Stainland Dean

A very wet and windy week, but quite sheltered down at Stainland Dean today, had a nice movement off Goldcrest through the valley. Having ringed only 8 in nearly a year of first starting at this site to catch 28 today in 2 hours was fantastic. Especially when i only had a 20 ft net up and 12 conifers to ring in. It makes you wonder how many were moving through the valley.

Other birds ringed were, Gt Tit Blue Tit,Treecreeper, Song Thrush, Chaffinch and a retraped Kingfisher from September.

A very wet and windy week, but quite sheltered down at Stainland Dean today, had a nice movement off Goldcrest through the valley. Having ringed only 8 in nearly a year of first starting at this site to catch 28 today in 2 hours was fantastic. Especially when i only had a 20 ft net up and 12 conifers to ring in. It makes you wonder how many were moving through the valley.

Other birds ringed were, Gt Tit Blue Tit,Treecreeper, Song Thrush, Chaffinch and a retraped Kingfisher from September.

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I hate Carmarthenshire!

Not for the first time in my life (Glaucous-winged Gull) I found myself spending all day staring across that blessed Gwendraeth Estuary in Carmarthenshire , seeing absolutely bott-all, this time for Britain's first Little Blue Heron. Loads of mega distant Little Egrets didn't make the job any easier and we left the site at dusk thoroughly pissed-off. It's a pity really, as through the day I saw Hen Harrier, 3 Pergrines, 2 Little Stints, Green Sands and 50+ Little Egrets, but they stood for nowt after not seeing the LBH. I wonder if I'll end up there next weekend?

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Not for the first time in my life (Glaucous-winged Gull) I found myself spending all day staring across that blessed Gwendraeth Estuary in Carmarthenshire , seeing absolutely bott-all, this time for Britain's first Little Blue Heron. Loads of mega distant Little Egrets didn't make the job any easier and we left the site at dusk thoroughly pissed-off. It's a pity really, as through the day I saw Hen Harrier, 3 Pergrines, 2 Little Stints, Green Sands and 50+ Little Egrets, but they stood for nowt after not seeing the LBH. I wonder if I'll end up there next weekend?

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Twite in Snowden

Supported by the Kirklees Environment Grant Scheme

Deer Hill Two visits last week, weather was so bad put seed down and left .

2 birds seen on wires today.

Yesterday got news of a Deer Hill bird seen in the Ogwell Valley near Snowden

the bird was reported as Blue White/Pink which means it was ringed at Deer Hill this Season August> October.

Andre did have sightings of Twite from this area before ,i think it was a Lighthazzels Bird.

Supported by the Kirklees Environment Grant Scheme

Deer Hill Two visits last week, weather was so bad put seed down and left .

2 birds seen on wires today.

Yesterday got news of a Deer Hill bird seen in the Ogwell Valley near Snowden

the bird was reported as Blue White/Pink which means it was ringed at Deer Hill this Season August> October.

Andre did have sightings of Twite from this area before ,i think it was a Lighthazzels Bird.

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Twite

A busy few weeks with 2 visits to Deer Hill last week and a visit yesterday bringing a blank, no birds at all.

where as

46 Twite caught at Rishworth in the last week with 37 new bird ringed

and 9 controls.

1 from lighthazzels a 2006 bird

2 from Deer Hill 2007

1 from Deer Hill 2008

3 from Nicks RSPB Nestling scheme

2 with just BTO metal on waiting to find out where from.

A busy few weeks with 2 visits to Deer Hill last week and a visit yesterday bringing a blank, no birds at all.

where as

46 Twite caught at Rishworth in the last week with 37 new bird ringed

and 9 controls.

1 from lighthazzels a 2006 bird

2 from Deer Hill 2007

1 from Deer Hill 2008

3 from Nicks RSPB Nestling scheme

2 with just BTO metal on waiting to find out where from.

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Fair Isle post-script

All ended well with the flights. Mark managed to get off Fair Isle on the Saturday flight and we had a good 24 hours birding round Shetland. Saw Ring-necked Duck, Little Bunting, Yellow-browed Warbler, a few summer plumaged Great-Northern Divers and Long-tailed Ducks and caught our flight back to Heathrow on the Sunday afternoon.
All in all, it was a great trip, despite the lack of easterly winds and I'd definitely head back for another visit. It's been 24 years since I last visited Fair Isle and not that much has changed to be honest. The crops around the crofts are much smaller nowadays and more people have cars on the island, but I'm struggling to note many other changes over the last quarter of a century. Hopefully though, I won't leave it that long until I pay my next visit.

All ended well with the flights. Mark managed to get off Fair Isle on the Saturday flight and we had a good 24 hours birding round Shetland. Saw Ring-necked Duck, Little Bunting, Yellow-browed Warbler, a few summer plumaged Great-Northern Divers and Long-tailed Ducks and caught our flight back to Heathrow on the Sunday afternoon.
All in all, it was a great trip, despite the lack of easterly winds and I'd definitely head back for another visit. It's been 24 years since I last visited Fair Isle and not that much has changed to be honest. The crops around the crofts are much smaller nowadays and more people have cars on the island, but I'm struggling to note many other changes over the last quarter of a century. Hopefully though, I won't leave it that long until I pay my next visit.

