Larger Than Life

Times of the large. Whoopers heading north.

A transition period is upon me, as I eluded to in my last posting. And since said prosaic ramblings I have migrated northwards, via the Lizard (where crippling view of Chough, natures kite, were obtained) to Northumberland ready to begin the Farne Islands 2012 season. How great it is to be back in this raw, hostile but unrelentingly beautiful and softly lit county!

from the southwest

to the Northeast

Of course the words on everyones lips are ‘What impact will the mild winter (after 2 very colds one) have?’. Not only on the spring migrant birds currently arriving from Africa. But also for the breeding seabirds of the Farnes who have spent the last few months marooned in the North Sea (and as far as the Atlantic). All I’ll say is our northerly latitudes and their wildlife have been subject to more cold or very cold winters than mild ones so the likelihood of stuff benefitting is sadly fairly low but I remain optimistic that 2012 will be a great year for everyone, from lichen to shag.

Anyway this blog posting is intended to vaguely recap on my life so that when we sail to planet Farne tomorrow I can give a blow by blow account, fully adulterated with all manner of nonsense and such with no (or little) hint of hindsight.

Crip-factor!

So the day I left Scilly was warm, muggy and sunny..which seemed to encourage this LARGE TORTOISESHELL!! out to briefly bask in our newly cleared ‘meadow’. A continental species which after many years with only a few records is becoming less rare in recent years. Another mega insect added to the mighty Longstone list!

The Lizard was mega, although I saw more pints than notable birds (besides Chough, no pics…too gripped). But Northumberland has already given up some of its bounties as you’ll see below:

 And I’ll give you some systematic lists to make sure this blog isn’t getting too casual. Two mornings at Stag Rocks totally Whooper Swan 26N, Shelduck 6N, Common Scoter 80+, Long-tailed Duck 1 male, Red-breasted Merganser 40, Slavonian Grebe 30, Red-throated Diver 4, Purple Sand 27 while Puffin, Razorbill and Guillemot were all very evident. Passerine migration (aided by some lovely light SE winds) was semi-obvious with 2 Redpoll in off and several Siskin heard overhead (all head Northish). 

And here's some recent pics...

Dotted Border

Common Quaker

Pearly Underwing - part of a mini migrant influx just before I left Scilly

Speckled Wood - the first in the garden this year, whose appearance coincided with the Large Tortoiseshell

Red Kite

Red Grouse

Guess the bird...hint: It's Whisky

Some idyllic Whoopers moving north.

More white magic.

Pale Brindled Beauty

Anyway too many words for your eyes. Tomorrow…to the Farnes! I’ll let you know how it goes, yeah?

All Things Must Pass

Apologies for the chronic lack of redundantisms off late, the time of change is upon us. At a time of the year when life is truly blossoming death can be even harder to accept. But at least we can take solace in the bounties outside our windows.

Here on Scilly the seasons are changing also, and rapidly at that. Nighttime missions are inevitably produced silhouetted flickers of Pipistrelle bats while Bees abound nearly every available nectar source even on a cloudy day. However the much anticipated spring migrant birds have as yet, eluded me. At this time of year (as I'm sure any birder will appreciate) the arrival of spring migrants like the Hirundines (Swallows etc) or the first flute of Willow Warbler song as a very special event indeed and hint of the stonking summer season ahead.

Finally  it is the time for geographical change as I migrate northwards to the mighty Farne Islands for another summer season on this seabird paradise...and maybe a few rare birds too!

Here's some photos from recent times:

Now onto Cornwall for some R & R pre Farneness. Maybe I'll update with some photos of Choughs and their red hooters.

Avian Love

Belated post from Tuesday due to inexplicable laptop issues. Read on at your own risk!

So today is that day. You know. The one enforcing our commercial calender sitting nicely between Christmas, Mother's Day and Easter. Anyway regardless of the obligitory consumerism today is about love how and wherever you can get it! So with this in mind I spent brief periods of freedom in my 12 hour day out in the sun and checking the local talent two time. Avian talent that is.

The 'usual rounds' mid-work produced the Blue-winged Teal slagging it up on the scrape while a Cormorant's eternal battle with a monster Eel provided entertainment as it caught, dropped, caught, dropped (to infinity) the long slippery nugget.

Having steadied myself post 'Eel madness' the remainder of the stroll produced Kestrel, Black Redstart and Rock Pipit along with a Chiffchaff getting rare in the dune scrub.

And some more pics from recent days:

Solar Radiation

While the mainland remains below freezing, and with some at least also remaining under snow or ice today Scilly was honoured by t-shirt weather! A real oxymoron of cold sharp warmth. Anyway obviously these glorious conditions had to be capitalised upon and these were the results:

Lower Moors was stunning.

and this Snipe put on a lovely if not slightly deluded show of being cryptic or invisible.

One of the Iceland Gulls was enjoying a steaming hot bowl of rubbish mmm. The presence of steam eludes to how warm it was in the sun!

Hugh Town was lovely but no sign of the Eider...

While up at Harrys Walls this Merlin unexpectedly dropped in gripping instantly!

Cumulatively all this sun-related niceness made for a distinctly early springish day. Here's some more (slightly more flappy) pictures from recent days that illustrate this point:

Mixed Nuts

If the weather was nuts (which in a manner of speaking it is) then I'd have a full-on smorgasbord brimming with every conceivable shape, size and flavour. It’s been cold, warm, still, windy, rainy, sunny, cloudy, humid, dry and everything in-between, in near infinite combinations.


The birding has followed suit really with a few birds clearly suffering at times from the sudden cold snap while marked increases in waders like Ringed, Sanderling and Dunlin are clearly linked with the harsher mainland conditions.

A rare sight...Lower Moors frozen.

And some Teal at the same spot when it was alittle warmer (look at the cock!)

But from here on in it'll be megapics negligible words. Tired brain.

On wednesday, the coldest day last week these 2 Chiffchaff were clearly having trouble as were driven to feeding on short grass at '0 feet'. The paler one was pretty fit.

The cold also made this lovely sooty Black Redstart fairly obliging.

Had a look at the Dusky Warbler up at Harrys Walls which showed well but once again not for my camera....(top left of pic).

Spot the Dusky Warbler..answers on a postcard.

Another slightly easier spot the Dusky...

Common but sick. Orange honking thrush (Blackbird).

This single Dunlin was wonky sleeping down at Porthellick, cold snap relic.

Moths kicking off! Winter Moth remaining ironically still.

Conitinuing the mothy theme here's one of several interesting holes I found down Lower Moors whilst roaming amongst the sallow carr. Now to me they looked good for Lunar Hornet Moth exuvae but they seemed quite old and could be some mental beetle.