Ouessant, 11th - 17th October (1 Viewer)

The following is a summary of my weeks visit to Ouessant, a part birding/part family holiday with the inlaws, and now my 9th consecutive autumn on the island. As with any autumn migrant hunting trip, whether you see anything good was in the hands of the gods – but I was going to get some considerable help this time by getting myself on the islands ‘text alert’ service, in case anything mega turned up (and it did...). That said, the focus really was on finding my own stuff, which I achieved to some degree. There were between 60 – 80 birders on the island, which seems like a lot, but there is so much cover there is definitely scope to find your own stuff even with this level of saturation. Add to this that among these 60 – 80 there may only be 20 – 25 who are actively looking for rare birds all day every day, and you’ve really got a good chance, even if you do have to go off and be sociable at mealtimes, and do the odd family oriented thing.

Birding the island is easy. Just step outside with your bins – and keep going. You get around by bike (or on foot), and most of the French/European birders speak good enough English to pass on any bird news, which they seem more than willing to do.

For a little context on what birds are good, and worth reporting to others, the 'bookshop' in Lampaul sells the annual bird report for the island. It can also be a gripping read (if you can read french) and is well worth splashing out ten euros on.

We were based in Lampaul, the islands only town, and the only place really to buy food or eat out/go to the pub. It’s nice and central too, and is close to some very handy birding spots. My only gripe with it is that every morning, whatever direction you go in, you’ve got to cycle up a hill...

For accounts of my other weeks on the island, see:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=241791&highlight=Ouessant

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=268775&highlight=Ouessant

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=295120&highlight=Ouessant

Oct 11th

As always, the trip starts off with the crossing from Brest to Ouessant, stopping along the way at Le Conquet, and Molene (where it was very tempting to jump off and twitch the red-eyed vireo that had been present for a few days). The usual suspects were on show from the boat - Mediterranean gulls were very obvious, especially around Le Conquet, and small numbers of Balearic shearwaters flashed by here and there. A great northern diver was a pleasant surprise between Le Conquet and Molene, and a great skua lumbered over the boat at some point. There were various bits of migrant interest at the pick-up points. At Le Conquet, a stock dove headed over to the west, towards Ouessant, where it is known as a reasonably uncommon late autumn migrant. The first of many migrant grey wagtails went over, and as we waited for the assorted birders and normal tourists to join the boat, I was treated to the spectacle of a stonechat trying to land on the top of a boats mast. It failed miserably and zipped off to a bank of bracken, where it should have been in the first place.

On arrival we did the usual, stopping at the house before spending a good two hours eating lunch. Once all of the unnecessary courses (not often you'll hear me say that!) had been taken in, it was time to get out, on a family walk to the far south west of the island. I took us on a roundabout route to take in a few of my favourite bits of cover, and it soon became clear that the island was alive with birds. Chiffchaffs, goldcrests, and most pleasingly, firecrests, were everywhere, and there were plenty of blackbirds and blackcaps too. Marsh harriers loitered overhead and a sparrowhawk dashed past.

Once we were in the south west I settled down at the little seaweedy beach of Porz Doun. As the kelp accumulates here, it attracts millions of insects which in turn attracts loads of insectivorous birds. There were rock pipits and white wagtails galore, and after a little time I'd picked out a yellow wagtail and a water pipit - the only one recorded on the island so far this year. What made this even more surprising was that it was present for at least three days and was a relatively obvious bird – and yet wasn’t picked up (or reported, at least) by anyone else. A single golden plover passed overhead with a knot, and a little egret fed in Porz Coret. On the way back, as dusk fell, the large gulls in the bay consisted of the usual herrings and both blackbacks, with small numbers of black-headed and Mediterranean gulls among them. I’ve had worse starts to holidays, and was looking forward to the week ahead.

Oct 12th

I was up with the lark (and by that I mean before everyone else in the house) and skipped breakfast in favour of a walk around some of the stangs east of Lampaul. Again crests and Chiffchaffs were the dominant species, all migrants, and there were plenty of song thrush and redwing on the move as well. Blackcaps flitted here and there, water rails wailed from deep in the cover and a party of long-tailed tits moved through noisily (these are also migrants - basically, everything is a migrant here...). Another thing moving noisily was a Cettis's warbler. This was a real surprise - my first on the island and the last thing I expected to come across, although according to one birder they now breed on Ouessant so perhaps I shouldn't have been too surprised. Moving back towards Lampaul I picked up a spotted flycatcher and then the first of the weeks yellow-browed warblers tsooeeted nearby. Not quite the goody it once was but still great value and a nice way to end a very birdy walk.

