Two days ago, I peered out of the bathroom window to see if the Brambling had increased to four, and instead I got a pleasant surprise to see my first Hawfinch for the garden and it was still showing off today!
Returned home from work to find that the Hawfinch, that turned up two days ago in the garden, was back getting stuck into my nuts after there was no sign of it yesterday. It showed off superbly at very close range below the bathroom window with the regular 3 Brambling that appeared together a week ago. Late afternoon and I decided to walk the Garrison and along the coastal path from Morning Point to The Pottery, I had a total of 3 Wheatear, 3 Willow Warbler, 11 Chiffchaff, 5 Blackcap and 10 Black Redstart. The Hawfinch was still in the garden when I got back home. The day I found the Hawfinch, Robin immediately came around to see the finch. I left him to it while I was in the kitchen but he had no joy from the bathroom window. When Robin said goodbye and passed me, I’m sure I could smell my beard oil on him. Scott Reid came around early this evening and he also had no luck with the finch but I’m sure as he said goodbye and he passed me, I got a whiff of Toilet Duck on him. Oh well, each to their own. When Richie Aston came around, he had a bloody shower!!!
I can’t believe I’ve had this cracking Hawfinch in my garden for the last three days where it has been showing off at very close range with Brambling.
One of the 3 Brambling that have been visiting the garden for a week now
Greenfinch
There were 3 Willow Warbler in the Morning Point area
This Water Rail was on the campsite
A walk from Morning Point along the coastal path to The Pottery produced up to 10 Black Redstart
I had this Mistle Thrush with 4 Fieldfare at Pungies Lane, 28th March
On the same day as the thrush there was this Wheatear at Little Porth
And up to 8 Black Redstart
There are only a handful of alba wagtails hanging out including this Pied Wagtail also at Little Porth
Brexit Regret 2022 Part 6 There are just too many
Brexit Regret Part 6 The first video is brutal. 🎥WATCH ME NEXT – Learn about Russian interference in the UK https://youtu.be/64XZj6bKWkk 👇🏼
After seeing daily in Costa Rica species like yank warblers, hummingbirds, motmots, tanagers, Wood Thrush etc I return home to find a very large arrival of Brambling including corking males like the individual above and on par with any of those stunning species that I observed in Central America.
On the 22nd March I was finally back at work after nearly 70 days in Costa Rica. And Black Redstart, White Wagtail and Brambling were all in good numbers and I contributed to sightings while taxing up at the airport where I had up to 5 Black Redstart. Later on at Porthloo, there were a single Wheatear, 25 White and 11 Pied Wagtail and 10 Black Redstart. At the stables I got my first taste of the Brambling influx with 12 birds, 50 Meadow Pipit, 16 White and 7 Pied Wagtail and a single Black Redstart. However, it was a shortly after I left the site that I got a call from Martin letting me know that there were now over 100 Brambling! I returned as soon as I could to find the mobile flock were split up spending time at the stables and in fields across the road. This was by far the largest spring flock on Scilly and if you include other birds seen elsewhere, it’s possibly a total of up to 150 Brambling.
This stonking male Black Redstart was at the airport
Good numbers of White Wagtail including this individual at Parting Carn
Where there was also this Redwing
Part of the largest spring flock for Scilly of 100 Brambling at the stables
Only a single Black Redstart with the Brambling at the stables
Yesterday morning, I flushed the 2 Jackdaw that have been around for the last few days all over the shop on St Mary’s, from out of the garden while feeding the pigs. Brambling, Black Redstart and White Wagtail were still in the usual haunts but it was mid morning when Richie Aston found the second Hoopoe of the day at Peace Haven after an individual was seen at Pilots Retreat earlier on. I caught up with Richie’s bird, distantly, in fields opposite the stables.
There were 2 Male Black Redstart at the airport
Record shot of the distant Hoopoe in fields opposite the stables
This morning, after putting out seed the day before, I got my reward with 3 Brambling outside in front of the bathroom window. Ideal! There were also a single Black Redstart in the garden with the 2 Jackdaw commuting with the pig paddock and fields to the south. However, there was clear out over night with only 3 Black Redstart at Porthloo and 38 Brambling at the stables. There was no sign of the Hoopoe opposite when I had a brief scan but it was seen later on with another three new birds new in. Yeah, Richie got greedy! Not content with finding the Peace Haven/stables individual, he had a single over Holgate’s Green followed by another at Salkee leaving Ian Monk to discover one on the Garrison. How many are there on the off islands? I guess I should make an effort tomorrow to go and see the male Garganey that’s been at Porth Hellick for over a week now.
Only 38 Brambling remain at the stables
One of the 2 Jackdaw that spent mid-afternoon in the garden area
Also good numbers of chiffchaff in including up to 7 birds in the pines opposite the garden The top individual fresh in with pollen on the feathers at the base of the bill.
Hero Of The Week – Jayne Secker Owns Sunak Over Russian Connection!
