The week that was

It was a busy week with work catching up after last week away. I managed to get out in the field today for a few hours and checked out East side and North Wall. 60 species in 2.5 hours the highlights being finally catching up with Spotted Redshank this year, an influx of Common Snipe (about 55 in the salt marsh) and the Long-eared Owls were still present. The most noteable thing was the reduction in wintering birds with only 300 Brents, a few Lapwings and I didn't see a single Golden Plover. Ebird list HERE .

The days have been pleasant and sunny with a high pressure in place but it does mean cold nights this time of year so still no uptick in the moths here (seems like I missed the first wave when away last week).  I had Dotted Border and Common Flatbody attracted to the garden office lights but haven't bothered putting the moth trap out as getting to nearly zero during the night. 

The first Wheatear arrived at Portland on Wednesday and there have been a few other summer migrants elsewhere. The only sign of that sort of thing round here was a Chiffchaff in the garden in the week (the first one this year). I've also had a couple of Med Gulls flying over which could indicate the beginning of their Spring passage. A garden watch on 26th was the most interesting day this year with 43 species including Shelduck flying round. Ebird list HERE.

With March approaching there is a lot to do on the next stages of the wildlife garden plant up. Matt and I planted up the fruit beds this week (with strawberries, redcurrants and raspberries) and we've also planted some more trees including a dwarf Willow and a Magnolia in the front garden, a Liquidamber and Purple Plum in the back garden and Cherry and Cotoneaster in the visitor's garden. The sweetcorn has been seeded in the propogator and I'm waiting for a big delivery of compost on Monday to get the potatoes in and compost up the mixed hedge that we planted in the winter. Kyle got us 18 duck eggs today so they are now in the incubator so hoping Jimmy gets the animal fencing done in the next 28 days before they hatch. 

Spotted Redshank 

One of the Snipe flocks flying around White's Creek

Long-eared Owl- presumably won't be long before they move to their breeding areas

The front garden is taking shape with the new trees and climbers on the house. Needs a bit of work in the front to soften the socialist architecture

The seven planet alignment has been occurring this month with tonight the best night to see it. Jacob and I had a look and managed to see Mars, Jupiter (above with its' moons) and Venus and also possibly Uranus and Saturn. 

PRC, plastic and pilchards

It was the Portuguese Rarities Committee AGM HERE this weekend in Lisbon. I haven't attended in person for a few years so I thought it would be a good idea to see everyone for a proper catch up. We had a marathon 10 hour work session on Saturday, covered some fascinating issues and got everything done so on Sunday I met up wtih Pedro Nicolau and we did a bit of birding in Lisbon.

One of the agenda items was assessing the status of Blue-crowned Parakeet in Portugal which we decided should be elevated to Category C following over 250 pairs currently breeding in Lisbon, following a rapid colonisation, a category elevation from E to C resulting in a new species added to the Western Palearctic list.

So on Sunday I wasted no time and went to see them with Pedro at their stronghold at Parque da Quinta das Conchas and we also popped in to Forte de Sao Juliao da Berra, a well known site for Crested Myna which is also naturalised in Portugal. Both species were world lifers. I'm now on 3363 for the World, 745 for the WP (78th on Netfugl ranking) and 957 for the False WP (41st in Nefugl ranking). 

As I was in Lisbon an obligatory visit to a tinned Sardine shop also occurred and I had lunch at Sol e Pesca which is a restuarant that bizarelly specialises in tinned fish. Aparrantely there is no species called a Sardine and the term refers to several small species in the Herring family, most commonly the Common Pilchard. 

I more or less had to get off the plane from Iceland and then onto another to Lisbon (a bit confusing for my phenology) but back home now for a few weeks to watch early Spring unfold. While I was away the first Brents and other wildfowl had started moving east off Selsey Bill. It has begun and after what I saw in Lisbon this weekend too, the sub-Saharan migrants have already reached Southern Europe and heading our way too. 

Blue-crowned Parakeet- a South American species thriving in the Eucalyptus trees in Lisbon. These are outcompeting Rose-ringed Parakeets in Lisbon. A bizzare novel-ecosystem. 

Short-toed Treecreeper- did actually see some 'real' birds in the park too. There were plenty of Chiffchaffs, some singing too and what with a few hirnundines around Lisbon too it certainly felt like the first Spring day 

Crested Myna (above and below)- more plastic. These originate from China. 

View from the hotel window over Lisbon. The first summer migrants had arrived with House Martins and Barn Swallows flying around and there were singing Serins and Black Redstarts too. 

