Wet and windy

An early morning start Saturday saw me awake at 5 am waiting by the phone for news on the proposed canon netting session with SCAN in N Wales. A decision was being made at 6 am depending on the weather. I'd been checking the weather forecasts for the previous 24 hrs and so it was no surprise when Steve emailed me to say it was off! That left me with a simple decision - join Steve for some sea-watching off Hilbre later in the morning!

The weather was pretty grim but unfortunately the forecast gale force westerlies didn't materialise. However, our perseverance was rewarded with  5 Bonxies - including one that chased own and killed a 1st winter Herring Gull by drowning it and then proceeding to eat it - and a Skua species that we tentatively identified as a Pomarine. Good numbers of Great Crested Grebes and smaller numbers of Red-throated Divers were logged along with a small number of Guillemots and Gannets. Our vigil was made more bearable by Clare's gift of a Banana Loaf which we proceeded to devour with enthusiasm.

Star birds though were the 16 Purple Sandpipers roosting snugly on the west side and then appearing in front of the slipway as the tide ebbed.

These charismatic little waders are a feature of winters on Hilbre but in recent years their numbers have plummeted. A flock of 16 is a good number for November and hopefully will increase as the winter progresses.

The resident Rock Pipits put on a show feeding on the walls of the old lifeboat station directly in front of the seawatching hide and we were able to read the ring number from the photo's and determine this was one of the adult birds ringed in April this year.

The pipit was joined by a Pied Wagtail on several occasions but was chased off!

With the tide ebbing and the wind rising we left the hide and retired to the Obs to complete the daily log before heading off pausing only to check the waders on the tide edge and photograph a miserable looking Little Egret hunkered down out of the wind.

By now the rain was torrential and as I headed down the M53 toward home the battery warning light came on in the Landrover. Limping home I found the alternator belt had jumped off its pulleys and can only think the volume of water being thrown up off the road into the engine bay must have caused it. Sunday morning was spent cursing and swearing trying to fix it as one of the alternator bracket nuts had been rounded off!

Crag Martin

Crag Martin is an extremely rare bird in the UK with less than 10 accepted UK records. Most have been one day birds seen by a few lucky local observers. The last twitchable one was at Flamborough Head in 2014. That one stayed a couple of days but I was in Australia.

When news broke on Sunday of one in the centre of Chesterfield only a county away in Derbyshire I didn't hear about it until late on as I'd left my phone in the house whilst working in the garden raking up leaves. A second message came out around 13.30 and I decided to head across towards Stockport and wait and see what materialised. The last news was that the bird had flown off N W and I figured it might end up at Audenshaw reservoir...................................fat chance and with the weather closing in I took the decision to head for home. A wise move as news came out that there was no further sign of the Crag Martin until dusk. That was that or so I thought but I had a lingering suspicion the poor weather meant it wouldn't have got far and would probably get relocated in the morning so I came to work prepared with binoculars and camera. Sure enough I'd hardly walked through the office door and made myself a brew before the news came out is was back flying around the crooked spire of Chesterfields famous parish church.

The weather was appalling and it seemed highly likely the bird was going to hang around at least until the rain cleared so after changing a few work commitments I set off for Chesterfield firstly passing through Stockport and then over the peaks and down into a car park directly below the church. As soon as I got out the car I could see the bird flying around the spire but by the time I'd   grabbed my binoculars it had gone again! After 30 minutes of getting wet through I decided to go back to the car and get my coat on - just as the bird reappeared. This time it hung around for 40 minutes and I enjoyed the surreal experience of watching an ultra-rare Mediterranean vagrant flying around a wet and windy Derbyshire church spire from a public car park!

The conditions for photography weren't good and I settled for a few record shots.

With news that a quorum of the Hilbre Bird Obs committee were on their way I hung around until they arrived before setting off back to the office.

The famous twisted spire of St Mary's church. Apparently the wood used for the spire was still 'green' and the whole thing twisted as the timbers dried out.+

Curlew

A quick trip to Hilbre resulted in an increase in Purple Sandpiper numbers to three birds and great views of one of the local Curlews. With poor weather all weekend patch birding was confined to sitting in the conservatory watching the feeders and waiting for the appearance of the first winter Blackcap or Brambling.

Thrushes & Goldcrests.

