Melodious Warbler on Skokholm, Pembs

During a work party week on Skokholm Island this Melodious Warbler was still hanging around, having been ringed near to the start of the month by Steve Sutcliffe. Mike Young-Powell didn't take long to relocate it on arrival to the Island (15/9/12) and we watched this bird for the last time on the morning of 17//9/12. It was quite mobile on the first day , but during our last sighting it sat up very obligingly in an Elder bush preening, bundling through the branches and participating in some very lazy fly-catching! Some video of the bird is found on the link below

Melodious Warbler video - click here

Pectoral Sandpipers on Skokholm, Pembs

 In complete contrast to last year, when I spent some time on Skokholm involved in the work parties and the Island was very dry, this year the ponds were in a much healthier state. Water was found in North, South and Winter Ponds and they also offered some very inviting muddy shores. A long staying Pectoral Sandpiper was joined by a second (both shown in the photo below, long stayer at the front) and a 3rd bird (above) arrived the day after the 2 birds had left.

Short-billed Dowitcher at RSPB Lodmoor, Dorset

This Short-billed Dowitcher was only the 2nd to have been recorded in Britain, although another bird turned up on the Scillies not long after this one to represent the 3rd ever, for Britain. Certainly this bird was well marked, with strong barring on the tertials and rufous tones around the breast were quite noticeable, and key features. One thing that struck me about this bird was how heavy its bill looked, especially at the base. Maybe, this was an effect given by the shorter bill length, but to my eyes it made the bird itself look a bit heavy. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to call into Slimbridge on the way home, but the Kidwelly Long-billed and the 2 at Chew, last year, to my mind seemed to be much lighter looking in build, especially abound the head, neck and bill. I took some video of this bird which is found on the link below.

Short-billed Dowitcher video - click here

Spotted Crake at RSPB Greylake, Somerset

On my way to Greylake, I was thinking to myself this is going to be a nightmare waiting for this bird to show. On arrival at the mud-pan, and before I'd managed to take the scope from off my back, it walked into view. I spent about 2 1/2 hours watching it from first light and it spent almost half of that showing well, often right in the open and sometimes alongside Water Rail or Moorhen. I managed to take some video of it which can be found on the link below.

Spotted Crake video - click here