Scarce/Rare migrant hunting can be rewarding and frustrating in equal measure and todays visit to West High Down and the Needles had both those elements. This site at the Western tip of the Island has a good reputation for migrants and rarities and I arrived reasonably confident of an interesting morning given the fresh South-easterly breeze.
First the frustrating part; as I arrived at the border fence with Tennyson Down at 0725 I picked up a Juvenile Harrier with bright orange underparts and narrow wings being mobbed by Jackdaws as it flew across West High Down towards the cliff edge. It was clearly either a Pallid or Monty's but the views were never going to be good enough to clinch it from the range involved. So I started to leg it in the hope of catching it up or that it may have stalled or even turned back. But no it must it have carried on South-west out to sea with no more sign.
Far more confiding was the Wryneck along the North slope, probably some of my best ever views:
It was a busy day for visible migration with a typical selection of finches, hirundines etc, the most notable sightings being a fem/Juv Marsh Harrier flying South-west, 4 migrant Grey Herons flying west to the Needles and a total of 800 Mipits flying East. Grounded migrants were less numerous but included 10 Wheatear, 14 Blackcap and a Common Redstart.
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