So Sunik’s wife, Akshata Murthy, who is richer than the queen, has a stake in InfoSys which is currently operating in Puntin’s Russia!! Sky News journalist Jayne Secker took Rishi Sunak apart over connections he has albeit indirect to Russia. Sunak’s wife Akshata Murthy. Sunak tried to distance himself from this.
I forgot to add this image of a male Mangrove Warbler at Peruto Jimence nearly a month ago.
This morning at 08.30, I was picked up by Nelson, one of the sons of the land-owner of the patch, CIaudio, and driven to the Sky Adventure at Arenal. Here we met up with Ramano Salazar, who I met for the first time last night while I was at Nelson’s house, and Ramano invited me to come and see his stingless bees. The most species of stingless bees together in the world! It is set up just near to the entrance of the Sky Adventure and I discovered so much about these bees which I will cover in a later post. It was while being shown the 36 species of these tiny bees by Ramano that I could hear a species of bird that I’ve been listening out for whenever I visited the Arenal area. 2 Thicket Antpitta were vocal to each other and one individual was very close by. I told Ramano that I’ll was gona leave him and the other folk toeing along, to it and catch up with them later. I was almost on top of the antpitta but could not see it hidden deep in cover? For the next hour, I sat there patiently and I did get a brief glimpse as it came out into the open only for it to disappear again. My legs were stiff from crouching down in the tangled mess and what I had observed, I was very happy with. I returned to the main path where there were of note, a single Bay-headed Tanager, Tropical Pewee, 2 Tropical Parula, 2 Long-tailed Tyrannant, and 9 Swallow-tailed Kite. I re-joined the guys and then it was time to head back to the digs for a bite to eat
Love Perula’s and 2 Tropical Parula’s showed superbly while listening to the 2 Thicket Antpitta
Tropical Pewee
There were also up to 2 Long-tailed Ttrunnent
Violet-headed Hummingbird
I ended the last two hours of the day at the patch to find 2 Vaux’s Swift, Black-cowled Oriole, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, the Boat-billed Heron, the Wood Thrush, the Willow Flycatcher, and new in, the third Acadian Flycatcher in the chocolate plantation.
I believe that this might be the only record of Willow Flycatcher this year so far in Costa Rica making it a mega for the patch followed by the 4 Chimney Swift I observed in February during a very large influx of swift on the patch of 6 different species
Only the third Acadian Flycatcher for the patch was in the chocolate plantation
Chestnut-sided Warbler
The Boat-billed Heron awake for a change
Black-cowled Oriole
There are two pairs of Bananaquit breeding on the patch
Volcano Arenal looking down on the patch
How the Ukraine War EXPOSES Western Racism | Peter Oborne
“War is ok, something you can sing & dance about when it happens in Muslim countries, but deadly serious when it happens in Europe” Peter Oborne covered Yemen for Middle East Eye & writes a regular column for them:
In an hour this morning, over 340 Broad-winged Hawk with less than 10Swainson’s Hawk, moved through out NW. The image above was part of the largest kettle of the hawks that I observed, 50-60 birds!
Today I finally got down to the patch after a day of heavy rain yesterday that stopped me from getting out and I got myself two patch ticks, Swainson’s Hawk and White-shouldered Tanager. However, it was Broad-winged Hawk that stole the show for an hour in the morning.
I find myself leaving later and later from the hostel in the morning to the patch as I’m trying to catch up on the news with how corrupt are UK government continues to be, with Johnson heavily involved in Putin’s Russia making him possibly asset/traitor? Also, the PM is making it as difficult as possible for Ukrainian refugees fleeing war to enter Britain. And no surprise with covid cases rising with restrictions relaxed, including if you’ve got covid, you don’t have to isolate! So at 08.15, I left the hostel in the gloomy conditions and made the two minute walk to the shops to get some eggs for breakfast. Ahead of me, I could see vultures circling with some 25 hawks and above were good numbers of swift. With no bins, I was in and out of the shop and ran like the devil back to the hostel. I returned to find that the raptors had gone but a quick scan revealed another kettle of mixed Broad-winged Hawks and Turkey Vulture. At the entrance of the patch, I continued to scan and observed kettles forming all over the shop and in the next hour, 08.15-0915, large numbers of Turkey Vultures and some 340 Broad-winged Hawk moved through out NW and with them I spotted a patch tick, less than 10Swainson Hawk and a single Great Black Hawk. Also passing through NNW were three groups of White-winged Dove totalling 31 birds while swirling around were over 40 Vaux’s with less than 10 Black Swift and 2 Chestnut-collared Swift
Broad-winged Hawk with a single Swainson’s Hawk top bird
Couldn’t tell if there are any Swainson’s Hawk in this lot but there is probably a few
Out of all the Broad-winged Hawk that moved through, this individual was the closest that I observed
Also 2 Roadside Hawk were more than likely resident
There were some 40 Vaux’s Swift
Four of the 31 White-winged Dove that passed straight through NNW
I didn’t get goin in the patch until mid-morning and found that the Willow Flycatcher was still present under the tall mallows where there was also an Ovenbird. Otherwise elsewhere it was very quiet, except for the Purple Gallinule on the North Pond and the second patch tick of the day, a male White-shouldered Tanager that showed very briefly before landing in a tree above me. It was very vocal but could I see the bloody thing? After twenty minutes I gave up and decided to call it a day as the mossies’ were driving me insane.
