Black-throated Blue Warbler

The birding highlight of the last few days was a smart looking first-winter male Black-throated Blue Warbler found by Kris de Rouck in Fojo. The Northern Parula is also still present in the Lighthouse Valley and there are also a couple of Red-eyed Vireos and a Buff-bellied Pipit around. A juvenile Osprey (appears to be of European origin) has also arrived on the island. 

Also a couple of bits of belated news, Magnus Robb recorded a noc-mig Redwing on 17th October and the probable Red-footed Booby from 14th was confirmed following photograph examination. 

Also of interest Magnus's examination of the constant sound recording monitor that has been set up since late September also recorded Monteiro's Storm-Petrel in late September. On speaking to Corvo seabird expert, Tania Pipa, it has recently been confirmed that up to 10 pairs of Monteiro's Storm-Petrel breed on Corvo and are present from June to September on the island. From September onwards the winter breeding Band-rumped Storm Petrels (Grant's Storm-Petrel) are present with up to 40 pairs breeding. These birds have been heard calling at night from around the Windmills this year too.      

First-winter male Black-throated Blue Warbler (Zbigniew Kajzer)

Osprey (Vincent Legrand)

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Vincent Legrand)

Red-footed Booby (Marten Muller) Examination of the photos of the probable bird on 14th October confirm that the bird is indeed an immature Red-footed Booby 

Daily Log:

20th October: Black-throated Blue Warbler still in Fojo, Northern Parula at Lighthouse Valley, 2 Red-eyed Vireo, 1 Buff-bellied Pipit, 1 Semipalmated Plover, Pterodroma sp in new harbour

19th October: 1 1st-winter male Black-throated Blue Warbler found by Kris De Rouck in Fojo, 1 Northern Parula at Lighthouse Valley, 1 Buff-bellied Pipit in Caldera, 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper, 1 Spotted Sandpiper, 2 Glossy Ibis, 4 Ring-necked Duck,  2 Semipalmated Plover, 1 Ring-billed Gull, 1 Red-eyed Vireo, 1 Osprey, 2 Glossy Ibis

18th October: Northern Parula at the Lighthouse Valley, 2 Semipalmated Plover, 2 Red-eyed Vireos at Fojo, Osprey over Fojo, 1 Pterodroma sp from windmills