Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i Bird Watching

Bird guide Ian Parsons highlights the fascinating past of the Little Egret, a beautiful bird which deserves more than a cursory glance. Page 20 James Lowen reveals how the RSPB is breaking new ground by developing wetland reserves for our birds. More on page 28 Rebecca Nesbit details the surprising findings when Red-necked Phalaropes were tracked to their winter breeding grounds. Page 36 Renowned bird author Dominic Couzens discovers the complicated love life of the elusive Wood Warbler on page 65 The Urban Birder David Lindo enjoys some Spanish sun and great birding when he heads to the city of Valencia on page 86…

1 GREAT SHEARWATER Large (for a shearwater; though smaller than Cory’s!), the Great Shearwater is a stiff-winged, elegant and majestic seabird. It is unusual among our birds to breed in the Southern Hemisphere (South Atlantic islands such as Tristan da Cunha) and to migrate to the Northern Hemisphere when not breeding. It is then (in our summer) that they are found in the North Atlantic, including off the UK coast, particularly in the waters off the south-west of England and Scilly. 2 WRYNECK Once upon a time (say 150 years ago), the Wryneck was so common that it had a familiar name, the Cuckoo’s Mate (as it arrives in spring at about the same time). It was even, apparently, the commonest woodpecker in some areas. For a woodpecker is what…

MOTH MOUTHFUL A common catch in moth traps this month – if not the shortest moniker around – is the Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing. Look at those eyes! PLANT Sea pink Thrift – also known as Sea Pink – should still be flowering strongly, particularly along stretches of western coasts. This rugged plant boasts nodding lollipops of candy-pink blooms, and thrives in what some might consider to be the inhospitable conditions of poor soils on windswept rocky cliffs or barren shingle. DRAGONFLY New arrival Barely 20 years ago, Small Red-eyed Damselfly was unknown in Britain. After colonising Kent – where many people first admired it at the incongruous location of Bluewater shopping centre – this dainty insect has rapidly spread north and west. It favours still waterbodies with floating mats…

Curlew lifeline Curlews in lowland England have received a lifeline after dozens of rescued eggs hatched at WWT Slimbridge. The chicks will eventually be released into the Severn Vale. Curlews have declined by 60% in the UK in the last 30 years, so the WWT, the Ministry of Defence and Natural England joined forces to save eggs from RAF airbases in East Anglia. They were then transported to Gloucestershire for incubation. The chicks will be raised in aviaries until they can fly, a process known as head-starting. It protects the birds during a vulnerable stage. RSPB funding Thanks to £464,000 of funding from Biffa Award, the RSPB is taking even more birds under its wing on the Ribble Estuary after recently purchasing Crossens Inner Marsh, a wet grassland area adjacent…

TRICOLORED HERON Also known as the Louisiana Heron, the very attractive Tricoloured Heron is a species found in North, Central and South America. LITTLE BLUE HERON The Little Blue Heron is another American species. Juveniles are white, only becoming blue/purple as they grow older. WHITE-FACED HERON The White-faced Heron is an Australasian species occurring in Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.…

Originally built more than 4,000 years ago at the intersection of two valleys, where, on the summer solstice, the sun rises above a distinctive notch on the skyline, there are remnants of six stone circles and two roundhouses dotted around the more modern derelict remains of Moss Farm. This is not a route for dog walkers, as it passes through open fields of livestock and ground-nesting birds. Starting off at the signed car park beside the main road, look for Meadow Pipits and Pheasants picking their way between the sheep. Following the path, you pass old potato fields with distinctive ridge and furrow contours, among which Curlew prod and call. On the opposite side of the track is a slightly sunken water course with shrubs and gorse, so listen for…

Ripon is surrounded by many gravel workings, often made into permanent areas of water, as well as nature reserves, such as Staverley, Nosterfield and High Batts just upstream, to name a few. This walk gives you a mixed habitat route with river, open fields, lagoons, canal and even lush Crack Willow stands, which are becoming much harder to find these days and were once the habitat of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, along these river corridors, with the fast-growing trees giving them plenty of places to make their holes each spring. With so much varied habitat, you’ll find a wide mix of bird species, starting with Grey, Pied and, occasionally, the declining Yellow Wagtail, which I remember as a boy was everywhere around here. Dippers will be around the bridge, and Goosander,…

