Caspian Stonechat on Scilly

A Siberian Stonechat that had been present on St.Agnes during the week turned itself into something altogether more interesting, when Ashley Fisher saw the bird and noticed the rather Pied Wheatear-like tail, with extensive white in the basal half of the majority of its tail feathers. This feature indicated that this was a Caspian Stonechat, of the race formerly known as variegatus but now hemprichii. I wasn't going to go initially, much of this due to work fatigue, but after I'd manned myself up, I'm pretty glad I went as yesterday, Saturday, was a really enjoyable day out.

Leaving London at 1.30am, the journey down with Stuart P was straightforward and we arrived in Penzance just after 7am. Naturally, the first port of call was our stomaches, so we headed first to the new Sainsbury's (built on the site of the former heliport) before going to McDonald's for a quick breakfast. Unbelievably, we dipped Dan P - though we were later to find out that he'd called in at the one in Hayle so our gen wasn't too out...

Everything went as planned from then on - a shuttle bus up from Penzance to Land's End aerodrome (as we were coming back on The Scillonian), decent flight and then arrival on St.Mary's, punctuated by a Black Redstart by the terminal, where we were then immediately taken to the quay in Hugh Town, where Joe Pender took us over to St.Agnes in ten minutes on one of the Bryher boats. Thanks to the Don of Scilly, Mr H, for sorting out all the logistics and making things seamless.

A quick walk through St.Agnes was the next manoevre, and having turned off by the coastguards, before we'd even got to St.Warna's Cove the 1st-winter male Caspian Stonechat showed itself - flying past us, almost Wheatear-like - before perching up in the garden of a nearby house. After a short while, it headed back down to the beach where it spent the next couple of hours - flycatching and feeding on the abundant insects by the rotting seaweed. A real cracker of a bird, as indeed chats tend to be anyway. And with the uncertainty of its taxonomic status putting the stonewall tickers off, just seven of us and a couple of Scilly locals made the experience even more pleasant. As did a Siberian Chiffchaff feeding alongside a couple of nominate birds in the same area.

1st-winter male Caspian Stonechat St.Agnes, Scilly 23rd November 2013

With the Scillonian setting off at 2.30pm, we had just enough time to grab a pasty in Hugh Town before heading back towards Cornwall. I managed to grab an hour's sleep before heading up to the deck, where a handful of Balearic Shearwaters, a massive blow from a whale sp. and lots of Gannets and Kittiwakes made the crossing pretty enjoyable. Getting back to Penzance a bit after 5 was much less anti-social than the usual routine, so this meant that I was back in southeast London for 11pm happy yet totally shattered.

Isles of Scilly scenery - remarkably this was my first visit to the islands since December 2007

Highlight of today's action was the return of the adult Mediterranean Gull at Burgess Park - otherwise, few birds seen in Rotherhithe and plenty of time spent looking around bathroom shops.

A grey bird on a grey day

Old school twitches, where you drive overnight and do the Saturday dawn raid, are largely a thing of the past for me. However, with an Orphean Warbler having turned up in deepest, darkest Pembrokeshire on Thursday I joined a team of London's finest - David B, Bob W, Josh J and James L. After an uneventful drive (I don't remember any of it from Reading onwards), expertly skippered by David B, we arrived in Haverfordwest in the pitch black. After the usual shenanigans at the 24 hour Tesco, we went to the site where the local guys did a thoroughly professional job of parking all of us jokers, herding us together and escorting us to the house where the bird was favouring.

Orphean Warbler - St. Brides, Pembrokeshire 16th November 2013. Grey day... grey bird.

Within minutes of the dark turning to semi-light, the Orphean Warbler appeared and then for the next hour or so got amongst the apples in typically lethargic, rather uncharismatic fashion. Adding to the greyness of the bird was the day itself, so although you could see the obvious white leading up the outermost tail feathers and what appeared to be unmarked undertail coverts, the bird felt pretty cold in its appearance. It's still an art rather than a science when it comes to firmly concluding whether this bird is a Western (hortensis) or Eastern (crassirostris), and having never seen either species in the autumn, my hunch that it's a Western comes solely from the rather contradictory literature/web-base dialogue. You could say this is a shame as I'd have preferred an Eastern, on the basis I'd seen the Western at Hartlepool last year, but c'est la vie. And to be honest, though I fully agree that the populations and breeding/migration routes are completely different, I do still smell a whiff of bullshit when it comes to determining with surefire certainty lone vagrants like this...

