Long Time. No Beak.

Well then. Been a while hasn't it? You're looking good. This long hot summer's done wonders for your complexion. And WHAT and long hot summer it has been. Birds and insects abounding like some steamy porno that you are both disgusted and fascinated by. Basically I have a million excuses for not updating this thing. Lack of a laptop has been a big part, but the shear hecticness that this summer has provided is almost as insane as the wildlife!

There is too much to write about so I thought I'd hit you in the optic nerve with a pictory of delight. Alas some birds like the Black and Red Kites and (Fea's...booo mist fail) lack photos but I think you'll get the jist, or just jizz.

Sexier than a floatilla of boobships. Bridled Tern; it's like the first time every. single. time.

Sallow Kitten. Amazing first Farnes record that tipified what has been an Lepidopterists wet-dream of a summer.

Guillemot jumpling commiting reverse suicide.

Tell you what these are nice birds.

Barred Straw. Bonny.

Ringlet. Check out those dirty rings.

Immature Puffin, probably around 3 years old. Having a peak with its dirty great smudgey face.

Nostalgia trip. Its autumn, rares are causing mass panic and grip. Lest we forget the elixir of breeding birds that intoxicated us this summer.

PUFFINS! 39,962....

Common is crippling. Burnished Brass making me think rude thoughts.

Plain Golden Y. Y? Not plain at all...!

I want the reflected photons from this bird in my face at all tims pleas.

Double Dart, moth'ers moth. Sublty stunning and butch!

Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet. 2nd Farnes records, closely followed by the 3rd two weeks later.

Storm Petrel. Best. Seabird. EVER!

Two Whites, one thistle. Insect porn.

Thousands of White spp. invaded the Farnes during July/August. Mainly involving Small then later Large Whites. Incredible sight. Mid-summer snow.

The ever cryptic Wall Brown demonstrating its camouflage much akin to Speckled Wood.

Black-tailed Godwits on the move. 2013 has been the best year ever for these long-legged pastel munchers.

Much Lep-porn. Not offensive.

Wader passage on the Farnes has been mental! Sanderling mega-well represented also. Great all round year this one!

Bridled Roseate combo. Piss on my face!!

Just look at it. Makes me weak at the knees each and every time.

Not technically good. But one of my favourate Bridled photos, mainly cos thats my house in the background!

Oblique Carpet. Oblique on my chest! Hair curler.

Black-tailed Godwit/Cow combo. Newton repping hard as usual.

Pectoral Sand/Yellow Wag combo. Real butt clenchingly distan views of this nugget.

Small Heath, first I have seen in a long time! Made a 6mile dune stomp more than worth while!

Migrant Hawker posing nicely for the generic 'hanging up' pic.

So now I'm back on Scilly for a short while recharging after all the excitement that has bordered many timed on the rediculous. Already jammed some nice birds and insects. Another post tom follow very shortly. I promise. No really.

 

Transcontinental Crippler!!!!! The account.

It was a classic Farnes summer day. Seabirds abounded every conceivable niche while the sun beat down upon them and their progeny. The quiet, yet potentially mega-rare late June period had a stagnant feel and despite the constant stonk of the natives, the fading memories of a great spring, along with the rising excitement of the approaching autumn had me a little bemused.

Birding had become rather routine with tons of birds to search daily and besides the odd Roseate or Little Gull, that dream tern still evaded the Farnes. This was our year for a rare tern, we had all discussed it so often. But that would never happen.

 

The twitch at 6am....

Patrolling Inner Farne’s boardwalk I stopped for a chat with a passing visitor and looked east with him, towards Brownsman across Inner Farne. Naked eye styley I noticed a tern that just didn’t seem right rise up from the east over the ridge, banking as it did so. Immediately I knoew what was happening, though my brain hadn’t caught up. I subconsciously noted the white forehead and diffuse dark trail edge along the flight feathers...shit is this really happening?!? Bins up.

Similar to my first view, except I was looking down on it...

That crucial bank came instantly, the extreme sun couldn’t hide those all dark uppers, looking almost black in the extreme light. F~@K! Tits! OH MY GOSH!! Sooty or Bridled!!! I started screaming, left the visitor totally confused and started running and shouting down the radio. THIS IS IT!! My dream bird was there, right there! It dropped towards the jetty so I continued running, racking my brain as to which out of the two possessed the tapering white forehead...

Luckily the bird was present on the beach  upon arrival and was clearly fresh in (despite what some are claiming!!!!!!), flying circuits being mobbed to buggery by Arctic Terns and only alighting occasionally. Another experienced birder/photographer happened to be on the island and had seen the bird over the meadow but semi-not –clicked until my screaming ensued a second later, grabbing record shots and suggesting Bridled, I was being mega-cautious, realising that he was probably right but wanted to confirm it properly through the books. In flight the sun made it look so black and it wasn’t til it landed that I finally saw the true colour of the mantle. Bridled! Ofcourse Bridled has the Little Tern style forehead, extending beyond the eye, Sooty has the headlight/blob thing. All of which the books confirmed. This was a major bird! News out, sit back and absorb through every pore!

This trans-continental crippled stuck around for 30mins then left low northwest, returning in the evening to delight eager birders while giving pretty consistent views (for a tern!!) throughout today. Thanks everyone involved. This had made my life, I’m so happy for the Farnes, the twitchers and of course, myself, I feel privileged to have been able to find this bird!

Oh and now weird words? Well. It made me gush cerebrally.

This spanking cripplerof grade A standards showed down to 15ft this pm and was courting Sandwich Terns this pm. Fingers crossed it stays!!!!!

Bridle me that!

Too tired for words (having just lost a blog post due to crap internet!)...so have some pictures...