You're going to have to stick with me here, i'm far too busy to update this regularly. To sum things up, birding at Long Point is friggin brilliant. The fall (autumn) has properly got underway and we're starting to catch an average of 100 birds a day, so i'm banding plenty of exciting stuff. The highlights over the last few days have been a spanking male Connecticut Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, several Northen Parulas, Hooded Warbler, heaps of other wood-warblers (blackpolls, bay-breasted, Magnolias, Orange-crowned etc).
A few days ago I had an epic vis-mig session here at Old Cut. I spent the entire day (0745- 1945) standing on a 2m diameter picnic table overlooking the marsh, with breaks only to fetch more beer and to help launch the boat taking supplies to The Tip, and recorded an awesome 93 species. An excellent variety of birds with lots of raptors, waders, ducks and passerines. Highlights were 19 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 16 Merlins, 9 Sandhill Cranes and 1 Red-headed Woodpecker, great stuff.
Other exciting birds have included a Whip-poor-will that we caught in the middle of the night a couple of days ago, a good haul of Northern Flickers (really cool birds to handle, if you dont mind having your fingers lacerated), the first Eastern Phoebe of the fall (they smell like fresh laundry/or, 'like spring' according to some people).
I'm still racking up the lifers and today i've recorded my 100th lifer of my trip over here, and pushed my world year list up to 726, not that i'm counting it religiously or anything sad like that.
Basically i'm having an excellent time over here and have come to the conculsion that birding on North America is heaps better than birding in England, and I don't want to ever come back.
P.S, I see all the birds I sent to my friends in Ireland made it over in one piece.
P.P.S, only joking (sort of)
Friday, September 19, 2008
Friday, September 05, 2008
LPBO
After a couple of weeks at The Tip, i'm back at Old Cut for a short while. Migration has been slow to get underway but we're catching a steady trickle of birds, not much of any interest to the locals but heaps of new birds for me, i've already had 70ish lifers, and my world year list has been given a welcome boost after stagnating over the summer.
Highlight so far were 2 Willets that I found on the beach at The tip. We even managed to catch one on a midnight spotlightlighting session, and it became the 3rd ever banded at LPBO, we also got a Sanderling and a Semi-palmated Plover that night. I also banded a Sharp-shinned Hawk, which was pretty cool, and not at all bad for my 5th bird extracted from a mist net!! I even have a couple of holes in the webbing between my thumb and forefinger to remind me to to be slightly more careful next time I band a hawk, which should hopefully be pretty soon. Other interesting birds banded here (but not by me) were a Great-horned Owl that was found waterlogged in someones garden having been sprayed by a skunk it was attemtping to eat and then falling into a navigation channel after being blinded by the acrid liquid. The banding lab still stinks. Also an Eastern Screech Owl that was tap lured in one night.
Apart from awesome birds like that, i've been badning plenty of common warblers, sparrows, vireos etc,which has all been educational for when/if I ever find one back in the UK.
I've got plenty of photos of birds being banded and real birds in the field that I might get around to posting up here soon, don't hold your breath tho.
Oh and also, I completely forgot to mention how the Little Terns at Kilcoole did this year. In the end we had 74 pairs, with 130 young fledged, the 4th most succesful year at the colony since the project begun. We were all very pleased with this score, and hopefully will result in decent numbers coimg back again next year.
Highlight so far were 2 Willets that I found on the beach at The tip. We even managed to catch one on a midnight spotlightlighting session, and it became the 3rd ever banded at LPBO, we also got a Sanderling and a Semi-palmated Plover that night. I also banded a Sharp-shinned Hawk, which was pretty cool, and not at all bad for my 5th bird extracted from a mist net!! I even have a couple of holes in the webbing between my thumb and forefinger to remind me to to be slightly more careful next time I band a hawk, which should hopefully be pretty soon. Other interesting birds banded here (but not by me) were a Great-horned Owl that was found waterlogged in someones garden having been sprayed by a skunk it was attemtping to eat and then falling into a navigation channel after being blinded by the acrid liquid. The banding lab still stinks. Also an Eastern Screech Owl that was tap lured in one night.
Apart from awesome birds like that, i've been badning plenty of common warblers, sparrows, vireos etc,which has all been educational for when/if I ever find one back in the UK.
I've got plenty of photos of birds being banded and real birds in the field that I might get around to posting up here soon, don't hold your breath tho.
