Couch's Kingbird

Two of the commoner kingbird species this is separated from Tropical on call and slightly thicker billed and shallower forked tail.

Having a Laugh

Lots of fun on the beach taking pics of the resident Laughing Gulls, seems to be about 30 birds around at the moment and a nice mix of ages in these three year birds.

Royal terns also fishing offshore.

Cabot's tern

Least Flycatcher or pewee ?

Seen a few of these around now cracking little birds, one in the Uk over due?

My New Patch

Out and about early doors again this morning, gets birdable light at about 5:40, so straight back out on the Golf course before the little munchkins come and throw me off.

Lots of Vaux's Swifts through today, little pale bellied, stubby tailed swifts often in fairly large flocks, will try get a pic of one if i get quicker with the camera !

Two fly through Scissor-tailed Flycatcher were smart, as are the resident Yucatan Vireo's endemic species here as name suggests.

white-winged dove - fairly numerous 

Big increase in Magnolia warblers through today also and several American Redstarts.

Roseate Spoonbill through on the sea was a nice surprise amongst the regular Frigatebird movement.

O'la

Arrived yesterday evening in heavy rain, but all clear this morning so managed a quick hour out before breakfast as this is a "family holiday" :-)

First birds seen were Grackles and Tropical Mockingbirds and after freshening up and sifting through the regular calls and songs i did find a few warblers, Yellow, Magnolia, Yellow-throated and a cracking male Hooded.

Wandered onto the Golf course and then got thrown off, got to come up with a cunning plan for this as it is heaving with birds here !!

Star bird of my brief search goes to this cracking Turquoise-Browed Motmot that appeared out of nowhere as i was trying to pish the Hooded out of cover.

also known as clockbird with its pendulum like plumes

This Rose-Throated Becard was new for me.

This Summer Tanager was in the same tree.

Two more sleeps

With no more work for Two weeks, bar a bird survey in north Kent tomorrow, I'm Mexico bound on Sunday for a "Family" holiday, this will be my fifth visit having been before in either February or March, this is to be my first autumn visit, so hopefully adding a bit more variety.

But of course the family come first ...............     :-)

And if i manage to escape i may come across some....

watch this space.......

Essex Survey Site

Today was the first of the Essex Thameside winter bird surveys, which was a fairly quiet event, being a high tide count waders were pretty thin on the ground as were the wildfowl, a flock of 20 Common Scoter and a similar number of Brents the highlights.

Passerines were represented with a couple of Chiffchaff, several flocks of Meadow Pipits had Rock Pipits amongst them and a total of 18 Stonechat was my highest count for the site.

Northern Wheatear and a single Swallow were also seen.

Wet,Wet,Wet

Got absolutely soaked to the bone yesterday morning in abysmal conditions, but was completely worth it seeing Essex first record of Parrot Crossbill and a new species for me in the UK to.

A presumed family party included both adults and two juvs showing extremely well, bizarrely in two small conifers besides the seaside !

Below is a fine shot from Blowmonkey who went later in the day in better conditions, my camera is still drying out.

Saturday had a brief look in mucking bay producing a Sabs gull flying out river, two each of Little gull and Arctic Tern alongside a single Gannet.

East Tilbury held two each of Little stint and Curlew sandpiper 100yds past the water tower.

Northen Wheatear

Its that time of year when there are plenty of wheatears to be found, mainly 1st year birds and occasionally you can approach these at fairly close range with some patients and field craft.


This bird was on the seawall at Dover yesterday.

This bird was on scilly last week.

Ringing 6th October

Great ringing session this morning with EC,PJ where we targeted Meadow Pipits and scored with 18 birds with all being 1st winters bar one adult.

The reedbed net produced my first Cetti's Warbler.

Two Linnet were a added bonus both being 1w birds to.

1w fem

1w male

1w fem wing top, male above, note the extensive white in the primaries on the male bird.


other birds caught this morning were two Goldfinch and singles of both Reed Bunting and Wren.

More Scilly

Couple more pics of last weeks highlights :

juv Rose-Coloured Starling     (st agnes)

1st male Bluethroat    (st mary's)

1w Song Thrush    (everywhere)

Wryneck(s)

Had Five Wrynecks during our week on scilly this year, with Four on St Mary's and a self found bird on Bryher.

None of these birds were to showy as in previous years, but these birds have to be up there with everyone's favourite autumn migrant.

dick found this little cracker below the airfield.

non showy bryher bird.