Farnboro John
Well-known member
Fantastic record and great sighting!
John
John
-
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North Sea Thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Gander
- Start date
markspirito
Well-known member
Strange to see these birds in this situation !, I just hope they also make it
Woodcock Update.
The Blackbirds and Robins have moved on, but there are still eight Woodcock sitting on the Spider Deck, a few metres above the sea. The wind has now swung around to being straight out of the east again and is forecast to be the same for the next few days.
I managed to get a group photo of 5 of the Woodcock (see attached). I hope they move on very soon.
There have been no fresh birds in today, but yesterday, I did see what was probably a Chiffchaff, and also had what was probably a Goldcrest, reported to me. I've not reported either, as there was slight doubt on both. Interestingly, the probable Goldcrest was described as a very small bird with a bright orange stripe down the centre of its head. Firecrest? Still more likely a Goldcrest, but one of these days. :t:
The Blackbirds and Robins have moved on, but there are still eight Woodcock sitting on the Spider Deck, a few metres above the sea. The wind has now swung around to being straight out of the east again and is forecast to be the same for the next few days.
I managed to get a group photo of 5 of the Woodcock (see attached). I hope they move on very soon.
There have been no fresh birds in today, but yesterday, I did see what was probably a Chiffchaff, and also had what was probably a Goldcrest, reported to me. I've not reported either, as there was slight doubt on both. Interestingly, the probable Goldcrest was described as a very small bird with a bright orange stripe down the centre of its head. Firecrest? Still more likely a Goldcrest, but one of these days. :t:
Attachments
And they are off
Most of the Woodcock are now on their way, hopefully to the continent for a happy breeding season. Numbers yesterday topped out at ten (photo of seven of them attached). Today, there are only two remaining.
Also seen yesterday were two Woodpigeon and our largest ever Common Gull flock, counted at eighty two.
Forgot to mention the Pilot Whale spotted on Monday. And also been forgetting to update this years list, in all the Woodcock excitement, so hear it is.
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
Most of the Woodcock are now on their way, hopefully to the continent for a happy breeding season. Numbers yesterday topped out at ten (photo of seven of them attached). Today, there are only two remaining.
Also seen yesterday were two Woodpigeon and our largest ever Common Gull flock, counted at eighty two.
Forgot to mention the Pilot Whale spotted on Monday. And also been forgetting to update this years list, in all the Woodcock excitement, so hear it is.
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
Attachments
Redpoll
Two personnel reported a Redpoll to me yesterday. It landed on the deck a few feet from where they were standing, before flitting off elsewhere.
This has left me with the problem of trying to work out which type of Redpoll it was. From the description given, and having gone through some online pictures of both Lesser and Common Redpolls with the observers, I am fairly sure the bird was a Common Redpoll. Also, having checked the NSBC records, it would seem that although scarce, Common Redpoll is more likely offshore than Lesser Redpoll. I'll be reporting it as Common, but will mark it as an uncertain.
All the Woodcock had departed by yesterday morning. This morning while out and about, I also found our first Pied Wagtail of the year.
Wind is still blowing in from the east, and even the gulls have departed. Only a LBBG, a GBBG and a Kittiwake seen today.
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) (Common?) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
Two personnel reported a Redpoll to me yesterday. It landed on the deck a few feet from where they were standing, before flitting off elsewhere.
This has left me with the problem of trying to work out which type of Redpoll it was. From the description given, and having gone through some online pictures of both Lesser and Common Redpolls with the observers, I am fairly sure the bird was a Common Redpoll. Also, having checked the NSBC records, it would seem that although scarce, Common Redpoll is more likely offshore than Lesser Redpoll. I'll be reporting it as Common, but will mark it as an uncertain.
All the Woodcock had departed by yesterday morning. This morning while out and about, I also found our first Pied Wagtail of the year.
Wind is still blowing in from the east, and even the gulls have departed. Only a LBBG, a GBBG and a Kittiwake seen today.
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) (Common?) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
Another wave
Another wave of migrants came in overnight. Mainly dozens of Blackbird, with Robin mixed in, but also six or more fresh Woodcock.
Star of the show though is a lifer for me. We have had them here before, but it's the first time I've caught up with a Long-Eared Owl (see pics below).
