Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2024 i Bird Watching

What’s your dodgiest ‘lifer’, the tick on your list that you’re still not quite sure about? Amanda Tuke: “The possible glimpse of a reported Spotted Crake (or young Moorhen?) in a reedbed in South London – which still has three question marks on my list.” David Lindo: “The distant Sprague’s Pipit that I saw flying over a field in Texas. Well, it was a pipit, and the only one to be found in the region. I think…” Ian Parsons: “Spotted Eagle, sitting a long way away on the edge of a field in eastern Poland. Thought we’d see more, but that was, and is, the only one. So far!” David Chandler: “Baird’s Sandpiper, Staines Reservoir, in my youth. Distant, and I was told that’s what it was… To be honest,…

twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag RARITY RATINGS Common, widely distributed Localised – always a treat Very scarce or rare FIELDFARE We are lucky in the UK to have two species of ‘winter thrush’, each of which has substantial UK wintering populations: the Redwing and the Fieldfare. Both are handsome birds, but arguably the Fieldfare wears the crown of the most pleasing on the eye, mixing its large size (approaching the Mistle Thrush in length) with a pale blue-grey head and rump, brown back and black tail. With a wintering population of approaching 700,000 birds, our Fieldfares roughly outnumber Mistle Thrushes by two to one. And they are easy to see, often in substantial numbers, whether they are feeding on berries along a hedgerow, or seeking worms and other invertebrates, spread out over an…

FUNGUS Draw the curtains Hairy Curtain Crust gets its name from the rippled edge of its fruiting bodies. It usually grows in tiers on standing dead wood. The variability in its colouration is famous. This is one of the World’s most widely distributed fungi, being found as a native from North America into the Southern Hemisphere, even reaching Australia. BUTTERFLY Hanging out Although there is a chance that you will see an adult Peacock airborne on a sunny, mild January day, how about setting yourself the challenge this month of finding an adult hibernating? This attractive butterfly likes dark places with an even temperature: sheds are a good bet, but caves, cellars and tunnels are even better. Look carefully, though, for only the insect’s rather camouflaged underwings will be visible.…

Collaboration helps fight vulture threat A new paper in the journal Animal Conservation shows the population of Egyptian Vultures in the Balkans has stabilised. The vultures were being killed by human activities along their entire migratory route, from Europe via the Middle East, to Africa, but thanks to an ambitious project funded by the European Union, involving 22 organisations across three continents, the Balkan population has now stabilised at around 50 breeding pairs, with hopes that it will start to grow again. Ringing records boost seabird work A Black Guillemot chick ringed in Orkney in July 1997, which was recaptured in Orkney in May 2022, making it the oldest known Black Guillemot in Britain and Ireland, is one of the new records in the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) latest…

On the first cool day of late September it felt like summer might finally be on the way out. There were hints of browning leaves in the woods opposite, and it was overcast, with a fresh breeze coming from the west, which forced me to shut my office window. Autumn can be both an intense and exciting time for birders, but also cause more than a few bouts of FOMO (fear of missing out), which is something I definitely suffer from. The previous week had been an extraordinary one for rare birds. I imagined the west of Britain tilting a few inches lower into the Irish Sea with the weight of twitchers racing to Pembrokeshire to see a bevy of American warblers – Magnolia, Bay-breasted and, of course, Britain’s first…

Colour is one of the reasons we love birds; it is one of the things which lifts our avian friends above, say, the mammals, which are usually dull greys and browns. That said, the simple and striking effect of black-and-white plumage is also very attractive to many of our human eyes (and brains). It may be something to do with the extreme contrast of colours, but black-and-white birds can be delightful to look at, even if they are in ‘winter plumage’. There are black-and-white birds in most bird families, from wildfowl to wagtails and all sorts in between (and beyond). Here are six of them (with an added watery theme). All you have to do to complete the ID Challenge is name them. Then, when you are happy with your…

In association with MAX MILES ON FOOT: 2 MIN TIME: 2 HOURS This is a lovely area for birding, or just walking, with a history that takes in the Romans and the salt industry. The Cumbria Coastal Trail passes through the area, along with a cycle trail to Silloth. WHERE TO WATCH 1 This coastal route between Maryport and Silloth has so many birding spots, with this one ideal for a number of species. A limited area of sand dunes can give you Sky Lark, while the large beach at low tide is ideal for a number of waders, like Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher and Redshank, and in winter may have Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit and Turnstone. 2 With such a shallow sea here, high tide is still a place for birds…

