PERDIX BIRDER

My last bash around the headland before heading to Scilly for a couple of weeks. Again there was rain pre dawn and light southerly airflow. Foxhill down was busy with more going on overhead – Meadow pipits, Reed buntings, alba and Grey wagtails c150 House Martin and a Golden plover over calling. I then noted Ring Ouzel, 3 Brambling, c50 Chiffchaff, a single common Whitethroat, 3 Black Redstart a/the Short Eared Owl over the harbour field and 21 Jays which arrived off the sea at the lighthouse.

During the walk back I was investigating the weedy field area next to wanstone battery when a Yellow–browed Warbler started calling in the sallows next to the gun emplacement.

Quite a showy bird that put in a few appearances before I had to leave. Nice to get 2 before leaving.

Wish me luck on Scilly.

Today’s forcast was dominated by rain and strong Southerly winds, a circuit of the headland in waterproofs first thing was mostly uninterrupted by notable birds except my first Brambling of the autumn, perched calling in the Top wood. My second attempt this afternoon was more successful as I almost immediately bumped into a very vocal Yellow–browed warbler on Foxhill down.

The bird showed nicely on and off for 15 mins then became more illusive.

Prior to this; a period of high pressure stretching back the past week or so has resulted in very little to write about. A potentially blythi type Lesser whitethroat was on the edge of Top wood on the 29th. The bird, which I take to be juvenile (on iris colour) seems to show a brown nape and rear crown and from what I can see an almost entirely white outermost tail feather, no calls heard and no definitive tail photos sadly.

The Same day I had 2 Grasshopper Warblers, there must be quite a few still lurking up there despite the date.

Whilst looking through the 30+ Stonechats currently residing in the top fields a Short-eared Owl burst out of the grass nearby.

It circled round and put down elsewhere. later on, Amy and I came back up and watched it hunting in the still and unseasonably warm evening air.

Much time has elapsed since my last post: work and other responsibilities have got in the way. Besides this my limited coverage has produced very little, beyond the expected, to write about.

The inevitable switch from willow warblers (above) to Chiffchaffs (below) has happened and migrants like Whinchat, Wheatear and Spotted flycatcher have been omnipresent during most visits.

A high count of 11 Tree pipits on a date I cant remember towards the end of August. A productive day on the 5th of Sept was highlighted by Osprey, Turtle Dove, Pied and Spotted Flycatchers Redstart, and since then numbers of Hirundines have been the focus and another Osprey on the 15th. Some large movements of House martin a juvenile Caspian Gull along the cliffs and a common Swift on the 16th.

Today began with a very light NW wind and despite the clear skies over night was immediately birdy.

Foxhill down held 2 Pied Flycatchers (one at each end) a Mistle thrush great numbers of Chiffchaff and Blackcap. 3 Black Redstarts in Langdon along with increased numbers of Skylarks, Stonechats and Meadow pipits the latter both overhead and in the fields. Siskins and one or two Reed Buntings also counted.

3 grounded Yellow Wagtails above Fanbay, a Grasshopper warbler and 2 Whinchats in the recently dubbed ‘weedy field’ area.

The wind switched to a light Southerly and I moved to my ‘incoming Raptor spot’ above the harbour. exellent cross channel conditions between 13.10 – 14.10 produced 19 Juvenile Common Buzzards, 2 juvenile Kestrels, a Juvenile Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk, all picked up as dots towards Calais and all came in over the East Cliff. Things tailed off as the wind switched more SW’erly.

One of todays Common Buzzards, these were fairly consistent during the period of favourable winds, with birds arriving in 1’s 2’s and 3’s.

Arriving home from 4 days Sea watching with Phil Chantler at Estaca de Bares very early this morning left me in abit of a bleary eyed daze, however I was pretty wired so went straight up the cliffs, a circuit of Foxhill down and Langdon before meeting up with Rich to have a quick skywatch. 2 Common Buzzards moved NE and a Pied Flycatcher appeared in the dying Ash tree behind us but little else of note.

We gave it a little while and gave in, after saying our goodbyes I took a phone call at the SW end of Fox hill down and just after this a beautiful striped juvenile Honey Buzzard appeared in the airspace over the Eastern docks, motoring in towards the headland with couple of Gulls in pursuit.

An almost direct overhead hit and one of the closer encounters with a juvenile here for me.

It made landfall and circled over Foxhill down, eventually moving NW towards Whitfield, I managed to call Rich and get him on the bird from somewhere towards there.

Later in the afternoon I was at home and heard the Gulls going crazy, when the Peregrines joined in I knew it would be a Raptor, I ran outside with bins and got onto an Adult (unsexed) Honey Buzzard going West over the houses infront of mine, It contiued West round the corner and towards town. My 10th of the year here at the coast. Still not close to last years total.

An afternoon walk up the cliffs was quiet but this smart juvenile pale phase Common buzzard was nice to look at,

Ive been holding off posting anything so far this August, waiting for the first decent bit of movement and the arrival of the first Pied flycatchers. The first was in a lone hawthorn at Fan bay while another 4 were in he clearing at Top wood. Last year was poor for the species so I like to make a fuss of them.