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Fair Isle - Eviction day in The Puffinn Household

It all happened rather quick really. I was just about to head out into the field when I thought I should check on the status of tomorrow's flights. "Not looking too promising" was Sandra's reply (the lady from Direct-Flights), "are you interested in a seat on today's?" Mark and I both agreed that this was a good idea. We had on confirmed seat and on "90% certain" standby seat. Unfortunately, when the plane arrived, the 90% certain seat became a "no chance" seat, so Mark was left on the side of the runway, bag in hand. I really felt bad taking off from Fair Isle. Not because I was sad to leave such a lovely island that I'd spent 12 great days on, but because I'd had to leave my best mate stranded, helplessly not knowing if he was going to get off the island either today OR tomorrow! Hopefully the wind won't pick up too much tomorrow and Mark will be on the 11am flight.

The Whitburn side of the Puffinn Crew managed to get a flight off too. Their scheduled Sumburgh flight was bought forward to this afternoon, but was also full, so Mark couldn't even get on to that flight either.

We didn't have much time for birding today. The only bird of note was the Common Rosefinch (above) which we had managed to entice down to the front of the house with some bird seed. It certainly seemed to have a penchant for black sunflower seed. Interestingly enough, Mark and I found a Common Rosefinch on The Scillies a few years ago, and it too was feeding in a sunflower seed crop.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Mark will get off on tomorrows flight - here's hoping.



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It all happened rather quick really. I was just about to head out into the field when I thought I should check on the status of tomorrow's flights. "Not looking too promising" was Sandra's reply (the lady from Direct-Flights), "are you interested in a seat on today's?" Mark and I both agreed that this was a good idea. We had on confirmed seat and on "90% certain" standby seat. Unfortunately, when the plane arrived, the 90% certain seat became a "no chance" seat, so Mark was left on the side of the runway, bag in hand. I really felt bad taking off from Fair Isle. Not because I was sad to leave such a lovely island that I'd spent 12 great days on, but because I'd had to leave my best mate stranded, helplessly not knowing if he was going to get off the island either today OR tomorrow! Hopefully the wind won't pick up too much tomorrow and Mark will be on the 11am flight.

The Whitburn side of the Puffinn Crew managed to get a flight off too. Their scheduled Sumburgh flight was bought forward to this afternoon, but was also full, so Mark couldn't even get on to that flight either.

We didn't have much time for birding today. The only bird of note was the Common Rosefinch (above) which we had managed to entice down to the front of the house with some bird seed. It certainly seemed to have a penchant for black sunflower seed. Interestingly enough, Mark and I found a Common Rosefinch on The Scillies a few years ago, and it too was feeding in a sunflower seed crop.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Mark will get off on tomorrows flight - here's hoping.



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Fair Isle - Day 11 in The Puffinn Household

6.55pm and Brian is in the kitchen. Mark, Cooky, Fos and Graham are in the living-room.

What a contrast from yesterday! After the good birds, light winds and bright sunshine that day 10 brought us, out penultimate full-day on the island proved to be the total opposite. The first hour of day light was lovely, with clear skies and only a light breeze, but that didn't last very long. It was immediately obvious this morning that there had been a big clearout of birds. Hardly any of yesterday's thrushes and warblers could be found and there was a definite feeling of birdlessness. The sunshine didn't last long and by 9am there was 100% cloud cover and a strong wind. The only decent bird of the day for us was a Common Rosefinch feeding next to The Puffin and a Lapwing (island tick) over the south end today.

Tomorrow will be out last full day, but I don't hold out too much hope for anything rare as it's forecast for 25mph southwesterlies. Ah well, you never know….

Mark and I paid an extortionate amount for a Fair Isle hat today (£25 each), but we were not tempted by the £135 jumpers! Terry F-W and Marmaduke were around the Puffin this afternoon, looking to flush more birds. A spokesman for The Puffin is quoted as saying "We think they flushed the Common Rosefinch, a couple of Chiffys and a Woodcock - it's quite a concern, although we obviously can't confirm at the moment whether the Rosefinch was flushed straight into the path of an oncoming Eider".

I'm giving a talk at the obs tonight on 'Birds of Eastern Australia'. At least I'll be able to reminisce over what nice weather feels like.

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6.55pm and Brian is in the kitchen. Mark, Cooky, Fos and Graham are in the living-room.

What a contrast from yesterday! After the good birds, light winds and bright sunshine that day 10 brought us, out penultimate full-day on the island proved to be the total opposite. The first hour of day light was lovely, with clear skies and only a light breeze, but that didn't last very long. It was immediately obvious this morning that there had been a big clearout of birds. Hardly any of yesterday's thrushes and warblers could be found and there was a definite feeling of birdlessness. The sunshine didn't last long and by 9am there was 100% cloud cover and a strong wind. The only decent bird of the day for us was a Common Rosefinch feeding next to The Puffin and a Lapwing (island tick) over the south end today.

Tomorrow will be out last full day, but I don't hold out too much hope for anything rare as it's forecast for 25mph southwesterlies. Ah well, you never know….

Mark and I paid an extortionate amount for a Fair Isle hat today (£25 each), but we were not tempted by the £135 jumpers! Terry F-W and Marmaduke were around the Puffin this afternoon, looking to flush more birds. A spokesman for The Puffin is quoted as saying "We think they flushed the Common Rosefinch, a couple of Chiffys and a Woodcock - it's quite a concern, although we obviously can't confirm at the moment whether the Rosefinch was flushed straight into the path of an oncoming Eider".

I'm giving a talk at the obs tonight on 'Birds of Eastern Australia'. At least I'll be able to reminisce over what nice weather feels like.

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