tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82753167878540956622024-02-17T08:49:51.887+00:00Gnome's Birding DiaryBirding in and around Oxford.Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.comBlogger469125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-53456797901756710912024-01-31T10:30:00.002+00:002024-01-31T21:59:28.479+00:00A Waxwing Winter<p style="text-align: justify;">I'm sure that all birders are already aware that this year is an irruption year for Waxwings. These charismatic winter vistors normally only grace our shores in modest numbers each winter, usually up in Scotland or along the east coast of the country. However, occasionally we get a "Waxwing Winter", an irruption year when they come over in much greater numbers. During such winters, they gradually work their way down the country and further inland so in such years Oxfordshire has a fighting chance of hosting them as well. This winter, I, along I'm sure with lots of other county birders, watched with impatience as the line of reported Waxwing sightings crept gradually southwards down the country. When it got more or less in line with Oxon it seemed that some invisible force field was keeping them out as counties on either side of us were getting sightings but we were not. There were one or two single-observer untwitchable records in the county, only "possible" or "probable" - it was all very frustrating. In December, in frustration I buckled and made a sortie in Bucks to near High Wycombe where there had been regular sightings. However, the Waxwings weren't seen that morning I got no reward for standing in the cold for three hours. There was one county sighting where they were reported just outside the Oxford ringroad near Hinksey which I thought was close enough to warrant a try for them. However, despite some great looking berry bushes, there was no sign of any Waxwings.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Early in the new year I was pondering going to see the Northern Waterthrush on the Friday after it was first found. However, the lack of firm news first thing rather put me off so instead I elected to pop over to Cheltenham where there were some pretty much guaranteed Waxwings to be had at Naunton Park. EU had already messaged to say that he was going for them and reported that four had been seen this morning though had presently flown off. When I arrived they'd just turned up again with five companions. They were immediately on view in their "lookout tree" which was surrounded by four Sorbus trees as well as quite a few photographers, all waiting for them to descend once more on the berries. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDF_6WXhcCkUNYP1j7iiUzkiLy2GCwdK8HfA5yhS1Ahri8Ey0FR5S8zHtih47YUzLhBc53CeZ8tUg9FU4goieKZ0kF7Up7TP6aW2KcNtiT29VlR3XqODIvFibhuCyGe5KCl7y-FXeT9qUF3Cx4wmcWKAR5Ya4Z1vGYWPpNf_FWM2QQhWv515b2D6mUZs/s4032/IMG_3709.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDF_6WXhcCkUNYP1j7iiUzkiLy2GCwdK8HfA5yhS1Ahri8Ey0FR5S8zHtih47YUzLhBc53CeZ8tUg9FU4goieKZ0kF7Up7TP6aW2KcNtiT29VlR3XqODIvFibhuCyGe5KCl7y-FXeT9qUF3Cx4wmcWKAR5Ya4Z1vGYWPpNf_FWM2QQhWv515b2D6mUZs/w640-h480/IMG_3709.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Naunton Park, Cheltenham: there were four Sorbus trees surrounding a larger central look-out tree</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwinl3QU5tq4qilkWDS4bIoLMBDMjuXZImGkkJy1sS6VyDorWeQAElX4WUW5GjAY7MipFtruFdbWRWORISIgCEru-W2d_RRIkKHYuO3bphxC_N7DnW7n5Ied3ffR_l-EKxZN9PyJXw0pC28d-vtJLEmg3jK-kplWVLuq5CmCUCL3XmXQOE7PssLjWJD-s/s600/_WW0.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwinl3QU5tq4qilkWDS4bIoLMBDMjuXZImGkkJy1sS6VyDorWeQAElX4WUW5GjAY7MipFtruFdbWRWORISIgCEru-W2d_RRIkKHYuO3bphxC_N7DnW7n5Ied3ffR_l-EKxZN9PyJXw0pC28d-vtJLEmg3jK-kplWVLuq5CmCUCL3XmXQOE7PssLjWJD-s/s16000/_WW0.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sitting in their look-out tree</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFvoEOyv5tXEBSuEfPC5ximntYsbKsyh9tX3slWm6m1_LneJchNobyVodlU1LpYhouuz0xhYL8XxYpPzNZsXbwPjGkYaUYQ71LaNbAzMudPo-HrXdhSzfZvCs28564o3qDDsLJNYjMp-TPdgcT_7i1yvhNaQfvF1VHD1fby4a4P0ma4IQabvEkxW1VNk/s600/_WW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGFvoEOyv5tXEBSuEfPC5ximntYsbKsyh9tX3slWm6m1_LneJchNobyVodlU1LpYhouuz0xhYL8XxYpPzNZsXbwPjGkYaUYQ71LaNbAzMudPo-HrXdhSzfZvCs28564o3qDDsLJNYjMp-TPdgcT_7i1yvhNaQfvF1VHD1fby4a4P0ma4IQabvEkxW1VNk/s16000/_WW.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJJEA3dQ5l02XP6beD1LmuIFLNEUnV2QUk7_65xVsuVoDAEYfzRuIbzYsqBmfhyOivGRqESTByLvnuEQOv2xjhhwV5dtExXqwIT0F42KhqWkm9nDnLzBaDZlVQxihS3WmpVgA1MlxS0PAbTZWLrgUPRvjiEWh5DGKMpSilwA7orbPzIBuxqaz1a7t8uA/s609/_WW2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJJEA3dQ5l02XP6beD1LmuIFLNEUnV2QUk7_65xVsuVoDAEYfzRuIbzYsqBmfhyOivGRqESTByLvnuEQOv2xjhhwV5dtExXqwIT0F42KhqWkm9nDnLzBaDZlVQxihS3WmpVgA1MlxS0PAbTZWLrgUPRvjiEWh5DGKMpSilwA7orbPzIBuxqaz1a7t8uA/s16000/_WW2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>...and on a berry raid!</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">For the next three quarters of an hour they would make occasional raids onto the berries where they would stuff their faces as quickly as possible before heading back to the safety of their lookout tree. After that, they flew up into a more distant very large tree where they were little more than blobs sitting in the tree top. Then they flew off somewhere else. EU and I decided to go and find a café where we ejoyed a pleasant chat as we put the world to rights.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We came back to find the Waxwings were back in a different distant tree. Suddenly they came back down to their lookout tree and the whole process started again. The crowd has grown in the meantime and there was more furious papping and we too joined in. After a while I felt I'd had my fill and decided to go. At last I'd managed to catch up with these beautful birds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNLfJd7Hdu_0e5NMDExvD1u5eWzjFJowK616ANtnBqK4gEJ5-qX9WoYSryJ6guYE0_VRnjI5LK2Pnf_SuGSc3o39YHSMdLp64-niwz14rC0nJDk79d-uELTXJmd2zVDysXVZvJFYZCutx3iYrYCE5B26d1weH9axO2U4RH5FSjDgIrPfBw6DNsSix3sI/s600/_WW3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="600" height="630" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNLfJd7Hdu_0e5NMDExvD1u5eWzjFJowK616ANtnBqK4gEJ5-qX9WoYSryJ6guYE0_VRnjI5LK2Pnf_SuGSc3o39YHSMdLp64-niwz14rC0nJDk79d-uELTXJmd2zVDysXVZvJFYZCutx3iYrYCE5B26d1weH9axO2U4RH5FSjDgIrPfBw6DNsSix3sI/w640-h630/_WW3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Oxford Waxwings </h3><p style="text-align: justify;">At last in January, Oxfordshire started to get some definite sightings. Again, single observer and untwitchable but there was a noticeable uptick in reports. Then one evening someone on my local Port Meadow patch WhatsApp group reported that his father had casually mentioned to him that there had been a couple of Waxwings in some trees by the start of the Aristotle Lane footbridge over into Port Meadow. With the various members having been alerted, people started to look out for them again the next day and mid-morning, low and behold they turned up again. I was on the way out to do the weekly food shop with my VLW so we stopped off for a tick and run view of them sitting up in an Ash Tree lookout tree. Later that day I returned to find them still there and making occasional raids on the Sorbus bush.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5UNHuF-zKstLSoW4AAxU0rD1JpJh6pZeESxLg-CozBNIRU3rW5RG4XXw7cnTCQ2pLLBSwO3Tgv3vRS4JSZNGjoh7iYUL_0ZGIC_MNyCfqA8nAJ1kc72YLk0ayYzHd_MVDFVGevJR2of14BnfkcoBzfcxwbFveixupHjY9D-o9rFyUo0i7-1V_GXMUdw/s600/_WW1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5UNHuF-zKstLSoW4AAxU0rD1JpJh6pZeESxLg-CozBNIRU3rW5RG4XXw7cnTCQ2pLLBSwO3Tgv3vRS4JSZNGjoh7iYUL_0ZGIC_MNyCfqA8nAJ1kc72YLk0ayYzHd_MVDFVGevJR2of14BnfkcoBzfcxwbFveixupHjY9D-o9rFyUo0i7-1V_GXMUdw/s16000/_WW1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A slightly blurry photo taking in the fading light</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There were initially just a couple of adult birds but the next day they brought some youngsters along with 5 first winter birds also present. They were usually in the same location, using either an Ash Tree or a Silver Birch as the look-out tree before descending to the Sorbus for a berry raid. It was during the raid that all the photographers tried to get photos though these raids were often fleeting and the birds often obscured. On one occasion the flock relocated a few hundred yards down the round in someone's back garden where they could be seen resting in a more distant look-out tree. However, it was the original Sorbus Tree where most of the action was. On one occasion I managed to take some relatively OK video footage of some of the berry raids.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wXpitRmttNk?vq=hd720" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Waxwings were with us for about a week or so, though not every day and not always reliable. Still, they were the first proper twitchable birds within the county and many people managed to catch up with them. At the time of writing, things have gone rather quiet on the Waxwing front with no reports in the county for a while now. Let's hope we get a few more before the winter is out.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmNXFu0ud6lKAocXUfxVrpOg2-JgwNCIfbGjmY_dqZ6grSDR5iIeyguLWkm7cS18-ByE8dEgVO2Pm0EWalOLHx7LTCGu5DnVTzH0ZQ84msetX9X2QQWIe_ykQ4vgxvLh2JNNob7y1tRzflAzZy-VAw2l3iv-zV6uxrYidrngtamgD6NirfGvP1mOeS-Y/s600/_WW1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmNXFu0ud6lKAocXUfxVrpOg2-JgwNCIfbGjmY_dqZ6grSDR5iIeyguLWkm7cS18-ByE8dEgVO2Pm0EWalOLHx7LTCGu5DnVTzH0ZQ84msetX9X2QQWIe_ykQ4vgxvLh2JNNob7y1tRzflAzZy-VAw2l3iv-zV6uxrYidrngtamgD6NirfGvP1mOeS-Y/s16000/_WW1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-89344510993962863682024-01-12T15:02:00.001+00:002024-01-12T19:23:45.022+00:00The Heybridge Northern Waterthrush<p style="text-align: justify;">Most birders with their finger anywhere remotely near the pulse of the birding news network will be aware of the Northern Waterthrush currently in residence in Heybridge in Essex. This is in all probability yet another American bird blown over in the Great Storm of '23 that dumped so many Nearctic passerines on our shores. This one wasn't discovered until the 3rd January when an incredulous local birder spotted it in his garden. Fortunately it was subsequently found to be frequenting a nearby creek and so began a mass twitching frenzy to try to see it. It is only the 8th record for the UK and only the third ever mainland bird so this was definitely a Mega! Despite it's name, it is of course actually a Nearctic Warbler, breeding in Canada and northern America and wintering in northern South America. It frequents thickets near to water and looks a bit thrush-like - hence the name.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">At only two hours drive from my house, it was very much on my radar, but as well as distance, I have a "probability of seeing it" filter as well. By all accounts this bird wasn't that easy to see. It would go missing for long periods of time and quite a few people managed to dip it. So I decided to wait to see if it would develop some kind of pattern for being seen. By the end of the first weekend, people had realised that standing right next to the creek was the main issue with the bird being so elusive and by standing back it would show quite readily. It was also most reliable at first light, often feeding away for up to an hour at a time before disappearing for a while. It would usually (but not always) then put in a mid to late morning showing and after that it was very unreliable until it came into roost again at dusk. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Having established all this, I decided that being there at first light was the best tactic but the prospect of battling my way around the M25 before dawn on what would in all probability be far too little sleep was not that appealing. So instead I decided to travel up on Monday night and to stay at an Air BnB some 15 minutes away at Danbury. En route there were a couple of minor issues: my offside dipped headlight bulb failed and there were repeated ominous "Road Ahead Closed" signs as I approached my destination. Fortunately the latter turned out to be 100 yards just beyond my cottage turn off though it did make me sweat a little. The BnB was warm and comfortable and I was soon settled in for the night.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next day I was up and back on the road just before 7 am. There was a surprisingly large amount of traffic on the roads but I made the short hop to Heybridge easily enough. A bit of pre trip research had unearthed an industrial estate along Bates Rd as a good parking location with the twitch site being a mere 5 minute walk from the end of this road. The temperature was going to be around freezing first thing so I was well wrapped up as I hurried in the darkness along the path, onto the road so familiar from Streetview planning, before finally turning the corner to see about thirty or so hushed twitchers in the pre dawn darkness, waiting for the light and hopefully the bird as well. I met JT from Oxon in the twitcher line and we chatted quietly as we waited for the show to start.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiatc6UBUHscPH4i3yLNBipTiHqj-QoVVVs1PwPlADrX26RaZiAQeopT2hQtg07cemgDgfVFddue1QRAS2GW_Gc0TYCZoF3ePe1mJJyLefh5eM8XaRNsOMahwcsecNbBIuskgYaBgGEmSy4KDsScpOyLzvIxCulLF38qOhdQnYTMtdrLDfJltMEqvMG4/s4032/IMG_3727.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiatc6UBUHscPH4i3yLNBipTiHqj-QoVVVs1PwPlADrX26RaZiAQeopT2hQtg07cemgDgfVFddue1QRAS2GW_Gc0TYCZoF3ePe1mJJyLefh5eM8XaRNsOMahwcsecNbBIuskgYaBgGEmSy4KDsScpOyLzvIxCulLF38qOhdQnYTMtdrLDfJltMEqvMG4/w640-h480/IMG_3727.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Waiting in the darkness...</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was only about 7:20 when someone in the line with a thermal imager said that he could see it and a few people around me managed to see some movement in the same general area. By around 7:30 it was just light enough so that peering into the dark one could make out the silhouette of what was clearly the bird. It was feeding away at close quarters around the sluice gate. Gradually as the light improved so did the views and the bird seemed quite happy to continue feeding despite all the birders up on the ridge above looking down on it. <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wzggxVh1ms0?vq=hd720" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>Because of the poor light I resorted to some hand-held video to start with</i><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After
that it became a question of trying to get a decent photo of it. The
fact that the light was so poor still and the bird was constantly on the
move meant that it was nearly impossible to get a decent photo with my
relatively low tech camera and shot after shot came out blurred. In the
end most of my shots are of "record shot" quality and don't really
represent the quality of the views that we were getting. It was often
showing down to about 5 yards and one couldn't have asked for better
views. It's brown upper parts and streaked underparts and the way that
it hunted along the water shoreline very much reminded me of a Rock Pipit
though its smart elongated supercilium and more well-defined elongated
breast streaking were both very different from the smudgy vagueness of
that other species.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewf0riLivt4ONYFSD3fZxFoBsP8F6hJgcX4DQtDcZIZ2KIbTVakR1UuL_xaaLajhiJ2iYPUfdNe8CQ1p6CZSSc1pwxA1CrfpdwKlLk_Y3Y0il7HflP-R6_0bJq9UcXDee2FvboZVFWR9YGS_tyFqKce9zL_m8HLaUcaw-ucqQfAYEbo0xzCoNonVn4-0/s600/_NWT2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewf0riLivt4ONYFSD3fZxFoBsP8F6hJgcX4DQtDcZIZ2KIbTVakR1UuL_xaaLajhiJ2iYPUfdNe8CQ1p6CZSSc1pwxA1CrfpdwKlLk_Y3Y0il7HflP-R6_0bJq9UcXDee2FvboZVFWR9YGS_tyFqKce9zL_m8HLaUcaw-ucqQfAYEbo0xzCoNonVn4-0/s16000/_NWT2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNOOEPyGwdeASz0T7tZkPp-7tCWxbP2FqX_K7nM_NFsLmLrd3iVWmo2HeeVt5rAGzw65yfEWbYvLEYs_VOMxr0F2lxhzr9IewesHyPtONlKmzGGi2zNcG14bXWxypzfzuI-CC1wfTvG_AZ83YuvthTR1rTYnrz-ozfG3q_rX0rqdnSOZPrz4ow_avgxE/s627/_NWT3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKNOOEPyGwdeASz0T7tZkPp-7tCWxbP2FqX_K7nM_NFsLmLrd3iVWmo2HeeVt5rAGzw65yfEWbYvLEYs_VOMxr0F2lxhzr9IewesHyPtONlKmzGGi2zNcG14bXWxypzfzuI-CC1wfTvG_AZ83YuvthTR1rTYnrz-ozfG3q_rX0rqdnSOZPrz4ow_avgxE/s16000/_NWT3.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A couple of blurry photos of the bird. There was no issue with how close the bird was, just the poor light and the fact that it was constantly on the move</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQnyfZWbRB4zN94ncaZVVpOsq_IItT8WW50OUlzsqhjX4KhksgjPzsbE7F11ZyEq2sik1TTGoOXuBIR-g49cMNnOFaIihoj71CP4hNOKB-djQrh2XYlkxtHISEYckmpTxyx-Wxf9HcZcwAgIn5tZIyF2oCeG554f4PJzeBXVPZqsvW8pwPsbIw0LCe5U/s1334/ME.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQnyfZWbRB4zN94ncaZVVpOsq_IItT8WW50OUlzsqhjX4KhksgjPzsbE7F11ZyEq2sik1TTGoOXuBIR-g49cMNnOFaIihoj71CP4hNOKB-djQrh2XYlkxtHISEYckmpTxyx-Wxf9HcZcwAgIn5tZIyF2oCeG554f4PJzeBXVPZqsvW8pwPsbIw0LCe5U/w360-h640/ME.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Me in the blue woolly hat peering at the Waterthrush, courtesy of JT</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB05_rkQR8Egrh1bqt5JubJNSKDfWhRBc-gK6B7Qr5h9iraO6zH-FIrJkkctnB0OcPcoA3ssVwHTMs65NTQdDwuqvDjx6yHGCh0i_lGP_N3_NqcAQ84kHaf9TFH-fyL99YZnmeUEFLOli-RuuZbg0k8YDPPi3HssFnKcZf1e1ulVcty5MgtsrM6fEAoOg/s4032/IMG_3731.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB05_rkQR8Egrh1bqt5JubJNSKDfWhRBc-gK6B7Qr5h9iraO6zH-FIrJkkctnB0OcPcoA3ssVwHTMs65NTQdDwuqvDjx6yHGCh0i_lGP_N3_NqcAQ84kHaf9TFH-fyL99YZnmeUEFLOli-RuuZbg0k8YDPPi3HssFnKcZf1e1ulVcty5MgtsrM6fEAoOg/w480-h640/IMG_3731.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The famous (and much photographed) creek. The bird would feed all along the shoreline <br />including right up against the concrete edge.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKs2tyr2eerjrx5CDwwofTkWET4KtMrRf6pS_zkI6LP7k9Zmd6HtDuroTPGdxWz_n3GoZQLkG9h_90GM2AW0Vc8eG1Ss1J_ezRbT0OrUKYRNy5T3rTjjl4SJ36FILy8LEMZ5Ib8_c_nHlQXmYS4vGUwWzd4H7diVqWjbeRd7ptH7p3T2RilbXgASWB1I7Z/s639/_J9A6362.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="639" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKs2tyr2eerjrx5CDwwofTkWET4KtMrRf6pS_zkI6LP7k9Zmd6HtDuroTPGdxWz_n3GoZQLkG9h_90GM2AW0Vc8eG1Ss1J_ezRbT0OrUKYRNy5T3rTjjl4SJ36FILy8LEMZ5Ib8_c_nHlQXmYS4vGUwWzd4H7diVqWjbeRd7ptH7p3T2RilbXgASWB1I7Z/w640-h596/_J9A6362.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A proper photo of the Northern Waterthrush taken later in the day, courtesy of <a href="https://blackaudibirding.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-northern-waterthrush-in-essex-10th.html">Ewan Urquhart</a></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Fellow Oxon Birder PL turned up, fortunately in time for the first showing and immediately connected with the bird. As per the schedule, it was basically on show for about an hour, nearly always at a close distance though it did occasinally move further up the creek. Then suddenlly, it flew off into a nearby tree, worked its way from bush to bush before feeding briefly in the creek on the other side of the ridge on which we were standing. Then it decided that the morning show was over and it flew off. I contemplated hanging around in the cold for what could be a couple of hours in order to get a better photo and decided against it. PL stayed a bit longer than me but I wandered back to the car, stopping to admire the scenery now that it was light enough to see it. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgxJANLbEFuTeYU9NbWH2mB9ZTNAXr2sGe9rqEZqlwWWK8JSEpAfrXfmJaveaMTvMYGB7MXguGs6LZqMvOLKl-mslMY9HOE2bTPCSevP7AnvnVgDqfuG3uBtXu5pt9q0kj5u6dnFZfnybpOB_WkIP0D3qLEJE5w1eO9n392ZdgojYLaKr1ZCR1wAJ6LQ/s4032/IMG_3734.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgxJANLbEFuTeYU9NbWH2mB9ZTNAXr2sGe9rqEZqlwWWK8JSEpAfrXfmJaveaMTvMYGB7MXguGs6LZqMvOLKl-mslMY9HOE2bTPCSevP7AnvnVgDqfuG3uBtXu5pt9q0kj5u6dnFZfnybpOB_WkIP0D3qLEJE5w1eO9n392ZdgojYLaKr1ZCR1wAJ6LQ/w640-h480/IMG_3734.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking towards Maldon and the River Blackwater</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After some hot tea and a snack back in the car I pondered what to do. In the end I decided to try for a Red-breasted Goose at Bradwell-on-Sea, a salt marsh some 40 minutes away. I drove down increasingly windy and narrow country roads until, some 2 miles from the destination I came across a gate across the road where it became private with walking access only. I got out of the car to find that the forecast increase in wind had indeed happened - it was bloody freezing! The prospect of slogging 2 miles there and back and trying to pick out a distant Red-breasted Goose in a flock of Brents in what was an extremely cold and strong wind was just not that appealing. So I got back in the car and retraced my steps and instead pointed the Sat Nav for home. I arrived back at Casa Gnome in time for lunch with my first lifer of the year safely under my belt.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-42322090434647219462024-01-09T17:39:00.001+00:002024-01-09T17:39:40.064+00:00End of Year Review<div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;">As usual, my end of review is a fashionably late January one. I find that Christmas is just too busy a time for me to find time to write it. By all measures it was a very good year. Other bloggers have written about their amazing lifer additions for the year and, whilst I was more restrained in what I went for, I too had a good addition to my national life list. But I'll come to that in due course. As usual my review is split into patch, county, national and other stuff.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Port Meadow Patch</b></h2><p>As usual, I've done a separate full review of the Port Meadow Patch year which you can read <a href="http://portmeadowbirding.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-end-of-year-review.html">here</a>. So to summarise, it was a record breaking year with a year list total of 148, smashing the previous record of 141. If you look at the headline birds from the year, it makes for amazing reading:<br /></p><div>SMEW<br />MARSH HARRIER</div><div>ROCK/WATER PIPIT <br /></div><div>WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE<br />WILLOW TIT<br />SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF x 2<br />LITTLE GULL<br />MERLIN<br />KITTIWAKE x 2<br />WOOD WARBLER<br />MANDARIN DUCK<br />SANDWICH TERN<br />ARCTIC TERN x 2<br />SHORT-EARED OWL<br />NIGHTINGALE<br />CROSSBILL</div><div>WOODCOCK<br />RED-CRESTED POCHARD </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Drilling down into more detail it was a year of two halves: all the action happened in the first half and autumn was completed dead. November and December did provide the Smew and a second Marsh Harrier as well as some more Siberian Chiffchaff action but that was about it. The bird of the year was the American Wigeon though sadly it was only seen by a single observer on the Meadow before it relocated to Otmoor.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6ye8UQDeu6x-NQ5DkoZMYzF8VIsh8zmNEBI4_OFqTgKOxJZo4uaREfFVE99cdU_jdP7gmGLas-MYLBorb6Sou8jAGxcxeQ25VHKGEjjs1G8qknAuNysMSapDBHf5lz4mtWaX6A4NybHipps_DDzdiJCEUpytmesskKgEef_N59KYCRiDcBvkg6WKBg/s640/AW_PM2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX6ye8UQDeu6x-NQ5DkoZMYzF8VIsh8zmNEBI4_OFqTgKOxJZo4uaREfFVE99cdU_jdP7gmGLas-MYLBorb6Sou8jAGxcxeQ25VHKGEjjs1G8qknAuNysMSapDBHf5lz4mtWaX6A4NybHipps_DDzdiJCEUpytmesskKgEef_N59KYCRiDcBvkg6WKBg/w640-h360/AW_PM2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>American Wigeon courtesy of Thomas Miller - the Port Meadow "Bird of the Year"</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Oxon County Birding</b></h2><div style="text-align: justify;">Like Port Meadow, the county too had a very good year with an amazing spring purple patch. But things all started earlier than that in March when a drake <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/03/farmoor-lesser-scaup-american-wigeon.html">Lesser Scaup</a> turned up at Farmoor. This was a long overdue county tick for me as the previous easily available one was before my time when I started birding.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WPe4DThst_M" title="Drake Lesser Scaup, Farmoor" width="560"></iframe><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Farmoor Lesser Scaup</i><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I said above, spring was when it all kicked off. In quick succession the county was graced with a singing Spotted Crake, a single-observer Night Heron, a Black-winged Stilt, a Temminck's Stint, a Montagu's Harrier and a Golden Oriole. Apart from the Night Heron and the Harrier I caught up with all these bird. In particular the Golden Oriole was a county tick that I never thought I'd get. What's more, it was even on show for an extended period of time - quite unprecedented for this species which is normally extremely skulking. You can read up on all of these birds <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/05/amazing-spring-birding-in-oxon.html">here</a>.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xKoA_v9E2UU" title="Golden Oriole, New Yatt near Witney, Oxon" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The showy Golden Oriole</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Having missed the Night Heron in the spring (though I did reckon that I heard it), everyone thought that was it. However in July, it (or another one - there'd been a national influx) turned up at <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/07/drayton-night-heron.html">Drayton</a> on a small pond which everyone got to see so that county bogey bird was finally put to rest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0Qdqtk4DiMdTxYO5lQ7WECT0PxLFjTXKQpFLHMUUwCrcLHRCrKgfxltSRM72l8yHWO_L-hUNgvB05edOkzyP2bJSbwguWLK_Fn7BddYt1Ib4kzLTOVjzEB6wyTIGSxUVyR1y96UE40xxzg_f2Z9yOx4fGKn1lJa08gf2-ghoOsOH2HHJ2G_86qMQKZA/s733/_NH1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0Qdqtk4DiMdTxYO5lQ7WECT0PxLFjTXKQpFLHMUUwCrcLHRCrKgfxltSRM72l8yHWO_L-hUNgvB05edOkzyP2bJSbwguWLK_Fn7BddYt1Ib4kzLTOVjzEB6wyTIGSxUVyR1y96UE40xxzg_f2Z9yOx4fGKn1lJa08gf2-ghoOsOH2HHJ2G_86qMQKZA/w524-h640/_NH1.jpg" width="524" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Drayton Night Heron</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Just as for Port Meadow, the second half of the year was completely dead apart from a Pallid Harrier that I missed whilst seeing the Brown Booby (see below). Whilst the official county bird of the year was the Harrier, for me it has to be the Golden Oriole. To get views that good was something I never thought would happen in the county. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To round off this section, below is the traditional Oxon Birding Review montage set to the usual inappropriate music.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yjLzO_Hb_k4" title="Oxon County Birding Review 2023" width="560"></iframe><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Oxon Birding Review for 2023</i><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><h2><b>National Birding</b></h2>My national life list is a cherished part of my birding and I'm pleased to say that this year I got 7 shiny new ticks, more than my usual average of 5 which I've had for the last few years since I got my BOU list above 400. It all started with a <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-durham-run-redcar-king-eider.html">King Eider</a> (not a lifer) up at Redcar as part of one of my occasional Durham trips to ferry Daughter #1 to or from her home in the North East. It was hard work picking out the bird at extreme distance in the strong wind but I managed it in the end.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJVdGv6aSZ_9Y7HsY4w7U4-TYGA7kp6isfC5i6kymSvVB6IjaEpKKfPHwVMvMbzyG0-mNrSHI1fjrRxDS_su9Jre8Al16eItBGJFm_hEF6iWCb0LMC9vnniMVGU1oKGEyLcBA1sHDgsFXVkZP4AUAqfCsn7Tq_lsJJnF9GQd6ouAdKkrmrFpuDzY-/s680/RedcarKE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="680" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJVdGv6aSZ_9Y7HsY4w7U4-TYGA7kp6isfC5i6kymSvVB6IjaEpKKfPHwVMvMbzyG0-mNrSHI1fjrRxDS_su9Jre8Al16eItBGJFm_hEF6iWCb0LMC9vnniMVGU1oKGEyLcBA1sHDgsFXVkZP4AUAqfCsn7Tq_lsJJnF9GQd6ouAdKkrmrFpuDzY-/w640-h440/RedcarKE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Redcar King Eider courtesy of Damian Money</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next national trip was to Seaford in May for the <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/05/seaford-white-crowned-sparrow.html">White-crowned Sparrow</a> (my first lifer). Fortunately I went on the last day it was there and got good views as well.</div><div> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TmSNbB_S6ns" title="White-crowned Sparrow, Hope Gap, Seaford" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>The Seaford White-crowned Sparrow</i><br /></div><div> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">It wasn't until August that I had my next national birding trip, this time to Arne for the long staying <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/08/forsters-tern-at-arne-rspb-with-honey.html">Forster's Tern</a> (another lifer) which was nice and straight-forward to connect with. With Honey Buzzard afters, it was a nice trip. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UDCfG96PgjhmdjfFzbpEkmJDPHf4NiOAD9qePEBXCZIVXW_OYiJB4P7wG3xIFmHdXuAj3T8ZKL0_6MljpAF_7zUUq4TWfzvsnXZLEbw68DlhGCfbaIdHXPnJ1jEPRQVQdjBDRbNCftwJmb05oeCu-eo6XGy-_5zWv81WbsfuHReLPmko2wFHVm33aZ8/s600/_FT1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="600" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UDCfG96PgjhmdjfFzbpEkmJDPHf4NiOAD9qePEBXCZIVXW_OYiJB4P7wG3xIFmHdXuAj3T8ZKL0_6MljpAF_7zUUq4TWfzvsnXZLEbw68DlhGCfbaIdHXPnJ1jEPRQVQdjBDRbNCftwJmb05oeCu-eo6XGy-_5zWv81WbsfuHReLPmko2wFHVm33aZ8/w640-h564/_FT1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Arne Forster's Tern</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">September was the top month of the year with no less than three trips, all for lifers. The first was a trip over the border into Wales to get a little piece of the amazing American warbler fest that happened in Wales. This was in the form of the second <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/09/baglan-magnolia-warbler.html">Magnolia Warbler</a> of the Year for the UK, this one in Baglan.