With the high temperatures birds were mostly perching within the canopy. Also counted today were c15 Willow warblers, 2 Sedge a Whinchat, 3 Wheatear, 3 Black Redstart, 7 Yellow Wags a single Swift, c20 House Martin and c50 Swallows overhead.

I met up with Phil who offered me a lift back, while he was driving back through the valley I picked up a male Honey Buzzard being mobbed by a Kestrel, We skidded to a stop and watched It moved North. It could have potentially come in at the Bay… It gave great views but excuse the heat hazey photos!

Yesterdays highlight was a juvenile Hen harrier that came in over the cliffs at the Lighthouse.

The 8th of August delivered excellent cross channel Raptor weather and despite no HBs I counted a juv Hen Harrier, 2 Marsh Harriers, a Common Buzzard and 3 Kestrels all in off over the Harbour.

I had been talking up the weather on Friday the 24th, SSW both here and in Calais but nothing came in at the harbour, Rob R had a Honey Buzzard arrive at Walmer so at least the weather delivered. Today however, I thought, held less promise as it was forecast to be very light WNW winds in Calais but moderate Southerlies from mid channel north. It seemed to do the trick though as Marsh Harrier, Osprey and Honey Buzzard all came off the sea between Light house down and the harbour. The latter of these a female in wing moult that looked like it would be a direct hit before it circled over the Eastern docks and headed inland over the National trust cafe, my 7th HB here this summer.

One or two lemon’y Willow warblers in the bushes, along with a Reed warbler today but nothing more exciting than that for me so far.

After seeing my first juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls from the back garden on the 6th and another one along the cliffs on the 7th this was the first time I’ve been out looking for Gulls with my camera and struck gold with the earliest Juvenile Caspian Gull I’ve ever seen in the UK at Walmer beach.

Wearing a Dutch ring ‘N:3’ I texted Mars and Thijs who replied with some details, ringed in the de Krupel colony.

A single juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, below, was also present alongside juv Lesser black backs, herring and Med gulls.

Met office and Ventusky had different ideas about today but the actual weather was a light South Easterly. At first I thought perhaps too light but I was wrong.

Another 2 Honey Buzzards arrived off the sea over the Eastern docks. The first a male at around midday.

The bird came right over head and continued inland towards the castle. Circling over broadlees bottom and giving lovely views.

Buoyed by this and knowing that if theres one there can be more – I was busy scanning for the next 20 minutes and picked up a HB coming in from way beyond the harbour break water. I absolutely love viewing them like this, over the channel, entering harbour airspace and gaining height before giving a fly past.

A pale female, flew straight for the castle and got buzzed by one of the Peregrines, it turned back and gave nice views whilst circling over the A2. Then carried on North as they often do.

That puts me on 6 for the year, slightly behind last years total by now . The reason for this is the lack of suitable days with Southerly winds, hoping for more! Colin also had a Honey Buzzard fly NW at South Foreland.

Other notables recently have been the odd Yellow Wagtail, small numbers of Sand Martins departing and a Cuckoo.

The morning’s forecast was not one that I had pegged to spend looking out to sea for Raptors but by mid morning it was apparent that the forecasted light Sw winds here in Dover were in fact coming from the South East and the yellow haze of fumes hung between here and the continent suggesting they were the same winds across the channel plus pretty good visability – ‘HB weather’.

I’d been busy first thing but was up the cliffs by 11.30 looking out South over the Eastern docks and at 12.55 picked up a Honey buzzard fairly low coming over the Eastern arm of the harbour directly towards me.

A direct hit; it flew right above where I stood and gave great views as it continued NW towards the castle and beyond. A typical line of arrival here. The harsh back lighting can sometimes make sexing tricky and I took the bird to be a female at the time however the photos suggest a male with dipped in ink primary tips, grey face and clean secondaries.

17 minutes later and an dark obvious female HB came in on a similar line, only a little higher.

I remained in place till 15.30 with no other raptor arrivals. Ive earmarked tomorrow and Tuesday as potential days for more of the same. lets see!

A light Northerly turning Westerly mid morning. Phil Chantler texted me at 5.55 am letting me know he’d found a Zitting Cisticola neat the monument at Bockhill, with the bird I found two years ago being a brief encounter I was keen to see it so made my way to the other side of the bay (thanks to a bit of help from Phil). Before long I heard and saw it well alongside Tony Morris, Jack Chantler and Nigel Jarman.

It went missing and we could not re locate it before leaving and as I type this hasnt been seen again. Whilst we were standing there I picked up a couple of Bee eater calls from an unseen bird. Nige heard the last of these too but none of us could locate it.

So that concludes spring for me. I travel to Switzerland this afternoon for 2 weeks work and will be back after summer solstice, hoping for southerly weather and HBs arriving.

Corn buntings seem to have taken a bit of a hit this year, hopefully not too hard.