Andy Pollard Photography

Sedge Wren

Birding – 3rd Feb 2018 Sedge Wrens

I decided to take an early morning visit to the south coast of Stanley birding. Walking a circuit from Rookery Bay around to Phillips Point and back to Rookery Bay. The weather was sensational, no wind and hot, in fact good enough for shorts and t-shirt! Favourite moments of the day included observing a family of Chiloe Wigeon on the larger pond at the base of Phillips Point. There is a dense cover of Arrow-leafed Marigold around the edge of this pond. I decided to sit on the track and was delighted to see at least 7 Sedge Wrens (Falkland Grass Wren).

Was thrilled to see 29 species of birds in about 3 hours. This is the joint highest total this year and on this circuit i have now seen a total of 33 different birds. Two new birds to the list, Black-crowned Night-heron and Silver Teal.

Species seen today

Magellanic Penguin, Upland Goose, Kelp Goose, Kelp Gull, Magellanic Cormorant, Long-tailed Meadowlark, Magellanic Oystercatcher, Black-crowned Night-heron, Falkland Steamer Duck, Dark-faced Ground-tyrant, South American Snipe (Magellanic), Yellow-billed Teal (Speckled), Southern Caracara, Crested Duck, Correndera Pipit, Dolphin Gull, Brown-hooded Gull, Two-banded Plover, Turkey Vulture, Chiloe Wigeon, Silver Teal, Sedge Wren, South American Tern, Silvery Grebe, Brown Skua, Southern Giant Petrel, White-rumped Sandpiper, Rufous-chested Dotterel, Black-throated (Canary-winged) Finch.

Sedge Wren South American Snipe Black-crowned Night-heron

Birding – 22nd January 2018

Birding this evening i walked a circuit along the north coast of Stanley harbour towards the Narrows, through Hadassa Bay, north coast through to Gypsy Cove and then back to where i started. This is the first recording for that circuit.

A beautiful warm evening with no wind. The conditions were overcast, with period sunshine coming through.

Overall, i managed to record 24 species of bird, 5 species of bird i recorded today for the first time this year. 7 species of bird with young were recorded.

In early January i also managed to see King Shags, Barn Owl (Goose Green) and see House Sparrows on a daily basis.

Bird species identified and numbers (those in bold, new sightings in 2018)
    1. Magellanic Penguin – Spheniscus magellanicus – >25 Young
    2. Southern Giant Petrel – Macronectes giganteus – 2
    3. Rock Shag – Phalacrocorax magellanicus – >25 Young
    4. Black-crowned Night-heron – Nycticorax nycticorax falklandicus – >25 Young
    5. Feral Domestic Goose – Anser anser – 1
    6. Upland Goose – Chloephaga picta leucoptera – 21 Young
    7. Kelp Goose – Chloephaga hybrida malvinarum – 15 Young
    8. Falkland Steamer Duck – Tachyeres brachypterus – >25 Young
    9. Crested Duck-Laphonetta specularioides – 2
    10. Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura jota – 6
    11. Variable Hawk – Butei polyosoma – 1
    12. Magellanic Oystercatcher – Haematopus leucopodus – 5 Young
    13. Blackish Oystercatcher – Haematopus ater – 5 Young
    14. Dolphin Gull – Leucophaeus scoresbii – 5
    15. Kelp Gull – Larus dominicanus – 1
    16. Brown-hooded Gull – Larus maculipennis – >25 (probably young as assume breeding on small island in pond)
    17. South American Tern – Sterna hirundinacea – 11
    18. Tussac Bird – Cinclodes antarticus antarcticus – 1
    19. Dark-faced ground-tyrant – Muscisaxicola maclovianus maclovianus – 5
    20. Falkland Pipit – Anthus correndera grayi – 1
    21. Falkland Thrush – Turdus falcklandii falcklandii – 5
    22. Black-thoated / Canary-winged Finch- Melanodera melanodera melanodera – 2
    23. Long-tailed Meadowlark – Sturnella loyca falklandica – 2
    24. Black-chinned Siskin – Carduelis barbata – 2
Mammal Species identified and numbers
  1. Commersons Dolphin – 2
  2. Brown hare – 2

Birding – 21st January 2018

I chose to venture a little further today and went to visit Whale Point area at Fitzroy birding. This is about a half hour drive by road from Stanley and then just under an hour off road on the camp. I looked at several different areas: the ponds, the sand beach (Gentoo colony) and the beaches containing elephant seals.