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xjcoSMQzohxSbvCp4dhIry8nvhpa2Xy7Ri90GxBBqB8Lmt916Nrl6VZ9Sygnq1YOhPGeLPibT3uqx2XNuQ2HbvJen2XJkw9amIMp-c6K4dqKgWmlbu_cDhzbrzlfRkDsD9E53kboPgirA6QDTVx0Y7wBv0lA-di8ZOsGR82R3PM6PdJIy5anTCSD_6bz/s640/_J9A1538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="640" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xjcoSMQzohxSbvCp4dhIry8nvhpa2Xy7Ri90GxBBqB8Lmt916Nrl6VZ9Sygnq1YOhPGeLPibT3uqx2XNuQ2HbvJen2XJkw9amIMp-c6K4dqKgWmlbu_cDhzbrzlfRkDsD9E53kboPgirA6QDTVx0Y7wBv0lA-di8ZOsGR82R3PM6PdJIy5anTCSD_6bz/w640-h344/_J9A1538.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Magnolia Warbler courtesy of Ewan Urquhart</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">A few days later there was another warbler twitch, this time down to Sussex for the long staying <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/09/upper-beeding-aquatic-warbler.html">Aquatic Warbler</a>. This species is usually impossible to twitch so when one set up camp along a river bank and was comparatively easy to see it was a no brainer to go for it.</div><div> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhUUVlkEEIA9OeMM9fhun6MPtmJiOAnXUd0m6bBSvI1_Q50mGgfOk9Li8qn8QtQJc0gf8efVHrOOdQhgdH23mJT1iQzvFnIwHU8vzaYg0girYflmEN2oCXnoq_IBUGG_phGONFhYdWZkz2jFMW2JrDHwXo6wQvTwU2TcsPLrTyPYX4vqdJNIyJiVAZQc/s640/AW3_JT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="640" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhUUVlkEEIA9OeMM9fhun6MPtmJiOAnXUd0m6bBSvI1_Q50mGgfOk9Li8qn8QtQJc0gf8efVHrOOdQhgdH23mJT1iQzvFnIwHU8vzaYg0girYflmEN2oCXnoq_IBUGG_phGONFhYdWZkz2jFMW2JrDHwXo6wQvTwU2TcsPLrTyPYX4vqdJNIyJiVAZQc/w640-h534/AW3_JT.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Aquatic Warbler courtesy of Joe Tobias</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The third tick for September was when I had to take Daughter #2 all the way up to Aberdeen for the start of her Master's degree. On the way back down I stopped off at Teeside for the <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/09/aberdeen-uni-run-teeside-brown-booby.html">Brown Booby</a> which showed well throughout the time I was there.<br /></div><div> </div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRVPDm42z8v3LHiVmSde3hPe3TXYml5-F5z9S1AsbR-hLR6l8Nu8PKDTvjvJjB6JMcluRx_nNsTR0YJcrA24J04YTKT1aUc0KJ9bdmI1L39y9kG17-mtPdl59-hUiMsSfE_hn7VVU1iiZooWC36sP0OUl2Qh9vfM3M5dslBRRbQPf8cnHRq0PbTozRFU/s600/_BB1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="600" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRVPDm42z8v3LHiVmSde3hPe3TXYml5-F5z9S1AsbR-hLR6l8Nu8PKDTvjvJjB6JMcluRx_nNsTR0YJcrA24J04YTKT1aUc0KJ9bdmI1L39y9kG17-mtPdl59-hUiMsSfE_hn7VVU1iiZooWC36sP0OUl2Qh9vfM3M5dslBRRbQPf8cnHRq0PbTozRFU/w640-h596/_BB1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Teeside Brown Booby</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That was it until November when I first had a little trip over the border into Gloucestershire to see the <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/11/whelford-purple-heron.html">Purple Heron</a> there. Unfortunately, whereas others had had crippling views of it in previous days, all I got was about 30 seconds before it flew off, never to be seen again.<br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWYlTtWSWFiuLHrsQoXUk7nAAvSnNRXsTUvFDaJ6E-BYsLR_ycYK103msJTY2ouroaPGIRJWciiRIsRRwKEZPAcO2DN13cPKgtL0icgIC66vxAGSBU-2CwCFrx9LFu_KfK9qUX8i8AlYrBvHskBBROq0mfxLB3tmL_zlLTUJHRrxIvYDKO2VVqXOhuyhM/s640/_J9A4293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="640" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWYlTtWSWFiuLHrsQoXUk7nAAvSnNRXsTUvFDaJ6E-BYsLR_ycYK103msJTY2ouroaPGIRJWciiRIsRRwKEZPAcO2DN13cPKgtL0icgIC66vxAGSBU-2CwCFrx9LFu_KfK9qUX8i8AlYrBvHskBBROq0mfxLB3tmL_zlLTUJHRrxIvYDKO2VVqXOhuyhM/w640-h548/_J9A4293.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Whelford Purple Heron courtesy of Ewan Urquhart</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">There was one more national twitch that I went on. This was a trip over to Norfolk for the long-staying <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/11/doing-pallid-swift-canvasback-double.html">Pallid Swift</a>, followed by the Canvasback for afters. The swift was easy but the duck was hard though in the end I saw it well enough. Pallid Swift is one of those species that I thought I would probably never see so to have an obliging twitchable bird like this was too good an opportunity to pass up.<br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__33YPgl3rYAeVwFUyKyua9vAfVfsV2WVy4HdJgAEzznCdEaj0AbDBV-maXYkfVEyOc71u2KjY6-HdVEQ9qmnf9yzzio8hQmaJo_emTS4C3gLVmFlcjfbHzO-E-DhyEm3P7ikMXJEvPTjjWLFaJeWDAISEgwat-YfKouU3KPCB9fpgLOHfQdfuG5O1gc/s640/PS_NT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="441" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__33YPgl3rYAeVwFUyKyua9vAfVfsV2WVy4HdJgAEzznCdEaj0AbDBV-maXYkfVEyOc71u2KjY6-HdVEQ9qmnf9yzzio8hQmaJo_emTS4C3gLVmFlcjfbHzO-E-DhyEm3P7ikMXJEvPTjjWLFaJeWDAISEgwat-YfKouU3KPCB9fpgLOHfQdfuG5O1gc/w442-h640/PS_NT.jpg" width="442" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Pallid Swift courtesy of Nick Truby</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">So that was my national birding. In terms of national bird of the year they were all pretty much "good ticks" to get. However, I guess it has to be the Magnolia Warbler. American warblers are just so stunning to look at compared to our drab birds.<br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Other Stuff</h2><div style="text-align: justify;">There was some other stuff that I went for during the year, mostly orchids and odonata. In early spring I saw the Oxon <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/04/oxfordshire-giant-orchids-durham-dip.html">Giant Orchids</a> that had newly been discovered. I guess it will become an annual trip to see them now.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPuWVlIpwTr6TqIuyq6DN88FMqfVGfMbBGnb2gefvhlADkW7PtHPdaH21bJ2UzOAjN2OHqQNZQ_8uVrnHf1rA7G_YlUuPT6gzeQQvmnDYGSuGC82_SQCLXXe0BV9N4g8CIAt7ORZFMtZ0tvb49MGTF-d2nS6TttwOR_s60bzIXff3z_5AZ9zLW1ED/s640/IMG_2589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPuWVlIpwTr6TqIuyq6DN88FMqfVGfMbBGnb2gefvhlADkW7PtHPdaH21bJ2UzOAjN2OHqQNZQ_8uVrnHf1rA7G_YlUuPT6gzeQQvmnDYGSuGC82_SQCLXXe0BV9N4g8CIAt7ORZFMtZ0tvb49MGTF-d2nS6TttwOR_s60bzIXff3z_5AZ9zLW1ED/w480-h640/IMG_2589.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of the Giant Orchids</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was also a trip up to <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/06/scotland-in-june-orchids-odonata.html">Scotland in June</a> when I finally caught up with some of the Scottish speciality orchids (Lesser Twayblades and Coralroot) as well as Northern Damselfly. There are still a few more of both orchids and odonata that I need so another trip will probably happen this year as well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKFpS_zTjyg7NbqLp70mzLt7vSuftbnUNrURExDayiGjv1WoUF_5jJSwx1RzmjKhGhFGZsaylWDuvgGHM-VKw2beISgfDhBTk-p0wEzaFjm4F6nPIRdMF_FFR8G55iZ8_z7hrGdilEp3z0uuzaHz0wM9RNxWdFUM7FUjCD0jJuOGg1nMxFzfANHaiCrk/s639/_ND2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKFpS_zTjyg7NbqLp70mzLt7vSuftbnUNrURExDayiGjv1WoUF_5jJSwx1RzmjKhGhFGZsaylWDuvgGHM-VKw2beISgfDhBTk-p0wEzaFjm4F6nPIRdMF_FFR8G55iZ8_z7hrGdilEp3z0uuzaHz0wM9RNxWdFUM7FUjCD0jJuOGg1nMxFzfANHaiCrk/w601-h640/_ND2.jpg" width="601" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Northern Damselfly</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">So that was my birding year. It only remains for me to wish all my readers a belated Happy New Year and to a fulfilling birding year ahead for all.<br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p></div>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-24192526448513915292023-11-21T11:28:00.001+00:002023-11-21T15:05:47.190+00:00Doing The Pallid Swift / Canvasback Double<p style="text-align: justify;">I'd been feeling "twitchy" for a while and with my VLW due to go up to the Lake District for a week to visit her family this seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to scratch that itch. In terms of what was on offer, the nearest bird was the controversial Canvasback as Abberton Reservoir in Essex. There was also a long-staying Pallid Swift at Winterton-on-Sea on the east coast of Norfolk but that was about three and a half hours away which was a bit beyond my usual twitching comfort zone. I refer to the Canvasback as "controversial": PL and I were due to head off to Abberton a week or so ago when news broke that two years ago six of this species were dumped by a wildfowl collector in a Suffolk gravel pit some fifty miles from Abberton. Whats more, whilst there haven't been any official reports of them since then, one of the six turned up at the original pit a week or so after the Abberton bird was first found. This fact certainly cast some serious shade on the credentials of the Abberton bird, enough to cancel our original sortie. Still, my need for a good twitch meant that my tolerance for distance and plasticness had increased so I decided on an uncharacteristically early departure from Casa Gnome at 5am to get to Winterton nice and early for the Swift. After that, going back via Abberton would be a nice bonus bird should I have the time and feel so inclined.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the event, I slept rather poorly and woke up far too early. This at least meant that there was no trouble about getting up and I was breakfasted and out the door at 5 a.m. . Others have blogged about the pleasure of night time twitch driving but this was a new phenomenon for me. Heading off into the darkness, trying to clear the sleepiness from my head I certainly enjoyed the empty roads that were around at that time of morning. Indeed, the lack of traffic knocked a good 20 minutes off the ETA so that the Sat Nav was saying only 3 hours and 10 minutes to Winterton. With Radio 4 murmuring away for company I enjoyed the solitude of the journey. As I entered Norfolk the first fingers of dawn started to encourage me onwards towards my goal. At around 7:30 a.m. news broke of the Swift being "still present" on RBA so I felt that I was in with a good chance. The RBA reports were generally rather occasional each day and I didn't know if this reflected the actual number of sightings or not and with heavy rain forecast for the afternoon, I was somewhat nervously about how easy it might actually be to connect. So I sped on in a state of some nervous excitment. Right towards the end as I turned off into a side road I spotted a nice flock of Pink-footed Geese by the roadside - a very welcome year tick for an inland county birder!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOo3qKp4S9e9t2b9X7BQ0yJRz8t5Ctx-4tLM4Dhwf1u2zystmz4Y-92gRRrYAWodEMorFGXrDGdSTxYXF1YB0P_YMYsJuFBkyH56s3YAwoGc0CnqQaHJvdD-lw4w2f5_DBw0X-k3ZxxuocUtg2MippNg9ygYSElKRSbolSg-PCSKxxvQwBFPtMOGsuBE/s2048/Church.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOo3qKp4S9e9t2b9X7BQ0yJRz8t5Ctx-4tLM4Dhwf1u2zystmz4Y-92gRRrYAWodEMorFGXrDGdSTxYXF1YB0P_YMYsJuFBkyH56s3YAwoGc0CnqQaHJvdD-lw4w2f5_DBw0X-k3ZxxuocUtg2MippNg9ygYSElKRSbolSg-PCSKxxvQwBFPtMOGsuBE/w480-h640/Church.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Winterton Church </i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I arrived just after 8am as the Sat Nav had predicted and parked up by the famous church that was so often featured in RBA reports. A birder was walking back to his car at this point so I eagerly enquired about the situation. "Oh it's showing every few minutes or so just up there by the village green" - I needed no further incentive! I threw on my coat, grabbed my bins and sped up the road to join the throng. The village green turned out just to be a small grassy area, more like a large roundabout than a village green! There were a bit more than a dozen people there standing around in a relaxed manner and searching the skies for the Swift. Seeing as how I'd not yet seen it, in contrast to the mood of everyone else, I was still nervous to connect. After about 15 minutes of no sightings I spotted a birder in front of me watching something intently through his bins. Following his gaze I spotted the Swift hawking low over the rooftops to the south of us. Result! After about 30 seconds it disappeared but now that I'd seen it I could relax. First I went back to the car to get the rest of my stuff that I hadn't bothered with in my initial hurry: so walking boots on, and my scarf/snood for warmth in the chilly breeze and my backpack with flask and snacks. Then it was back to the green where I soon saw the bird again. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKAkIqeBuHlV1j9JWWI1eWbV1HbM0yfMiSK03E44malIel414B_4KZKsDmGkKncAbB3pKLx1aIhSCVDu08D9yj4m8wqf13fRTBca5FNABS3P2LoRUBwIk8Bisl9jZ-bk40_W-IaLSESkWRoD-ELJRKmRJbOihoVeNhygA4G6i2nzoktMwWPiqqNIdjOk/s2048/Win2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKAkIqeBuHlV1j9JWWI1eWbV1HbM0yfMiSK03E44malIel414B_4KZKsDmGkKncAbB3pKLx1aIhSCVDu08D9yj4m8wqf13fRTBca5FNABS3P2LoRUBwIk8Bisl9jZ-bk40_W-IaLSESkWRoD-ELJRKmRJbOihoVeNhygA4G6i2nzoktMwWPiqqNIdjOk/w480-h640/Win2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Winterton village green, looking back towards the church</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In fact it turned out that the bird was showing every 10 minutes or so throughout the time that I was there. For a while it moved up towards the church area but was generally always to the south of the road and often low over the rooftops. Given the time of year, I wonder if the warmth of the houses was attracted the insects more which in turn attracts the Swift. At least it seemed to be finding plenty to eat. I chatted with a couple up from Cornwall for a few days about Cornwall and birding in general. I wandered about, enjoying periodic views of the Pallid Swift and generally feeling contented. After a while the bird got much closer and gave point blank overhead views as I stood on the village green. It was a real treat to see and I couldn't get better views of a Pallid Swift.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In general, watching the bird and comparing it mentally to Common Swift I could appreciate the broader wings and the slower wing beats. The eye mask and large white throat were only really visible when it was right overhead though I guess a good photo could pick out these features from more of a distance. With just my superzoom camera I didn't even attempt it but instead enjoyed watching the bird's aerial antics. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__33YPgl3rYAeVwFUyKyua9vAfVfsV2WVy4HdJgAEzznCdEaj0AbDBV-maXYkfVEyOc71u2KjY6-HdVEQ9qmnf9yzzio8hQmaJo_emTS4C3gLVmFlcjfbHzO-E-DhyEm3P7ikMXJEvPTjjWLFaJeWDAISEgwat-YfKouU3KPCB9fpgLOHfQdfuG5O1gc/s1515/PS_NT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1515" data-original-width="1043" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg__33YPgl3rYAeVwFUyKyua9vAfVfsV2WVy4HdJgAEzznCdEaj0AbDBV-maXYkfVEyOc71u2KjY6-HdVEQ9qmnf9yzzio8hQmaJo_emTS4C3gLVmFlcjfbHzO-E-DhyEm3P7ikMXJEvPTjjWLFaJeWDAISEgwat-YfKouU3KPCB9fpgLOHfQdfuG5O1gc/w441-h640/PS_NT.jpg" width="441" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A cracking photo of the bird courtesy of Nick Truby of <a href="http://oldcaley.blogspot.com/">Old Caley's Diary</a></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After an hour I felt I'd had enough so drove the short distance down to the beach to stare at the sea while I had a cup of tea from my flask. Mentally I'd left things open in my head as to whether I'd try for the Canvasback or not depending on how quickly I saw the Swift. As it had turned out, it had been far easier than I had feared so with it still being so early I had plenty of time for the Canvasback as well if I wanted. I checked RBA: no news on it so far. I decided to have some more tea and then to make my decision. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdkQOaX5Uz8FqXCIaS9BY2i92vrCLow5P2sRs1LSzLghQU-ugjS5GvbQTEpdVsiICePww0f42M2yHPrzWGQSFzZKt7NqSNJbvbZ_rg5sN9A-yZo8dXN1Jc9DQzM5PvAVahyphenhyphenDWDr65QmX8EYiDaHCX7yOnDZrcYw0KGKeA3p2tEZG25ODzT_L2MIwA8h8/s2048/Winterton.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdkQOaX5Uz8FqXCIaS9BY2i92vrCLow5P2sRs1LSzLghQU-ugjS5GvbQTEpdVsiICePww0f42M2yHPrzWGQSFzZKt7NqSNJbvbZ_rg5sN9A-yZo8dXN1Jc9DQzM5PvAVahyphenhyphenDWDr65QmX8EYiDaHCX7yOnDZrcYw0KGKeA3p2tEZG25ODzT_L2MIwA8h8/w640-h480/Winterton.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking back from the beach towards Winterton</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I was just finishing my second cup when the "still present" news broke. That made my mind up and I set the Sat Nav for Abberton, some two hours away and headed off. In the event, the journey was rather troublesome. One of the key roads was suddenly closed and necessitated a diversion. Myself and a whole bunch of other cars headed off down some minor side road only to grind to a halt suddenly. It turned out the road ahead was closed due to flooding and so a whole bunch of us were trapped on a single track road. Having been in this situation beore, I know that you can all get stuck if you're not too careful so in the end I walked back along the line to report what was going on and people started to turn around from the back so in the end we were all able to get out. Having made it back onto the main road there seemed to be more issues up ahead as Google kept changing its mind about the route. There must have been at least a dozen corrections which I had to accept or reject. Finally, it ended up taking me through Colchester itself as the bypass was jammed. Eventually, at just after midday I finally arrived at the Layer de la Haye causeway which is where the Canvasback was hanging out today. I tooled up and hurried up the causeway steps to the long line of scopes all trained out onto the water. This was when the fun and games began!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiec9pgIUH6qOEuj1uJnrBYjb2oI7MsGc5JQLNUMrvgbgWETh6X__PsBpJyvs1FFJsiASX2iNwmAPc5LWN3oZ82UHovPlpw3EpxZ0AKBesLwO8xrNBRHalnTRBB2G1MaQip3Izci607PFX1Z_z-xoYemfeaRnxWTcl1EZQHFaTf8_nMSLOd4oU_A2Ck7jA/s2048/Abberton.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiec9pgIUH6qOEuj1uJnrBYjb2oI7MsGc5JQLNUMrvgbgWETh6X__PsBpJyvs1FFJsiASX2iNwmAPc5LWN3oZ82UHovPlpw3EpxZ0AKBesLwO8xrNBRHalnTRBB2G1MaQip3Izci607PFX1Z_z-xoYemfeaRnxWTcl1EZQHFaTf8_nMSLOd4oU_A2Ck7jA/w640-h480/Abberton.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Abberton Reservoir</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It turned out to be very windy up on the causeway which meant that there was a lot of scope shakage. The birds were also very distant. There were about five hundred Pochard all milling about in the distance. They would frequently start swimming around frentically and diving every few seconds. Trying to pick out a bird with a subtly longer all black bill under such conditions was not easy. It was being called by birders in the line but in the wind and standing at the end of the line as I was, it was hard to hear them. Fortunately someone close to me seemed to be very good at picking it out and after a while the person next to them left so I was able to stand next to him. He was very helpful and tried to get me on the bird. The trouble was that there were so few landmarks to use. Things like "<i>in front of the Goldeneye</i>" or "<i>next to the Goosander</i>" were only so helpful as you had to find the other bird first before it moved and then try to latch on to the Canvasback before it dived. The best way was to wait until it was in an obvious place, so "<i>right at the front of the flock"</i> or "<i>right at the back</i>". In this way I managed one decent view for a second or so before it dived. At last I'd seen it!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There then followed a good period of not seeing it at all. I've found previously (e.g. the <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-durham-run-redcar-king-eider.html">Redcar King Eider</a>) that with the scope shaking around it's almost impossible to pick out subtle details at range. Back then the solution had been to get in the car, where the shelter there had enable me to find my target. However, that wasn't an option today. The birds were rather flighty and would occasionally fly up only to come down again, though each time this happened some of the flock flew off elsewhere. Would the Canvasback still be there or had it left? After one of these fly arounds a good chunk of the flock left but the remainder settle much closer and were much easier to scan. Then at last, everything aligned. The Canvasback became the "<i>right-hand most bird of the flock</i>". That was easy to find and I got onto it quickly. What's more, it swam around for a while without diving so I was at last able fully to appreciate it in all its glory. I'm sure that readers are familiar with the subtle differences between drake Canvasbacks and Pochard but suffice to say that with good views the different profile shape of the bill and the all back bill were distinctive enough. The paleness of the back was noticeable though didn't really stand out from the flock as the lightness of the ducks varied so much according to the angle they were being viewed at. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4gNErk_UUTd7aZbHn0Wo-rqp_i7f_nBao9BNcNpuAGHi2GyMh62xFJhj5zbLwiEjlApmD8qJ8tsi-M7jkecJcQkIpJQLuC4P-kvM-Pe4LmPnbHHnbrO9PLdqz-iBP1ix3WOA74blJLY_3bb533DQfhn4PGzV83SszjT_5Z50v7Gkf2nCKq2hbn2YQO0/s680/CB_NB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="680" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4gNErk_UUTd7aZbHn0Wo-rqp_i7f_nBao9BNcNpuAGHi2GyMh62xFJhj5zbLwiEjlApmD8qJ8tsi-M7jkecJcQkIpJQLuC4P-kvM-Pe4LmPnbHHnbrO9PLdqz-iBP1ix3WOA74blJLY_3bb533DQfhn4PGzV83SszjT_5Z50v7Gkf2nCKq2hbn2YQO0/s16000/CB_NB.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmTaDqJLyBhjwlThUKxM57QlAQZQ4jpQ4k0mW4Bj9nX3Z9KPL1GKYWTof8tl5X9jcP7CmnS2QnFCKlbSW_aJalYFB6J-s0S8cojQlFNn8cm9sueoJgIwsm1tMl6CqHbU15XR5BBsVBV1Ffmzy-pUUc9sefjfyZhJnfI6K8hbMB7mCbKaMBa2To71u9Wo/s660/CB_JohnLindsell.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="660" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipmTaDqJLyBhjwlThUKxM57QlAQZQ4jpQ4k0mW4Bj9nX3Z9KPL1GKYWTof8tl5X9jcP7CmnS2QnFCKlbSW_aJalYFB6J-s0S8cojQlFNn8cm9sueoJgIwsm1tMl6CqHbU15XR5BBsVBV1Ffmzy-pUUc9sefjfyZhJnfI6K8hbMB7mCbKaMBa2To71u9Wo/s16000/CB_JohnLindsell.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A cracking couple of photos of the bird taken by Neil Bramwell</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After my prolonged views suddenly the whole flock took flight and most of them sped off back to the other causeway at Layer Breton. That was the show over and most of the birders packed up and left at that point. I headed back to the car for some more tea and a chance to eat my packed lunch. Then it was time for the long slog back home. It was some two and a half hours back but the early start was starting to take its toll. Along the A12 I had a long call on my handfree set-up with my eldest daughter to pass some of the time but once on the M25 I needed my full concentration in the heavier traffic. A stop off at the Beaconsfield services on the M40 for more tea was enough to perk me up again and I made it back home by about 4pm tired but very happy with my double twitch day.</p><p> </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Appendix -The Countability of the Canvasback</b></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">It will be interesting to see what the BOURC decide about the provenance of this bird. In its favour we have:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Arrived at the perfect time of year;</li><li>It's been a great autumn for Nearctic vagrants;</li><li>Fully winged and unringed on both legs (I've seen the photos on X);</li><li>Associating with a suitable attractor species and behaving in a wild manner (so not swimming right by the edge and coming to bread!).</li></ul><p>Against it we have:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The 6 birds that were released a couple of years ago</li><li>The fact that one of these 6 turned up within a week of this bird</li><li>The general paucity of Canvasback records - with so few the odds of a given bird being an escapee rather than a vagrant, are much greater.</li></ul><p style="text-align: justify;">However, regarding the previously released birds, apparently, only 3 remain which are all still at the original site and are all pinioned
(not just clipped). This bird had a full and complete wing set. So, assuming all 6 were pinioned then this bird can't be one of them. That only leaves the possibility that these original 6 might have bred free flying offspring though there have not been any other records in the ensuing two years. All it all it looks reasonably hopeful.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the end of course, it's up to the indivudal to decide what to put on their list. As I've said before, the BOURC has a thankless task in trying to evaluate the credentials of wildfowl in particular but, after their rejection of the Farmoor Falcated Duck, I rather lost my faith in them and tend to make up my own mind these days. As I have hinted before, my personal listing is done in layers. I have a strict BOU list and then on top of that are various layers ranging from subspecies that haven't been split yet (Eastern Black Redstart, American Horned Lark, Azorean Gull etc), things which haven't been accepted to the British list yet (Pied Crow etc), things which were release scheme birds (Lammergeier etc) and things which were deemed to be escapes or not proven to be vagrants (Marbled Duck, Falcated Duck etc). Finally I even have a layer of subspecies as you never know when these might be split (e.g. Taiga and Tundar Bean Goose which got split a while back). Anyway, this multilayered approach means that I can count all sorts of things at least at some level and it keeps me amused. And that, at the end of the day, is the whole point of this hobby!<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><br />Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-54987453994622953752023-11-13T20:03:00.000+00:002023-11-13T20:03:00.677+00:00Whelford Purple Heron<p style="text-align: justify;">An unusually showy juvenile Purple Heron had taken up residence just over the border from Oxfordshire at Whelford Pool Nature Reserve in Gloucestershire. Unlike our Grey Heron, this continental species normally skulks deep in reedbeds and is usually very hard to see. Indeed I've only seen one <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2016/08/purple-revenge.html">once before</a>, at Otmoor here in Oxon where after a stake-out for a while I got flight views for a minute or so. From various blog posts (e.g. <a href="https://blackaudibirding.blogspot.com/">Black Audi Birding</a>) the Whelford bird was uncharacteristically easy to see, coming out and feeding close to a hide at regular intervals. Having not been out on a decent birding trip for quite a while, I was feeling like having a sortie of some sorts and this seemed an obvious target. So it was that last Sunday morning I fired up the Gnome-mobile and set off on the 40 minute drive to Whelford.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I arrived at just before 9 a.m. to find the small car park completely full so had to resort to parking down the road by a small side road. The short walk to the hide found it completely rammed. No doubt the sunshine had brought all the toggers out for this obliging subject. I managed to squeeze in the last available standing space by the door and tentatively enquired about the bird, to be told that it had gone into the reedbed on the left but that it should be out again in a while. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the hide I met with NT (of <a href="http://oldcaley.blogspot.com/">Old Caley's Diary</a> blog) and his wife and also spotted MC at the far end (of <a href="http://theearlybirder.blogspot.com/">The Early Birder</a> blog). Shortly after my arrival a few people left and I was able to get a seat at the front. This gave me a chance to survey the scene properly. In front of us was an area of cut reeds going down about 30 metres to the lake shoreline. There were some reeds on either side of this cleared space but it was a relatively modest sized area. This meant that there was less area for a Purple Heron to hide, though by all accounts this bird wasn't shy about coming out into the open to feed. Out beyond the reeds was a large lake on which were scattered various diving ducks. The site is part of the Cotswold Water Park complex of gravel pits so there are hundreds of water bodies in the general area. Thankfully the Heron seemed fairly loyal to this one spot. The twitch arena was rather gloomy, being completely in shade.<br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkWbc6JvGbi6NgfwwScZAvsnNahaYGyZ0XRCiiDXc-7PdwWhRCZ5heWSMTgPMmwsN2qBa5Shjbqb9XisLSt7JdvoWfBar48KYH48RS2poTAm7JyNjBqQMSr19Z_tk6tno4CDHH1-jT2uYGl8epZSy6wd3bpnN6Rq6wS-BBUsVl6b4tX8q7jlBLjFLjLs/s600/Whelford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkWbc6JvGbi6NgfwwScZAvsnNahaYGyZ0XRCiiDXc-7PdwWhRCZ5heWSMTgPMmwsN2qBa5Shjbqb9XisLSt7JdvoWfBar48KYH48RS2poTAm7JyNjBqQMSr19Z_tk6tno4CDHH1-jT2uYGl8epZSy6wd3bpnN6Rq6wS-BBUsVl6b4tX8q7jlBLjFLjLs/s16000/Whelford.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The view from the hide</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After perhaps half an hour or so suddenly photographers started papping away furiously at the far end of the hide. The Purple Heron must have come out of the reeds! The area was partially obscured where I was sitting but through the tops of the reeds I could make out the Heron, it's striking yellow eye and orangey bill showing very well. The camera noise was incessant and the Heron could clearly hear it as it looked directly towards the hide, seemingly not liking this undue attention. This didn't quire make sense given how much it must have experienced it previously. Maybe it had just had enough for it suddenly took off and flew off low over the water before climbing up and over the trees on the far side and out of sight. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWYlTtWSWFiuLHrsQoXUk7nAAvSnNRXsTUvFDaJ6E-BYsLR_ycYK103msJTY2ouroaPGIRJWciiRIsRRwKEZPAcO2DN13cPKgtL0icgIC66vxAGSBU-2CwCFrx9LFu_KfK9qUX8i8AlYrBvHskBBROq0mfxLB3tmL_zlLTUJHRrxIvYDKO2VVqXOhuyhM/s640/_J9A4293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="640" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWYlTtWSWFiuLHrsQoXUk7nAAvSnNRXsTUvFDaJ6E-BYsLR_ycYK103msJTY2ouroaPGIRJWciiRIsRRwKEZPAcO2DN13cPKgtL0icgIC66vxAGSBU-2CwCFrx9LFu_KfK9qUX8i8AlYrBvHskBBROq0mfxLB3tmL_zlLTUJHRrxIvYDKO2VVqXOhuyhM/w640-h548/_J9A4293.