The Three Amigos ride again: May 2024

Friday, May 31, 2024

Queen Victoria Birding: Central Pacific, Murphy's Petrel, Black-footed Albatross and Green Turtle

The ship left San Francisco on the 7th of February heading for Honolulu in Hawaii. The passage was disappointingly quiet on the whole, however a new life bird did appear briefly on the 10th, Murphy's Petrel. A single bird passing by the ship.

Murphy's Petrel, Central Pacific, 10 Feb 2024

Several Black-footed Albatrosses were also seen on the SF to Honolulu leg, Again not coming overly close, but still providing the best views of the trip.

Black-footed Albatross, Central Pacific, 11 Feb 2024

A two day stop in Honolulu was not overly great on the birding front, just about every bird seen was an introduced species. Two species that were at least native were White Tern and Pacific Golden Plover. Unfortunately I did not manage any shots of the former, but the plover was common around the Pearl Harbour Naval Base. Two Green Turtles were also a great sighting as they fed on the water line of the USS Missouri.

Green Turtle, Pearl Harbour, 12 Feb 2024

Pacific Golden Plover, Pearl Harbour, 12 Feb 2024

Steve Copsey

Thursday, May 30, 2024

Queen Victoria Birding: Clark's and Western Grebes along with Heerman's Gull at Sausalito

The 6th of February found us in San Francisco. We had booked a trip to Alcatraz, as you do. Part of the trip involved a drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and a visit to the village of Sausalito on the north side of the bay from San Fran. We had 90 minutes in this pleasant village, so after a coffee stop we walked along the seafront in the winter sunshine. I could pick out both Clark's and Western Grebes in a mixed flock of Grebes about 100 metres offshore. After a little patience a few did come that bit closer allowing a snap. A couple of Red-throated Divers were also present, with one bird swimming very close to the shore. In the village centre a single adult Heerman's Gull was perched on the sea wall. I was particularly pleased with this sighting as I thought I had missed my chance as I hadn't seen it along the Mexican coast earlier that week. In a small park on the north side of town, I had a small flock of Golden-crowned Sparrow and a single Western Scrub Jay, conveniently rooting around in a small patch of scrub. On a nearby roof of the local marine I had my first Brandt's Cormorants of the trip along with Plenty of Double-crested and numerous Brown Pelicans. The Brandt's showing the distictive blue throat patch.

Brandt's Cormorant, Sausalito, 6 Feb 2024

Brandt's Cormorant along with Double Crested and Brown Pelicans

Clark's Grebe, Sausalito, 6 Feb 2024

Golden-crowned Sparrow, Sausalito, 6 Feb 2024

Heerman's Gull, Sausalito, 6 Feb 2024

Red-throated Diver (Loon), Sausalito, 6 Feb 2024

Western Grebe, Sausalito, 6 Feb 2024

Western Gull, Alcatraz, 6 Feb 2024

Western Scrub Jay, Sausalito, 6 Feb 2024

Steve C.

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Birding on the Isle of Islay 13-17 May 24

Corncrake remained the only UK resident, regular winter migrant or summer migrant bird species that I had yet to connect with until my recent 4-night stay on the Southern Hebridean Isle of Islay. I travelled north on Sunday 12 May 24 stopping overnight in Dumbarton visiting RSPB Leighton Moss and RSPB Morecambe Bay en route. I had the good fortune to hear Corncrake each day (late evening and early morning) on Islay due to a male singing from the field opposite Gruinart House B&B. Thankfully, I took my thermal imager that enabled me to locate that particular bird on the 14^th singing from within a clump of tall, dense vegetation just 20m away from 21:30.

Highlights of the trip as follows:

Sunday 12 May 24

RSPB Leighton Moss

· Osprey: fishing
· Bittern: heard booming several times
· Garganey: 2 male (Causeway and Tim Jackson Hides)

RSPB Morecambe Bay

· Bar-tailed Godwit: 80+
· Little Gull: 2^nd-summer

Little Gull, RSPB Morecambe Bay – 12 May 24

Monday 13 May 24

Kennacraig Ferry Terminal

· Black Guillemot: 5
· Little Egret
· Great Northern Diver: summer plumage

Little Egret, Kennacraig Ferry Terminal – 13 May 24

Passage to Islay on the ‘Lord of the Isles’

· Great Northern Diver: regular (including 15 at entrance to West Loch Tarbert)
· Red-throated Diver: 7 at entrance to West Loch Tarbert
· Common Scoter: M+3F (entrance to West Loch Tarbert)

Loch Indaal (viewed from north of Bowmore)