The reserve comprises 130 acres of marsh carr and wood. These are the last remaining tidal marshes and carrs on the River Yare. It has been described as a wild and remote area of open fen, reedbeds, Alder and willow woodlands with two small broads and a nature trail. Thanks to Ted Ellis’s amazing dedication to the site, David Bellamy wrote: “Wheatfen is, in its way, as important as Mount Everest, or the giant redwood forests of America. It is probably the best bit of fen land we have, because we know so much about it.” Due to the tides, Bitterns do not breed here but fly in from across the River Yare. Bearded Tits and Reed Warblers do breed and Marsh Harriers hunt the area with Hen Harriers occasionally…

From a birding point of view, the section of the river, as it flows into the Dyfi Estuary, offers plenty of variety, from waders to warblers fliting alongside the reed-fringed bankside vegetation. The Afon Leri rises at Llyn-Craig-y-Pistyll, which supplies water to nearby Aberystwyth, before flowing through Talybont and onwards through Borth and into the Dyfi Estuary at Ynyslas. It passes through the surrounding Borth Bog (Cors Fochno), one of the finest raised peat bogs in Britain. Where it flows into the estuary, there can be good numbers of waders, particularly during passage periods, which include Whimbrel, Sanderling and Knot, together with larger numbers of Dunlin and Ringed Plover. Common Sandpipers breed, while the surrounds hold breeding Lapwing, Redshank and Snipe. During spring and summer, the reedbeds are full of…

Brandon Marsh, a Warwickshire Wildlife Trust reserve, would be a great place to watch birds anywhere. The fact that it’s just a minute or two from the noise and fumes of the Coventry ring-road makes it all the more enjoyable. It has extensive reedbeds, which have attracted passing Bitterns and Bearded Tits, but which at all times are home to Water Rails, so listen out. Grey Herons are also regular, and there are plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers, in summer. Whenever you’re alongside water keep an eye and ear open for Kingfishers and, in spring and summer, Cuckoos are usually somewhere close at hand. Ospreys are also pretty regular on passage, while Buzzards and Kestrels can be seen hunting over the open areas, as can Barn Owls at dusk.…

Mersea Island is situated on the famously indented east coastline of Essex at the confluence of the River Colne and the Blackwater estuary. At the eastern end of the island, Cudmore Grove Country Park is the ideal focal point for a birding walk that takes in a variety of habitats, including coastal scrub, copses, farmland, small marshes and the extensive intertidal channels, mudflats and sand-bars of the Colne and Brightlingsea Reach. Also of interest is a low sandstone cliff where a number of significant fossil remains have been discovered in the past. Relict wartime gun emplacements and blockhouses survive from past conflicts, providing suitable lookout points from which to scan the surrounding estuary for shorebirds, terns and gulls on the move. Given a strong easterly blow, seabirds such as Arctic…

Breaksea Point, Aberthaw, almost the most southerly point of mainland Wales, is 12 miles from Minehead on the Somerset shore. Well described as “the rockiest beach along this coast”, a beach, which includes four prominent tidal ponds, marks the eastern end of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Where the River Thaw meets the sea, a small but important shipping and ship building port developed, which only closed in the mid-19th Century. The Blue Anchor Inn on the hill above, where many a thirst was quenched, dates from 1380, and, not surprisingly, there are many tales of the smuggling which took place hereabouts. The grass-covered slopes of the ash tip above the eastern boundary have sadly consumed a large lagoon, once much frequented by birds, notable records being those of Spotted Crake,…

Horrid Hill peninsula is set within the confines of Riverside Country Park, a local authority holding, on the southern shore of the extensive intertidal mudflats of the River Medway estuary. The hill was a former cement works, with some of the building structures surviving to this day and a suitable spot for a passing Black Redstart or Wheatear to pause awhile, as well as affording a good viewpoint across the RSPB reserve of Nor Marsh. Much of the remaining area is covered in thick scrub, an ideal sanctuary for migrating warblers to roost and refuel on their southward travels, and often attracting the occasional Spotted or Pied Flycatchers and Redstart. At low tide a myriad of islets, gullies and rills emerge from the sea, to reveal superb habitat for thousands…