Tinned fish including Tuna from the Azores. Has to be done when in Lisbon. 

Iceland day six

Unfortunately we had an early flight back to London but I was keeping an eye out for a Gyr until the last minute. Gyr is getting harder on Iceland although there have been a couple of sightings this year already in the area we visited so they are still around but in smaller numbers. My chances were much reduced on a family holiday but it will be a good excuse to visit the Arctic again- I still need Polar Bear after dipping them in Svalbard after our boat broke down so definitely want to return to the Arctic anyway.

The return flight took us over Iceland in relatively clear conditions so the view over the Arctic landscape was sensational. 

Final Trip Report HERE.

Here's a few extra pics from the week. 

Adult Glaucous Gull at Husavik

Presumed 2nd cycle Herring x Glaucous Gull or pale Herring Gull (top bird) being photo bombed by a 2nd cycle Kumlien's

Adult Kumlien's- another adult , seven in total at Husavik

Winter scenes at Husavik 

Adult winter (left) and first-winter (right) Black Guillemot

Northern Eiders male (above) and female (below) 

Northern Eiders 

Variation in first-winter male Eider (above and below)

Views from the plane window 

Iceland Day Five

Sadly our last full day in Iceland today and it was back to Akuryeri for a visit to the famous bakery, a whale watching session and then a visit to the Christmas garden before dinner at the Aurora. 

Ebird trip report HERE. Only 29 bird species but some good quality in there. 

Humpback Whale (above) 

Harbour Porpoise and Iceland Gulls. We had a single Humpback Whale and a few Harbour Porpoise on the whale watching trip.

Adult Iceland Gulls (above and below) - great to see these shearing over the sea rather than on a rubbish dump somewhere. Certainly an aptly name species out here considering we've seen over 100 of them. 

Adult Iceland Gull 

Adult males, first-winter males and female Northern Eiders and what looks like a nominate Common Eider (below) lacking the mustard coloured bill and instead being yellow-greenish. 

Whooper Swans on Lake Myvatn on the way back to Akuryeri this morning 

This Merlin was outside the Hotel this morning- not the falcon we were looking for. We've basically hit all our targets except for Gyr. 

Happy mini whale watcher

Iceland Day Four

Today we spent the day at Husavik, the coastal town where the film Eurovision, the Story of Fire Saga was set. It was a family day so I had to sneak in a few snippets of birding. It would have been great to go through all the gulls and seaducks properly but I did pretty well with a few minutes in between visiting the Whale Museum, the Eurovision Exhibition and Lunch at the Gamli Baukur and shopping. 

The drive from Myvatn to Husavik was stunning, we were the only car on the road crossing wild tundra. 

Managed to score another main target of the trip- Harlequin Duck. Pretty good scope views but no good for photos unfortunately.

Ebird list from today HERE

Male and female Harlequin Ducks and Eider

3rd-winter 'Kumlien’s ' Gull

2nd-winter 'Kumlien’s  Gull'

Adult Kumlien's Gull

A nice little selection of  adult and first-winter Iceland and Kumlien's Gull. The first-winter in top right appears to have a dark wash at the base of the primaries suggesting 'Kumlien's'.

Adult Iceland Gull- About 45 Iceland Gulls and 6 'Kumlien’s Gulls'

Adult Glaucous Gull (front bird) 

Adult Glaucous Gull x Herring Gull aka ‘Viking Gull’  (hybrid as some dark streaks in outer primaries and small size ) with Herring Gulls 

Black Guillemot

Male Long-tailed Duck

Female Long-tailed Duck

Purple Sandpipers

Adult and 2nd-winter Kumlien’s Gulls, Iceland Gulls and Herring Gull

2nd-winter Kumlien’s  Gulls (above and below)

2nd-winter 'Kumlien’s Gull' 

Adult Iceland Gull

First-winter 'Viking Gull' - at least two of  these

Herring Gulls in Iceland are argenteus but many show several features associated with American Herring Gull smithsonianus suggesting there might be some historical introgression. The bird on the left could actually be an American Herring Gull from that view with contrasting pale head and rather concolourous dark underparts, retained juvenile scapulars and a largely dark tail from what can be seen. However in other views the bird showed coarsely marked undertail coverts indicating it is one of these smith-like  'Icelandic Herring Gulls'.

Husavik- a stunning place

The drive across the frozen tundra- a mad place. Great that there are so few tourists out here this time of year