My eBird checklist for the visit can be viewed here.
Common Sandpiper - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh
Dunlin - Fishtail Lagoon, Pennington Marsh
Eider - off Butts Lagoon, Pennington Marsh
Showing posts with label Common Eider. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Common Eider. Show all posts
Sunday, 2 August 2020
Pennington Marsh - 1st August
Sarah was heading to Cheltenham for her sisters 40th birthday party, this was ladies party and so I decided to ehad to Pennington Marsh for a few hours in the morning. I walked out past Fishtail to Keyhaven Lagoon and then back east to Jetty Lagoon. The tide was high but there were remarkably few waders present and very few migrants in the bushes. The highlights were a single Common Sandpiper and 34 summer plumage Dunlin on Fishtail Lagoon and the flock of Eider, now numbering 24, showing well off Butts Lagoon.
Tuesday, 2 October 2018
Shetland Mainland - 2nd October
I was up at 02:00 today, my alarm was set for 03:00 but I just could not sleep. So at 03:00 I set off for Heathrow Airport for my 07:05 flight to Aberdeen and on to Shetland. I had been looking forward to this trip for some time but my constant reviewing of the weather did not bode well with pretty much constant west or north-west winds forecast - Shetland had been very quiet of late. I relaxed in the lounge at Heathrow before my flight and boarded on time but just at departure time it was announced that some numb-nut had decided he/she did'nt want to fly and the baggage staff had to remove his/her bags, this delayed our departure by 30 minutes. My transfer in Aberdeen was incredibly tight and I had fears for my checked in bag so my intuition told me to check with the stewardess and the backage handlers and my fears were confirmed, my bag was not on the plane from Aberdeen to Sumburgh. Now, this had happened to me before and I spent eight days on Fair Isle and Shetland with no luggage and I was not hapy with facing this once again.
The plane landed at Sumburgh pretty much on time at 10:30 and I filed a lost baggage claim and then picked up my car from Bolts Car Hire. The weather was terrible with F7-8 winds and heavy squally showers and so, with no kit, I decided to head to Lerwick to buy a coat, wellies and waterproof trousers. Then, what to do, it was so windy that the birding was going to be difficult so I decided to try and clear up on the few scarce species that were around. First I headed to Boddam for a Scarlet Rosefinch but I was unsuccessful probably mainly due to the atrocious conditions but I did see a pair of rather nice, dark and chunky, North-western (rostrata) type Common Redpoll, presumably from Iceland, Greenland or thereabouts as the wind has been blasting from that direction for sometime. Other than this, it was pretty thin with only 10 Teal and 15 Pink-footed Goose in off the sea of any note.
I then headed to Sumburgh Head and spent the next two hours trying to see a Marsh Warbler in an exposed quarry in a howling gail. After ducking a good number of heavy showers and falling asleep in the car I managed to achieve brief flight views of the bird - the tone of its plumage distinctive but far from adequate looks of this bird. Also here was a single Wheatear sheltering from the gales.
I then headed to Grutness for Snow Bunting and Lapland Bunting but other than a Great Skua, Kittiwake and an adult Arctic Tern I saw nothing and dipped both bunting.
My bag situation was starting to eat me up, with plans of a trip to Tesco to buy a tooth-brush and pants, so I decided to head for the airport and put up a 'fight' for my bag but as I walked in the first thing I saw was my bag. I could at last relax and my plans of buying a tooth-brush and pants changed to heading to Tesco a little later to buy a bottle of red wine!
It was now 16:30 and so I decided to head back to Boddam to try for the Common Rosefinch but had no success. The highlight, while dodging the showers, was a flock of eight Twite and a flock of round 75 Golden Plover. Somewhat annoyed by, once again, dipping the Rosefinch, I headed to Southwick and the beach at Leebitten where another rosefinch was present. I wandered around in the gale photographing an Eider and then eventually bumped into the Common Rosefinch feeding on the Orache and Perennial Sow-thistle along the shoreline. It was somewhat elusive in the strong winds but eventually showed moderately well. A Merlin performed over the settlement and eventually flew south and I decided it was time to head for the Lerwick Hotel, my accomodation for the next couple of nights. I was knackered.
The plane landed at Sumburgh pretty much on time at 10:30 and I filed a lost baggage claim and then picked up my car from Bolts Car Hire. The weather was terrible with F7-8 winds and heavy squally showers and so, with no kit, I decided to head to Lerwick to buy a coat, wellies and waterproof trousers. Then, what to do, it was so windy that the birding was going to be difficult so I decided to try and clear up on the few scarce species that were around. First I headed to Boddam for a Scarlet Rosefinch but I was unsuccessful probably mainly due to the atrocious conditions but I did see a pair of rather nice, dark and chunky, North-western (rostrata) type Common Redpoll, presumably from Iceland, Greenland or thereabouts as the wind has been blasting from that direction for sometime. Other than this, it was pretty thin with only 10 Teal and 15 Pink-footed Goose in off the sea of any note.