The Willow Flycatcher was still present under the tall mallows
This Ovenbird showed well but not for the camera
The Purple Gallinule still hanging around on the North Pond
Tennessee Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Did Russian Handlers Persuade Johnson to Back Brexit?
If you read my post yesterday, you will see that I wrote about Johnson, as maybe a Russian asset/traitor, connections and very close friend with Evgeny Lebedev! A son of an ex KGB agent! This video came out today and is a must watch
A report in the Sunday Times has suggested the possibility that Evgeny Lebedev, a close friend of Boris Johnson, may have persuaded the now Prime Minister to back the UK leaving the EU. It also shines an interesting spotlight on Johnson’s insistence that Lebedev be elevated to the House of Lords against opposition from various quarters, including MI6. As putting Lebedev in the House of Lords did not benefit Johnson politically, this must have been Lebedev’s request. So why did he want the position so badly and so urgently? https://www.patreon.com/adifferentbiashttps://twitter.com/Philmoorhouse76 Article (possible paywall): https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ho… Further insights from Byline: https://bylinetimes.com/2022/03/12/bo…
Millions of dirty Russian money has been accepted personally by most Tory MPs and the party. Boris and Rachel Johnson with the son of ex KGB, Evgeny Lebedev, attending one of many Lebedev and his fathers parties. So close are Johnson and Lebedev, that the PM gave a seat to the Russian oligarch in the House of Lords. Despite being advised not to, as it was a national security risk. London is known also as London-grad
When Ukrainian civilians took up arms, fighting back with Molotov cocktail bottles and AK47s in trying to defend and protect their land from being occupied by Russia, they are called resistance forces by the media. And it’s quite rightly accepted. The UK government has carelessly allowed British civilian’s, with no combat experience in some cases, to sign up and fight with Ukrainians against Russia. Facebook have even changed their policies that now you can even tell the Russians to die! However, if Palestinians try and defend to protect their land and fight back from being occupied by Israeli’s, with rocks, they are called terrorists. Or if you wrote about Israeli war crimes on Facebook, you would be called anti-Semitic and banned off Facebook. I know from personal experience, after I was banned off Facebook six times over the years for being accused of being anti-Semitic. Most recently I was banned for over six months! The anti-Semitic card is always flicked out when you try to make folks aware of Israeli war crimes and their apartheid regime. Very recently a Labour MP, Julie Elliott, compared Ukraine being invaded and occupied by Russia, with the Palestinians? This was defended by, well almost everyone in the Tory Party and the majority in the opposition party, Labour as well. And the excuse by Conservative MP Stephen Crabb in the House of Commons, who just so happens to be chairman of ‘Conservative Friends of Israel’ was that ‘She was wrong to make parallels between the two conflicts during a debate on the recognition of Palestine and the people of Israel as well, who face a unique situation and set of challenges’ Is it maybe also because 80% of MPs, on both sides, are members of the ‘Friends of Israel?’ An influential lobby group.
Many MPs have accepted donations from the Israeli government in six-figure sums. One of them is a very prominent figure, Home Secretary, Priti Patel. Patel was UK minister for international development, deciding how to transfer British aid money around the world and that included, you guessed it, Israel. So, the UK taxpayers money was in fact being channelled to Israeli army when you were thinking it was going to those in poverty across the globe. Petal should be up for treason but instead she got a slap on the wrist and resigned. Not being punished, she was later made Home Secretary when Johnson became Prime Minister!! As a result of being in this position, she’s now trying to make it as hard as possible for Ukrainian refugees to enter the UK. I guess we’ve got to keep those Brexiters happy.
And maybe this could be one of the reasons why the Conservatives are making it tougher for Ukrainian refugees to come to the UK. For the last twenty years, Putin’s Russia has got a foothold in the UK government with the help of millions donated personally to almost every Tory MP and the party! I’ll repeat that. Almost every Tory MP accepted dirty Russian Money! And crazy as it sounds, after donations came flooding in personally to Boris Johnson, he made sure that his very close mate, Evgeny Lebedev, a son of a Russian oligarch and an ex-KGB, got a seat in The House of Lords!! Although Johnson was advised that it was a national security risk. Like everything else, the Prime Minster didn’t care! Johnson got what he wanted and attended parties hosted by Lebedev and his father. And again Johnson was advised not to interact with Lebedev because it was a national security risk, but the Prime Minster didn’t want to know. In fact there are number of business interest from the Lords linked to Russia or work directly with major Russian companies linked to the Russian state.
