Month: August 2026

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.