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLk06_HN0v8rj_lxnyARW0pWiCj06xl_Gc0U0FONz8O-uJO4iEwf7MycAllsyPrQGo-37SQPOJ6YvVxmKUJi_7ia6sWoGh3D_xg4yqm49bjE5HRr_PUAd0voLy-sQ7-2UC7dor1s1zRnAPNbCHe2OMFx-IiWIqrV05QBeRBu9E4GjKWS4BLZAMmAJUFuLU/s639/_J9A4301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="636" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLk06_HN0v8rj_lxnyARW0pWiCj06xl_Gc0U0FONz8O-uJO4iEwf7MycAllsyPrQGo-37SQPOJ6YvVxmKUJi_7ia6sWoGh3D_xg4yqm49bjE5HRr_PUAd0voLy-sQ7-2UC7dor1s1zRnAPNbCHe2OMFx-IiWIqrV05QBeRBu9E4GjKWS4BLZAMmAJUFuLU/w636-h640/_J9A4301.JPG" width="636" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A couple of flight shots taken earlier in the week courtesy of Ewan Urquhart of <a href="https://blackaudibirding.blogspot.com/">Black Audi Birding</a></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">That was the cue for a gradual exodus from the hide until there were only four of us left. From previous accounts the bird was prone to do this but usually returned and I didn't have to be home until lunchtime so I decided to wait it out. Gradually more birders arrived, including a chap down from Cheshire for the day who wanted it on his year list. He and I got talking about birding, moths, insects in general and fungi as you do situations like this and we passed the time amicably enough.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a while on the left hand side of the lake we could see a couple of birders who seemed to be looking at something rather intently and taking photos. Could they see the Heron? We'd not seen it fly back but it could have come back in around the corner. The pair soon left but some of the newcomers who had yet to see the bird decided to walk around to take a look. After a few minutes they appeared in the same spot and started scanning carefully before signalling back to us that there was no sign of it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">More time passed and I was starting to get restless. Eventually at just after 12pm I had to leave and wished the remaining hide occupants luck with their vigil. I headed back home to Oxford somewhat disappointed at not having had crippling views of what was normally a very showy bird. From RBA reports it never returned that day and indeed was only reported once after that so I had clearly witnessed the start of it moving on to pastures new. Still, despite the brief and partially obscured views, this had still been my best ever views of a Purple Heron and I will have to be content with that for now.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzIuGIMnfNwODzlAIpqoSjNLSF-r7BY0BiKyIXLvJIICCo2Ypu_k04AkdGSY-itbOlR6L69_0wA0bcMBP3rsITXIAxA_pEnaahJg3RK85HhhWDpr_DPlJA7Z3FCRYfDISu6NPlYV34dtpWYjQaCquuyws7CXMyefw1_ykluggYwx2FRH-mANxkpNt2xsh/s640/_J9A5280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="552" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzIuGIMnfNwODzlAIpqoSjNLSF-r7BY0BiKyIXLvJIICCo2Ypu_k04AkdGSY-itbOlR6L69_0wA0bcMBP3rsITXIAxA_pEnaahJg3RK85HhhWDpr_DPlJA7Z3FCRYfDISu6NPlYV34dtpWYjQaCquuyws7CXMyefw1_ykluggYwx2FRH-mANxkpNt2xsh/w552-h640/_J9A5280.JPG" width="552" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>An unobscured view, taken a few days earlier by Ewan Urquhart of <a href="https://blackaudibirding.blogspot.com/">Black Audi Birding</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-48375081389066938372023-09-26T13:02:00.000+01:002023-09-26T13:02:10.282+01:00Baglan Magnolia Warbler<p style="text-align: justify;">I'm sure that every birding who is even remotely plugged into birding news knows by now about the unprecedented fall of American passerines over the last few days. The internet is awash with articles and blog posts about how the unique combination of weather systems at peak migration time has lead to a whole heap of them being dumped on the west side of the country. Magnolia Warbler, Canada Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Bobolink, plus numerous Red-eyed Vireos, the list just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Wales in particular got a good helping both on the mainland and on the scattered islands along the south west coast of the country. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Now, I'd been watching all this with interested. Of course all these birds would be lifers for me (I even need Red-eyed Vireo still - that's how paltry my Yank passerine list is). However, the St Govan Mag would be nearly 4 hours away - beyond my normal comfortable twitching distance. So I watched from afar, thinking that this unprecedented opportunity would pass me by. However, a second Magnolia Warbler was found at Baglan (between PorthTalbot and Swansea) and at only two and a half hours away, it was certainly within my twitching range. However, this bird seemed much more elusive and indeed took several hours from first being seen until it even was able to be identified properly. However, from accounts within a twitching WhatsApp group it seemed possible to get reasonable views so when it was reported as still present the next day (Monday) I decided to go. However I had a few work things to sort out first so it wasn't until after 9 am that I was able to set off. The journey was uneventful and it was a little before midday that I pulled up in the rather unusual location of a dead-end side road in the Baglan Energy business park. I quickly tooled up and headed off the short distance to the patch of wasteland just off the road. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Dz1P9X3O9ysrh1lafZXvnE8Zw8J6dVTEYPBCkcgo4Gml_Yz2yedZQkpwd0KuEYsKJEWSCmB7VDCYPOoMd-1IzGdTmdkOe1Aqi1Vyr_2wktSHE0Pvr1Cur9fpuR8_rKs5FKmGbXdJyS_BwqGf44vO_u7ZA826eCcLFnsqAfm0J5AeMrivMaitVPY62kY/s600/_Arena.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Dz1P9X3O9ysrh1lafZXvnE8Zw8J6dVTEYPBCkcgo4Gml_Yz2yedZQkpwd0KuEYsKJEWSCmB7VDCYPOoMd-1IzGdTmdkOe1Aqi1Vyr_2wktSHE0Pvr1Cur9fpuR8_rKs5FKmGbXdJyS_BwqGf44vO_u7ZA826eCcLFnsqAfm0J5AeMrivMaitVPY62kY/s16000/_Arena.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The unassuming twitch location. The bird generally frequented the tree line at the back</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />I met a departing birder who said that he'd only seen it briefly twice in the two hours that he'd been there and that it hadn't been seen for half an hour. Hmmm, that wasn't sounding too great. However, I was there now and resolved to see how things played out. There were about 80 or so birders around, all staring intently into the dense wooded border to the wasteland plot at various points in the south west corner. A youngish birder seemed to know what was going on so I asked for details and he told me that the clump of Silver Birch and Sallows nearby was a good area to watch as it had been seen there earlier. He was watching it intently and low and behold, suddenly someone nearby called out the bird from that very clump. After a few moments I got a glimpse of something moving at the back. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The crowd followed it as it worked its way to the right and I happened to be positioned in the right spot as it crossed a bit of a gap. Suddenly it was right out on a branch, side on and completely unobscured and I got a perfect view of it. It was only for a split second but it was enough to secure my tick.The main impression was of a Robin sized bird with a slate grey back with two white wing bars and a striking white eye ring and yellow underparts with some darker streaking. I looked at the time. I'd been there for less than 10 minutes, so that was a very fast conversion! </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xjcoSMQzohxSbvCp4dhIry8nvhpa2Xy7Ri90GxBBqB8Lmt916Nrl6VZ9Sygnq1YOhPGeLPibT3uqx2XNuQ2HbvJen2XJkw9amIMp-c6K4dqKgWmlbu_cDhzbrzlfRkDsD9E53kboPgirA6QDTVx0Y7wBv0lA-di8ZOsGR82R3PM6PdJIy5anTCSD_6bz/s640/_J9A1538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="640" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9xjcoSMQzohxSbvCp4dhIry8nvhpa2Xy7Ri90GxBBqB8Lmt916Nrl6VZ9Sygnq1YOhPGeLPibT3uqx2XNuQ2HbvJen2XJkw9amIMp-c6K4dqKgWmlbu_cDhzbrzlfRkDsD9E53kboPgirA6QDTVx0Y7wBv0lA-di8ZOsGR82R3PM6PdJIy5anTCSD_6bz/w640-h344/_J9A1538.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>There was no hope of a photo so here is the St Govan bird courtesy of Ewan Urquhart. <br />The Baglan bird had a more uniform grey back than this one.</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Magnolia Warblers are usually to be found in the north east corner of the USA and Canda where it inhabits densely packed coniferous forests. They migrate south to southeastern Mexico, Panama and parts of the Caribbean. They are fairly common in this area and so their conservation status is "least concern". Of course, one can't help but think of the fate of this poor bird. Having been swept across the Atlantic by a weather system there was little hope of it getting back to where it was supposed to be. It always strikes me as a cruel irony that a birder's best birds are the ones which are most likely to perish.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8faB7hmQdfi33NVrSBTpdOosfOFDCFGyBPeOaJRVzeQCI6fUfbcg23LEkdIaLf3pabF51w3Jen4dhdXV4YJ3j0Z8Wl_WbE-t0wzYZY-8rIVDEjmNlzyu48lII_GaDStENWdaXdKZ7s7XDi1ABYbdHbwivuVs1wPrL4zTB54KXh8HvCAH_t8JGOspq33wi/s640/_J9A1510a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="446" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8faB7hmQdfi33NVrSBTpdOosfOFDCFGyBPeOaJRVzeQCI6fUfbcg23LEkdIaLf3pabF51w3Jen4dhdXV4YJ3j0Z8Wl_WbE-t0wzYZY-8rIVDEjmNlzyu48lII_GaDStENWdaXdKZ7s7XDi1ABYbdHbwivuVs1wPrL4zTB54KXh8HvCAH_t8JGOspq33wi/w446-h640/_J9A1510a.JPG" width="446" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Another of the St Govan Mag, courtesy of Ewan Urquhart</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was a rather comical moment quite soon after I'd first seen the bird when we were all focused on one particular spot and one chap said he could see it. He gave particular instructions and said that it was sitting still on a branch. However no body else could see it and I seemed to be at the wrong angle. Eventually it was worked out that he was looking at a leaf! Apart from that, the bird then showed well on and off for the next half an
hour or so, on one occasion coming out at the front of a Sallow I was
watching again so I get another really good view plus plenty of
glimpses. However, eventually something seemed to chase it off and it was gone and everything went quiet.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKMVoii8HHbhttNX2obFDm_i_gMayVvy_PcgFaLR_ZMJBxkRmVoP9yxrrxF0cviQIL6sNuaobWg_hIRzRVvjwJd6EBbXX92VfvT_vZsGZJDw-aBSd5F-AgbZrShP_5uGCaPTDVmGYqCTCc0eIQMqzOqwyYVf8FxrgCmUk0skfp8i0w6uncTqDDoTO3So/s600/_Birders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijKMVoii8HHbhttNX2obFDm_i_gMayVvy_PcgFaLR_ZMJBxkRmVoP9yxrrxF0cviQIL6sNuaobWg_hIRzRVvjwJd6EBbXX92VfvT_vZsGZJDw-aBSd5F-AgbZrShP_5uGCaPTDVmGYqCTCc0eIQMqzOqwyYVf8FxrgCmUk0skfp8i0w6uncTqDDoTO3So/s16000/_Birders.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Peering into the undergrowth. The Silver Birch clump is just to the left of this</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This lack of further sightings set off a gradual exodus. The large numbers melted away and those who were left started chatting or staring aimlessly around. It always amazes me how many passive or "zombie" twitchers there are at things like this. People who just stand around in one spot, not even looking for the bird but waiting for someone else to find it and point it out to them. I would have ideally preferred to have spent more time watching this bird so, along with a few other people, I did my best, wandering around and trying to find it. However, I couldn't even find the tit flock that it was associating with. It had all gone very quiet. </p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Late arrivals were turning up for the twitch so I knew that numbers of keener twitchers would eventually reach the necessary critial mass needed to relocate the bird but as this could take some time and as I'd already seen it well and had a bit of a journey still ahead of me I decided not to linger. Instead I headed back to the Gnome-mobile and set off for home. Having come down the A40/M5 route on the way there, this time the Sat Nav was saying M40,A420 so it would make a bit of a change from this morning. The journey back was uneventual and back at Casa Gnome I celebrated with my usual cup of tea, basking in the warm glow of a shiny new tick.<br /><br /><b>Addendum: Twitcher's Details</b><br />For those who might be interested in going, below is a map of the twitch area. <br />Park along the blue line<br />The bird's circuit is along the red line<br />The best viewing is the yellow circle of Silver Birch and Sallows<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNodnsqj7pufppgrOW6-hAiAYjeCJIPMRctp12Zo_dFWwHlGMxYbpM_ya4ej9ysz_lU6p34grQsz7LuRil2-53NUV38W-gKdE9nktKCkONyk8e_Gp9izgEH9qtghGzog1veQUhmj-39MjuG3VkFe9XTPS9g8htfWSArGyw6FB7aX6Ura5bw6jmz6zWHXU/s806/Baglan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="806" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNodnsqj7pufppgrOW6-hAiAYjeCJIPMRctp12Zo_dFWwHlGMxYbpM_ya4ej9ysz_lU6p34grQsz7LuRil2-53NUV38W-gKdE9nktKCkONyk8e_Gp9izgEH9qtghGzog1veQUhmj-39MjuG3VkFe9XTPS9g8htfWSArGyw6FB7aX6Ura5bw6jmz6zWHXU/w640-h458/Baglan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-18032810272006069742023-09-14T09:43:00.001+01:002023-09-14T11:40:47.162+01:00Upper Beeding Aquatic Warbler<div><p style="text-align: justify;">Aquatic Warbler is one of those species that I assumed I would never get to see. Back in the day they used to be annual visitors to the UK and a trip down to Marazion in Cornwall in early autumn would usually find one. Sadly this species is in catastrophic decline globally and they are now real rarities in this country. When they do turn up it's usually just "trapped and ringed" and never seen again. So when one was found on Sunday early afternoon in a rather non-descript inland location in Sussex, I assumed that it too would vanish never to be seen again. However, it was seen regularly all afternoon and into dusk. That many sightings in itself was unusual and piqued my interest. However, having done so much driving recently I was too tired to contemplate a trip on Monday even if it was still around. So I watched with interest as it was seen all day the next day. Again this was almost unheard of for an Aquatic Warbler at least in my time of birding. By Monday evening I felt recovered enough to contemplate a trip on Tuesday morning on news. PL (of <a href="https://ramblingsnscribblings.wordpress.com/">Ramblings and Scribblings blog</a> fame) messaged me to see if I was going and wanted to join forces. He and I often need the same things and have similar constraints on how far we are prepared to travel so we often find ourselves at the same twitches. So we agreed to go "on news" the next day.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next morning I was up far too early in anticipation of our trip. A bit of early messaging established that EU (of the <a href="https://blackaudibirding.blogspot.com/">Black Audio Birding blog</a>) was also going so we all agreed to go together. EU got an early tip off from a WhatsApp group that the bird was still there before it hit the news services so we all set off for our rendezvous at a layby near the Oxford M40 services. Once we had all assembled, we set of in the Gnome-mobile for Sussex, a couple of hours away according to the Sat Nav. <i>En route</i> EU got more information from the WhatsApp group that the bird was being seen from time to time so it was with some optimism that we struggled our way around the M25 before heading down the M23 to deepest, darkest Sussex and our target of Upper Beeding. In the end the journey was uneventful and we arrived sometime after 10:30 a.m., parked up in one of the neighbouring roads and headed out on the footpath past the church to the river and then northwards along the bank to the twitch area. <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We arrived to find a bunch of birders all strung out along a surprisingly long stretch of the river, all looking rather disconsolate. As we walked along the line I would ask them about the bird though it seemed that it had not been seen for about an hour. Towards the end of the line, someone said that "it was last seen in this general area". At last, some more useful information! We set ourselves up in this spot and started to scan the area. We were all watching from a rather narrow footpath, looking down on some scrub area that sloped down to the tidal River Adur. The habitat was long grass with some dead Umbellifers and Dock leaves and a few other bits and bobs. Of course, it was all rather dense vegetation with plenty of places for a small Acro to hide. We'd been there no more than a few minutes when a bird flew into a clump of plants. However it flew in rather high with a bouncy flight and when I lifted my bins it turned out to be a Reed Bunting. Just at that moment something else flew low across the bank into a tall clump of grass near where I had been looking. The flight jizz and the warm honey-brown tones gave it away as the target and I got a good enough view of it before it slipped deeper into the cover to be able to call it out to the rest of the birders there. They all duly converged on the area and a tense 20 minutes followed of watching this area and waiting. Finally it flew out again and down the bank though I happened to miss this. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjbJZghqObkwmNFJwbOL-xBrRBF9pSDCit3Xt2PypF5ji1hnxKqA657BtNfy_8RsTDDN2dzoirXwvzEwsAX-MQN1y2ok2cs0aA_CUmHl25egSweuE2NgY4oSbI074PDcEMnH3VorEySwveuSF9srL2DEN9hVh-ol93OYja0Fik5_C7ISMqnPDRgyiHMw/s1600/AW2_NT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjbJZghqObkwmNFJwbOL-xBrRBF9pSDCit3Xt2PypF5ji1hnxKqA657BtNfy_8RsTDDN2dzoirXwvzEwsAX-MQN1y2ok2cs0aA_CUmHl25egSweuE2NgY4oSbI074PDcEMnH3VorEySwveuSF9srL2DEN9hVh-ol93OYja0Fik5_C7ISMqnPDRgyiHMw/w640-h470/AW2_NT.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBzXM9c9VSObB4qAEQGQpgj2fdXxv7dqydroTlQwIQSpubzhgTpyYyjRHOgWhZYS_OphZtjg0MLIc9yql_4bAn22d0dBCxp0SuRrQXNXCFnupael6ZdMZq56-QvpkoABTKOw7JZwlRgnD-G2OCMNnUJaGlZ2egOVETxOV-rqZH1dMo630H7j0edwmK00/s1600/AW1_NT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1600" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtBzXM9c9VSObB4qAEQGQpgj2fdXxv7dqydroTlQwIQSpubzhgTpyYyjRHOgWhZYS_OphZtjg0MLIc9yql_4bAn22d0dBCxp0SuRrQXNXCFnupael6ZdMZq56-QvpkoABTKOw7JZwlRgnD-G2OCMNnUJaGlZ2egOVETxOV-rqZH1dMo630H7j0edwmK00/w640-h468/AW1_NT.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Aquatic Warbler, the above two photos courtesy of Nick Truby</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">After this initial sighting the bird was much more cooperative and it was possible to track it as it skulked about from one location to another. It would regularly show with at least some flight views and could often be picked out in the vegetation if you happened to be at the right viewing angle. It would occasionally make it's "tack" call so that one could keep track of it. In general, there was no possibility of a photo so instead I just spent my time watching it and accumulating some reasonable views over the period of an hour or so. At one point it flew across the river and even sat still in one spot for long enough for me to attempt a record shot. In general, it would occasionally show itself reasonably well for a few seconds before slipping off again.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtosBaxw89OacvEK9-PSNoQUgPy_y81vsTbsxTm_mHQSwPJ6a5oSiSOIDCm8c-CZ4pzgiotQRpUcMvm2PkklEneT3nvwDwHalT0A8KFIjwe3oZL2rSfrMAvVh9A5_2d-7_I31u6BqVqqY_NPjS3l__EqTFheRwN83brrWvbNQj82B6MIMnB2Kqc8MmtyE/s600/_AW_me.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtosBaxw89OacvEK9-PSNoQUgPy_y81vsTbsxTm_mHQSwPJ6a5oSiSOIDCm8c-CZ4pzgiotQRpUcMvm2PkklEneT3nvwDwHalT0A8KFIjwe3oZL2rSfrMAvVh9A5_2d-7_I31u6BqVqqY_NPjS3l__EqTFheRwN83brrWvbNQj82B6MIMnB2Kqc8MmtyE/s16000/_AW_me.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My one record shot of the bird across the river</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I mentioned at the beginning, Aquatic Warbler is in serious decline and these days most of the breeding population is confined to eastern Poland and southern Belarus with an estimated population of between 11 and 15 thousand birds. It was only recently that their over-wintering region was discovered in Senegal. They have a preference for short (12inch) wet sedge beds though habitat loss through land drainage has resulted in a serious decline to the point where they are the only internationally threatened passerine in mainland Europe.</div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhUUVlkEEIA9OeMM9fhun6MPtmJiOAnXUd0m6bBSvI1_Q50mGgfOk9Li8qn8QtQJc0gf8efVHrOOdQhgdH23mJT1iQzvFnIwHU8vzaYg0girYflmEN2oCXnoq_IBUGG_phGONFhYdWZkz2jFMW2JrDHwXo6wQvTwU2TcsPLrTyPYX4vqdJNIyJiVAZQc/s1600/AW3_JT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1336" data-original-width="1600" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhUUVlkEEIA9OeMM9fhun6MPtmJiOAnXUd0m6bBSvI1_Q50mGgfOk9Li8qn8QtQJc0gf8efVHrOOdQhgdH23mJT1iQzvFnIwHU8vzaYg0girYflmEN2oCXnoq_IBUGG_phGONFhYdWZkz2jFMW2JrDHwXo6wQvTwU2TcsPLrTyPYX4vqdJNIyJiVAZQc/w640-h534/AW3_JT.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Aquatic Warbler, courtesy of Joe Tobias</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">After a while it all went quiet and the bird wasn't seen for quite a while. More people left and at about 1pm we too decided that we'd had our fill and headed back along the river to the car. After a quick stop off for some food for EU we headed back, guided along the A24 by the Sat Nav due to some accidents on the M25. We arrived back at the layby in reasonable time and all went out separate ways. It had been a very satisfactory twitch, and this elusive species, which I thought I would never get, was finally on my list.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgma_dm57AownD4WZawapnMg_bltYLPFQvBP5bZKVP_y1s7SAy5A4gzzlJeSvEnLgTwNEg74ihCBOeIy0JzlJHo1a5Jbv0cB-fOYMHtYxRiu0o_po77PwKGzu__WqjxYKuxqcvaMFywnODkIeiUgQ0EvR8nFshyFhF72sP2LYeiBCuW5bsHKi-nDXD0SJM/s600/_RA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgma_dm57AownD4WZawapnMg_bltYLPFQvBP5bZKVP_y1s7SAy5A4gzzlJeSvEnLgTwNEg74ihCBOeIy0JzlJHo1a5Jbv0cB-fOYMHtYxRiu0o_po77PwKGzu__WqjxYKuxqcvaMFywnODkIeiUgQ0EvR8nFshyFhF72sP2LYeiBCuW5bsHKi-nDXD0SJM/s16000/_RA.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking back on the remaining twitchers as we were leaving</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-18148742739506790762023-09-12T21:34:00.003+01:002023-09-12T21:37:01.376+01:00Aberdeen Uni Run - Teeside Brown Booby<p style="text-align: justify;">All too quickly summer was over and our younger daughter was off to university once more after a few years of living and working from home. After the trip up to <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/06/scotland-in-june-orchids-odonata.html">Aberdeen in the summer</a> to check things out, now it was time for the real thing. So it was that on Thursday morning we set off once more for Scotland. It turns out that Aberdeen University is actually the northernmost university in the UK and it certainly felt like it on the long slog north. Having last time stopped over in Stirling, this time we decided to stop off in Perth in a basic but functional Air BnB. After dinner in a local restaurant we had a wander around the town. The main point of interest is the River Tay and the main bridge which is lit up at night. By way of some background, historically, Perth is known as a location where the river could easily be forded on foot and the town grew up around this area. It is also close to Scone Abbey where the king of Scotland was traditionally crowned so it was also known as the capital of the country for a while.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcf3e7OkmaJttNXEWPFYameweNbUv9IVwFiyXMAfk_7inZH2cTYWgDTitLUUlpKv1qlFodOid7RRXiiIBiayQiqxnn1O9bFCXYLwGBOnYrV22uIeFyEGPOQjKjjVFe8ZVGCU5PM9_oGjeA4LqykF9j5bR3eIa85-GBwlaaj0EHh1F6GDKPey7Gs-3KjE/s600/_Perth.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizcf3e7OkmaJttNXEWPFYameweNbUv9IVwFiyXMAfk_7inZH2cTYWgDTitLUUlpKv1qlFodOid7RRXiiIBiayQiqxnn1O9bFCXYLwGBOnYrV22uIeFyEGPOQjKjjVFe8ZVGCU5PM9_oGjeA4LqykF9j5bR3eIa85-GBwlaaj0EHh1F6GDKPey7Gs-3KjE/s16000/_Perth.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Perth Bridge at dusk with its coloured lights</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next morning we set off in for the last leg of the journey up to Aberdeen. It was rather foggy to start with though this soon burnt off. It was about an hour and three quarters to the city. After last time when we had got stuck in a traffic jam at the southern end, we elected to take the bypass around to the northern side where the university was located. Once at the university, the drop off turned out to be far quicker than I had been expecting so after picking up the keys, then driving to her halls of residence, unloading the car and saying our farewells, it was only just after 11 am. Now, finally, it was time to think about some birding!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I had been following what was around quite closely on the week leading up to our trip. The Stejneger's Scoter had been lingering around at Musselburgh for several weeks but with a few days to go before the trip suddenly it stopped being reported. However, there was consolation in the form of not one but two Brown Boobies in the offing. The first was an adult bird that lingered at the Humanby Gap in Yorkshire coast for a day before being tracked northward along the coast The second was an elusive juvenile that was seen in the Firth of Forth on both sides of the river though seemed to be very hard to see and always distant. Neither seemed very easy in the days leading up to our departure. However, the Yorkshire Booby started being reported regularly in the Tees estuary in the Teeside area on the Thursday as we drove northwards, Would it settle down and remain there? To add to the mix an Icterine Warbler had been reported just half an
hour north of Aberdeen the previous evening in a small hamlet near the
