Scilly Pelagics

Combined a trip to the Scilly Isles with M and 2 pelagics. The morning crossing on the ferry from Penzance was pretty choppy but saw several Manx shearwaters, gannets and fulmars. and numerous people vomiting into sick bags. We stayed at the Nunsdeep B&B in Hugh Town from where we explored St Mary's, St Agnus and St Martin's Islands.

Pelagic 1 : Sat 13/08 (8.30am - 5.00pm)

Boarded the Sapphire and pleased to note that they was plenty of room to move around the boat (unlike the Bridlington pelagic a couple of years back). First birds were Sandwich and Common Terns feeding between the islands and numerous Shags sitting on rocks. Gannets and Fulmars increased in numbers and a few Manx Shearwaters and European Storm Petrols were noted. After about an hour, the boat stopped and chum was thrown over the side. A few started fishing whilst the birders waited patiently for the arrival of Wilson's Petrols. A Great Skua flew around the slick for a while followed by brief views of a Pomarine Skua and Sooty Shearwater. No Wilsons arrived after 2-3 hours so we moved on towards a distant trawler whilst continuing to throw chopped up fish in our wake. This attracted a Balearic Shearwater which followed us for a while then a Great Shearwater flew past the boat.

Fulmar

Adult Gannet

Juv Gannet

Balearic Shearwater

Approaching the trawler, we had great views of an adult Sabines Gull although the flock of gulls following the trawler did not contain anything exiting.

When I met up with M back on land, she told me she had watched a couple of basking sharks from Old Town.


Pelagic 2 : Monday 15/08 (5.00 pm - 10.00 pm)

No new species and no sign of any Wilson's Petrols despite meticulous searching amongst the (well over) a hundred Storm Petrols observed. Great views of a Pomarine Skua, single Sooty Shearwater and up to 4 Great Skuas. The crew also managed to catch and tag a 5 foot Blue Shark, before releasing it back into the Atlantic.

Great Skua

From the ferry returning to Penzance saw 1 Great Skua , 20+ Manx Shearwaters and a single Storm Petrol. A school of common dolphins caused a bit of excitement amongst the ferry passengers but I did not get the same response when I shouted Great Skua.

Camargue and La Crau ; 17th - 21st May

Taken a while to update my blog with the French trip but finally got around to doing it. 5 days in the South of France with the chance to bird the Camargue and La Crau. Stayed at Seb's cousins place in Martigues who showed us wonderful hospitality. Booked cheap flights for Jenx and I from Luton to Nimnes, where Seb would be waiting to drive us down South.

Day 1

We landed in Nimnes at 9.30 am and what a great start to the trip - a male Little Bustard was displaying on the edge of the runway. As we approached the terminal, we also saw a female running alongside the plane.

Met up with Seb and drove the short distance down to The Crau with plenty of Black Kites and Cattle Egrets on view. The Crau is an area of stony, barren semi-desert that holds a number of speciality species. Getting out of the car, I was surprised how hot it was, but my attention was soon taken by a Melodious warbler singing from a tree close by, and several nightingales. We started a circular walk around the reserve and found a Tawny Pipit, Short Toed Larks and several Lesser Kestrels flying around the barn. In a subsequent visit, a total of 9 was counted. Birding was difficult due to severe heat haze and high temperatures so we vowed to return early in the morning.

The Crau

Short Toed Lark at The Crau

Had lunch at the town of Martinez de la Crau, before driving to Entressen Lake. From here, the Crau can be viewed from the other side and we soon spotted a Lesser Grey Shrike. Drove on to Martigues quite early to meet our hosts, where we were fed and watered whilst watching Black Redstarts and hummingbird hawk-moths as the sun went down.

Day 2

Started the day at Mejanes in the Camargue, a typical marshy area. Very quickly we observed Great Egrets, Night Herons, Squacco Heron, Purple Herons and Zitting Cisticola. Next stop was the observation tower where, during a productive hour, we added Roller, Little Bittern, Turtle Dove and Great Reed Warbler. The famed Mas D'agon was sadly bone dry so we quickly moved onto the restaurant at Domaine de Mejanes. Here, numerous beeeaters, at least 2 Gull billed terns, Kentish Plovers and Tree Sparrows were present.

