Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i Bird Watching

Stuart Winter: “Watching a Kestrel from my pram as it hovered over an old bomb site in London's East End.” Amanda Tuke: “At the age of about eight, I was walking along a river bank with my dad in search of Dippers. That started it for me.” Ian Parsons: “I remember at primary school watching Pied Wagtails catch insects in the playground, fascinated by their movement.” Hep Cairnswood: “The Kingfisher, after seeing my first as a teenager in Newmillerdam Country Park in Wakefield with my mum.” …and the Bird Watching team's answers Matt Merritt: “Probably the Oystercatcher - I can remember one flying over the beach at Porthcawl when I was really small." Mike Weedon: “The Starling was the bird which kicked off my birding. I learned the flight silhouette…

twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag SPOTTED CRAKE The Spotted Crake is one of the UK’s most mysterious birds. They are regular British breeders, with official statistics suggesting there are about 30 singing males, annually, spread very widely (though thinly) across the country. But, as this 'singing’ takes place mainly in the middle of the night in often quite obscure, seldom-visited (especially at night) wetlands, they are probably under-recorded. They are also not the sort of bird you see casually during the breeding season (these short-winged crakes, about the size of a Water Rail, are summer visitors), as they are secretive marshland birds, which only need a few inches of plant growth in order to remain concealed. Come August, though, juveniles start to appear at the edge of reedbeds where Water Rails sometimes feed.…

NEWS & OPINION Avid followers of this column will recall my childlike delight when no fewer than two Hedgehogs managed to scale my walls and take up residence. As I write this, the buds are breaking and the frogspawn accumulating and spring is reportedly around the corner (do igloos have corners as there is an Arctic blast outside!) I don't know if the hogs took up my offer of two straw-filled hibernation houses bought at Hawkeye’s insistence… if they did, they are showing restraint and ignoring the forecast of spring when winter is quite clearly still holding on. Indeed the male Fogs have been calling for a month now and spawn is sporadic. First blob in mid-February, and after a month of no action another blob has appeared. I know…

30-MINUTE BIRDER he male Kestrel hovers over a patch of long grass, its back lit copper-gold in the May early morning sun. When the rush hour traffic starts moving again, I have to twist round in the seat to keep the bird in sight through the rear window. I see it drop just as we start inching down The Mound. Princes Street Gardens, in central Edinburgh, is not the most obvious place to find a Kestrel. Surrounded by busy roads and within hearing of the obligatory bagpiper, it has only a handkerchief-size patch of rough grass, but that must be just enough to support its prey. It's been a while since my other half and I visited the Scottish side of his family in Edinburgh, and our hosts are sweetly…

When I first became interested in looking at birds in 2019, I had no idea what birding was, and I largely had no clue what I was seeing. I just knew that I liked being outside, sitting in hides and wandering around noticing things. I came to it with no experience nor knowledge, but lots of curiosity. The Kingfisher was my gateway bird, after seeing my first when I was a teenager walking round Newmillerdam Country Park in Wakefield with my mum. When she pointed it out it was perched on a branch by the water, just sitting there completely still. It was at that point that it felt like I held my breath, stopped blinking and froze on the spot. What if I moved and it flew away? What…

Coniferous forest with vast uplands beyond MAX MILES ON FOOT: 6 MIN TIME: 4 HOURS Ceiriog Forest encroaches on to the northern section of the Berwyns, one of the largest areas of heatherdominated heath and blanket mire remaining in Wales, despite losses to both agriculture and forestry. Immediately west of the forest, the high ground peaks at Moel Fferna’s 2,079 feet, close by to which a narrow gauge railway once serviced the long disused slate mines. One does not need to walk far on these uplands to see grouse butts, reminders of days past; one observer in 1907 reported that there were “few finer grouse moors in the kingdom”. DAVID SAUNDERS WHERE TO WATCH 1 A minor road terminates here, while close by is one of several waterfalls, their streams…

A good variety of habitats in off-the-beaten-track farmland MAX MILES ON FOOT: 4 MIN TIME: 3 HOURS Stitched together by enticing footpaths, the tiny settlements of Black Dog and Washford Pyne are in a tucked-away and elevated part of mid-Devon along the Two Moors Way, between Dartmoor and Exmoor, so the views are glorious. Habitats along the walk are varied, with blowsy hedgerows in summer, small streams and lush broad-leaved woodland. You may not encounter any rarities, but the area offers an abundance of species in an idyllic setting. SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE WHERE TO WATCH 1 In Black Dog, Great Spotted Woodpecker often drum on the telegraph poles. Follow the road to Lower Black Dog, where village gardens host species such as Blue, Great and Long-tailed Tits, Robin, Willow Warbler, House…