I then headed to Sumburgh Head and spent the next two hours trying to see a Marsh Warbler in an exposed quarry in a howling gail. After ducking a good number of heavy showers and falling asleep in the car I managed to achieve brief flight views of the bird - the tone of its plumage distinctive but far from adequate looks of this bird. Also here was a single Wheatear sheltering from the gales.
I then headed to Grutness for Snow Bunting and Lapland Bunting but other than a Great Skua, Kittiwake and an adult Arctic Tern I saw nothing and dipped both bunting.
My bag situation was starting to eat me up, with plans of a trip to Tesco to buy a tooth-brush and pants, so I decided to head for the airport and put up a 'fight' for my bag but as I walked in the first thing I saw was my bag. I could at last relax and my plans of buying a tooth-brush and pants changed to heading to Tesco a little later to buy a bottle of red wine!
It was now 16:30 and so I decided to head back to Boddam to try for the Common Rosefinch but had no success. The highlight, while dodging the showers, was a flock of eight Twite and a flock of round 75 Golden Plover. Somewhat annoyed by, once again, dipping the Rosefinch, I headed to Southwick and the beach at Leebitten where another rosefinch was present. I wandered around in the gale photographing an Eider and then eventually bumped into the Common Rosefinch feeding on the Orache and Perennial Sow-thistle along the shoreline. It was somewhat elusive in the strong winds but eventually showed moderately well. A Merlin performed over the settlement and eventually flew south and I decided it was time to head for the Lerwick Hotel, my accomodation for the next couple of nights. I was knackered.
Common (North-western rostrata type) Redpoll - Boddam, Shetland
Common (North-western rostrata type) Redpoll - Boddam, Shetland
Common (Greenland type) Redpoll - Boddam, Shetland
Northern Wheatear - Sumburgh, Shetland
Great Skua - Sumburgh, Shetland
Kittiwake - Sumburgh, Shetland
Common Eider - Leebitten near Southwick, Shetland
Common Rosefinch - Leebitten near Southwick, Shetland
Friday, 27 March 2015
Norway Birding - 21st March (Day 3 of 6)
Today felt like it was to be a birding day proper and we were up at 04:00 and donned our Arctic onesy's ready for a four hour stint in the floating hides run by Ørjan Hansen at Arctic Tourist in the Batsfjord Harbour. I think both Trev and I were a bit sceptical of these hides having seen very little in the harbour around the hides yesterday afternoon and seeing how close to shore they were. Still, when we arrived at the hides at 05:00 there were probably a thousand or so seaduck present including Steller’s, Common and King Eider and Long-tailed Duck, many being very close to the hide. The approach of the RIB to collect us to take us the 50m or so to the hides soon put pay to this and virtually all the duck were flushed and we clambered aboard the small hide (there is also a large hide but as there were seven people in this we opted for the small hide) opened the flaps and stared onto an empty sea. However, within a short while the first Steller’s Eider appeared and over the course of the four hours we were in the hide we had great views of all the previously mentioned duck species, some down to four metres or so. There was a great deal of calling and courting, especially amongst the Steller’s, and it was great to watch these birds at such close range and obscured from their view. We rattled off hundreds of photos and I filled two 64GB cards, it was almost a relief to leave the hide safe in the knowledge that we had secured some reasonable shots but now not having to process anymore! Although the temperature was around -8c the hide was surprisingly warm and the arctic suites were almost too warm but my feet felt like the ice had taken control and I lost all sense of feeling. Unfortunately, during our time in the hide the light was not great for photography and there was regularly heavy snow further compromising the light, furthermore, beyond the area where the ducks gather is a red building, this casts a red light onto the water affecting the images. While in the hide we also had good views of Glaucous Gull, Purple Sandpiper and Hooded Crow plus Mallard trying to get in in the action – I don’t think either of us took shots of the latter though.
After the hide we headed back to the hotel for breakfast and packed our bags. A scan over the very southern area of the harbour (Maritbukta) produced four Black Guillemot and a handful of Common and Steller’s Eider. We then headed back over the pass which was a lot clearer than yesterday and the views were fantastic. Trev did attempt an off road approach and drove between the snow poles marking the edge of the road and we plunged into the deep off road snow, I found this slightly hilarious once I had pushed the car free and Trev did a good job of driving out of the snow but it could potentially have been a bit serious, Trev eventually saw the funny side I am sure.
We passed through the Tana Valley heading for Vadso and along the way we did a little birding but saw relatively little, a couple of Willow Tits nest building, Bullfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Red-breasted Merganser and few sea-duck on the Tana Delta. The snow was so thick though that birding was difficult and it was difficult to pull over to enable us to scan or walk anywhere.