Another Woodpigeon found, but new to this year's list are the Carrion Crow and a Meadow Pipit, that I found while out and about this morning. :t:
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) (Common?) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
Another wave of migrants came in overnight. Mainly dozens of Blackbird, with Robin mixed in, but also six or more fresh Woodcock.
Star of the show though is a lifer for me. We have had them here before, but it's the first time I've caught up with a Long-Eared Owl (see pics below).
Another Woodpigeon found, but new to this year's list are the Carrion Crow and a Meadow Pipit, that I found while out and about this morning. :t:
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) (Common?) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
Attachments
Congratulations on your Lifer Paul - let's hope he successfully completes his migration.
That's an owl I've never managed to see sadly.
You're having a good spell there, aren't you.
Sorry.... can't remember what the asterisk is for now (sure I knew at one point but SM's have set in).
Oh and don't know if you noticed it, but there's at last an Osprey egg at Loch of the Lowes!
That's an owl I've never managed to see sadly.
You're having a good spell there, aren't you.
Sorry.... can't remember what the asterisk is for now (sure I knew at one point but SM's have set in).
Oh and don't know if you noticed it, but there's at last an Osprey egg at Loch of the Lowes!
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
That long-eared owl is great!
WRT the redpolls - they can be very difficult even when they’re sitting right in front of you. I’d be cautious about taking too much from a lay persons description - redpoll spp would be the best thing to report it as.
WRT the redpolls - they can be very difficult even when they’re sitting right in front of you. I’d be cautious about taking too much from a lay persons description - redpoll spp would be the best thing to report it as.
Thanks Delia. Yes, we are certainly seeing a few birds on the move today. Snipe and Great Skua are the latest this afternoon.
The asterisk is for birds reported to me by others on the platform, but not seen by myself. :t:
Yes, that is pretty much how I'll report it. We mark birds we are not sure about as "Uncertain". In this case, it won't count as a Common, but will be recorded as a Redpoll. :t:
It is not often that I have to update the platform year list twice in a day, but it seems warranted today.
After posting at lunchtime, I was looking down onto a firewater pump roof, in passing, when I spotted what I initially assumed was another Woodcock. On closer examination however, I found that this bird had a noticable light head stripe, and was indeed a Common Snipe. Several more were seen by myself and others during the afternoon, including one that landed on the deck a mere ten feet away from me.
Also while out and about this afternoon, I spotted a passing Great Skua. Much appreciated by myself, but much less so by the flock of Common Gulls it passed over. It was chaos in the air, as the three hundred or so gulls rose as one to protest the unwanted incursion.
And finally, I received a report of a hawk striking a bird in the Cellar Deck area, and flying off with it. A few hours later, I was able to have a look around the area, and I found our first Sparrowhawk of the year. I also checked the "kill" site, and found that the world is short one Blackbird.
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) (Common?) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
28) Common Snipe
29) Great Skua
30) Sparrowhawk
After posting at lunchtime, I was looking down onto a firewater pump roof, in passing, when I spotted what I initially assumed was another Woodcock. On closer examination however, I found that this bird had a noticable light head stripe, and was indeed a Common Snipe. Several more were seen by myself and others during the afternoon, including one that landed on the deck a mere ten feet away from me.
Also while out and about this afternoon, I spotted a passing Great Skua. Much appreciated by myself, but much less so by the flock of Common Gulls it passed over. It was chaos in the air, as the three hundred or so gulls rose as one to protest the unwanted incursion.
And finally, I received a report of a hawk striking a bird in the Cellar Deck area, and flying off with it. A few hours later, I was able to have a look around the area, and I found our first Sparrowhawk of the year. I also checked the "kill" site, and found that the world is short one Blackbird.
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) (Common?) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
28) Common Snipe
29) Great Skua
30) Sparrowhawk
markspirito
Well-known member
I am getting the feeling a Snowy Owl could be next !!
Bring it on! :t:
Sad end
My trip has come to a sad end. Yesterday evening, I was called to the body of a bird that had been discovered. I was told on the phone by the finder that it was a Spotted Flycatcher. I headed out and found the body. Not a Spotted Flycatcher, but a Wryneck.
An absolutely beautiful bird, but a sad ending.
