All quiet on the Singapore front lately...

Or so it would seem. While the UK and Ireland is gearing up for a mig-fest, what has been going on in Singapore? No idea - I have been away for a month and will be away for another month before getting back mid-October. 

Work has taken me from Iceland via Greenland to Canada and I am now back in the UK for a month. So highlights such as ivory gull, narwhal and polar bear don't count much in this bigger picture.

But before I left, a few species were added to the patch list. The best of these was probably the discovery of a second owl species at a roosting location. This time, Sunda scops owl. After the initial find, a further two were also found in the same area. And the two buffy fish owls were also present nearby. Which was nice. 

Not as unusual, but still counting on the list was my first migrant of the 'autumn', a barn swallow. And then I departed just as migration was really starting. Getting back in mid-October the scene will have changed, and I may have some catching up to do... 

Galley on fire!

The madness continued all weekend with Old Spoons finding an Ortolan Bunting on saturday am, which I verified in the pm. I then stumbled into what I think was a different bird sunday am (looked much brighter & fresher, and less streaky underneath) - saw it in Old Spoons garden while he was out too - result!

Banged in siskin and pied fly too - all to play for!

The 200 club

Rain all day until a clearance early evnin. Up to Old Spoon's gaff on the promise of a lesser whitethroat. It of course didn't re-materialise but I did stumble into my first ever rosefinch, which sat up nicely looking as stunned as I felt!

A fumbled phone call to Old Spoons meant he was able to come and watch it flying around over his house while his dinner got cold - result! Back down to Shite Lane only to blunder into Mr Faulty's garden warbler from yesterday - only my 2nd ever here - for some reason I just never see 'em! Amayzing scenes ensued!

Finally broke the mythical 200 species barrier with the rosefinch! Marvellous!

Patch mega!

Ooooooof!

Image courtesy of Old Spoons, natch

Seawatching Therapy

Last year I spent a total of 30 minutes sea watching and enjoyed it so much thought I'd try it again.  With a brisk north-westerly I was hopeful for a couple large shears or may be a Fea's or two … but alas not.  However, I did break my record from last year and must have spent nearly a whole 40 minutes sitting there watching waves.  Very relaxing it was to, but not really all that productive.  Did bag a couple of full fat patch ticks though in the form Manxie and red-throated diver!... but then, this is a new (ish) patch and I just don't look at the sea much.

The easterlies earlier were disappointing with a scattering of migrants the best of which being a reed warbler (no paddyfields, wrynecks, icky's, shrikes to be seen).  But there's time and I'm off to the patch just now so hopeful for an update shortly.

87 species
69.05%

Happy days

News from Nobby, er I mean Royzah

For it is he, that tap-dancing fool!

Best fill ya in on what happened at Donmouth during the last spell of easterlies, before the next spell of easterlies kicks off!

Basically, the Boy Roy (for it was he) tap-danced his way throughout his sorry patch gleaning 2 (count 'em) wrynecks, 2 pied flys, 3 crossbills, redstart, garden warbler, and 12 (feck's sake, count 'em again!) whinchats! He then added some waders for good measure, notably  ruff, gimpshank, and whimbrel.

He had a barred warbler too, but luckily that was miles off patch - just as well.

Tune in next year I mean week to find out the latest scores on the Donmouth doors...