While soaking up a nice 1st-winter Med Gull on the nearby Gann Estuary, news of a large flock of Two-barred Crossbills in the Forest of Dean tempted us back east. Spending the afternoon around Speech House was rather pleasant except for two things - we didn't see any Two-barred Crossbills and probably the loudest birder Gloucestershire has produced decided to detail out aloud everything he had seen this autumn before answering his phone, raising the decibels even further - God alone knows why he wore camouflage gear, his noise scared things off before he was even seen. This aside, I saw a nice Great Grey Shrike, 2 Hawfinches, 2 Bramblings, 3 Crossbills and loads of Redpolls and Siskins. All very nice, and I was home for mid-evening.

Purple chicken in Lisbon

Probably once a year, my WP listing urge kicks in when a top drawer rare turns up outside of Britain and Ireland. It's been a decent autumn, with three 'dream' yank wood warblers seen (Wilson's, Cape May and Black-throated Green) and a few nice finds thrown in too. So with news of an American Purple Gallinule filtering out on Friday, and within easy reach of Lisbon airport, my weekend plans changed a bit (sorry Mum, Dad and Grandma!). And so, for the third successive Saturday (!!!) I found myself in the environs of Lisbon airport...

Here I was met by David Monticelli, who had been instrumental in whacking the news out and confirming the bird's identification. Going beyond the call of duty, David picked Gordon B and I up from the airport and we headed the 15 minutes or so to Parque Florestal de Monsanto - an area of woods and parkland within the city boundary, where the gallinule was favouring a small pool in a private, fenced off area. No sweat though, as this Belgian who is conversant in Portuguese had sorted out some access.

 

1st-winter American Purple Gallinule, Monsanto, Lisbon 9th November 2013

Given that temperatures were near to freezing at Heathrow early on in the morning, it was a pleasant feeling to be walking about in the 20 degree Lisbon heat and sun mid-morning and, immediately on arrival, the 1st-winter American Purple Gallinule was located sitting motionless having apparently just digested a large frog. Once finished doing this, the bird generally skulked slowly through the edges of the pond, either picking at the long grass or feasting on more frogs and even a dragonfly during the five or so hours I was present. The views were astounding at times, with it being fearless towards the 20 or so birders that passed through the site. This really was a quality bird and the experience was great - yes, it may turn up in Britain and Ireland again but history suggests it won't be about for long. With this bird though, it had found perfect lily-filled habitat, a plentiful food supply and it looked nice and healthy too.

David M and PAC watching the American Purple Gallinule on its favoured pool

Second White-throated Sparrow for the Azores

I really was so reluctant to come off Corvo on Wednesday. Despite Flores' westerly location, it was only on Thursday of this trip that I started to realise its potential. Albeit with 'just' a Bobolink and a couple of quality yank waders.

Friday 1st November dawned at Santa Cruz, this being my last day for this year's trip. I headed out for a couple of hours early on with Janne, Potu and the irrepressible Ilkka. With just a bit of time to play with, we stayed local and I was introduced to the rather daunting site of Fajã do Conde. Having had Hermit Thrush, Philadelphia Vireo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo and a couple of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks it has form although it was bloody massive. In fact, as I started to walk down and into the fajã it felt as if I was pissing into the wind a bit.

