Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i Bird Watching

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR 2023? #My200BirdYear challenge Many of us, I suspect, first get drawn into birding by raptors – they're relatively large and noticeable, and they have an air of drama and excitement about them that piques your interest and inspires further investigation. That's why the persecution faced by some UK raptors arouses such strong emotions among UK birders. On page 34, Conor Jameson takes a close look at one of our shyest, most mysterious, but also most thrilling birds of prey – the Goshawk – 10 years on from his acclaimed study of the species. There's good news and bad, as you might have guessed. On page 28, you can read about two birders who decided to take steps – literally – to try to help fight…

twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag RARITY RATINGS Common, widely distributed Localised – always a treat Very scarce or rare JUVENILE GANNET Let's hope that, as hinted at on Springwatch this year, Gannets bounce back well from the ravages of avian influenza which did so much tragic damage to our seabird colonies in 2022. Juvenile Gannets (ie, those hatched this year) are somewhat surprisingly handsome birds. Looking grey from a distance, they are neatly streaked and white spotted if seen up close. Of course, they will wander the seas for a few years after leaving the natal colony. But, some will inevitably turn up inland, and many more will be viewable on our coasts, during the autumn. If you are wondering if a distant seabird is a juvenile Gannet or a large shearwater, remember…

Goldfinch The wing and tail patterns are the best indicator that this little finch is a Goldfinch, as the youngsters lack the striking red, black and white head pattern of the adults. Instead, the head is buffy brown and the underparts subtly streaky. Crossbill Crossibills come in all colours between quite deep red to yellowish, with green birds in between. Juveniles, though, are at the streaky, brown end of the spectrum, adding greener tones to their plumage as they mature. All Crossbills have distinctive crossed bills, of course. Greenfinch Resembles the adult female but is browner and streakier, and less green on the underparts. The stout bill (for a smallish finch) is always a bit of a giveaway, as are the yellow feathers in the wing and outer tail. Bullfinch…

PATCH DIARY There are some breeding birds which are very difficult to count. Think, for instance, of the Water Rail. It is a not a bird most of us see very often, if at all. It is one of those birds which (according to it) should be heard and not seen. Most ‘familiar’ is the somewhat disturbing piglet-squealing call coming from the middle of a reedbed. But they have a range of other calls/ songs which, once learned, you start to hear everywhere (at least around the watery, ditchy fenlands where I live), even in the breeding season. A quick glance at some recent copies of the Cambridgeshire Bird Report (the county which makes up the bulk of the Peterborough Bird Club recording area) reveals that each year only about…

NEWS & OPINION “Is that a Marsh Frog?” I asked Hawkeye as we sat on the viewing ramp overlooking the vast reedbeds of a local reserve. “Nope” came a voice behind me from a passing stranger. “It's a Raven” he added pointing towards the sky. I looked up to see a Raven directly over my head. ‘Kronk' he obligingly called. A moment later the Marsh Frog called again from the water below. “No one likes a smartarse”, I thought, referring to the frog, or possibly the passing stranger, who had, by then, passed along the path. I've seen this phenomenon often. I will be sitting on the supplied bench gazing across a reed-clad lake. My scope standing by in case a wader dares the deep water's edge. On arrival I…

30 minute BIRDER It's an hour after dawn on the longest day of the year. It's pleasantly cool and rays from the still-low sun are gently warming the back of my neck. I set up my scope and angle it diagonally to the base of the low cliffs. On the southernmost point of Portland, an island tied to mainland Dorset by Chesil Beach, the working day is well underway for the local commuters. Guillemots and Razorbills splash into the water from the cliff ledges. After floating for a while, small groups set off at vigorous speed in all directions to today's choice feeding sites. Among the lingering dark-coloured auks, a group of four Kittiwakes stands out, bobbing in a strong current which rapidly whisks the birds south past the Bill…

This month's ID Challenge encompasses any migrants passing through the country in autumn which happen to be scarce, bordering on rare. They're the sort of birds we all head out hoping, or dreaming, to find whenever we go birding in September or October. They are the sort of birds which thrill us, delight us, and keep us coming back for more. No, they are not mega rarities, but they have enough rarity to make them special birds, a notch above the average; real motivation species. Of course, to find such birds it really helps if you can identify them. So, to warm you up, how about having a go at this month's challenge? Simply name the six birds featured on this page (all of them being scarce passage migrants in…

