Saturday 17 October 2015

FALL OF THE YANKS !



 Blue-winged Warbler! 
 Red-eyed Vireo on the rocks
 First-winter male Scarlet Tanager
 Two Rose-breasted Grosbeak (top bird a male)
 2nd first-winter male Scarlet Tanager- less black on coverts
 American Robin over Atlantic



Weather charts for today. A warm and moist light north-west airflow over Azores on the eastern flank of a high pressure. Jet stream deflected south over mid-Atlantic towards Azores. The warm air over the western Atlantic is presumably an important factor.


Wind direction over Eastern US/Western Atlantic previous day showing a more westerly airflow which is presumably a factor in the displacement. Interesting that this fall has occurred without a depression, supporting the observation from previous years that mid-Atlantic vagrancy is often associated with a westerly airflow, rather than fast moving depressions which are a key feature of North Atlantic/Trans-Atlantic vagrancy.


What a day! A fall of american birds with vagrants watched coming in off the sea, landing on rocks and isolated bushes on the coastline, Buff-bellied Pipits calling over head and twitchers running round like headless chickens. The days totals were: 

1 Blue-winged Warbler, 1 Ovenbird, 2-3 Philadelphia Vireo, 3-4 Red-eyed Vireo, 2 Scarlet Tanager, 4 Red-breasted Grosbeak, 1 American Robin, 1 Grey-cheeked Thrush, 3 Buff-bellied Pipit, 1-2 Indigo Bunting, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Blue-winged Teal

Without doubt other birds on the island. Looking forward to tomorrow.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

This is pretty amazing! Many of these land-birds don't even reach Barbados.

Unknown said...

a day to remember

Unknown said...

Unbelievable! The thrill of knowing that everything can turn up anywhere....

Susan Healey said...

Green with envy!