Vintage New Forest

13 June - I took advantage of the continuing fine weather with a very productive morning in the New Forest.....after traffic delays, a couple of hours at Acres Down (1,3) gave a variety of raptor sightings.....following Common Buzzards in a variety of plumages, 2 Red Kites and 2 Goshawks, not to mention a Peregrine, I had good views of a patrolling Honey Buzzard (2) over a half hour period, with its distinctive flat profile, small head and floppy flight. Nearby, I saw both adult and juvenile Firecrests, with a Woodlark (4) and 2 Redstarts as backup - Crossbills, Siskins and Redpolls were all calling. At Hampton ridge (5), very good views of a male Dartford Warbler in song (7), together with several Stonechats (6). Photos JM.

Nightjars at Snelsmore

12 June - A perfect evening for my annual Nightjar trip to Snelsmore Common near Newbury......it coincided with a BBONT survey so several people around, but that didn't deter the Nightjars, 2 started churring from 2155h and I saw 1 in flight against the dusk sky. Roding Woodcocks provided the supporting cast.

Catalonia 5-6 June 2014

My last bid for freedom whilst on sabbatical - 2 days in Catalonia and a repeat visit with Carles Oliver from Barcelona Birding Point - this time, the steppes and the Pyrenees - fine weather, not too hot - the highlights being (1) 14 species of raptor, including - in the steppes - Short-toed Eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Montagu's Harrier, and Booted Eagle - and, in the Pyrenees 2 magnificent Lammergeiers, and 2 Golden Eagles - (2) Little Bustard, Roller, Bee-Eater, Great Spotted Cuckoo and Orphean Warbler in the steppes, with Purple and Night Herons, Whiskered Tern and Great Reed Warbler at a restored wetland, and (3) Rock Thrush, Water Pipit, Rock Bunting and Bonelli's Warbler in the Pyrenees. Total of 116 species seen in 2 days, photos to follow when work and sanity allow......

Ross's Gull.....

2 June - After a bit of a wait, good views of the first-summer Ross's Gull that has been in Devon, at Bowling Green Marsh, for a week at least. This charismatic high Arctic species is a rare visitor to the UK, mainly in winter, I've seen 2 previously in Britain. Very distinctive, being small but stocky in shape, with a delicate small bill, diagnostic upper wing pattern, and a distinctive diamond-shaped tail with black tip that I saw well in flight. Also a Spoonbill present, and Black-tailed Godwits and Curlews on the high tide. Artwork by Exmouth Birder.

Scotland 29-31 May 2014.......

31 May - A successful short trip to Scotland, fairly last minute with a good weather forecast, and a nice tally of sightings - 3 early morning Otters (1) feeding and playing in the tide wrack at Luib on Skye, all 3 Divers in summer plumage - including several Red-throats, 2 pairs of Black-throated (4) and a summering Great Northern on Skye - and a confiding Slavonian Grebe near Inverness (2,3)......plus White-tailed Eagle and Ptarmigan, Osprey on the nest, and several herds of Red Deer......not forgetting amazing St Kilda! see separate post.......

Sea Eagles, Divers, and Ptarmigan.......

30 May - Another beautiful day of weather, and in the morning a short boat trip from Portree on Skye gave good views of 3 White-tailed Eagles that are habituated to feeding on fish thrown from the boat (1-4).......followed by an afternoon Munro, Ciste Dhubh in Kintail, fairly quiet bird-wise but I nearly trod on a very close Ptarmigan - then when back at the car, a pair of Black-throated Divers were calling and displaying on Loch Cluanie.

St Kilda

29 May - I achieved a long-held ambition today when I finally set foot on St Kilda, 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides - the islands have always fascinated me, having dramatic scenery, vast numbers of seabirds - and also the history of habitation by the islanders until 1936. The crossing from Skye was 3.5h each way on calm seas, and the islands appeared mysterious, wrapped in mist - we spent 4h on the main island Hirta, plenty of time to see the ruined village where the inhabitants subsisted largely on seabirds, in days when communication and travel must have been very difficult. I saw the distinctive St Kilda Wren, much larger than the mainland bird......we then cruised the massive cliffs of Boreray, Stac Lee and Stac an Armin (5-7), that hold between them a quarter of a million pairs of seabirds, including 140,000 pairs of Puffins (10).....an awesome sight. 60,000 pairs of Gannets (11) were also very impressive.....alongside Kittiwakes, all the Auks, And large numbers of Fulmars (8).....with Bonxies (9) and 2 Arctic Skuas cruising over. Other birds on the crossing included Red-throated and Great Northern Divers, Storm Petrel and Manx Shearwater. A long bit worthwhile day with stunning views of Skye and the Cuillin from the boat.