But get this, Lebedev is also the owners of London Live, Evening Standard (24% is still owned by the Daily Mail also) and The Independent. In 2017, they made Former chancellor of the exchequer GeorgeOsborne, editor of the Evening Standard until he stood down two years ago.
Five of the Conservative ministers out of most of the Tory Party who accepted dirty Russian money in 10 000s! They are all wealthy already and Sunak’s even a billionaire!
So, you tell me, who was/is closest to the Putin’s Russia and why the corrupt UK Government is not in a hurry to sanction Russian oligarchs that donate to the Prime Minster and personally to Tory MPs and party? Putin has slowly crafted his way into the Tory Party by meddling with our politics. This is proved when the Russian Report was finally released when it was held back until after the 2019 general elections. We discover, after Johnson repeated lying that their was no evidence, what so ever, of Russia meddling in various elections in the UK, that in fact, Russia did interferer with the 2019 general election and the Scottish referendum and probably Brexit as well. Take the UK from Europe and it makes it even easier for Putin to have the Tories in the palm of his hands. Remember BBC Newsnight photoshopped Corbyn with a hat to make him appear pro-Russian? At the same time, Corbyn was trying to make us aware of the dirty Russian money was funding the Tory Party. He was put down by the mainstream media, Tories and the Blairites. While at the time, Farage was pro-Russian and you voted for him?
Now look where the UK Government stands with Ukraine and Russia? Only Four months ago, Boris Johnson made it clear that ‘The old concepts of fighting big tank battles on European land mass are over’
Putin’s War on the West explained. The West has been at war since 2014, for the aim of destabilisation, so that he could regain control of the Ukraine. Putin’s War started in early 2014, with the ousting of the Ukrainian President. He built up his military to launch a new kind of Warfare. To attack through information, to use TV Stations and Social Media to find rifts in Europe and America and exploit them. He built hacking teams to break into political parties he disliked and gave their information to parties he wanted in power. He bought passports for operatitives, and used their citizenship to finance parties that he wanted in power and bribe politicians
Russia’s war with Britain, relations between Russian and UK are at an all time low, yet the interference in the UK from Russia is like something out of a dystopian novel, equal to that of anything written by Orwell. The level of Russian interference in the UK is nothing short of war and has helped lead to significant corruption, assassinations, money laundering and influence in politics.
This is the only Wood Thrush that’s remained out the four individuals that wintered on the patch/ I can always find it near to the edge of the primary forest. I’m sure it will be off north in the next week or two.
Yesterday, I left the patch after two hours of birding as I had a lot of things to get on with and there was nothing of interest to report anyway. From the patch, it takes me less than a minute to walk along the road back to the hostel. In that time, a white 18 seater bus passed me. How did I know it was an 18 seater? Steve Bird and Gina Nichol, owner of http://www.sunrisebirding.com/ were on the bus with clients and spotted me as they drove passed! Now what is the chances of that happening in that 50 seconds of me being on the road? Steve contacted me later on to let me know that they saw this scruffy looking tramp ahead of them and as they got closer they realised that it was me!!
No new species added to the patch list in the last two days and no sign of the Striped Owl either. However, the Purple Gallinule reappeared and there were up to three Empidonaxx flycatcher including the second record of Least, the Yellow-bellied and the Willow Flycatcher.
Igot out late this morning, 09.00 and returned back to the hostel some five hours later. On the west side of note, there were 2 Bare-throated Tiger Heron, a male Painted Bunting, the Purple Gallinule and the Willow Flycatcher but it was pretty quiet in the center of the patch.
Now on it’s tenth day, this Willow Flycatcher is still present under the tall mallows on the west side
There was an immature and this adult Bare-throated Tiger Heron at the West Pond
There are a pair of Olivaous Piculet breeding on the patch
With a mix of yank warblers there was a Yellow-throated Vireo and nearby, the second record of Least Flycatcher, were both new in by the river. In the banana plantation, yesterdays Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was still present. Out of the motmot influx, only a single Broad-billed Motmot on the edge of the primary forest and the Ochre-belled Flycatcher was still in song but no sign of the Bright-rumped Attila. Still present at the end of the day were, the Tropical Pewee, Wood Thrush, American Redstart, still 3 Northern Waterthrush and at least 7 Dusky-capped and 4 Yellow-olive Flycatcher. Just as I was leaving at the entrance of the patch, there was a single Russet-napped Wood Rail. As I’m writing this, the rain is coming down hard. Hopefully tomorrow there will be a few migrants in like there was last week during and after the storm.
This Least Flycatcher by the river was only the second Patch sighting
The Wood Thrush is still hanging out at the edge of the primary forest
Chestnut-sided Warbler still in double figures
There are still up to 3 Northern Waterthrush including this individual by the North Pond
Numbers of Yellow-olive Flycatcher are still high with at least four individuals
And up to 7 Dusky-capped Flycatcher
As usual, this Russet-napped Wood Rail showed off at very close range at the entrance of the patch
This Three-toed Sloth was taking it’s time hanging out by the river
Brexit Preventing Aid Deliveries to Ukrainian Refugees
Around Britain, charitable people are collecting supplies for refugees from Ukraine to deliver to surrounding countries such as Poland. However, many are being shocked at what brexit means for travelling to the continent as vans of supplies are held up for days by brexit red tape. The government has announced an easement of the procedures, but that could just make it worse for the unwary as they get turned back at France.
