What made this Wheatear so sick?

I took this sequence of shots of a first year Northern Wheatear last week. The following are all in sequence and from a burst of shots. On closer inspection it seems that not only do birds regurgitate pellets, but they are physically sick as well.  Looking at the bird's expression, it can't taste very nice!

Pectoral Sandpiper at Copperhouse today and totals so far this Autumn

Pectoral Sandpipers have arrived this Autumn in good numbers already. Quite conceivably, at least nine individuals have already reached Cornwall.  The first was an adult at St Clement, then Walmsley and then Carnsew Pool, which I photographed on Aug 9th.  Adults are unusual in Cornwall so the theory is that this bird is probably the same roaming individual. A flock of three first year birds were found on Hayle Estuary on Aug 28th reducing to one on Aug 31st.  Two more juvs appeared at the eastern end of Copperhouse on Sep 6th-8th, reducing to one Sep 9th.  Two more appeared at Walmsley Sanctuary Sep 7th.  A small, runt-like juvenile appeared for one day at Davidstow airfield, Sep 3rd. 

All in all, things are warming up just nicely with a supporting cast of Bairds Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs and a stunning adult Buff-breasted Sandpiper already...bring it on.



Juv Pectoral Sandpiper, Copperhouse Creek

Juv Pectoral Sandpiper, Copperhouse Creek, Sunday Sep 9th.  (Compare differing plumage to adult below).

Adult Pectoral Sandpiper, Carnsew, August 9th

Some images from Davidstow today

I spent the morning searching for unusual waders on Davidstow airfield but sadly found nothing special.  The normal migrants were present including ten Dunlin, ten Ringed Plover, 20 Northern Wheatear, two Whinchat and one Yellow Wagtail. I was also testing a used D300 Nikon camera, the results of which are below.

Juv Northern Wheatear

Skylark

Juv Dunlin with lens pointing directly into the sun (exposure +0.3 to +0.7EV.)

Waderfest on Marazion Beach

Marazion Beach has been busy with small waders this weekend.  Top of the list was Cornwall's 33rd Baird's Sandpiper, present for just one day on the most likely place in the county to find one.  This is the ninth Baird's found on Marazion beach.  Unusually this was an adult.  A delightful adult Buff-breasted Sandpiper provided its own entertainment as it fed among the sea weed. The supporting cast were high numbers of Dunlin (120), Turnstone (50), Sanderling (100) and Ringed Plover (200).

Below are some images taken on saturday:

Ad Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Juv Dunlin

Adult Sanderling in moult

Juv Sanderling

Adult Ringed Plover



Juv Ringed Plover

Adult Buff-breasted Sandpiper on Marazion Beach

An adult Buff-breasted Sandpiper was found on Friday feeding on the seaweed on the beach.  This record follows a first year bird seen in the same location the previous year.  The location is unusual for Buff-breasted Sandpiper and it is quite conceivable that this is the same returning bird, as it passes through on its southerly migration.  This is also the first adult that I have seen.

Seawatching off St Ives Island

The wind was NW backing W, but declining in strength.  I decided to give St Ives a try for a couple hours before work.  The photography opportunities are the best possible from mainland here, but on reflection, nearby Pendeen definitly gets greater numbers.  These are the numbers from yesterday, allbeit, Pendeen counts are for a longer period.

St Ives Island, 61m-8.45. 1,000's Manx, 6 Balearic Shearwater, 5 Great Skua, 4 Arctic Skua, 1 Common Tern, 1 Arctic Tern, 21 Sandwich Tern, 1 Grey Phalarope, 5 Common Scoter, 2 Curlew.

Pendeen: 2 Great Shearwater, 75 Sooty Shearwater, 14 Balearic Shearwater, 1'000's Manx, 1 Leach's Petrel, 3 Storm Petrel, 22 Great Skua, 25 Arctic Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua, 2 ad Sabine's Gull, 26 Sandwich Tern, 10 Arctic Tern, 17 comic tern, 12 Common Scoter, 13 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew. Courtesy CBWPS site.

The images below were taken from St Ives Island at a distance of 100-150m.  They are all heavily cropped, some up to 40%, which means they are at the edge of degradation.  Not an ideal scenario but they are record shots. Bring on the Fea's....

Grey Phalarope



Manx Shearwaters

Balearic Shearwater (really scarce this year)

Ad dark phase Arctic Skua

Alpine Swift on long weekend in Newquay

An Alpine Swift was taking in the sights of Newquay this weekend.  Found on Friday afternoon, it was still present today (Saturday).  I watched it last night trying to roost on the balcony of the Rocklands Hotel late in the evening.  Three floors below, it would have noticed a large hen-party from Swansea dressed as Life Guards ;-) on the way to the pub.  Early this morning it could not have missed the revellers stumbling home from the clubs. That's Newquay for you.

Anyway, the bird performed well sometimes flying just a few feet above our heads.  This species is in fact a new Cornish tick for me, having dipped many before.  Alpine Swift is not a rare bird in Cornwall, probably annual in small numbers.  They're just difficult to catch up with.

This record is the 30th for mainland Cornwall and only the second for August, the majority occurring in Spring.

Adult Pectoral Sandpiper at Carnsew Pool

This adult Pectoral Sandpiper was found on Saturday afternoon by John Phillips near the Old Quay Inn pub on the Hayle Estuary.  It was refound on Tuesday with other waders at nearby Carnsew Pool.  Prior to these sightings, the same or another adult Pec Sand was found (and photo'd) at St Clement, Truro and the following day at Walmsley Sanctuary.  To see an adult Pec Sand in Cornwall is unusual, most of our birds being juvs.  Which makes this sighting more likely to be the same individual.

The adult below was photo'd tonight on the north side of Carnsew near the footpath.  It was the only wader nearby and surprisingly confiding.

All shots taken with D3x Nikon, 600mm F4, 1.4x TC. F8. ISO 160. Exp -0.3EV.

Seawatching off Porthgwarra

With the weather being favourable for seawatching, I've spent the last three days at Porthgwarra.  I missed the highlight of 115 Cory's Shearwater on Friday last week but was content with three birds giving good views on Saturday. The adult Sabine's Gull on Saturday was the first I've seen at this site, this species being far more regular on the north coast. In addition on Saturday, the following were logged: two Great Shearwater, eight Sooty Shearwater, ten Balearic Shearwater and a distant Pomarine Skua.

Sunday was quieter, mainly because the wind was cyclonic and variable.  The highlight was just five Sooty Shearwater and five Balearic Shearwater.  The latter species has been suprisingly scarce so far this autumn.  A single Puffin was also seen.

Today (Tues 7th Aug) was much better with a south westerly breeze and dull grey overcast viewing conditions.  The highlight was a close Great Shearwater showing its pale rump and black cap.  The adult Pomarine Skua with a full set of "spoons" was impressive too.  Whilst Balearic Shearwater is scarce, Pomarine Skua seems to be regular this year.  I missed another Cory's but the nine Sooty's, seven Bonxies, two Arctic Skuas, two Choughs feeding in front of us and four Basking Sharks were good value.



Library image: Great Shearwater, from Scillonian (Aug 2008).