In association with os.uk/osm MAX MILES ON FOOT: 4 MIN TIME: 2.5 HOURS Floodplains, farmland and a riverside stroll Starting with views of Bishopthorpe Palace, then following the river Ouse to Acaster Malbis, and back across fields, this popular circular route offers a very pleasant walk and a good mix of birds. PAUL BROOK WHERE TO WATCH 1 Start your walk down Chantry Lane at the end of Main Street. Look out for Treecreepers, Nuthatches, tits and finches in the palace woodland and around the back of the old church. As you walk by the river, look back to enjoy views of Bishopthorpe Palace. Check the river for Grey Wagtails and Kingfishers, and Goosanders in winter. 2 Bishopthorpe Ings – between the boatyard and old railway bridge (now carrying the…

In association with os.uk/osm MAX MILES ON FOOT: 4 MIN TIME: 4 HOURS Find autumn migrants in this sheltered valley Portland, quite rightly, is the mecca for birdwatchers in Dorset but this little-known, somewhat remote sheltered valley is well worth a look too as it often turns up some interesting finds, especially during spring and autumn migrations. From November 1969 to mid-April 1970, Dorset's second Wallcreeper flitted amongst the stone quarries here, and in 1993, there was a Red-flanked Bluetail, which seems to be something of a Dorset speciality! LEE CONNOR WHERE TO WATCH 1 Starting from Worth Matravers, head south towards the coast. Conservation grazing of the sloping meadows hopes to bring back important lost plants such as Green-winged and Early Spider Orchids, of course benefitting birds such as…

Mystery bird 1 Q Please identify this odd looking bird. David Dennis A Your bird, David, is a melanistic Black-headed Gull or a very dirty/oiled Black-headed Gull. Mystery bird 2 Q I was in Yorkshire yesterday (mid-July) and photographed the attached bird. Could you help identify it as I'm not sure if the Merlin app is correct. Many thanks in advance for your help. JW Forsyth A Your bird, JW, is a Chiffchafff, seemingly in a period of moult, which is making its head shape look a little odd. Balding Robin Q This adult Robin is on his second brood and seems fine in himself but is looking worse on a weekly basis. It is clearly not moulting. It started early in the year with a line across his chest…

DAY 1: SATURDAY ARRIVAL Courtesy collection service from Aviemore. DAY 2: MORAY COAST Wader passage in full swing, we look for Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, Greenshank, Little Stint, Curlew, Wood and Green Sandpipers. Nearctic vagrants can turn up – Pectoral, White-rumped and Baird's Sandpipers seen on recent tours. Likely are Goosander, Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated Diver, Shag and perhaps Common and Velvet Scoters. DAY 3: OUTER HEBRIDES MIGRATION SEA TRIP Travel to Ullapool for a ferry to Isle of Lewis. Black Guillemot, Red-throated Diver and eagles are possible, plus Fulmar, Gannet, Manx Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Great and Arctic Skuas and commoner auks. It's a great time of year for Sooty Shearwater; rarer possibilities include Balearic, Cory's or Great Shearwaters, Leach's Petrel, Pomarine and Long-tailed Skuas, or perhaps Grey Phalarope or…

I have written previously about repeatedly working in the same locations and with the same subjects. There is simply no substitute for familiarity when it comes to creating work of the very highest standard, and for taking your photography to the next level. This is a great way to build a coherent body of work that can tell a story of both species and location. These skills are transferable when you work with new subjects and new locations, where you can draw on experiences to get the best out of these fresh opportunities. I recently spent a week in Shetland enjoying its incredible seabird colonies and filling my memory cards with Gannet-like gluttony. In fact, Gannets were one of my primary target species for the trip, and I wanted to…

Dominic Couzens: “It's the Hobby. They always bring drama, but that's combined with panache and elegance – they would make an excellent female James Bond. They are licensed to kill, but somehow it's acceptable!” Conor Jameson: “Goshawk – it is our most perfectly designed, most important, most persecuted, most mysterious and least understood bird of prey. I don't know of any bird with which humanity has had a more interesting cultural relationship.” Jonny Rankin: “Red Kite. I remember seeing my first up on the Black Isle as a teenager. Since then, I've had the same rush of adrenaline seeing my first for West Suffolk about 10 years ago! Now I can see these spectacular birds over my Suffolk garden, almost daily!” …and the Bird Watching team's answers Matt Merritt: “The…

WESTERN SWAMPHEN There has probably only ever been one individual of the big, moorhen-like bird, formerly known as the Purple Gallinule, in the UK. First seen at Minsmere, Suffolk, in July to August 2016, it relocated to Alkborough Flats, Lincolnshire from August to November (and reappeared there in January 2017). Time for another! COMMON YELLOWTHROAT There was a 30-year gap between the first UK Common Yellowthroat (November 1954) and the next two, in 1994, since when there have been eight more, the last being in 2012, a spring bird. The last autumn individual was in 2006; we're well overdue another, perhaps this month… SIBERIAN THRUSH There have been just more than a dozen accepted UK records of this Asian thrush (the clue is in the name) since the first in…

