Month: December 2024

The end of the festive season and end of the birding year for me, Its been mostly/only gulls this month for me, I havent seen either of the enormous rarities that popped up in Kent over Christmas but hope to at least see the warbler at least, when the crowds die down.

Amy and I plan to spend NYE looking for a wallcreeper thats been present since november in northern france.

Heres some of the many Caspian gulls ive seen this month, mostly bewtween Shakey beach, st Margaret’s and the marina, no particular order, all ages.

See you next year.

A brief post with mainly photos of a few highlights in a fairly quiet year on st Agnes. With no Americans during our October stay is wasn’t a ‘vintage’ year but I did find Olive backed pipit on the 10th,which something Ive been trying to do there for a while.

It later transpired that there were 2 birds together which both showed fantastically well in the long grass near the Bulb dump for a few days.

With it being a quiet year across the islands they were popular! Below is one of Lee Amery’s excellent photos.

Laurence and I found this Richard’s pipit together on Gugh on the 11th –

Other finds from our house included a Red Breasted flycatcher, Multiple Dotterel, including single flyovers and 2 grounded birds, Wrynecks, a Quail flushed from the edge of Wingletang, a Barred Warbler that Jack and I had in Barnaby cottage garden and Laurence found a male Bluethroat on Gugh.

A Scilly Pelagics trip was too much to resist with unparalelled views of 100’s of large Shearwaters still in the area during these dates, plus nice views of euro stormies. Seawatching from horse point too was great.

Back with a bump from my annual work trip to Miami, trading 15 species of American Warbler, Black Skimmers, Royal Terns and Frigatebirds for the grey skies of Dover. Sadly I found this dead little Auk in the Harbour after 30 mins of looking for a live one which has been released earlier that day after turning up at the door of the Curiosity shop on Snargate steet. Perhaps (and hopefully) not the same individual as the released bird seemed healthy apparently.

A walk around the valley this morning was highlighted by a flyover Hawfinch, several Firecrests 2 Chiffchaff and a Blackcap also noted.

Looping back around the headland and walking the cliff path I picked up an incoming Snowbunting which flew NE along the cliff tops at height and calling.

The afternoon involved a check of the harbour where a single 1st Winter Caspian Gull was in the marina and an adult male Black Redstart in a spot I know.

Gulls and seawatching from now on for a while I should think.