With a strong west wind this morning, I spent a while seawatching before I went for a wander along the Downs. Birds noted included 1 Common Scoter, 9 Golden Plover, 1 Ringed Plover, 7 Turnstone, 3 Pomarine Skua, 1 large Auk sp, c150 Black headed Gull, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 6 Common Gull, c40 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 5 'Commic' Tern, 7 Sandwich Tern, 2 Great crested Grebe, 2 Red throated Diver, 23 Gannet, 1 Shag just after sunrise flew in with 2 Cormorant briefly before flying off west, 32 Cormorant and 1 Little Egret. With a few Common Crossbill being reported, I thought I would have a walk along the top of the Downs which gives a good view over the area in the hope a few birds would be moving. I managed to have excellent views of 15 Common Crossbill which flew west calling, some at eye level. Also seen were 8 Siskin, 1 Kestrel, 5 Chiffchaff, 2 Stonechat, 1 Wheatear, 2 Pied Wagtail, 8 Meadow Pipit and 3 Linnet. 

Sandwich Tern

Shag

Wheatear

With a gale force west wind this morning, I spent a few hours seawatching until 10am. Birds noted included 1 Brent Goose, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Turnstone, 1 Arctic Skua, 11 Little Gull, 106 Black headed Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, c40 Herring Gull, 2 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Arctic Tern, 23 'Commic' Tern, 10 Sandwich Tern, 5 Gannet, 28 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Peregrine, 2 Swallow, 6 House Sparrow and 1 Meadow Pipit. I had brief views of a probable Merlin but as soon as I got on to it, it dived behind the houses and wasn't seen again. As this would be a new species for the patch, I'd rather wait to get better views. 

I spent a few hours out Tuesday night from 19:30 at Bishopstone where I was looking for the Northern Lights which after a few hours, I did see well. The bonus with my position here on the coast is that I can also listen to what birds are moving through the area at night. I managed to hear a flock of Greylag Geese, 2 Grey Heron, numerous Ringed Plover, 1 Redwing and best of all, a patch tick Barn Owl which I heard twice as it flew by in the darkness. Nocmig recording Wednesday night produced more Ringed Plover and a Tawny Owl called a few times. 

Northern Lights off Bishopstone

With light winds Saturday morning, I was out early to look and listen for anything calling in the dark. As it got light, I had brief views of a Long eared Owl. Also noted were 16 Greylag Geese, 1 Grey Partridge, 1 Lapwing and 9 Skylark. I spent most of my time in the Bishopstone area where I had a good look and listen for a Yellow browed Warbler in the Glen but no luck as of yet. No doubt they will appear when I'm at work! There were 1 Mallard, 1 Pheasant, 1 Stock Dove, 85 Woodpigeon, 9 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 2 Sandwich Tern, 13 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Marsh Harrier out to sea, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Jay, 1 Sand Martin, 169 Swallow, 5 House Martin, 5 Chiffchaff, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 2 Grey Wagtail, 1 Meadow Pipit, 8 Chaffinch and 8 Linnet. Nocmig recording Friday night produced 1 Tawny Owl (148) distantly calling in the early hours. 

Having recorded the Tawny Owl Friday night, I was keen to get out early to see whether I could hear it calling. After a while of listening into the darkness, I heard the Tawny Owl a couple of times before all went quiet. Although the bird is outside of the patch boundary, I am happy to count it as I heard it within the patch boundary. Anyway, a new bird for the patch for me as was the Coot I could also hear calling in the dark. I spent a few hours walking around the area until 10:15am and noted 1 Long eared Owl seen well perched. As it turned it's head, I could make out the flattened long ear tufts. This was I expect the same bird I reported as a Short eared a few weeks ago. Also seen were 10 Grey Partridge, 1 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew, 2 Turnstone, 1 Sanderling, 44 Black headed Gull, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 11 Sandwich Tern, 2 Gannet, 25 Cormorant, 1 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Great spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Ring necked Parakeet, 13 Skylark, 45 Swallow, 8 House Martin, 5 Chiffchaff, 1 Cetti's Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Firecrest, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipit, 2 Rock Pipit, 24 Chaffinch, 14 Linnet, 1 Goldfinch and 10 Siskin. Nocmig recording Saturday night produced 1 Tawny Owl distantly calling again and 2 Grey Partridge early morning.