UKBIRDSIGHTINGS The best rare birds seen all around Britain in May UK BIRD SIGHTINGS MAY As reported in the previous issue, May began with a ‘first’ for the UK. It was indeed the May Day Bank Holiday Monday (which for a change was actually on 1 May this year), when this first (if accepted) appeared: a magnificent Grey-headed Lapwing, at Newton Scrapes, Low Newton-by-the-Sea, Northumberland. The species had been predicted to be an addition to The British List, partly owing to its apparent expansion of its Asian wintering range, further westwards and southwards, and with vagrants turning up in the last decade or so in countries such as Oman, Norway, Sweden and Slovenia. In addition to having the decency to stay in place on a Bank Holiday (having been found in…

As has frequently been said before, August is an ‘autumn month’ in the world of birds. And autumn means rarities! How about one, two or three of these rare birds this month? CAPE GULL There has only ever been one UK Cape Gull, at Grafham Water in early August 2022 (above). And it returned’ to exactly the same place in mid-June 2023. At the time of going to press it was being re-searched for! The secret is to check every Great Black-backed Gull for grey legs, a big, ‘weird shaped’ bill and dark SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER There have only been about 35 seen in the UK, and a decent proportion have been in August, particularly the last week of the month. This is the eastern Siberian equivalent of the Pectoral Sandpiper…

This issue, we re only going to make one recommendation to help you complete our #My200BirdYear challenge — go to the Global Birdfair! Here’s why you need to… 1 MEET OTHER BIRDERS: As our sponsors Celestron rightly say on these pages, birding is all about community, and there’s no better place to build links than at the Global Birdfair. It might involve signing up to volunteer for one of the many organisations present, or joining a bird club or society, but it might be just chatting with the many, many birdwatchers who attend. You’ll pick up tips, recommendations and vital knowledge. 2 HEAR THE EXPERTS' VIEWS: There’s a packed programme of lectures and talks at Birdfair, with something to suit everybody. Learn more about a particular species or family of birds, discover…

The high level of biodiversity in Asturias is due to its geographic position, between the northern European region and the Mediterranean, and a wide variety of habitats, from the Cantabrian Mountains, dominated by the Picos de Europa, to the rugged coast, plus extensive mature forests. It's also located on a major migration route, with seabirds in particular passing off the coast in large numbers from August to December, and many waders using the estuaries, beaches and lakes along the shoreline. Asturias is the first stop for a large variety of small passerines, which at the end of summer leave the British Isles or France to migrate south. All this, combined with the good state of conservation of these ecosystems, makes Asturias a great place to experience all sorts of birdwatching.…

Superb seawatching with the chance to make discoveries MAX MILES ON FOOT: 3 MIN TIME: 3 HOURS Maryport is probably underwatched, like so many locations in Cumbria, so can always come up with a surprise. The harbour is more for pleasure craft these days, but was once a thriving fishing port. JOHN MILES WHERE TO WATCH 1 To the south of the town is an SSSI area well known for its plant life and butterflies. Open areas offer the chance of Sky Lark and Meadow Pipit. Bushes may have Whitethroat, Blackbird and Song Thrush. The plants include Pyramidal, Northern Marsh and Common Spotted Orchid, Common Broomrape and Bloody Cranesbill. The best butterfly is Small Blue along with Wall Brown and Grayling. 2 The harbour area is well known for a…

Breeding cranes are a highlight, but there's much more MAX MILES ON FOOT: 3 MIN TIME: 4 HOURS Lakenheath was one of those reserves that pre-empted the new trend of ‘rewilding’. Thanks to the RSPB, a carrot field was turned into a wetland, with reedbeds and open water, not to mention the Poplar stands once used every year by Golden Orioles. JOHN MILES WHERE TO WATCH 1 The visitor centre offers you views of birds at the bird feeders, with Marsh Tit a good bird here, along with Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Treecreeper. A small pool has a mixture of waterbirds, but look out for the flash of a Kingfisher. 2 A raised viewpoint allows you the chance to sit and scan the reedbeds and open water, where you…

