two Spotted Flycatcher and little else but for a Pied Flycatcher on Lower Broome Platform. We were due to fly at 13:10 today and so after breakfast I checked on the flights at the hotel, all flights cancelled due to the fog. So, we met with my Dad and had a stroll around Hugh Town and out to Porthcressa where I had my now daily sighting of the Black-necked Grebe in the bay. Before long we had a call for the airport and after a bit of waiting around we were off at around 14:30 in now bright and sunny conditions. After a bit of food shopping we headed to Perranuthnoe where Sarah had a bite to eat in the car and I went to Boat Cove look for the Hudsonian Whimbrel for the fourth time after a single distant view on 5th March 2016. But the tide was very high and the beaches largely covered and other than three Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Ringed Plover, four Dunlin, six Turnstone and a Little Egret I saw nothing. It was time to head for the comfort of the cottage at Trowan.

Bar-tailed Godwit (juvenile) - Boat Cove, Perranuthnoe

Bar-tailed Godwit (juveniles) - Boat Cove, Perranuthnoe

Bar-tailed Godwit (juvenile) - Boat Cove, Perranuthnoe

Little Egret (1st winter) - Boat Cove, Perranuthnoe

28th September
We got up late and had a leisurely breakfast before loading the car and heading back to Hampshire.

Isle of Wight - 9th and 10th April

My weekend was spent on the Isle of Wight visiting family and spending a great deal of time birding. It was great to get back to the island and stomp my old birding grounds without the need to dash back. On Saturday I was up at 05:15 and by 06:30 was walking the fields to the west of the lighthouse and out to Rocken End at St. Catherine's Point. The weather was overcast with a Force 5 westerly wind blowing and there had been heavy overnight rain. There seemed to be little in the bushes so I made for the seawatching point to the west of the lighthouse. The sea was incredibly rough and the 'race', an area where tides meet forming a curving transition between smoother and rough waters, was in a frenzy. Over the course of the next two hours, as the weather brightened from the west, I recorded the following (all moving east unless stated):

• Brent Goose - 24 (one flock)
• Common Scoter - 36 (largest flock of 10)
• Black-throated Diver - 1
• Manx Shearwater - 2 west
• Gannet - 28, 27 west
• Great Skua - 3 (at 08:20, 08:45 and 09:35)
• Arctic Skua - 1 pale phase 07:50
• Kittiwake - 2
• Sandwich Tern - 2

Brent Geese passing St. Catherine's Point

A male Redstart fed frantically in the Brambles beside Knowles Farm, evidently a newly arrived migrant. As I walked up the Lighthouse Road it was evident that there were large numbers of Willow Warbler in the bushes and as I wandered west through 'Wood Warbler' valley and out to Windy Corner I recorded around 50 Willow Warbler and around 15 Chiffchaff plus 8 Blackcap. There had evidently been a 'fall' due to the heavy overnight rain. The heavens were looking like they were going to open so I headed for the car.

Next stop was West High Down in the west of the island, I parked near the old Clock Museum and walked up the footpath east of Warren Farm, the hedgerow to the north of the down was hopping with Willow Warbler and at least 2 Redstart were present plus a couple of Goldcrest. I then walked over the down heading west, there were Willow Warbler in the Gorse, a Dartford Warbler, a couple of Raven and the local pair of Peregrine showed well. A scan from a viewpoint that affords good views of the south facing cliff produced none of the expected Guillemot or Razorbill. I continued towards the coastguard cottages before dropping back to the north side of the down and walking the hedgerow at the foot of the north side of the down, this is where all the bird activity was and there were at least 50 Willow Warbler and another Redstart.

Willow Warbler feeding in Gorse - West High Down

Stonechat - West High Down

Rock Pipit - West High Down

West High Down viewed east towards Tennyson Down and St. Catherine's Point in 

distance to far right

South facing cliffs on West High Down with St. Catherine's Point to right

Peregrine - West High Down

View of Hurst Castle from West High Down

Redstart - West High Down

I then drove the short distance to the Western Yar and parked by the old station and walked along the disused railway line to view the pools. Here, 30 Black-tailed Godwit, 10 Willow Warbler, Cetti's Warbler, 25 Teal and Greenshank were the highlights.

