A Calm, Sunny Weekend Day. Uh oh...

Right then, up and at 'em this morning!

Down to the Nose I toddled, intending a quick bash before heading on to Soar in hope of visible Ouzels and maybe even something else. It was bright and calm, with a mass of cloud lurking out in the Channel, but blue skies overhead. Hmm. The assorted piles of fresh shit showed that, no matter how early you get there, some dogger* has been through earlier and once again ruled out my vain vain hope of a big pipit on the Lower Paddock or Sandy Point [oh stop laughing]. Still, there was always the even vainer hope of a warbler beginning with S, wasn't there?**

Things got interesting quite quickly though, as thrushes started flying out of the South Side and buggering off north. Nothing to do with other people, their dogs, or even my own cackhandedness, as the culprit for this thrush flushing [try saying that five times fast] was a Raven. Said thrushes caught the eye as among them were a Fieldfare, at least 3 Redwing, and another Ouzel! After years of a single heard-only, that's now two in as many weeks and this time I saw it. :D Ok, it was flying off, but still.

Then it got a lot quieter.

Even fewer Chiffs than yesterday, though the odd fly-over migrant kept my hopes up; a couple of Crossbills and an actual definite migrating Jay [it flew high out to sea!] among the dribble of finches and Mipits. Two small groups of Swallows tarried briefly, feeding over the South Side before moving on. On the Ore Stone, I was surprised to see Guillemots on the ledges; I counted 27. Interesting...

Finally, as I was getting back up the First Slope, I heard a lot of Goldcrest calls coming from the North Side. I waited and they duly appeared; a big group, easily 10+, probably 14+, they had a couple of Blue Tits and 2 Chiffs with them. I watched them for a while, moving all around me in the trees and bushes, having lots of fun as I tried to get on every movement. Then I scored; working through the Old Man's Beard across the way, then joy of joys flying over to the bush I was standing next to, a Firecrest! Brilliant! It didn't hang about long, soon heading towards the Top Dell, but showed so well while it was there :D

It wasn't until I got back to my car that I realised how long I'd been on site - by the time I got to Soar it'd be midday...

Bugger it.

I went over to Berry Head instead.

There were loads of people, loads of dogs, no Ouzels.. Fine calm weather with now hazy sunshine does that, dontcha know.

I wandered up to the North Fort, saw there were no Ouzels, and so sat myself down upon my favourite bench and waited to see what there was to see. A few more migrating Jays went over. A big band of LTTs came past twice, all 21 of them! :) The calm sea lent itself to watching for cetaceans, with the local Harbour Porpoises showing a few times - at least 4 were about. There were a few Guilles on the ledges too - I counted 146 with the aid of the li'l scope - though they had all cleared out within an hour of my arrival. The very odd Gannet and a lone 2w Kittiwake ambled past. The rest of the time I was watching Stonechats.

Lovely little birds, full of character, and at this time of year, always worth practicing on. One day there'll be a maura and Berry Head's probably the place it'll be found. As the wind picked up a bit I headed around to the quarry, where an actual interestingly pale Stonechat eventually showed up. I had the scope on it and was waiting for it to turn around and show off it's arse when it relocated to another bush. Not a problem to get back on, except this bush had a Robin in residence, and the rest is inevitable.... Oh well. I should be clear that I have no serious thoughts about it actually being a Sibe, but it would have been nice to be able to check properly.

I went home via another stop at the Nose, which got me bugger all by way of notable birds. The only thing of note was the unusual sight of a couple of chaps rowing double skulls around Thatcher Rock! Ok...



[[*This being my shorthand for 'irresponsible dog owner who is too lazy to clean up after it and/or can't keep it under control', whether or not they do illegal things in car parks..]]
[[** Almost came off, but the little bugger took a right instead of a left mid-Channel...]]