Janne, Potu and Ilkka had walked on while I decided to stop and check out a load of the usual suspects - Canary, check, Chaffinch, check, House Sparrow, check, Blackcap, check and then White-throated Sparrow, check. What the fuck man, there on a rock in amongst the feeding frenzy was a White-throated Sparrow - second ever record for the Azores and a tick for a couple of the Finns! I was a right dick and flapped, failing to get any photo in the couple of seconds that I had before it headed off into the abyss. These days, the skeptic that I am, I really do swear by the rule 'no photo, no bird' and given that I'm usually papping everything in sight, I wasn't best pleased. So after a text was sent to Janne, and the troops rounded up, we had a bit of a search of the area before the Finns widened the search a short way down the road. Still no sign, and I was cursing at my ineptitude rather than punching the air.

White-throated Sparrow at Faja do Conde, Flores 1st November 2013 - second for the Azores

However, after 20 minutes or so, I heard a strange call (well, a familiar American sparrow-type call) on the other side of the field so I started scanning. Then the relief set in, as I'd relocated the bird but once again, as soon as I'd done this, it flew - fortunately this time towards me and so, primed with the lens, started papping and shouted to the guys that I'd got the bird again. It wasn't long before everyone was having their fill of this pretty smart looking vagrant. Remarkably, the first for the Azores was on Corvo just a couple of weeks ago and this, the second, was a different bird.

Anyway, I'm now safely back in London after a torrid night's sleep in Lisbon airport (the local tramps had nailed their asses to my usual sleeping bench) and, thanks to Janne and especially Potu, I have contracted the flu/cold thing that nearly every birder on Corvo has had this year. It was a real pleasure to spend time on Flores with Janne and Potu, and we birded it hard, while Ilkka's fitness and determination shows that no stone wall is too high or too tough for a 71 year old to conquer!

Way out west update

It has been a topsy turvy couple of days to be honest. I am writing this from a hotel in Santa Cruz on Flores because with the dreaded northerly winds predicted for tomorrow (Friday), they said it would be touch and go whether the flight from Corvo will leave. And reluctantly, yesterday, I made the decision to bust a move and take the five minute flight (yes, five minutes) to the neighbouring island of Flores - where the runway is much less susceptible to cross winds. Before I left Corvo though, with the two Glossy Ibises still chilling out on the airfield, Ilkka somehow managed to find this Black-and-white Warbler in Da Ponte: -

Black-and-white Warbler Ribeira da Ponte, Corvo 30th October 2013

So I've tagged on to a Finnish team here on Flores - exceptionally good company and really enjoying things with Janne, Potu and Ilkka. It was mad windy when we awoke this morning, but bright. So we headed up to the old soccer field at Ponta Delgada where the shit really did start to hit the fan from the word go. A small wader feeding unobtrusively was quickly nailed as a Least Sandpiper - a bird I'd never found before - while also there were some leftovers from the last week or two with an American Buff-bellied Pipit, Semipalmated Plover and a couple of White-rumped Sandpipers still present.

Least Sandpiper, Ponta Delgada, Flores 31st October 2013

American Buff-bellied Pipit, Ponta Delgada, Flores 31st October 2013

Then, as if it were like a leaf being blown off a tree, a wader tumbled out of the sky from the west and looked as though it was heading into the harbour. Rushing through the fields, and then down the steps, we found this fresh bad boy Greater Yellowlegs looking up at us: -

Greater Yellowlegs, Ponta Delgada, Flores 31st October 2013

It was evidently new in the area, as it flew about a bit not really having a clue where to feed, before it departed high to the south towards the hillside to the south of Ponta Delgada. I was well pumped with this, and as we headed back up towards the soccer field, Janne had a bird fly over him that he thought was either a Bobolink or Dickcissel. With reference to the literature, having heard it call (a rather electric buzz), he initially favoured the latter (because the literature described the calls poorly!) but after probably an hour or so I located the bird and firmed it up as a Bobolink. It was extremely flightly, but remarkably, all four of us managed to see it pretty quickly before it flew out of sight behind a hillside. We then headed off to the lighthouse at Ponta do Albarnaz where all the birds had been blown away, and so were we...nearly.

Faja Grande was crap, but nevertheless provided a nice afternoon stroll as I checked the area from Ponta da Faja southwards, but a Spotted Sandpiper in the harbour at Santa Cruz rounded off a pretty decent day, especially considering Flores for me is always second choice out of the two westerly islands.

