[Vectis Birder]

As I am originally from the Isle of Wight (moving to Southampton earlier this year to enhance my admittedly dim(!) job prospects), and I have found no posts in the Isle of Wight section, I think I should redress the balance!

My favourite locations for birding on the Island are as follows:

Ventnor Down: A superb location where you have views of the entire Island as well as over to Southampton Water and Portsmouth. There is plentiful parking there as well as an access road.
Species present include most common species, and is a productive spot during the spring and autumn migration seasons.

St Catherine's Point: There is a lighthouse here, and it is a superb spot for seawatching and finding migrants at the right time of year

Ryde: Excellent for Brent Geese, various wader species and sea ducks during the winter, as well as different gull species. A Ring Billed Gull made Ryde Boating Lake its home for a few winters, but disappeared a few years ago and never returned.

The local society is the Isle of Wight Ornithological Group which costs £10 a year to join and which produces a newsletter and organises bird watching walks every month.

There is also an RSPB members' group.

There are many other birding spots as well as those I have mentioned above. The Isle of Wight is pretty much underwatched by mainland birders, but does have a thriving local birding scene, from those who enjoy watching the commoner birds in their gardens, through those who like going out on a fairly casual basis, right up to the twitching fraternity. I guess I would describe myself as all three, as I enjoy all birding activities! There have been large twitches on the IoW within the last ten years, two of which I have attended myself.

[DavidP]

Dear Faith

Thanks for the post, finally something about the island.
I grew up there and am always interested in whats going on so i can make most use of family visits.

Two good web sites list recent sightings and have some site information
http://dbhale.members.beeb.net/IOW.htm
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...gels/home.html

David

[Vectis Birder]

Derek Hale's site is very good, and is frequently updated. Wight Vogels is a new one (as far as I know). Interesting he is using the Dutch word for birds in the title. I like that!

Where abouts on the Island are you originally from? I am from Sandown via Yarmouth, Newport and Ryde.

[Tiger_mz]

Originally Posted by Faith

As I am originally from the Isle of Wight (moving to Southampton earlier this year to enhance my admittedly dim(!) job prospects), and I have found no posts in the Isle of Wight section, I think I should redress the balance!

My favourite locations for birding on the Island are as follows:

Ventnor Down: A superb location where you have views of the entire Island as well as over to Southampton Water and Portsmouth. There is plentiful parking there as well as an access road.
Species present include most common species, and is a productive spot during the spring and autumn migration seasons.

St Catherine's Point: There is a lighthouse here, and it is a superb spot for seawatching and finding migrants at the right time of year

Ryde: Excellent for Brent Geese, various wader species and sea ducks during the winter, as well as different gull species. A Ring Billed Gull made Ryde Boating Lake its home for a few winters, but disappeared a few years ago and never returned.

The local society is the Isle of Wight Ornithological Group which costs £10 a year to join and which produces a newsletter and organises bird watching walks every month.

There is also an RSPB members' group.

There are many other birding spots as well as those I have mentioned above. The Isle of Wight is pretty much underwatched by mainland birders, but does have a thriving local birding scene, from those who enjoy watching the commoner birds in their gardens, through those who like going out on a fairly casual basis, right up to the twitching fraternity. I guess I would describe myself as all three, as I enjoy all birding activities! There have been large twitches on the IoW within the last ten years, two of which I have attended myself.

I have been on holiday in Shanklin three times now. I go for a fourth time in September.

[bbsbirder]

A large flock of Sanderlings on Ryde East Sands over the past couple of days. The flock includes some colour ringed birds. Waiting for the ringing history but scheme rings in Iceland and West Africa.
Also plenty of Brent Geese feeding around the pierhead.

Kevin

[bbsbirder]

Originally Posted by bbsbirder

A large flock of Sanderlings on Ryde East Sands over the past couple of days. The flock includes some colour ringed birds. Waiting for the ringing history but scheme rings in Iceland and West Africa.
Also plenty of Brent Geese feeding around the pierhead.

Kevin

Results back for the CR Sanderlings show that most were ringed on Hayling Island a month earlier.

Kevin

[Stevie babe]

Out of interest are there records of Goshawk in the Parkhurst Forest.

I was there earlier this summer and tried to follow a largish BOP through a patch of more open vegetation than ost of the wood. It kept moving away from us and although I had my bins with me by the time I was closer and back on it again it flew off - 3 times.

My thoughts at the time were not normal buzzard behaviour, a bit big for a Sparrow hawk.

Any one got any thoughts?

[Tony Knight]

"................Ventnor Down: A superb location where you have views of the entire Island as well as over to Southampton Water and Portsmouth. There is plentiful parking there as well as an access road.
Species present include most common species, and is a productive spot during the spring and autumn migration seasons.

St Catherine's Point: There is a lighthouse here, and it is a superb spot for seawatching and finding migrants at the right time of year

Ryde: Excellent for Brent Geese, various wader species and sea ducks during the winter, as well as different gull species. A Ring Billed Gull made Ryde Boating Lake its home for a few winters, but disappeared a few years ago and never returned........................"



I'm planning to visit the IoW for a long weekend in July (not ideal i know !). Which sites are worth visiting at that time ? What are my chances of seeing dartford warbler ??

Tony