There's been a good movement of thrushes and Goldcrests over Hilbre recently and the spell of misty / foggy weather has grounded a few and we've caught and ringed a few Blackbirds. A quick visit to the island this morning with Chris & Colin was rewarded with a good passage of birds overhead and some on the island with Redwing, Song Thrush and four Blackbirds being ringed.

Star bird though was a first winter male Blackcap caught late morning.

As well as the thrushes there was a good movement of ducks with Wigeon, Teal, Pintail & Mallard also being logged along with a total of 7 Shoveller which are an unusual species to see on Hilbre. The first Purple Sandpiper of the autumn was recorded several weeks ago and it has been joined by two more whilst Brent Goose numbers have built up to over 120 birds with good numbers of juveniles suggesting they've had a good breeding season.

Another week another Island - Chestnut Bunting, Papa Westray

I was in Vienna last week when Fred Fearn sent me a photo of an unusual bunting that had been found on the remote Orkney Island of Papa Westray. The bird was partially obscured but the thoughts were it was a Chestnut Bunting, a bird that so far hasn't made it to the British list due to the uncertainty about escaped cage birds in the past. This bird had all the right credentials though turning up at the same time as other Siberian vagrants on the Northern Isles such as Whites Thrush & Siberian Rubythroat. The bird was forgotten though as it had promptly disappeared and no more thought was given to going to see it.

However, the bird was re-found at the weekend and with space available on a flight I found myself picking up Al early morning and setting off for the airfield. Luckily we received news the bird was still present from the ranger on the island so we  were pretty confident! At the very least Papa was a new island for me.

Co-pilot Orton keeping an eye on proceedings in the cockpit

Jonathan (the ranger) met us of our flight and led us to where the bird was feeding unconcernedly in long vegetation. For the next couple of hours it played hide and seek occasionally showing but only partially whilst feeding voraciously.

Our patience was rewarded though when it flew onto an adjacent dry stone wall.

It showed here for a few minutes before flying over the wall into the next field and suddenly appearing below a 5 bar gate no more than a few metres from where we stood. It showed here unconcerned by human presence, occasionally feeding,  before scuttling off back to feed in its favoured area of pineapple mayweed and annual meadow grass!

A great trip and a fantastic island. Although we didn't see many other birds I did pick up a flyover Lapland Bunting and a small flock of barnacle Geese. With a relatively uneventful flight home (apart from the plane not starting and having to be jump started with the airfield fire engine!) it was a long but satisfying day.

Papa Westray International airport...........................

Hopefully this will be the 1st Chestnut Bunting on the British list! The close views gave us opportunity to check for any signs of captivity such as abnormal feather wear and broken / damaged claws.

Sunset over northern Scotland.

More garden ringing.

The influx of Goldcrests and Coal Tits into the garden continues and follows a national trend. Three more Coal Tits were ringed recently wit ha fourth being a retrap form last month. Another Goldcrest was also ringed. Birds of interest included this adult Great Tit with a deformed bill ringed back in November 2011 as an adult making it at least 5 years old. Its bill was normal in 2011  and it looks as if the lower mandible has been broken at some point and the trauma has resulted in the whole bill growing deformed.

I also cuaght this interesting juvenile Goldfinch that had undergone an extensive post juvenile moult. Goldfinches can occasionally moult some of their primaries in their post juvenile moult but this was unusual in that it had moulted all the inner ones leaving p6 -p10 un-moulted. It had moulted most of its primary coverts leaving the outer two un-moulted and was in the process of moulting its tail. The wear on the tail and primaries was consistent with it being a juvenile bird rather than a bird born last year that had undergone an arrested moult.

Below: close up crop showing retained juvenile primaries and un-moulted primary coverts. The juvenile primary coverts are more pointed and have worn tips compared to the rounder nelwy moulted adult ones.

All interesting stuff and a final photo showing a Great Tit that had retained its two outer juvenile greater coverts during its post juvenile moult. Although Blue Tits commonly do this its much rarer in Great Tits.

Wilson's Warbler

 There was a moments suspended disbelief when news broke of a male Wilson's Warbler on the Isle of Lewis exactly 30 years ago to the day of the only other UK record at Rame Head in Cornwall. Few people were lucky enough to see that bird so this one was going to cause a lot of interest. Due to work commitments I couldn't go straight away but arranged with Steve I'd pick him up to drive through the night to catch the first flight to Stornoway from Edinburgh a few days later.