Oh and also, I completely forgot to mention how the Little Terns at Kilcoole did this year. In the end we had 74 pairs, with 130 young fledged, the 4th most succesful year at the colony since the project begun. We were all very pleased with this score, and hopefully will result in decent numbers coimg back again next year.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Across the Pond
Right, enough of this noncey "meh, i can't be arsed to go birding " shite. Courtesy of an 8 hour flight westwards from London Gatwick, i'm well and truly back in the game!!
I'm now in Canada, at Long Point Bird Observatory, just south of Toronto. Long Point is a sandy peninsula sticking out 40kms into Lake Eerie and is one of the best birding spots in North America. Just looking at the map you can see that it was almost designed as a migrant trap, and the figures over previous years certainly back that up. Since banding began back in 1960, over 750,000 birds have been banded, including over 35,000 last year, that is a helluva lot of birds. I got here on Monday night and have already been racking up the lifers. Highlights so far have been a good selection of warblers, including Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Green and Black and White. An early White-winged Crossbill was also nice. I've started banding (ringing) in earnest and done some quality birds like Cedar Waxwing, Norhtern Flicker, Magnolia Warbler, Brown Thrasher etc. You get the idea, all crippling rares back in England but dirt birds over here.
Having spent a few days learning the ropes here at the Old Cut Station (LPBO HQ), i'm being shipped out to The Tip of the peninsula this afternoon, where most of the action is.
If I dont get to update this very frequently, then check out the Bird Studies Canada Long Point Sightings Page, which should be updated with all the news fairly frequently.
I'm now in Canada, at Long Point Bird Observatory, just south of Toronto. Long Point is a sandy peninsula sticking out 40kms into Lake Eerie and is one of the best birding spots in North America. Just looking at the map you can see that it was almost designed as a migrant trap, and the figures over previous years certainly back that up. Since banding began back in 1960, over 750,000 birds have been banded, including over 35,000 last year, that is a helluva lot of birds. I got here on Monday night and have already been racking up the lifers. Highlights so far have been a good selection of warblers, including Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Black-throated Green and Black and White. An early White-winged Crossbill was also nice. I've started banding (ringing) in earnest and done some quality birds like Cedar Waxwing, Norhtern Flicker, Magnolia Warbler, Brown Thrasher etc. You get the idea, all crippling rares back in England but dirt birds over here.
Having spent a few days learning the ropes here at the Old Cut Station (LPBO HQ), i'm being shipped out to The Tip of the peninsula this afternoon, where most of the action is.
If I dont get to update this very frequently, then check out the Bird Studies Canada Long Point Sightings Page, which should be updated with all the news fairly frequently.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
oxegen 2008
I've given up birding!!
Well, for the time being at least. Seeing as how i'm spending all day every day staring at a seabird colony for a living, the last thing I want to do on my days off is go birding again.
A few weeks back I wandered off to Oxegen festival near Dublin which was absolutely brilliant. MGMT were the stars as they played a packed Pet Sounds tent, i even managed to get in a bit of crowd surfing, a much more satisfying life tick than the King Eider down at Tacumshin would've been.
Embedding music videos in birding blogs seems to be all the rage in times when there are sod all rares about so heres my first foray into stealing stuff off of Youtube.
I was somewhere in the middle of all that lot, and far too busy having a good time to try and film it myself, but I reckon that these videos manage to convey the sense of madness pretty well
The Chemical Brothers finished off with a blistering 90 minute set, which included this sequence in their big screen spectacular which I think has permanantly fucked me up (You need to have worked as a seabird warden to fully understand!!)
On the subject of seabirds ,a quick update on the progress of the Little Terns down here at Kilcoole. We had 72 pairs nest this year. So far we've had 48 chicks fledge, and theres another 60-80 chicks still somewhere between hatching and fledging, hopefully i'll be able to provide a moe accurate figure closer to the end of the season, but as things stand, its definately a successful season, especially compared to the last 2 years, both of which only managed to produce 20-30 fledglings.
Well, for the time being at least. Seeing as how i'm spending all day every day staring at a seabird colony for a living, the last thing I want to do on my days off is go birding again.
A few weeks back I wandered off to Oxegen festival near Dublin which was absolutely brilliant. MGMT were the stars as they played a packed Pet Sounds tent, i even managed to get in a bit of crowd surfing, a much more satisfying life tick than the King Eider down at Tacumshin would've been.