· Red-breasted Merganser: 10

RSPB Loch Gruinart

· Ringed Plover: 220+ (in single small field to south)
· White-tailed Sea-eagle: 1 (on foreshore)
· Little Tern: 2
· Hen Harrier: male

White-tailed Sea-Eagle, Loch Gruinart – 13 May 24

Little Tern, Loch Gruinart – 13 May 24

Tuesday 14 May 24

Loch Gruinart

· Corncrake: singing (morning and evening)
· Lapwing: in all the fields
· Redshank
· Snipe: drumming
· Whooper Swan: 2 adult & immature
· Willow Warbler: regular

Whooper Swan (adult), RSPB Loch Gruinart – 14 May 24

Whooper Swan (immature), RSPB Loch Gruinart – 14 May 24

Bridgend Woods & River Sorn

· Dipper: 2 (Woollen Mill)
· Grey Wagtail: 3

Wednesday 15 May 24

Ardnave Point

· Whimbrel: 6 (on tidal rocks with a Curlew)
· Arctic Tern: 22 (small offshore island)
· Chough: 5 (2, 2 and 1)
· Wheatear: 7+

Whimbrel, Ardnave Point – 15 May 24

Loch Ardnahoe

· Red-throated Diver: summer plumage

Red-throated Diver, Loch Ardnahoe, 15 May 24

Thursday 16 May 24

Loch Cornabus

· American Wigeon: male (twitched)

American Wigeon, Loch Cornabus – 16 May 24

RSPB Mull of OA

· Golden Eagle: 2 (one on show for 20 minutes)
· Twite: pair

Golden Eagle, RSPB Mull of Oa – 16 May 24

Twite, RSPB Mull of Oa – 16 May 24

Kildarton Cross

· Mistle Thrush
· Lesser Redpoll: 2

Friday 17 May 24

Homeward bounders. ‘Lord of the Isles’, Port Ellen

Apart from any twitches that take my interest, my next target will be European Bee-eater since the species has bred in the country in recent years. Unfortunately, I was unable to spare the time to visit the pair that bred successfully on the Isle of Wight back in 2014, or at Trimingham for the last two years. However, with my time serving in the Royal Navy drawing to an end that won’t be such a problem in future.

Good birding,

Tony T BSc (Hons) GeoSci (Open)

Saturday, May 25, 2024

Queen Victoria Birding: Additional Eastern Pacific Highlights, Albatrosses and Poms

Just a few of the remaining highlights as we transited north along the Central American coast en route to San Francisco. Four Pomarine Skuas on the 1st Feb were a good to see, two of the four having their spoons. Around 70 Cassin's Auklets made the list on the 5th. Pretty much spread out across the day. most views were of birds pattering away form the ship as we approached them. As we headed towards Californian water, Black-footed and Laysan Albatross made their way onto the trip list. Neither of the birds came overly close to the ship which was a shame. As we passed by Cabo San Lucas on the tip of the Baja California , we had decent if a little distant views of several Humpback Whales. One which breeched several times as we sailed past. Cuvier's Beaked Whale were seen on the 1st and the 4th. The latter being a prime example of the species, colour wise, the firmer I am not as confident with. Common and Long-snouted Spinner Dolphins were also seen on a number of occasions.

Pomarine Skuas, 1st Feb 2024

Pomarine Skua, 1 Feb 2024

Cassin's Auklet, 4th Feb 2024

Black-footed Albatross, 4th Feb 2024

Laysan Albatross, 5th Feb 2024

Humpback Whale, 3rd Feb 2024

Humpback Whales, 3rd Feb 2024

Humpback Whale, 3rd Feb 2024

Cuvier's Beaked Whale, 4th Feb 2024

Probable Cuvier's 1st Feb 2024

Common Dolphin, 5th Feb 2024

Common Dolphins, 5th Feb 2024

Long-snouted Spinner Dolphins, 3rd Feb 2024

Steve C

Thursday, May 23, 2024

Queen Victoria Birding: Red-necked and Grey Phalaropes in the Eastern Pacific

We enjoyed good numbers of Phalaropes around the ship during the first few days of February. I had picked up the odd bird here and then since our exit from the Panama Canal, but from the 1st of February onwards we enjoyed flock after flock, with some of these numbering 100s of birds. They did not seem too keen on coming overly close to the ship, so most were marked down as Phalarope sp. However, fortunately a few did come near and I was able to identify the species. The majority were Red-necked with smaller number of Grey [Red in the USA] in among. I did check the photographs, hoping to pick up a Wilson's but none were to be found.