Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2021 i Birdwatch

BIRD NEWS ANALYSIS: BRITAIN AND IRELAND Despite subpar conditions, the month still delivered its annual goodies, with Yorkshire enjoying the sound of the mega alert more than most. Josh Jones summarises the highlights. DAVE STEWART Rarities and scarcities: October 2021 In many respects, October picked up where September left off. Large swathes of the month were dominated by unproductive west or south-westerly winds, and general migration was almost non-existent for long periods, with even some common species typical of the season – Fieldfare, especially – being alarmingly absent. But it was October after all and, despite the often-bleak outlook, a series of stunning rarities was unearthed – none more so than the Varied Thrush on Papa Westray, Orkney (see page 6). A species that most thought would not be seen…

COMMENT BIRDING ETC DOMINIC MITCHELL Turning point The gathering of world leaders in Glasgow to tackle climate change met with some scathing criticism but, says Dominic Mitchell, there are positive signs for the future. “Blah blah blah.” Greta Thunberg’s jaded three-word summary of the recent COP26 summit in Glasgow spoke to the disillusionment that many – particularly younger – people feel at the surfeit of words and paucity of action marking another intergovernmental talking shop on the climate crisis. It’s a point well made – the science has been telling us for years what the problem is and how it needs to be addressed, so why the prevarication? We know we must reduce carbon emissions rapidly, so the impatience of youth in the face of epic foot-dragging and global reluctance…

SPECIAL READER OFFER Vagrancy in Birds by Alexander Lees and James Gilroy ■ RRP: £40 ■ Special offer price: £35 ■ Subscriber price: £34 (p&p: free in the UK; £8 Europe; £20 ROW) AVIAN vagrancy is a phenomenon that has fascinated natural historians for centuries. This book explores both pattern and process in vagrancy, drawing on recent research to answer a suite of fundamental questions concerning the occurrence of rare birds. Authors Alexander Lees and James Gilroy use compelling real-life examples and synthesise everything currently known about vagrancy to reveal important implications for avian ecology and evolution. Packed with illustrative figures and spectacular colour photographs, this is the definitive story of pioneering birds and their surprising journeys around the world. Birdwatch is offering readers the chance to buy the book…

IDENTIFICATION BASIC PRINCIPLES Eurasian Bullfinch breeds commonly across most of Britain, where it is largely sedentary. One of our most beautiful birds, it is notoriously shy and retiring, especially in the breeding season, typically giving away its presence only by quiet, rather plaintive calls. Outside the breeding season it can be a little more obliging, often appearing in pairs or small groups and feeding on the margins of flocks of other finches. In Britain Eurasian Bullfinch is represented by the endemic subspecies pileata, known as ‘British’ Bullfinch. The species has a large Palearctic range, however, extending to the Pacific and comprising multiple subspecies. The only one of these confirmed to occur in Britain is nominate pyrrhula, known as ‘Northern’ Bullfinch, which breeds from central Europe through Scandinavia and across the…

SPECIAL READER OFFER Gulls of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East by Peter Adriaens, Mars Muusse, Philippe J Dubois and Frédéric Jiguet ■ RRP: £29.99 ■ Special offer price: £26.00 ■ Subscriber price: £25.00 (p&p: free in the UK; £8 Europe; £20 ROW) WITH a direct and visual approach, and a huge number of beautiful colour photographs, this book provides thorough accounts of all species and subspecies of gulls found in the Western Palearctic. The guide compares similar taxa and addresses the complexities of identifying hybrids. Richly illustrated with almost 1,400 colour photographs, the up-to-date information allows easy and accurate identification. Birdwatch is offering readers the chance to buy the book from just £25. Order online at bit.ly/3GXpwQi. Or place your order by telephone by calling 01778 392027. Order…

Game of thrones Nikon launches a new set of Monarch binoculars, but which one takes the crown? Mike Alibone delves into the detail to find out. REVIEW Nikon Monarch M7 10x30 and 8x42 binoculars NIKON has upped its game with the launch in September of seven new Monarch binoculars. Sitting between the manufacturer’s entry-level Prostaff and top-tier EDG ranges, the M5 (three models) and the higher specification M7 (four models), went on sale in October and have been redesigned with “durable and stylish” bodies, with the M7 promoted specifically for birding and wildlife observation. With that in mind, I took a look at two of the M7s: the 10x30 and the larger 8x42 (pictured right). Both follow the same design criteria, but their specifications differ, leading to different levels of…

