Well a combination of rubbish weather and zero scarcites has put a dampner on the good start to this year.
A fews weeks back though, I did manage a view of a Greenland White fronted Goose as it went towards the (private) Gravel pits at the Point of Ayre.
This was a manx tick for me and puts me at 195. My target is to reach 200 by the end of 2005. (Only a handful of manx birders are past the 200 mark at the moment).
To reach 200 I have a few targets in mind.
Crossbill - a few hang about the many man made plantations of here. (needle in a haystack springs to mind)
Ring Ouzel - they annually pass through the Calf of man but miraculously hardly touch the main island!
Reed Warbler - a tiny amount pass through and with about 2 very small areas of Reedbed over here this could be a bit tricky.
Then Ive got to hope to see some BOPs going over.
Red Kite - passes through annually and seems to be increasing in regularity.
Osprey - one or two go over the IOM on their way south. This one would be a well fluke.
Buzzard - A few a year seem to wander in then wander straight back out again.
If I can get them boys I'm home and dry :)
This does give me a headache at the weekends. Trying to decide whether to go Birding to look for new birds or Birding with an angle on getting decent photos.
The 2 types never seem to mix together which is annoying!
This spring I have decided to go for the former and when I reach 200 I can relax and switch to the later then :)
As for this weekend
Saturday Feb 19
I tried a new birding spot for me, Niarbyl. Last time I heard it mentioned was about 3 years ago when I visiting birder found a Desert Wheatear!!
I didnt have that much luck but nearly found something.
As I walked along the clifftop path, a pipit flew across me and banked to show its underside. There were no streaks at all. With the recent lack of interesting birds my mind went into overdrive so I peaked over the hedge into the unused field. It wasnt anywhere to be seen! I stayed for another 30 mins but it never reappeared... doh.
I walked a bit more along the path and found the small area of reedbed i had been told about. Its about half an acre in size so will be worth a look later in the year. (Ill keep you posted :)
I then found the small valley I was also told about. I had a look through for a wintering Firecrest just in case (Theres so many in the NW there must be one in the IOM somewhere). Nothing unusual was there but this area also looks promising for migration time.
On the walk back I saw my first Gannet of the year and a flock of 15 Common Eider fly north. (The pipit hadnt returned)
I think I will see how its like for Seawatching from here in the Autumn. It looks like it could be good.
Sunday Feb 20
I had decided to stake out Wigeons today so I got all the camo gear on.
I went straight to Strandhall for the high tide and was amazed to see the tide quite far out! It must have been one of those low high tides so I had to completely scrap the photographing wigeon plan.
I turned my attention to the several Rock pipits.
I looked at every one carefully and 1 stood out. It had a white super
and was whitish underneath with well defined streaks, but it still didnt look well defined enough to be a Water Pipit so I put it down as a Scandinavian Rock Pipit.
A scan on the saltmarsh produced approx 60 Golden Plovers but none was an AGP. That would have been nice. :)
I then moved to Langness and again was looking at Rock Pipits.
All were of the bog standard variety till a browner Pipit appeared.
For a few micro seconds it pretended to be a Tree Pipit but it was just a Meadow Pipit. Nothing else was about so I started scanning distant gulls.
Depressed I had resorted to that I cut my losses and went home.
Fingers crossed Migration starts early :)
Pete
http://www.manxbirdphotography.co.uk