In association with os.uk/osm MAX MILES ON FOOT: 5 MIN TIME: 4 HOURS Just behind the coastline of this area of South Devon lie two freshwater lakes, renowned for year-round wildlife value and excellent for overwintering birds. The larger is Slapton Ley NNR, separated from the sea by a narrow shingle ridge that carries the South West Coast Path. The lagoon is edged by areas of dense reedbed (particularly at Higher Ley), with good scrub cover in places. Smaller Widdicombe Ley lies further west, and the two are linked by pleasing paths that meander through patches of woodland, well hedged farmland, and along the coast. WHERE TO WATCH 1 The ‘Sherman Tank’ car park in Torcross runs alongside one end of Slapton Ley, with a hide at the end of…

Little Bittern? Q I was staying just outside Sermione on Lake Garda, Italy, in September of 2023, and I spotted this unusual bird (right) which my research leads me to believe is a Little Bittern. I would really appreciate it if you could either confirm this or – if I’m mistaken – please tell me what it is? Superb magazine, many thanks. Dave Elliott A Great shot, Dave, of a bird which is often hidden in reeds! We believe we can confirm with some confidence that your research led you very much up the right path, to Little Bittern. Your Little Bittern is notably striped on its underparts and, with pale brown cheeks and a dark crown, is probably an immature bird.…

By the time you read this, winter will be well and truly with us and, hopefully, some of that fantastic winter light, too. In my opinion, winter and early spring are the best times to photograph the birds in the garden, so why not make a project of it in the coming months? The garden can be used as an outdoor photography studio where you can dictate many of the conditions to create the sort of images you really like. And there will be no long walks with heavy camera gear to contend with, and a welcome supply of hot coffee close at hand! However, if you want to get the best out of the opportunities winter will provide you with the birds in your garden this year, then there…

THE LIFE OF BIRDS BY SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH WILLIAM COLLINS, HB, £25 BOOK OF THE MONTH What can you add to a book like this? Sir David sells himself, the pictures are amazing and the tales about the birds are, too. It is not exactly the format that you might think, with the pictures kept to distinct blocks within the book, but there is plenty to learn about our feathered friends, even for someone like me who has spent a lifetime watching them. Just one fact from the book – the Wrybill in New Zealand has its bill bent sideways so it can probe under the stones, instead of flipping them like a Turnstone! That was just one bit of information that grabbed me, and the book is full of…

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR 2024? #My200BirdYear challenge At long last, we seem to have a full-blown Waxwing winter on our hands! On our recent reader holiday at the Grant Arms, we caught up with a big flock in Inverness, and as I write, small groups are starting to pop up in the supermarket car parks of the Midlands, close to home. I’m also spending plenty of time scanning finch flocks for Bramblings (above), but no luck yet. Both are charismatic, memorable birds to see, but in this issue Paul Brook also takes a look at those times you catch up with a sought-after life tick, but come away feeling just a little bit disappointed. His article is a reminder that the joy of birdwatching is more about taking in…

PIED-BILLED GREBE This small American grebe is rarer than records may suggest, with perhaps 60 records (once ‘repeat’ records are excluded) in the UK. Long-staying birds, such as that at Loch Feorlin, Argyll, present from 2014 to 2022, also dampen birders’ desire to see another. But it is high time we had a ‘new’ Pied-billed Grebe. Check all your local water bodies! CEDAR WAXWING There have been just 12 accepted UK records of this small US species, and almost 28 years since a famous longstayer in a Waxwing flock in Nottingham (Feb-Mar 1996). Will the current ‘Waxwing winter’ combine with an exceptional few months of American passerines to deliver another? Check Waxwings carefully for whitish undertail coverts and ‘plain’ wings. SLATY-BACKED GULL There has only been one accepted Slaty-backed Gull…

PATCH DIARY I am a bit of a fan of the Moomin books by Tove Jansson. In Moominland Midwinter, we encounter a squirrel, the self-styled ‘Squirrel with the Marvellous Tail’. Unfortunately, it is not the smartest squirrel, and prepares poorly for the winter, is caught by the cold and dies. As I recall, the author tells you if this has made you a bit sad, turn to page such-and-such (later in the book), and if you do, you find a picture of an identical Squirrel with the Marvellous Tail, seen the next spring. Naturally, it is a lovely tufty-eared Red Squirrel. And equally naturally, we came across a few of these beautiful little squirrels on our latest reader holiday in the Scottish Highlands based at the Grant Arms Hotel. And…

NEWS & OPINION Most people who make New Year’s resolutions promise to stop smoking, give up the booze or eat less red meat. Well, being the paragon of virtue that you all know I am, I haven’t smoked for a quarter of a century. Last year, I had as many as nine beers in total, so I’m not teetering on the alcoholic brink. As for red meat, nothing higher up the phylogenetic scale than a mollusc have I ingested since the early eighties. Unless cauliflowers are an endangered species, I’m not a threat to biodiversity. If my memory was in a bit better shape I might remember sex and drugs and rock and roll, but the body is too far away from hench for the former, and my hearing is…