Before I leave Costa Rica, when ever that will be, I wanted to get an image of the elusive Mourning Warbler and today, with three individuals new in, this male gave me that opportunity on the west side.
Not a bad day at all with another two patch ticks including a lifer. Long-tailed Hermit and the new species, Plain-coloured Tanager. New arrivals included, a slight increase in both Yellow and Tennessee Warbler, a single Wood Thrush, up to 3 Mourning and a female Golden-winged Warbler, 5 Yellow-olive Flycatcher and the second sighting of Ochre-bellied Flycatcher. The 2 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher were still in the same areas and a kinda of surprise was that the Willow Flycatcher was still under the east tall mallows. Although I haven’t birded that area in the last two days but no sign of the Purple Gallinule.
Every morning, I set off to the patch across the road from the hostel I’m staying at. And you can never predict how it’s goin to go and today I really thought that things just might slow down a little with no added species to the patch. But it was not to be and I started out with at the West Pond chasing around for, guess what? Another bloody Empidonax flycatcher! However, I strongly suspected what species it was goin to be in the glimpse I got before it disappeared. Over an hour later and for my effort, 3 White-winged Dove and Red-billed Pigeon flew overhead and I kicked a Common Pauraque without knowing it was there. I also got a single Ovenbird, Wood Thrush and a male and 2 female Mourning Warbler and the first Yellow-olive Flycatcher sighted on the west side of the patch. All migrants new in today, although I did not cover this area yesterday. I gave up on the flycatcher and walked under the tall mallows and there was the Willow Flycatcher as I knew that was what it was goin to be. With that flycatcher sorted, I took a look to see if the Striped Owl had returned to it’s roosting tree and it had! Opposite the owl, the Boat-billed Heron was fast asleep.
It appears as though Common Pauraque are breeding in good numbers on the patch
The first time that I’ve recorded a Yellow-olive Flycatcher on the west side of the patch as all the others have all been on the opposite side on the east.
This rare Willow Flycatcher has now been on the patch for a week now when it first turned up just ahead of the storm
The Striped Owl was back in it’s roosting tree on the wset side
For the first time in two days, I thought that I better cover the center and ponds. Only the usual species involved including both the Tropical Pewee still present at north perimeter and the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher now on the border with the center and banana plantation. In the primary forest, it turned out to be pretty good with a Long-tailed Hermit added to the patch list. It showed well but was to fast for the camera and gone. Also, the second and third record of Ochre-bellied Flycatcher and Bright-rumped Attila respectively were nearby. However, yesterdays 2 Rufous Motmot were replaced in the same area by 2 Broad-billed Motmot and their were 4 Summer Tanager and still 2 Yellow-olive Flycatcher but no sign of yesterday Long-tailed Woodcreeper.
From the 3 Tropical Pewee yesterday, only the long staying individual remained where it has been present for over two months now at the North perimeter.
The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher had moved deeper into the banana plantation.
In the forest, I came across the second patch record of Ochre-bellied Flycatcher
And the third sighting of Bright-rumped Attila
There were up to 4 Summer Tanager altogether
Through the forest, the 2 Orange-billed Sparrow were grovelling in the leaf litter and high up in canopy I spotted only the second record on the patch of Broad-winged Hawk. It was getting onto 16.00 and time I should hit the river where it proved pretty productive including a lifer! There were another 2 Yellow-olive Flycatcher together giving it a high total of five individuals. The 2 Broad-billed Motmot were still hanging out in the same tree as the 2 Rufous-tailed Jacamar and a mix flock of yank warblers moving quickly through included Chestnut-sided and Yellow, single Black and White and a pair of Golden-winged Warbler. But it was a mixed flock of tanager that got my attention when I noticed with them were 2 Plain-coloured Tanager. This is one species that I’ve been hoping would turn up on the patch. Also present were a pair of Blue-black Grosbeak, a single Masked Tityra and Fiery-billed Aracari, all species with less than three records on site and a Cinnamon Becard is more than likely the individual from last week.
Only the second patch sighting of Broad-winged Hawk was high up in the canopy of the forest.
The 2 Broad-billed Motmot were still hanging out by the river while two new birds were in the forest continuing the influx of motmots on the patch
So pleased in these 2 Plain-coloured Tanagers turning up on the patch after getting tired of goin through all the tanagers everyday
A pair of Blue-black Grosbeak included this female
Just a record shot but Black and white Warbler are somethin else and to see them daily with the other yank warblers brightens up your day.