On the eastern edge of Exmoor, this pastoral landscape was once abuzz with Exmoor’s mining heritage. The old Mineral Line runs through the valley, along which trains once brought iron ore from mines in the Brendon Hills to ships at Watchet. The trains ceased at the end of the 19th Century and the area is now an idyllic spot for walkers and wildlife. The long-distance Coleridge Way footpath traverses the hillside above the valley, commemorating the poet who lived in this area and the end of the 18th Century – one of his most poetically productive times. Rich with wild flowers in spring and summer, the fields above the river valley are punctuated by pockets of mixed woodland flanking the hillsides. Some recent felling has created a lovely mosaic of…

It is hard to imagine a site so close to the busy A3 having such an array of wildlife, archaeology, history and lovely views, plus reputedly one of the oldest pubs in Hampshire! So, this is a must-visit to while away a few hours, if you are heading to or from the coast. The land rises to 143m, affording good views of the valley below, while to the west is the higher Windmill Hill, rising to 193m, which gives wonderful views to the Hampshire coast, at least if you avoid a misty day! In spring, the area will be full of singing Sky Larks, and Linnets, while there is still a chance of the once more widespread Turtle Dove as summer progresses. Mediterranean Gulls may be seen in the area…

The Wood Warbler is among a trio of similar, yellow-green warblers that adorn our woodlands, especially those in the west and north, in the spring and summer. When it arrives in spring, there is evidence that the Wood Warbler does something quite extraordinary. It is so extraordinary that you might not even believe it. To make things still more mysterious, it only does this astonishing thing on the Continent – or at least, all the evidence comes from there. The Wood Warbler is, in many ways, the least known among the three ‘sister’ leaf warbler species. Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers are very common and widespread in Britain (1.2 million and 2.4 million breeding pairs), while the Wood Warbler is much rarer (6,500 pairs). A Willow Warbler will settle for almost…

Polish morphs? Q Are the Mute Swans in this picture Polish morphs? It was taken in Brockwell Park near Brixton and shows three conventional Mute Swan cygnets and two much paler ones. There is a third pale cygnet outside of view. Given the contrast, I’m tempted to ID the paler siblings as Polish morphs but am puzzled by the volume in this one family. I’m of the understanding that Polish swans are fairly rare occurrence, so your thoughts on my interpretation would be much appreciated. Chris Evans A The term ‘Polish swan’ has been applied to Mute Swan cygnets which are white (instead of grey) and have correspondingly pinkish-grey legs and feet. [Note that this is Polish as in from Poland, rather than polish, as in Mr Sheen]. The name…

Key birds: Black Grouse, Ptarmigan, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill, Capercaillie, Golden Eagle and White-tailed Eagle. Probables for your list: Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Eider, Goosander, Red Grouse, Red-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Red Kite, Golden Plover, Purple Sandpiper, Iceland Gull, Dipper, Hooded Crow, Raven, Tree Sparrow, Crossbill, Lesser Redpoll, Snow Bunting and Peregrine. Possible: Black-throated Diver, Tundra Bean Goose, Barnacle Goose, Brent Goose, Pintail, King Eider, Surf Scoter, Grey Partridge, Hen Harrier, Goshawk, Merlin, Glaucous Gull, Little Auk, Waxwing, Great Grey Shrike, Brambling, Twite, Corn Bunting. Outside chance/rarities: Snow Goose, Red-breasted Goose, Harlequin Duck, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, American Black Duck, Ring-necked Duck, White-billed Diver, Red-necked Grebe, Bittern, Greater Yellowlegs, Bonaparte’s Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Ross’s Gull, Ivory…