Embedding music videos in birding blogs seems to be all the rage in times when there are sod all rares about so heres my first foray into stealing stuff off of Youtube.
I was somewhere in the middle of all that lot, and far too busy having a good time to try and film it myself, but I reckon that these videos manage to convey the sense of madness pretty well
The Chemical Brothers finished off with a blistering 90 minute set, which included this sequence in their big screen spectacular which I think has permanantly fucked me up (You need to have worked as a seabird warden to fully understand!!)
On the subject of seabirds ,a quick update on the progress of the Little Terns down here at Kilcoole. We had 72 pairs nest this year. So far we've had 48 chicks fledge, and theres another 60-80 chicks still somewhere between hatching and fledging, hopefully i'll be able to provide a moe accurate figure closer to the end of the season, but as things stand, its definately a successful season, especially compared to the last 2 years, both of which only managed to produce 20-30 fledglings.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Ouch!!
I guess everybody has been checking this blog recently hoping for some record shots of the crippling rares flooding Portland at the moment. I'm afraid that wont be happening as i'm currently living in a caravan on the edge of the Irish Sea, and i'm somewhat lacking in computer and rares.
Yes, having spent the last 2 months desperately waiting for the time to leave the island of dreams, i've finally started my job wardening the Little Tern colony at Kilcoole, just south of Dublin, and literally as I stepped onto the tarmac at Dublin Airport, an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler was plucked from the nets in the obs, and yesterday a Thrush Nightingale turns up. Oh well, shit happens.
Still, i've got plenty to keep me happy over here. Kilcoole is a wonderful site, a network of brackish lagoons and grazing marshes backing onto a strip of coastal scrub and a shingle beach, it looks like a superb spot for some goodies to turn up, I can't imagine what birds would turn up there if it was sited somewhere more promising, like right down in the south-east, oh, right, that would be Tacumshin.
The Little Terns are shaping up nicely for a good season with about 150 birds present, and the colony looking extremely hectic, with a constant stream of males bringing back sandeels for courtship feeding, we're expectign to find the first eggs any day now, and then the work really starts, with 24 hour watch on the site to deter predators during the night, and keep the public informed during the day.
Dont expect too many updates to the blog ,as my caravan isnt fitted out with wi-fi yet ,and I wont have too much time off to waltz into internet cafes, i'm only writing this as i'm waiting for the Government Offices in Bray to open so I can sort out all the tax stuff, oh the joys of working abroad!!!
Yes, having spent the last 2 months desperately waiting for the time to leave the island of dreams, i've finally started my job wardening the Little Tern colony at Kilcoole, just south of Dublin, and literally as I stepped onto the tarmac at Dublin Airport, an Eastern Olivaceous Warbler was plucked from the nets in the obs, and yesterday a Thrush Nightingale turns up. Oh well, shit happens.
Still, i've got plenty to keep me happy over here. Kilcoole is a wonderful site, a network of brackish lagoons and grazing marshes backing onto a strip of coastal scrub and a shingle beach, it looks like a superb spot for some goodies to turn up, I can't imagine what birds would turn up there if it was sited somewhere more promising, like right down in the south-east, oh, right, that would be Tacumshin.
The Little Terns are shaping up nicely for a good season with about 150 birds present, and the colony looking extremely hectic, with a constant stream of males bringing back sandeels for courtship feeding, we're expectign to find the first eggs any day now, and then the work really starts, with 24 hour watch on the site to deter predators during the night, and keep the public informed during the day.
Dont expect too many updates to the blog ,as my caravan isnt fitted out with wi-fi yet ,and I wont have too much time off to waltz into internet cafes, i'm only writing this as i'm waiting for the Government Offices in Bray to open so I can sort out all the tax stuff, oh the joys of working abroad!!!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
What a Lark!!
Another day with a total dearth of common migrants, but exciting again on the rarity front.
Early on into a a seawatch off The Bill we had a Short-toed Lark in off the sea, unfortunately it didnt stop and we couldnt find it despite a good search over the slopes, top fields and obs plough.
Not exactly the best views but we followed it in the scopes long enough to see the lack of white trailing edge, general paleness to upperparts, clean underparts and dark patches on the breast sides. Nice but slightly frustrating.
After returning to the seawatch and clocking up a nice total of 72 Black Terns going East, we had another try for the Lark in the Top Fields, on the way back to the obs we picked up a Red-rumped Swallow flying distantly over the East Cliffs, we went down to have a look and found 2 more sat on the fence, presumably some of the birds from yesterday, but at this time of the year you just can't be sure.