coast. I pondered all this information after having completed the Uni drop-off. What to go for?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the end I decided not to bother with the Icterine Warbler which turned out to be a wise decision as it was not reported again after the initial sighting. Instead I decided to head south and to see what came up on RBA as I neared the Firth of Forth area. If the Stejneger's or the Scottish Booby should come up then I would try for them. Otherwise I would push onwards for the Teeside one. The Sat Nav was saying that it would be a punishing five and a half hours down to South Gare from Aberdeen which would be a huge slog! There was also another factor to be considered. My eldest daughter was now living in Newcastle and I had promised to drop off some items of furniture for her new house. If I were really keen I could push on to South Gare and then head back up to hers though that would add even more time to the journey. What's more, there was one final factor to consider, namely the weather. After initial reports of the Brown Booby at South Gare first thing, it turned out that thick fog was hampering viewing so it wasn't possible to see it at all. I weighed up all these things as I drove southwards. What to do?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was nothing locally on RBA by the time I reached the Firth of Forth area so by default I headed on southwards. Apparently the fog was continuing to make viewing impossible at Teeside and as I drove along the Northumberland coast I could see that there was a thick layer of heavy fog sitting on the sea itself though it stopped abruptly at the cliff top where the road was. What's more, I was starting to feel very tired after two solid days of driving so rather than push on to Teeside I decided just to head to Newcastle for the night. Hopefully the Booby would stay for one more day and the weather would be better tomorrow. I arrived late afternoon, exhausted from so much driving. We had a good catch-up, a nice walk around the local area and a tasty take away dinner. After all that I felt much better and fell asleep quickly that night.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">My plan was to head off when I woke up to be on site reasonably early "on news". The previous day, viewing had been OK first thing but had got difficult mid morning due to the fog. By heading off quickly I hoped that I would make this viewing window should fog still be a factor. In the end I awoke to "still present" news with no mention of fog at all. I got up and was out the door by about 7am, hurrying southwards towards South Gare along roads that were familiar from previous visits to the North East. News continued to be come in of the bird being present <i>en route</i> to encourage me, though I couldn't help but feel somewhat nervous. After all this driving and having to follow the news from afar, would I finally get my reward? </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I needn't have worried! I parked up along the very busy road leading up to the lighthouse and joined various other birders hurrying towards the end of lighthouse. We soon came across the obvious "twitch arena" with a large crown assembled some fifty yards away. Suddenly someone next to me called out "it's on the Red Buoy 5 right there!" and sure enough there it was, on top of the nearest buoy right opposite where I was standing about 370 metres away (I measured it on Google maps!). It was as easy as that! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRVPDm42z8v3LHiVmSde3hPe3TXYml5-F5z9S1AsbR-hLR6l8Nu8PKDTvjvJjB6JMcluRx_nNsTR0YJcrA24J04YTKT1aUc0KJ9bdmI1L39y9kG17-mtPdl59-hUiMsSfE_hn7VVU1iiZooWC36sP0OUl2Qh9vfM3M5dslBRRbQPf8cnHRq0PbTozRFU/s600/_BB1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsRVPDm42z8v3LHiVmSde3hPe3TXYml5-F5z9S1AsbR-hLR6l8Nu8PKDTvjvJjB6JMcluRx_nNsTR0YJcrA24J04YTKT1aUc0KJ9bdmI1L39y9kG17-mtPdl59-hUiMsSfE_hn7VVU1iiZooWC36sP0OUl2Qh9vfM3M5dslBRRbQPf8cnHRq0PbTozRFU/s16000/_BB1.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNM8SSs5WX5IKdn-ViXpu6BwLkwbkPv3bt1sFkrTnpr88ihXF9eOqYufvdrOLTRpnnU90DsfnkM5FeexjOhn4r-zWZE7bwWzpcA_KRQgCqAlR_gKvjctcAsl5VRoRaSiUQr8duWyDJ02J4vef4tbNCb8SAaqSyZDmXaETjsZplY_pPP6PGhopIMYgw44/s600/_BB2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNM8SSs5WX5IKdn-ViXpu6BwLkwbkPv3bt1sFkrTnpr88ihXF9eOqYufvdrOLTRpnnU90DsfnkM5FeexjOhn4r-zWZE7bwWzpcA_KRQgCqAlR_gKvjctcAsl5VRoRaSiUQr8duWyDJ02J4vef4tbNCb8SAaqSyZDmXaETjsZplY_pPP6PGhopIMYgw44/s16000/_BB2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the end, the bird was on show constantly though often rather mobile. In between sitting on buoys it would fly around and often land on the sea to join in the feeding frenzy along with the Guillemots, Razorbills and Cormorants when a small shoal of fish would come to the surface. There were large numbers of Herring Gulls hanging around which would try to get in on the action though it seemed the fish were too deep for them so they would fight for scraps and seemed particularly aggressive towards the Booby, often chasing it too and fro. The Booby didn't seem to mind too much and would just fly off somewhere else. It often roamed all the way up to buoy 12 which was right in the distance (about 2km away) though it usually returned to the buoy right opposite us in the end.</p><p style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/36371KL9MOQ?vq=hd720" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Brown Booby is a member of the <i>Sulidae </i>family of Gannets and Boobies of which it is the commonest member. It has a pan tropical range where it live gregariously and hunts by plunge diving for fish in the manner I was seeing. They apparently only roost on solid objects rather than on the sea which I guess was why it liked the buoys so much.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PUxDwaisRBadhGYfmsFDRlElHwj3igVrgBRWxwJ2VObiTz90_qyz-dBF2x1osyCRB80fUW7yiDLlDuTpuhKDwBQhDH0s76jW5EcoJM2fJxtS10Kd-OsxkmcSbTIzHswEI3-APsZY-s5TBu34twL05lGtOkH7h6njhtwIhXn-mUlEt4WsPhX0BS0e_94/s503/AtlanticBrownBooby.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PUxDwaisRBadhGYfmsFDRlElHwj3igVrgBRWxwJ2VObiTz90_qyz-dBF2x1osyCRB80fUW7yiDLlDuTpuhKDwBQhDH0s76jW5EcoJM2fJxtS10Kd-OsxkmcSbTIzHswEI3-APsZY-s5TBu34twL05lGtOkH7h6njhtwIhXn-mUlEt4WsPhX0BS0e_94/s16000/AtlanticBrownBooby.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The nominate "Atlantic" Brown Booby (pink area) is normally found in the southern hemisphere</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">After a while some of the local fisherman cottoned on to the idea of making some extra cash by offering boat rides for photographers to get closer to the Booby. We watched as these boats would take a few at a time to a much closer distance. To my mind the distance wasn't too bad though later photos on the internet seemed to suggest that they got a lot closer as the day progressed. The Booby didn't seem in any way phased by this and sat there happily on its buoy as the boat got nearer. Sometimes a boat went out when the Booby was right down the far end so some photographers would have paid their money but not got to see the bird up close at all.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgouRA27dw4xAvPdS98bsmN36THImMRedO47awm65a8b2yyOEhPsRESNeweiHpe8DEkdvYTrEH2GCtkiv2z1AIpGTle8FBjApsD38mNPuP_vV-IT4XR99u1N3CnAZ8TsJFFcjwYHhl2wJDcQYjAUAtSykkwCdq4k0fE1DtH6vtJtK2xJo3to6rdqI7koic/s600/TeesideTwitchers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgouRA27dw4xAvPdS98bsmN36THImMRedO47awm65a8b2yyOEhPsRESNeweiHpe8DEkdvYTrEH2GCtkiv2z1AIpGTle8FBjApsD38mNPuP_vV-IT4XR99u1N3CnAZ8TsJFFcjwYHhl2wJDcQYjAUAtSykkwCdq4k0fE1DtH6vtJtK2xJo3to6rdqI7koic/s16000/TeesideTwitchers.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Just some of the many Teeside Twitchers</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was not much else of note: a fly-over Red-throated Diver was notable and a few Meadow Pipits were knocking around where we were. One of the locals spotted a distant Eider on the far shore and also an Arctic Skua that I never got onto. There was a Whimbrel and a few Redshank knocking about but that was about it. Eventually I decided that I'd had enough and started to amble back towards the car. I stopped and peered in the various nooks and crannies along the way. I really like this area with it its run down feel and little harbours though it's a million miles from the wildness of the Cornish coastline that I know so well. Back in the car, I started to head off, stopping briefly at the last viewing point to chat with a birder who was scoping out the sand bar there. A flock of Barwits and a few other bits and pieces was all that was on offer. There was no more putting it off, it was time to head off home to Oxford.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI--vYnawUiAZ52L5UBGD1MO0wdhJpnTZ-NiBj930F9DFq3-WUoJGvrs0E9TH61axBt8MnHpIr377lnWK3H2IN0k4ncm8qnBuFNQlxSIcZMG4teNk16fTv0aqIe0Zju83vqNztVOxcyGeZK8X5EIBW2nBF6nd23_OxiplMpzK0NzrSUYCYncSjM9F7xE/s600/TeesEstuary.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI--vYnawUiAZ52L5UBGD1MO0wdhJpnTZ-NiBj930F9DFq3-WUoJGvrs0E9TH61axBt8MnHpIr377lnWK3H2IN0k4ncm8qnBuFNQlxSIcZMG4teNk16fTv0aqIe0Zju83vqNztVOxcyGeZK8X5EIBW2nBF6nd23_OxiplMpzK0NzrSUYCYncSjM9F7xE/s16000/TeesEstuary.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A view of the Tees Estuary</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was one more factor to consider. As I'd been heading down towards South Gare that morning, news had broken back in Oxon of a Pallid Harrier that had been seen on Otmoor. This was a real county Mega and very gripping! What's more it was twitchable as, after it was first found, it was seen up until 10:30am that morning. Now it was long four and a half hours back to Oxford from where I was. "I suppose I'd better go and have a look for it" I thought. As the day and my journey home progressed there was no further news of it. Whats more, as I headed south the weather got progressively hotter and hotter. It had been a really pleasant temperature at South Gare but it was a humid 30 degrees by the time I arrived back in the county. I certainly did not fancy standing around on Otmoor in that heat so that rather than heading straight to Otmoor I went home instead for a well earned nap. This turned out to be a wise decision as the bird wasn't seen again that day. The next day I did make the effort to get out to Otmoor early doors but without success. One that got away clearly though I had my "booby prize" to console me. I will remember this trip not for missing the Harrier but for the success of connecting with the amazing Brown Booby at Teeside.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-64752767845764178862023-09-02T12:53:00.001+01:002023-09-03T19:32:20.939+01:00Low Key Family Holiday to Portugal<p style="text-align: justify;">As the title suggests, this was a very low key, non-birding, family holiday to Portugal. On such trips I always bring my bins and superzoom camera and like to see what birds I come across <i>en passant</i>. We were staying in a town house in Sintra, a mountainous region to the west of Lisbon and on the border of the Park Natural de Sintra-Cascais, a large national park. We didn't have a car as there were so many things to see and do just in the local area so we made use of Bolt (an Uber-like private hire service) which is very cheap in Portugal. Most of our trips were to local palaces (which abound in the area) and their associated gardens. These were good to see and I was expecting to see at least some birdage in these locations. However, the main theme of the holiday was just how birdless it all was. I don't know if it is the extreme drought conditions which have driven everything away but it was hard work to see anything at all. Each morning I would sit with a cup of tea on the balcony of our property which is in a nicely wooded area, looking to see what I might see. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyCSJtvt1ObW6WVAILihhwgn0Oscf5xGmKa4dgCkPAXqdjmme9hpGSsunwepHZb5jNbwg-Tk-d7voizl8muTnFsLYl200cKAxTrj3iP_P7CjkeUFt9Bm5m82rPI30I1lVW3KnFzKdgL7AA5tkvi3Lw3NPBnzVCtUbFfwhEZ5uoL1m2ApLTspZLGZ7tKs/s4032/IMG_3139.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOyCSJtvt1ObW6WVAILihhwgn0Oscf5xGmKa4dgCkPAXqdjmme9hpGSsunwepHZb5jNbwg-Tk-d7voizl8muTnFsLYl200cKAxTrj3iP_P7CjkeUFt9Bm5m82rPI30I1lVW3KnFzKdgL7AA5tkvi3Lw3NPBnzVCtUbFfwhEZ5uoL1m2ApLTspZLGZ7tKs/w480-h640/IMG_3139.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The "Tower of Mordor" (Pena Palace actually), viewed from the house balcony</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The list was modest to say the least. The highlight in the garden itself was a nice <b>Firecrest </b>which I would see most days. We looked out onto the mountain top of Pena Palace which was a nicely wooded mountain top. I kept expecting to see raptors of some kind over there but saw nothing. In fact the only raptor I saw the entire visit was a <b>Buzzard </b>one day at the Palace of Monserrate. In terms of garden fly-overs it was mostly <b>Wood Pigeons</b> with a couple of Starling species which I assume were <b>Spotless Starling</b> from the Collins distribution maps (Common Starling is only a winter visitor and marked "rare" on eBird for the region). <b>Short-toed Treecreeper</b> were relatively common in the area as were <b>Nuthatch</b>. There was a <b>Blackcap </b>one day (apparently resident all year around in the area according to Collins), with <b>Jays</b>, <b>Tits </b>and <b>Great Spotted Woodpecker</b> also to be seen. At night we would hear <b>Tawny Owls</b> calling nearby<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Walking around town I saw quite a few <b>Black Redstart</b> and one morning saw a couple of <b>Crag Martins</b>. There were a few <b>Swifts </b>still around including a pair of what looked like <b>Pallid Swifts</b>. Apart from that the only hirundines I saw were a couple of <b>House Martins</b>. In one of the parks there was a small pool where various birds were coming for a drink. In a short time there I saw a <b>Nuthatch</b>, a <b>Black Redstart</b> and a <b>Serin</b>.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv8HLO4aZwL6TcF-fONUD9X_6vGMV6pUN5vS8Sh-_YRJpHkCuXhQi53pMWajAWaATPM49SzATce9UNJYoVZCDRV9GbdUAuwdQ56XZac52YuRhtSAfEUAqTyYYsXgoB_k2qI9FfiSHieUzsh4Xw8V80PlCaHlBb-sD-Bod7pJqPogtkL9MxSBPcQPv3t0/s600/_BR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="600" height="546" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhv8HLO4aZwL6TcF-fONUD9X_6vGMV6pUN5vS8Sh-_YRJpHkCuXhQi53pMWajAWaATPM49SzATce9UNJYoVZCDRV9GbdUAuwdQ56XZac52YuRhtSAfEUAqTyYYsXgoB_k2qI9FfiSHieUzsh4Xw8V80PlCaHlBb-sD-Bod7pJqPogtkL9MxSBPcQPv3t0/w640-h546/_BR.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black Redstarts were relatively common</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">One day we went down to the coast to meet up with an old family friend from Oxford. There, I saw a few <b>Yellow-legged Gulls</b> and a single <b>Lesser Black-backed</b> type of gull. I didn't get a photo of it and the Collins distribution maps would seem to suggest that it is usually a winter visitor to this area. In one of the local parks I came across something that I didn't immediately recognise and had to look up. It turned out to be a <b>Crested Myna</b>. This is a species of Chinese Starling that has been accidentally released in some other areas, such as Portugal where it has now established a feral population. According to Wikipedia: "[Crested Myna] was discovered breeding around Lisbon, Portugal in 1997. They are now established on both sides of the Tagus estuary to the west of Lisbon and also on the Setubal Peninsula". In fact, terms of most interesting species seen on this holiday, this probably takes the award. Another feral species that was present in numbers were the <b>Ring-necked Parakeets</b> that were to be found in Lisbon. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIt35dIKrvQgJNyfqe0xkdCaXt6quGA20UAy1LAy4lQ37Ugqfvxs_Eqa6t139mmFRVpqEMdpeN49OsELv8u44zDCd0Pr0JCXovM3NLVJ5jHb6vZyh6i0kFeVVSCRYJNioiG0TBU43Tf1IjvxbSrAgRbHWvqOIlY6RnILnnbXJ3W3jlKi4wNyV5umVgs7Y/s480/CrestedMyna15.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="480" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIt35dIKrvQgJNyfqe0xkdCaXt6quGA20UAy1LAy4lQ37Ugqfvxs_Eqa6t139mmFRVpqEMdpeN49OsELv8u44zDCd0Pr0JCXovM3NLVJ5jHb6vZyh6i0kFeVVSCRYJNioiG0TBU43Tf1IjvxbSrAgRbHWvqOIlY6RnILnnbXJ3W3jlKi4wNyV5umVgs7Y/w640-h426/CrestedMyna15.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A stock photo of a Crested Myna, copyright the original owner</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There were a few Odonata around including some <b>Willow Emeralds</b>, a <b>Southern Hawker</b> by the House and a few <b>Keeled Skimmer</b>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuaoSSUlfonYhjX4tfuIYz4Arfu3kq12m_MqUZzGW7Nez6Zr86ESCY98CLND0JFH8IURraM6Jvi823DVAXoxynIuJOpUAOg3LIxYlruv-OqVhPXVYa4wwBKNgZFvxCyGnlRcHI8345r7ufp1mc_rCEasEV_oJQiFTin7rrUSIwaDR7Gq4_eArF7j0euc/s600/_WE1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuaoSSUlfonYhjX4tfuIYz4Arfu3kq12m_MqUZzGW7Nez6Zr86ESCY98CLND0JFH8IURraM6Jvi823DVAXoxynIuJOpUAOg3LIxYlruv-OqVhPXVYa4wwBKNgZFvxCyGnlRcHI8345r7ufp1mc_rCEasEV_oJQiFTin7rrUSIwaDR7Gq4_eArF7j0euc/s16000/_WE1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>What I assume is a Willow Emerald</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqPbPlyMLro26zs6jb_jNSV9OeukNdh3VTrYDXc8wknSg-0PE_ijNMOdU1jewF0724NOzboh4yGH0TzzctkG-N3X4vM49q72B7r7VNbY4UXW9apKcUJeh-EaPjh3uBO_WVa_4l3mn6svhPeiPqgI6szTg1z1RnB_KGhG1iDq1v_W3WJrdGT8muQTXQkg/s600/_KS1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjqPbPlyMLro26zs6jb_jNSV9OeukNdh3VTrYDXc8wknSg-0PE_ijNMOdU1jewF0724NOzboh4yGH0TzzctkG-N3X4vM49q72B7r7VNbY4UXW9apKcUJeh-EaPjh3uBO_WVa_4l3mn6svhPeiPqgI6szTg1z1RnB_KGhG1iDq1v_W3WJrdGT8muQTXQkg/s16000/_KS1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Keeled Skimmer</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">All in all I managed a paltry 34 bird species on my holiday list and that was including some dodgy ducks in one of the ponds. So quite a remarkably birdless holiday! I would like to have a proper birding holiday on the Iberian peninsula at some point as there are lots of good species to be seen.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-34340581011631017802023-08-07T08:37:00.001+01:002023-08-07T08:37:41.178+01:00Forster's Tern at Arne RSPB With Honey Buzzard "Afters"<div><p style="text-align: justify;">The first summer Forster's Tern at Arne in Dorset has been on my radar for quite some time now. What was presumably the same bird was first seen back in April at Bingham Reservoir in Somerset where it spent a few hours sitting on a buoy before flying off. It then turned up in the Poole Harbour area where it gave birders the run-around until the end of May without ever settling down to a predictable pattern of behaviour. Given how relatively low the odds of connecting were, I didn't bother trying for it at this time. After that it all went quiet for a while. However, towards the end of July it started being reported more regularly from one location in the Harbour to the point where I reckoned that it was pretty reliable. The only trouble was that I was rather busy at work. Therefore, it wasn't until this weekend that I finally found a window of opportunity to have a go at trying to see it.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The bird was being reported at Shipstal Point on the south side of Poole Harbour on the eastern edge of the RSPB reserve at Arne. Apparently it was roosting there with some Sandwich Terns each evening. The best times to see it were either first thing in the morning or last thing at night with the morning seemingly the most reliable. Now, these days sunrise it at around 5:45 am which would make for a pretty early start from Oxford. Therefore I decided to book an Air Bnb and to travel up the previous evening, ready for a dawn raid the next day. At the last minute I realised that at only 2.25 hours from Oxford, I could in fact head off at 4pm and be there in time for the evening roost thereby having two goes at seeing the bird, once for the evening roost and then for the next morning as well. So it was that I headed off at 4pm down the A34 into the tail end of Storm Antoni where I had to drive through very tricky torrential rain for a good part of the journey. Despite this, I made reasonable time and so it was that at around 6:15 pm I pulled into the almost deserted car park at Arne RSPB, donned all my waterproof gear just in case it rained again and partly to counteract the still very strong wind, and yomped off down the path to Shipstal Point. Just as I was heading off news came up on RBA of the bird still being present that evening. That sounded most promising! It was already there for the evening roost so it just had to stick around for the 20 minutes that it was going to take for me to walk down to the beach and, as long as it didn't disappear into an unobservable area, I should get to see it!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I arrived at the beach to find just three other birders there all seemingly looking at the bird and a hurried enquiry put my mind at ease. One obliging fellow birder first let me look through his scope for the tick and even set up my scope so that it was straight on the bird - who could ask for more? The reason for needing to do this was that it was currently tucked up asleep with it's head out of view and if you didn't know which one it was then it would have been pretty tricky to pick it out from the 50 odd Sandwich Terns all roosting there. However, every 5 minutes or so it would lift it's head up, have a bit of a stretch and then go back to sleep so that after a short period I started to get some reasonable views. After a while, it did then wake up a bit more and stood up, albeit partially obscured behind a Sandwich Tern, but I was at last able to take some photos of it. However, the sun was shining very brightly and quite low, lighting up these white birds so much that it threw out the exposure of my digiscoping efforts so my results were little more than record shots.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR--AZ2g1lmiuoAirj0c9-9uBOdVZwYfpsCG0xDkhzQGj4j33lJS9t0BoWRhgevjr7gjKT83KCl6irI-0BOub9kpdAO5fC9htS3freq7a3m0sFMNiAmR-9UCTC41bmzFxHQQa9R6yPT5E5Tn6QAdJWliw7AI202qERFZ6pt9Nolux3sgLzyfGbidf1XrM/s4032/IMG_3104.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR--AZ2g1lmiuoAirj0c9-9uBOdVZwYfpsCG0xDkhzQGj4j33lJS9t0BoWRhgevjr7gjKT83KCl6irI-0BOub9kpdAO5fC9htS3freq7a3m0sFMNiAmR-9UCTC41bmzFxHQQa9R6yPT5E5Tn6QAdJWliw7AI202qERFZ6pt9Nolux3sgLzyfGbidf1XrM/w640-h480/IMG_3104.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking towards to roost from the beach</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRc5CjlmS-e5jpbP9NYoA291gUuTvJrlaW_Dt_tx-akwpWrmTLmLna0398shbe-xLgnJY-e_yNd0KF8rq59a88xDkhcJwZZUWzoB335rmwq28IVjGEslfFJPuv7NZHXHl38S_VhHU44B24wDqtGnUMuUVOgpYaa8zQpGMsXH2u_iuUU94SWWpP_Loi80/s600/_FT4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjRc5CjlmS-e5jpbP9NYoA291gUuTvJrlaW_Dt_tx-akwpWrmTLmLna0398shbe-xLgnJY-e_yNd0KF8rq59a88xDkhcJwZZUWzoB335rmwq28IVjGEslfFJPuv7NZHXHl38S_VhHU44B24wDqtGnUMuUVOgpYaa8zQpGMsXH2u_iuUU94SWWpP_Loi80/s16000/_FT4.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A "context" photo with the Forster's in the centre of the photo</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><div> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9GNEEt0mpzY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>I took some video but the combination of the wind and the harsh lighting meant that it wasn't that great. </i><br /></div>
<div></div><div></div><div><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjv0qxP4nnXwHWFStv-xbTqAmQQ0FH7SFDn2z0fiRugUvnvLAFJ_-ynVFaeSxhQdO9kFwCuIZ2BDTkiKsEHFNZFXI9n-mP7GaCcQDRXfVMaEI0RIy5nG2QJbNWjk_z6GATPVdrQIhLQ3osz7fIul1TySyBHBM9nSLaIT21ZxR9tHtz0TQIyypmTvy5sU/s600/_FT5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjv0qxP4nnXwHWFStv-xbTqAmQQ0FH7SFDn2z0fiRugUvnvLAFJ_-ynVFaeSxhQdO9kFwCuIZ2BDTkiKsEHFNZFXI9n-mP7GaCcQDRXfVMaEI0RIy5nG2QJbNWjk_z6GATPVdrQIhLQ3osz7fIul1TySyBHBM9nSLaIT21ZxR9tHtz0TQIyypmTvy5sU/s16000/_FT5.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Having a stretch!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UDCfG96PgjhmdjfFzbpEkmJDPHf4NiOAD9qePEBXCZIVXW_OYiJB4P7wG3xIFmHdXuAj3T8ZKL0_6MljpAF_7zUUq4TWfzvsnXZLEbw68DlhGCfbaIdHXPnJ1jEPRQVQdjBDRbNCftwJmb05oeCu-eo6XGy-_5zWv81WbsfuHReLPmko2wFHVm33aZ8/s600/_FT1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UDCfG96PgjhmdjfFzbpEkmJDPHf4NiOAD9qePEBXCZIVXW_OYiJB4P7wG3xIFmHdXuAj3T8ZKL0_6MljpAF_7zUUq4TWfzvsnXZLEbw68DlhGCfbaIdHXPnJ1jEPRQVQdjBDRbNCftwJmb05oeCu-eo6XGy-_5zWv81WbsfuHReLPmko2wFHVm33aZ8/s16000/_FT1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XNxXhXFA6sK21b_N0a9cH2IOr86dIQANh8nJR8oavylmhSRi37eNPQegxNGKWOeWeRI8GxMMOJsFiZoD8_EWkc8aCj-ctoKPfSHV168GPtPvMV-kSMaZWml2WbXUDPhEJanPds9lPMmL1bD2OvmPj1lCYtKaxrsdE0qzjAPixlGL5GHvSWBYVHem9RQ/s600/_FT3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3XNxXhXFA6sK21b_N0a9cH2IOr86dIQANh8nJR8oavylmhSRi37eNPQegxNGKWOeWeRI8GxMMOJsFiZoD8_EWkc8aCj-ctoKPfSHV168GPtPvMV-kSMaZWml2WbXUDPhEJanPds9lPMmL1bD2OvmPj1lCYtKaxrsdE0qzjAPixlGL5GHvSWBYVHem9RQ/s16000/_FT3.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>...and a couple of zoomed in shots</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">After about half an hour of watching it, something spooked the flock and about half the Terns suddenly flew up and left, including the Forster's. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSChs_Mp3YdPGjHNehsjmLqFWcsOYJltiEhD02wUPDUSeGFtYMb0XIZ_F0YRJCfgyVNr4kiQWwdOG8uMYvMvQpWIOhuc15MgMbQKQGhEdiYhfhNyLyG2JXo1_9D5kxEHcMx-KHpxi375jnMERtkmjrgkOyJOZpUvjg132S3jEywm1Ma-s_m8Jxan1yRWQ/s600/_FT2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSChs_Mp3YdPGjHNehsjmLqFWcsOYJltiEhD02wUPDUSeGFtYMb0XIZ_F0YRJCfgyVNr4kiQWwdOG8uMYvMvQpWIOhuc15MgMbQKQGhEdiYhfhNyLyG2JXo1_9D5kxEHcMx-KHpxi375jnMERtkmjrgkOyJOZpUvjg132S3jEywm1Ma-s_m8Jxan1yRWQ/s16000/_FT2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I was lucky enough to click the shutter just as it took off so managed to get this shot</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I waited for a little longer to see if it would come back but it didn't while I was there. Still there were plenty of other birds to look at with a few Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Redshank, Dunlin, a Whimbrel and lots of Black-headed Gulls to sift through. All in all it was a very picturesque location and, having already seen my target, I was in a contented frame of mind . </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg028u3RwpsWxxn1-LEcjmtsLOHDWZUzC4UIiuOtR5fZcknaCTSfie3PA-6OpytsTgQCCYE0GCAvVHBDj8rronRcrSpHHfEXyTUr8UYJTEHj-ZQZlfu3wzVXkMNlqVuDnQxzw0Bb8GvOSIMTo2Nwe0IGHNaANhxpRYNU8H6jBpHbHPj6Sj8LdQMwmDvzvs/s4032/IMG_3107.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg028u3RwpsWxxn1-LEcjmtsLOHDWZUzC4UIiuOtR5fZcknaCTSfie3PA-6OpytsTgQCCYE0GCAvVHBDj8rronRcrSpHHfEXyTUr8UYJTEHj-ZQZlfu3wzVXkMNlqVuDnQxzw0Bb8GvOSIMTo2Nwe0IGHNaANhxpRYNU8H6jBpHbHPj6Sj8LdQMwmDvzvs/w640-h480/IMG_3107.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking towards Poole Harbour from the beach</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Finally I decided to leave, and ambled back along the pleasant woodland path to the car. Then it was a quick 20 minute hop back to Wareham where my AirBnB was located. This turned out to be in a nice quiet location where I passed a pleasant evening eating, watching Netflix and getting to know my hosts' two lovely and inquisitive kittens. Finally I turned in for the night to sleep the deep and contented sleep of a twitcher who had already connected with their target.</div><p style="text-align: justify;">My original plan for the next day had been to get there for first light but, having already connected, I decided that there was no need to push myself so instead decided to aim for a more leisurely 7am arrival at Arne. The weather was gorgeous this morning, bright sunshine and only a moderate breeze - such a contrast from yesterday! I arrived to find the car park much more full this morning with more carloads turning up as I was getting ready. I tooled up and headed off along the now familiar walk back to the beach. En route, RBA came up with "still present this morning until 6:20 am when flew off". Hmm, was I was going to pay the price for not getting here first thing? Still, with the pressure off from my connection yesterday I wasn't too bothered. When I arrived there was just a single lady birder there (from Chippenham as it turned out). Being there on her own she had no idea where to look so I explained about where the birds roosted though there were no birds there now. We both lamented the fact that it had been reported as having flown off already. There were plenty of the usual stuff around on the exposed mud flats but only a handful of Sandwich Terns on view loafing on buoys or poles. A Great White Egret on the waters edge was new from yesterday and there were generally more birds about. Quickly, other people started to arrive until there were at least a dozen people there - all somewhat disappointed with the lack of the target Tern. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">About half an hour passed with nothing to show for it. An Osprey appeared over the pines on the island opposite us which offered some diversion for a while. Then suddenly our target turned up, hunting actively in the channel in front of us and flying back and forth. Looking into the light, it wasn't so easy to see but it was good enough to make out the bandit mask across the eyes even in flight and there was a palpable sense of relief amongst the assembled group. It had a noticably different jizz from the "angular" feel of a Sandwich Tern. It put on a good display for about 5 minutes as it hunted back and forth along the channel, diving regularly. At one stage we thought it was going to land on a buoy but the Sandwich Tern which was already there wasn't having any of that and chased it off. Eventually the Forster's heading off around the Point and out of sight. We all hurried to the Point and around the corner but couldn't see it. Having now seen it again this morning and with other plans for the morning I didn't feel the need to linger any longer so whilst the others hung around to get more views I opted instead to head back to the car.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWtbK8_4BHObrKjOG4LnierepO_sGboKJMjnlpcvwyzW_NDt_7j5Jet1LQ115uz4x2SaDcWPkCzZeHFWZ2DxrhCw02pPqy5bTDl5Yvux6nPujN1QL0ZMVWLqgaHrMIEJk1PmG1c-bo4JGf3fnpGFP5gjvo4elgLihLmQeRpfW2aGTnAvoKFk7m3ss69M/s4032/IMG_3118.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWtbK8_4BHObrKjOG4LnierepO_sGboKJMjnlpcvwyzW_NDt_7j5Jet1LQ115uz4x2SaDcWPkCzZeHFWZ2DxrhCw02pPqy5bTDl5Yvux6nPujN1QL0ZMVWLqgaHrMIEJk1PmG1c-bo4JGf3fnpGFP5gjvo4elgLihLmQeRpfW2aGTnAvoKFk7m3ss69M/w640-h480/IMG_3118.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The crowd trying to relocate the Tern after the initial sighting</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">My "other plans" were to stop off in the New Forest on the way home for some Honey Buzzard action - now an annual event in my birding calendar. It was a pleasant hour's drive to my usual location and so it was about 10 am that I wandered out along the familiar path to my usual raptor watch vantage point. On the way I listened out carefully and managed to hear the distinctive scolding call of a Dartford Warbler though I couldn't see it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I had been hoping for some company during my visit. For the previous two years I'd been blessed with some expert companionship for at least part of my time there but on this occasion I was on my own. It was a very slow start and I did wonder if I might be wasting my time. Initially it was just a couple of Ravens and a lone Buzzard but after a while things seemed to get going with a whole succession of Buzzard sightings and a Sparrowhawk. Finally after a bit less then a hour a pair of Honey Buzzard came into view and I spent a very pleasant five minutes watching them as they circled in the sky for a bit before moving off. Once again I was struck by just how distinctive they looked when seen well. Their jizz was much more agile and "in control" compared to Common Buzzards which had a somewhat "lumbering" air about them by comparison. Also the relatively small head and longer tail of the Honeys meant that there was a "weight to the rear" vibe about them whereas there was more of a "front heavy" feel to Common Buzzard. Having seen my target well I decided to see if I could score an actual view of a Dartford but despite spending quite some time listening and looking I could not winkle one out. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOndcNB0zllM74FndyXd_MwA_LkQxg58MFdsa8ubWfVcT1VfTahGCojXQjt2TFRrTjSTMQw5iEXwnsYlK2lys-jbz2zdH43CApLW957uEsFoj6ub-gpyT04fEAQc5PDQnzSENJXdUJj9OMO1j4WF6G1HLmdi3X0V2riGbDubIiNzHi2JT2r-_5U1jhT0/s600/_SC1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOndcNB0zllM74FndyXd_MwA_LkQxg58MFdsa8ubWfVcT1VfTahGCojXQjt2TFRrTjSTMQw5iEXwnsYlK2lys-jbz2zdH43CApLW957uEsFoj6ub-gpyT04fEAQc5PDQnzSENJXdUJj9OMO1j4WF6G1HLmdi3X0V2riGbDubIiNzHi2JT2r-_5U1jhT0/s16000/_SC1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The birds were generally rather skulking but I did spot a distant family of Stonechats</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eventually I headed back to the car and set the Sat Nav for home. I had a final cup of tea from the flask and a bite to eat before the drive back to Oxford. I arrived back home early afternoon to bask in the warm contented glow of a very successful outing.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;">Twitcher's Supplement</h4><p style="text-align: justify;">For people who might be wanting twitching information for visiting the Forster's Tern themselves it's all fairly straight-forward. In the map below, park at the Arne RSPB car park, follow the red trail for "Shipstal" through the woods for about 20 minutes before taking the path down onto the beach. The birds roost along the yellow line and the Forster's was hunting in the channel marked in blue.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6poXv3NURCja_L7U-Q9Hel9drmbyIr9KVLWlf9S__EjOHU8MLLFBR2VAX36qS8MYeMnBwW47ZfbvJGY5vsixH9OFslybhBtY8WzJY4u_GDuqOGkYKH5yuiQeMneFvyZB1tHEMEKJGYWlZWxraRfZyf9n8Iv4bHl2hOp6r2QArHBcgTErYEw89co_QXw4/s1099/Arne.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="494" data-original-width="1099" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6poXv3NURCja_L7U-Q9Hel9drmbyIr9KVLWlf9S__EjOHU8MLLFBR2VAX36qS8MYeMnBwW47ZfbvJGY5vsixH9OFslybhBtY8WzJY4u_GDuqOGkYKH5yuiQeMneFvyZB1tHEMEKJGYWlZWxraRfZyf9n8Iv4bHl2hOp6r2QArHBcgTErYEw89co_QXw4/w640-h288/Arne.