Aside from being a gorgeous cultural centre, Valencia is like many other cities in Spain. It is not immediately recognised as being a venue for urban birding. Indeed, as a visiting tourist, you may be forgiven for initially thinking that there were only flocks of Collared Dove in the streets, and Yellow-legged Gulls wafting over the coast. Of course, there is a lot more going on than just that. Valencia is the third largest Spanish city, located on the country’s Mediterranean east coast, along the banks of the River Turia, and has a population of around two million people. Perhaps the most famous birding site connected to the city is the marshy expanses of Albufera de València, just 9.8 miles south of the urban area. This fascinating site is a…

Bird photographers often find themselves in a privileged position, staring through the lens at an avian miracle of nature, and developing a level of intimacy with their subject that most casual birdwatchers never achieve. But with privilege comes responsibility and a duty of care for the birds they photograph. Sometimes photographers overstep the mark, owing to a lack of fieldcraft: a failure to recognise the warning signs of alarm and distress. Become a better birdwatcher is good advice. But sometimes it is basic manners that cause issues: show consideration for other photographers/birders as well as for the birds. 1 Nest photography Look at images of birds taken 50 years ago and you will be struck by the prevalence of nest photographs. This is understandable because the limitations of camera and…

AMERICAN BLACK TERN There have been fewer than 10 accepted records of this New World subspecies of Black Tern. Part of the reason for this is the distinctions can be subtle: juveniles show smudgier flanks and duskier underwings, darker rump, whiter forehead, larger breast marks etc than the European birds. RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD Another bird with fewer than 10 (in fact only five) accepted British records, the Red-billed Tropicbird is a ridiculously rare bird in UK waters. In fact, three of the five records have been from boats at sea. The most recent two records, though, were of birds seen from land (both during Cornwall seawatches) and both during August. SPANISH SPARROW Of the 10 accepted records of Spanish Sparrow, the last was in 2012, a male (as all of them…

Deep breath. I have a confession to make: I am a stringer. Let me clarify. The whole sorry episode can be traced back to late April and an early morning expedition in search of migrating Wood Warblers and Pied Flycatchers, close to home. It was about half past five in the morning when I walked bleary-eyed down the Roman road of King’s Street at John Clare’s stomping ground of Lolham Brigs, across the main train line and back up to the banks of a stretch of the River Welland called the Maxey Cut. As I rose to the grassy bank, a Little Egret-sized heron flew up and under the rail bridge. It had uniformly pale grey wings and a grey tail. I didn’t see its feet, I didn’t see its…

Summer has always started on the same day for me… the day the Swifts return. In my birding heydays, I’d probably be out birding somewhere and suddenly become aware of their screaming dives across my path vacuuming up the aerial plankton just hatched over a reed-fringed lake. Whenever I have been asked what my favourite bird is, the answer has always been this master of the skies. Our Swift may be a monochrome blur, too short in the leg and too wide in the gape to be called beautiful, but there is simply no more birdy bird among the other 10,000 contenders. In the several years from fledging to breeding they have no need to make landfall. Feeding, sleeping and mating on the wing, they are the spirit of the…

Here’s five to find as the summer draws on Bittern Easier to find in winter, especially in really cold weather, when freezing can force them out of their reedbed haunts. But in late summer and early autumn, birds will disperse from their (increasingly widespread) breeding sites, so look out. Great White Egret Increasingly common and widespread, with some sites such as Rutland Water regularly getting half a dozen at a time. The size of a Grey Heron, but they lose their yellow bill colour in summer, so can be confused with Little Egret. Night Heron A rare visitor from the Continent, this stocky little heron usually perches up (often concealed in a tree) during the day (the clue that it feeds at night is in the name), so dawn and…

● The best time for responsible Capercaillie watching is October to February. ● Do not visit leks (display grounds) between March and May. ● Be particularly careful not to disturb hens with broods between May and August. ● Never stray from paths when walking in Capercaillie woodland. ● If you see a Caper, remain still and quiet. ● Do not seek out ‘rogue displaying males’. And if you chance upon one, withdraw immediately. ● Do not share information about known leks. ● Capercaillies are best sought from a slow-moving vehicle on suitable permitted routes. Do not leave the vehicle. ● Report any incidents of disturbance to a Wildlife Crime Officer. Call Police Scotland on 101.…