In association with os.uk/osm MAX MILES ON FOOT: 4 MIN TIME: 3 HOURS Lochmaben has a rich history, which is rather diversely centred around Scottish kings, and fish! Robert the Bruce was from this area, and a rare fish called Vendace was once found here, especially in this loch. WHERE TO WATCH 1 You can start at the narrow end of the loch, where there is a car park which can flood at high water. As this is easy access from the town, Mute Swans tend to concentrate here, but look out for Great Crested Grebes, Coot and Goldeneye. You can start your walk along the maintained footpaths, firstly through mixed woodland, with many woodland birds like tits, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper and Nuthatch. 2 You can look out on…

In association with MAX MILES ON FOOT: 3 MIN TIME: 3 HOURS The woodland section of this walk comprises deciduous timber with coppiced areas where a few pairs of Nightingale summer. All the typical lowland, resident species are present, including the elusive Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Marsh Tit, both scarce in southern England. Away from the trees, the walk winds through arable farmland and hedgerows down to the Rother valley, with adjacent wet meadows and tangles of riparian growth beside the river; a good spot in summer for warblers, Cuckoo, Yellow Wagtail, and maybe a passing Whinchat. Views across the valley towards the Isle of Oxney afford opportunities for birds of prey on the move. The habitat is perfect for a singing Marsh Warbler by the river in late spring,…

GET IN TOUCH birdwatching@bauermedia.co.uk facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag Bird Watching, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA Wine did the pigeon do that? During a recent visit to Venice I found a corner bar frequented by locals and students. It was crowded and I soon found why, as it sold really nice, inexpensive wine and sandwiches, away from the tourist trail. I bought a glass of Merlot Friuli and a roll and thought a photo to show how ‘real’ Venetians had their lunch would be in order. I placed the red wine on a stone pillar by the canal and prepared to photograph. The shot was never completed. Like a missile, one of the many local pigeons shot past me and smashed the wine into the canal. Thinking about it afterwards, I…

CRAGHOPPERS NOSILIFE ADVENTURE II (£85) AND PRO IV LONG-SLEEVED SHIRTS (£80) The Adventure II is a classically styled outdoorsy shirt. The Pro IV is a different style, with poppers not buttons, and stretchy fabric. Both have recycled content and NosiLife anti-insect potion built in, and are guaranteed for life. I’ll start with the conclusion. These are very good; I recommend them. Both provide UPF40+ protection, and have a collar flap to provide a bit more protection from nasty UV rays. Both have a “wicking mesh cooling inner collar” and roll-up sleeves. All long sleeves roll up – these have tabs to keep them up. Both have, on the lower inner side of the right-hand button/popper line, a fabric patch for cleaning your sunglasses or camera monitor. That’s a nice touch.…

1 Whooper Swan (seven swans a-swimming); Blackbird (four calling birds aka colly birds); Goldfinch (five gold rings aka gold spinks); Green Sandpiper (11 pipers piping); Grey Partridge (a partridge in a pear tree); Greylag Goose (six geese a-laying); Red-legged Partridge (three French Hens aka French partridges); Snipe (10 drummers drumming; Snipe’s display sound through the tail is called drumming); Turtle Dove (two Turtle Doves) 2 Because of Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem The Raven – Poe was a Baltimore resident. 3 Masked Shrike and Bonelli’s Warbler 4 Budgerigar 5 Little Penguin 6 Song Thrush (Throstle) 7 Wisp 8 Gray Jay 9 Eider 10 Moorhen 11 Lammergeier – it reputedly dropped a tortoise on him 12 Red 13 Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, St Louis Cardinals 14 White Stork 15 American Robin 16 Great Slaty Woodpecker (but Imperial and Ivory-billed, both probably but not definitely extinct,…

Birdwatchers are being urged to record sightings of Long-eared Owls, especially at their winter roost sites, as part of a survey aimed at addressing the decline of the UK’s population of the species. The Hawk and Owl Trust is running the nationwide survey of the species, in collaboration with the International Centre for Birds of Prey and the Scottish Owl Centre, with the intention of focussing future direct conservation efforts and increasing awareness of the scarce and secretive species. “Everyone can contribute to this survey, regardless of where they live; we are trying to build a complete picture of the Long-eared Owl population across the UK, meaning negative sightings are just as valuable as positive ones,” said Chris Sperring MBE, Conservation Officer at the Hawk and Owl Trust. “There is…