Johnson’s Russian Links Re-surface Over Lebedev Peerage
This Blue-throated Goldentail was not just a patch tick but also a lifer down by the river
A good day with two lifers, Long-tailed Woodcreeper and Blue-throated Goldentail. The former species is a very rare woodcreeper in this area. The mini influx of the motmots continued with now 2 Rufous Motmot.
I decided to try the edge of the primary forest first goin anti-clockwise around the patch instead of clockwise. I arrived just after 08.00 and stayed in the area of the forest for over five hours with an hour near to the river. The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was still present at the banana plantation but in the forest, I could hear a lek of White-collard Makin and discovered 4 males and a single female. I spotted the Rufous Motmot from two days ago and as it flew high up into the canopy, it was joined by another individual. This tying in nicely with the arrival of now up to six motmots in the last two days. 3 Broad-billed, 2 Rufous and a single Keel-billed Motmot, but there was no sign of the latter species in the very small pocket of forest. The Black and White and Golden-winged Warbler and Wood Thrush were still hanging around.
There were 2 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher today, a single by the river and this individual still present near to the banana plantation for it’s third day.
I only saw my first Rufous Motmot two days ago during the mini influx of motmots on the patch and today there were two birds together
At the river there were both the 2 Rufous-tailed Jacamar and from yesterday, the 2 Broad-billed Motmot. A hummingbird perched above me and immediately I could see that it was a Blue-throated Bluetail. A lifer and it flew off when I switched to my camera from my bins. I hung around for a good forty five minutes and as a result I got another Yellow-bellied Flycatcher on the other side of the river. Also moving through were 2 Lesser Greenlet, now 2 Yellow-olive Flycatcher and the American Redstart was still present. On the river was the Buff-rumped Warbler. Then finally the hummingbird returned very briefly before buzzing off again.
A very vocal Blue-throated Goldentail was by the river
One of the 2Broad-billed Motmot down by the river.
I returned to the forest where I got a glimpse of another Empidonax flycatcher that got away before I could get anythin on it. The 2 Rufous Motmot with 3 Summer Tanagers and a single Yellow-olive Flycatcher, were still in the same area but it was a woodcreeper that got me running around. At first, by size, I thought it was goin to be a Wedge-billed Woodcreeper but I could clearly see that the bill was too long. Long-tailed Woodcreeper! It flew into the darkest part of the forest and as a result, I just managed to get record shots before it disappeared to where I could no longer reach it. Two new birds I’ve never seen before in the space of over two hours! Ideal! It was time to get out of the forest as the mossies’ were driving me crazy. It was now nearing to 15.00 and as I was content with what I had observed, I was ready to go back to my digs without covering the ponds and the rest of the patch. What did I miss out on? I did kick a Common Pauraque by mistake only for it to come down again almost at my feet and I got a single Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift before I reached the hostel as well.
Record shots were all I could could get on this rare Long-tailed Woodcreeper before it flew off I’ll try again tomorrow
Common Pauraque
Former NATO Soldier DESTROYS Official Ukraine War Narrative
As you will see in the footage, Jeremy Vine on the BBC telling us that the RAF could take out a Russian convoy in an hour and a half. Did you know that Vine also does speeches for a four figure sum at Arms conferences?
At last, the River Otter, very briefly showed itself in the shallow part of the North Pond giving the opportunity for to get a decent image before it clocked on that I was present and it made it’s get away.
Only two patch ticks today, 2 Grey-chested Dove and a single Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher. The doves have probably arrived with the numbers of White-winged Dove and Red-billed Pigeon dispersing, including 2 Pale-vented Pigeon, that moved through the patch during the stormy weather that hit us in the last few days. It will be interesting to see in the next weeks to come, if there will be more sightings of Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher on site as they migrant north. Most of the migrants had moved out overnight with no sign of the Willow and Acadian Flycatcher, Prothonotary Warbler, less numbers of both Northern Oriole and Yellow and Tennessee Warbler but there was a slight increase of Chestnut-sided Warbler and Dusky-capped Flycatcher. However, I didn’t have time to bird the center of the patch despite being down there all day. Never thought I would be saying this, but there appeared to be a mini arrival of motmots including up to 3 Broard-billed Motmot and only the second site record of Keel-billed Motmot. No sign of the yesterdays second patch record of Rufous Motmot which I guess now, was involved with the dispersal of all these motmots that arrived on the patch.
I was out in field on the patch an hour earlier than yesterday, 08.00. It was a very slow start and after two hours, I arrived at the river and I had seen nothin of note, except for the Dark-striped Sparrow under the west tall mallows and there were now 2 Tropical Pewee on the north perimeter. There was no sign of the Striped Owl unfortunately nearby on the east side. I returned the way I had just walked from the river and as I passed the North Pond, the Purple Gallinule was flushed out of the thicket by the River Otter. Settling down and I didn’t have to wait long before it was out swimming in the open. Out of sight, it rested in the shallow waters to the east side and I crept up to it along the path. I managed to get a few pics that I was happy with but it soon disappeared when it saw me.