Find the location closest to your destination and add or subtract the hours and minutes from the high tide time at London Bridge, below. SOUTH WEST Weston-Super-Mare (+5:05) Barnstaple (+4:30) Newquay (+3:32) Falmouth (+3:30) Plymouth (+4:05) Torquay (+4:40) Bournemouth (-5:09)* Portland (+4:57) St Peter Port (+4:53) Swanage (-5:19)* Portsmouth (-2:29) Southampton (-2:53) SOUTH EAST Ryde (-2:29) Brighton (-2:51) Eastbourne (-2:48) Dungeness (-3:05) Dover (-2:53) Margate (-1:52) Herne Bay (-1:24) Southend-on-sea (-1:22) Clacton-on-sea (-2:00) EAST ANGLIA Felixstowe Pier (-2:23) Aldeburgh (-2:53) Lowestoft (-4:23) Cromer (+4:56) Hunstanton (+4:44) WALES Colwyn Bay (-2:47) Holyhead (-3:28) Barmouth (-5:45) Aberystwyth (-6:11) Fishguard (+5:44) Swansea (+4:42) *Approximate times due to large variance between the month's neap and spring tides. All times are GMT. Milford Haven (+4:37) Cardiff (+5:15) NORTH WEST Whitehaven (-2:30) Douglas (-2:44) Morecambe (-2:33)…

Britain's first twitchable Black-winged Kite attracted large numbers of birders to Hickling Broad, Norfolk, as we went to press on 18 July. Found late the previous evening, it is the second confirmed UK record of the bird, with one seen in Mid-Wales in April. In that case, unfortunately, the bird was seen only by the finders and had vanished by the time anyone else could get to the remote area. At about the same time, there was also a credible report of one from Suffolk, and there have also been records from the Channel Islands, including one on Alderney in the spring of 2020, so a twitchable record has long been predicted and eagerly anticipated. The species was previously generally known as the Black-shouldered Kite, but the name was changed…

ET A TARGET OF SEEING 200 BIRDS IN ONE YEAR! BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 1 GO BIRDING REGULARLY It might sound obvious, but at this time of year, hours spent in the field pay huge dividends. Dawn and dusk are the best times, but as in spring, heavy showers can ground migrants briefly at any time, so check, check and recheck all your regular haunts every chance you get. 2 WATCH OUT FOR THE WIND Early autumnal gales can blow all sorts of seabirds inland (this is the time of year to look for Sabine's Gull, or maybe just a Gannet or Kittiwake), as well as vagrants from across the Atlantic (and sometimes from Asia). Watch those weather patterns, and expect the unexpected. 3 CHECK JUVENILES Many of the birds migrating…

Located at key migration points, the 20 accredited bird observatories in the British Isles, plus the one on Alderney in the Channel Islands, are centres for long-term monitoring of bird populations and migration. Through daily census records and ringing, observatories produce vital information for monitoring bird populations and migration. In addition to the contribution bird observatories make to bird science, they also offer volunteers the opportunity to participate in ornithological research studies, enable visitors to see the work of the observatories at close-hand and some are able to provide accommodation, too. Find out more here: www.birdobscouncil.org.uk…

When I first began looking in earnest for the fabled ‘phantom’ Goshawk back in the first decade of the new millennium, it wasn't so much to see the bird as to understand why it was ‘missing’, and why so little was being said about the anomaly. I had by then, after many years in conservation, become wearily familiar with the extent to which ‘difficult’ animals are routinely and illegally ‘culled’ in this country, and I wondered why the Goshawk's absence was all but overlooked. The Goshawk's case wasn't helped by the fact that many birders were at best sniffy about its origins – it snuck back into the British Isles via the cages of hawk-keepers – and a curious and enduring falsehood that it might not be native in the…

In association with os.uk/osm MAX MILES ON FOOT: 3 MIN TIME: 2 HOURS Varied birding in a former industrial landscape This is an old coal mining area, with the pond having been created by subsidence. A large reedbed is also here, but limited access means few reedbed birds have been recorded other than an old record of Bittern. JOHN MILES WHERE TO WATCH 1 Take the minor road to Ashholme, checking the fields as you go. Spring will see Lapwing displaying, and the odd Redshank, along with Sky Lark and Meadow Pipit. Black-headed Gulls will be feeding over the fields, with a late Common Gull, while Lesser Black-backed Gulls come to the area to look for afterbirth from the lambing. Look towards the South Tyne for a passing Osprey in…

