phylloscopic frustrations!

is 'Phylloscopic' a word? if not then it should be! By the way, this is a write-up of yesterday (1st November), so apologies for it being a bit late!

I started with low expectations, but I did hope the strong South-westerlies that had now been blowing for two days might have brought a Sabine's Gull or a Shearwater into the channel. as it turns out, in 40 minutes my totals were;

ARCTIC SKUA- 1E
Black-headed Gull- about 20W

and that was literally everything! Not even a Common Scoter, a Gannet or a Brent Goose! It's a good thing skua's are such a decent bird, and november is such a good month for them! otherwise I would have considered this rather a wasted 40 minutes.

Another good bird seen was a SCANDINAVIAN HERRING GULL that did a flyby of the groyne at Splash Point. (I know I should have been in the shelters on such a miserable day, but it had been so crap I actually moved onto the groyne thinking I was somehow missing everything from where I had been!) The gull perched down on the concrete path briefly, allowing a fairly good study through the scope, before flying off towards a roost on the beach to the east. I noted

• a darker mantle shade than  typical argenteus. However, I think this was quite a pale Argentatus, as it was very flat light and the mantle was lighter than some definite scandi's I have seen in bright sunlight! It was quite blueish grey as well
• increased white on the primaries with big white tip to p10, and a tip-black spot-mirror pattern on p9 (see bad drawing below). 
• in flight, the deeper breast gave it a more front-forward appearance than a british herring gull (and I checked by looking extensively at the rooftop gulls on the way home to compare!)
• the head was fully moulted into winter plumage, unlike most of the argenteus that are currently about halfway through (Argentatus on average moults slightly earlier)
• it had a heavy bill and big, brutish expression, more so than Argenteus. 

In my ultimate show of professionalism, I used Paint to show the primary pattern of an Argentatus! As a btief and interesting anecdote, I actually did a paint drawing to help get a Glossy Ibis accepted a few years back! I will have to dig that out one day!

On my way home, besides some gull-grilling on the rooftops, I also saw a Redpoll on Southdown Road, Seaford, and 4 Siskin flew north over the house. Both decent November records! Dad then told me about a Firecrest he'd seen in Blatchington Churchyard, which I decided to check out. A fateful decision! 

the Firecrest was calling almost immediately, and there were several Goldcrest, Redwing, Song Thrush and Blackbird in the churchyard. I heard a crest flock move off, so I followed them, and positioned myself so they would all be moving right in front of me to go from one tree to the next...

The first bird that dropped into view, I put bins on and thought, "bloody hell!"- it had a supercilium and a strong double wingbar! the super was too dull for Pallas's, so was it a Hume's or a Yellow-brow? It had an overall greyish cast and a very dull supercilium, just like the Hume's Warbler I'd seen in Belle Tout two days previously! But I didn't hear it call, and despite a lot of searching yesterday and today, haven't yet managed to see the bird again! 

However, in looking for it, I managed to see the following around Seaford; 

• BRAMBLING calling over the Churchyard, the first I'd seen since 7 Oct, and completing the trio of winter finches for the day! 
• a late HOUSE MARTIN flew over the Churchyard as well, my latest by seven days! 
• 3-4 Chiffchaffs in Seaford, including one by Seaford Primary School with pluamge looking good for an eastern bird. wouldn't claim it without the call though
• probably the same Firecrest in a tit flock by Seaford Primary School, giving gorgeous views in someone's garden!
• one, or possibly two, Mistle Thrushes around Blatchington Hill and Seaford Primary School. 

The mystery warbler was of course frustrating, but it was put into perspective a bit when Jamie and Peter, two great birders from the Brighton area, found a probable YELLOWTHROAT on Scilly, but couldn't quite confirm it! From Peter's description it sounds the genuine article! However Jamie found a Red-eyed Vireo on Scilly last autumn, so it would be rather greedy for those two to claim another yank passerine this autumn!! 

Seaford Head- 22 October 2012

I'm afraid I reneged on yesterday's promise of Rouzel-hunting on Malling Down- the option of finding my own on Seaford Head seeming far more appealing! When I left the house it was still pitch black outside, and very, very misty. With NE winds overnight combined with this, I imagined it wasn't going to be a terrible day!

It was marginally lighter by the time I arrived at the south-west corner of Seaford Head Golf Course, from where I began my count of the day's migrants all across the headland. Walking through Seaford in the darkness, Robins and Blackbirds were both calling in gigantic numbers, obvious signs of an overnight arrival! Once on the Golf Course I could see this to be the case, with both species present in every bush and tree! Redwings were also torpedoing overhead, out of sight in the mist. A few were also in the bushes, alongside a handful of Song Thrush, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest. A single Fieldfare was picked up by it's 'chacking' call, which I tried without success to string into a Ring Ouzel. However, this was my first returning Fieldfare of the autumn. A Firecrest was also calling unseen from within these bushes. The calls of Redwing, Robin and Blackbird were with me all the time, accompanying me through a mist so thick I was struggling to see a large proportion of the birds I was hearing!

around the Radio Mast, there were a minimum of 30 Chaffinch, with about this number again scattered around the other areas of the patch. Also present were Redwing, Blackbird, Song Thrush and Robin in decent numbers, though still nothing rarer!