Bird bonds THIS highly acclaimed memoir is not a bird book and not about birding, rather it is a story of someone who came across a young Magpie, took it home to look after it and became paired for life, and a man who had raised a Jackdaw in a similar way. It reveals altogether different associations between people and birds from the norm in Birdwatch. The cover blurb calls it ‘a story of transformation, from wild to tame, sanity to madness, freedom to captivity and back again.’ Rob Hume MORE INFO byCharlieGilmourWeidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 2021). 288 pages. ISBN 9781474609487. Pbk, £8.99.…

COMMENT YOUR TURN your letters & photos Tell us what you think. Write to: Rebecca Armstrong, Editor, at: Birdwatch, Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH or email letters@birdwatch.co.uk www.facebook.com/birdwatchmagazine @BirdwatchExtra Animal action I thought the recent articles by Alex Lees (Birdwatch 349: 42-44) and Matt Phelps (Birdwatch 348: 62) were excellent. It got me thinking as to how each of us can help improve things. My understanding is that most pet owners don’t realise the full impact of the presence of a predator in the landscape. They may think that because their dog or cat is nice to them, it will seem nice to everything else too, whereas, as scientific studies have made clear, the mere appearance of a dog or cat in the landscape can…

BIRD NEWS THE BIG STORIES FINDER’S REPORT The spice of life A repeat of Varied Thrush almost 40 years after the only previous record seemed an unlikely dream, but David Roche made it reality with his sensational discovery in late October. JOHN COUTTS Varied Thrush: Papa Westray, Orkney, mid-October-1 November 2021 “I dread being sent a photo from Papa Westray of some ‘Yank’ mega asking what it is.” That was the message I posted to my fellow comrades back on 5 October, bound for a week on the Isle of May. Having found Papay’s first Western Bonelli’s Warbler that same day (a species high up on my ‘there’s no reason why I couldn’t find one of those on here’ list), I was counting myself lucky that the bird had the decency…

BIRD NEWS THE BIG STORIES FINDER’S REPORT Taiga strikes! A day of birding for Joe Seymour and Keith Boyer took on a whole new dimension following their magical discovery at Flamborough Head. BETHAN CLYNE Taiga Flycatcher: Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire, from 16 October 2021 WHAT started out as a normal Saturday jaunt to the east coast for Keith Boyer and I turned into a magical day. Having birded Bridlington harbour early on, we had breakfast then headed to the lighthouse at Flamborough Head to have a walk along the top of the cliffs in the hope that something would drop in. After parking the car, we walked down from the lighthouse and along the cliff towards the north side of Foghorn Station, where we spent a good 10 minutes watching an…

BIRD NEWS ANALYSIS: WESTERN PALEARCTIC Awesome Azores! The Portuguese archipelago was unsurprisingly in the thick of the action this month, with a suite of Nearctic goodies. Sam Viles reports. VINCENT LEGRAND Western Palearctic: October 2021 The second Prothonotary Warbler for the Azores and Western Palearctic headlined an action-packed month on Corvo from 12-14th. The archipelago is typically the epicentre of the region’s autumn action, and this month was no exception – an extensive highlight reel involved Black-billed Cuckoo on 2nd, American Redstart on 8th, the island’s second Cape May Warbler of the autumn from 9-16th, Philadelphia Vireo on 9th, male Black-throated Blue Warbler from 19-24th, Black-and-white Warbler on 24th, American Coot from 27th, and Dickcissel on 28th. MARISA ODETTO Other Nearctic visitors included an Indigo Bunting, two Scarlet Tanagers, three…

COMMENT TALKING BIRDS COLIN SLATER Let’s work together Inspired to put pen to paper by a piece from Holkham Hall’s Estate Manager Jake Fiennes, Colin Slater recognises the challenge in getting opposing sides to co-operate. OLIVER SMART (WWW.SMARTIMAGES.CO.UK) As someone who has sat on the fence, over many years, of the shooting and wildlife conservation debate, the article by Jake Fiennes has forced my ‘troubled hand’ on the topic (Birdwatch 350: 42-44). There is no doubt birders, naturalists, conservationists, shoots and land managers need to join forces to give our severely depleted wildlife populations a chance of survival. The statistics speak for themselves: huge declines in many species and habitats; the most nature-depleted country in Europe; heavily polluted rivers; less woodland than any other country in Europe; degraded soils – sadly…

