September 2013 round-up

This hopelessly incomplete round up will be updated once I get back to the UK (Feb/March 2014).

September 2013

I'll update this systematic list through September. See posts below for daily accounts.

HOBBY

2nd. 1, Ventnor Downs

REDSTART

2nd. 4, Combe Bottom.
3rd. 5, Steephill Down.
4th. 1, Steephill

WHEATEAR

2nd. 1, Steephill Down. 1, Nansen Hill.
3rd. 1, Steephill Down.

LESSER WHITETHROAT

2nd. 1, my garden.
3rd. 1, Steephill Down.


WHITETHROAT

2nd. 1, my garden.
3rd. 5, Steephill Down.
4th. 1, Steephill

GARDEN WARBLER

2nd. 1, my garden
3rd. 1, East Cliff.

WILLOW WARBLER

4th. 2, Steephill

YELLOW WAGTAIL

2nd, 3 east over my garden

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER

3rd. 7, Steephill Down.
4th. 3, Steephill


CHAFFINCH

4th. 2, Steephill

SWALLOW

4th. 100, Steephill

boring

The feast of migrants of the last few days has given way to, well, nothing! I did have a couple of redstarts and five Phyloscs on Steephill this morning, and someone reported the wryneck as still present at 7.40am. And a cool and drizzle-soaked Nansen produced eight spot flies and a redstart, with a further two spot flies in the Landslip below SSmuggler's Haven, but it's really not happening.

redstart fest

Had a walk up through Combe Bottom early evening, clocking five redstarts in the base of the vale, with a party of ten gathered in the sun in hawthorns on The Rim.

I then checked the bracken bowl, and was soon surrounded by 10 redstarts calling in unison, with another five quiet ones! Also a single wheatear.

Ventnor Cemetery produced one further wheatear, with another five plus on Steep hill!

36+ redstarts can't be bad.

Blustery

The weather has turned rather windy, with grey cloud blown in by a sou-wester and drizzle on and off

Had a smart female redstart and five odd phyloscs in the garden first thing. Willow warblers have been a daily fixture over the last couple of weeks, and two launched themselves south from the garden over the roof-tops. Clearly there's an urge to keep moving.

Up on the downs, an invisible yellow wag flew south over The Rim calling. Five whitethroats and c.30 phyloscs livened up the bowl. Another birder reported a whinchat, three wheatears and two redstarts.

Autumn 2013

Having experienced a pretty stunning late autumn migration in Ventnor in 2012, I'm now back in Ventnor to see how the early autumn compares...... 

Bit busier...

There was a definite autumnal feel in the air as I walked down Zig Zag Road at around 7am this morning. There was a small tit flock at The Grove with a couple of Phyloscs - so far this autumn this area (so good in late autumn last year) has been devoid of birds).

Walking on through town, two willow warblers were calling from the Winter Gardens. This area looks fantastic but never gets anything, so these were unexpected.

The East Cliff tamerisks contained c.5 willow warblers, and two lesser whitethroats! As I walked along the path here, a probable pied fly flew up from the cliff face and buried itself in the gardens, with no further sign. The lesser throats and a couple of Phyloscs made off west from the tamerisk gardens, first into the elder clump behind Cowlease bench, then into the Glen, then off towards Wheelers.