POSTCODE: KA27 8DX GRID REF: NR 895 330 HOW TO GET THERE: Drive north from Blackwaterfoot on the A841 coast road for three miles and the car park is signed by Historic Scotland WHERE TO PARK: No charge for parking or entrance, donations welcome TERRAIN: Well laid track over a slight rise, a little loose underfoot but easily managed. There are a couple of stiles and gates to open and close ACCESSIBILITY: Open all year round, the track is not suitable for disabled access and although dogs are allowed on a lead, during lambing season this would be unwise FACILITIES: None on site. Pubs and shops in Blackwaterfoot PUBLIC TRANSPORT: A bus service passes the entrance throughout the day, however, these services are timed to meet the ferry at Brodick,…

In response to Bo Beolens and cats... I have just read Bo’s excellent article regarding cats (Bird Watching, July). I agree with the sentiments expressed in his article. However, I would go further, much further. Firstly, I would make it a mandatory requirement of cat ownership that the cat is sterilised. Failure to comply would result in a fine for the owner. Secondly, I would ban the sale of cats. This would remove any financial inducement to breed cats. The aim, and hopefully, the outcome of these two policies would be to completely eradicate the cat population in the UK. We have to take a stand. It’s either indigenous wildlife or a domestic pet. As the RSPB says – whenever there is conflict, then wildlife comes first. Feral populations would…

I’m late again submitting this column. You won’t be surprised to hear that. The garden is so busy that I’m really not up for sitting down at my computer, but I so want to tell you all that has been happening, and until I have my own TV show*, I have to write it all down. But first, hold on a moment, I’m just going to close the curtains so I can’t keep looking out of the window. OK, I’m back. I had a lie down in the hammock yesterday. I’d been gifted a copy of Wilding – the story of a rewilding project in Sussex and I wanted to get stuck in. I was distracted by a buzzing and went cross-eyed watching a hoverfly who was almost perched on…

● Seven nights’ comfortable accommodation at The Mountview Hotel, VisitScotland rated 3 Star. ● All rooms are en suite, with TV and hospitality tray. ● There is no single supplement, and guests are never expected to share. ● Single guests may be upgraded to double room accommodation at no extra charge. Two nights in a comfortable hotel in Aberdeenshire, all rooms en suite. ● Full Scottish breakfast, a substantial packed lunch, and a delicious dinner. ● Six full days of wildlife-watching. ● Guidance from a professional group leader. ● All transport by comfortable minibus. ● A checklist specifically prepared for your holiday to record your sightings and notes. ● Courtesy bus service to and from Aviemore.…

The pretty, little Goldfinch is so brightly and exotically patterned that it seems almost wrong that it is a British bird. In fact, it is our third most common finch (in terms of nesting pairs), behind the Chaffinch and the Greenfinch; with some 1.2 million pairs across the UK. So exquisite is the plumage, so delightful the song, that they used to be trapped as cage birds, causing major declines in their population in the 19th Century. These days, though, despite declines caused by exceptionally cold winters and widespread herbicide use, they are doing remarkably well; and are familiar birds across most of the country. In late summer into autumn, the population is boosted by juveniles, which roam around in mixed feeding groups with their parents at this time of…

Regular readers will know that I live in North Wales and that I’m lucky enough to have the limestone headland of the Great Orme right on my doorstep. It’s a local nature reserve managed by Conwy Council and the National Trust, and it’s my local patch, just five minutes from my home. We have exciting birds here, including Chough, Peregrine, Razorbills and Guillemots, but one of my favourite species is the Fulmar, or Fulmarus glacialis, to give the bird its full scientific name. Sometimes, I can hear the Fulmar even from my front doorstep. Birds nest on the ledges of the Great Orme cliffs and they will often chuckle and cackle to one another, with the volume increasing as a newcomer approaches their cliff. This deep-throated ‘conversation’ between several birds…