In association with os.uk/osm MAX MILES ON FOOT: 5 MIN TIME: 3 HOURS Craggy coastline and a wooded river valley The Marsland Valley is a beautifully verdant Devon Wildlife Trust Reserve, tucked behind a steep and craggy coastline. It was originally bought as small parcels of land for conservation in the 1960s by Christopher Cadbury, of the famous chocolate family. Now under the management of the Trust, at 212 hectares it is one of their largest reserves, and an SSSI. The land faces different directions, increasing the variety of habitat, with Marsland Water marking the boundary between Devon and Cornwall. Access to the reserve is only on the public footpaths that thread their way through it. The South West Coast Path, between Marsland and Welcombe Mouths, is extremely strenuous walking!…

DOMINIC COUZENS ON THE… “THERE ARE RECORDS IN THE WILD OF 14 HOUSE MARTINS CRAMMING INTO A SINGLE MUD-NEST, ORDERING THEMSELVES INTO LAYERS, ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER.” WHERE TO SEE THEM House Martins have a very wide distribution across the vast majority of the UK. They almost all nest on buildings, preferring sites near to available wet mud (for the nest) or in artificial nest boxes. It's September and autumn is well underway, with its tinting of leaves, fruitfulness, migrating south and – breeding? You might not immediately recognise it among the latest of UK birds to have young in the nest, but the House Martin is regularly engaged in the task of bringing up tardy young at this time of year. A few years ago, I ran…

SPOT X 2-WAY SATELLITE MESSENGER, £276 Birding somewhere remote? Pair this to your smartphone and use satellites to stay in touch. ‘Tracking’ tells people your location. ‘Check-in’ tells them you're OK. ‘SOS’ sends coordinates to search and rescue, and allows two-way messaging about your emergency. Also works as a standalone comms device (with US mobile number). You'll need to pay for a service plan, too. 2.7in screen, dust and water protected, impact resistant. 198g. 16.6 × 7.4 × 4.4cm. Battery can last 10 days in in ‘Tracking’ mode. gtc.co.uk SILVA POCKET COMPASS, £9.89 A basic compass with a thermometer attached. It's “precise and accurate” and is mounted on a split ring mounted on a small carabiner. It's not big or heavy and the thermometer has Fahrenheit and Celsius calibration, and…

SOUTH WEST Highlights In association with A Scops Owl was reportedly calling at New Grimsby, Tresco, Isles of Scilly on 18th. Also unconfirmed was a Longlegged Buzzard near Soapy Cove, Cornwall. Other regional treats included a Fea's-type petrel past Pendeen, Cornwall, and a Savi's Warbler at Budleigh Salterton, Devon. AVON CLEVEDON-WESTON-SUPER-MARE: Two Sandwich Terns were at Uphill (21st). Clevedon-Yeo had a Marsh Harrier twice, and a few late Whimbrels. SEVERNSIDE: Severn Beach had a dark-bellied Brent Goose (12th), two Common Scoters (25th), a Greenshank (15th) and eight Kittiwakes (9th). Migrating Nightjars were at four coastal locations. Avocets and Little Ringed Plovers bred at Pilning Wetland, with two Spoonbills (11th) and the first returning Wheatear and Redstart also there. Three Mediterranean Gulls were noted. THE RESERVOIRS: Chew held a Garganey, Goldeneye,…

5.3 million Despite huge declines in recent decades, the House Sparrow remains easily our commonest sparrow, with this many pairs nesting in the UK 5 Number of North American birds with the name ‘sparrow’ on The British List 2.5 million Number of pairs of Dunnock in the UK. The bird formerly widely known as the Hedgesparrow owing to its ‘Robin in sparrow's clothing’ appearance 245,000 Current number of pairs of Tree Sparrow in the UK, after a greater than 90% population decline between 1970 and 2008 4 Number of true sparrows on The British List…

PLANT Orange spectacle Spectacular Rustgill is well named. This mushroom can be very large – more than six inches in diameter – and is a brilliant orange. They typically grow in clusters from the base of deciduous trees, but these were on a pine. PLANT The Devil you know Stroll through a dampish meadow or along a riverbank this month, and you may well spot the lilac balls – spherical pin-cushions – of Devil's-bit Scabious nodding in the breeze. Flowering from July to October, it is visited by numerous insects, most notably Marsh Fritillary, a rare butterfly. Its name derives from its truncated roots which were purportedly bitten off by the Devil. MOTH Autumn hues The group of moths known as sallows is one of my favourites. They come clad…