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-72293065971678156422023-07-29T09:18:00.003+01:002023-07-29T14:58:37.032+01:00Drayton Night Heron<p style="text-align: justify;">After all the excitement of the spring, county birding in June proved predictably boring and quiet. In contrast, the first Sunday in July certainly started off with a bang! I was sitting on the sofa, idly wondering what I was going to do with myself as the rest of my family were going out for the day and I was going to be left my own devices. “If only there was a bird” to see I said to myself. At that moment my custom notification alert on the county birding WhatsApp group went off: “Night Heron Peep-o-Day Lane, Drayton, roosting in tree with Little Egrets per TW". Of course those who read my <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2023/05/amazing-spring-birding-in-oxon.html">recent blog post</a>, don’t need to be told about the significance of a Night Heron in the county. After the excitement but then disappointment of the first bird in a long time, seen by single observer at Otmoor back in the spring only for it not to be seen again by the assembled crowd of keen twitchers, here was the possibility of a twitchable bird The only trouble was that Night Herons are known to be quite skulking. As the name suggests, they generally feed at night and during the day they roost, often hidden away from view for hours at a time. There was not a moment to be lost! I quickly ran upstairs, got dressed, bundled all my birding kit into the car and sped off. I wanted to make sure that I got there while the bird was still in view in case it decided to move out of sight. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was a nerve wracking 30 minute journey down to Drayton but I made good time and as it turned out as I was only the third person to arrive. I needn’t have worried because the bird was on show and after a nervous glance through my binoculars I was able to get my tick and relax. After that it was a question of finding a best vantage spot for some more prolonged studying of this county rarity. In the end I had to view through a hedge which was good enough though not ideal. The bird was sitting in the base of a willow on the far side of a flooded pool some 75 yards from the path. I set up my scope as best I could and took some video footage. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fL37IUnHEqk" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">After that, it was a case of standing around chatting to fellow birders as they turned up, often letting them have a view through my scope to get their initial tick. As usual, in these situations, it ended up being quite a social affair with lots of chatting and banter amongst the now relaxed county birders who'd seen the bird well, punctuated periodically by the nervous "is it still there" from new arrivals. The bird proved very obliging stayed more or less in the same place all day, allowing some people who were at work or away to get back in time to get their tick so it was only people who were out of county who weren’t able to connect that day. For my part I spent about an hour and a half there, taking in this county rarity at my leisure and enjoying the company. Then I ambled back to the car and drove home to bask in the warm satisfying glow of a county tick. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0Qdqtk4DiMdTxYO5lQ7WECT0PxLFjTXKQpFLHMUUwCrcLHRCrKgfxltSRM72l8yHWO_L-hUNgvB05edOkzyP2bJSbwguWLK_Fn7BddYt1Ib4kzLTOVjzEB6wyTIGSxUVyR1y96UE40xxzg_f2Z9yOx4fGKn1lJa08gf2-ghoOsOH2HHJ2G_86qMQKZA/s733/_NH1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0Qdqtk4DiMdTxYO5lQ7WECT0PxLFjTXKQpFLHMUUwCrcLHRCrKgfxltSRM72l8yHWO_L-hUNgvB05edOkzyP2bJSbwguWLK_Fn7BddYt1Ib4kzLTOVjzEB6wyTIGSxUVyR1y96UE40xxzg_f2Z9yOx4fGKn1lJa08gf2-ghoOsOH2HHJ2G_86qMQKZA/s16000/_NH1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I experimented with taking some photos through the scope on my hand-held iPhone and this one didn't come out too badly<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is a bit more to the story however. The bird was subsequently seen a few days later one morning at 5:30 a.m, by BC at the same pond but wasn’t subsequently seen that day, I did wonder whether the bird might be feeding there at night but roosting somewhere else out of sight during the day. However, there was no further news of the bird for a couple of weeks after that. Then one Thursday morning, the bird was reported again, roosting in the Willows right next to the footpath away from the pond. With nothing else to do, I decided I would go and pay another visit, hoping to get some better views. However, I arrived to meet RW who told me that the bird had just been flashed 30 seconds before my arrival by a dog walker and their over exuberant Labrador. Talk about unlucky! Fortunately, this was not a county tick so I wasn’t too disappointed though I had been rather looking forward to getting better views of this bird. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">TM who had been away up in Scotland when the bird was originally found, turned up on his bike. For him there was more at stake: this would be a county tick. The three of us spent the next hour or so peering into every nook and cranny of the willows. RW even had a thermal imaging camera to help him, but even with that we were unable to winkle the bird out. TM and I decided that we would just have one last walk up the footpath to see if we could find it before giving up. I wasn’t even bothering to look properly, but suddenly TM said: <br /></p><p>“I can see it! I can see it! Yes! Yes! At last!” <br /><br />“Where, where ?” I said. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">He tried to direct me through the thicket of of Willows, but try as I might I could not see where he was looking. Suddenly, the bird flew, and I got to see it as it disappeared into the vegetation once again. TM was elated and I was very pleased for him and also pleased that I’d at least got to see the bird again albeit only briefly in flight. We knew that where we'd just seen the bird had been well searched earlier so decided the bird must be still moving around. We wondered if maybe it was trying to feed still after heavy rain the previous night. We spent a bit longer looking for it again after that, but having already seen it there was less incentive and after while we gave up and headed back to our respective homes.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-32522294944766824082023-06-24T20:47:00.001+01:002023-06-25T10:37:54.755+01:00Scotland in June: Orchids & Odonata<div><div><p style="text-align: justify;">My eldest daughter has been very good at generating excuses for some good birding trips over the years. As she is situated up in Durham this has given me some great opportunities for trips to Spurn, Northumberland and southern Scotland and my list of birds from these trips is rather impressive. Indeed it boasts things like Masked Shrike, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Harlequin Duck, Blyth's Pipit, Citrine Wagtail, Pied Wheatear, Penduline Tit, Black-throated Thrush to name just some of the rarer birds. My younger daugher on the other hand hadn't really been pulling her weight in terms of providing me with decent bird trippage. As she'd been to Swansea as an undergraduate there hadn't been much on offer there apart from a few rare plants. Granted her Master's in Edinburgh had provided me with Eastern Black-eared Wheatear and Black Duck but she was still rather behind the offerings of the eldest. Now, however, she was due back up in Scotland this coming autumn to start another Masters course, this time at Aberdeen in Health Psychology. She had been thinking that it might be a good idea to go and have a look around this summer so she could have an idea about what to expect and as I quite fancied a trip up to Scotland myself I readily agreed. The basic plan was to spend a day travelling up, spend a day looking around Aberdeen, then spend some time in the Cairngorms area around Loch Garten before heading home via Durham where we had to drop off something for daughter 1. Naturally, June in Loch Garten offered up some interesting opportunities and I worked out that I should be able finally to get at least some of the northern orchid species on my list as well as trying to see some speciality nothern odonata. So, plenty enough for me to feel motivated for the trip.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We set off on Friday up the M6 towards Scotland. The M6 on a Friday is never a great day for travelling and there were periodic traffic stoppages though never anything too serious. We stopped off at our favourite service station at Tebay on the M6 just before Penrith. For those who are into such things, these services are ranked number two in the UK behind only Gloucester Services (which I've not yet been to). It was great to sit outside at a table eating an iced bun and drinking tea and listen to calling Curlew and Sisken - what's not to like! </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKNBoGpQ-B71hCPJSd5QJiuPvJFipg0V6uednDW4lhEANJoK5kzIPh6G_O9qnIwoINq9DZwIrOIFlDgOqrmZrPGXM22bpZGHxUrcbRBJ-c8xU18eMmvzFURTp5kapmv_my5C84F9O8xAKXbQjkBN0RPI73EEqtXi-GYOnRDEvzKNmL1WOI-xNaxgkLZ0/s600/_TB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheKNBoGpQ-B71hCPJSd5QJiuPvJFipg0V6uednDW4lhEANJoK5kzIPh6G_O9qnIwoINq9DZwIrOIFlDgOqrmZrPGXM22bpZGHxUrcbRBJ-c8xU18eMmvzFURTp5kapmv_my5C84F9O8xAKXbQjkBN0RPI73EEqtXi-GYOnRDEvzKNmL1WOI-xNaxgkLZ0/s16000/_TB.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The view from the picnic table at Tebay services isn't too shabby!</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We finally arrived at our overnight stopping location of Stirling in the early evening. After a nice meal we had a wander up to the castle on the hill where there were panoramic views over towards the distant hills.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH3iCrvReXqoX2-eLdSGgpeKmbRqsGjkhkI6--DOH9MmN6rO5giyg6NBiWMKcpZ6Nr4KZZ72QXW3Jt9j9XMat-zhzjMmR9PHLL_duGFKKGbQD4D96hZu5XS8VywEDrOj5VHUmMko2yY7sHqa4tTpRM89h6NbaBFkaWVrjZynh26Glx22HcIlpMnHn28M/s600/_SC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH3iCrvReXqoX2-eLdSGgpeKmbRqsGjkhkI6--DOH9MmN6rO5giyg6NBiWMKcpZ6Nr4KZZ72QXW3Jt9j9XMat-zhzjMmR9PHLL_duGFKKGbQD4D96hZu5XS8VywEDrOj5VHUmMko2yY7sHqa4tTpRM89h6NbaBFkaWVrjZynh26Glx22HcIlpMnHn28M/s16000/_SC.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Stirling Castle viewed from the church viewpoint</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYx2sP-HuTwbl-6jCCXbqEaK9smUn4i_Adcqg6xzL9_d1pOV1oY-BIH8L1Wdkf4l8UY1oIH7XWAlhN6xh9KCLSfRb8M-goIaH-nAMPopmAD_pKFTd2MWvp_4FzvcaY_jUku-Rt_fl-TClkriSW2mzkFZ1F2DJXjQkPc049V_k59Sv4UZxXwKD0puQo0Y/s600/_SV.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYx2sP-HuTwbl-6jCCXbqEaK9smUn4i_Adcqg6xzL9_d1pOV1oY-BIH8L1Wdkf4l8UY1oIH7XWAlhN6xh9KCLSfRb8M-goIaH-nAMPopmAD_pKFTd2MWvp_4FzvcaY_jUku-Rt_fl-TClkriSW2mzkFZ1F2DJXjQkPc049V_k59Sv4UZxXwKD0puQo0Y/s16000/_SV.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking west towards the mountains such as Ben Lomand, Ben Vorlich etc</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next morning we headed on the further two hours to Aberdeen. I've flown into the city airport in the past but had never actually been into the city at all so it was new for both of us. We passed a pleasant day wandering around the hosipital area where she will be doing her training and around the university campus. I hadn't appreciated just how old the university was but it was established in 1495 and had wonderful old buildings to match. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVtGcfQPw4dQCpnHfkgh8XtaxHbyq9bjDdHT72VAO7Z0N7M60a4N1Tf1lEARgMeL3pqVqC1tos2VwFBhBtTYC-pYmZU1hQSuaP9yfeRRT73UvFlX2Ds9hZWx-N1o6dIjOmg5H95HqTFaonKRrsHxT5UWO64QhPF4GJyK2-lCfOOKiAEzBI4MI069XNic/s800/_AU.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVtGcfQPw4dQCpnHfkgh8XtaxHbyq9bjDdHT72VAO7Z0N7M60a4N1Tf1lEARgMeL3pqVqC1tos2VwFBhBtTYC-pYmZU1hQSuaP9yfeRRT73UvFlX2Ds9hZWx-N1o6dIjOmg5H95HqTFaonKRrsHxT5UWO64QhPF4GJyK2-lCfOOKiAEzBI4MI069XNic/s16000/_AU.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Aberdeen University was surprisingly old</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Towards late afternoon we were getting tired so we went to our guest house for the night to relax and order some takeaway. After that we decided to head out again to explore the beach that lies between the two rivers: the Dee to the south and the Don to the north. The beach turned out to be a lovely sandy affair with hardly any people around at this time of day. We soon spotted a pod of dolphins quite close in and spent our time tracking them as they made their way slowly north. My daughter took some video on my superzoom camera and I watched them in my scope. I also managed to see all four Tern species hunting actively along the shoreline. Apparently they nest on an island at the mouth of the river Don. Eventually it started to get dark so we headed back to our guesthouse and turned in for the night.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UKac8S0hKIA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>Some video taken by my daughter</i><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next day we headed off west on the two hour drive to the Loch Garten area. Fortunately, the weather forecast, which had looked a bit iffy a few days ago, was for reasonably sunny conditions with no rain which would mean that there should be no issues with the odonata side of our quests. Indeed this was where we started, with our first stop being the small pond on the approach road to Loch Garten from Boat of Garten. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61NUbyODBsvhHcCliCCicJTEiFMp7uLbxnF7wELqqLTpWFXmmFhTngXtD98F9_b3nV-5Db-qHz__LoM90qD583kRRKHBANq_hu_wE21GsHroS77H0l1a984ZXLB4Q8cyX-fkGSdE_rV2Llmf_nO57RG6BsgXmh48Ke6X5IM8-BXIXe81FL24yXQp9I14/s4032/IMG_2989.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj61NUbyODBsvhHcCliCCicJTEiFMp7uLbxnF7wELqqLTpWFXmmFhTngXtD98F9_b3nV-5Db-qHz__LoM90qD583kRRKHBANq_hu_wE21GsHroS77H0l1a984ZXLB4Q8cyX-fkGSdE_rV2Llmf_nO57RG6BsgXmh48Ke6X5IM8-BXIXe81FL24yXQp9I14/w640-h480/IMG_2989.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The "Northern Damselfly pond" near Boat of Garten</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Most odonata enthusiasts will know this pond as the go-to place for my first target, Northern Damselfly. It didn't take too long to find either. Northern is know for skulking in amongst the vegetation at the edges of ponds so the boardwalk there is ideally place and there were several individuals on show most of the time. There were a few Common Blues about as well so one did have to be a bit careful but it was all fairly straight-forward. There were a few Large Red Damselflies also in amongst the sedge whilst across the water surface there were loads of Four-spotted Chasers.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMCl080Zvyu92swLi-3dRdqGFOCGkyEv4kFmaCmrzrj62FQzbLyYZws4WYkrc-zaAPXBOIN9AkPesL67ybArln7hof0TAX5V2HP1S4HfX2wvKHO8NYebf1Pd1LLlSvGhvAUU-rzMXNpIoBPEFbhlOd7UP6tMSjBZPGYpELeH_11SFoJ3xeW8tXBAiTfY/s600/_FSC.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnMCl080Zvyu92swLi-3dRdqGFOCGkyEv4kFmaCmrzrj62FQzbLyYZws4WYkrc-zaAPXBOIN9AkPesL67ybArln7hof0TAX5V2HP1S4HfX2wvKHO8NYebf1Pd1LLlSvGhvAUU-rzMXNpIoBPEFbhlOd7UP6tMSjBZPGYpELeH_11SFoJ3xeW8tXBAiTfY/s16000/_FSC.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Four-spotted Chasers were numerous</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The main diagnostic points for identifying Northern Damselfly from
Common Blue is that the S2 mark is in the form of a spear head rather
than the round club that Common Blue has. Also, the lower half of the
eyes on Northern are green. When viewed side on, there are two small
black stripes on the side of the thorax compared to the single stripe of
Common Blue. Note that whilst Azure Blue also has two black stripes,
this species is not found in this area.</p><p></p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKFpS_zTjyg7NbqLp70mzLt7vSuftbnUNrURExDayiGjv1WoUF_5jJSwx1RzmjKhGhFGZsaylWDuvgGHM-VKw2beISgfDhBTk-p0wEzaFjm4F6nPIRdMF_FFR8G55iZ8_z7hrGdilEp3z0uuzaHz0wM9RNxWdFUM7FUjCD0jJuOGg1nMxFzfANHaiCrk/s1278/_ND2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKFpS_zTjyg7NbqLp70mzLt7vSuftbnUNrURExDayiGjv1WoUF_5jJSwx1RzmjKhGhFGZsaylWDuvgGHM-VKw2beISgfDhBTk-p0wEzaFjm4F6nPIRdMF_FFR8G55iZ8_z7hrGdilEp3z0uuzaHz0wM9RNxWdFUM7FUjCD0jJuOGg1nMxFzfANHaiCrk/w600-h640/_ND2.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Northern Damselflies <i>in cop<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibixYKSDHV42Day85tDuqjZRZnRwBas-jvrxYpIbmOZjT9QLBLP5Ju6wp7CpYo5MXk96LwCbFU2d1tTbi1pJeNV312Zwgy0Daddq-SGezlIUTfGYaocIbHOArDSribIQswqDyx4TyxaM04d1DAf34irUHekqjqF7vnO3Cho7JbkscSoEfc64buod2Wa-8/s1200/_ND1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1200" height="548" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibixYKSDHV42Day85tDuqjZRZnRwBas-jvrxYpIbmOZjT9QLBLP5Ju6wp7CpYo5MXk96LwCbFU2d1tTbi1pJeNV312Zwgy0Daddq-SGezlIUTfGYaocIbHOArDSribIQswqDyx4TyxaM04d1DAf34irUHekqjqF7vnO3Cho7JbkscSoEfc64buod2Wa-8/w640-h548/_ND1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>It was hard work getting the autofocus to lock on so I often had to resort to "over-zooming" right in so that the subject filled the frame, as above. You can see the spearhead black mark nicely on S2 here.</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrQB0Syrne8OyKZWR4EK6nlyldpxtGkxpeIxbRs-JaB9QpNENoeqng_ZmP2nCazMC5IJpV2XVGbbeF7o5KpWPa2RX9oSXJpnzi-LajsSH_QnkwH05XcKt2FtLq5yD8tcaqCpygxsqSbBUaH1xkTLA8c3GsW-izceElR83ipOfDnYkMvq7UVnGABcYzC0/s1200/_ND3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1172" data-original-width="1200" height="626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfrQB0Syrne8OyKZWR4EK6nlyldpxtGkxpeIxbRs-JaB9QpNENoeqng_ZmP2nCazMC5IJpV2XVGbbeF7o5KpWPa2RX9oSXJpnzi-LajsSH_QnkwH05XcKt2FtLq5yD8tcaqCpygxsqSbBUaH1xkTLA8c3GsW-izceElR83ipOfDnYkMvq7UVnGABcYzC0/w640-h626/_ND3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In this side on photo you can see the two small black lines on the side of the thorax as well as the green lower half of the eyes</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><p style="text-align: justify;">Having quickly achieved my first target, it was time to move onto my next ones. These were a couple of northern orchids that should be in flower at the time, namely Coralroot Orchid and Lesser Twayblades. I'd been told that given how dry a spring it has been up in Scotland (it certainly was noticeably drier there than down south) that there weren't many orchids about this year. Fortunately I'd been given a secret location where both could be found (don't ask - I've been sworn to secrecy!). So it was back in the car and on to the woodland where they were known to be found. It was actually my daughter who first found both the Coralroot and the Lesser Twayblades. The former were dotted around in the more marshy places whereas the latter was only in one clump, marked by a stick. They looked rather thin in the dry conditions but at least I'd finally got to see them.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEusfblnOk-yfl9p5Mp_aNF3ZDTJkrrXhy_hefASaDUvOkYxvyiTk-pxP7cEsqKNhK6pUBn76dIdcULvbLNILbWgdRy1RAlAhyEZJPm5RQQyuSoJzv8wWY9f5HIc6amlllCFx1GtjCiaybymBN_5lUvLm-tv0W7UolHKIHCV3yOT4mlTznnlTMYJ3N34/s800/_CR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEusfblnOk-yfl9p5Mp_aNF3ZDTJkrrXhy_hefASaDUvOkYxvyiTk-pxP7cEsqKNhK6pUBn76dIdcULvbLNILbWgdRy1RAlAhyEZJPm5RQQyuSoJzv8wWY9f5HIc6amlllCFx1GtjCiaybymBN_5lUvLm-tv0W7UolHKIHCV3yOT4mlTznnlTMYJ3N34/s16000/_CR.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above Coralroot and below Lesser Twayblades<br />both taken with my iPhone so the quality is not great<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxjeFFTbIub5AJglDOEnk6uZcfICnLpar9JT7gSJx6X8wUBP05TaWVzmBwYYg-1SuGeaGUj7WeJdDT4WPgn-n4kAtAn6aPuYlf41BL7Grqxq6QBa0X00U8spz83kitsc4kE44e9r0asbJ4xUiFKyvGsvoOOS2-gVkt32cV9n6PTaPHX1uFxxfTSjD5PE/s800/_LTB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBxjeFFTbIub5AJglDOEnk6uZcfICnLpar9JT7gSJx6X8wUBP05TaWVzmBwYYg-1SuGeaGUj7WeJdDT4WPgn-n4kAtAn6aPuYlf41BL7Grqxq6QBa0X00U8spz83kitsc4kE44e9r0asbJ4xUiFKyvGsvoOOS2-gVkt32cV9n6PTaPHX1uFxxfTSjD5PE/s16000/_LTB.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Having achieved all my targets already, we then discussed what to do for the afternoon. In the end we elected to have a picnic on the shores of Loch Morlich and then to walk along the trail around the loch. This was a walk that my daughter had done previously with her friends and which should take a couple of hours or so. Loch Morlich turned out to be the number one inland beach destination for Scotland with hoards of people all along the shoreline having picnics, paddling about and otherwise enjoying the hot sunny conditions. This was very much not my scene though as we continued along the trail we soon left the crowds behind us and it was quiet and peaceful. There was not much in the way of wildlife seen this afternoon apart from a Spotted Flycatcher feeding it's youngster and a calling Crested Tit in the canopy above us as we ate our picnic. It was also rather comical to watch a young family of Goosander hunting in the shallow river that flows out of the loch. The mother would see a fish and then forge through the shallow water in pursuit. As soon as she did this all the youngsters would immediately start doing the same though presumably without an actual fish in their sights. They caused quite a commotion!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NhDOYZepA-c" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>The Goosander family learning to hunt</i><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX7f3zByMyteG2TFgvTv6MYIvaD3l7k_VfPW3MKWb7okplK1WLLPkRzd_cFq9Ee1hhNxBBC9uhm_xdksSeqxd3-2QXq8jpAnVAWVj82xbXnZOmf1rSmODPTPqfbVDfh9zfxD7oq8Kve51PjsS-34ITdRMjb3HRArpf-Wym77KDUHTIrmu7u34MyfhEnw/s600/_SF.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX7f3zByMyteG2TFgvTv6MYIvaD3l7k_VfPW3MKWb7okplK1WLLPkRzd_cFq9Ee1hhNxBBC9uhm_xdksSeqxd3-2QXq8jpAnVAWVj82xbXnZOmf1rSmODPTPqfbVDfh9zfxD7oq8Kve51PjsS-34ITdRMjb3HRArpf-Wym77KDUHTIrmu7u34MyfhEnw/s16000/_SF.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>You can make out three young Spotted Flycatcher chicks in the nest</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After our walk we headed back to Boat of Garten where we'd booked into a guesthouse for the evening. We chilled there for a while, then headed into Grantown where the old chinese takeaway was still going. This we ate along the river shoreline. Whereas when I'd visited there in the past I had had the whole place to myself, this time there were half a dozen campervans all parked up along the river. A sign of the times I guess as more people have more leisure time to spend. There was a large patch of Lupins and I managed to find a Chimney Sweeper moth in the tall grass - actually a personal lifer of what is not that rare a species. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvFShJReJB1WkZtyCtZ4Zf1poZ83bxCuP_sq3k4aYqC5C94B2yXJ62CkuyTI1tP_SWXV5lbafxVu7uNpJadSlodRw_luRwmIadcx15QMAKghVl5fniCJG1RiI5cvIqxQvMlSWj52tdF63JO5YJMpvDodYma7jnU-t5HubVBZT8JnCGeMtpzj2Idav8dA/s600/_CS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="600" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvFShJReJB1WkZtyCtZ4Zf1poZ83bxCuP_sq3k4aYqC5C94B2yXJ62CkuyTI1tP_SWXV5lbafxVu7uNpJadSlodRw_luRwmIadcx15QMAKghVl5fniCJG1RiI5cvIqxQvMlSWj52tdF63JO5YJMpvDodYma7jnU-t5HubVBZT8JnCGeMtpzj2Idav8dA/w640-h568/_CS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chimney Sweeper moth skulking in the grass</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNXRf7WzbECNo81JaaYx4cs6zEoMW4ty1xXBPHE7LTVLrTpf7bkFWNCA6rwEIKWkfQzzGBWKggP3FaeelJ-FTmH9QZ1Br4WxtC50gIczLZkD_fXBWx5bgx9j_mqDxA3-sHiRzVwcXzFeV_Gwm8FnvDSla4mnI-UJ8Y_iyuM6ozII1MD1WKrD_l7AxR8s/s800/_Lp.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNXRf7WzbECNo81JaaYx4cs6zEoMW4ty1xXBPHE7LTVLrTpf7bkFWNCA6rwEIKWkfQzzGBWKggP3FaeelJ-FTmH9QZ1Br4WxtC50gIczLZkD_fXBWx5bgx9j_mqDxA3-sHiRzVwcXzFeV_Gwm8FnvDSla4mnI-UJ8Y_iyuM6ozII1MD1WKrD_l7AxR8s/s16000/_Lp.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Nootka Lupins growing by the river bank - a wild Lupin species rather than a <br />garden escape which can be found on shingle banks in Scotland</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After dinner we headed to Loch Garten RSPB car park where we parked up and just spent some time chilling by the loch shore watching the sun go down. A calling Cuckoo was the only wildlife of note. Then it was back to the guest house where we collapsed on our beds, tired out after a long day.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1PTYLc5wqA4v0CiQVHyTnPIethqogXDw_-GEBEPnYZ5gGSaIWxpuhL35tFm8Ay_cnL6QZ0OPfZLD9sxyOBdxE8qvCCsJZ-KzZVWbzvVjouZfUZ7DvRpXx3v0BwG4DiQq6ZAqfwB4TZZCRX_aixj-Sdxsgbxa0mxLtdFvgC7Ov_32StEahx0Kd5g8Fzc/s600/_ChWG.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1PTYLc5wqA4v0CiQVHyTnPIethqogXDw_-GEBEPnYZ5gGSaIWxpuhL35tFm8Ay_cnL6QZ0OPfZLD9sxyOBdxE8qvCCsJZ-KzZVWbzvVjouZfUZ7DvRpXx3v0BwG4DiQq6ZAqfwB4TZZCRX_aixj-Sdxsgbxa0mxLtdFvgC7Ov_32StEahx0Kd5g8Fzc/s16000/_ChWG.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We encountered quite a few of this Chickweed Wintergreen in various <br />forest locations during our visit to the Loch Garten area<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">The next day we planned to head down to daughter 1 at Durham to stay the night there. However, the forecast torrential rain turned out not to be as bad as predicted so we decided to head over to the Uath Lochans nature reserve. This was a known hot spot for Northern Emeralds though in the windy and overcast conditions I wasn't holding my breath. The reserve turned out to be a lovely forest with four lochans to walk around on a simple, well-marked trail. There were no odonata over the water but it was very picturesque and we both greatly enjoyed our walk.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m3kuzcvLxPmit0Jb_jyc2sagGQgDf0fRRjf1V1GBobWLJeoPzFVHuWPmBVx1LX_199kYpp3jMIWm-lV-bV0maHwlF-0Q23g3rOqoPHmzyEePscy0WDWVBNPRxdrl-QPp25HsUB58iVxKoil8FqXyHwdtic7sOWUPnxC9oe3U5NP8qdh77Gm2sf9qyP0/s600/_UL.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m3kuzcvLxPmit0Jb_jyc2sagGQgDf0fRRjf1V1GBobWLJeoPzFVHuWPmBVx1LX_199kYpp3jMIWm-lV-bV0maHwlF-0Q23g3rOqoPHmzyEePscy0WDWVBNPRxdrl-QPp25HsUB58iVxKoil8FqXyHwdtic7sOWUPnxC9oe3U5NP8qdh77Gm2sf9qyP0/s16000/_UL.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of the four lochans - it was too cold and windy for any odonta to be on the wing</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Then it was back in the car for the long slog down to Durham. That evening we went for a walk around the local area which in the lovely evening sunlight looked really beautiful. Normally Durham has this somewhat melancholy air to it so it was quite a revelation to see it looking so good. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The final day was just a long slog back home to Oxford. The first part of the journey was through torrential rain that made driving conditions very tricky so it was hard work. However, by the time we got back to Oxford it was sunny, humid conditions again just as they had been when we had left. It had been a very nice, albeit rather tiring trip up to Scotland. Thanks to daughter 2's new course, I expect that this will be the first of many up there.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><br />Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-12465366464564799132023-05-26T10:17:00.001+01:002023-05-26T11:46:46.967+01:00Amazing Spring Birding in Oxon<p style="text-align: justify;">I have six different Oxon birding trips to write about here in what has been an amazing purple patch of spring county birding. I had been thinking that nationally it has been a bit quiet with just one sortie so far this year for the White-crowned Sparrow. So it's been great that the local scene has been more than making up for things.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>1. Spotted Crake & Night Heron Overture</b></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">It all started a few weeks ago on the 29th April when a Spotted Crake was heard singing at Otmoor on Greenaways - the main field along the bridleway that runs east to west across the RSPB reserve. With my VLW and our two daughters away on a grand tour of asia I currently have lots of time on my hands. So I was thinking an evening stroll to Otmoor to take in all the sights and sounds of springtime would be a very pleasant way to pass the time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">As it happened, this day coincided with a Big Day attempt by bike by BS and TM so they rocked up at Otmoor that evening, completely exhausted, to tick off the Spotted Crake at the end of their day. The Crake duly obliged by singing away as usual. I recorded it on my H4n Pro field recorder.<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1523077831&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe></p><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Sans, Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/adam-hartley-3" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Adam Hartley 4">Adam Hartley 4</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/adam-hartley-3/spotted-crake-at-otmoor-rspb" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Spotted Crake at Otmoor RSPB">Spotted Crake at Otmoor RSPB</a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is a side story to this evening which is where it gets interesting. TM was cycling back along the turnoff to the first screen when he thought he saw what looked like a Night Heron through the gap in the hedge. He stopped at the next gap in the hedge but couldn't see it. Given it was twighlight and he was exhausted he it dismissed it from his mind. In fact he only told me all this a couple of days later (see the next section). Back at the Crake listening spot I was chatting away to the two of them while we listened to all the sounds around us. It's a magical time of year with Snipe drumming, reeling Grasshopper Warblers, in fact all the warblers warbling away, Cuckoos were calling and Cranes were trumpeting. It truly was a wonderful soundscape. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Suddenly we heard a strange call. <br /></p><p><i>"What's that"</i> I asked</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It called again.