West Sussex and a Grandson (11-21 August 2025)

 Monday 11 August 2025. Cowbotton/Lancing Ring/Steepdown (last part with Megan and Otis): 5 Stock Doves, Buzzard, 2 Great Spotted and a Green Woodpecker, Skylark, 7 Swallows, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, Blackcap, 2 Lesser and 44 Common Whitethroats, juvenile/female Dartford Warbler, 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Redstarts, male and juvenile Stonechat, 2 Chaffinches, Bullfinch heard, 20 Linnets, 15 Goldfinches, 45 Corn Buntings and a male Yellowhammer. Crown Road: Sparrowhawk.

Stonechat at Cowbottom

Redstart at Lancing Ring

Spotted Flycatcher at Lancing Ring

harvesting on Steepdown - on the previous circuit 45 Corn Buntings and a Dartford Warbler had come out of the oat crop ahead of the Combine Harvester while on 26 July I had seen a Sedge Warbler in the top of the crop. Better migrant habitat than one might expect!

Tuesday 12 August 2025. Adur (Toll Bridge to the sea) with Otis: 14 Mute and a Black Swan, 8 adult and the Town Quay juvenile Oystercatcher, 2 Lapwings, summer-plumaged Grey Plover, 7 Ringed Plovers, Whimbrel (heard), Dunlin, 41 Turnstones, 27 Redshank, Greenshank, 500+ Herring Gulls, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Buzzards, Green Woodpecker (on the Rec), 3 Swallows, Wheatear (on the beach) and 2 Goldfinches.

Wheatear on Shoreham Beach

Grey Plover opposite Town Quay

just coming out of its very smart summer plumage

with Ringed Plover

Wednesday 13 August 2025. Grandson Sebastian born 00:01 North Sussex woodland with DB & RP: 5 Stock Doves, 2 distant Honey-Buzzards, Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, Swallow, House Martin, Nuthatch and 45+ distant Crossbills.

Megan made it up to Camberwell on the day

Thursday 14 August 2025. Mill Hill, 06:45-09:00: 15 Stock Doves, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker, Kestrel, 2 Peregrines (on quarry chimney), 7 Swallows, 100+ Jackdaws, 600+ Rooks, Chiffchaff and Blackcap heard, 8 Common Whitethroats and a Linnet. Adur with Megan and Otis: Black Swan, 6 Oystercatchers, 4 Lapwings, 10 Ringed Plovers, 2 Whimbrel, 4 Dunlin, 25+ Turnstones, 25 Redshank, Greenshank, Grey Heron, 400+ Herring Gulls, Kestrel and 3 Linnets.

Sebastian, Nessa and Chris

Friday 15 August 2025. Cowbottom triangle with Otis, 08:45-11:50: Grey Partridge, Stock Dove, 3 Red Kites, 4 Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Kestrels, 3 Swallows, 3 Willow Warblers, 6 Whitethroats, Redstart, 3 Stonechats, 2 Wheatears, Bullfinch heard, 8 Linnets, 4 Goldfinches and 50+ Corn Buntings.

Redstart on Lancing Hill, presumably the similar looking bird seen in the same tree on 11th

too slow, Kestrel in Cowbottom

Wheatears in Cowbottom

Red Kites at Coombe Head

this one in heavy moult

Saturday 16 August 2025. Mill Hill 06:20-08:30:  Mill Hill, 06:45-09:00: 3 Stock Doves, Green Woodpecker, Peregrine (on quarry chimney), 2 Jays, Swallow, 2 House Martins, Cetti's Warbler heard, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, 2 Blackcaps, 5 Whitethroats and 2 Goldfinches. Boardwalk/Fort with Megan and Otis: Eider (off Kingston Beach), 2 Turnstones, 26 Redshank, Sandwich Tern, 4 Little Egrets and 4 Wheatears.

Sunday 17 August 2025. Middle Road: Jay. Megan, Otis and I visited Sebastian in Camberwell.

Monday 18 August 2025. No Man's Land triangle, 06:00-12:00: Sparrowhawk (took a Linnet), 2 Red Kites, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrels, 20 Swallows, 2 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, Sedge Warbler, 6 Whitethroats, Redstart, 4 Whinchats, 5 Stonechats, 5 Wheatears, 5 Yellow Wagtails, Chaffinch, 50 Linnets, 30 Goldfinches, and 45 Corn Buntings.

Yellow Wagtails, including this grey juvenal, by the Monarch's Way west of Stump Bottom

Whinchat by the Monarch's Way

with Whitethroat

Corn Bunting by the Monarch's Way

Sparrowhawk with Linnet by the Monarch's Way

Tuesday 19 August 2025. Mill Hill with Otis, 08:30-11:00: Buzzard, 6 Swallows, 6 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Chiffchaffs, 5 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 14 Whitethroats , Spotted Flycatcher, Greenfinch and 4 Goldfinches. 