Before lunch we got a quick walk in down to the Creac'h, a massive lighthouse at the west end of the island, which was nice, and also allowed me to twitch the glossy ibis that had been hanging around there. Here there were also good numbers of stonechat and meadow pipit, a couple of wheatear, and a couple of choughs called in the distance.

Over lunch I got the first of many texts from a very helpful Belgian birder, with news of a Blyth's pipit on the island. Having wolfed down my mussels I joined the 60 or so birders twitching the bird in the far SW of the island, and with the help of a borrowed telescope, was able to enjoy some of the finer aspects of this birds appearance, such as the bill and tail structure, crown streaking and warm wash to the rear flanks.

From here, I decided to cycle across the south end, towards Penn ar Land, a sheltered, wooded valley in the SE. As usual the stang (wooded, boggy area) was alive with chiffchaffs and goldcrests, and to compliment these there were several firecrests and an elusive, but vocal yellow-browed warbler. At the Stang a Stiff, to the north, there was a similar selection of species (minus the YBW) and on my return towards Lampaul, a peregrine put on a fine display over the airfield.

no offence but i hate these reports...i always feel that i should have gone there for my holidays! can't wait for the rest of the week....

You should have gone there for your holidays. There were some good rarities and it was very, very birdy last week. Thrushes and crests everywhere...

Oct 13th

First stop in the morning was Plage Yusin, a little seaweed covered beach in the north that can attract waders and scores of feeding pipits and wagtails. It can attract scores, but on this occasion it had only managed to attract a few rock pipits so I moved on quickly towards Niou, picking up he resident hooded crow (a real local rarity, and a beautiful pure bird, unlike the majority of the ones I see in Aberdeen) as it flew alongside my bike.

At Niou, among the bushy patches and reeds, the now usual suite of birds was apparent. Both gold and firecrests, redwings and song thrushes, siskins overhead, blackcaps and chiffchaffs. My first bullfinches of the week were heard here (again, migrants in pretty good numbers to the island) and a water rail made its presence known. Sensing that the rest of the gang might be up and about, I moved back towards Lampaul, stopping again at Prad Meur in the centre of town. Here a Cettis's warbler called away, and a couple of reed warblers looked positively heavyweight, trying to forage on the same branches as the ever present crests and chiffs. Again, a yellow-browed warbler called.

After lunch I wandered up to the reservoirs in the centre of the island. A big surprise here was a glossy ibis, undoubtedly the one I'd seen the day before, but I hadn't been aware how nomadic this bird was. Aside from a few gulls there was little else to look at, and most of the entertainment was up in the air, with the constant movement of thrushes, several grey wagtails, and a smart male sparrowhawk.

The plan was to meet up with the others at Penn ar Land (as well as a birdy stang there is a very pretty little beach and port here) so I headed there early with plenty of time to have a good look round. As with my previous visit, it was full of crests, blackcaps and robins (they always pass through Ouessant in very good numbers) but a pied flycatcher was a handy addition to the trip list, and a lone Balearic shearwater passed offshore. Once we'd all met up here we began our saunter back towards town, but seeing as I was the only one with a bike it made sense for me to go on ahead and do a bit more birding (under the guise of booking a table at a restaurant). Having done my duties I took a wonder along to Porz Noan, a little beach in Lampaul. Here, 9 little egrets fed and a Mediterranean gull lingered among the black-headeds. A black redstart flitted from wall, to floor and to wall again, and a yellow-browed warbler called from a garden. If this wasn't a pleasant enough way to end a day, a scan of the church tower revealed a juvenile rosy starling among its commoner cousins. I knew one had been seen elsewhere on the island and as with previous years, I was sure it would end up on the church tower at some point. True to form it did so, but it was the only time I caught up with this bird despite checking starling flocks pretty thoroughly through the week.

Nice reports so far Mark, sounds very tempting for an Autumn trip, must be an American vagrant hidden on there somewhere !

Mark.S

Thanks Mark,

It does get the odd American passerine (I've seen grey-cheeked thrush and cliff swallow there over the years) - essentially it's like a smaller, frencher, version of Scilly. Swap the cream teas for crepes and you've got it...

