Mfuwe's second year.

[Galana]

Poor weather continues but I managed to put a couple more in the Bank during a brief spell of sunshine yesterday.

 

42. Whooper Swan. Cronk Sartfield. IOM.

 

43. Robin. Smeale. IOM.

 

and then on impulse I took my camera along when walking into town to shop this afternoon.

 

44. Canada Goose. Ramsey. IOM.

 

45. Mute Swan. Ramsey, IOM.

 

46. Hooded Crow. (you can wait for an adult Herring Gull) Ramsey, IOM.

 

47. Sleepy Redshank. Ramsey. IOM.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dave Williams]

Whooper Swan would be a good tick tick for me, not seen one in a few years. Send them over the water!

[Galana]

11 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Send them over the water!

One Whooper for a Golden-eye and Pintail? Our regular over wintering Golden-eyes have not shown up for two years since the council fixed the sewer outfall.

A day over here with me would/should get you Whoopers, Choughs, Brent, Hen Harriers, Peregrines etc., and a whole lot more. (So why have I not got them on my list yet??)

[Dave Williams]

They used to have a day sailing to Douglas from Llandudno a long time ago. My last visit was a day trip in 1973, we took our young son to Summerland the weekend before the fire tragedy that killed dozens of people. There goes I etc.

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

a day sailing to Douglas from Llandudno

They sometimes still do but I cannot guarantee doing 100 species while the boat turns round.

The whoopers will be gone by then anyway.

[Galana]

We awoke to some lovely sunshine and, as it was Lady G's birthday this week, I  decided to take her to lunch. I am all heart!!

By one of those strange coincidences the Restaurant happened to be quite close to a place where wildfowl gather.

BUT being an island the weather can change quite quickly and this was what greeted our arrival:-

 

000. Lovely weather for ducks. and that was why we were here.....

 

So as it was not quite time for lunch we found some:-

 

048. Common or Eurasian Teal. Derbyhaven. IOM.

 

As the rain eased and gave way to some meagre sunshine a young Herring Gull explored the sea wrack:=

49. Herring Gull. Stinky Dubh, Langness , Isle of Man.

 

050. Eurasian Curlew was working a tidal pool.

 

051. Even an old Cock Pheasant braved the rain. Stinky Dubh. IOM

 

Then another target bird was seen. Indeed a flock of 50 or so.

 

052. Brent Goose. Pale-bellied (Icelandic) race. Derbyhaven. Isle of Man.

I wanted to capture these before they leave for Iceland in the next month or so.

 

And then we went to Lunch and a celebratory pint of Director's Bitter.

Edited January 25, 2018 by Galana
Correcting text.

[kittykat23uk]

On 1/19/2018 at 10:24 AM, Galana said:

One Whooper for a Golden-eye and Pintail? Our regular over wintering Golden-eyes have not shown up for two years since the council fixed the sewer outfall.

A day over here with me would/should get you Whoopers, Choughs, Brent, Hen Harriers, Peregrines etc., and a whole lot more. (So why have I not got them on my list yet??)

 

Come to twitchwell. We had pintail,  goldeneye,  merganser,  goosander,  long-tailed ducks and common scoter, plus the usual divers and the odd grebe (slav) offshore . None close enough for photography though, except for the pintails . 

[elefromoz]

@Galana, 5 new ones whilst you wait for Lunch aint bad! And the Rain held off, 2 x win. 

[Galana]

Another day of sunshine took me out to my local patch.

Failed on my target and failed on a pair of Peregrine overflying but that is how it goes.

 

However two more came to the camera.

 

First a repeat with a slightly better composition...

 

43. Robin. Ballakesh, Ayres Nature Reserve.

2nd Something I had hoped to catch before they left for Europe.

 

53. Fieldfare. Ballaghennie. Isle of Man.

 

and something to tempt a visit perhaps as they are fairly common here but endangered elsewhere?

54. Red-billed Chough. Ballaghennie Beach, Ayres Nature Reserve.

All back birds can be just as tricky as white ones.

[Peter Connan]

Inded they can.

 

You managed the exposure pretty well here though!

[elefromoz]

On 1/27/2018 at 1:13 AM, Galana said:

Another day of sunshine took me out to my local patch.

Does it ever Rain where you live? 

Theres that gorgeous little Robin again, popping up on everyones BY

[Galana]

Another day another trip but at least I moved the list along a touch. Mustn't peak too soon, the year is still young.

