Isle of Wight Hoilday

Monday 19th June 2023 Yarmouth

Our annual pilgrimage to the Isle of Wight started with a ferry journey to Yarmouth.

We normally do 90% walking and 10% birding - this year less birding and more walking.

It wad dull, windy  and cloudy on the car ferry but I did see a few birds from the " sun" deck

on the ferry as we crossed the Solent.

Seen from the Lymington Harbour Area:-

Tons of Canada Geese with 13 Goslings.

Lapwing, Little Egret, Shelduck.

On the ferry:-

A Tern species was miles away.

IOW.

A look at Yarmouth Harbour - a really pretty place - also had a few birds on offer:-

3 Oystercatcher. Reed Warbler. Reed Bunting.

Buzzard. Marsh Harrier. Grey Heron. Shelduck.

Mute Swan. Great Black-backed Gull.

Tuesday 20th June 2023 St. Helens (base camp).

Today we walked from Ryde to St Helens.

(No bins or camera to keep the weight to a manageable level with the heat).

Hersey N.R.

Reed Warbler. Blackcap. Chiffchaff. Little Egret.

Grey Heron.

 c20 Swallows mobbing a  quite scarce Magpie on our caravan site.

Wednesday 21st June 2023. Bembridge to St. Helens.

Another hot sunny Day.

We set off with the intention of catching the bus to Bembridge, looking at a few shops, lunch in a café then another bus to Sandown by the sea. 

Again it was to hot to lug the camera and bins about.

As it turned out we did look at the shops and enjoyed some lunch but on the bus to Sandown the 

bus encountered a large waggon  unloading building materials, completely blocking the road.

The driver was unsure how long the hold up would be and it was to warm to sit for long so 

with left the bus and walked up to Bembridge Windmill, where a small ice cream went down a treat.

From here Sue  had the "good" idea to walk back to St. Helens via field paths to Brading then along RSPB Brading Marshes path and up the hill to St. Helens where a beer went down pretty smartish.

We me a very happy, local,  lady birder, just before the RSPB gate, who was fascinated with female Cuckoos.

She was scanning the power lines trying to turn a mega distant perched bird into a Cuckoo. 

Cross with herself for not having her scope with her.

Birds:-

Marsh Harrier. Blackcap. Reed Warbler. Reed Bunting.

Whitethroat plus a few other species.

A bird that I could not recognise calling from thick cover, refused to  show itself.

My Merlin app reported it as a Skylark which was definitely incorrect.

Saturday 24th June 2023 Cowes.

Not much birding on this very hot and sunny holiday!

Today we caught several buses and a chain ferry to get to Cowes (and back).

2 or 3 Tern were here but distant - but one Tern did come closer - spotted by Sue.

I did get a few photos of a few Terns.  I just need to work out what the species of Tern!!

I leaning towards Sandwich Tern for the 1st photo - not sure about the next one but I'm

leaning towards Sandwich Tern for all of them.

Sunday 25 th June 2023.

My first dedicated birding day today, another very hot one, tempered a bit in the pleasant strong breeze (only at times alas).

I walked down to the Duver and across the raised salt marsh / sea wall to join the road at the St. Helens / Bembridge boundary.

A short walk left before turning right onto a good track that leads towards Bembridge, skirting the reedy watery area that used to be the sea years back.

This path crosses another that comes in from the left, and continues on to a dead end. 

I was hoping this path might get as far as the café / Pilot Inn.

I retraced my steps back to the road and then arranged to meet Sue at the café / Pilot Inn area.

Sue was walking from Bembridge along the coastal path.

I found the walk tough today with the heat and heavy birding tackle, but it was worthwhile with over 40 species noted including a few 'specials'.

Top of the shop was a cracking Hobby that was very high, hawking insects with ease.

44 Bird Species seen today, which must be a daily record for me.

Some Birds:-

3 Oystercatcher.

Green Woodpecker.

5 Little Egret.

2 Great White Egret.

1 Med. Gull.

2 Whitethroat.

1 White Tailed Eagle.

3 Cettis Warbler. 

4 Reed Warbler.

2 Sedge Warbler.

Liinet.

Reed Bunting.

2 Little Grebe.

Great Crested Grebe.

2 Tufted Duck.

1 Hobby.

3 Redshank.

Sparrowhawk.

Great Black-backed Gull.

Tuesday 27th June 2023.

Another warm breezy day ' a bit cooler - just right for walking.

Today we walked from Bembridge to Yaverland and I took a small camera today for a change.

Top of the shop was a Lesser Whitethroat that called several times but failed to show from deep cover.

Some Birds:-

Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Raven.

Pied Wagtail, Tern sp. (heard).

Robin, Blackcap, Song Thrush.

Green Woodpecker, 2 Kestrel, Skylark.

Linnet, Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat.

64 bird species seen in total during the holiday.

5 Red Kite and a Buzzard seen on the journey down and back up.

A few more photos to look through  tomorrow , include Peregrine and Fulmar nesting on the clay cliffs

near Sandown.....