<br /><br /><i>"It's flying to the right"</i> said TM</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It called a total of four times and then that was it. For the combined collective experience of the three of us not to know the call must mean that it's something more unusual. Still with nothing to go and the excitment of the Big Day to dissect, we rather forgot about it.</p><p> </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>2. Night Heron Vigil</b></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">The above conversation ws rather thrown into sharp focus a couple of days later when legendary county rare finder JD took a photo of a small heron flying over the reedbed at Otmoor. To his amazement it turned out to be a Night Heron. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz4fQGSxjHSouAyoG1OWXjXKigfGBR59gqbu96U1-Yhv2v6Xv9SAmGqVJYTh8_WPpw-EWebg__vazDJ-JRZU5MvqbRxe4yihewkFb50qD2I83-4XHERYmTKGHvRGuz72YsSqV5yW8OBXLopIX725x6IPRsQAekKtdGnWXQPzsqk_UqYbeFYzimThig=s607" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="607" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiz4fQGSxjHSouAyoG1OWXjXKigfGBR59gqbu96U1-Yhv2v6Xv9SAmGqVJYTh8_WPpw-EWebg__vazDJ-JRZU5MvqbRxe4yihewkFb50qD2I83-4XHERYmTKGHvRGuz72YsSqV5yW8OBXLopIX725x6IPRsQAekKtdGnWXQPzsqk_UqYbeFYzimThig=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Night Heron, courtesy of Jeremy Dexter</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">When the photos were posted on-line, naturally I thought to look up Night Heron call. Crickey, if that didn't sound exactly like what we had heard! I messaged TM and BS. Ben admitted to being too tired to remember what he'd heard but TM agreed that it did sound spot on. BS did say that we might find someone who had inadvertently picked it up on their Spotted Crake audio recording though so far nothing has been forthcoming.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">That evening the good and the great of the county assembled at the reedbed of Otmoor to see if the Night Heron would put in another appearance. We passed a pleasant evening chatting and watching the Hobbies, Cranes and Marsh Harriers fly around and listening to the Bitterns booming. Sadly there was no repeat appearance of the Night Heron. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgG_3ET6KUcqyONtUuCiVsHfz5X7Jrl7z4KN6kSymxv5H6JfqO2TKAkzpyFRKa1wQXcMP81uJUedo1tWphISHDSMcS4WMyyEJ--qf-VkNcXpv_lZ9-T7re5eYvaOw6lUQsoNFH4bOk8Dg4TG9MJukXhbrvgEHMlhHoPOUW54n2PGcplCGeMsaUqVT/s2016/NHv.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgG_3ET6KUcqyONtUuCiVsHfz5X7Jrl7z4KN6kSymxv5H6JfqO2TKAkzpyFRKa1wQXcMP81uJUedo1tWphISHDSMcS4WMyyEJ--qf-VkNcXpv_lZ9-T7re5eYvaOw6lUQsoNFH4bOk8Dg4TG9MJukXhbrvgEHMlhHoPOUW54n2PGcplCGeMsaUqVT/w640-h480/NHv.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Oxon great and the good wating for the Night Heron, courtesy of Tom Bedford</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I did get a stern lecture from one of the county birding seniors who told me I couldn't put Night Heron on my list on the basis of what I'd heard two nights ago. He went on to tell me how one time at dusk he had seen a small Heron in silhouette which had almost certainly been a Night Heron but he hadn't counted it. Therefore I shouldn't count my heard-only either!<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">In terms of whether I'm counting it or not, I've had a chat with TM. It wouldn't look good if only one of us counted it and he is a bit more conservative than me so for now it's not on my official published county list. However, I do keep a personal list which has various additions. By way of digression (but who doesn't love to chat about lists), I feel that the official record keeping bodies in the UK do a lamentable job. So my additions to my official list are:<br /></p><p><b><br />Ruddy Shelduck</b>: the flock of 9 birds at Blenheim was clearly part of the feral continental Cat C flock<br /><b><br />Snow Goose</b>: the Farmoor birds are self sustaining in my book as they've been around for years<br /><b><br />Falcated Teal</b>: the Farmoor bird was the wariest bird there and was part of an influx of carrier Mallard. <br /><b><br />Red-breasted Goose</b>: the two Otmoor birds, they were part of a general goose influx with appropriate carrier species<br /><b><br />Great Bustard</b>: a bit more controversial perhaps but at some point you've got to start counting release scheme birds and if you can't tell how many generations in it is, then you might as well start counting them immediately.<br /></p><p>So the Night Heron has gone onto my private list as a worthy heard-only addition.</p><p> </p><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">3. Otmoor Black-winged Stilt </h3><p style="text-align: justify;">I rarely go to Otmoor. In fact I can pass whole birding years without visiting the reserve but I went for a third time in as many weeks when a Black-winged Stilt turned up there. This was not a county bird that I needed having seen one at <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2012/04/pit-60-black-winged-stilt.html">Pit 60 back in April 2012</a> but they are always such good looking birds that it would be rude not to try for it. The only trouble was I only had a small window to see it between client therapy appointments. Still it seemed to be settled on Big Otmoor having returned after initially being seen for one evening only a few days prior. It had spent much of the morning there so it had to be worth a shot. Sadly I arrived to find everyone marching contentedly back along the bridleway which is never a good sign. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the Stilt location there was no sign of it. I didn't have too long free so frantically searched for it. A cryptic message came through on the county WhatsApp about it at the north end of "the scrape". Which scape? Big Otmoor is full of them! Anyway, I was saved at the eleventh hour by PL who called me to say that he had it further west towards Noke. I just had time to rush over there, take a terrible record shot and then head off home. Still it was nice to have seen another Black-winged Stilt in the county. I guess they are only going to get commoner as climate change continues.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVGtOCkop_dN_BWuikrAU2ckJqysP1OxexCUgNj3fgJCR82-yH6Bh_1qDhoMA-7x6Uj88AlCNw1bwl3iDraxGtl9o58Y_VgbMO8-6FuEFWBrZL3ZqkZ6NmLkpTnulJlxfawyTpVHtqA0U75Ks7LxoaRNQBu5yxFkKgSwK2y9zPzzpwrlqcMiTG1Yt/s600/_BWS1_edt.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="600" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVGtOCkop_dN_BWuikrAU2ckJqysP1OxexCUgNj3fgJCR82-yH6Bh_1qDhoMA-7x6Uj88AlCNw1bwl3iDraxGtl9o58Y_VgbMO8-6FuEFWBrZL3ZqkZ6NmLkpTnulJlxfawyTpVHtqA0U75Ks7LxoaRNQBu5yxFkKgSwK2y9zPzzpwrlqcMiTG1Yt/s320/_BWS1_edt.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A rubbish record shot of the Stilt</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SY481KYxE-k" title="Black-winged Stilt: oxonbirding.blogspot,co,uk" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>Some video footage courtesy of Badger</i><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiG4Sc89mAd5e5sHka8Zip8YJMYhR-EDdRH_CwwTki5QgyDpX_Bjg5rEav0FN-WxwbFEubhTf8S_NNND_Py3qmciP8xV0a0tgdbLhV0_r-WCWn0U2HSSnjlYqVr7PPEsBERzKJrPLZ5t_oab0sh5BHqKEN5uP1yIzEeijhbjAIrdXlUB0E2W6HQOF/s640/FB_IMG_1684359046576.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="426" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiG4Sc89mAd5e5sHka8Zip8YJMYhR-EDdRH_CwwTki5QgyDpX_Bjg5rEav0FN-WxwbFEubhTf8S_NNND_Py3qmciP8xV0a0tgdbLhV0_r-WCWn0U2HSSnjlYqVr7PPEsBERzKJrPLZ5t_oab0sh5BHqKEN5uP1yIzEeijhbjAIrdXlUB0E2W6HQOF/w426-h640/FB_IMG_1684359046576.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A great photo of the bird by Pete Milligan</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">4. Temminck's Stint</h3><p style="text-align: justify;">The Port Meadow regulars have been speculating about Temminck's Stint turning up on the Meadow in May. Sadly it wasn't to be (so far at least) but one did turn up one evening at Farmoor along the causeway. Again with nothing to do after dinner in the absence of my VLW I headed out to have a look. And very nice it was too! It's been a few years since I've seen one and this one gave excellent views. It was remarkable how birdless Farmoor was. Apart from the Stint on the causeway there was virtually nothing there. Sad times!<br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lkrW9wcbQi4" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>The Temminck's Stint was very obliging when being filmed</i><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">5. Montague's Harrier</h3><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The same evening as the Temminck's Stint had turned up, the Otmoor warden had seen a "probable" Montague's Harrier fly over the reedbed at Otmoor. Many of us had been around long enough to have seen Monty's when they bred in the county (sadly no longer). What had county listers nervous though was the possbility of it being a Pallid Harrier instead. I really didn't fancy spending hours on Otmoor on the off chance of it flying through again so I was really hoping it was going to be a Monty's</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next morning it flew through Greenaways again, giving some great views and some great photos for those there. This confirmed it as a first summer Monty's so there was no need to panic. Still I found myself with a couple of hours spare between client therapy sessions so I decided to have a wander down there (a fourth visit to Otmoor this year already!!). There I passed a couple of pleasant hours not seeing much of anything and certainly not seeing a Monty's but enjoying watching the Hobbies fly about in the sunshine. It wasn't seen again that day.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3RjiuhQFNjslRCcGShBsoxJfBBvyk4C4hidmHptRU58v_J6atim3koUYo_C4CKgtA5LtopEQO2JE5vh1c5OTx9Mi5zeRlr9IavUq-CT-jarUSMD2dGow1ct3cSsclGlkKMkMq4qaNDCI1PBSBhicIlH88K1-SaNJIHnEhVP1ue9Ulqj5V1XGTwEb/s399/7F5A2613Eps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="399" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3RjiuhQFNjslRCcGShBsoxJfBBvyk4C4hidmHptRU58v_J6atim3koUYo_C4CKgtA5LtopEQO2JE5vh1c5OTx9Mi5zeRlr9IavUq-CT-jarUSMD2dGow1ct3cSsclGlkKMkMq4qaNDCI1PBSBhicIlH88K1-SaNJIHnEhVP1ue9Ulqj5V1XGTwEb/w640-h426/7F5A2613Eps.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A great photo of the Monty's courtesy of Joe Downing</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">6. Golden Oriole</h3><p style="text-align: justify;">I was just getting back to the car at Otmoor when MC posting an amazing video of a Golden Oriole singing out of sight in the middle of nowhere near Witney. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IYv1sqK8ws8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>Singing Golden Oriole courtesy of Mick Cunningham</i><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">He'd just stopped to relieve himself by the roadside and happened to have stumbled on a singing Oriole - what are the chances!!?? This put me in a bit of a dilemma. I'd already been out birding today and I had a client session this afternoon which often went on for a long time for this client. I also had a meal to cook this evening which was going to take a bit of time. I could cancel my client session but the Oriole seemed a bit vague and uncertain. After some deliberation I decided not to rush off to Witney. In the end it turned out that had I gone I would have heard the bird (which sang regularly) and would have got a brief flight view. Gah! That was birding though. However, access was very limited and had subsequently been withdrawn altogether so it was a difficult call whether still to try for it or not.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After thinking about it, I decided to postpone my more elaborate meal plan and just to serve up some pizza instead for my son and I. After dinner I would head down to see if I could at least hear it which would be a heard-only county tick for me. After all, for a Golden Oriole, that was probably the best that one could reasonably hope for anyway. I duly turned up at a little after 7pm, parked on the verge with a few other cars and then walked a couple of hundred yards down the road to where four other county birders were. It turned out that there had been no sight nor sound of it since about 4:30 pm so it wasn't looking good. Still it was a nice evening and we all started chatting about birding matters. It was no more than five minutes since I'd arrived however when we heard the distinctive flutey call of the Golden Oriole singing a few hundred yards away but on the opposite side of the road from where we were expecting it. I'd actually got to hear it! I couldn't believe my luck!<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We all hurried back up the road near to where I had parked. Here there was a gap in the hedge were we could stand in the edge of the field and listen. It was singing nearly continuously and we managed to narrow it down to a lone Oak tree on the opposite side of the field. So we had all heard it and with it pinned down in the tree there was a chance we would get a flight view at some point. We all listened and enjoyed the singing Oriole as a few more birders turned up. Only SNT had his scope out. The rest of us thought it was a thankless task to try and see an Oriole in the tree at that distance - after all they are skulky bastards at the best of times. Suddenly SNT announced that he had it in the tree! Holy crap! Sure enough as he let each of us view it through his scope, there it was. I hurried back to the car and retrieved my scope. Fortunately the bird seemed settled in the one location and I was soon able to get on it and take some video footage.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xKoA_v9E2UU" title="Golden Oriole, New Yatt near Witney, Oxon" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>Actual video footage of an Oxon Golden Oriole! Who would have thought it?</i><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It spent quite some time just sitting there and singing, in fact "porning it" by Golden Oriole standards! Eventually it got a bit restless and moved from its spot. Then it suddenly took flight and flew across the field towards us and back over the road to the trees on the other side. This was our cue to leave and we all headed off, very happy to have got such a great county tick. To be honest, this was one that I didn't think I would ever get so it was amazingly good fortune that it all worked out as well as it did. Also, in hindsight, waiting until after dinner had actually turned out to be the best option.<br /></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">So that concludes an amazing sequence of half a dozen great county birds. I never saw the Monty's but the others I either saw or at least heard (in my book at least!). Living in an inland county such as Oxon is often a thankless task on the birding front but when it does go well, it is all the sweeter for it! <br /></div>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-69316014335624624772023-05-02T20:56:00.001+01:002023-05-02T20:57:32.938+01:00Seaford White-crowned Sparrow<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Last Saturday (the 22nd) a Mega grade rarity in the form of a White-crowned Sparrow was found in East Sussex at Seaford. This immediately piqued my interest as it was something that I "needed" for the UK and it was also well within my self-imposed driving range limit for going on a twitch. It also brought back fond memories of my twitch to the <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2021/04/barcombe-white-throated-sparrow.html">White-throated Sparrow</a> nearby at Barcombe Cross back in April 2021. That bird was fairly reliable, turning up every forty minutes or so to feed on seed that had been put out for it. This bird on the other hand was being reported as very elusive and I had no appetite to go and spend all day search the dense undergrowth in the hope of getting lucky. Rather, I like my twitches to have a high chance of success. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">For this bird, I did wonder if locals there were going to resort to seed in order to try to improve the reliability and sure enough on Thursday it started to be reported regularly as "coming to seed" and "showing well". This was more like it! I did contemplate going for it on Friday but I had a therapy client that afternoon and didn't want to put myself under too much pressure so in the end I decided to go on Saturday. However, this was going to be the first weekend of it showing well so there would be hoards of people all with the same idea. So, I decided that I would have to be there uncharacteristically early for me at dawn. As I'm really not a "get up in the middle of the night to drive to a twitch" kind of person, at the last minute I booked an AirBnB in Seaford and headed off straight after dinner on Friday evening. The journey there was uneventful and I turned up at my lodgings for the night shortly after 10pm. After a brief unwind from the journey I was in bed by 11pm, ready to spring into action at first light tomorrow.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I had set an alarm for 5am but in the event I woke up at some time around 4:30am and decided to get up and press on. So it was that a little after 5:30am I rocked up at the car park, pleased to find that there were only 10 other cars there before me. It was very pleasant getting tooled up and heading off in the early light of dawn. There were birds singing all around and it was very peaceful and beautiful. I said to myself that I really must get up at sunrise more often: it's such a beautiful time of day!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCzuXLoG-0moibl0jSX2wL5MT54z6gnu1lQqwz9Z1GeizuBFgoPCYyrGAfs4xd8fwEBMDMuqUeAmiY2LExa3vIlYDSZLgM8GNEW1V88M2CT4f43N-71GfV0WudEGWVanhg3RXZhf_94r8RjdCl1yArTLmJr-piu93JrrlfrJywW-NXvHS4M2awIE8/s4032/IMG_2705.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCzuXLoG-0moibl0jSX2wL5MT54z6gnu1lQqwz9Z1GeizuBFgoPCYyrGAfs4xd8fwEBMDMuqUeAmiY2LExa3vIlYDSZLgM8GNEW1V88M2CT4f43N-71GfV0WudEGWVanhg3RXZhf_94r8RjdCl1yArTLmJr-piu93JrrlfrJywW-NXvHS4M2awIE8/w640-h480/IMG_2705.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dawn at Seaford Head</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a 10 minute walk down to Hope Gap I soon came across the twitch arena. This was a gap between two extensive clumps of scrub into which a dozen or so birders were crammed, all peering intently up the gentle slope to a seeded area less than 20 yards away. There was just room for me to slot into the small crown and get a reasonable view of what was going on. After a quick enquiry I was informed that the bird had been seen this morning so it all should be straight-forward. And indeed within about 5 minutes I had had my first glimpse of it skulking around. The basic pattern was that it was coming to the seed every 20 minutes or so. It would initially perch in the surrounding bushes, where it would give its best views, before dropping down to feed on the ground where it was usually partially obscured by the various plants that were growing there. I remembered <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/09/canada-family-holiday.html">last summer in Canada</a> seeing this species in a variety of different urban and parkland locations in Vancouver - it was good to see it again, albeit in very different circumstances. Anyway, the bird here was obliging enough and over a number of its visits to the seeded area I managed to get some reasonable video footage of it. </p><p> </p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TmSNbB_S6ns?vq=hd720" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>A compilation of my best bits of video footage</i><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YMLbm3B3NFEAvGpX-PL_JzLK6OPlsw93RdY2vjIHElPR9KhNEhbkMpTm6qimQDptIDsQeDpwrtECSLQ-b3yniL30HORHGOw0dqXrrqiBMVQofn4dfeeyzLBQeDgbEjYvU__3wm9JAiQqVY0BRtSzO7aZURoxbA5rSz2Z_hA3bB9p-V2StMYuiRMH/s4032/IMG_2707.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YMLbm3B3NFEAvGpX-PL_JzLK6OPlsw93RdY2vjIHElPR9KhNEhbkMpTm6qimQDptIDsQeDpwrtECSLQ-b3yniL30HORHGOw0dqXrrqiBMVQofn4dfeeyzLBQeDgbEjYvU__3wm9JAiQqVY0BRtSzO7aZURoxbA5rSz2Z_hA3bB9p-V2StMYuiRMH/w400-h300/IMG_2707.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The twitch arena - the bird would appear in the scrub in the centre of the picture</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">While waiting for it to put in an appearance, it was a pleasure to listen to the various other birds singing all around us. There was a close-by Cetti's, a number of Whitethroats and a Willow Warbler or two. Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were also around as well as a variety of thrushes and finches. It's such a wonderful time of year where we can enjoy all the bird song! As people had had their fill and left, so one was able to be promoted up the twitch line and I was able to get marginally better views. However, my fears about the crowds proved justified. More and more people turned up and found themselves stuck at the back of the crowd, not really able to see at all. By the time I left the dozen or so people at the start had swollen to getting on for 50 - I was glad to be out of there by that stage! </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEV6_B7-b9Tm5MvrBRfzLFsoZNu6r9KHeIPeNdD83ovTon9hNCginvZOhc2syQD2-DoKB46pvdBGiinC_dQzNOsKrRTNtf7BNd3-cWGEfj8LtuuIT5gI0pMddjn6WX72aNHIjkoD1DGJQrBf6FL3abSvaNGVPVGtu0TCa1lh0grp9527RWXfMUZqTH/s4032/IMG_2709.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEV6_B7-b9Tm5MvrBRfzLFsoZNu6r9KHeIPeNdD83ovTon9hNCginvZOhc2syQD2-DoKB46pvdBGiinC_dQzNOsKrRTNtf7BNd3-cWGEfj8LtuuIT5gI0pMddjn6WX72aNHIjkoD1DGJQrBf6FL3abSvaNGVPVGtu0TCa1lh0grp9527RWXfMUZqTH/w400-h300/IMG_2709.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Twitchers crammed in the gap. This was before numbers got too large</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I decided to have a wander down to the end of the little valley to take a look at the sea. Away from the crowds it was a lovely bit of habitat filled with various singing warblers. Down by the sea itself there were some Fulmars soaring around the chalk cliffs and a Rock Pipit and a Curlew on the shoreline. A quick sea watch in the company of a couple of other post-twitch visitors revealed some passing Common Scoter, a few Sandwich Terns and some Gannets. The sound of the sea was very relaxing and I spent quite some time just relaxing and listening to it.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36Vr02r615FT3-Tcrv62B_1H1tWZXUYjgcC9OOVM-4V7RrlhSF_O6E6hX6u-BBtz9lUrxzV0fdt2c9fqPE388_7qRZM47G6sniHtbUfJOY1ObU5Hph-hJGUuuoZQe0nnXihcJ3PNTBacfDnr1u0sNICDL-vpTmjC10PFscl0inPkrut_rWGTeoPep/s4032/IMG_2711.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36Vr02r615FT3-Tcrv62B_1H1tWZXUYjgcC9OOVM-4V7RrlhSF_O6E6hX6u-BBtz9lUrxzV0fdt2c9fqPE388_7qRZM47G6sniHtbUfJOY1ObU5Hph-hJGUuuoZQe0nnXihcJ3PNTBacfDnr1u0sNICDL-vpTmjC10PFscl0inPkrut_rWGTeoPep/w640-h480/IMG_2711.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The sea from the bottom of Hope Gap</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eventually it was time to head back home. As I passed the twitch site again there were now so many people that some were reduced to trying to scope the Sparrow from back on the main path. I thanked my stars that I'd decided to come at first light. I headed back to the car park which was now absolutely heaving. There I detooled and fired up the Gnome-mobile for the drive back home. The Saturday traffic was busy but I arrived back home late morning for a welcome celebratory cup of tea. It had been a very successful twitch.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As a footnote, that was the last day the bird was seen. Thankfully I didn't decide to go on Sunday instead as that would have been most gutting! There is something rather satisfying about seeing a bird on the last day. Somehow much better than seeing one early on which then goes on to stay for months. Either way, it was good to get my first national list tick of the year after my nasty dip at the start of the month. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-66748901335515427842023-04-30T09:34:00.002+01:002023-04-30T13:56:26.656+01:00Oxfordshire Giant Orchids & a Durham Dip<p style="text-align: justify;"><i>I've got a bit behind with my Gnome blogging as this actually happened back in March. In order to catch up I've also combined it with a low key trip up to Durham.</i><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It just shows how out of the orchid loop I am that the first I heard about the Oxfordshire Giant Orchids (which must surely be common knowledge by now) was through reading about them on EU's <a href="https://blackaudibirding.blogspot.com/">blog</a>. To be honest, I didn't even know that Giant Orchid was "a thing" as I'm not really a hardcore enthusiast. Still I do keep and work on a British orchid list and here was something to go and see at a time when it was generally rather quiet so it would be rude not to go. I therefore arranged to meet up with EU at the undisclosed location one morning as he was keen to go back for another visit. I arrived to find PL and a friend of EU's also in tow so the four of us duly set off on a leisurely 10 minute stroll to the orchid site.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I'd been warned to bring along a stick as the orchids were sited on a very steep bank. This turned out to be no exaggeration - it was remarkably steep! There was one obvious large plant quite close to the path so we all started by admiring that one.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPuWVlIpwTr6TqIuyq6DN88FMqfVGfMbBGnb2gefvhlADkW7PtHPdaH21bJ2UzOAjN2OHqQNZQ_8uVrnHf1rA7G_YlUuPT6gzeQQvmnDYGSuGC82_SQCLXXe0BV9N4g8CIAt7ORZFMtZ0tvb49MGTF-d2nS6TttwOR_s60bzIXff3z_5AZ9zLW1ED/s4032/IMG_2589.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPuWVlIpwTr6TqIuyq6DN88FMqfVGfMbBGnb2gefvhlADkW7PtHPdaH21bJ2UzOAjN2OHqQNZQ_8uVrnHf1rA7G_YlUuPT6gzeQQvmnDYGSuGC82_SQCLXXe0BV9N4g8CIAt7ORZFMtZ0tvb49MGTF-d2nS6TttwOR_s60bzIXff3z_5AZ9zLW1ED/w480-h640/IMG_2589.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The largest Giant Orchid specimen - you can get a sense of the steepness of the bank from this shot!</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIy-9BiBsOFmdoBeVoiNFcO5pdohwSUVEmBcyTGG81TqYt9cw6R9pr-sXHBN2MSdq1gSdqirjf3bh02b7pSxog2JNpT7hD55GL-MbGBSx0ALIwxg2cRNsjuAA402sPRyZ6tCUsmc73mhkySAAKBXa3YVNXYHRkDmBmZPQvVmofhgjYgFc-6xADH5mM/s4032/IMG_2560.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIy-9BiBsOFmdoBeVoiNFcO5pdohwSUVEmBcyTGG81TqYt9cw6R9pr-sXHBN2MSdq1gSdqirjf3bh02b7pSxog2JNpT7hD55GL-MbGBSx0ALIwxg2cRNsjuAA402sPRyZ6tCUsmc73mhkySAAKBXa3YVNXYHRkDmBmZPQvVmofhgjYgFc-6xADH5mM/w300-h400/IMG_2560.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The same plant from a less "artistic" angle</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After that I went off to rumage around and see how many others I could find. It was hard work negotiating the steep and treacherous slope and I was thankful that I'd brought a sturdy stick with me. After much searching the final tally was 4 blooms and 5 rosettes in total, all much smaller than the large first one we'd been admiring.<br /></p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxZAXnBhgf6rERFWLUBGW1ddT6rMWPBI7HDu9OqekClbf8xKkVWVGtERh8Ouzwf_j4wiLxlRiyCGFgdWdy-QvUZmK9otIxFwJPTf8srn9KjTs58VZ22IeaBSQPTjgOEjjaK5WQDtMbnEx4dMzJ3od-lv_5MFqI2kvVD_sHXhQhFfbZBcc9I7BR5mq/s4032/IMG_2564.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxZAXnBhgf6rERFWLUBGW1ddT6rMWPBI7HDu9OqekClbf8xKkVWVGtERh8Ouzwf_j4wiLxlRiyCGFgdWdy-QvUZmK9otIxFwJPTf8srn9KjTs58VZ22IeaBSQPTjgOEjjaK5WQDtMbnEx4dMzJ3od-lv_5MFqI2kvVD_sHXhQhFfbZBcc9I7BR5mq/w300-h400/IMG_2564.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The other blooms were smaller and less spectacular than the largest one. This is a typical example </i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Apparently the orchids were first found last year by a local and were the first for Britain. They are fairly common on the continent where they can grown up to a metre tall but the largest one here was a fraction of that size. They are very early flowering for the orchid family and normally finish flowering by the end of March though these one were just getting underway so were late this year. It was good to get another orchid tick under my belt that was so close to home! Let's hope that they flourish in their new found home.</p> <br /><p></p><h2 style="text-align: justify;">Durham Dipping <br /></h2><p style="text-align: justify;">I also want to blog about a recent trip
up to Durham to fetch my eldest daughter back for Easter. She wanted me
to bring the car in order to take some of her stuff back. She's been
living there in the same house for a couple of years and has now
accumulated more than one car journey's worth of stuff which she's going
