Sunday 30 October 2011

Thursday 27 October 2011

Research pelagic trips, Spain - Part 2

Our Pelagics out of L'Estartit were kindly arranged by Ricard Gutierrez and we would like to thank him and all the staff at the Park Natural del Montigri, les Illes Medes i el Baix Ter offices for their warmth, generosity and help. Our research project would have been impossible without their help!

From left to right
Alex Lorente - Marine Biologist; Montgri, Medes & Baix Ter Natural Park
Emma Guinart - Environmentalist; Wildlife Service, Government of Catalonia
Ricard Gutierrez  - Biologist; Wildlife Service, Government of Catalonia and
Bob Flood
The superb Illes Medes marine reserve, just off the coast of L'Estartit
Thanks to Ricard's knowledge, we had no problem finding Scopoli's Shearwaters. Note the
pristine condition of this juvenile
This adult Scopoli's is clearly in moult. Note the diagnostic underwing pattern including
the single 'thumb print' on the outermost greater primary covert
Highlights of the trip were flocks of Scopoli's that contained both Balearic and Yelkouan
Shearwaters (above), allowing for excellent comparisons

L'Estartit

Monday 24 October 2011

Sunday 23 October 2011

Pink-footed Goose...

One of the two birds at Porth Hellick today


FYI best viewed in HD (720p or 1080p)

Some footage of both birds...

Saturday 22 October 2011

Some footage from today...

Northern Waterthrush at Shooters Pool, Lower Moors

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Olive-backed Pipits, Watermill Lane

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Wilson's Snipe from Hilda Quick hide at Lower Moors

Thursday 20 October 2011

Pterodroma Guide: call for photos...


Dear All

We need sharp images, close up, atmospheric, in flight, sat on sea, in hand, various poses and postures, dark to light morphs where relevant, upperside and underside, island/colony shots, etc.
 
Species: Trindade, Kermadec, Atlantic, Great-winged, Bermuda, Black-capped, Soft-plumaged, Cape Verde Fea's, Desertas Fea's, Zino's.
 
Standardised rates of payment.
 
Please email Bob Flood Click here

Saturday 15 October 2011

Bluethroat...

The 1W male Red-spotted Bluethroat found by Bob Flood finally found itself in the the mist nets on 13th. 




Tuesday 11 October 2011

Upland Sand Images...

A few photos from today




Pelagic 11/10/11

A few images from today's pelagic trip...

Great Shearwaters performed very well and we saw at least 4 individuals

Views couldn't have been better...

We saw 2 Blue Fulmars including this relatively pale individual

Note the dusky underwing

Here it can be compared with 2 light morph birds
Totals for the trip: 
Great Shearwater 4+
Sooty Shearwater 1
Manx Shearwater 2
European Storm-petrel 10+
Blue Fulmar 2
Bonxie 15+
Common Dolphin 150+

Thursday 6 October 2011

More recent footage...

This blog entry of Buff-breasted Sandpipers is for Sav Saville of Wrybill Bird Tours, New Zealand - is this of help Sav?

Buff-breasted

Sunday 2 October 2011

Some recent video footage of Scilly birds...

Black Kite

Short-eared Owl

Pectoral Sandpiper

Research pelagic trips, Spain - Part 1

Port de la Selva, Cap de Creus, Gerona, 10th September 2011

View overlooking Port de la Selva on the north side of the Cap de Creus. The cape is the
easternmost point of the Spanish mainland and forms part of the Costa Brava

Port de la Selva - we had our best ever views of Pallid Swift as many hundreds flew at low
level around the harbor and nearby buildings before our departure to sea

The aptly named Imaculata was a superb vessel for viewing seabirds

Alex Olle (pictured here) and a keen team of seabirders threw out the chum

It was not long before we got some close views of Scopoli's Shearwater

Conditions for photo and videography were superb

Views like this enabled us to study the diagnostic underwing pattern in detail

The Spanish birders gave us a fantastic reception and it was great to see participants of all ages


Cap de Creus

Saturday 1 October 2011

Northern Waterthrush...

The 1W Northern Waterthrush was trapped and ringed by Jim Askins and Jaclyn Pearson this morning (1st Oct) at the ringing station to the rear of Porth Hellick Pool, St Mary's. It was not seen at the Project Pool or Lower Moors yesterday and was possibly thought to have gone...






Northern Waterthrush