Almost last knockings

Somewhere in the bottom of a weedy field creeps a large feathered mouse.

Pretty hard work today, nowt much in Da Ponte, murk at the reservoir, not a lot in the higher fields, just a Yellow-rumped Warbler above the village and only the Mourning Dove in the village fields. Limited supporting cast too. 

A few Corvo waders

The Bobolink and Mourning Dove are still around and showing down to inches, however, the effort find new stuff was curtailed today thanks to much faffage at the airport. Did manage to relocate one of the Yellow-rumped Warblers on the slope above the village this evening though. Highlight of the day though was another Azores tick - Purple Sandpiper.

Semi-palmated Plover on the slipway near the airport, just out of shot are another two plus a Semi-palmated Sandpiper, a Purple Sandpiper and a flockette of Turnstones.

Another Semi-palmated Plover at the western end of the airfield, would have got much a better shot only moments after this it was flushed by somebody driving the 'Corvo circuit'.

It's laugh a minute round here. The aforementioned Purple Sandpiper - Azores tick!

What I did

What I did today was,... a quick check on the dove, still there. Crippling views of Bobolink. Up to the caldera, also still there, and in which was Pink-footed Goose [Azores tick, yay!], Great Blue Heron, Ruff, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, 10 White-rumped Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Wilson's Snipe and a couple of Snow Buntings. Down to the reservoir which produced a flurry of 13 Snow Buntings. And then back to the village for a troll round looking for the new Dickcissel, dip. Did get more Bobolink action though.

Mourning Dove after a morning shower.

Bobolink showing down to nothing. Feeding constantly whilst dibbling about at birders feet.  

Pretty little pigeon

Strong westerlies slowly becoming north-westerlies pretty much put pay to any valley action today. Unfortunately, seabashing and fieldwatching didn't really produce much, and the day was slowly sliding towards an early bath via American Herring Gull, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, etc. Then, with an hour or so of light to spare, another mega dropped off the conveyor, bagged, tagged and ready to go as Vincent pulled out a Mourning Dove.

What a little cutie.

To the lighthouse (again)

Hel-lo.

Deep in the magic junipers. 

The Prairie did dink about in full view but was either too close or too sharpish.  The Yellow Warbler was also still present, at one point the two had a brief difference of opinion but mostly they played nice.   Both, however, were eclipsed by a flyover Snow Bunting - Azores tick!

[Correction: D'oh! Snow Bunting wasn't an Azores tick, saw them on my first trip to Corvo in 2006 as evidenced by the ye olde blog post here.]

The Western Palearctic just gained a new species

Managed to see the Blackpoll Warbler in Da Ponte before all hell broke loose this morning. A report of a Cape May Warbler at the lighthouse valley had us all scrambling. On arrival a quick look at the back of a camera and,... F***ing Hells Bells! Minutes later we're watching a Prairie Warbler which, over the next hour or so, was also joined by a Yellow Warbler and a Yellow-rumped Warbler. The magic junipers of the lighthouse valley strike again. So far, the only thing I have found today is a Blue-winged Teal flying up Lapa at head height.

Yep, that'll be a Prairie Warbler.

Caspian Plover

Caspian Plover gawd knows how many miles into the Atlantic. Chicken. Oriental. Possibly the most surreal afternoon of my birding life.

Caspian Plover. That. Is. All. 

Whilst it's raining...

Hoying down here at the moment, in the meantime, anyone know what species this might be?

Photograph by iPhone in the dark of Da Ponte, before you start thinking my standards (what standards?) have slipped.

[Update: I think this might be Ascotis fortunata azorica]

Indigo-go-go

May have found a new Bobolink today (was it new? Was it the bird from last week?) but basically it was pretty darn slow. Dipped on the Philadelphia Vireo and Blackpoll Warbler at Pico,... again. Unsurprisingly, I did get an Indigo Bunting in the Indigo Bunting field on the way back, have probably seen four different individuals so far this trip.

The tiny field above the bridge at Da Ponte never knowingly lacking an Indigo Bunting. 

Here comes another one

A long morning in Da Ponte deep below the dancing canopy, amid the earthy decay, flickering shadows and swirling ghosts of rarities past,... bugger all in there today mind, all I managed was another of these,...

The most REV.

Whilst I was REVving next door, on the summit of Pico, Philadelphia Vireo and Blackpoll Warbler were putting in brief appearances. However, both had slipped away before I popped in and my search came to an abrupt halt as news of an American Robin (first for the Azores?) crackled across the airwaves. Then, having lapped up the robin and with thoughts turning to coffee, a sparrow scooted along in front of Eric and David before putting on a display of skulking of world beating proportions,... I didn't get tickable views for the best part of four hours.

Lincoln's (Thomas not Abraham) Sparrow, presumably I was going for the ropiest photo of a 2nd for the WP ever, but I forget why now.