Setting off from home sat 10 pm I picked Steve up and set off. The journey passed without incident and we soon arrived at the outskirts of Glasgow where we refuelled. Paul & Vicky Wren, who I'd last seen on Fair Isle, were also at the services but they were flying from Glasgow.

Arriving at Edinburgh we parked up and settled in the Flybe lounge for breakfast before heading off to Stornoway and our hire car. We met Wirral birder Stuart Brown at the gate and we arranged that he should share our car. 

Arriving on site at Port Nis we were met by Tony Marr who'd found the bird in his neighbours garden. I first met Tony when I travelled to Lewis last November to see a Chimney Swift. True to character he helpfully showed us all the birds favoured haunts and with the arrival of Paul & Vicky we quietly spread out and waited. The presence of a Yellow-browed Warbler that had been in the same area as the Wilson's was a good sign...........

Thirty tense minutes passed before Stuart whispered 'I've got it'. There it was a fantastically bright yellow male Wilsons Warbler sat on a fence unconcerned by its admirers. I'd left my camera in the boot of the hire car not expecting such good views as the previous day's it had been very elusive and some people got only the briefest of views. As if to make up for its previous tardiness the bird showed continuously for about 2 minutes as it moved along the fence surrounding its favoured plantation. Luckily Steve had the sense to bring his camera out!

As more people arrived the bird became easier to relocate when it moved. We picked it up on call several times as it flew to different parts of its temporary territory. After a few hours we decided to explore Lewis a bit further with the intention of returning to see the Wilsons Warbler later in the afternoon before our flight home. Stu Taylor, who I know from his RSPB days on the Dee Estuary, made the journey up from his current home on Benbecula. Last time I saw him was when we went for the Harlequin Duck on N Uist and he kindly showed us around and arranged our overnight accommodation so it was good to have a natter with him.

Driving to the Butt of Lewis we birdied a few sites with no success before just enjoying the spectacular views around the lighthouse.

Yours truly with the Butt of Lewis lighthouse in the background.

The famous lighthouse where a few years ago Britains only Purple Martin took up temporary residence.

With time pressing we headed back to Port Nis to find Lee Evans and friends panicking slightly as the bird hadn't been seen since we left. Luckily for them Steve relocated it and we said our goodbyes to Tony and headed back to the airport.

Twitching is a game of 3rds. The first 3rd is actually getting to site. The 2nd is seeing the bird and the final 3rd is getting home. As long as the first 2/3 rds are a success the final part doesn't really matter as long as you eventually get home. Our luck ran out with the final 3rd. Loganair cancelled our flight due to mechanical issues. We waited for 4 hrs before they decided to put us on the plane that was supposed to be going to Inverness. They planned to drop us off in Edinburgh then fly back for the Inverness passengers. We were sat on the plane when the ground agent told us there'd been a change of plan and we now went flying but would have to wait until the morning. Everything was a bit shambolic but we eventually determined we'd receive compensation and the airline were putting us up in a hotel overnight, giving us a £20 food voucher and paying for the transfers each way. The only downside was we were being flown to Glasgow in the morning where the airline would transfer us by taxi or coach to Edinburgh! Making the most of the situation Stuart, Steve & I enjoyed a good meal and a few beers before heading for some well earned rest. All of us had been up for over 24 hrs with just a brief nap on the incoming flight. 

After a good sleep and a heart breakfast we took our allocated taxi back to Stornoway airport and checked in. Hours passed before the announcement was made that Glashoe airport was fog bound and we'd be delayed. Cynically Loganair got us onboard so they wouldn't have to pay more compensation for a 2nd delayed flight. We sat for ages on the runway without moving whilst the captain waited for a weather update. 

We made two aborted attempts to land at Glasgow before the captain announced we'd have to divert to Prestwick to refuel. Naively we expected to be allowed off the plane and that arrangements would be made to transfer us from Prestwick to Edinburgh. However the airline had other ideas. Since we were on on a flight to Glasgow we'd have to wait on the plane until it had refuelled and then wait until the fog had learned at Glasgow to land there and get our transfer to Edingburgh.

A minor rebellion ensued with a group us us refusing to accept this stupidity - at least if we got off at Prestwick we knew what time we'd be getting home! Eight of us insisted in getting off the plane only to be told we'd have to arrange our own transport to Edinburgh. Talk about poor customer service. Six of us hired a minicab and eventually arrived at Edinburgh 18 hours late!

Eventually I arrived home at 19.00 a full 21 hours after I'd left home. A great trip though with good company & a good craic.