It was now 15:00 and time was running out as were my energy levels! I decided to head back to St. Catherine's Point where I birded Wood Warbler Valley out to Windy Corner and the top end of the Hanging Valley. Highlights were two Swallow, 25 Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcap, 2 Peregrine and a showy Red Squirrel.

Dark-edged Beefly Bombylius major - Wood Warbler Valley, St. Catherine's Point

Red Squirrel - Wood Warbler Valley, St. Catherine's Point

Willow Warbler - Wood Warbler Valley, St. Catherine's Point

Willow Warbler - Wood Warbler Valley, St. Catherine's Point

Weather chart from 9th April showing frontal system that resulted in the fall of 

Willow Warbler and Redstart 

St. Catherine's Point showing the main birding areas

St. Catherine's Point showing the lighthouse, East and West Fields and Knowles Farm

St. Catherine's Point showing northern end of Hanging Valley, Gore Cliff and the landslip area above Rocken End. West High Down is visible in the distance far left of the image

On Sunday I was up at 05:15 once more and back to the lighthouse at St. Catherine's Point. The wind had gone south-east overnight and, given that this is a favourable wind direction for seawatching, my hopes were high. I arrived at the lighthouse at 06:30 and began scanning, almost immediately picking up small numbers of Sandwich Tern and Manx Shearwater. There was a good collection of birders that eventually joined me and it was great to spend time with Andy Butler, Ian Ridett, Dave Wooldridge and Dave Hunnybun, Andy and the two Dave's being particularly influential in my formative years of birding and natural history exploration. It was Dave Hunnybun's birthday and we had a cook-up of bacon sandwiches on the Trangia stove to celebrate. This brought back many happy memories of birding at St. Catherine's Point in past years. Anyway, enough of the nostalgia, this is what we saw with figures in brackets from other south coast sites this morning.

• Brent Goose - 23 (Portland Bill 0, Selsey Bill 7, Splash Point 105, Dungeness 939)
• Shoveler - 5 (Splash Point 4, Dungeness 31)
• Teal - 5 (with Common Scoter) (Selsey Bill 5, Splash Point 5)
• Common Scoter - 277 (Portland Bill 709, Selsey Bill 464, Splash Point 518, Dungeness 1439)
• Red-throated Diver - 3 (Portland Bill 1, Selsey Bill 5, Splash Point 6, Dungeness 0)
• Manx Shearwater - 2
• Gannet - 119 
• Grey Plover - 2
• Whimbrel - 4 (Portland Bill 2, Selsey Bill 0, Splash Point 9, Dungeness 4)
• Arctic Skua - 6 (all dark phase at 7:05, 08:10, 09:15, 10:45 and 12:05) (Portland Bill 3, Selsey Bill 6, Splash Point 2, Dungeness 5) 
• Kittiwake - 5 
• Sandwich Tern - 103 (Portland Bill 27, Selsey 233, Splash Point 150, Dungeness 1200) 
• Commic Tern - 43 (Portland Bill 16, Selsey Bill 30, Splash Point 102, Dungeness 230)
• Kestrel - One flew out to sea at around 10:30, returning at 12:15
• Willow Warbler - 2 in off sea

It is interesting to note some of the patterns in the numbers and particularly the general accumulation of numbers of birds as one progresses from west (Portland Bill) to Dungeness (east). There are some odd anomalies such as the pattern in Common Scoter, presumably the fall in numbers of birds at St. Catherine's, Selsey and Splash Point relates to birds passing too far out to be seen. It should also be noted that there is a degree of variability in survey effort with for example Dungeness being recorded for much of the day and St. Catherine's being recorded from 06:30-11:30. By 11:30 at St. Catherine's the wind had picked up to a Force 6 easterly and passage had dropped off and most of us had departed

Common Scoter - St. Catherine's Point

Brent Geese - St. Catherine's Point

Common Scoter - St. Catherine's Point

Common Scoter - St. Catherine's Point

Arctic Skua (dark phase) - St. Catherine's Point

Gannet - St. Catherine's Point

Gannet - St. Catherine's Point

Gannet - St. Catherine's Point

Main spring seawatching sites along south coast of England

After the seawatch I had a short wander in Wood Warbler valley but there were hardly any birds around compared to yesterday so I headed off content with the weekends birding.

Weather chart for 10th April showing south and eventually south-east and
then east winds which produced good seawatching conditions