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
28) Common Snipe
29) Great Skua
30) Sparrowhawk
31) Wryneck (d)
My trip has come to a sad end. Yesterday evening, I was called to the body of a bird that had been discovered. I was told on the phone by the finder that it was a Spotted Flycatcher. I headed out and found the body. Not a Spotted Flycatcher, but a Wryneck.
An absolutely beautiful bird, but a sad ending.
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
28) Common Snipe
29) Great Skua
30) Sparrowhawk
31) Wryneck (d)
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I am feeling a bit sorry for myself. Four days into my trip and I have very little to report, while back home there are all sorts of birds turning up. Apart from a few Fulmar, the odd Kittiwake and Gannet, and occassional passing groups of gulls, all I have to report are half a dozen Carrion Crows and a solitary Swallow.
Two of the crows have been here for weeks I am told. What they are finding to eat, I have no idea. Another four crows arrived today with a supply boat. I have seen this happen before, and suspect they just follow the boat, hopping from one platform to another.
I have checked my previous records to see what else I might expect in the month of May, and can confirm that offshore birding in the month of May totally sucks! :-C
However, the Swallow is new to this year's list. :t:
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
28) Common Snipe
29) Great Skua
30) Sparrowhawk
31) Wryneck (d)
32) Swallow
Two of the crows have been here for weeks I am told. What they are finding to eat, I have no idea. Another four crows arrived today with a supply boat. I have seen this happen before, and suspect they just follow the boat, hopping from one platform to another.
I have checked my previous records to see what else I might expect in the month of May, and can confirm that offshore birding in the month of May totally sucks! :-C
However, the Swallow is new to this year's list. :t:
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
28) Common Snipe
29) Great Skua
30) Sparrowhawk
31) Wryneck (d)
32) Swallow
markspirito
Well-known member
And yet everyone on Bird forum, looks forward to you returning to work, ! dont get too downhearted 
..... yeah..... and maybe you'll have a better August out there than we do on land
That's if your rota works that way of course Paul LOL
That's if your rota works that way of course Paul LOL
Happier
Still slow on the bird front, with the only difference over the last couple of days being two Black-Headed Gulls turning up. Still two Carrion Crows present.
Highlight of the month, so far, turned up today, in the shape of a Minke Whale that came up just off the platform.Close enough for a really good viewing, so I'm much happier today. :t:
Still slow on the bird front, with the only difference over the last couple of days being two Black-Headed Gulls turning up. Still two Carrion Crows present.
Highlight of the month, so far, turned up today, in the shape of a Minke Whale that came up just off the platform.Close enough for a really good viewing, so I'm much happier today. :t:
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Officially Summer
Yesterday, we had our second Swallow of the year. Now, one Swallow does not make a summer, so as we have had two, it must be summer.
It certainly feels like summer today. No wind, blue sky and a hot sun. My bird tally this morning is a little sparse, but at least we have a new year tick. In addition to 84 Fulmar and our two resident crows (now called Sooty & Sweep), I found a Chiffchaff on the Cellar Deck. :t:
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
28) Common Snipe
29) Great Skua
30) Sparrowhawk
31) Wryneck (d)
32) Swallow
33) Chiffchaff
Yesterday, we had our second Swallow of the year. Now, one Swallow does not make a summer, so as we have had two, it must be summer.
It certainly feels like summer today. No wind, blue sky and a hot sun. My bird tally this morning is a little sparse, but at least we have a new year tick. In addition to 84 Fulmar and our two resident crows (now called Sooty & Sweep), I found a Chiffchaff on the Cellar Deck. :t:
2018 List
1) Cormorant
2) Great Black-Backed Gull
3) Herring Gull
4) Kittiwake
5) Fulmar
6) Glaucous Gull
7) Gannet
8) Short-Eared Owl*
9) Iceland Gull
10) Red-Breasted Merganser
11) Black-Headed Gull
12) Starling
13) Guillemot
14) Robin
15) Grey Wagtail
16) Common Gull
17) Blackbird
18) Lesser Black-Backed Gull
19) Song Thrush
20) Woodcock
21) Curlew*
22) Woodpigeon
23) Redpoll*
24) Pied Wagtail
25) Long-Eared Owl
26) Carrion Crow
27) Meadow Pipit
28) Common Snipe
29) Great Skua
30) Sparrowhawk
31) Wryneck (d)
32) Swallow
33) Chiffchaff