55. Dunnock. Ballakesh. Isle of Man.

 

56. Linnets. Cocks not yet in their full glory.  Ballakesh. Isle of Man.

And for those from Down under although not a bird.....

 

00. Red-necked Wallabies. Taking the Manx sunshine this afternoon. Not dead just sleeping. My first sightings of the year so included out of interest. My offer as guide for a Manx Safari still stands.

[Galana]

Out again today to see what I could with only modest success but at least it put two more in the bank that I don't need to look for again.

 

All is not what it seems with the first one so I ask @Dave Williams to please give his opinion or anyone else for that matter.

57. Rock Pipit. Cronk y Bing, IOM. It is doing what Rock Pipits do but it has pink legs and RPs are brown black. All other field marks fit and a Meadow Pipit down on the tide line would be unusual.

To something uncontroversial.

 

58. Carrion Crow. Poort Moar. IOM.

 

Also at Poort Moar was this Common Seal attached out of pure interest as they are anything BUT common on our rocky coastline.

She was trying to haul out but a darn dogwalker came by.

That's all for today.

 

 

Edited February 5, 2018 by Galana

[Dave Williams]

I know what you are thinking. First impressions Rock Pipit but those legs..... they shouldn't be that colour. Possibly Water Pipit? I have only ever seen one and then at distance. The jury is out for me.

[xelas]

Without knowing its distribution chart I would go for Meadow Pipit 1st year.

[Galana]

Thanks @Dave Williams and @xelas

It is not a Water Pipit which would set off a major twitch over here.Tree Pipits are in Africa at the moment so we are left with Rock and Meadow who both live here year round.

Everything, drab dark plumage, smudged underbelly stripes as opposed the Meadow's clearer ones on 'yellow' background tell me this should be a Rock Pipit. It was feeding on the strand line where I expected to find them although Meadows do move downhill to the dunes.

We also get an influx of Scandinavian Rocks in winter.

Maybe the legs are pink cos the sea is cold?

I will leave it as a Rock and find a Meadow for the list easy enough when spring comes.

[Galana]

Another lean day with raging seas frustrating the planned seawatch for Auks and Divers etc.,

But one big guy decided to seek shelter in the harbour and it's one less to wonder about.

 

59. Greater Blacked-backed Gull. Peel Harbour. IOM. One swimmin, two walkin.

I felt you would need to see the legs.

[Dave Williams]

I always like to look at a nice pair of bird's legs, the longer the better ! 

Incidentally I have found some that should interest you on my next BY post.

Guesses?

[Galana]

4 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Guesses?

Yup! Already seen it. I may have to amend the rules to "both feet at the same time."

Has anyone ever seen one on land?

[Peter Connan]

I have a phoyo of one on land, but the feet are hidden in grass, so it can theoretically happen.

 

[Galana]

16 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

I always like to look at a nice pair of bird's legs, the longer the better ! 

Me too but I prefer them not so pink and skinny!!

 

6 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

so it can theoretically happen.

Thanks for that tempting glimpse Peter.

[Galana]

Still not proper birding weather:-

 

so  with The Tortoise the Hare and others racing ahead it looks like I need to call up some help.....

.

Back soon as they say...

[Galana]

Visibility was not good today due to smoking dust trails from speeding Hares, Rabbits and a Tortoise that pushed me aside.

However some progress was made during a lunch time break:-

First one of my favourite little waders,

So darn hard to get eyeshine though.

60. Ringed Plover.   Point of Ayre. Isle of Man.

 

Next a ringer. The bill says it is a Whimbrell, the head and time of year say not.

No score. What do the experts think? Cranstall. Isle of Man.

No doubt on the next one.

61. Eurasian Curlew. With juicy worm. Point of Ayre. Isle of Man.

 

62. Eurasian Starling. Clinging on for grim death in the gale. Ballaghennie, Isle of Man.

 

63. Black-headed Gull. Ramsey, Isle of Man. Winter visitor only to these shores.

Just look at the Mediteranean azure of the sea.

 

And finally, fresh off the plane from South Africa just for @xelas

Our very own Yarellii.

64. The Original, accept no wishy washy pale Euro imitations,

Pied Wagtail. Ramsey, Isle of Man.

Edited February 13, 2018 by Galana
Corrected grammar.

[TonyQ]

I am not amongst the experts, but it looks like a curlew to me.

[Dave Williams]

Wasn't there a song about Whimbrel on my mind? I presume that's what was corrected!!