Whilst warm, it was a windy day, although it eased as the day went on. I left just before 8am and was there until about 1pm and the tide was high.

Overall, i managed to record 28 species of bird, which is 3 more than my previous best in 2018 which was 25. 6 species of bird i recorded today for the first time this year. 6 species of young were observed, a highlight being the 3 flocks of Chiloe Wigeon.

Combing this birding trip with yesterdays i now have seen a total of 36 different birds in the Falkland Islands during January 2018.

Bird species identified and numbers (those in bold, new sightings in 2018)
  1. King Penguin – Aptenodtyes patagonicus – 1
  2. Gentoo Penguin – Pygoscelis papua papua – >25 Young
  3. Silvery Grebe – Podiceps occipitalis – 2
  4. Southern Giant Petrel – Macronectes giganteus – 12
  5. Sooty Shearwater – Puffinus griseus – >25 (fair distance from land)
  6. Rock Shag – Phalacrocorax magellanicus – 2
  7. Upland Goose – Chloephaga picta leucoptera – >25 Young
  8. Kelp Goose – Chloephaga hybrida malvinarum – 11
  9. Ruddy-headed Goose – Chloephaga rubidceps – >25 Young
  10. Falkland Steamer Duck – Tachyeres brachypterus – >25
  11. Chiloe Wigeon – Anas sibilatrix – >25 Young
  12. Speckled Teal – Anas flavirostris – >25 Young
  13. Crested Duck-Laphonetta specularioides – >25
  14. Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura jota – 6
  15. Magellanic Oystercatcher – Haematopus leucopodus – 3
  16. Blackish Oystercatcher – Haematopus ater – 3
  17. Two-banded Plover – Charadriius falklandicus – >25 Young
  18. Rufous-chested Dotterel – Charaadrius modestus – 2
  19. Magellanic Snipe – Gallinago paraguaiae magellanica – 1
  20. White-rumped Sandpiper – Calidris fuscicollis – >25
  21. Dolphin Gull – Leucophaeus scoresbii – 1
  22. Kelp Gull – Larus dominicanus – 11
  23. Brown-hooded Gull – Larus maculipennis – >25 (probably young as assume breeding on small island in pond)
  24. South American Tern – Sterna hirundinacea – 7
  25. Falkland Pipit – Anthus correndera grayi – 15
  26. Falkland Thrush – Turdus falcklandii falcklandii – 7
  27. Black-thoated / Canary-winged Finch- Melanodera melanodera melanodera – 13
  28. Long-tailed Meadowlark – Sturnella loyca falklandica – 7
Mammal Species identified and numbers
  1. Elephant seals – 39
  2. Brown hare – 1

 

Birding – 20th January 2018

Beautiful weather early on this morning so went birding between 8am and 11.15am at Cape Pembroke (see Figure 1). As well as being warm, a relatively low wind, the tide was high.

Overall, 25 bird species observed and identified, with 5 of these having young. This was my baseline walk and will be interesting to compare observations and identification over time and with seasons. Interestingly, the exact same number of species as yesterdays total, but completely different sites. In addition 2 mammal species were seen. There was at least two ‘feeding frenzies’ out to sea that attracted a lot of birds.

Combing this birding trip with yesterdays i now have seen a total of 30 different birds in the Falkland Islands during January 2018.