For the next hour or so, they were flying around with masses of Barn Swallows giving fantastic close views and calling loudly all around us. I managed some much better photos than yesterday, be sure to click on them for full effect!!
The Swallows lined up in front of The Obs tower
Early on into a a seawatch off The Bill we had a Short-toed Lark in off the sea, unfortunately it didnt stop and we couldnt find it despite a good search over the slopes, top fields and obs plough.
Not exactly the best views but we followed it in the scopes long enough to see the lack of white trailing edge, general paleness to upperparts, clean underparts and dark patches on the breast sides. Nice but slightly frustrating.
After returning to the seawatch and clocking up a nice total of 72 Black Terns going East, we had another try for the Lark in the Top Fields, on the way back to the obs we picked up a Red-rumped Swallow flying distantly over the East Cliffs, we went down to have a look and found 2 more sat on the fence, presumably some of the birds from yesterday, but at this time of the year you just can't be sure.
For the next hour or so, they were flying around with masses of Barn Swallows giving fantastic close views and calling loudly all around us. I managed some much better photos than yesterday, be sure to click on them for full effect!!
The Swallows lined up in front of The Obs tower
A lone Arctic Skua off The Bill this morning
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Too much to Swallow
A cracking day on the island today with a good arrival from the south.
First up a was a single Red-rumped Swallow in the Top Fields, while looking for that bird, the call came through that there was 2 sat on the wires by the obs.
I dont know why, but I just love Red-rumped Swallows, they're one of those birds that no matter how many you see, it's always worth seeing more. So I legged it down to the obs, arriving just 5 minutes later, thats got to be a record, and even more impressive considering that I was carrying bins and a camera with telephoto lens, and was on the phone most of the way too. And even more impressive considering my spectacular fall as I tripped over a stray bramble vine, sending me flying several metres off track, jamming my bins into my face and getting a dead leg from landing on the pager in my pocket. I now have a nice square bruise on my thigh, thanks RBA!!
After a good look at these little beauts, and cooking and eating beans on toast in what was probably a record time too, I was back in the field again, arriving at the obs just as a Bee Eater appeared hawking over the Old Higher Light, Get In!! My british bogey bird. I've missed several by a matter of minutes, and only heard 2 (including the one a few days back). It was pretty distant but gave acceptable views before disappearing North up the Island, and despite extensive searching, was never seen again.
A very satisfying day overall, and all the more enjoyable for the sublime weather, I even caught the sun a bit, a very rare event in England for me.
What with todays birds and the Whiskered Tern down at Radipole, things are certainly looking up down here in South Dorset, and hopes are certialy high for the next few days.
It may seem a bit greedy after what we've had already but we're really hoping for a proper 'biggy' to put Portland back on the rarity map. White-throated Robin would do nicely!!
First up a was a single Red-rumped Swallow in the Top Fields, while looking for that bird, the call came through that there was 2 sat on the wires by the obs.
I dont know why, but I just love Red-rumped Swallows, they're one of those birds that no matter how many you see, it's always worth seeing more. So I legged it down to the obs, arriving just 5 minutes later, thats got to be a record, and even more impressive considering that I was carrying bins and a camera with telephoto lens, and was on the phone most of the way too. And even more impressive considering my spectacular fall as I tripped over a stray bramble vine, sending me flying several metres off track, jamming my bins into my face and getting a dead leg from landing on the pager in my pocket. I now have a nice square bruise on my thigh, thanks RBA!!
After a good look at these little beauts, and cooking and eating beans on toast in what was probably a record time too, I was back in the field again, arriving at the obs just as a Bee Eater appeared hawking over the Old Higher Light, Get In!! My british bogey bird. I've missed several by a matter of minutes, and only heard 2 (including the one a few days back). It was pretty distant but gave acceptable views before disappearing North up the Island, and despite extensive searching, was never seen again.
A very satisfying day overall, and all the more enjoyable for the sublime weather, I even caught the sun a bit, a very rare event in England for me.
What with todays birds and the Whiskered Tern down at Radipole, things are certainly looking up down here in South Dorset, and hopes are certialy high for the next few days.
It may seem a bit greedy after what we've had already but we're really hoping for a proper 'biggy' to put Portland back on the rarity map. White-throated Robin would do nicely!!