This month, we are going back to our roots. Many of us started birdwatching by watching birds in our gardens. And most of the time the birds were visiting feeders. Bird feeders, in addition to providing excellent supplementary food for the local birds, allow us to get excellent, clear views of those birds. So, we should all be experts in identifying garden birds at feeders, by now, shouldn’t we? Let’s see. As usual, all you have to do is have a bit of a gaze at the following six photographs; identify the birds and turn the page for the great revelation: solution and explanation. And, also as usual, if you hunger for more tips and help about identifying birds (particularly in gardens), then turn the page again and read a…

MORE SITES For a full list of the sites we’ve featured, go to birdwatching. co.uk/gbindex KEY Sites may be best visited by car, or a car may be required to get from point to point. Requires birding to be done on foot. Specified points to visit, but can be done in any order (known as KEYPOINTS) Specified points to visit and are best done in numerical order (known as WAYMARKERS) NB: The MILES ON FOOT is the amount of miles you will need to walk and not necessarily the amount of miles in the whole route. The TIME is how many hours we recommend. So, if there are fewer miles per hour, it could be that there is more to see. COLLECT & KEEP Every month we bring you…

GRID REF: SE 330 701 POSTCODE: HG4 5AA HOW TO GET THERE: From the A1M, from the south take the junction 48 (A59) to Boroughbridge and then onto the A168 parallel to the motorway, coming off on the B6265 to Ripon. Follow on towards Ripon, turning into the concrete car park just over the River Ure Bridge, close to the race course WHERE TO PARK: Car park 100 yards over the bridge. There is a muddy one also by the bridge TERRAIN: The paths are often muddy with wet areas to watch out for. The return paths by the towpath are hard, as well as the road footpath. Beware of the traffic on the B6265. Best to use stout footwear OPENING TIMES: All year round FACILITIES: In Ripon PUBLIC TRANSPORT:…

POSTCODE: NR14 7AL GRID REF: TG 325 057 HOW TO GET THERE: Come off the A47 onto the A146 turning on the minor road to Bramerton. Carry on to Surlingham and once through the village take a right at the crossroads and the reserve is a few hundred metres down on your left WHERE TO PARK: Small car park as you enter the reserve. Contributions welcome TERRAIN: Flat with most paths liable to flood, especially in winter. Some boardwalks are suitable for wheelchairs. Waterproof footwear is advisable FACILITIES: Nothing on site – you’ll need to head back to the edge of Norwich PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Buses and trains from Norwich, call Traveline, tel: 0871 200 2233 LOCAL INFO: web: broads-authority. gov.uk & facebook.com/ groups/108886053969/ ORGANISATIONS: Wheatfen Broad – Ted Ellis Trust,…

GRID REF: SN 616 909 POSTCODE: SY24 5LA HOW TO GET THERE: Located between Borth and Ynyslas on the B4353, around nine miles north of Aberystwyth and 12 miles south of Machynlleth off the A4159 WHERE TO PARK: Room for a couple of cars near the compound by the railway crossing. Otherwise park at Ynyslas on the beach where there is a charge of £2 at the time of writing (remember to check the high tide timetables as the beach can become flooded on high tides) TERRAIN: An easy walk along a grassy embankment, which can become very wet after heavy rain. Wet at the estuary after high tide ACCESSIBILITY: At all times. Dogs allowed under control. Not suitable for wheelchair access FACILITIES: A few shops, pubs and toilets in…

GRID REF: SP 387 755 POSTCODE: CV3 3GW HOW TO GET THERE: Just off the A45. From Toll-Bar Island where the A45 and A46 meet, follow the A45 away from Coventry for 200m, then turn left into Brandon Lane. The reserve is about a mile along on the right hand side. From Brandon village, follow the road past the ‘Royal Oak’: the Nature Centre is about 1.5 miles along on the left WHERE TO PARK: Outside the visitor centre TERRAIN: Paths can be muddy and puddly after wet weather, and there are some steps in areas, but mainly level ACCESSIBILITY: Many of the hides can be reached by wheelchair users. Access outside opening hours for Wildlife Trust members only FACILITIES: Visitor centre has a café, shop, toilets and covered outside…

