Semipalmated Sandpiper, Oxey Marsh, Lymington - 19th November

On a dreary November day with occasional showers I headed down to Oxey Marsh to have a look at the Semipalmated Sandpiper which was found at the site on 16th November. At first this bird was considered to be a Western Sandpiper but the dark cap, pale rufous fringes to the scapulars and bill shape identify this bird as a Semipalmated Sandpiper, albeit a rather long billed bird. I watched the bird for around an hour as it fed at fairly close range on the pool often loosely associating with a Dunlin. A short walk produced a female Long-tailed Duck, three Spotted Redshank and two Greenshank on Oxey Lagoon, 15 Eider and six Red-breasted Merganser on the Solent. My eBird checklist for the morning can be seen here.

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Oxey Marsh, Lymington

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Oxey Marsh, Lymington

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Oxey Marsh, Lymington

 I have just started to use the video function on my Olympus E-M1X. Struggling
with focus at the moment but here are a few clips of the Semipalmated Sandpiper.

Long-tailed Duck - Oxey Lagoon, Lymington

Shetland (the Tengmalm's Owl Dip) - 4th-5th March

With some gripping photographs emerging on social media of the recent Tengmalm's Owl at Bixter on Mainland Shetland from 19th to 23rd February and then moving a short distance to Tresta from 24th and showing exceptionally well on 2nd March, I just had to go. So, with agreement from Sarah and with the bird showing well still on Saturday 2nd I hatched a plan to head to Shetland on Monday 4th. Booking my flights by mid-morning on 2nd I watched with some envy as mega images and video flooded from Lea Gardens the owls chosen patch of trees at Tresta. Sunday 3rd was a horrendous day with strong winds and torrential rain and so I was not too surprised that there were no reports of the bird - although I was somewhat nervous given the lack of any sightings. On the 4th I was up at 02:00 and at Heathrow by 04:00 ready for my 06:15 flight to Glasgow and on to Sumburgh. Landing at 11:35 I switched my phone on hoping to see news of the bird but nothing, just a message from Birdguides with a sad-faced emoji symbol. I collected my car and headed north-west in the hope that positive news would appear but it was not to be. On arrival at the site I met with Max Hellicar who had been at the site for a couple of hours looking for the bird. I had communicated with Max before arriving on the island and had arranged to bird with him for a couple of days as he was car-less for his time on the island. Max and I spent the next couple of hours scouring all the bushes we could, no accessible cluster of branches or leaves, no evergreen shrub and no conifer went unchecked but to no-avail.

After we had tired of peering into bushes we decided to take a break and head south for a tick for Max, the long staying Pied-billed Grebe at Loch Spiggie, a bird that I had last seen on 5th October 2018. From the southern end of the Loch we scanned vut could not located the grebe but did record good numbers of Goldeneye, Wigeon, Teal, Tufted Duck, a total of 23 Whooper Swan and four summer plumaged Red-throated Diver. We then headed to the north-west corner of the loch where Max's friends had seen the bird a few days ago. Pulling up in a lay-by close to the loch, Max was quick to locate the bird close to the shoreline. We hopped over the style and wandered to the waters edge but the grebe was very wary and swam to the centre of the loch, often partly submerged to avoid detection.

We then headed north pausing at Setter to scan the Greylag Goose flocks for two Bean Goose that had been present but we both felt a little half hearted, keen to get back to Lea Garden to look for the Tengmalm's Owl. We briefly paused at Cunningsburgh where a wintering juvenile Common Rosefinch, which has been present since 6th January,  showed quickly amongst its adopted flock of House Sparrow in the local gardens. After getting our fill of this rather drab bird with a simple-looking expression we continued north to our main target.

We stopped in the tall pine trees in the vicinity of the Methodist Church at Tresta peering into the tall pines here and working the bushes along the Burn of Tresta. A Woodcock was flushed as was a flock of 23 Collared Dove but little else was seen and certainly no owl. We then headed back to the garden and began peering into bushes until dark hoping to see the owl as it emerged from roost, but there was nothing, all was quiet and pretty down-heartening but tomorrow was to be another day.