A variety of bird species are assured in this corner of Kent MAX MILES ON FOOT: 6 MIN TIME: 4 HOURS A circular walk that takes in a wide range of wetland, agricultural and wooded habitats straddling the Low Weald and The Dowels at the western reaches of Walland Marsh. Farmland includes sheep-grazed pasture combined with arable land and reed-fringed ditches beside the riparian reaches of the Royal Military Canal, in contrast to the drier, hilly countryside to the north Birds of prey hunt the flatlands, with Marsh Harrier and Buzzard the most likely. The much sought after Corn Bunting and Tree Sparrow are still present but in ever diminishing numbers, particularly the latter species. PAUL TRODD WHERE TO WATCH 1 The bushes by the lane often attract a late…

WE LOVE… the baby Long-tailed Tits: magnificent and cute! 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker Martin Yelland Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mkll Lens: 800mm Shutter speed: 1/1,000s Aperture: f/5.6 ISO: 500 2 Osprey Cheryl Collier Camera: Nikon D500 Lens: 200-500mm Shutter speed: 1/2,000s Aperture: f/5.6 ISO: 2,800 3 Long-tailed Tits vai Hasiem Camera: Canon EOS R6 Lens: 234mm Shutter speed: 1/2,700s Aperture: f/5 ISO: 2,000 4 Yellow Wagtail Dave Dunne Camera: Nikon D7500 Lens: 150-600mm Shutter speed: 1/400s Aperture: f/6.3 ISO: 360 PICS FROM OUR FACEBOOK GROUP Join our dedicated #My200BirdYear Facebook group and share your best birding experiences and images with the community: facebook.com/groups/My200BirdYear…

They are a bit like smaller, slimmer gulls with pointy wings, black caps and forked tails. So, identifying terns is pretty straightforward, right? Er… terns can be a tad tricky. Indeed, when many of us were birding just a few decades ago, it was ‘standard practice’ to not even try to separate Arctic and Common Terns at any distance, and they got ‘lumped’ on lists as ‘Commie Terns’. Collective ID knowledge has improved greatly and excellent field guides like the unmatched Collins Bird Guide have revolutionised the way we look at ‘difficult’ birds like terns, simplifying things greatly by clarifying the ‘important’ features. That said, it is late summer, and not only adults but young terns are out and about. How about naming the six terns on this page? As…

Bird Watching magazine editor Matthew Merritt and assistant editor Mike Weedon will be joined by Scottish birding aficionado and UKBS editor Gordon Hamlett to lead a week of wildlife watching, based at the lovely Grant Arms Hotel in Grantown-on-Spey. The hotel boasts high quality en suite rooms and traditional Scottish fare prepared with local ingredients, and while it takes care of bed, breakfast and dinner, we’ll provide optional guided walks, expert tips, bird quizzes, and evening talks. We’ll be within easy reach of sites in the Highlands, along the Moray Coast, and the Black Isle, and the trip will also include a day on the West Coast. We’ll expect to find species such as Crested Tit, Crossbill, Snow Bunting, Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Red and Black Grouse, and a wealth…

BIRDTHEWORLD THE BEST HOLIDAY OFFERS & TRAVEL REPORTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE READER HOLIDAY Do you want to give your #My200BirdYear list the perfect boost at the start of autumn migration? Or just want to experience the amazing variety and quality of bird life that can be found around the Scottish Highlands in late summer? This Bird Watching Readers' Holiday, run by our long-term partners Heatherlea, offers the chance to see Scottish specialities such as Golden and White-tailed Eagles, Ptarmigan, Crested Tits, Crossbills, Black and Red Grouse, three diver species, Slavonian Grebe, and Hooded Crow, as well as all manner of birds migrating. At the same time last year, these included the likes of Great and Sooty Shearwaters, Red-backed and Brown Shrikes, Melodious Warbler, Common Rosefinch and Pectoral Sandpiper, and a highlight…

BIRD OF THE MONTH HOBBY In flight, no British bird compares in grace and elegance with the Hobby. It’s famously often compared with a ‘giant Swift’, with long, slim, pointed wings which give Hobbies great speed and agility in the air. Unlike Swifts, which fly around like high-speed, flying Basking Sharks, mouth wide open to catch flying insects, Hobbies use their feet to snap up insects large and small with incredible precision. Now we are in the heart of the dragonfly season, these big insects (which, in terms of hunting style, are the insect equivalent of the Hobby) dominate the chosen prey items of the falcon. They will also hunt flying birds, being fond of grabbing other insect-eaters, such as Swallows and martins, in mid-air. As a result, one good…

