Mid summer lull

Mmm. It's that time of year - mid July 2019. Nothing much happening around Ventnor. But there are hints of movements to come. Have had a few swifts passing over Ventnor Downs on recent evenings. The local breeders are still around, but I think you can tell local nesters from birds passing through. And linnet families are going to form larger flocks up on the downs, in with the meadow pipits. 

October 2017

I've trying a new approach to accounting for birding here. Rather than post a narrative account for each day, I'll simply build a monthly systematic list of notable counts and sightings. I've been away, so this starts on 11th October.





Chiffchaff

Royal Hotel: 3 (11th);
Bonchurch: 7 (14th);
Ventnor Park: 5 (14th)

Yellow-browed warbler

Coombe Bottom: 2 (when??)
Down Lane: 1 (when?)
Trinity Street: 1 (13th)
East Dene: 1 (14th)

Goldcrest

Royal Hotel: 5 (11th); 8 (14th)
Bonchurch: 10 (14th)
Ventnor Park: 5 (14th) 

Goldfinch

Ventnor viz mig: 300 (14th)

Redpoll

Ventnor viz mig: 2 (14th)

Two willow warblers, two (local) blackcaps, and two swifts west over East Cliffs. Overcast, warm, with drizzle now and again.....feels good for a melodious warbler.........

Male pied fly and 50+ whitethroats reported up on Ventnor Downs.

Rained continuously all afternoon.......

Blowy from the west and overcast. A cursory glance at the East Cliffs produced a chiffchaff and invisible blackcap singing to itself. 

Westerlies and showers with dry sometimes sunny intervals.

Two willow warblers at East Cliffs first thing; 20-odd swifts.

Just five willow warblers and a female blackcap at East Cliffs today, with a male sparrowhawk through there.

Finally the birds are starting to move properly in Ventnor, with a Pylosc flock of 20 odd willow warblers on Zig Zag Road and another 15 willows and chiffchaff and whitethroat at Devonshire Terrace, and three more willows at Wheelers. Ten sand martins headed east with 10 swallows. 60 odd swifts in the area.