Wednesday 20 August 2025. Mill Hill 06:35-08:35: Stock Dove, Buzzard, Green Woodpecker heard, Peregrine (on quarry chimney), 8 Swallows, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Willow Warblers, 2 Chiffchaffs, Reed Warbler, 5 Blackcaps, Garden Warbler, a Lesser and 20 Common Whitethroats, Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Yellow Wagtails (flew N), Tree Pipit and 6 Goldfinches.

Long-tailed Tit on Mill Hill

Thursday 21 August 2025. Mill Hill 06:30-10:45 (Megan and Otis from 09:20): 7 Stock Doves, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Peregrine (on quarry chimney), 9 Swallows, 3 Long-tailed Tits, 3 Chiffchaffs, 10 Blackcaps, a Lesser and 15 Common Whitethroats and 6 Goldfinches.

Painted Lady on Mill Hill

 

GALAPAGOS part 10: Genovesa (19 May 2025)

Tuesday 20 May 2025. GENOVESA. I woke at first light to find the Chacalote Explorer moored in Darwin Bay, the flooded volcanic crater at the southern end of Genovesa. I was on deck from 06:00 and there were birds all around including at least 340 Swallow-tailed Gulls on the cliffs or flying around them. After breakfast at 07:00 we had an hour panga ride (or snorkeling) from 08:15 which added another 120 Swallow-tailed Gulls and my first Genovesa Ground Finch. Back on board to refresh then a wet landing on the sandy beach at the north of the bay at 10:00. There were lots of birds to watch and photograph including a juvenile Lava Gull, many Red-footed and Nazca Boobies, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Galapagos Mockingbirds (the endemic Genovesa race is sometimes considered a full species), a Grey Warbler-Finch, Large and Genovesa Ground Finches and Genovesa Cactus Finches. If only Darwin’s Finches had been this easy to find (and identify!) on the other islands! We remained to 11:30 and returned to the Chacalote Explorer for lunch before relocating a short distance to the SE corner of Darwin Bay. At 14:00 we landed at Prince Philip’s Steps and after a short climb walked a trail for a km or so in sight of the coast. The highlight was very impressive/inestimable numbers of Wedge-rumped Storm Petrels as well as more Swallow-tailed Gulls, Red-billed Tropicbirds and a Short-eared Owl spotted by Joy. Back on the Chacalote Explorer we departed Genovesa soon after 16:00 heading south. I was on deck to dusk but the sea was relatively quiet. Our last full day was, along with Espanola, the most enjoyable of the trip and it was good to finish on a high. Birds seen: 20 Galapagos Doves, 495 Swallow-tailed and a Lava Gull, 25 Red-billed Tropicbirds, 1000+ Wedge-rumped Storm Petrels, 15 Galapagos Shearwaters, 500 Great and likely overlooked Magnificent Frigatebirds, 150 Red-footed, 50 Nazca and 5 Blue-footed Boobies, Brown Pelican, 5 Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Short-eared Owl, 18 Galapagos (Genovesa) Mockingbirds, Grey Warbler-Finch, 5 Large and 8 Genovesa Ground Finches and 4 Genovesa Cactus Finches. 

Swallow-tailed Gulls on/around the cliffs at Darwin Bay

Genovesa Ground Finch from the panga

return of the snorkelers

another irresistible Swallow-tailed Gull

Galapagos Dove and Great Frigatebird at Darwin Bay

female Great Frigatebird showing its diagnostic pink eye-ring

juvenile Great Frigatedbird

Grey Warbler-Finch at Darwin Bay, tail tip in shadow

Genovesa Ground Finch at Darwin Bay

Genovesa Cactus Finches at Darwin Bay

Large Ground Finches at Darwin Bay

seeing these made me much less confident of the identification of those seen on Santa Cruz earlier in the trip

Genovesa race of Galapagos Mockingbird at Darwin Bay

adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron at Darwin Bay

juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Herons at Darwin Bay

juvenile Lava Gull at Darwin Bay

Nazca Boobies at Darwin Bay

white and brown morph Red-footed Boobies at Darwin Bay

dry landing at Prince Philip's Steps

above Prince Philip's Steps

Large Ground Finch at Prince Philip's Steps

Great Frigatebird on Genovesa (note green sheen on mantle)

Nazca Boobies on Genovesa

Red-footed Boobies on Genovesa

Genovesa (Galapagos) Mockingbirds

Red-billed Tropicbird on Genovesa

Wedge-rumped Storm Petrels on Genovesa

unusually for storm petrels they feed at night, returning to the breeding grounds during the day

presumably safety in numbers applies as the predators didn't appear to be underfed

Short-eared Owl on Genovesa

leaving Genovesa, my second favourite Galapagos island after Espanola

Red-footed Booby seeing us off