On the rock again

I've now finished my second day on the rock. You'll read this and think it has all been plain sailing, but believe me, it has been a real struggle. After nailing our 'last supper' on Sao Miguel on Sunday night, we (Lee G and I) arrived early afternoon yesterday and headed straight up to Pico (via the dwindling flock of Glossy Ibises that are now down to three - at least two of the original six have been found dead) where a Black-throated Green Warbler had been seen on Saturday (and heard on Sunday). With the weather excellent - little wind and the sun shining - we thought we had a decent chance. However, an hour ticked by and the daunting ribeira was deadly silent. Then another hour and with just the odd Blackcap and Canary to show, and not even a call to show for, Lee struck gold by finding it feeding unobtrusively in the canopy. This fourth for the Azores, a first-winter, was pretty mind blowing with a nice double wing bar, streaked flanks and a deep yellow cheeks. Once again, I wasn't going to leave Corvo without a new WP bird...


American Bittern, Fojo, Corvo 29th October 2013

Today, Tuesday, dawned cloudy with a moderate westerly breeze. After a token check of middle fields and around the airport - where there were still a couple of Glossy Ibises looking pissed off with life, and a load of newly released Cory's Shearwaters (locals collect young that are fresh out of the nest, get dazzled by street lights and end up in the village) - we headed up to the ribeiras. Lee and I did Cantinho, while the Finns took on the upper part of Fojo - both of us leaving empty handed. Between Cancelas and Fojo, while in a field watching a load of birds around a fruiting tree, I noticed a large bird coming quickly through the valley - it was obviously an American Bittern, and so I yelled to Lee who was close by and told him that it had landed out of sight in the lower bit of Fojo. The Finns were informed, and they did a professional job of getting on site quickly, just as Lee located it in a tree. Here it remained, rather skittishly before a band of fog and a brisk breeze forced it down into cover never to be seen again.

Glossy Ibis at the airfield, Corvo - one of an initial flock of six that was down to two today; two birds have been found dead on Corvo during October.

With torrential rain, and poor visibility, late afternoon was spent back in the village where a couple of White-rumped Sandpipers were on the airfield and a Wheatear was by the windmill. With just five of us birding here, there must be a lot more out there but weather conditions really weren't conducive for finding stuff so we'll take the bittern from what was essentially a wash out.

In the middle of the Atlantic again

Half-term couldn't have come sooner. And predictably I've headed out to 'the rock' (Corvo)for the fifth successive year. I've got as far as Sao Miguel today, and with the news that the Black-throated Green Warbler is still about today, I'm wishing Monday would come sooner. Only those who have been to the Azores will realise how dull the eastern and central islands are compared to Corvo, but I tried to make the most of the day on Sao Miguel in damp and dull conditions.

I started off with the Oystercatcher at Ribeira Grande - a species I'd not seen on the Azores - and more interestingly, this bird is of the Central Asian race longipes; note the massive white collar, large amount of white in the wings and brownish upperparts. Jizz wise, it also appeared really leggy. About as interesting as Oystercatchers get for sure!

Lagoa das Furnas and the surrounding fields full of shite were quiet, save for a female Pintail and half a dozen Teal. And after stopping off at Vila Franca do Campo, where I papped atlantis for an hour or so, I headed to Praia do Populo to get my usual digs for the next couple of nights. Scanning through the bathing gulls, I came across a massively shawled, pale-mantled bird that immediately pressed all the right buttons for an American Herring Gull. Although distant, I was more than happy this was a blindingly obvious 3rd-winter smithsonianus; amongst the atlantis, any 'Herring Gull' here stands out.

1st-winter Azorean Yellow-legged Gull; this is the third 'pink-billed' 1st-winter I've seen in the last couple of years. An almost unheard of trait in nominate birds. Look at those dark shins too!

The drizzle (and tiredness) got the better of me this evening, and I didn't quite last out until dusk for the gull roost at Ponta Delgada. Anyway, better go as need to do a taxi run to pick up Lee G from the airport. More tomorrow hopefully.