Beaver release planned Eurasian Beavers are to be released at Nene Wetlands, Rushden, Northamptonshire. The Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs and Northants has secured a licence from Natural England to release the mammals into an enclosed area in the winter of 20242025. The Wildlife Trusts said it would work closely with the Beaver Trust to “ensure the highest welfare standards”. Help for Rathlin seabirds Traps and bait stations are to be laid over Rathlin Island, off the Northern Ireland coast, in order to eradicate ferrets and rats and protect the island's internationally significant population of breeding seabirds, including Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Fulmars and Manx Shearwaters. ‘Extinct’ warbler identified New research shows that the presumed extinct Bachman's Warbler was a full species. It was last seen in North America 40…

Birding is about community. It's about not only seeing birds but also sharing what you've seen with others. It's about the bonds such sharing creates. It's about friendships; friendships that endure across both miles and years. At Celestron, of the many things of which we're most proud throughout our more than six decades of creating optical instruments, few are more dearly held close to our hearts than the knowledge that our binoculars and spotting scopes are used by birders around the world in forming and strengthening this enthusiastic and enduring community. While we have long been a friend and enthusiastic member of the birding community with Bird Watching, we are now deeply honoured also to be a partner with them in #My200BirdYear. Working together, it is our fondest wish that…

PORTLAND, DORSET Martin Cade, who has been a warden at Portland Bird Observatory for 35 years, tells me that, while peak times for birders are April-May and then again in September-October, the months between can be rewarding, too. “There's always something interesting for birders and other naturalists in the summer,” he says. Accommodation for up to 24 is offered in the lighthouse, or a nearby building, all year round, and lone birders can often be accommodated without sharing, as I was. www.portlandbirdobs.com/ COPELAND, CO. DOWN David Galbraith, bookings secretary and keen birder at the Copeland, tells me that the observatory doesn't really have a quiet season when it re-opens after the winter: “From March to May we have spring migration, June-July are busy with seabird breeding, then autumn migration starts…

I tweaked the curtain and absorbed the view. The sunshine made the sea sparkle as two (Common) Eiders, plump and round as curling stones, floated just offshore. Why was I indoors when outside was perfect birdwatching weather? Because it was midnight and I was at Varangerfjord in northern Norway, high above the Arctic Circle where the sun doesn't set in summer. It can be hard to go to bed. With so much daylight and so many exciting birds to see in this wild and dramatic part of the world, it is tempting to keep birdwatching all day and all night, but that's not realistic. I know, I've tried it, and your body will force you to stop after a few days. So, it's better to pace yourself and rest at…

Immature shrikes Shrikes are special birds: passerines which behave like non-passerine birds of prey. And, in the UK, they are rare enough to make them very special to encounter on any day's birding. Red-backed Shrike (above) • Rufous brown above (including rump), whitish below • Shoulders same colour as mantle • Brown wings, no wing patch • Scaly feathering all over • Medium-length tail • Bill has yellowish-buff base ID TIP! Most autumn shrikes in the UK are first calendar year birds. So, don't expect the plumage of spring males! Woodchat Shrike (above) • Cold yellow/grey-brown above (pale rump), whitish below • Shoulders with much white • Brown wings, small pale wing patch • Scaly feathering all over • Medium-length tail Great Grey Shrike (left) • Pale grey head, back…

In association with os.uk/osm MAX MILES ON FOOT: 1 MIN TIME: 2 HOURS One of the most remarkable nature reserves in Wales Cors Dyfi, a Montgomery Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve situated on the upper reaches of the Dyfi Estuary, extends just some 41 acres in a wonderful mixture of bog, swamp, wet woodland, wet meadows and scrub. Ospreys, having summered since 2007, nested in 2011 on a nest platform right next to the Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury railway, and three chicks were reared, the first since ‘fisheyhawkes’ were reported as nesting on the Dyfi by a Flemish drainage engineer in 1604. The excellent facilities, with the exception of the elevated bird hide, are fully accessible to wheelchair users and include a visitor centre with a small shop. DAVID SAUNDERS WHERE TO…

REFLECTIONS MARK AVERY PELAGIC, SB, £20 It's a while since we have had a book from Mark – his excellent A Message From Martha, about extinctions, was a real stand-out, but that was nearly a decade ago. Here Mark delves back into his many years working in conservation to try and tell us where we are going wrong, and how we could improve the situation in the UK. The UK's withdrawal from the EU and what it means for conservation, as well as how some of the NGOs missed an opportunity to keep us more connected to Europe. If you're interested in the politics of conservation, and what it means in practical terms, then this is for you. BOOK OF THE MONTH COMPANION TO WILDLIFE GARDENING CHRIS BAINES FRANCIS LINCOLN,…