Monday, May 05, 2008
The Cats Whiskers
Apart from a decent arrival of Spotted Flycatchers and Turtle Doves, Portland was a bit quiet this morning. luckily news broke of a Whiskered Tern down in Weymouth at Radipole Lake RSPB giving us a good excuse to give up early.
After a nervy moment when it disappeared temporarily and saw us dashing off to look for it at nearby Lodmoor, the bird returned and gave excellent views as it hawked around the Buddelia Pool, viewable from the Buddelia Loop or the Tennis Courts.
The last Dorset record wasback in the 1980's I think, so there was a fair few people there throughout the morning.
An excellent bird to see as all the Whiskered Terns that i've seen before have been grotty winter plumaged birds out in Asia. This was the first sum plum bird that i've seen, a real cracker.
After watching it for a while I remembered that it was even a British tick for me, result!!
After a nervy moment when it disappeared temporarily and saw us dashing off to look for it at nearby Lodmoor, the bird returned and gave excellent views as it hawked around the Buddelia Pool, viewable from the Buddelia Loop or the Tennis Courts.
The last Dorset record wasback in the 1980's I think, so there was a fair few people there throughout the morning.
An excellent bird to see as all the Whiskered Terns that i've seen before have been grotty winter plumaged birds out in Asia. This was the first sum plum bird that i've seen, a real cracker.
After watching it for a while I remembered that it was even a British tick for me, result!!
Sunday, May 04, 2008
What a load of sh*t
Well, actually it was a pretty good day on the Island, but this Blue-headed Wagtail could have chosen a more photogenic perch!!
'Most awkward bird of the day' award went to this spazzy Redpoll. Looks like a Lesser, but its got a pale rump. I don't get it!
Seawatching was quite productive with a Roseate and a few Black Terns, them two together was like Ying and Yang.
A fine male Hen Harrier off on a jolly to France was unexpected but most welcome
Also a couple of Poms, Arctic Skuas and these 3 Velvet Scoter
A few more shots of the Blue-headed Wagtail
'Most awkward bird of the day' award went to this spazzy Redpoll. Looks like a Lesser, but its got a pale rump. I don't get it!
Seawatching was quite productive with a Roseate and a few Black Terns, them two together was like Ying and Yang.
A fine male Hen Harrier off on a jolly to France was unexpected but most welcome
Also a couple of Poms, Arctic Skuas and these 3 Velvet Scoter
A few more shots of the Blue-headed Wagtail
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Yet another Sibe Chiff
A new Siberian Chiffchaff that was pulled out of the obs nets this afternoon
Whinchat
Early Purple Orchids
Stock Dove
Common Buzzard
A few of the many thousands of Manx Shearwaters feeding off The Bill each day
Herring Gull with Spider Crab
Another disatant Pom Skua
Whinchat
Early Purple Orchids
Stock Dove
Common Buzzard
A few of the many thousands of Manx Shearwaters feeding off The Bill each day
Herring Gull with Spider Crab
Another disatant Pom Skua
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Iceland Gull
Yet another day that started off promisingly but failed to deliver the goods (on the rarity side of things at least)
First up were two Hawfinches that flew over us on the Top Fields shortly after dawn, 'zick'ing away as they do.
Next a seawatch off the Bill was going painfully slowly until an Iceland Gull rounded the cliffs right in front of us, just as a Pom Skua was bombing through a bit further out, some people just didn't know where to look!
I'm a bit unsure of the ageing of this bird. The greyish tint to the mantle, and well marked bill would suggest a 2nd winter, but the dark eye looks more in line for a 1st winter. I know sod all about gull ageing though, so if anyone can help, it would be much appreciated.
First up were two Hawfinches that flew over us on the Top Fields shortly after dawn, 'zick'ing away as they do.
Next a seawatch off the Bill was going painfully slowly until an Iceland Gull rounded the cliffs right in front of us, just as a Pom Skua was bombing through a bit further out, some people just didn't know where to look!
I'm a bit unsure of the ageing of this bird. The greyish tint to the mantle, and well marked bill would suggest a 2nd winter, but the dark eye looks more in line for a 1st winter. I know sod all about gull ageing though, so if anyone can help, it would be much appreciated.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Prruup Prruup!!
Today got off to an excellent start when what was presumably yesterdays Serin appeared in our garden as we left home early in the morning.
Half an hour later, as we were checking Culverwell, I heard a distinctive prruup prruup, bloody BEE EATER. I rushed out of the trees and frantically scanned the skies but there was no sign of the bird. A search back over the Top Fields and the gardens of Southwell was equally fruitless. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.
