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Sunday 29 September 2013

CRIMSON SPECKLED MOTH on St Mary's

Almost got a taste of North Africa when this CRIMSON SPECKLED almost went in my mouth to the amusement of Bob Dawson and Ritchie at Old Town Inn.
 
  
  Day off work, so I thought. Did a Taxi and then kicked the areas with no access at Lower Moors. Entering the first field I could immediately see that were migrants jumping around in the dense fog. Spotted Flycatchers, Chiffchaffs, Willow, Reed and Sedge Warblers, a single Redstart and 3 Tree Pipit. I got a call to go and meet the boat and as I was returned to me wagon, I could hear a Red-breasted Flycatcher nearby and after a few minutes I caught in the tops of the Elms. It was 12.05 and I had to be at the quay in ten minutes. Shite! An hour later I returned with Bob Dawson and Ritchie, but there was no sign of it. In the area we did a lot of the fields and got a total of 5 Redstart, 5 Spotted and 1 Pied Flycatcher, 15 Sedge, 3 Reed and 2 Willow Warbler, 7 Chiffchaff, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Wheatear, alba Wagtails and the 3 Tree Pipit. Later I was told that the RBF was first seen yesterday.



Sedge Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher and Redstart
 
 
Collard Dove and Starling
 

And this beauty! CRIMSON SPECKLED MOTH. There was also one trapped yesterday on St Agnes.
  
Later and had an hour up at Green Farm I got my first Garden Warbler of the year!
 


While this cracking Lesser Whitethroat nearby was only my second of the year.
 
I made a visit to go and see Ralf and Nitt at Green Farm and this dead Convolvulus Hawkmoth was in their porch.
 
These little chaps were at Porthloo duckpond a few days ago. Aren't they so cute. If you go to the pool now, there are more than likely only 2 left!
  

I can't even rub my head and patter my tummy at the same time. Wait to see what Mr Shakey Graves can do at the same time. Amazing stripped down folk/country sound with a punk aesthetic. Whatever you call it, from freak-folk to alt-country. It's all good stuff!

Saturday 28 September 2013

Purple Heron at Lower Moors

Juvenile purple Heron showing very well in front of the hides at Lower Moors.

  Today turned out pretty bloody good. From first thing this morning, I got texts telling me that the Bluethroat was still present at Higgo's Pool. Mid-morning, like yesterday, I saw it briefly before I got the call to return to work. Throughout the day, the fog was in and out and as a result it stopped the planes flying. While in the Coop, Ritchie called to say that him and Robin had what they thought was a Little Bunting in the same fields as where Ren had a Common Rosefinch yesterday at porthloo. With in minutes, I was looking through Robins scope at a cracking Little Bunting.

This is the best I could get of the male Bluethroat at Higgo's pool



The Little Bunting was always distant feeding in the furrows. As the owners were away, it was hard work arranging access to the area.

  With Subalpine Warbler, Buff-breasted Sandpiper and the first Yellow-browed Warbler of the year on St Agnes, I thought I should go and kick some fields at Content. I had only just climbed the gate when Darren Mason was on the phone telling me that he had just had a Purple Heron fly over the golf course and landed on Taylors Island, porthloo! From the beach we scanned the island and got an adult Grey Heron. However, when we moved further up road, into Robins fields, I scanned the rocks and said I've got it! Through Robins scope you clearly see it was a juvenile and after ten minutes it took flight. It did a lot of flapping around before coming down into Porth Mellon. At the latter site, we were told that it was observed landing on the rocks near to Sharks Pit. It was flushed by two birders and flew out of sight back over the golf course.