Pied-billed Grebe (adult summer) - Loch of Spiggie

Pied-billed Grebe (adult summer using evasion tactics) - Loch of Spiggie, Mainland Shetland

Common Rosefinch (juvenile) - Cunningsburgh, Mainland Shetland 

Common Frog - Lea Gardens, Tresta, Mainland Shetland

Day 2 dawned bright and early and having checked out of the Lerwick Hotel I collected Max from the Islesburgh House Hostel just up the road from my hotel at 06:15. We headed directly to Lea Gardens full of optimism - a new day, a new dawn. We began peering into the bushes, starting in the central garden area where the bird had favoured the previous days but nothing. And then an owl flew over my shoulder and in the very brief glimpse I had I thought that it was probably a Short-eared. Calling Max he said he had just flushed a Long-eared Owl and so this was very likely his bird. I flushed the bird a couple more times as I searched through various trees and bushes and that was all the excitement there was. Time passed by and our spirits began to wain, more birders turned up, we now numbered seven. We hatched a plan to head to Bixter, and to the garden where the Tengmalm's Owl had originally been seen. Loading the car with a couple more birders we headed off on the five minute drive to the garden. I knocked on the door but the daughter of the owner of the property declined us access to the garden and so we searched the pines from the boundary of the garden. Max and I saw a Sparrowhawk fly off from the garden, it was carrying prey and both Max and I thought that it was most likely a Water Rail. Searching the perimeter pine trees my levels of despondency increased and suddenly the realisation of the dip tipped me over the edge, I had had enough and wanted to go and do something else. Max took a bit more convincing but eventually we headed back to Tresta, dropped the other birders off and headed north-east to Bretabister and Nesting where a White-billed Diver had been present. 

We scanned the sea and had some nice views of Great-northern Diver as well as distant views of Red-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser and Guillemot and a school of five Common Porpoise but no White-billed. Time was pushing on and I had in mind my flight back south, so we headed down to Lerwick and spent some time around Gremista. Max had purchased three loaves of bread to draw the gulls in but they didn't seem interested and it was comical watching Max throw the bread towards the sea just for the wind to send the bread back overhead and into the car park. Eventually, he generated some interest amongst the gull community and a 2nd winter Iceland Gull appeared and showed very well. Also offshore here were small numbers of Fulmar, Kittiwake and around four Long-tailed Duck and 12 Black Guillemot, some of the latter now in summer plumage. It was now 12:15 and time for me to head off south to Sumburgh for my 14:00 flight home, I said my goodbyes to Max who was on the boat to Aberdeen that evening. As I drove south I reflected on what had been a good couple of days birding but a major dip. This dip was probably second in stature to my missing a Wallcreeper in-off the sea at St. Catherines Point in the 80's (see here), that dip still haunts me even though I have now seen Wallcreeper. The Wallcreeper dip eclipses the Tengmalm's Owl by a long way but the owl still hurt, and will hurt in the future, such are the highs and lows of birding - thats why I love it and live for it.

Oystercatcher - South Nesting, Mainland Shetland

Long-tailed Duck (adult male, winter plumage) - Gremista, Lerwick, Mainland Shetland