GRID REF: TM 065 146 POSTCODE: CO5 8UE HOW TO GET THERE: From Colchester take the B1025 south for 6 miles towards Mersea Island. Once across the causeway onto the island take the left hand fork, East Road, signposted to East Mersea. After 3 miles turn right along Broman’s Lane to the site WHERE TO PARK: Pay and display car park (open 8am to dusk) signposted to Cudmore Grove CP off the lane TERRAIN: Mostly on the level with good paths, some surfaced and suitable for wheelchair users ACCESS: Year-round access on public footpaths FACILITIES: Café, toilets, picnic area, several interpretive boards and children’s play area PUBLIC TRANSPORT: First Group Buses operate the No 67 Service from Colchester to Mersea Island, web: firstgroup.com ORGANISATIONS: Essex County Council:, web: essex.gov.uk CLUB…

GRID REF: ST035663 POST CODE: CF62 3DD (for the Blue Anchor Inn, East Aberthaw) HOW TO GET THERE: From Barry and further east by the A4226 followed by the B4265. From Bridgend and the west use the B4265 WHERE TO PARK: At the Blue Anchor Inn or close to the shore at West Aberthaw TERRAIN: Narrow footpaths which can be very muddy need to be negotiated to reach the lagoon and East Aberthaw shore from where an excellent footpath leads all the way to West Aberthaw ACCESS: Open at all times. The footpath behind a substantial seawall for much of the way has, at intervals, steep steps allowing access to the beach FACILITIES: The Blue Anchor Inn is superbly located for the returning birdwatcher, otherwise head for St Athan or…

MAP REF: TQ 807 683 POSTCODE: ME7 2XH HOW TO GET THERE: From the A289 at Gillingham take the B2004 to Lower Halstow. After one mile, at Lower Twydall, turn left off the Lower Rainham Road signposted to Riverside Country Park WHERE TO PARK: Pay and display car park at Riverside Country Park, open from 8am until dusk TERRAIN: A combination of mostly surfaced footpaths on level ground suitable for wheelchair access ACCESS: Open access on public rights of way throughout FACILITIES: Full range including café, toilets, cycle tracks, picnic area and visitor centre PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Stagecoach operate a bus service in the Medway towns and there is a train station at Gillingham. Traveline, tel: 0871 200 22 33. Web: travelinesoutheast.org.uk ORGANISATION: Medway Council, web: medway.gov.uk / Riverside CP, Lower…

GRID REF: ST 031 381 POSTCODE: TA23 0QY HOW TO GET THERE: Roadwater is on the eastern side of Exmoor and can be accessed off the A39. Drive through the village, passing the shop/post office on your left, and take the second left after this, Harper’s Lane (you reach it quickly and it’s very narrow; a sign indicates that you are heading for the old Mineral Line). In 50m, take the first right, along the old Mineral Line WHERE TO PARK: The old Mineral Line, along which there are several places to pull in. Please be considerate towards residents TERRAIN AND ACCESSIBILITY: Easy walking and always accessible. The outward journey is along field and woodland paths. The return trip is along a very quiet, surfaced lane that only leads to…

GRID REF: SU 730 160 POSTCODE: PO8 0BG HOW TO GET THERE: Located between Waterloovile and Petersfield near Clanfied off the busy A3 WHERE TO PARK: If frequenting the Red Lion pub it is possible to park there. There is also a car park at Butser Ancient Farm where charges apply. The roads around are narrow and need care when walking TERRAIN: Fairly easy walking along the Staunton Way footpath on a steady incline from Chalton. Fairly dry. Steeper climb but straight to Windmill Hill from New Barn Farm Lane (postcode PO8 0QG) ACCESSIBILITY: At all times. Dogs allowed along the public footpaths FACILITIES: The Red Lion pub for food, drink and toilets. Tel: 023 9259 2246. Butser Ancient Farm is open seven days a week (April to September) with…