Our next stop was the La Capeliere reserve, where we observed Greater flamingoes and Black Winged Stilt on the adjacent Etang de Vaccares. Inside the reserve we found a male Red Backed Shrike and a White Stork sitting on a nest. We stopped at a nearby restaurant for lunch before heading to the Etang de Fangassier, famous for flamingoes, before arriving at the Eastern end of the Digue. Avocets, Kentish Plovers, Little Terns and Sandwich Terns were noteworthy species seen here,along with close views of Flamingoes.

Typical Camargue landscape with flamingoes in the distance

Day 3

We arrived at the Crau with the intention of finding Pin Tailed Sandgrouse and Calandra Lark, but only managed several Stone Curlew. At the car park we saw a warbler that looked like a melodious Warbler did not sound right. Jenx had his phone so we checked out the Icterine song and had a match. Later found a report that they pass through The Crau in good numbers during May.
As we returned to the car, a blue-faced French birder came over for a chat. He suggested some sites in the Alpilles good for Bonellis eagles and Egyptian Vultures. No luck, although we did find Cirl Buntings and a Black Woodpecker flew by. On hindsight, would have been better to go to Les Baux, as we had originally intended.

Day 4

Explored the Petit Camargue today, where we found Purple Gallinule, Red Crested Pochard, but again, no marsh terns. We had been told that the Saintes Maries dela Mer Gypsy festival was not this weekend so decided to drive through and walk along the Digue. However, the town and beach up to the digue were amass with people. When we did get to the digue, we found it dry and very hot (- 36C), so we turned around and headed back towards Mejanes. Here, we walked through some flooded fields and found 4 Glossy ibis and a Collared Pratincole. Spent some time (unsuccessfully) chasing a reported Red Footed Falcon, before driving back to Martigues for a farewell meal of Ratatouille.

Day 5

We stopped at The Crau en-route to the airport, for a last ditch effort to find Pin Tailed Sandgrouse. Within 30 minutes we could here the characteristic raven-like call and a pair flew over the top of us. Whilst searching the area where they landed, Jenx found a pair of Hoopoe that seemed to be nesting in an old wall. A female Montague's Harrier then also made an appearance. Seb dropped us off at the airport, boarded the plane and again saw a male little bustard next to the runway.

We saw some great birds on this trip, and special thanks go to Seb for driving us around and Rodrigues and Stephanie for putting us up.

Nepal, 24th april - 2nd May

My wife and I booked a weeks trip to Nepal with Nature Trek. The itinerary of the tour included :

(i) an overnight stay in Marshyangdi Hotel in Kathmandu
(ii) a 5 day stay at Koshi Tappu reserve Camp in the eastern lowland river plain. From this base, we explored the woodland and waterways near the camp, searched riverside forest for owls, boated down the river in inflatable rafts, visited the Koshi Barrage to see Ganges River Dolphin, explored extensive grassland areas and trekked in a dense Nepalese jungle.
(ii) return to Kathmandu from where we were dropped of at the summit of Mount Phulchowki (2740 m) before descending on foot, birding as we went.

This was a fantastic experience not only in terms of wildlife but also the Nepalese people and culture, far removed from anything I have ever encountered. The food at Koshi Camp was very tasty, the staff friendly and our guide for the tour, Tikka, highly skilled in identification.

By the end of the trip, we had observed well over 200 species including 181 lifers (See below for list), with a variety of mammals (Indian Flying Fox, assam Macaque, Rhesus Macaque, Common Langur, asiatic Golden Jackel, Bengal Fox, Indian Grey Mongoose, Jungle Cat, Ganges River Dolphin, Hog Deer, Wild Water Buffalo, Orange Bellied Squirrel and Giant Squirrel).