Iceland Gull - Gremista, Lerwick, Mainland Shetland

Iceland Gull - Gremista, Lerwick, Mainland Shetland

Iceland Gull - Gremista, Lerwick, Mainland Shetland

Mainland Shetland - 9th and 10th October

I awoke to a still, foggy and drizzly morning and after grabbing some supplies I drove south and birded the Leebitten area. News broke of a Snowy Owl on Fetlar and I contemplated the logistics of getting there and whether I should go. I was very tempted but looking at the timetable for the ferries I realised it would be an all day event and so I decided to spend the day birding rather than chasing off in the car. I birded the area around Sand Lodge and the fields to the south. There were five Purple Sandpiper on the rocks adjacent to Sand Lodge and the strange sight of a Knot running around the farmyard here. There were large numbers of wader in the fields with at least 250 Golden Plover, 75 Turnstone, 125 Redshank and 35 Snipe. Scanning one flock of Snipe feeding in the fields a came across a Jack Snipe which was nice to see but a little too distant for photographs. Also here were around 75 Greylag Goose and nine Pink-footed Goose. Passerine migrants remained extremely thin on the ground, so thin in fact that I recorded precisely none! Even the trees and bushes of Sand Lodge were devoid of birds. Offshore, two Common Porpoise swam south and I spent some time scanning hoping for an Orca but with no luck. Back at the car I sheltered from the drizzle which had turned into light rain and I once again contemplated the logistics of getting to Fetlar for the owl. I decided against it and instead drove the short distance south to Sandwick and birded the gardens, fields and bay area here. I saw little but for a couple of Wheatear and I spent some time scanning the Golden Plover flocks for a 'Lesser' Golden Plover but with no luck. News broke of a Red-breasted Flycatcher showing well at North Town, Exnaboe and so I finished birding at Sandwick and headed the 20 minutes down the road. On arrival, the Red-breasted Flycatcher was showing very well feeding along a fence line and making regular sallies after flies. Also here was a male Blackcap, my first of the trip and a Goldcrest, only my third of the trip. I spent just over an hour with the Red-breasted Flycatcher, such smart little birds.

Purple Sandpiper - Leebitten, Mainland Shetland

Common Redshank - Leebitten, Mainland Shetland

Grey Seal - Leebitten, Mainland Shetland

Knot - Leebitten, Mainland Shetland

Common Porpoise - Mousa Sound, Mainland Shetland

Twite - Sandwick, Mainland Shetland

Twite - Sandwick, Mainland Shetland

Red-breasted Flycatcher - North Town, Exnaboe, Mainland Shetland

Red-breasted Flycatcher - North Town, Exnaboe, Mainland Shetland

Red-breasted Flycatcher - North Town, Exnaboe, Mainland Shetland

Red-breasted Flycatcher - North Town, Exnaboe, Mainland Shetland

I then headed down to the Sumburgh area and birded Pool of Virkie, Grutness and Grutness Voe. At Virkie there was the usual selection of common wader with 30 Dunlin being the best present and a Lesser Black-backed Gull which was my first of the trip. At Grutness Voe there were half a dozen very smart juvenile Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Turnstone. Out in the bay I picked up a flock of four male and five female Long-tailed Duck. On Grutness the only bird I recorded of any note was a single Wheatear. It was now 15:30 and I decided to head north a little and spend the last hour and a half or so birding Upperton and Netherton, the latter being one of my favourite spots on the island. But I saw little, a single Chiffchaff at Netherton was the highlight - remarkably this was only my second of the trip, a real reflection of how sparse common migrant passerines are on the islands currently. I headed back to the hotel for 18:00 pleased with the Red-breasted Flycatcher but somewhat regretting having not headed for Fetlar and the Snowy Owl.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Pool of Virkie, Mainland Shetland

Long-tailed Duck - Grutness Voe, Mainland Shetland

Long-tailed Duck - Grutness Voe, Mainland Shetland

Ringed Plover - Grutness Voe, Mainland Shetland

Turnstone - Grutness Voe, Mainland Shetland

Sanderling - Grutness Voe, Mainland Shetland

Sanderling - Grutness Voe, Mainland Shetland

Sanderling - Grutness Voe, Mainland Shetland

The 10th October was my return home, my flight was at 09:25 from Sumburgh to Edinburgh and then onto London Heathrow and so I needed to check in at 08:25. Leaving the hotel at 07:30 I drove through thick fog until I reached the Levenwick area when remarkably I emerged from the fog into sunshine. I birded a little around the Pool of Virkie and Gutness Voe picking up the same Long-tailed Duck flock from yesterday and 12 Sanderling. I headed to the airport, dropped off my hire car and headed for my flight to London Heathrow via Edinburgh. All flights departed more or less on time and I landed at Heathrow at 13:35. I drove straight to Lymington to collect Tobias from school and had 45 minutes of spare time to have a wander out to Fishtail Lagoon where a handful of Teal, Wigeon and Dunlin plus an adult Mediterranean Gull and a Spotted Redshank were the only birds present.