There was only the one Dark-striped Sparrow under the west tall mallows
This Tropical Pewee wintered on the patch and has been in the same area at the north perimeter since day one when I arrived and for the second time in over a month, it was joined by another individual for just a single day.
The River Otter performed well at the North Pond
An hour later I was back at the river where there were now a single American Redstart, probably new in, Black and White Warbler, Yellow-Olive Flycatcher and the first patch tick of the day, 2 Grey-chested Dove. More evidence of species new in was when I reached the edge of the primary forest. Here, I scanned the trees with my naked eye for a good twenty minutes and was rewarded with a Keel-billed Motmot followed shortly afterwards by a Broad-billed Motmot. The 2 Rufous-tailed Jacamar and male Golden-winged Warbler and a single Smoky-brown Woodpecker were in the forest and nearby, the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was still present on the border with the banana plantation, the male Fasciated Antshrike was very vocal and the only Wood Thrush on the patch for a week now, was still in the area near the garden. At the latter site I had 2 Yellow-Olive Flycatcher and sitting on eggs, a Common Pauraque.
I guess the 2 Grey-chested Dove by the river were part of the movement of White-winged Dove and Red-billed and Pale-vented Pigeon that were also brought down by the storm.
I’ve been spoiled in the last two days by the arrival of motmots including this Keel-billed Motmot. A single individual back in January is the only other record on the patch.
If only the Keel-billed Motmot came lower down like this Broad-billed Motmot did in the forest
The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was still present on the border of the banana plantation
This male Golden-winged Warbler is the only individual that’s stayed on out of the three that wintered on the patch
Like the warbler above, this Wood Thrush is the only individual that has not moved on like the other three birds have that wintered on the patch
At the river, I observed the pair of other Rufous-tailed Jacamar bounding together again and above them in the same tree were 2 more Broad-billed Motmot. Out of the blue, it got crazy when an adult Grey Hawk took out a Cherry-rumped Tanager on the opposite side of the river from me where there was also the Buff-rumped Warbler. Returning back to the North Pond, the next patch tick was a single Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher in the blooming trees where it was on show very briefly and there were the 2 Orange-billed Sparrow at the north perimeter. My plan was to return to my digs for some grub at around about 13.00, but before I knew it, time had passed me that it was now coming onto 16.00 and had not even birded the center of the patch!
These pair of Rufous-tailed Jacamar were doing a lot of bonding with the male passing over a butterfly that it had just caught to the female
And just above the jacamars in the same tree were 2 more Broad-billed Motmot
This adult Grey Hawk was just about to get stuck into a tanager that it had just killed
The first sighting of a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher for the patch was near to the North Pond and in the next coming weeks I’m expecting there be others moving through
In the last two months, I’ve been seeing just a single Yellow-olive Flycatcher on site but today there were a total of 3 birds.
And also, Dusky-capped Flycatcher have increased from 3-4 daily and today there were at least 7-8 individuals.
There were 2 Golden-olive Woodpecker but this one was the only one that showed very well
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Another crazy day on the patch and it don’t get better than this thanks to the last three days of rain. A maleProthonotary Warbler on the Middle Pond.
Another cracking day! After almost three days of rain, the first day of hot sunshine and I was expecting a few new migrants to show themselves. I had two patch ticks including another lifer. The sun brought out a hidden gem that I never thought I would ever see on the patch, Prothonotary Warbler. Probably arrived in the last few days, brought down by the weather conditions, on it’s northly migration. The lifer was a Broad-billed Motmot! Also, there were up to three species of Empidonax flycatchers on site! New in, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and both the Willow and Acadian Flycatcher were still present in the same areas as before.
I only wished I got out earlier in the field this morning but I had so much on in booking my train ticket home from Shrewsbury to Penzance. I was looking for the cheapest deal and after only ten minutes of searching, I got one. £40 all the way to Penzance!!! Ideal!! Then booking the flight home after and I’m not goin to say how much that was. Feeling good about myself with the cheap find, I was on the patch just before 09.00. No use in scanning the skies for raptors today and headed straight to the West Pond but nothin of note except for yesterdays Acadian Flycatcher. To my pleasant surprise, yesterdays Striped Owl had returned to it’s roosting tree while on the opposite side of the path from the owl, probably 7-8 meters apart, was the Boat-billed Heron asleep. No sign of the male Painted Bunting or Ovenbird under the east tall mallows but the Willow Flycatcher reappeared after last being seen three days ago. Probably been sheltering elsewhere on the patch from the awful weather.
So pleased to see that the Striped Owl had returned to it’s roosting tree
It wasn’t that much of a surprise to see that the Willow Flycatcher was still present at the east tall mallows as it wasn’t goin anywhere with the weather conditions that arrived on the day the flycatcher turned up, three days ago.