Moving on into Hope Gap, The numbers were really picking up. a little flock of Goldcrest in the north of the gap held at least one showy Firecrest, my finest views of the species for perhaps two years and a real treat! The numbers of all the common thrush species were enormous, Robin, Blackbird, Redwing and Song Thrush once again arriving en force, and two Fieldfares among them. A few Chiffchaff called and showed, while one singing Blackcap was heard halfway down, and a female was present in the bushes near the sea. here the resident pair of Stonechats announced their territory, while I got good enough views to racially identify a Song thrush for the only time today. The yellowish breast and rufousy-brown back identified it as race Clarkei, the british race. I was hoping to identify some continental birds today, but all the other thrushes I saw were too flighty for this! One showy Chiffchaff was hoping around in the low bushes right by the sea, accompanying the pair of Stonechats on their circuit.

I didn't check Harry's Bush, as there were some angry looking heffers with their calves around here; but in the trees opposite the style into that field I found another little crest flock, containing another showy and impossibly gorgeous Firecrest! By now it was time to leave and hastily march to the train station, leaving the birds behind for the sake of this silly thing called an education.

Overall it was a great day for quantity, though the quality bird or two I'd hoped for didn't really materialise! It was the kind of day where binoculars tend to be used just to give you good views of some familiar faces, rather than to pin an elusive ID; but overall it felt good to be out in the morning, and when you see that many Redwings, and get views that good of Firecrests, it would be a bit selfish to complain! However, I was slightly gripped by Seaford Head's third YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER of the year being found later this afternoon! Apparently present in the bushes car park, finder uknown, but Jon Curson visited at about 4.30 and could hear the distinctive calls once or twice, from the line of bushes running north on the eastern side of the car park. I have literally never seen a worthwhile bird here before! What makes it equally galling is that this is only the second time I've made it up in October. both days had perfect conditions for Yellow-brows, and on both days they've been found, but on both occasions, it's been after I left. c'est la vie and all that I suppose, would be nice to see one though! maybe if it sticks around til tomorrow...


my estimates totals for today were;

Meadow Pipit         30
Skylark                   15
Blackcap                  2
Chiffchaff                10
Goldcrest                30
Firecrest                   3-4 (first for Seaford Head this autumn, 2 very showy birds)
Robin                   150 (high count)
Blackbird             120 (high count)
Redwing               130 (high count)
Song Thrush           40
Fieldfare                3 (first of the autumn)
Chaffinch               60
Linnet                    50
Goldfinch              30

Passive Birding; Liam's update

don't think I'd forgotten you all!

The rather sad thing about sixth form is that school, homework and sleep do seem to take over large portions of your life. I'm expected to do 32 hours a week of work (16 in lesson and 16 out-of), which will understandably take a bit of a toll. So here's my notes on 'passive birding' from the last few days, the birds I've been seeing when I wasn't really birding...

• Siskin are around in plentitude this October. The number for this morning is well into double-figures, as they pile over the house. I'd estimate maybe 70-80 for today, and probably a lot more going unrecorded!. They've been moving in decent numbers on Thursday/Friday as well. Other vismig includes still healthy numbers of Meadow Pipit, with a small stream all through the morning today perhaps mounting up to 50 or so. The vis-migging highlight has been at least one late YELLOW WAGTAIL, once again pushing back my last-of-year date for the species! 
• Walking the dog today, it was apparent  that the october crests are coming through in force! probably 20 (mostly Goldcrests I expect) heard on a walk without binoculars, most just giving the 'shree-shree-shree' call that is very difficult to identify at the best of times. However, one obliging FIRECREST was in full song from a conifer on Blatchington Road, Seaford! There were also about 10 Chiffchaff on my regular dog-walking route. 
• a few Jays around Seaford, though I've only ever seen one at a time at the moment. Nothing like the 270 that flew past Cley one day last week, and no where near as good as the 82 north over Newhaven on Thursday! If you were ever going to find a Nutcracker, this is the year! 

tomorrow will be a day out birding(all homework being done in one mad rush now!) for the morning at least. with the winds looking like they are from the N/NE overnight, maybe it's the day when a Yellow-brow will appear? Myself and Jake have a competition to find one, myself at Seaford Head, and him at Sheepcote Valley. and failing that, we'll just try and find the best bird we can! If any readers want to join us in that challenge, find a good spot for migration and see what you can spot! can you beat myself and Mr Gearty!?

and after that, the winds turn south-east on Monday! you have to face east to point to Mecca, and the winds ideally need to be south-east for our very own Mecca of sea-watching, Splash Point! By writing here, I make a commitment to all you lovely readers that I shall defy the early morning start, the following rush to get to school by 12:30, and the exhausted, unreceptive state I will find myself in throughout all my lessons, and find a shearwater or a sabine's!

good birding

Liam :-)