1 White-tailed Eagle by Jeff Smith Camera: Nikon D500 Lens: 70-200mm Shutter Speed: 1/5,000s Aperture: f/11 ISO: 1,000 2 Black Tern by Dennis Stinton Camera: Canon EOS 750D Lens: 150-600mm Shutter Speed: 1/2,000s Aperture: f/6.3 ISO: 1,250 3 Stonechats by Andrew Whittaker Camera: Nikon COOLPIX P900 Lens: 24-2,000mm Shutter Speed: 1/200s Aperture: f/5.6 ISO: 200 4 Sedge Warbler by Kev Bowers Camera: Nikon D7200 Lens: 150-600mm Shutter Speed: 1/1,600 Aperture: f/6.3 ISO: 640 WE LOVE All the photos are great, but Jeff Smith’s eagle is outstanding. What an experience photographing such a bird!…

● Birds may be attracted to your soft fruits, such as raspberry and gooseberry. If you can stand it, let them take a few, but to protect the others, cover them with 4cm netting, hung taut and with old CDs attached to it – this should help ensure that birds don’t get tangled up in it. ● Start letting flowers (and vegetables if you grow them), run to seed to provide food for birds and other wildlife. Seedheads look more attractive than bare earth in the winter. ● Leave some windfall apples, pears and plums for birds such as Blackbirds (and, as the year draws on, Redwings and Fieldfares) to feed on. ● Dead-head roses and other perennial plants to encourage them to keep flowering for longer. ● If we…

Day 1: Saturday Arrival, welcome, briefing and dinner. Days 2-7: Sunday to Friday In these six days we concentrate on looking for Black Grouse, Red Grouse, Capercaillie, Golden Eagle, Crested Tit, Scottish Crossbill and (weather permitting!) Ptarmigan and Snow Bunting as priorities on local days. We search for these in a range of habitats from the mountains and high hills, to the pine forests and moors. Our daily itinerary will be flexible, and on our other days we visit coastal sites spending time on the Moray Coast and possibly the Black Isle. Up to date bird news and the weather conditions will help to dictate these days, with your guides deciding whether we head to the far West Coast to look for Black Guillemot, White-tailed Eagle, Twite and Great Northern…

ELEGANT TERN The Elegant Tern is a Pacific species largely breeding, often in dense colonies, along the coasts between California and Central America. As its name suggests it is a rather slim and graceful tern that is slightly larger than our Sandwich Tern. Recognisable by its long and slightly decurved yellowish-orange to red bill, it also possesses the longest crest of all terns. Its history within Europe is an interesting one. The species has wandered to Western Europe on a number of occasions, much to the excitement of twitchers. An Elegant Tern was even recorded in the UK at Pagham Harbour in 2017. Previously, they have been recorded breeding in mixed pairs with Sandwich Terns in France. However, the first and so far only pure breeding pairs of Elegant Terns…

OLYMPUS TOUGH TG6 CAMERA, FROM £449.99 It can withstand ‘all weather conditions’, survive drops and crushing and even be used underwater. It has a 25-100mm equivalent lens, a 12MP sensor and the same image processor as the OM-D EM1X. It can shoot as close as 1cm and has a maximum shooting magnification of 7x. It’s waterproof to 15m – for photos of diving auks, can shoot at 20fps, shoots 4K and HD video, and can shoot in RAW. In red or black. If you want one you might want Alpkit’s First Aid Kit as well. shop.olympus.eu ALPKIT BACKPACKER FIRST AID KIT, £15 Hopefully, you won’t need to use it, but if you’re accident prone, or simply responsible, you might be pleased to be carrying one of these. This…

SOUTH WEST Highlights In what was an excellent month for rare birds, the region’s best efforts were probably the male Black-headed Wagtail at Housel Bay, Cornwall (one of five in the country), and a Great Reed Warbler on St Mary’s, Scilly. AVON CLEVEDON TO WESTON-SUPER-MARE: A Gannet was seen at Sand Bay (25th). Up to eight Little Egrets were around the Yeo and the Axe. A Marsh Harrier was regular at coastal sites between Clevedon and Uphill all month. Whimbrel counts peaked with 70 at Sand Bay (2nd) and at Clevedon-Yeo (6th). One or two Little Ringed Plovers were picked out from hundreds of Ringed Plovers at Clevedon-Yeo, which also logged Little Stint (8th), Knot, Greenshank, Sanderling and up to eight Bar-tailed Godwits. A sea-watcher at Anchor Head, Weston-super-Mare (8th)…