At the Varangerbotn junction we topped up with fuel and grabbed some food before heading along the coast for Nesseby. We enjoyed superb views over Veranger Fjord now that the weather had cleared and while I stared out to sea looking for seaduck, Trev, while driving, spotted an adult White-tailed Eagle sat on the near shore. We manoeuvred the car alongside the snowdrifts bordering the road, hopped out the car and at a range of 300m the bird flushed. We had rather unsatisfactory views of the bird in flight. We then headed to the carpark by Nesseby Church parked up, had a quick bite of lunch and then hopped out of the car. It was biting cold, amazingly cold, and it felt like our faces had frozen almost immediately and our teeth were about to shatter. I took some snaps of the church in the snow and then we both went to the shore and took snaps of some obliging Purple Sandpipers which were feeding on the sandy beach which was a little alien to us having largely experienced them on the rocks of UK shores. We then spent some time at the small fishing harbour at Nesseby where there where small numbers of gull including an Iceland Gull and a few Glaucous Gull, argentatus Herring Gull and Kittiwake present. A fishing boat approaching the harbour was followed by thousands of large gull species but they peeled away before reaching the harbour but not before an immature White-tailed Eagle approached from a distance and passed through the flock to assess the feeding opportunities before disappearing towards the hills on the south side of the fjord. There was little else to be seen, six Red-breasted Merganser and the occasional Black Guillemot were offshore while dried Cod hung on the drying racks to be picked over by the crows. I went up to my thighs in snow and had to commando roll myself out, I stood, checked no one was looking and continued photographing the Cod.
After Nesseby we drove slowly towards Vadso stopping occasionally but saw little new, although lots of seaduck were present offshore and a small flock of 20 or so Waxwing were seen on the approach into Vadso and there were good numbers of Steller’s Eider, Common Eider and Long-tailed Duck in Vadso Harbour. We checked into the Vadso Fjord Hotel had a beer and then had to cross back across the bridge on foot in the ice cold after finding that the hotel did not serve food. Had a big pizza dinner at Opticom, a couple of beers and then crashed.
See also:
Day 1 here;
Day 2 here;
Day 4 here; and
Days 5 and 6 here.
King Eider - we had close views of up to 10 birds, a further 50+ were present further into the harbour
Female King Eider
Female Steller's Eider
Steller's Eider - Absolutely stunning birds. My favourite part of the plumage is the sprig of broccoli on the nape. This Eider spent more time close to the shore than the other Eiders and is close in behaviour to the dabbling ducks.
Adult male Common Eider
1st year male Common Eider
Female Common Eider
Female Common Eider
Adult male Long-tailed Duck
1st year male (left) and female (right) Long-tailed Duck
Purple Sandpiper
Photography in an Arctic onesy
Batsfjord
Mountain pass between Batsfjord and Tana Valley
At the Varangerbotn junction we topped up with fuel and grabbed some food before heading along the coast for Nesseby. We enjoyed superb views over Veranger Fjord now that the weather had cleared and while I stared out to sea looking for seaduck, Trev, while driving, spotted an adult White-tailed Eagle sat on the near shore. We manoeuvred the car alongside the snowdrifts bordering the road, hopped out the car and at a range of 300m the bird flushed. We had rather unsatisfactory views of the bird in flight. We then headed to the carpark by Nesseby Church parked up, had a quick bite of lunch and then hopped out of the car. It was biting cold, amazingly cold, and it felt like our faces had frozen almost immediately and our teeth were about to shatter. I took some snaps of the church in the snow and then we both went to the shore and took snaps of some obliging Purple Sandpipers which were feeding on the sandy beach which was a little alien to us having largely experienced them on the rocks of UK shores. We then spent some time at the small fishing harbour at Nesseby where there where small numbers of gull including an Iceland Gull and a few Glaucous Gull, argentatus Herring Gull and Kittiwake present. A fishing boat approaching the harbour was followed by thousands of large gull species but they peeled away before reaching the harbour but not before an immature White-tailed Eagle approached from a distance and passed through the flock to assess the feeding opportunities before disappearing towards the hills on the south side of the fjord. There was little else to be seen, six Red-breasted Merganser and the occasional Black Guillemot were offshore while dried Cod hung on the drying racks to be picked over by the crows. I went up to my thighs in snow and had to commando roll myself out, I stood, checked no one was looking and continued photographing the Cod.
Nesseby Church
Purple Sandpiper
Adult Kittiwake
Fishing boat off Nesseby
Cod
After Nesseby we drove slowly towards Vadso stopping occasionally but saw little new, although lots of seaduck were present offshore and a small flock of 20 or so Waxwing were seen on the approach into Vadso and there were good numbers of Steller’s Eider, Common Eider and Long-tailed Duck in Vadso Harbour. We checked into the Vadso Fjord Hotel had a beer and then had to cross back across the bridge on foot in the ice cold after finding that the hotel did not serve food. Had a big pizza dinner at Opticom, a couple of beers and then crashed.
See also:
Day 1 here;
Day 2 here;
Day 4 here; and
Days 5 and 6 here.
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