View of the fog-bank over Shetland from main road just before Levenwick

Trip List (British ticks in bold)
Willow Grouse
Mute Swan
Whooper Swan
Greylag Goose
Pink-footed Goose
Long-tailed Duck
Common Eider
Red-breasted Merganser
Tufted Duck
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon
Mallard
Common Teal
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Rock Dove
Common Woodpigeon
European Turtle-dove
Eurasian Collared-dove
Common Moorhen
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Northern Fulmar
Grey Heron
Northern Gannet
European Shag
Great Cormorant
Eurasian Oystercatcher
Eurasian Golden Plover
American Golden Plover
Common Ringed Plover
Northern Lapwing
Eurasian Curlew
Bar-tailed Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Ruff
Sanderling
Dunlin
Purple Sandpiper
Common Snipe
Common Redshank
Black-legged Kittiwake
Black-headed Gull
Mew Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
European Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Arctic Tern
Great Skua
Black Guillemot
Razorbill
Merlin
Common Raven
Carrion Crow
Eurasian Skylark
Melodious Warbler
Blyth’s Reed-warbler
Marsh Warbler
Barn Swallow
Yellow-browed Warbler
Willow Warbler
Common Chiffchaff
Eurasian Blackcap
Barred Warbler
Northern Wren
Common Starling
Redwing
Eurasian Blackbird
European Robin
Red-breasted Flycatcher
Whinchat
Goldcrest
House Sparrow
Pechora Pipit
Meadow Pipit
Rock Pipit
Grey Wagtail
Citrine Wagtail
White Wagtail
Brambling
Common Rosefinch
Twite
Redpoll
Eurasian Siskin
Reed Bunting

Alaska - 13th June (Day 17)

It was our final mornings birding in Barrow and indeed in Alaska as this was the final day of the trip. We decided to head out to the point to get some final views of Polar Bear. As we drove along the coast road the male Snowy Owl from yesterday was perched close to the road on the edge of town, this is a stunning looking bird, almost pure white, and we had much better views today. Otherwise we saw the usual range of birds including Semipalmated Plover, Arctic Redpoll, large numbers of Spectacled Eider (35) and King Eider (1000's), White-billed Diver (6) and Pacific Diver (4). We recorded two flocks of Pomarine Skua (12 and 8) heading north-east, these appeared to be migrating birds. It was soon time to head back to our hotel and pack for our flight back to Anchorage via Fairbanks at 11:30 landing in Anchorage at 14:45.

Snowy Owl - Barrow

Snowy Owl - Barrow

Snowy Owl - Barrow

Semipalmated Plover - Barrow

Semipalmated Plover - Barrow

Long-tailed Duck - Barrow

Snow Bunting - Barrow

Snow Bunting - Barrow

Snow Bunting - Barrow

Snow Bunting (sub-adult male) - Barrow

The frozen Chukchi Sea, Barrow

The frozen Chukchi Sea, Barrow

The frozen Chukchi Sea, Barrow

Barrow House

The frozen Chukchi Sea, Barrow

The frozen Chukchi Sea, Barrow

Barrow sign and whale jaw bone

Barrow sign

After landing in Anchorage we picked up a hire car and dropped our gear off at Hotel 6. Andy decided to crash for a couple of hours while Martin, Ian, Barry and I headed to Westchester Lagoon for some final birding from 16:30 to 18:00. The highlights here were Bonaparte's Gull (10), Lesser Yellowlegs (4), Short-billed Dowitcher (15) and Alder Flycatcher (2). But best of all was a flock of around 60 Hudsonian Godwit roosting on the island in the centre of the lagoon, most of these birds were in summer plumage, a fitting final bird of the trip. 

Black-billed Magpie, the species is genetically similar to Common Magpie 

and often considered conspecific - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Black-billed Magpie - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Black-billed Magpie - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Lesser Scaup - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Lesser Yellowlegs - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Lesser Yellowlegs - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Lesser Yellowlegs - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Green-winged Teal - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Red-necked Grebe - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Hudsonian Godwit (and Short-billed Dowitcher) - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Hudsonian Godwit (and Short-billed Dowitcher) - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Hudsonian Godwit (plus Short-billed Dowitcher, Canada Goose and Arctic Tern) - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Hudsonian Godwit - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Hudsonian Godwit (plus Short-billed Dowitcher and Arctic Tern) - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Hudsonian Godwit (and Short-billed Dowitcher) - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Hudsonian Godwit (plus Short-billed Dowitcher and Arctic Tern) - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

Hudsonian Godwit (plus Short-billed Dowitcher and Arctic Tern) - Westchester Lagoon, Anchorage

After freshening up at the hotel we headed to the Moose’s Tooth for a final dinner of a massive pizza and beer. Martin and I then dropped Ian, Barry and Andy before heading back to the hotel. Martin departed at midnight while I had and extra night before my flight. On the 14th I was up at 06:00 for my 11:10 flight to Seattle, I landed in Seattle at 15:35 and departed for London Heathrow at 19:10 finally landing in London at 12:25.