Wild Indian Buffalo

Common Langur

Greater Coucal

Indian Pond Heron

asian Paradise Flycatcher

Rufous Treepie

Spotted Owlet

Crested Serpent Eagle

asian Openbill

Striated Heron

Yellow mottled Lapwing

Red Whiskered Bulbul

Lesser adjutent

White Browed Wagtail

White Breasted Swamp Hen

Striated Babbler

Striated Grassbird

Spotted Dove

Small Pratincole

Shikra

Red Mottled Lapwing

Purple Sunbird

Chestnut Tailed Starling

Lesser Whistling Duck

Red Vented Bulbul

Black Drongo

Grey Bellied Cuckoo

Swamp Francolin

Oriental Magpie Robin

Jungle Myna

Chestnut Headed Bee-eater

Oriental White-eye

Oriental Honey Buzzard

Little Cormorant

Jungle Owlet

Common Myna

Black Shouldered Kite

Black Rumped Flameback

Black Headed Ibis

asian Pied Starlings

Total List

1. Swamp Francolin

2. Lesser Whistling Duck

3. Ruddy Shelduck

4. Common Shelduck

5. Gadwall

6. Eurasian Wigeon

7. Garganey

8. Tufted Duck

9. Eurasian Wryneck

10. Brown-capped Pygmy Woodpecker

11. Grey-capped Pygmy Woodpecker

12. Fulvous-breasted Woodpecker

13. Rufous-bellied Woodpecker

14. Black-rumped Flameback

15. Lineated Barbet

16. Blue-throated Barbet

17. Coppersmith Barbet

18. Oriental Pied-Hornbill

19. Common Hoopoe

20. Indian Roller

21. Dollarbird

22. Stork-billed Kingfisher

23. White-throated Kingfisher

24. Pied Kingfisher

25. Blue-bearded Bee-eater

26. Green Bee-eater

27. Blue-tailed Bee-eater

28. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

29. Common Hawk Cuckoo

30. Indian Cuckoo

31. Grey Bellied cuckoo

32. Asian Koel

33. Green-billed Malkoha

34. Greater Coucal

35. Lesser Coucal

36. Rose-ringed Parakeet

37. Plum-headed Parakeet

38. Asian Palm-Swift

39. Fork-tailed Swift

40. House Swift

41. Crested Treeswift

42. Brown Fish Owl

43. Jungle Owlet

44. Spotted Owlet

45. Brown Hawk-Owl

46. Indian Scops owl

47. Rock Pigeon

48. Oriental Turtle Dove

49. Spotted Dove

50. Red Collared Dove

51. Eurasian Collared Dove

52. White-breasted Waterhen

53. Ruddy-breasted Crake

54. Purple Swamphen

55. Common Moorhen

56. Common Greenshank

57. Green Sandpiper

58. Common Sandpiper

59. Temminck's Stint

60. Pheasant-tailed Jacana

61. Bronze-winged Jacana

62. Indian Thick-knee

63. Great Thick-knee

64. Little Ringed Plover

65. Kentish Plover

66. Yellow-wattled Lapwing

67. Red-wattled Lapwing

68. Small Pratincole

69. Pallas's Gull

70. River Tern

71. Little Tern

72. Black-bellied Tern

73. Osprey

74. Oriental Honey-buzzard

75. Black-shouldered Kite

76. Black Kite

77. White-rumped Vulture

78. Crested Serpent Eagle

79. Crested Goshawk

80. Shikra

81. Northern Goshawk

82. White-eyed Buzzard

83. Common Buzzard

84. Black Eagle

85. Indian Lesser Spotted Eagle

86. Red-necked Falcon

87. Peregrine Falcon

88. Black Baza

89. Little Grebe

90. Oriental Darter

91. Little Cormorant

92. Little Egret

93. Grey Heron

94. Purple Heron

95. Great Egret

96. Intermediate Egret

97. Cattle Egret

98. Indian Pond Heron

99. Striated Heron

100. Black-crowned Night Heron

101. Yellow Bittern

102. Cinnamon Bittern

103. Black Bittern

104. Bengal Florican

105. Black-headed Ibis

106. Black Ibis

107. Asian Openbill

108. Black-necked Stork

109. Lesser Adjutant

110. Golden-fronted Leafbird

111. Brown Shrike

112. Grey-backed Shrike

113. Rufous Treepie

114. House Crow

115. Large-billed Crow

116. Ashy Woodswallow

117. Eurasian Golden Oriole

118. Black-hooded Oriole

119. Large Cuckooshrike

120. Black-headed Cuckooshrike

121. Rosy Minivet

122. Long-tailed Minivet

123. Scarlet Minivet

124. Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike

125. Yellow-bellied Fantail

126. White-throated Fantail

127. Black Drongo

128. Ashy Drongo

129. White-bellied Drongo

130. Bronzed Drongo

131. Asian Paradise-flycatcher

132. Common Iora

133. Large Woodshrike

134. Common Woodshrike

135. Chestnut-bellied Rock Thrush

136. Grey-winged Blackbird

137. Dark-sided Flycatcher

138. Rufous-gorgeted Flycatcher

139. Red-throated Flycatcher

140. Red Breasted Flycatcher

141. Slaty backed flycatcher

142. Verditer Flycatcher

143. Pale-chinned Flycatcher

144. Brown flycatcher

145. Ultramarine flycatcher

146. Oriental Magpie Robin

147. White-rumped Shama

148. Black Redstart

149. White-tailed Stonechat

150. Grey Bushchat

151. Chestnut-tailed Starling

152. Brahminy Starling

153. Asian Pied Starling

154. Common Myna

155. Jungle Myna

156. Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch

157. White-tailed Nuthatch

158. Great Tit

159. Yellow-browed Tit

160. Sand Martin

161. Barn Swallow

162. Black-crested Bulbul

163. Red-whiskered Bulbul

164. Red-vented Bulbul

165. Zitting Cisticola

166. Bright-capped Cisticola

167. Striated Prinia

168. Graceful Prinia

169. Plain Prinia

170. Rufous vented prinia (P. brumiae)

171. Oriental White-eye

172. Isabelline wheatear

173. Chestnut-headed Tesia

174. Blyth's Reed Warbler

175. Thick-billed Warbler

176. Common Tailorbird

177. Buff-barred Warbler

178. Ashy-throated Warbler

179. Greenish Warbler

180. Western Crowned Warbler

181. Blyth's Leaf Warbler

182. Whistler's Warbler

183. Grey-hooded Warbler

184. Chestnut-crowned Warbler

185. Striated Grassbird

186. Bristled Grassbird

187. Streaked Laughingthrush

188. Chestnut-crowned Laughingthrush

189. Abbott's Babbler

190. Scaly-breasted Wren Babbler

191. Striped Tit Babbler

192. Jungle Babbler

193. White-browed Shrike Babbler

194. Striated Babbler

195. Long tailed broadbill

196. Hoary-throated Barwing

197. Blue-winged Minla

198. Chestnut-tailed Minla

199. Red-tailed Minla

200. Rufous-winged Fulvetta

201. Rufous Sibia

202. Whiskered Yuhina

203. Stripe-throated Yuhina

204. Black-throated Parrotbill

205. Rufous-winged (Bengal) Lark

206. Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark

207. Greater Short-toed Lark

208. Sand Lark

209. Oriental Skylark

210. Ruby-cheeked Sunbird

211. Purple Sunbird

212. Green-tailed Sunbird

213. House Sparrow

214. Eurasian Tree Sparrow

215. Chestnut-shouldered Petronia

216. White-browed Wagtail

217. Yellow Wagtail

218. Richard's Pipit

219. Paddyfield Pipit

220. Baya Weaver

221. Red Avadavat

222. Scaly-breasted Munia

Mammal Species

1. Indian Flying Fox

2. Assam Macaque

3. Rhesus Macaque

4. Common Langur

5. Asiatic Golden Jackal

6. Bengal Fox

7. Indian Grey Mongoose

8. Jungle Cat

9. Ganges River Dolphin

10. Hog Deer

11. Wild Water Buffalo

12. Orange-bellied Squirrel

13. Giant Squirrel

The taming of the Garganey

I'm used to seeing Garganey at a distance due to the fact that they are usually quite a shy bird. This male bird that turned up at Farmoor is an exception. It allowed views down to a few feet whilst hanging about with Mallards along the shore of F1. It was very windy when I arrived and the reservoir so rough that I got caught in spray walking past the boating centre. Walked to the causeway and back but no sign of the garganey, but walking back to the car spotted it in the little harbour area next to the car park. It was about 5 meters out with a group of mallards and did not seem bothered by my presence, although it was chased around by a coot for a while.