AMERICAN BITTERN - Cornwall 30/10/10

After missing a couple of megas recently, i just had to go for the American Bittern in Cornwall. First found last Tuesday, it was confidently identified on Thursday with the mega alert going out late that evening. Unfortunately i had gone to bed so was unable to drive down overnight and see it on the Friday.
It was still present on the Friday so Saturday was the day. I went down there with Garry Bagnell, John Lees and John Benham leaving at midnight on the Friday night. We arrived at Trewey Common around 07.30 with a gathering crowd of 140.
It was a pleasant wait with Fieldfares, Redwings and Siskins constantly flying over.
There was nothing up until 08.57 when the AMERICAN BITTERN suddenly flew out from it's roost site and landed out of view.
Half hour later it flew up again and showed well circling in front of everyone. It gained considerable height but then started to drop again as 2 Peregrines came in and mobbed the hell out of it. At one stage one of the Falcons clipped it's crown and the bird dropped straight down into some gardens and was not seen the rest of the time we were there. It was a great aerial display with the Bittern turning upside down and stretching out it's legs, twisting, turning and some great parachuting actions.
4 Greenland White-fronted Geese were also present.

American Bittern on Trewey Common, Cornwall.

After this we quickly visited Hayle Estuary and saw 3 Whooper Swans.

I arrived home at 8pm and collapsed in front of the tele.

Rose-coloured Starling 19/10/10

Rose-coloured Starling - Newhaven Heights, Newhaven

Isles of Scilly 9/10/10-18/10/10

Now back from a successful Isles of Scilly trip. Managed to get seven UK ticks but missed out on another three. Highlight for me was the Red-eyed Vireo and Black-eared Wheatear. Other new ones were Common Rosefinch, American Golden Plover, Olive-backed Pipit, Red-breasted Flycatchers and a Richard's Pipit.
Other really good scarcities included Subalpine, Icterine, Melodious and Yellow-browed Warblers, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Grey Phalarope, 2 Spoonbills and a self-found Wryneck.
Also really good numbers of common migrants with loads of Pied Flycatchers, Redstarts, Ring Ouzels, Lapland Buntings, Jack Snipes and singles of Snow Bunting, Dartford Warbler and Water Pipit. A really good trip and most recommended.
American Golden Plover on the airfield - St Marys

Red-breasted Flycatcher in The Parsonage - St Agnes

Pied Flycatcher on the sandbar - Gugh

Black-eared Wheatear on The Garrison - St Marys

Little Bunting at Carn Friars - St Marys

Subalpine Warbler on Bryher

American Golden Plover on Porthloo Beach - St Marys

Greenshank at Lower Moors - St Marys

Jack Snipe on Porth Hellick Pool - St Marys

Grey Seal pup on Annet

Red-eyed Vireo at The Parsonage - St Agnes

Scillies here i come

This will be the last posting for a while as i will be on the Isles of Scilly till Monday 18th. Although the weather doesn't look inspiring at the moment, it has already been a better year than last year in terms of scarcities i.e Black-headed and Rustic Bunting, Am. Golden Plover, Spotted Sand and whatever else has been down there. So i am still optimistic and really excited.

The next posting will be Tuesday 19th.

Hope Gap, Seaford Head 8/10/10

Highlights this morning were singles of Redstart, Whinchat and Brambling, 27 Song Thrush, 21 Chiffchaffs, 6 Blackcaps and 10 Goldcrests. A Hobby was seen as we were leaving the site.

Redstart on Seaford Head - due to the easterly winds overnight, the chances of this bird being a continental migrant are high.

Buff-breasted Sand - Arlington 4/10/10

Hope Gap, Seaford Head 4/10/10

A decent arrival of birds this morning following the overnight rain and light winds. The main highlight were 3 Ring Ouzels in Hope Gap.

Others bits included 78 Blackcaps, 40 Chiffchaffs, singles of Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Whinchat and Reed Bunting, 2 Wheatears, 2 Tree Pipits, 9 Song Thrush and another high-flying group of 14 Blue Tits.

Whinchat and Ring Ouzels in Hope Gap.

Splash Point, Harry's Bush and Abberton Reservoir 3/10/10

A seawatch at Splash Point this morning produced a 3rd calender year Pomarine Skua, 1 Arctic Skua and 2 Great Skuas. Also 4 Little Gulls, Red-throated Diver and good numbers of Commic Terns and Gannets moving east.

Little Gulls flying east past Splash Point.

A walk to the only sheltered area on Seaford Head (Harry's Bush) produced a very late Spotted Flycatcher and a Chiffchaff.

Whilst lazing around at home, news of a Semipalmated Sandpiper in Essex soon got me into action, so i got up there in 2.5 hours and had good but brief views of this hard to get yank wader. Also present were 2 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Spotted Redshanks and 2 Little Stints.

Hope Gap, Seaford Head & Arlington Reservoir 2/10/10

A nice walk around the patch this morning though migrants were on short supply. Alot of overhead migration with totals of 122 Siskins, 4 Tree Pipits, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 17 Pied Wagtails and singles of Brambling and Swift.
Grounded migrants consisted of 41 Chiffchaffs, 36 Blackcaps, 3 Wheatears and a Whinchat.

Raven and Swift in Hope Gap.

Highlight by the wood was a Peregrine successfully catching a Woodpigeon and starting feeding in the field.

Went to Arlington Reservoir afterwards and got great views of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Also an Avocet, Ringed Plover and 2 Dunlin were present.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper and Avocet at Arlington Reservoir.

White Stork - Wareham, Dorset 1/10/10