I tried both the North and Middle Pond for the River Otter but no sign but there were the 2 Green Ibis and Heron together. There were also a mix of species moving through and with the numbers of Yellow, Tennessee and Chestnut-sided Warbler, were 2 Yellow Tyrannulet. Suddenly there was a light splash behind me and I turned around and expecting to see the otter, instead it was the Purple Gallinule. But it was a yellow warbler that caught my eye at the water edge on the far side. ‘No it can’t be, can it?’ I said out loud. I put my bins up and I couldn’t take in that there was a corking male Prothonotary Warbler on the patch!!! No way!! But there it was, as clear as day, feeding, moving quickly through until it flew off towards the centre of the site where I lost it. Surely that’s a a rarity so far inland? Well after seeing that cracker, I might as well go home. I made an effort to hit the Pacific coast so I could get my fix on Prothonotary Warbler and I return to find one on my doorstep!!
Taking my time taking photos of this Tennessee Warbler payed off in finding…
This beauty!! A maleProthonotary Warbler on the Middle Pond! I was hoping for a new warbler to turn up on the patch, but I could of never predicted that it was goin to be this species. Is it a mega so far in land??
And if wasn’t for this Purple Gallinuale, on it’s forth day, making a splash behind me, I would never have found the Prothonotary Warbler
Trying to get over at what had just observed, I headed towards the river, where there were the usual suspects. I noticed a movement of a both Southern and Northern Rough-winged Swallow moving straight through, N-NW. In ten minutes, some 80 birds and 2 Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift also passed through. The hirundines were thinning out when I left towards the Edge of the primary forest. Here it was very busy with more yank warblers, including single Black and White and Golden-winged Warbler,Bay Wren, male Rose-breasted Grosebeak, Northern Oriole and the pair of Fascinated Antshrike. I also had a very brief sighting of another Empidonax flycatcher. Shite! I’ve got to see it again and while searching for the flycatcher, l caught the back end of a large motmot spp flying low deeper into the dark forest. Oh Shite! Here we go again. Another one I’ve got to search for as I strongly suspected it to be a Rufous Motmot rather than the slightly smaller commoner Broard-billed Motmot. There were White-collared Manakin making the usual cracking the whip sound and the Orange-billed Sparrow was grovelling in the dense leaf litter. But I wasn’t interested in any of them and found myself standing still in the middle of the very small pocket of forest, scanning the branches with my naked eye. And there it was, Broad-billed Motmot and a lifer! It flew across the river out of sight. It was now gone 16.00 and it was threatening to rain and I returned to the flycatcher where I finally relocated it in the same area as where I first saw it. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Another species dropped in during the weather conditions no doubt, on it’s way north. Returning back to the digs, the family of Russet-napped Wood Rail showed well near to the West Pool. And a great ending to another whacky day!
2 Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift flew straight through N-NW with the 80+rough-winged Swallow
And after six days, the pair of Facaited Antshrike turned up at the edge of the primary forest
This Rufous Motmot at the edge of the primary forest, was not just a patch tick but also a lifer but all I could get were record shots as it was dark in the forest
This third Empidonax flycatcher of day was this Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Manx shearwaters are a vital part of what makes Scilly special. By day they can be seen flying low over the sea. At night they come ashore to their nest burrows on remote islands.
Please help these wonderful birds – donate to our appeal so we can provide much-needed nest boxes!
Our Manx shearwater population on St Agnes, Gugh and Annet has been increasing since rats were eradicated in 2016. However, Dr Vickie Heaney, our seabird ecologist, is concerned about competition for nest sites. On her annual monitoring visits she’s even finding freshly-laid shearwater eggs which have been ejected from burrows after dominant shearwaters have moved in.
We have an international responsibility for the Manx shearwater – 80% of the world’s population breeds in the UK. Annet is a perfect island for them – but the ram (the island’s hard granitic subsoil) makes it very hard for them to dig their own nest holes.
We can step in and make a difference. Colonies on Lundy and the Pembrokeshire islands have really benefited from artificial nest boxes. We can do that on Annet to allow the colony to grow faster.
These boxes have inspection hatches. This will enable us to confirm burrow occupation, whilst opening up all kinds of monitoring possibilities so we can better understand these ocean wanderers. We would like to install at least 35 nest boxes, fitting four with cameras so we can stream nesting shearwaters online. But we need your help! Our incredible volunteers will be helping us with installation, but the immediate cost of infra-red cameras, materials, staff time and boating is over £14,000, whilst this work will be an integral part of our long-term seabird strategy, which extends from managing the habitat of their nesting grounds to influencing future marine developments.
We have over 60% of our target covered already, but we still need £107 per nest box, and £460 for each camera, to be able to make this a reality. Whether you’re able to cover the cost of a nest box or a camera, or chip in a smaller amount, all donations will help us make a big difference by providing homes for our shearwaters.
“EU members have profited well from Israeli apartheid over the years. Since 2012, EU member states have sold arms to Israel to the tune of nearly €700 million per year.” Irish lawmakers on Wednesday called out the West’s “double standards” for imposing sanctions on Russia after invading Ukraine but not doing the same to Israel over its violations in Palestine.
SCILLYSPIDER 2 