SET A TARGET OF SEEING 200 BIRDS IN ONE YEAR! BROUGHT TO YOU IN PARTNERSHIP WITH Join us on Birda! You can track your progress in #My200BirdYear by joining us on the Birda app, as featured in our recent Gear Guide. Download the app, sign up for the #My200BirdYear challenge, and log your sightings as you make them. While you’re at it, Birda’s monthly and geographicallybased challenges are a great way of motivating yourself towards the bigger target, too, and by interacting with other users you can develop your ID skills. 1 SHRINK THE GEOGRAPHICAL PARAMETERS If you reached 200 this year with a UK-wide list, for example, you could try restricting yourself just to England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland this time around, or even to your home county or…

Ian Wallace’s 1982 book Watching Birds in the Usborne Pocket Naturalist series is hard to beat for beginners, and includes a great section on observing migration. My second-hand copy cost less than f our quid. Bird-ringing pioneer Chris Mead wrote Bird Migration in 1983 and in this very readable book he discusses the whys and hows of migration, supported by the scientific studies available at the time. Although this book is 40 years old, it has stood the test of time and you can get secondhand copies for a snip. Ian Newton’s 2010 book for the New Naturalist series is also called Bird Migration. Newton, an ornithologist and conservationist, shares the outcome of a lifetime of research into this natural wonder, from the main migration patterns and the effects of…

DOMINIC COUZENS ON THE… At the start of this article, please do forgive a small indulgence and flight of fancy. An Arctic Fox goes to a therapist. “What seems to be the problem?” asks the professional, on a beautiful July day somewhere a long way north of the Arctic Circle. “I’ve had a very disturbing experience,” says the patient. “It’s hard to put it into words, but all of a sudden, I seem to be having visions.” The therapist leans forward. “I can stop you there,” they say. “You’re fine, I promise you. You’re the sixth one this week.” “You mean, I’m OK?” says the worried fox, visibly brightening. “Totally fine,” says the therapist, nodding sagely. “You’ve been a victim of sorts. You’ve been unfortunate enough to meet a Purple…

In association with os.uk/osm MAX MILES ON FOOT: 1 MIN TIME: 2 HOURS This was a regular haunt for me on childhood holidays with my grandparents in nearby Bridgend, and it remains an area with good, varied birding. Merthyr Mawr National Nature Reserve (just across the river, using the stepping stones at Ogmore Castle) is a botanist’s paradise, with Marsh Helleborine, two species of Marsh Orchids, Autumn Lady’s-tresses and the rare Birthwort, and the stretch of river from the castle to the sea provides a wide variety of birds, usually at reasonably close range. WHERE TO WATCH 1 If you do venture into Merthyr Mawr Warren, be careful, as it’s huge and it’s easy to become lost. Birds here include Stonechat, Yellowhammer and Linnet, and Dartford Warbler has also been…

Q Today we were birdwatching at Ryan’s Field near Hayle in Cornwall. We spotted this tiny bird foraging among the seaweed. We noticed it has a ring on each foot. The red one seems to have EMN. Sorry the photos aren’t sharp, but hopefully will be enough to help us out. Joy Carlyle A Thank you very much for your query about a colour-ringed bird feeding in seaweed near Hayle, Cornwall. Firstly, the ID: this is a Rock Pipit. In addition to the habitat, identification clues include the relatively unstreaked back (compared with a Meadow Pipit), the strong, dark bill and the dark legs, as well as the ‘smudgy’, almost indistinct streaks on the underparts, coalescing into dark rear flanks. We could go slightly further and say the breast streaking…

OBOZ OUSEL MID INSULATED WATERPROOF BOOT, £150 The Ousel range of all-terrain footwear is designed for women and has a “gender-specific fit”. The heel cup hugs, the mid-foot is “sculpted” and the forefoot and toe box are spacious. It’s made from “gold certified nubuck” and abrasion-resistant mesh, among other things, and is lightweight and waterproof. Buy a pair and a tree gets planted. It’s Ousel as in the Ousel falls, Montana, not as in Mountain Thrush, Fell Blackbird or Hill Chack. In cinder stone, port or Yukon, and in UK sizes 3½-9½. 400g. obozfootwear.com/en-gb EXTREMITIES ECO ACTIVE GLOVE, £45 Protect your eco active extremities with these waterproof, breathable gloves. They’re made from “90% recycled post-consumer fabric”, they have a PFC-free waterproof liner and “reinforced, soft, padded, partial” palms. They are…

October 8, 2005 My most memorable day was 8 October 2005. I was in Sabah, a Malaysian state in northern Borneo, with my partner Ruth, celebrating my 50th birthday. We were part of a group tour which, though not specifically for birders, placed an emphasis on nature and wildlife. Our adventure had begun in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital, and continued to Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in south-east Asia, which we had climbed at daybreak to witness the spectacular sunrise and listen to the dawn chorus of birds and animals as the mountain slowly awoke. A few days later, we were based at the Kinabatangan Riverside Lodge at Sukau, and the day began very early, with a trip on the Menaggul river in our small boat; just Ruth and…