When America sneezes, Britain catches more than a cold. Those prevailing winds that swoosh relentlessly eastwards across the Atlantic laden with rare birds have long ferried less welcome cargoes. Over-sexed GIs with gifts of chocolate and nylon stockings in the war-torn 1940s heralded an eventual full-scale cultural invasion, with rock ’n’ roll, cholesterol-laden fast foods, cheesier TV sitcoms and far, far worse. Long before American hegemony was assailing our daily lives with social media speak, trans-Atlantic lexical creep was damaging the very essence of a pastime that seems so quintessentially British. We say birdwatching, they say birding, to steal a line from George and Ira Gershwin. What greater crime has there been against the English language than turning the everyday noun ‘bird’ into a verb? Visit a nature reserve or…

Wonderful woodland, plus other varied habitats MAX MILES ON FOOT: 4 MIN TIME: 3 HOURS Dunecht Estate is a wonderful location for a walk, being an easy distance from Aberdeen and Westhill. The main estate runs to over 53,000 acres, but this walk is centred near the main house, with a wide mixture of habitats on show. JOHN MILES WHERE TO WATCH 1 One of the easiest areas to cover is just off the A944 Aberdeen to Alford road. A lovely track takes you towards Loch of Skene through conifer woodland and mixed scrub, with a burn entering the loch. I have often found Crossbills here as there is a mix of Douglas Fir and Scots Pine offering seed at different times of the year. Along with these are Siskin,…

An important sanctuary on the edge of York MAX MILES ON FOOT: 1 MIN TIME:1 HOUR Askham Bog, which was Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s first nature reserve in 1946, is a wildlife-rich pocket of fen, bog and woodland — a surviving remnant of Yorkshire’s ancient fenlands. The site has impressive plantlife, including England’s largest colony of Gingerbread Sedge, and Royal Ferns thought to be hundreds of years old. If you only have time for a quick visit, there’s a short, circular boardwalk, but it’s worth savouring a longer outing to explore the paths around the site, especially in winter and spring. Expect a good mix of woodland birds, topped up with warblers in spring and raptors overhead. PAUL BROOK WHERE TO WATCH 1 In autumn and winter, it's well worth starting…

A superb migration watch point on a scenic coastline MAX MILES ON FOOT: 6 MIN TIME: 4 HOURS This is the site that first piqued my interest in ‘twitching’ when a Red-flanked Bluetail dropped in, back in 2009. Durlston covers 320 acres and with its renovated ‘castle’ and lighthouse, it is, as you would expect, very popular with tourists. However, choose your time right and you can still easily escape the crowds and discover that this part of the Purbeck coast is a very special spot for birds. In fact, the country park has been described as “one of the most significant in the region for studying bird migration.” LEE CONNOR WHERE TO WATCH 1 There is a woodland walk to the north of the visitor centre. Wood Warblers, Turtle…

Different subspecies? Q On several trips to the west coast of Norway (Bergen) I have seen Nuthatches, during different months in spring to autumn. I have seen them close to the coast, in fully or sparsely treed areas (particularly conifers). It is obvious that they look whiter than Nuthatches in the UK. The underside is all white; most often I cannot see any buff or orange. They probably/possibly might look just a little larger than I expect. The whistling calls are the same, as far as I can tell. Does this suggest a subspecies difference from that in the UK? Or is it common for birds to be whiter in colder countries? Roy Dowsett A The brief answer is that British Nuthatches are indeed of a different subspecies from those…

ID TIP! Though most terns are medium-sized, there is a wide range from the huge Caspian Tern to the very small Little Tern BIRD 1 I his is a striking tern by any standards (and in real life, it would appear even more so). The first thing that should stand out is the size and shape of the bill. Most familiar terns have long, fine, slim almost dainty bills. This one is a big red whopper, very thick at the base pointing to a pointed (black) tip, more reminiscent of a gull’s bill than many terns. Combine this bill with the black cap (speckled with white on the forehead), the short tail, the very long wings and the black feet (just showing) and this bird can only be the scarce…

Peru has, courtesy of a majestic appearance by Paddington Bear in 2022, seen more interest for all age groups in recent months and was long overdue a visit. Packing a modestly sized suitcase and fuelled by marmalade sandwiches, the adventure began. As the host nation for the 11th South American Bird Fair, held in Cusco, in October, Peru is a richly diverse nation of culture, habitats and birds. Here is a country with the second largest bird species list; a remarkable 1,860 species have been recorded on eBird, and according to BirdLife International there are a staggering 139 endemics. Downloading the ‘Birds of Peru app proved useful for identification and recording species. The charming Peruvian people are eager to share the depth of all aspects of their country: from an…