This was the first sighting of the juvenile Purple Heron on Taylors island, Porthloo. As you can see the bird was a very long ways off




The light was pretty crap as it flew overhead at Porthloo Beach

  Bob Dawson text me to say that he had just found an AQUATIC WARBLER at the Big Pool, St Agnes! He also found one last year at Porthloo Duckpond. When he returned to St Mary's he joined up with me and we both went up to Content. We got a single Pied Flycatcher and Willow Warbler when we were stopped short again by a call from Darren to say that the Purple heron was in front of the hides at Lower Moors. The bird was on show when we arrived and for the next 30 minutes it gave everyone cracking views. On our way down to the moors, there was a Redstart on the side of the road at Parting Carn. Later I got a call from Higgo to tell me that the Bluethroat was showing well on his pool. With Robin, we all had brief, but good views, in the fading light. We also observed over 250 alba Wagtail, 350+Swallow and single Yellow and Grey Wagtail come into roost in the phragmites. A male Merlin was dashing around and 4 Whimbrel flew overhead








After the call from Darren, we couldn't resist seeing the juvenile Purple Heron at close range and raced down to Lower Moors and were not disappointed.  

Is this the first time that 2 Wrynecks have been photographed together in the UK? At 07.30 I had just dropped some guest off at the airport when Andrew Gardner text me to say he had a Nightingale opposite Robins House, Porthloo. There was no sign of it, but we did get these 2 Wrynecks together.

  As it was early in the morning, Robin was fast asleep in his cosy bed, unaware of the birds showing in front of his window. So to get his attention I threw small stones at his window. For an hour! No response. There were four of us standing just below his window and if he did open his curtains, we were all going to shout 'Messiah, Messiah, Messiah' Just like in the Monty Python movie 'The life of Brian. But he didn't.

When Higgo and I were searching for the Bluethroat, we got a fright and dived into cover as we thought the Abominable Snowman was coming straight for u!. But as it came closer we identified it as Chris Bonnington. We were relieved until we recognised that it was in fact Robin, and we dived back into cover again!

2 Roseate Terns roosting on a boat out in Porthcressa Bay. Two days ago Ren spotted a Roseate Tern roosting in Porthcressa Bay with Sandwich Terns. Later on, another adult was found by Ralph Parks 

A few of the crowd enjoying the Roseates. Note how Paul Buxton is hiding his face from the camera.

Here again we see Paul trying his up most to hide from the camera by trying this time to hide behind a tripod while we were all getting crap views of a wet Wryneck! Can you believe it? A tripod!!
 
And here is that wet wryneck at where else? Porthloo. Up to 7 Wrynecks were seen on St Mary's today.


And for those who have not seen 'The life of Brian' which I'm sure you all have, here is the snippet from 'He's Not The Messiah'

Sunday 22 September 2013

Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Dotterel

It's becoming the norm every year to observe Dotterel and Buff-breasted Sandpiper feeding together on St Mary's

 Spent the afternoon with Simon Bucknall http://shorebirder-waderworld.blogspot.co.uk/ and after seeing a few Chiffs and a single Yellow Wagtail at Lower Moors, we made our way in the thick fog to the airfield to have a look at the Buffy and Dotterel that have been present up there for the last few days.

 
 

Juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper feeding on a Leatherjacket This is a different individual to the two  here over a week ago
 
 


 

Both birds showed off in front of everyone including Mr Paul Buxton
 

 

At porthloo there were 2 adult and 1 1st winter Mediterranean Gull
 
On the 12th, I spotted this Wryneck feeding on the side of the road at Sallyport while driving me wagon just in front of Ren's front garden. The following day, Ren got a pic of it in hios back garden.
 
Still lots of Swallows on the Garrison


Juvenile Ringed Plover at Porth Hellick
 
Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper spent two days at Porth Hellick
 
Juvenile Rose-coloured Starling at St Agnes
 
Juvenile Red-backed Shrike St Agnes All three above pics taken by Chris and Rose
 
Simon and I watched Man United get a beating, 4-1, against City. I couldn't help but notice that the City manager, Manuel Pellegrini, is a look-like to gods own comedian, the late Dave Allen
 
 DAVE ALLEN
 
"And may your god go with you"
 
Yes Brucey boy, my show is on tonight on the BCC at eight o.clock. Now don't miss it, it's 'The Dave Allen Show' Very funny, I tink you will find'
'Yes, yes Dave, I mean Manuel Allen. Whatever your bloody name is'

I took this shot from Star Castle


And here is the great man himself telling the story on religion. It's so damn true and very, very funny