The Serin returned again in the afternoon and sung for a while from the tree behind our kitchen window.
Crappy Brambling flight shot that I forgot about from a week ago.
And the Serin's back again now. How cool is that, it's like living in Spain, but without the wierd language, oh, hang on, this is Portland, just like Spain then.
EDIT: 10 minutes later, here it is again, back in the Silver Birch, thats an awesome tree, we've now seen Mealy Redpoll, Ring Ouzel, Pallas's Warbler and several Yellow-browed Warblers in it (in reverse chronological order)
I even heard it tinkling through the bathroom window as I was having a tinkle myself, how ironic!!
For the non-birders anongst you, (and probably a few "birders" too), 'tinkling' is a good way to describe the song of the Serin, I wasn't listening to it taking a slash or anything wierd like that.
Half an hour later, as we were checking Culverwell, I heard a distinctive prruup prruup, bloody BEE EATER. I rushed out of the trees and frantically scanned the skies but there was no sign of the bird. A search back over the Top Fields and the gardens of Southwell was equally fruitless. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.
The Serin returned again in the afternoon and sung for a while from the tree behind our kitchen window.
Crappy Brambling flight shot that I forgot about from a week ago.
And the Serin's back again now. How cool is that, it's like living in Spain, but without the wierd language, oh, hang on, this is Portland, just like Spain then.
EDIT: 10 minutes later, here it is again, back in the Silver Birch, thats an awesome tree, we've now seen Mealy Redpoll, Ring Ouzel, Pallas's Warbler and several Yellow-browed Warblers in it (in reverse chronological order)
I even heard it tinkling through the bathroom window as I was having a tinkle myself, how ironic!!
For the non-birders anongst you, (and probably a few "birders" too), 'tinkling' is a good way to describe the song of the Serin, I wasn't listening to it taking a slash or anything wierd like that.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
We Wuz Robbed
It was all set up nicely for a parade of poms this morning, and then the crappy weather went and spoilt it all. First, a big-off thunderstorm was hanging around offshore for ages and all the seabirds were blatantly passing around the other side of it (which is fair enough really), and then as soon as that moved on, thick sea-mist rolls in for the entire day, reducing visibility to the exact distance of sod-all, rubbish!!
Still, a male Serin was fine compensation as it spent the morning feeding and singing in the Obs Garden and Hut Fields.
These might just qualify as record shots, but i'm not sure if they're even up to that standard.
The first view I had of the bird as it flew over us on the Bill Common, calling loudly
It then gave excellent views through the scope in the hut fields but was far too far away for photography.
And there were way too many people around to try and creep up on it. You can get hanged in public for doing that sort of thing days you know. The Birdforum lynchmob gets everywhere, no-one is safe!!!
Still, a male Serin was fine compensation as it spent the morning feeding and singing in the Obs Garden and Hut Fields.
These might just qualify as record shots, but i'm not sure if they're even up to that standard.
The first view I had of the bird as it flew over us on the Bill Common, calling loudly
It then gave excellent views through the scope in the hut fields but was far too far away for photography.
And there were way too many people around to try and creep up on it. You can get hanged in public for doing that sort of thing days you know. The Birdforum lynchmob gets everywhere, no-one is safe!!!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Poms are coming
There can be few sights as specatacular as a flock of fully spooned Pomarine Skuas thundering past a South coast headland in spring. We're just starting to get the vanguard through now, with several seen each day. They've all been a bit far off for photgraphs, with this bird this morning coming the closest.
Note the heavy chest, long spoon shaped tail and big white flashes on the wings. Photos like this just can't do the birds justice, you really need to see them powering along to fully aprecciate them.
This Great-northen Diver flew close past the bill this morning
Several hundred Manx Shearwaters were feeding off the Pulpit Rock, but never came in too close to shore
The usual residents are always flying by, including this Shag
And this cock Pheasant was skulking around Culverwell this morning.
Note the heavy chest, long spoon shaped tail and big white flashes on the wings. Photos like this just can't do the birds justice, you really need to see them powering along to fully aprecciate them.
This Great-northen Diver flew close past the bill this morning
Several hundred Manx Shearwaters were feeding off the Pulpit Rock, but never came in too close to shore
The usual residents are always flying by, including this Shag
And this cock Pheasant was skulking around Culverwell this morning.
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