to need to bring home at some point. <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Having cast around for something to twitch, the obvious candidate was the long-staying Richardson's Cackling Goose what was about half an hour away from Durham. It had been frequenting the same field for a couple of weeks and looked pretty nailed down. The only trouble was that it was now April, the time when Pink-footed Geese (the carrier species in this case) think about departing. So it was a nervous wait in the days leading up to my trip. Still the day before my journey it was still there. Surely it could hang on one more day, couldn't it?<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The short answer is that, no, it couldn't. The day of my trip coincided with a sudden change in the weather which warmed up and the chilly prevailing northerly winds finally abating. Of course the geese took the opportunity to head off overnight with this change in conditions and there was not a single goose to be found at all. I failed to find any on the day of my trip up to Durham and even checked again the next day but all to no avail. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Instead, with there having been a general clear-out of all birding interest in the area there was not much compensatory birdage to be had at all. Accordingly, I decided to explore some of the Northumberland sea locations that I'd long read about in RBA news alerts but had never actually visited. So on the first day I went to Seaton Sluice and had a wander about. The second day I went to St. Mary's Island and had a pootle around there. It was nice seeing these locations in the lovely sunny weather and I made the best of it though, if I'm honest, this dip still really smarts as I write this. But that's birding I suppose.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, below are some photos from the trip.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjeFw-DzcwYrNR_tscAoh7tXxE7vxtRqIMI1o8KaWs9nxMqvgwuEgYCWRn2WcjMRHjTLyjRJkPx_2zi6xWF6NvOG1PK0btOVLZM9wucIX5ZlM7X4WJZhphAsCb3YrgaVigBSCJMfsDWEE4njnGG6oV2bCKRVAHVtwlXOPcEQWvbGsSebK15ICXTRV/s4032/IMG_2612.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjeFw-DzcwYrNR_tscAoh7tXxE7vxtRqIMI1o8KaWs9nxMqvgwuEgYCWRn2WcjMRHjTLyjRJkPx_2zi6xWF6NvOG1PK0btOVLZM9wucIX5ZlM7X4WJZhphAsCb3YrgaVigBSCJMfsDWEE4njnGG6oV2bCKRVAHVtwlXOPcEQWvbGsSebK15ICXTRV/w480-h640/IMG_2612.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Seaton Sluice</i> </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjwOb78X5FfXe_mkpp0dIrjqxwnr-Gj4ks4cdmTPtJxGwo8IDRF7igDqtkvjmWzKHue40gQkvOxG5R3oLZgd7sT6vfYtD8VK7DHv9IpM2oArFclFDBFRF43SviAiRT17WQk1odsIOx9DLN0HoW0Tg3Q2Ke9h3rXUhRxMz9KEAj3ikt65ZkJ_4tkgu/s4032/IMG_2610.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjwOb78X5FfXe_mkpp0dIrjqxwnr-Gj4ks4cdmTPtJxGwo8IDRF7igDqtkvjmWzKHue40gQkvOxG5R3oLZgd7sT6vfYtD8VK7DHv9IpM2oArFclFDBFRF43SviAiRT17WQk1odsIOx9DLN0HoW0Tg3Q2Ke9h3rXUhRxMz9KEAj3ikt65ZkJ_4tkgu/w480-h640/IMG_2610.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Spring Starflower growing on the clifftop at Seaton Sluice</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQdSpzHRss6Jn8_hS7FEy2VkUJsUhw1jp1vtGW8hMXGJ_R8mR7Ufp7d0HyZJvykabYol4V0rWe-E558V0BmCo5lT1xkaCmU5_eWJrz35fMWtippeeQ21SbgnVnhT_EPp5leFBPl5aboJPX1qNdwUU-ufElIPAmxi6I6XNg35DcY4etILIdrDTWDlO/s600/_Eid.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQdSpzHRss6Jn8_hS7FEy2VkUJsUhw1jp1vtGW8hMXGJ_R8mR7Ufp7d0HyZJvykabYol4V0rWe-E558V0BmCo5lT1xkaCmU5_eWJrz35fMWtippeeQ21SbgnVnhT_EPp5leFBPl5aboJPX1qNdwUU-ufElIPAmxi6I6XNg35DcY4etILIdrDTWDlO/s16000/_Eid.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Seaton Sluice Eider</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BWpJ4zqfS2Z6ZpPCnsqGrXgMwOLsahucHA16k24NwqM1B4qnoyYtBCcWrWLgImwBWDqB_LszR1IggnGp8COXvDFalJMF2V2I-WwDyjqvFXbIBsVSzmjH6BPGSbkvdNYunVJTIdjoMt7XuLQuDF2Z6PwptLW-e7skNLkDMlbaj4ZHV-c7_JJ7Hu6r/s600/_Md.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BWpJ4zqfS2Z6ZpPCnsqGrXgMwOLsahucHA16k24NwqM1B4qnoyYtBCcWrWLgImwBWDqB_LszR1IggnGp8COXvDFalJMF2V2I-WwDyjqvFXbIBsVSzmjH6BPGSbkvdNYunVJTIdjoMt7XuLQuDF2Z6PwptLW-e7skNLkDMlbaj4ZHV-c7_JJ7Hu6r/s16000/_Md.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Drake Mandarin on the River Wear in Durham</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkxBeJ3Lrd1nvlY35Fp_oA0DA76dCysk12SGw5REqEK8vZWF_f6uu_jf40xTUZknVN13HYJN3-MWXvMvKseeVQdwB3NvpTPx91nqqohOhl4JbqXpGj1iXN_0yfwrblIKMOuFX4_6FcdHadqTH9pr0_tN16ux9edB1MN_I6t1ukslEP_Bi45djTIU4/s4032/IMG_2622.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkxBeJ3Lrd1nvlY35Fp_oA0DA76dCysk12SGw5REqEK8vZWF_f6uu_jf40xTUZknVN13HYJN3-MWXvMvKseeVQdwB3NvpTPx91nqqohOhl4JbqXpGj1iXN_0yfwrblIKMOuFX4_6FcdHadqTH9pr0_tN16ux9edB1MN_I6t1ukslEP_Bi45djTIU4/w480-h640/IMG_2622.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>St. Mary's Island</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQhvHXkhneSvOs1IKUGwrLyjcvv_DE7j6bNHMhnBvds3GfRyuw19gjeomOU6MeLW7IN40Nxqzesgq6jT7hJ-i5KKB5mtT5OtjjRSjxzD8r9FIFCwF-ZRZbYPDX07UzNF_Wo0nOKJH2joJ_Z-ISty-b19kEI6-p0wLPQXlJkocIAoix9rM4abqDH4w/s600/_PS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="600" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyQhvHXkhneSvOs1IKUGwrLyjcvv_DE7j6bNHMhnBvds3GfRyuw19gjeomOU6MeLW7IN40Nxqzesgq6jT7hJ-i5KKB5mtT5OtjjRSjxzD8r9FIFCwF-ZRZbYPDX07UzNF_Wo0nOKJH2joJ_Z-ISty-b19kEI6-p0wLPQXlJkocIAoix9rM4abqDH4w/w400-h363/_PS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Distant & blurry Purple Sandpipers at St. Mary's Island</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>So that's twice now I've dipped Richard's Cackling Goose. I dare say I'll eventually catch up with it but it is fast being elevated to the status of bogey bird. </p><p>It seems that my eldest daughter might stay up in the North East to do a post doc which will mean a few more years of visiting the area. Hopefully this will mean some more good birds as well.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-42565692911022583442023-03-05T21:45:00.002+00:002023-03-05T21:47:30.452+00:00Farmoor Lesser Scaup (& an American Wigeon Bonus)<p style="text-align: justify;">On Thursday at just before 4pm news broke on the Oxon birding grapevine of a "possible" male Lesser Scaup at Farmoor. I inwardly cursed when I read this: Lesser Scaup was a bird that I still needed for my county list but the "possible" bit meant that it might end up all being for naught. I'd been badly burnt a few years back in 2017 when a "Lesser Scaup" at Farmoor had turned out to be a hybrid Lesser x Greater Scaup. From this experienced I'd learnt that it can be a bit of a minefield sifting the pure Lesser Scaup from various hybrid combinations and I guess that was why there was the "possible" prefix. Still I wasn't doing anything and these days there is plenty of light until 6pm so I finished my cup of tea, threw my birding gear into the Gnome-mobile and headed off through the rush-hour traffic towards Farmoor. Google was recommending the Swinford Toll Bridge route to the reservoir as the fastest due to the traffic and in a little under half an hour I was pulling up at the car park, tooling up and yomping off down the causeway.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The report had stated the west end of Farmoor 2, the far end from the car park of the larger of the two reservoirs at Farmoor so I hurried along as quickly as I could. I was worried about when the gate might shut - a sign attached to the broken entrance barrier stated 5pm which was only over 30 minutes from when I arrived but I was on a mission and so chose to risk it. Still my mind couldn't help but go over the possibility of getting locked in as I slogged along the concrete path to the far end. There was one other birder ahead of me and by the time I reached the far end I'd caught up with him. It turned out to be JT and we joined forces in our search. <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was no obvious sign of it at the west end so we decided to walk the entire perimeter of F2 - a total distance of 3.8km according to Google maps. As we walked we both remarked on the almost total absense of any Tufted Duck. I am used to seeing hundreds of them overwintering on the reservoir so it was strange to see the place so empty. Eventually in the south east corner we spotted half a dozen of them though there was no nearctic interloper amongst them. Almost back where were started, about 200 yards before the entrance ramp we spotted a few more and bingo - there it was in amongst them!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WPe4DThst_M?vq=hd720" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Some rather back-lit video of the bird in the dying light</i> <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As the light was fading we set about taking some video and putting the news out. It was also a chance to give the bird a good grilling. From my bitter hybrid experience I'd learnt that there were four main factors to look out for: the head shape, the nail on the bill, the size of the vermiculations and the wing bar. This had a narrow black nail confined to the tip of its bill (as it should do). The vermiculations were also rather coarse - I remembered that this stood out for the hybrid bird last time which had had very fine vermiculations. The head shape had the peak past the crown as well - tick!. We didn't get to see the wing bar (the bold part of which should be confined to the inner half of the wing) but everything else was spot on. We watched as the bird literally swam off into the sunset with its Tufty friends before I decided to head off home. Fortunately the gate was still open and the parking barrier wasn't working so there wasn't a fee to pay - hurrah!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrJ7sECfhf71_3hXbiE6D1u8vrhcytpQl4vd6COv1QrF5q0SwMYdKsDvxxYXxDASDmHLdHgnkBcawJ35vMNWcb-rTxkNa5IFJWEGSSUmau18YlEISVDJjFyJfNME1eyR2ry4IoABcfZPYJrklspKp-jYscHDTwXkt_E83g5nMf-ZN8m_a6qJxKSHp/s4032/IMG_2452.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmrJ7sECfhf71_3hXbiE6D1u8vrhcytpQl4vd6COv1QrF5q0SwMYdKsDvxxYXxDASDmHLdHgnkBcawJ35vMNWcb-rTxkNa5IFJWEGSSUmau18YlEISVDJjFyJfNME1eyR2ry4IoABcfZPYJrklspKp-jYscHDTwXkt_E83g5nMf-ZN8m_a6qJxKSHp/w640-h480/IMG_2452.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Lesser Scaup & Friends</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The bird did the decent thing and stayed on, enabling the wing bar to be confirmed by others as well. There is some speculation that this might be the Staine's Reservoir bird relocating as that had disappeared a few days earlier. Either way, it was a most welcome grip-back tick for the county.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0YkHN4dofNCQtEnOwk4d9OjEwByrTa5TxMBs7XoQSoKe0_TMCbI3lKGVdj169JYNLlHyoYjUJ07Qz9EE89DUVg41ybcENLCPg93Uw3t6Xc01UfevikVOud0dqv1mJI_rTA2g-Vn2x4xAvpmWw0EwZqVieCoplD8cWjbM5Usyt4wBKYln94gVEVaqXQ/s640/043A9159.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="601" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0YkHN4dofNCQtEnOwk4d9OjEwByrTa5TxMBs7XoQSoKe0_TMCbI3lKGVdj169JYNLlHyoYjUJ07Qz9EE89DUVg41ybcENLCPg93Uw3t6Xc01UfevikVOud0dqv1mJI_rTA2g-Vn2x4xAvpmWw0EwZqVieCoplD8cWjbM5Usyt4wBKYln94gVEVaqXQ/w602-h640/043A9159.JPG" width="602" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This excellent photo (courtesy of Ewan Urquhart above and below). <br />shows the narrow black nail, the head shape and the coarse vermiculations..</i>.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2deNIvsvMY28o6y-PLtmH8dUVanKb2c7Net38MxffZFPHIShtcMiSWtmIfAN4ouZ4MSO4QwT0AIYfctd8GqHbPVhcsx5NP14L0CEhKEky1OZ_Z688MzrLA2_Tx43S1OSV-6QyevzATAObIhi0BdbIAXkkmVZDwiD9GOHrZcvu7K2szHOzOXmngs42bQ/s400/043A7845.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="390" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2deNIvsvMY28o6y-PLtmH8dUVanKb2c7Net38MxffZFPHIShtcMiSWtmIfAN4ouZ4MSO4QwT0AIYfctd8GqHbPVhcsx5NP14L0CEhKEky1OZ_Z688MzrLA2_Tx43S1OSV-6QyevzATAObIhi0BdbIAXkkmVZDwiD9GOHrZcvu7K2szHOzOXmngs42bQ/w624-h640/043A7845.JPG" width="624" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>...and the wing flap shows the bold wing bar is confined to the inner wing.<br /><br /></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /><b>Otmoor American Wigeon</b><br /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As well as this "rare" nearctic duck there was a slightly commoner (only a "scarce") one gracing the county with its presence, namely the drake American Wigeon at Otmoor. This bird, now thought to be the Somerset Shapwick Heath bird, had been seen on Port Meadow one evening by TM before disappearing again and then turning up on the Flood Field at the north end of Otmoor. There it has stayed ever since giving distant views. As I'd already seen a couple in the county and it wasn't on my patch I was in no hurry but it stuck around so this Sunday morning with the rest of the family busy doing other stuff, I finally decided to pay a visit.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I parked up at Oddington and after a pleasant 15 minute walk along the bridleway I arrived at the Flood Field. There was one other person on site, a visiting London birder trying to scope through the hedge. He'd seen it a while ago but was not presently on it. So I went back to the main viewing area just past the kissing gate where in a few minutes I managed to find it. I'd trained myself to know what to look for in case it turned up on Port Meadow again and the continuous pink/brown flanks of the american bird really stood out compared to the pink and grey two-toned flanks of the eurasian birds. It was literally as far away as was possible from where we were viewing so my video efforts were strictly record shot quality.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HSft4eb8kL4?vq=hd720" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><i><br />Some very distant video footage of the drake American Wigeon</i><br /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">While we were watching the bird an Otter swam right past it in the water. This was my first ever Otter sighting in Oxfordshire, despite its increasing presence in the county. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing all the birds go up as a Marsh Harrier went over, harrying them relentlessly. There were thousands of Lapwing and Golden Plover - I don't think I've ever seen so many Lapwing together in one place. It was a marvellous spectacle!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-MmEyOjFAvPETIgOn2_hgdQxjjYPmRoA_62ztvHRwMeM3LX2bGbwXBJHPqiauY0KEbPeSfK5TgUacWTumC7tdPYQamTMU9np8R05SqEKXk36ppYkzRYFcaDyRyoQquKx9aCGMNhelHSqnrX7IssEV7PAqdVaGnoiUT7Qs7qFGFnioIyhD_5EJy3K/s4032/IMG_2492.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-MmEyOjFAvPETIgOn2_hgdQxjjYPmRoA_62ztvHRwMeM3LX2bGbwXBJHPqiauY0KEbPeSfK5TgUacWTumC7tdPYQamTMU9np8R05SqEKXk36ppYkzRYFcaDyRyoQquKx9aCGMNhelHSqnrX7IssEV7PAqdVaGnoiUT7Qs7qFGFnioIyhD_5EJy3K/w640-h480/IMG_2492.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>This shot doesn't really do justice to the spectacle of so many <br />Golden Plover and Lapwing all flying around at once<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After a while I headed back home, pleased to have added a third Oxon American Wigeon sighting to my records as well having enjoyed the spectacle of so many wintering birds on the Otmoor floods. It had been a good morning out!<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-8433009962351712812023-01-21T18:52:00.000+00:002023-01-21T18:52:39.977+00:00The Durham Run - Redcar King Eider<p style="text-align: justify;">I kicked off this year's out of county birding rather gently with a run back up to Durham to take Daughter #1 back up there where she is currently finishing off her PhD. As usual I had a good look around to see what might be on offer in the North East whilst I was up there but there was nothing to tempt me apart from the long staying 2nd winter King Eider at Redcar. So rather than busting a gut to get up there early doors, instead we had a more leisurely departure from Oxford at sometime after 10 am, arriving after 2pm where after lunch we went for a walk along the River Wear to look for Dippers. Unfortunately the river was too flooded and their favoured area was too fast and deep. There were a few Goosander on the river and the moonrise over the river was rather spectaclular.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaR4C4lY8lVZTKwNFPlcRa9GL6VySUrSgrYJAT8PD1-j3hHcmAa7S5oBTJClcyz21IvfOfJNevv5pRKn3gMSbBlggKcRNZ1rbIBFSZy3L68gv8IQO5ouFZSMhyVInzu4QmRytsjP2AORpBSDz7a90xcRgMfcTq3IEgB9zKOm-QRJhUyio61_S0q9f3/s1280/photo_2023-01-21_17-50-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaR4C4lY8lVZTKwNFPlcRa9GL6VySUrSgrYJAT8PD1-j3hHcmAa7S5oBTJClcyz21IvfOfJNevv5pRKn3gMSbBlggKcRNZ1rbIBFSZy3L68gv8IQO5ouFZSMhyVInzu4QmRytsjP2AORpBSDz7a90xcRgMfcTq3IEgB9zKOm-QRJhUyio61_S0q9f3/w480-h640/photo_2023-01-21_17-50-12.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Moorise over the River Wear</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next day I was up and out of the house by 8am and a little before 9am I was pulling up along the Redcar seafront. Unfortunately the weather was blowing a gale and lashing down with rain - not exactly ideal! I made an attempt to scope from the roadside and managed to locate the Eider flock at least but the flock was so far away and the scope shaking wind made it difficult to make anything out. PC, whom I knew from the internet to be one of the top listers in the country, turned up and I filled him in on my findings. I decided to go down onto the shoreline to try to get closer, at the expense of the elevation of course. It was still pretty hopeless. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUicVVssqwrS523uCk7yODPz-vKaKzVHeST2r1JOSa-nUF9WWYVuGcA_k1FVvh2wfMS3vqhfPFHwYBu2RY43TbxvPrdfyN-8BLmCO3cBYoX08wClZhlJGdT08f1BiVAlJzFUGceHU_DC7u8cLFeCi9mHiVNRESAp4sio3OHbjVYsl1Yvk5PQ2HdG9/s1280/photo_2023-01-21_17-53-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUicVVssqwrS523uCk7yODPz-vKaKzVHeST2r1JOSa-nUF9WWYVuGcA_k1FVvh2wfMS3vqhfPFHwYBu2RY43TbxvPrdfyN-8BLmCO3cBYoX08wClZhlJGdT08f1BiVAlJzFUGceHU_DC7u8cLFeCi9mHiVNRESAp4sio3OHbjVYsl1Yvk5PQ2HdG9/w640-h480/photo_2023-01-21_17-53-12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The view of the sea from Redcar sea front</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </p><p style="text-align: justify;">PC came over to say that he'd managed to see the bird and to check if I'd seen it - that was considerate of him! In the end I retired to the car where I realised that I could set up my scope and have a clear line of sight to the Eider flock. Sheltered from the wind and rain finally I started to get views good enough to make out the birds though this was at 60x magnification and even then they were tiny specks. Eventually I picked out the bird and had clear enough views to be positive about what I was looking at. Result!<br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJVdGv6aSZ_9Y7HsY4w7U4-TYGA7kp6isfC5i6kymSvVB6IjaEpKKfPHwVMvMbzyG0-mNrSHI1fjrRxDS_su9Jre8Al16eItBGJFm_hEF6iWCb0LMC9vnniMVGU1oKGEyLcBA1sHDgsFXVkZP4AUAqfCsn7Tq_lsJJnF9GQd6ouAdKkrmrFpuDzY-/s680/RedcarKE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="468" data-original-width="680" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJVdGv6aSZ_9Y7HsY4w7U4-TYGA7kp6isfC5i6kymSvVB6IjaEpKKfPHwVMvMbzyG0-mNrSHI1fjrRxDS_su9Jre8Al16eItBGJFm_hEF6iWCb0LMC9vnniMVGU1oKGEyLcBA1sHDgsFXVkZP4AUAqfCsn7Tq_lsJJnF9GQd6ouAdKkrmrFpuDzY-/s16000/RedcarKE.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>By far the best photo of the bird I've seen, taken by Damian Money (c) (</i><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><i>@damian_money on Twitter)</i><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This was my third King Eider: my first was the long staying individual at the <a href="https://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2013/06/gnomes-scotland-adventure.html">Ythan estuary</a> up in Scotland and my second was a <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2015/02/cornwall-in-february.html">distant bird in Cornwall</a> that I really had to work for. <br /></p><p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLt7VmRD-zaiGQhTVWKzRbbmB2NqDiuLTTMPs89ICw7IRXYvCUZraIjxXJoHnUnJj9qiop5MRlwQGz2tB8h3CGr82AJL9x9fPlGzKQzRgDbdp6TuHNb3IA_cB0oiJRRgyF74vqrVToRWE/s600/_KEider1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="573" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLt7VmRD-zaiGQhTVWKzRbbmB2NqDiuLTTMPs89ICw7IRXYvCUZraIjxXJoHnUnJj9qiop5MRlwQGz2tB8h3CGr82AJL9x9fPlGzKQzRgDbdp6TuHNb3IA_cB0oiJRRgyF74vqrVToRWE/s16000/_KEider1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A reminder of the Ythan bird that I managed to see at my second attempt</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This had taken me until midday so now it was time to pack up, and head off home. I stopped en route to buy a sandwich and to eat it in the carpark and with a friend's podcast to listen to on the way back I arrived back in Oxford sometime after 4pm for a celebratory cup of tea. It had been a low key but satisfactory start to the new birding year.<br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-4816697774516342322023-01-13T08:17:00.003+00:002023-01-13T08:17:54.091+00:002022 End of Year Review<p style="text-align: justify;">So here we are with the fashionably late end of year review for 2022. On reflection it's been a pretty good year all round. As usual I've broken it down into patch, county and national birding.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p><b>Port Meadow Patch</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As usual, I've done an in depth review of the patch year which you can see <a href="http://portmeadowbirding.blogspot.com/2023/01/2022-end-of-year-review.html">here</a>. To give an executive summary, we ended the year on 137 strict BOU species + 1 extra (Red-breasted Goose). This compares well with the previous record breaking year which ended up on 136 + 4 extra. So depending on how strict you are, this could be considered as a record breaking year. In the end there were no outstanding "national level" rares. Rather it was a number of "good county birds" that made up the excitement. This included the following shortlist for the Port Meadow Bird of the Year award. The record counts in brackets are for the patch.<br /></p><p>Siberian Chiffchaff (first record)<br />Little Tern (second record)<br />Arctic Tern (first record for several years)<br />Water Pipit (second record)<br />Rock Pipit (fourth record)<br />Yellow-browed Warbler (fourth record)<br />Hawfinch (second record)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In the end I gave the Bird of the Year Award to the Water Pipit, partly because it was a personal patch tick.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTLZTJgWmjpc8lf70Jn9msLpXCdfkKCcO4CDk-JjMgV69GmPqFSvA7qJQPOnzVOgAK8s8VJ-wVXZ1WPCC8iwd2ngdFAkEKQ4wTECyAF5u3FZcSkXAjhjkmfvQueObsdo5uN0KYyD7yBZ4BbfD-HIkGuqiBJtprnzMFPFVwzttA17r0ZTMSdpowNXXkA/s640/_SC_JT.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="640" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTLZTJgWmjpc8lf70Jn9msLpXCdfkKCcO4CDk-JjMgV69GmPqFSvA7qJQPOnzVOgAK8s8VJ-wVXZ1WPCC8iwd2ngdFAkEKQ4wTECyAF5u3FZcSkXAjhjkmfvQueObsdo5uN0KYyD7yBZ4BbfD-HIkGuqiBJtprnzMFPFVwzttA17r0ZTMSdpowNXXkA/w640-h444/_SC_JT.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Water Pipit (BotY) was poorly photographed so here's the more photogenic Siberian Chiffchaff, which came a close second in the awards</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p></p><p><b>County Birding</b></p><p>The county year was an interesting one. There were three county firsts in the end: a <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/01/county-birding-divers-ducks-and-county.html">Pallas's Warbler</a> in January at Abingdon sewage works, the amazing <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/09/common-nighthawk-wantage.html">Common Nighthawk</a> in Wantage in September and a single-observer no access Red-flanked Bluetail at an undisclosed site. If you include half a dozen different Yellow-browed Warblers across the county (including on Port Meadow) then it was a pretty decent year.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgbyrU4uJ6uBfUBlmNNum7yneX2FjtKhJJXfw0IdQG4HpQThfegN5bYbycnHGEsADGf1ggknKTlPAg0qVvA6H9iHUVKcJAMx-WX8fiAOMAq24cAtX4oqDMCf3jUl-ZoK7JdLWgG_CUAiUsJJ57MIB4b-oGCHOMvNqdUAC_6-U96Ief89PzN-Bs10d/s600/_CN1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgbyrU4uJ6uBfUBlmNNum7yneX2FjtKhJJXfw0IdQG4HpQThfegN5bYbycnHGEsADGf1ggknKTlPAg0qVvA6H9iHUVKcJAMx-WX8fiAOMAq24cAtX4oqDMCf3jUl-ZoK7JdLWgG_CUAiUsJJ57MIB4b-oGCHOMvNqdUAC_6-U96Ief89PzN-Bs10d/s16000/_CN1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>No prizes for guessing the county Bird of the Year Award!</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Apart from the Pallas's and the Nighthawk (which were both county ticks) there was one other county level trip to discuss, a trip in the autumn to Balscote Quarry NR up near Banbury in order to upgrade my heard-only <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/11/heard-only-warblings-listers-dilemma.html">Dartford Warbler</a> county tick to a full blown tick. So with 2.5 county ticks it was a pretty decent year. </p><p>As usual I will wrap up the county birding section with the traditional Gnome Studios video review.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PWpAorbCvAA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>The Traditional Gnome Studios Review of 2022</i> <br /></p><p> </p><p><b>National Birding</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Nationally it was an unusually good year for me. I've gotten used to getting less than half a dozen national lifers a year now so to end up with 8 (albeit two being "heard only") was pretty good. In chronological order we have: <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. A trip to see the Eastbourne <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/02/eastbourne-american-robin.html">American Robin</a> in February. This was quite a national Mega, with the last twitchable one having been back in 2010. With a side order of a Hume's Warbler and a Hooded Crow it made for a great day out in what is usually a very quiet month.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf4IDdqWJMB8WXEcL2lIOV9tLflB3MWpoKm8GSB5EtvNppgFggBLNSsLiIyAv4tCxLwGPJYnB0OmYDHWRc0wuWn4BFOO3quoAAJn80giVfNPTk2QNYkn1KYPr1Ko1Q1PTdQiOwj3uk9A3in6utmlySzQsazmSx0V3Ds9ydAPINWTebEw-2mos4Lzii=s626" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf4IDdqWJMB8WXEcL2lIOV9tLflB3MWpoKm8GSB5EtvNppgFggBLNSsLiIyAv4tCxLwGPJYnB0OmYDHWRc0wuWn4BFOO3quoAAJn80giVfNPTk2QNYkn1KYPr1Ko1Q1PTdQiOwj3uk9A3in6utmlySzQsazmSx0V3Ds9ydAPINWTebEw-2mos4Lzii=s16000" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The American Robin performed well on the day I was there</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">2 & 3. The first of two two tick days happened in May with a trip to Kent to see the <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/05/kent-chronicles.html">Eleonora's Falcon</a> with a bonus (albeit heard only) Sardinian Warbler. With a Late Spider Orchid plant tick as well it was a good day out.<br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxov0ASfb5j454u-KmD2efuj0pIQLSGnPAO8m0_0lRub52zNR42s_fi4cIO2_3hrSM6KnukZh9AaYD9cOk4SpuB5RqWFojLIr29MOf8XJlHe9Jcmd8G-xc4suUmspw4qQTA1LhvksV9MegHztBwKZjTPJI2-lcHfKlpm_AKg0w-BVdMMyS4CebzyMt/s600/_EF_grab.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxov0ASfb5j454u-KmD2efuj0pIQLSGnPAO8m0_0lRub52zNR42s_fi4cIO2_3hrSM6KnukZh9AaYD9cOk4SpuB5RqWFojLIr29MOf8XJlHe9Jcmd8G-xc4suUmspw4qQTA1LhvksV9MegHztBwKZjTPJI2-lcHfKlpm_AKg0w-BVdMMyS4CebzyMt/s16000/_EF_grab.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Eleonora's Falcon at Worth Marshes</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">4 & 5. July provided the second two tick day with a trip up to the North East, ostensibly to take my daughter back to Durham but really to finally see the Bempton <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/07/bempton-bertie-red-tailed-shrike.html">Black-browed Albatross</a> along with the Turkestan (or Red-tailed) Shrike. After giving me a bit of a run-around in the end I got nice views of "Bempton Bertie" as he flew in towards the cliffs. The Shrike was very obliging as well.<br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXJIE-WvJkzwIvmiU5m9uKVOQZzV59h6NOZMasZ8w3sRVyvjI2uUbIUNJZbVI3lUj5EG_vuud-3QTpu6sGr6mLyKrjoB0qTyncQhiE_lrLxm4q5ir2BPRoz93Ebmi9Xa_0ALthuZ5WrkH1kXtJFJ1LGPcGkZ03mJXEf1Nh_jXoH9cqS_RP6nv0V63/s640/_BBA1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="640" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXJIE-WvJkzwIvmiU5m9uKVOQZzV59h6NOZMasZ8w3sRVyvjI2uUbIUNJZbVI3lUj5EG_vuud-3QTpu6sGr6mLyKrjoB0qTyncQhiE_lrLxm4q5ir2BPRoz93Ebmi9Xa_0ALthuZ5WrkH1kXtJFJ1LGPcGkZ03mJXEf1Nh_jXoH9cqS_RP6nv0V63/w640-h596/_BBA1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Black-browed Albatross</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS4EEgdAHsg9vqz38eDW7CbI4WGt1ypStABF4Q3QrSEFB1GZY5QPCxzV4XIQ6eaCIkexdgMkW-pkWqatqlQwgGJA2nNHaWI_eAdSr-ZIlI8cUbrCMPpszCk3LqPvfwf6fQEyKRNr5wN-ZEQts7GGEe5w2UMa-MLJWdO4rnNeMTD80ZdbkseIn2ZaG/s600/_TkS2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS4EEgdAHsg9vqz38eDW7CbI4WGt1ypStABF4Q3QrSEFB1GZY5QPCxzV4XIQ6eaCIkexdgMkW-pkWqatqlQwgGJA2nNHaWI_eAdSr-ZIlI8cUbrCMPpszCk3LqPvfwf6fQEyKRNr5wN-ZEQts7GGEe5w2UMa-MLJWdO4rnNeMTD80ZdbkseIn2ZaG/s16000/_TkS2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Turkestan Shrike</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. A national first gull less than two hours from home was too good to miss so along with everyone else I went to pay homage to the Cape Gull at Grafham Water. And very obliging it was too!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp03uu3cZpCCDRp6A_j4jf3UnrPOHp2MKoXbMATMGdM_9PgCXKMB-WzGzPS6_GkI-z4fZjSj01oafmU8Dnzq_aVobjbG7kDcxnMYt6x0vSoUpcNNMOBf9IhaYOJ-o1Lkwg0Jb_hQQ5goWSBkB_SdrXLqO3AriWZo7Na1KEcWhbwCbNewuV04-oo6E/s600/_CG2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp03uu3cZpCCDRp6A_j4jf3UnrPOHp2MKoXbMATMGdM_9PgCXKMB-WzGzPS6_GkI-z4fZjSj01oafmU8Dnzq_aVobjbG7kDcxnMYt6x0vSoUpcNNMOBf9IhaYOJ-o1Lkwg0Jb_hQQ5goWSBkB_SdrXLqO3AriWZo7Na1KEcWhbwCbNewuV04-oo6E/s16000/_CG2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Cape Gull at Grafham Water</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">7. This was the Common Nighthawk that I mentioned above in the Oxon section. Quite unbelievable!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Finally there was the Eastbourne Radde's Warbler. I managed to cock things up by going a day too late when there was a ferocious storm but somehow managed to salvage a hear-only tick from this.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So all in all it was a pretty good year nationally for me. This does leave the tricky matter of the national Bird of the Year award. It might be a bit controversial given the list of strong contenders but despite it being very much last year's bird for everyone else, I'm going to give it to the Albatross. There was just something about seeing it that trumps everything else. I know other people have said this in previous years - I'm just a bit late to the party!</p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">There wasn't much in the way of other stuff this year apart from the LS Orchid and my annual trip to look at <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/08/wrestling-with-honey-buzzard-id.html">Honey Buzzards</a> in the New Forest so that wraps it up. Thanks to all my regular readers for their continued support in bothering to read my rambling birding chronicles. I know it's a bit late now but a happy bird filled new year!