ART AWARD Wildlife in pictures The Society of Wildlife Artists’ annual exhibition, The Natural Eye, took place in London in October. Rebecca Armstrong was there for the announcement of this year’s winner of the prestigious Birdwatch and Swarovski Optik Artist of the Year award. “What a joy to be here, with people in the room.” That’s how RSPB President Miranda Krestovnikoff opened this year’s ceremony to launch the Society of Wildlife Artists’ annual exhibition, The Natural Eye, where the winner of the Birdwatch and Swarovski Optik Artist of the Year award was announced. It was a sentiment surely shared by all those in attendance, following the cancellation of last year’s event due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis. As a member of the judging panel for the Artist of the Year…

FURTHER READING Collins Bird Guide by Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterström WITH expanded text and additional colour illustrations, the second edition of the hugely successful Collins Bird Guide is a must for every birder. The book provides all the information needed to identify any species at any time of the year, covering size, habitat, range, identification and voice. Accompanying every species entry is a distribution map and illustrations showing the species in all the major plumages (male, female, immature, in flight, at rest, feeding). In addition, each group of birds includes an introduction which covers the major problems involved in identifying or observing them: how to organise a seawatching trip, how to separate birds of prey in flight, which duck hybrids can be confused with which main species.…

It’s human nature TALK to anyone with an interest in or passion for the natural environment about the current state of the UK’s nature and it’s likely that reactions will largely range from nervous trepidation to considerable despair, with a small measure of optimism thrown in for some balance. The reality, as we are often reminded, is that the UK is one of the world’s most nature-depleted nations, and therefore perhaps we shouldn’t expect too much positivity. That said, hysteria can often creep in as some prophesise imminent doom for our wildlife. It was refreshing to pick up Ian Carter’s Human, Nature and breeze through it in remarkably quick time. Author Carter spent his professional life working at Natural England, where he was heavily involved in the restoration of Red…

EXPERT REVIEWS BOOKS • PRODUCT NEWS Goshawks and us I was always likely to enjoy this book, given my particular affection for Northern Goshawk. Written during the national lockdown at the start of the pandemic last March, Goshawk Summer: a New Forest Season Unlike Any Other is the tale of wildlife cameraman James Aldred watching a pair – and eventually a family – of Northern Goshawks during the spring and summer of 2020. Given permission to visit during lockdown, Aldred reconnects with the forest, a former stomping ground when he was young. The tranquillity of the place during lockdown provides him with a fresh perspective of the forest but, once restrictions were lifted, people swarm to the area en masse and in unprecedented numbers. This provides daily threats in various…

EXPERT ADVICE ID IN BRIEF • IN THE FIELD • COMPETITION WINNERS EXPERT ADVICE THIS MONTH’S EXPERT PANEL CHRIS HARBARD After many years at the RSPB, Chris is now a tour leader, writer and editor. He lives in Arizona, USA, and travels widely. ROB HUME began watching birds as a child. He worked for the RSPB for many years and has written several books, including one on jizz. SCOTT MAYSON is the British Trust for Ornithology’s BirdTrack organiser. He is responsible for the day-to-day running of the scheme. ANDY STODDART is Vice-Chair of the Rarities Committee with many years’ birding experience, and the author of several books and ID papers. JOSH JONES is well known as BirdGuides’ Head of Content. A gull enthusiast, he has been obsessed by all things birdy since he…

EXPERT ADVICE WHAT TO SEE • CHRISTMAS • BUILDING KNOWLEDGE • LISTCHECK WHAT TO SEE IN … DECEMBER Look out for owls A loud, prolonged chorus of alarm notes – the repetitive chip-chip-chip of Blackbirds, high calls of tits and Goldcrests, the pink of a Chaffinch – might draw your attention to a mixed flock flitting around a particular tree, perhaps a conifer or an evergreen oak, a patch of dense ivy, or a thicket of holly. The birds flit away, call, and return to the same spot, obviously not so alarmed that they fly off, but certainly agitated, almost irritated. This may be a group of birds ‘mobbing’ an owl, discovered by day at its roost. A Tawny Owl will hide up, close to a tree trunk or out…