Oct 14th

In the morning I headed NW to some of my favourite (and some of the most productive, rarity wise) spots on the island. At first light I wondered around Pern, an open, grassy area dominated by huge rocks and banks of bracken. This is one of the best spots for watching migrants as they arrive, for whatever reason, at the west end of the island - indeed, most of the thrushes and pipits that went over while I was in the area did so in a direction suggesting they had come in off the sea. The passage overhead wasn't massive though, so I had to make do with a few siskins, redwings, and a black redstart among the rocks. From here I moved on to Cost at Reun, with its network of walled vegetated areas among a tangle of brambles. Again it was quiet, apart from the now expected crests, chiffs and blackcaps, and before too long it was time to meet up with the family to take a walk down to Porz Doun in the far southwest. It also felt quiet here, although the water pipit was still present and a couple of snow buntings were very welcome. From Porz Doun we walked up toward the pyramid at Runiou. There was no sign of the Blyth's pipit (or much else) that had been present the other day, but on the short cropped grass around the pyramid, a group of 11 choughs fed and generally larked around.

One not so short lunch later, and I was exploring around an old stomping ground at Poull Brac, where we had stayed a couple of years running. I knew that a red-breasted flycatcher was in the area, and despite being quite flighty, it was easy to track down, as it rattled frequently. Eventually I got great views of it, as well as a yellow-browed warbler that was also present. Also here, over the road from the flycatcher, a Dartford warbler called a few times, and eventually showed itself well. Aside from the choughs, these are the islands only noteworthy residents - as ever, difficult to see, but tremendous value when you do eventually get your binoculars up on time...

Around the maison de colour, to the north of Poull Brac, another Dartford warbler 'charr'ed away, and I got a second look at the hooded crow, although again, only in flight. Soon it was to be Cidre time, but before beginning my social obligations I squeezed in a quick visit to Prad Meur where a yellow-browed warbler called unseen among the goldcrests, firecrests, chiffchaffs and robins.

Oct 15th

The whole family were up before dawn today as we were had planned a trip to a stone circle in the far SE, to watch the sun come up over the island of Molene, and other various rocky islets of the mer d'Iroise. Very nice it was too, although I must admit I got more pleasure from doing a bit of vismigging while everyone else was getting their hippy on. There had obviously been an arrival of thrushes, with fieldfares everywhere, and a few small groups coming in off. A group of 70 or so redwings also came in, high, but there was little else arriving apart from a steady trickle of grey wagtails and skylarks. A couple of peregrines put on a fine display too, as they chased each other around. After a quick stop at Penn ar Land (bullfinch, among the usual suspects), we all took a wander down to the ferry terminal to have a look at the bottlenosed dolphin that has taken up residence there. Being so close to a big male bottlenose is always great, but seeing it among the boats and ropes set a pretty lonely scene. I shouldn't have been too concerned about it though as I was told later in the week that it was thought to be swimming closely among the boats, ropes and buoys to...ahem....relieve it's solitude. Dirty dolphin.

Back at Lampaul, the birdlife around Prad Meur again consisted of a single YBW and a heard only Cettis's warbler, among the rest.

In the afternoon I decided to bite the bullet and twitch the Pallas's warbler that had been seen on and off around Cost ar Reun. It was a glorious sunny afternoon, and the insectivorous birds were feeding very actively. It didn't take long to locate the little gem, as it gave its distinctive chewit call several times, before it appeared briefly at the top of the bush right next to us. What a little beauty. I could almost forgive the bunch of photographers for piling in after it, as stunning as it was. Also around the little chapel here, a Dartford warbler posed for a millisecond, and I picked up my first whinchat of the trip. Around Kun, a yellow-browed warbler called among the tide of crests moving through the bushes, and my only ring ouzel of the week was a nice addition to the more usual thrushes.

After this rather successful hour or so, it was time to rejoin the family for a walk around the coast in the NE of the island. The Stiff, and Cadoran, have great potential for ground loving birds such as larks and pipits, but all I managed to get was a sunburned face.

After the walk, it was time to head in for the evening, and the birding was over (as much as that can ever be the case, somewhere like Ouessant). However the walk into town in the evening was enlivened by a kingfisher, flushed from a tiny stream in the middle of Lampaul.

Today's arrivals boded well for the next day's birding...

Oct 16th

One of the best days birding I've had in a long, long time. When I stuck my head out of the door first thing, I realised that there was barely a breath of wind in the sky, so my tactics were easily decided - I would head down to the NW corner and do some vismigging while checking the cover around Cost ar Reun and Kun. As I cycled across the air was full of thrushes, and on arrival at Pern a couple of stock doves zoomed overhead. Groups of siskin passed over frequently, and a couple of brambling went over with several chaffinches. At Cost ar Reun, the Pallas's warbler put in a very brief appearance, and while I waited for it to show again, a cracking hawfinch 'zeeap'ed overhead. Focussing back on things at ground level, a black redstart flitted across the rooftops and a reed warbler emerged from the brambles. There were birds everywhere. I moved on to Kun where a similar passage of thrushes and finches was visible, but the distinctive call of a redpoll soon had the French birders present raising their bins with some urgency - I hadn't realised that they were pretty uncommon in this part of the world, but thinking back, it was the first time I've recorded on in 9 visits to the island.