Trip List
Total of 181 species with 21 ticks (shown in bold).

Willow Grouse
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan
Brent Goose
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
Snow Goose
Greater White-fronted Goose
Long-tailed Duck
Spectacled Eider
King Eider
Common Eider
Steller's Eider
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Barrow's Goldeneye
Goosander
Red-breasted Merganser
Harlequin Duck
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Eurasian Wigeon
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Red-necked Grebe
Horned Grebe
Rock Dove
Sandhill Crane
Red-throated Loon
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Yellow-billed Loon
Northern Fulmar
Short-tailed Shearwater
Double-crested Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Red-faced Cormorant
American Black Oystercatcher
Grey Plover
Pacific Golden Plover
American Golden Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Ringed Plover
Bristle-thighed Curlew
Whimbrel
Bar-tailed Godwit
Hudsonian Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Black Turnstone
Great Knot
Surfbird
Sanderling
Red-necked Stint
Dunlin
Rock Sandpiper
Baird’s Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Snipe
Red-necked Phalarope
Red Phalarope
Spotted Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs
Sabine’s Gull
Red-legged Kittiwake
Black-legged Kittiwake
Bonaparte's Gull
Mew Gull
Arctic Herring Gull
Thayer's Gull
Slaty-backed Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous Gull
Aleutian Tern
Caspian Tern
Arctic Tern
Long-tailed Jaeger
Arctic Jaeger
Pomarine Jaeger
Rhinoceros Auklet
Tufted Puffin
Horned Puffin
Parakeet Auklet
Least Auklet
Crested Auklet
Marbled Murrelet
Kittlitz's Murrelet
Black Guillemot
Pigeon Guillemot
Ancient Murrelet
Thick-billed Murre
Common Murre
Short-eared Owl
Snowy Owl
Osprey
Golden Eagle
Northern Harrier
Northern Goshawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Rough-legged Buzzard
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-shafted Flicker
American Three-toed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Merlin
Gyrfalcon
Peregrine Falcon
Alder Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Horned Lark
Collared Sand Martin
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Buff-bellied Pipit
Yellow Wagtail
Bohemian Waxwing
American Dipper
Northern Wren
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Grey-cheeked Thrush
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Bluethroat
Northern Wheatear
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Arctic Warbler
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Great Grey Shrike
Steller's Jay
Grey Jay
Black-billed Magpie
Northwestern Crow
Common Raven
Common Starling
Common Redpoll
Arctic Redpoll
Grey-crowned Rosy-finch
Two-barred Crossbill
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Townsend's Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Wilson's Warbler
Smith's Longspur
Lapland Longspur
Snow Bunting
Red Fox-sparrow
Sooty Fox-sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Rusty Blackbird

Biggest dips were McKay's Bunting and Emperor Goose, we were too late for the former and unlucky with the latter.

Links to the other days of the trip (click to view)

Day 1 – Background, international flights and Anchorage

Day 2 (Part 1) – Anchorage

Day 2 (Part 2) – St. Paul, Pribolofs

Day 3 - St. Paul, Pribolofs

Day 4 - St. Paul, Pribolofs

Day 5 - St. Paul, Pribolofs then fly to Anchorage

Day 6 –Seward

Day 7 – Kenai Fjords cruise then drive to Denali

Day 8 – Denali National Park and Denali Highway

Day 9 – Paxton Area of Denali Highway

Day 10 – Drive Paxton to Anchorage

Day 11 – Nome

Day 12 – Nome

Day 13 – Nome

Day 14 – Nome and travel to Barrow

Day 15 (Part 1) – Barrow

Day 15 (Part 2) – Barrow

Day 16 – Barrow