In an Island garden (1 Viewer)

[delia todd]

A really exciting time coming up for you now Quercus, finding out what breeds there.

You mention Guillemots, do you know if Razorbills and Puffins also breed?

Super scenic photos too, really quite envious of you.

D

 

[Jos Stratford]

I've been deasperately looking for Wheatears and White Wagtails ... and should start migrating through now......

Minus 23 C on the forecast here. Boo hoo hoo, I shiver, you look for migrants. :-C

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

Lovely photos, Q. It looks idyllic.

 

[Quercus]

Yes Delia...Razorbills and Puffins also breed here.. on a different stack about 1 km off shore.. see photo!.. and on the mainland we have Manx shearwaters, Fulmars and Shags.

There's a chappy who does boat trips round the Island to look at the birds... I'll be there!

It is idyllic, HE2... next time I'm rude about those poor people who have to live in Peterborough... you know where I'm coming from!

...And Jos... all I can say is "Ha ha!".. One makes one's bed and one has to lie in it!... but there's positives and negatives where-ever you live.. I'll not be getting a woodpecker of any discription here.. or a beaver... or...... the list is almost endless!

 

[palval147]

Sorry no Dartford Warblers due to the m/bike idiot, Quercus. Are they allowed to do that there? Your list is building nicely.

 

[Quercus]

Sorry no Dartford Warblers due to the m/bike idiot, Quercus. Are they allowed to do that there? Your list is building nicely.

They're not allowed on the roads.... but on private land they're legal!

There's a story about someone who shipped a car onto the island.. and was told he was allowed to use it.............. if he disconected the battery... and pulled it around by tractor!

 

[palval147]

They're not allowed on the roads.... but on private land they're legal!

There's a story about someone who shipped a car onto the island.. and was told he was allowed to use it.............. if he disconected the battery... and pulled it around by tractor!

That gave me a chuckle, Quercus.
Shame they haven't banned people from having m/bikes on the island too.

 

[Quercus]

Peregrines, Meadow pipits, a couple of redwings, Greenfinches singing... nowt much about!

 

[Quercus]

63, Linnets

 

[Quercus]

Spring has sprung!

We've had a few gorgeous spring days here... which means I've been busy at work... but managed to sneek off this afternoon.. cos it's raining.. which turned up a couple of 64, Wheatear.. I'm also hearing the sound that epitomised my springs in Argyll, the hueeting of 65, Willow warblers.

I'm sure I saw a Swallow earlier in the week... but it could have been another hirondine...

There's random pairs of Mallard type ducks scattered in the middle of dry fields throughout the Island... and a couple of pairs getting territorial on the fish ponds in the garden... I do hope they stay to nest.

I'm sure the Island will be heaving with migrants this weekend...

 

[Quercus]

5 wheatear, 12 Alba Wagtails all exept one were clear grey backed... so I'm going for 65.5, White wagtail lots of flocks of meadow pipits, A flock of 12 Firecrests (which is good even for Sark!) 35 Auk sp... prob Ra7orbills!

I was saddened to see the reports of the crash in numbers of the wee birds in Britain, We seem to be doing all right here... with good numbers of wrens, Long-tailed tits, firecrests.etc

 

[Cheshire Birder]

5 wheatear, 12 Alba Wagtails all exept one were clear grey backed... so I'm going for 65.5, White wagtail lots of flocks of meadow pipits, A flock of 12 Firecrests (which is good even for Sark!) 35 Auk sp... prob Ra7orbills!

Well you have good numbers passing through Sark, so shouldn't be too long before we get them up here.

CB

 

[delia todd]

Really, really, really jealous of the Firecrests!

Haven't you seen any Ospreys flying over yet?

D

 

[Quercus]

Really, really, really jealous of the Firecrests!

Haven't you seen any Ospreys flying over yet?

D

Firecrests are really, really, really lovely!..

Funnily enough I did keep looking up for ospreys... but all there was were gulls and crows!

 

[delia todd]

Firecrests are really, really, really lovely!..

Funnily enough I did keep looking up for ospreys... but all there was were gulls and crows!

:-O

 

[Quercus]

I just popped out for a dogwalk around the lanes and found a 66, Stock dove, not quite an osprey... but non the less an unusual record for Sark.

Also a couple of Redwing.. I'd assumed I'd seen the last of them this winter

 

[Quercus]

67, Swallow x2... heading North in a rush!

 

[Quercus]

There's a Blackcap on my nuts... I wonder where he learnt to do that!.... I often think about where individual migrants could have spent the winter.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

I've been getting male & female Blackcaps on my peanuts & fatballs in North Wales recently.

James

 

[Quercus]

I had one of those jawdropping, wow, birding moments this morning, I was happily enjoying watching the first meadow pipit of the year doing that parachute dance thing when.... WHOOOOOSH!. A Peregrine dropped out of the sky from nowhere, missed the Mippit by inches, the Mippit was sent fying.. but got away!

The first blackthorn of the year is out... the end of March would be late for it in the Midlands... so it must be really late here