'distant' Tawny Owl
 

A seawatch yesterday in a strong NNE wind produced 64 Brent Geese, 12 Shelduck, 1 Gadwall (145), 139 Wigeon, 1 Pintail, 7 Teal, 10 Common Scoter, 2 Curlew, 4 Turnstone, 15 Arctic Skua, 1 Great Skua (146), 2 Guillemot (147), 6 Auk sp, 21 Little Gull, 16 Kittiwake, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Gull, 2 Great Black backed Gull, 1 Arctic Tern, 5 Sandwich Tern, 3 Red throated Diver, 47 Gannet, 18 Cormorant, 1 Marsh Harrier flew out to sea and 2 Peregrine.  

Nocmig recording during the past couple of nights has been generally quiet, just Ringed Plovers, 1 Grey Heron and 1 Barn Owl on the 19th. A weekend of seawatching started on Saturday in calm conditions which soon turned quite thundery and rainy. Birds of note from first light until 10:30am included 3 Shelduck, 4 Common Scoter, 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, 1 Lapwing, 1 Curlew, 2 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Turnstone, 1 Arctic Skua, 1 Mediterranean Gull, c150 Herring Gull, 3 Great Black backed Gull, 22 Little Tern were feeding offshore before moving off west, 37 Common Tern, 60 Sandwich Tern, 1 Great crested Grebe, 1 Red throated Diver, 6 Gannet, 1 Shag, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Hobby in off, 2 Peregrine, 111 Swallow west, 1 Grey Wagtail and 3 Meadow Pipit. 

This morning there was a brisk NW wind so I spent a few more hours seawatching until 10:45am. Birds seen mostly flying west included 1 Shoveler, 2 Wigeon, 2 Common Scoter, 3 Oystercatcher, 1 Curlew, 1 Dunlin, an excellent passage west of 59 Arctic Skua, 1 large Auk sp, 10 Little Gull (142), 53 Black headed Gull, 2 Little Tern, c200 Common Tern, 1 Arctic Tern (143), c300 'Commic' Tern offshore, 17 Sandwich Tern, 1 Red throated Diver, 5 Manx Shearwater (144), 18 Gannet, 27 Cormorant and 1 Kestrel. 

Barn Owl

Manx Shearwater (lower bird) and Arctic Skua

4 Arctic Skua

Highlights birding the Downs Saturday included 6 Shoveler west, 6 Oystercatcher, 1 Ringed Plover, 4 Turnstone, 3 Arctic Skua east, 6 Common Tern, 2 Sandwich Tern, 1 Red throated Diver in partial summer plumage drifted west close inshore, 24 Cormorant, 3 Little Egret, 2 Peregrine, 1 Jay, 5 Sand Martin, 325 Swallow west, 1 House Martin, 2 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Grey Wagtail and 2 Meadow Pipit. With light winds this morning, I was out early where I stood on the eastern boundary listening out for any Owls calling. At 05:50 as I stood still, an Owl was seen in silhouette and landed in a tree c6 metres away. Although it was still a little dark, I could make out the ear tufts of a Long eared Owl (141). It sat in the top of the tree for a good minute wiping its bill on a branch before flying off west into the growing light. Also seen today were 2 Mallard, 1 Grey Partridge, 4 Pheasant, 1 Turnstone, 1 Great Black backed Gull, 7 Sandwich Tern, 18 Cormorant, 2 Shag initially perched on a structure before flying west together, 1 Little Egret, 1 Green Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Jay, 20 Swallow, 17 Chiffchaff, 7 Blackcap, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 25 Meadow Pipit west, 1 Chaffinch and 2 Linnet. Nocmig recording Saturday night produced a few Ringed Plover. 

Red throated Diver

Stonechat