YOUR MAGAZINE In the next issue January BEWICK’S SWAN BY OLIVER SMART (WWW.SMARTIMAGES.CO.UK) ■ Swan song Arriving in late autumn, Bewick’s Swan spends the winter in the UK, where it is found mainly in East Anglia, Gloucestershire and Lancashire. however, numbers are falling dramatically. Kane Brides profiles the species, exploring possible drivers behind the decline. ■ #BigLocalYear We launch a new challenge that we can all take part in: birding in your local area. This can be anything from looking out your kitchen window to intensively working a close-by patch. There’ll be various contests throughout the year, both in the magazine and on BirdGuides.com – with prizes! – and we encourage everyone to get involved. ■ Close focus In a new approach to our identification section, Ed Stubbs will take…

COMMENT NEWS OF THE WILD BILL ODDIE From firsts for Britain to firsts for Bill After a hiatus of more than a year, Bill Oddie has returned to Birdwatch and here he shares some unusual firsts. It’s great to have him back! Long COVID? No. M E? Maybe. Meds, magic or miracle? Dunno, but I have recovered. Phew! For a year I was confined to birding in my garden. But I did get several ‘firsts’. I don’t mean garden ticks. No rarities, but rather several things I had never seen before. Not species, but views and experiences. I no longer keep lists. I used to: British list, world list, trip list, patch list. I was never a travelling twitcher: I enjoyed seeing rare birds, but I preferred finding them. I even shared…

FINDER’S REPORT Eyes on the prize Keith Ringland was shocked to find an East Asian visitor feeding on berries when he settled in for a routine photography session in his garden. KEITH RINGLAND Eyebrowed Thrush: Kincraig, Highland, 28 October-1 November 2021 I live in Kincraig near Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands. I work as a full-time photographer and film-maker, and while I do a lot of conventional business photography, wildlife is my favourite subject. Within our garden we have three rowan trees, which produce a good crop of berries. These invariably attract Redwings and Fieldfares. This year’s berry crop was great, but by the last week of October, there had still been no sign of thrushes eating them. Then I noticed a few Redwings on 26 October, so I set…

GIFT A SUBSCRIPTION TO THE BIRDWATCH TREAT YOURSELF OR A LOVED ONE Give the perfect gift this Christmas, with a subscription to Birdwatch magazine One-time payment 12 issues posted direct No commitment To set up a gift subscription visit: www.bit.ly/bird-giftasub21 or call us on 01778 392027 quoting BIRD/FESTIVE2021 Prefer to gift digital? You can also gift a digital subscription! Simply head to www.pktmags.com/bird-giftasub21 and check out as normal. Just be sure to tick the ‘give as gift’ box, and follow the instructions!…

EXPERT REVIEWS OPTICS • PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERT REVIEWS Your trusted guide to what’s new in birding: www.birdguides.com/reviews THIS MONTH’S EXPERT PANEL MIKE ALIBONE is Birdwatch’s Optics Editor. He has been testing binoculars and telescopes for 15 years. JOSH JONES is well known as BirdGuides’ Head of Content. He has been obsessed by all things birdy since he was a toddler. ED STUBBS is BirdGuides and Birdwatch Content Editor and has a keen interest in migration and patch watching. ROB HUME began watching birds as a child. He worked for the RSPB for many years and has written several books. LUKE HIDER is our Bookshop Manager. A new addition to the team, he is enjoying learning more about birds. MATT PHELPS works in conservation. He is a keen Pulborough-based patchbirder and all-round…

Summer of love STEPHEN Rutt has established himself as one of Britain’s most evocative and lyrical nature writers, and The Eternal Season only reaffirms this. This is, in many respects, a celebration of the summer months in Britain – the long, lazy and warm days, when new life is abundant and our countryside verdant. But, as Rutt ponders, this simplistic and rather romanticised view of summer is not as relevant or accurate as it once might have been. All too often there are reminders of how humans have disrupted the rhythm and flow of the season, causing nature to suffer as our climate becomes ever more temperamental and habitat is lost. But, fear not, this isn’t a book of doom and distress, and it is credit to Rutt in how…