I then moved on towards Niou, and en route stopped to look at a group of 5 golden plovers feeding on a stretch of closely cropped grass - and as I did, a small group of crossbills passed invisibly overhead. Niou was drenched in chaffinches and the odd brambling call could be heard among them too, along with the firecrests, thrushes and the like.

It was too soon time to head back to the house for a spot of late breakfast, but even that couldn't stop the flow of good birds, with 2 yellow-browed warblers in the garden of the house we were staying in, and another hawfinch over Lampaul as I nipped out to the shops. Any time spent outside was done so to an almost constant soundtrack of either siskins, redwings, fieldfares or chaffinches.

After a very hasty lunch I went back out to Stang Porz Gwenn. This brilliant bit of habitat didn't let me down. Again, crests, finches and thrushes dominated, but there were two bits of quality as first yet another hawfinch went over, and then a long-eared owl flushed from a tree at the side of the path. If only I’d seen it before it flushed...

I was happy with the day's haul, so had no problems heading off to spend some family time for a while, with a bike ride down to the Creac'h and then a walk along the coast - I knew of a Siberian stonechat elsewhere on the island and knew I'd have an hour or so to go and have a look at that after the walk. As we cycled down from the Creac'h things started going a little crazy. First up, a drawn out, but abrupt high pitched call appeared in the sky behind me. The brakes were slammed on, and the bird called again (and again, and again....) - a red-throated pipit! A quick text out and I was soon walking along with a couple of French inlaws who were bemused by my high spirits. Not too far along and I get a text that says that the Siberian stonechat was in fact a caspian! Well that was enough for me to abandon family duties and pedal as fast as I could towards the bird. And what a bird! Seen from a distance it was strikingly pale, and seen from a little closer up, it was simply stunning.

A fitting end to the last full day on the island, it was one of those rare days where every landscape and every soundscape featured birds heavily. Migration well and truly in action, with some great bits of quality thrown in.

Sod these rares - was it Clet the dolphin? With a wrecked dorsal? He got a reputation for 'bothering' Irish swimmers and has been seen everywhere from the Bay of Biscay to the north of Scotland. I bumped into him in Brixham harbour 2 years ago.

enjoying the report :t:

We must have seen each other then! I arrived with two friends on the 12., just in the right time for the Blyth's Pipit (and let a guy see through my telescope....... ). My first visit to Ouessant and I really enjoyed it. I might be back there next year....

André

It's quite possible we met! I left on the Saturday evening ferry - were you on that boat. Also, we have a mutual acquaintance. I'll give you a clue - I work in seabird conservation, in an office in Aberdeen.

If that was your scope I looked through, thanks very much!

Hotspur said:

Sod these rares - was it Clet the dolphin? With a wrecked dorsal? He got a reputation for 'bothering' Irish swimmers and has been seen everywhere from the Bay of Biscay to the north of Scotland. I bumped into him in Brixham harbour 2 years ago.

Click to expand...

Nope, not Clet, just another dirty dolphin...

Sod the rares? No chance! Although admittedly I must be spoiled for Dolphins!

Fat Paul Scholes said:

It's quite possible we met! I left on the Saturday evening ferry - were you on that boat. Also, we have a mutual acquaintance. I'll give you a clue - I work in seabird conservation, in an office in Aberdeen.

If that was your scope I looked through, thanks very much!

Click to expand...

Unfortunately we had to leave with the friday evening ferry. Maybe next year. Give my regards to Mr T!

André

Oct 17th

After a night in the pub being led astray by my better half, I anticipated a slow start and a fuzzy head in the morning. I'd be lying if I said there was nothing like that, but I got off a lot more lightly than I thought I would, so made the most of it and got out early. At Kerhuel, chiffs, blackcaps and a yellow-browed warbler called through the morning murk, and at Prad Meur there were definitely two, and almost certainly 3 yellow-brows.

Unfortunately, with it being the last dat, there were chores to attend to, but a quick glance out of the window produced a spotted flycatcher between the packing and the cleaning.

After lunch we had a wee bit of time to kill, so went to sit overlooking the beach at Korz. Here there were loads of large gulls, along with a handful of ringed plover and turnstone. Migrant wise, the most interest came from a couple of yarrellii pied wagtails.

Before too long it was time to jump on the ferry - for one of the quietest crossings I've ever had. Only two balearic shearwaters were seen, and nothing else of note. As the sun set we were back into Brest, and that was that. It had been a tremendous week and I can't wait for year ten, next year...