 

Figure 1 – Birding route

Bird species identified and numbers (those in bold, new sightings in 2018)
  1. Magellanic Penguin – Spheniscus magellanicus – >25 (all in water)
  2. Black-browed Albatross – Thalassarche melanophrys – 5 (fair distance from land)
  3. Southern Giant Petrel – Macronectes giganteus – >25
  4. Sooty Shearwater – Puffinus griseus – >25 (fair distance from land)
  5. Rock Shag – Phalacrocorax magellanicus – >25
  6. Upland Goose – Chloephaga picta leucoptera – >25 Young
  7. Kelp Goose – Chloephaga hybrida malvinarum – >25 Young
  8. Falkland Steamer Duck – Tachyeres brachypterus – >25 Young
  9. Speckled Teal – Anas flavirostris – 8 Young
  10. Silver Teal – Anas versicolor fretensis – 2
  11. Peregrine Falcon – Falco peregrinus cassini – 1
  12. Magellanic Oystercatcher – Haematopus leucopodus – 5
  13. Blackish Oystercatcher – Haematopus ater – 12
  14. Two-banded Plover – Charadriius falklandicus – 4 Young
  15. Rufous-chested Dotterel – Charaadrius modestus – 1
  16. Falkland Skua – Catharacta antarctica – 3
  17. Dolphin Gull – Leucophaeus scoresbii – 6
  18. Kelp Gull – Larus dominicanus – 3
  19. Brown-hooded Gull – Larus maculipennis – >25
  20. South American Tern – Sterna hirundinacea – >25
  21. Dark-faced Ground-tyrant – Muscisaxicola maclovianus maclovianus – 9
  22. Falkland Pipit – Anthus correndera grayi – 5
  23. Falkland Grass Wren – Cistothorus platensis falklandicus – 4
  24. Black-thoated / Canary-winged Finch- Melanodera melanodera melanodera – 2
  25. Long-tailed Meadowlark – Sturnella loyca falklandica – 3
Mammal Species identified and numbers
  1. Sea Lion – 4 (in water)
  2. Peale’s Dolphin – 5

 

Birding – 19th January 2018

An excellent evening birding between Rookery Bay and Phillips Point (see figure 1). Conditions were generally warm, but with a reasonably strong breeze. From the photography perspective, when the light broke through the clouds, the light was sensational. Overall, 25 bird species observed and identified, with 5 of these having young. This was my baseline walk and will be interesting to compare observations and identification over time and with seasons. In addition 3 mammal species were seen.

Figure 1 – Birding route

Bird species identified and numbers
  1. Magellanic Penguin – Spheniscus magellanicus – >25 Young
  2. Silvery Grebe – Podiceps occipitalis – 4
  3. Black-browed Albatross – Thalassarche melanophrys – >25 (fair distance from land)
  4. Southern Giant Petrel – Macronectes giganteus – 3
  5. Sooty Shearwater – Puffinus griseus – >25 (fair distance from land)
  6. Rock Shag – Phalacrocorax magellanicus – 11
  7. Upland Goose – Chloephaga picta leucoptera – >25 Young
  8. Kelp Goose – Chloephaga hybrida malvinarum – >25
  9. Falkland Steamer Duck – Tachyeres brachypterus – >25 Young
  10. Speckled Teal – Anas flavirostris – 8 Young
  11. Crested Duck-Laphonetta specularioides – 7
  12. Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura jota – 2
  13. Southern Caracara – Caracara plancus – 1
  14. Magellanic Oystercatcher – Haematopus leucopodus – 4
  15. Blackish Oystercatcher – Haematopus ater – 3
  16. Two-banded Plover – Charadriius falklandicus – 5 Young
  17. Rufous-chested Dotterel – Charaadrius modestus – 1
  18. Magellanic Snipe – Gallinago paraguaiae magellanica – 1
  19. Falkland Skua – Catharacta antarctica – 3
  20. Dolphin Gull – Leucophaeus scoresbii – 1
  21. Kelp Gull – Larus dominicanus – 5
  22. South American Tern – Sterna hirundinacea – 9
  23. Dark-faced Ground-tyrant – Muscisaxicola maclovianus maclovianus – 1
  24. Falkland Pipit – Anthus correndera grayi – 3
  25. Black-thoated / Canary-winged Finch- Melanodera melanodera melanodera – 4
Mammal Species identified and numbers
  1. Sea Lion – Bull, female, pulp and another female – 4
  2. Brown Hare – 1
  3. Feral Cat – 1