<br /></div><div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-83721755626477533342022-11-18T14:57:00.002+00:002022-11-25T10:28:40.320+00:00Heard-only Warblings: A Lister's Dilemma<p style="text-align: justify;">In this post I address the thorny issue of heard-only ticks and what I do about them on my list. For example, regular readers may remember back in May when I went to Kent for the <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/05/kent-chronicles.html">Elenora's Falcon</a> that I spent a frustrating few hours on the coastal downs chasing after an elusive Sardinian Warbler before coming away with only a heard-only tick for all my efforts. Whilst a heard-only tick is clearly better than nothing, it's certainly not as good as actually having seen the bird. So where does all this sit with regards to my listing efforts?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So on my national list I have Lady's Amhurst Pheasant and the Sardinian Warbler as heard-only. The Lady A will almost certainly never be upgraded as I think the last surviving bird has "ceased to be". The Sardinian Warbler I hope to upgrade at some point. On my county list I have a couple of heard-onlys: Corncrake and Dartford Warbler. Fortunately I have actually seen a Quail in the county which is the other big county heard-only candidate. An opportunity to convert one of those came my way this last month which I want to blog about here. In addition, this month I managed to add another "heard-only" to my national tally and I will begin with that.</p><p> </p><p><b>Heard-Only Radde's Warbler</b><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Radde's Warbler has been a bit of a bogey bird for me. I've actively dipped it twice, once down in Cornwall and once on a trip to Wells Wood in Norfolk to try and see a very elusive bird. The word "elusive" is of course the operative word for this species: they are generally skulky little so and so's and they often don't linger long. In fact quite often they are found by a single observer at some coastal location and then never seen again so they are very hard to twitch, especially from the centre of the country where it's a a fair few hours drive to any coastal area. So when a Radde's Warbler turned up and lingered in Sussex at Beachy Head (not too far away at about 2.5 hours) I was of course interested. The trouble was it was found on a Friday before a busy weekend for me so I could only look on in frustration as it was reported regularly throughout the weekend; frustratingly Monday was the first chance I might have to see it. So on Sunday night I booked an Air BnB in Eastborne with a view to heading down there that evening. However, in my rush to get all this organised I neglected to look at the weather report and as soon as I'd booked it and told my VLW, she asked why I was bothering given the weather forecast. She was right of course: torrential rain and howling gales overnight and into the next day were forecast. Unfortuantely the Air BnB was non-refundable so I decided to head down regardless but to revise down my expectations considerably.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The drive down was difficult in the pouring rain and the strong wind though mercifully there wasn't too much traffic on the roads. I was reminded of how I'd come this way earlier in the year for the <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/02/eastbourne-american-robin.html">American Robin</a> - here I was again a few months later after something that was altogether going to be harder to connect with. The AirBnB turned out to be a hotel along the sea front, only a hundred yards from where the Hume's Warbler had been on my previous Eastbourne trip. After an altercation with the shower room mirror which chose to come off the wall when I touched it, I settled in for the night, listening to the howling gale outside my window and wondering why I was bothering.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next morning I was up, breakfasted and out of the hotel at more or less first light, which at this time of year is mercifully not that early. A quick five minute drive up onto the downs found me parking up and putting on all my waterproof gear though thankfully the rain had now stopped though it was still very windy. The previous evening I had messaged a local birder on Twitter and had got exact directions of where to go. As I tooled up another birder turned up so at least I wasn't going to be on my own. It was only a minute or so's walk to the clump of scrub where the bird was hopefully located and we got ourselves settled in for the duration. The wind was rather an issue though there was a sheltered side to the bushes by the path where we were standing. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzvxYwxhdrfBZ-gxJgpirY_y9n92TXj1pMWiCYYaQxVFZJyrmCpNq4Sq2WbW7nKDx5MAcp3pbEOVWGfu0KT9eac5pmGtzAupvSJBe4U3grcn3To06nt1vtHsoMbQ2TgueOQb4DNpnRcq8HHML0QiEPFqWkqH90Fmy3t2L8dYfgU-jCyNpsayktLbj/s4032/IMG_1931.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzvxYwxhdrfBZ-gxJgpirY_y9n92TXj1pMWiCYYaQxVFZJyrmCpNq4Sq2WbW7nKDx5MAcp3pbEOVWGfu0KT9eac5pmGtzAupvSJBe4U3grcn3To06nt1vtHsoMbQ2TgueOQb4DNpnRcq8HHML0QiEPFqWkqH90Fmy3t2L8dYfgU-jCyNpsayktLbj/w640-h480/IMG_1931.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The sheltered side of the hedge</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After about three quarters of an hour of fruitless waiting we both heard a repeated call over the wind from behind the bushes where we were looking which sounded like a Radde's to me. Thankfully Radde's have a rather distinctive call which doen't really sound like anything else so even over the howl of the wind it sounded good. We waited in anticipation though nothing more happened. <br /></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVV6fycxX73V5CNwrYGod4VzzK-PNOXgVHOEOqPmqTvj0kyqCz56povaE9HOfM71JFt6DyP9wwWqc5EeFn2GKUJaeecgfCwRn9xBZ-HlHR4T918g2bFFHtN1cCyFPmSfO0ZkssSjnqKaWQX7jF5VDBzQjta8dgdAXiZU39YN8WEgYvTIDz9-WDLBLw/s4032/IMG_1930.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVV6fycxX73V5CNwrYGod4VzzK-PNOXgVHOEOqPmqTvj0kyqCz56povaE9HOfM71JFt6DyP9wwWqc5EeFn2GKUJaeecgfCwRn9xBZ-HlHR4T918g2bFFHtN1cCyFPmSfO0ZkssSjnqKaWQX7jF5VDBzQjta8dgdAXiZU39YN8WEgYvTIDz9-WDLBLw/w640-h480/IMG_1930.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Looking to the East from where we were standing</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">My companion, who was down in Eastbourne <i>en famille</i> had to leave. A couple of locals turned up who had seen it in previous days. They told me that actually it favoured the other side of the hedge from where we were looking (so where we had heard it) so we went around that side to look. However the wind was impossible on that side and we all soon gave up. They went down to Shooter's Bottom, another area of scrub about a mile further along the headland where a second albeit much more elusive Radde's had been seen. I elected to stay where I was to see if I could connect with this bird. Late morning a bunch of elderly birders turned up and stood around aimlessly without contributing much to the collective effort. Finally I decided to give up and headed over to Shooter's Bottom myself. This turned out to be a large area of scrub, much more sheltered though a very large area to try to pin down a Radde's. I spend half an hour wandering around, appreciating at least the change of scenery and being out of the wind but without actually seeing anything. I did hear the brief scolding call of a Dartford Warbler but that was about it.<br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I drove back to the first location where I saw the two locals again, coming back to their car. I enquired about their luck but they'd had none at either location as well. That was enough for me so I decided to head back on the long slog home. As I drove I reflected that this had been similar to my Kent experience with the Sardinian in many ways: it was the same kind of coastal download habitat with a very skulking bird that I heard but never got to see, though this time the wind had been the main factor rather than anything else. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvG0R9TxxWhbq70kgQ9zApPQSi00ZtOCqzb1nmPYuqoJBjKYUPorLA5NKxyt1BtUPBhIX_VOOZBGWHypYoLbozJRscjRwu4iLap7MxZJHsd5NTIQyFf9i2FrgEipnW_KWYc7eBiPbvIZN7sDWDSp94VlXjEPPw1m0LVDwYWr4mmD2hsmXsDh3kZt3V/s487/Raddes.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="487" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvG0R9TxxWhbq70kgQ9zApPQSi00ZtOCqzb1nmPYuqoJBjKYUPorLA5NKxyt1BtUPBhIX_VOOZBGWHypYoLbozJRscjRwu4iLap7MxZJHsd5NTIQyFf9i2FrgEipnW_KWYc7eBiPbvIZN7sDWDSp94VlXjEPPw1m0LVDwYWr4mmD2hsmXsDh3kZt3V/s16000/Raddes.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Just to rub salt into my own wounds, here is a gripping photo of it taken by local birder <a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-1dbjc4n r-1loqt21 r-1wbh5a2 r-dnmrzs r-1ny4l3l" href="https://twitter.com/BEACHYBIRDER" role="link" tabindex="-1"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">@BEACHYBIRDER</span></a><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"> (taken from Twitter). Thanks also to him for his help with the location etc.<br /></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">There is one more thing to add about all this: I do actually have another heard-only Radde's experience, back in October 2020 when I'd been to Norfolk for the <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2020/10/gnome-in-norfolk.html">Rufous Bush Chat</a>. It was the end of the first day, just as I was walking back from the saltmarsh after having seen the star bird. At the small car park at the edge of the marsh I heard the distinctive call of what could only have been a Radde's. In fact I got out my phone to check that I hadn't "pocket played" a Radde's recording by mistake. This did actually happen to me once when I was on Port Meadow and suddenly started hearing a singing Iberian Chiffchaff, only for it to turn out to be a recording from my phone! It wasn't my phone and it never called again but it was distinctive enough. At the time I was more interested in having ticked the Bush Chat that I'd come for and then about getting to my accommodation as I was tired, so I never took it any further and it rather slipped my mind after that. Still, that is now two occasions where I've heard but not seen a Radde's Warbler so I think it's fair to say that it can go on my national list as a heard only. Like the Sardinian Warbler, I hope to be able to upgrade this to a full-blown tick sometime soon.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p><b>Dartford Conversion</b><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I mentioned earlier about having converted a heard-only to a full grade tick. The opportunity to upgrade my county Dartford heard-only came when a typically elusive bird was found at Balscote Quarry up near Banbury in the north of the county. Whilst it was proving hard to see, it would occasionally show itself well enough for some rather decent photos to be taken. So suitable encouraged, one Saturday morning I decided to have a crack at it. It's a surprisingly long 45 minutes to get to the reserve, somewhere I'd only been to twice before: once for a county tick Dotterel in a nearby field and once for a dawn raid for a no show Red-necked Phalarope that had been found at last light the previous evening. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTj31LiNvMZh6wt5WzBKVOxwtr8r_ZgNs_PMA9UROPGPLS6Ry5dD3V45abjCKyhIk8SA5RpmwM4hNY9N5RVGX3Sj775YtcOL6dhmLee_2zNeDk_XC3PciRcnulFvP0WXUDrks-sQt_CYqwf5fVH5t_9Iqb2SuhfyCF8Na8gh7tpiZn2Kvdsf_fzGeV/s4032/IMG_1933.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTj31LiNvMZh6wt5WzBKVOxwtr8r_ZgNs_PMA9UROPGPLS6Ry5dD3V45abjCKyhIk8SA5RpmwM4hNY9N5RVGX3Sj775YtcOL6dhmLee_2zNeDk_XC3PciRcnulFvP0WXUDrks-sQt_CYqwf5fVH5t_9Iqb2SuhfyCF8Na8gh7tpiZn2Kvdsf_fzGeV/w640-h480/IMG_1933.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Balscote Quarry, a nice little reserve with some good habitat</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">This time I arrived to see one other birder peering intently at something in the bushes in the distance. This turned out to be BS who had actually been watching the bird itself when I'd seen him though predictably it had now disappeared. BS had only been there about 45 minutes himself so that was quite a quick time to manage to see it. He had to leave for the long cycle ride back home (kudos for that effort!). After a while of fruitless waiting TM turned up along with a couple of local birders. They did all manage to see it very briefly at the bottom of a Hawthorn bush but I wasn't able to see it from where I was standing. TM also spotted a fly-over Merlin which again I missed. I wasn't doing very well here! TM had to leave but I was in no hurry and hung around. Meanwhile NT and his wife turned up.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Gradually the gloomy conditions started to improve as the sun came out. The Merlin flew over again and this time I managed to see it (hurray!). A Brambling flew over making its distinctive call and there were lots of Fieldfare on the wing in the general area. I was watching a likely looking clearing. After a false start when a Blackbird flew across, I managed a couple of flight views when the Dartford first flew into a large clump of Gorse and Brambles, before NT saw it at the base of the bushes and then it flew back out again towards the area where TM had seen it earlier. In both cases the flight views I had were good enough for me to be postive about the ID. So whilst I didn't get a crippling photo opportunity I at least was able to upgrade my heard-only county tick to a definite sighting. Job done!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCQ3LrrGMnY2ZRDH8Ww6lZhdYJkP1CsP0Fs9eXtcZCZJmqXbaqGHEGk2N7lnHyd3hwPTl6bV7hHDGDDEBeGMtJwZkLcUmT8FjHnMOjylgtNdKj0xxPu5a493GBOYXsxTyipteMH0-t_eZOkKJ9hYVmyIru913jdo3KljWQaHajprSmgvdEfjdo5mn/s640/FB_IMG_1667412693211.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="640" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCQ3LrrGMnY2ZRDH8Ww6lZhdYJkP1CsP0Fs9eXtcZCZJmqXbaqGHEGk2N7lnHyd3hwPTl6bV7hHDGDDEBeGMtJwZkLcUmT8FjHnMOjylgtNdKj0xxPu5a493GBOYXsxTyipteMH0-t_eZOkKJ9hYVmyIru913jdo3KljWQaHajprSmgvdEfjdo5mn/w640-h454/FB_IMG_1667412693211.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A "proper" view of the Dartford, courtesy of Edwin Barson</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As I drove home, taking the scenic route on the way back, I reflected that one of the advantages of having heard-only ticks is that you get the satisfaction of having ticked something twice: once when it's heard (albeit not with a full sense of satisfaction), and then again when it's upgraded to a full tick. Whilst it's always better to get the full tick first time, heard-only can often be a reasonable compromise over dipping. I'll have to be content with that for my Radde's Warbler for now.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-61319500846680216232022-09-30T17:12:00.000+01:002022-09-30T17:12:08.035+01:00Common Nighthawk, Wantage<p style="text-align: justify;">The internet is awash with posts similar to the one I am writing here today. Still, it has to be done! It was one of those special days which one will always remember, one of those "do you remember the time when..." sort of days that will be talked about with reverence throughout the years. This is how it was from my perspective.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was a Monday morning. With nothing more I was ambling around the Trap Grounds, part of my Port Meadow patch. The previous day a Yellow-browed Warbler had been found there. Whilst this species is no longer the rarity it used to be, inland ones are still pretty rare and this bird is almost certainly a shoe-in for Port Meadow Bird of the Year. It had not been seen or heard at all this morning so far but the weather was nice and I was enjoying wandering around and winkling out the various species that inhabit the area, hoping that I might re-find this rare warbler. Suddenly my phone range - it was Ian Lewington, the esteemed Oxon county recorder. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Hi Ian, how are you?"</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>"I'm find thanks, are you sitting down?"</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Confused at this opening sentence I mumbled something about being out and about in the Trap Grounds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>"It's just that I'm standing a few yards from a Common Nighthawk in Wantage"</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Crickey!"</i> (or words to that effect). </p><p style="text-align: justify;">I immediately started to hurry back towards my house whilst talking to Ian. At this point I met PB, these days a stalwart Port Meadow patch worker and finder of yesterday's YBW. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><i>"Hi Phil, follow me now! You won't regret it!" </i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">On the way, Ian explained that the bird was roosting on someone's fence in their garden and that he needed people to marshal the twitch and was I available. Fortunately I had nothing on until later in the afternoon when I had a therapy client. Ian said not to put the word out yet as he would handle that. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">PB and I hurried up the road back to my house. There I quickly nipped in to pick up the car keys and to tell my VLW that I was off to Wantage for a rare bird. She is used to this sort of behaviour and just rolled her eyes.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">PB and I bundled into the car and set off. The Sat Nav was saying a nerve wracking 30 minutes to get there. Whilst a roosting Nighthawk should stay put for the whole day one never knew if something might flush it. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity so the stakes were extremely high. We fretted through each red traffic light and an unloading lorry that blocked the road. The news dropped on the county WhatsApp and also on RBA - the word was out and panic would be breaking out across the country's birders as they started to make plans. Finally we arrived to see Ian standing outside the house in question. We bundled out of the car and met up with him. He introduced us to the owner who ushered us into his house, took a tenner off each of us for the privilege and then took us through to the back garden. There, half way down the fence on the left hand side was a rather unremarkable bundle of brown feathers. A quick glance through the bins however and the full enormity of what we were looking at became apparent. Holy f*ck! There it was! I quickly took some photos but we didn't really have time to let what we were seeing as we had to get things set up ready for the twitch. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgbyrU4uJ6uBfUBlmNNum7yneX2FjtKhJJXfw0IdQG4HpQThfegN5bYbycnHGEsADGf1ggknKTlPAg0qVvA6H9iHUVKcJAMx-WX8fiAOMAq24cAtX4oqDMCf3jUl-ZoK7JdLWgG_CUAiUsJJ57MIB4b-oGCHOMvNqdUAC_6-U96Ief89PzN-Bs10d/s600/_CN1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgbyrU4uJ6uBfUBlmNNum7yneX2FjtKhJJXfw0IdQG4HpQThfegN5bYbycnHGEsADGf1ggknKTlPAg0qVvA6H9iHUVKcJAMx-WX8fiAOMAq24cAtX4oqDMCf3jUl-ZoK7JdLWgG_CUAiUsJJ57MIB4b-oGCHOMvNqdUAC_6-U96Ief89PzN-Bs10d/s16000/_CN1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My first glimpse from the garden</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">The garden could hold no more than perhaps five people at a time. We arranged a barrier across the back so people didn't get too close but the logistics of having a queue and letting five people in at a time was going to be a nightmare. Fortunately however, after chatting with Ian it seemed that the views from the other side of the fence were just as good and as the house in question was the end of a terrace this was a public cul-de-sac. So rather than marshalling people through the house they could all view from the road instead. This was going to be much easier!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv301_VfZocLsY4T66TKaxdjRdVRx3OhhgTvFQtPqdVVFfV05vSB8T4J0ByMZc8QwrGuNwof471oJoQtdoXDXS3LPvS5JIfeyGyx8oPS6o-6ZaN4E9qeX4ls-lfK1aMmBLfbrfA_dIPAOlFSQlhmBQ_8A30ZuNbRqjVHej7CmmsHgkWfA3xh99mt4T/s600/_CN2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv301_VfZocLsY4T66TKaxdjRdVRx3OhhgTvFQtPqdVVFfV05vSB8T4J0ByMZc8QwrGuNwof471oJoQtdoXDXS3LPvS5JIfeyGyx8oPS6o-6ZaN4E9qeX4ls-lfK1aMmBLfbrfA_dIPAOlFSQlhmBQ_8A30ZuNbRqjVHej7CmmsHgkWfA3xh99mt4T/s16000/_CN2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The view from the other side of the fence - you can see the long primary projection and the pale primary tips that make it a juvenile</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Having sorted all that out it was time to catch our breath. So far there were just half a dozen local birders there, the appointed marshals for the twitch. Ian explained exactly what had happened that morning: the home owner had spotted the bird on his fence and had called the local animal hospital saying that he had a sick bird in his garden which wasn't moving. The hospital had called Ian who called the owner back. The owner said that he thought it was a Nightjar but it was sick. Ian explained that actually this is what Nightjars do during the day but could he come and have a look as a Nightjar is a rare bird in Oxfordshire. The owner was happy for Ian to pop round. When Ian arrived he took one look at it and his jaw dropped. It was a Common Nighthawk!!! As a bird illustrator, Ian had been working on this very species just two weeks previously so he knew exactly what the diagnostic features were. Ian explained to the owner that it wasn't a Nightjar. The owner's disappointment at this news was soon tempered by the enormity of what it actually was. Ian explained that there would be a lot of people who would come to see this if he were willing and that he could raise money for charity by opening up his house to visitors. The case of the Rufous Turtle Dove in Chipping Norton was cited where hundreds of people had visited. Surprisingly, the owner was happy for this to happen and so the twitch was on!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X4cHGMLIZ_g" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Some video footage showing it shuffling around, courtesy of Badger</i></div></i><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So just how rare is a Common Nighthawk? There have been 26 previous records in the country. Of these about half of them have been on the Isles of Scilly. On the mainland records are usually fleeting glimpses of birds on the coast, often coming "in off" and never twitchable. The last twitchable one had been in Northern Ireland - not a part of the country that personally is included in my listing. Inland birds are almost unheard of and an inland twitchable bird was unprecedented. This was certainly a contender for Best Oxfordshire Bird Ever, along with Baltimore Oriel (before my time), Rufous Turtle Dove (which I saw) and Scops Owl (also before my time). Exactly how one would rank them is the topic for many a good pub night but it was right up there in terms of rarity value.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I had hitherto had no reason to learn the subtleties of the differences between a Nighthawk and a Nightjar - it had never been an issue up until now. However a quick glance at my Collins iPhone app reveals that the length of the primaries which jutted out beyond the tail were diagnostic for Nighthawk. In flight of course there is the forked tail but in its sitting position the primary projection was the main feature. The pale tips to the primary tips indicated that this was a juvenile.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3231_IlxffNcLTfMl4Zl_NpVN5_EcCD1y274tM7Ue4ZLlC-TaMsnkz96FiBvYY6YBbGwT483A8KUO5ZAzOak2GzrdRVhXFsrx85R2b5pV2-lSQW1tGwEVgxr82AXbOdA0xzD8-OEXI4BmNepHezPUSCoOgLRrZ7Cuk3QUs_MuMECo0h7tiqR82zrjQ/s400/IMG_4224%20(002).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3231_IlxffNcLTfMl4Zl_NpVN5_EcCD1y274tM7Ue4ZLlC-TaMsnkz96FiBvYY6YBbGwT483A8KUO5ZAzOak2GzrdRVhXFsrx85R2b5pV2-lSQW1tGwEVgxr82AXbOdA0xzD8-OEXI4BmNepHezPUSCoOgLRrZ7Cuk3QUs_MuMECo0h7tiqR82zrjQ/w640-h480/IMG_4224%20(002).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Nighthawk location. If you squint you can just see it sitting on the fence behind the red Audi<br />(photo courtesy of Ewan Urquhart)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Gradually the first locals started to arrive. This was a good opportunity to catch up with the locals and have a good natter. Badger diplomatically managed the collection bucket, I made sure people parked sensibly and that no one tried to nip past the bucket and in general it all went smoothly. The home owner, freed up from having to usher people in through his house, busied himself making cups of tea and letting the marshals use his toilet.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvzYmhH1ol1y9UFSJwEQme-ddAMefMgKSs9wvL9DNzKniiA5NouKDD0BqDg70sZo7L8HJ4dWIIJgSP8-MyoU-BYwY3wLfh_dQZBr-tdxyz9gTlE-OqW7OXdfq2FwalRJFf4VQc53CzCkvTW4UELW77lvPtyVv-4lDyRNdBz_7Rgg2IVJiunkwzqbA/s4032/IMG_1881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvzYmhH1ol1y9UFSJwEQme-ddAMefMgKSs9wvL9DNzKniiA5NouKDD0BqDg70sZo7L8HJ4dWIIJgSP8-MyoU-BYwY3wLfh_dQZBr-tdxyz9gTlE-OqW7OXdfq2FwalRJFf4VQc53CzCkvTW4UELW77lvPtyVv-4lDyRNdBz_7Rgg2IVJiunkwzqbA/w640-h480/IMG_1881.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Numbers starting to build</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Once things had settled down I nipped off to Sainsbury's to get some lunch for myself before returning to resume helping out. Gradually as the afternoon wore on numbers started to build as people from further afield started to arrive. At one stage it was starting to get quite crowded along the cul-de-sac so Ian had to go and ask people who had seen the bird not to linger there chatting in order to make way for people who had yet to see it. Enough people complied with this for the numbers always to be manageable. Eventually it became time for me to head off for my therapy client appointment back home. I was told that the bird stayed until just before 7pm when it suddenly took off, did a couple of circuits around the area before flying off strongly to the south. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQ5QfT6mZEeu9slIf-Lr_6Bd79lNfcIocskyykwc34reGkrAGp8NsJhfdSi5vTMuacubC83KHLLjeLbVee7WF07J_pS4AUr63EDnOhB12SICFMocM7bYNqy6lpz0ciUaTKq8i6bkFoSktGTYN8KoXBQNJaxyK3Au8AoY1CYO9xjg372ipRLUr5Jp6/s4032/IMG_1883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsQ5QfT6mZEeu9slIf-Lr_6Bd79lNfcIocskyykwc34reGkrAGp8NsJhfdSi5vTMuacubC83KHLLjeLbVee7WF07J_pS4AUr63EDnOhB12SICFMocM7bYNqy6lpz0ciUaTKq8i6bkFoSktGTYN8KoXBQNJaxyK3Au8AoY1CYO9xjg372ipRLUr5Jp6/w640-h480/IMG_1883.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Numbers starting to build in the afternoon</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">With there being not much to hold the bird there (no obvious congregation of moths for example), as expected there was no sign of it the next day. For those who had been able to make it, it was the stuff that birding dreams are made of - I still can't quite believe it myself. For those who were away in Shetland at the time (some of the county's finest) it can only be heart-breaking to contemplate. Such is the double-edged sword of birding! All I can say is that I will always remember this day.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">From this day to the ending of the world,<br />But we in it shall be remember’d;<br />We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;<br />For he to-day that raises his bins with me<br />Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,<br />This day shall gentle his condition:<br />And gentlemen of England now in Shetland<br />Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,<br />And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks<br />That were in Wantage upon this day.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>(with apologies to the Bard for the bastardisation of his great work)</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0QKvWv7uV6IKOaAGNJT35umLJcqx4-Y1PBsx3WeKm8ymVDtN1ND1-jl9NcIzQqPrHxswXg8ta4zAkIeUPfMaH_kgCaCLgZsvMWWreDEahcYPKy4Pdm_upNeM-ESZ9mEyWh9JU94Tcno0p8PnMAhIiC9bQBezGZhhOUgDXRWC7NiGuYpmXuI915nO/s612/_CN3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk0QKvWv7uV6IKOaAGNJT35umLJcqx4-Y1PBsx3WeKm8ymVDtN1ND1-jl9NcIzQqPrHxswXg8ta4zAkIeUPfMaH_kgCaCLgZsvMWWreDEahcYPKy4Pdm_upNeM-ESZ9mEyWh9JU94Tcno0p8PnMAhIiC9bQBezGZhhOUgDXRWC7NiGuYpmXuI915nO/s16000/_CN3.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Was it all just a dream?</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-22890842828163979542022-09-16T14:56:00.003+01:002022-09-18T12:49:00.068+01:00Canada Family Holiday<p><b>Overview</b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">As I mentioned a few posts back, at the end of June we went on a family holiday to the west coast of Canada. Normally our holidays are fairly low key but, partly in reaction to two years of lockdowns and partly due to pressure from younger members of the family who want to see the world at their parents' expense, we decided to have a "proper" holiday for once. We invited my VLW's brother and sister along with us so there were seven of us in total. The basic idea was to fly into Vancouver, spend three days there exploring the city, then hire a couple of cars and drive to the Rockies, spending a few days in the Jasper National Park area, then drive along the Icefield Parkway (the most beautiful road in the world!) to Banff National Park area where we would spend a few more days before heading back to Vancouver for one night before flying home. This was very much a family holiday, "not a birding holiday" as my VLW pointedly reminded me so any birding would have to be done <i>en passant</i>. However, everyone was keen to see things like Bears, Moose and Elk etc so there would be some good scope for nature watching in amongst the holiday activities. As this is a nature blog I won't bore you all with a blow by blow account of what we did on our holiday but instead will keep it focused on the wildlife. Of course, much of what I'm photographing is pretty common over there but for me it has great novelty value.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><p><b>Part 1 - Three Days in Vancouver</b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Vancouver is a hip and happening city on the west coast right by the sea so it doesn't take too long to get into the countryside. On our first full day we went to Granville Island (via a very cute little ferry boat!) where the main point of attraction was all the Glaucous-winged Gulls loafing about. In the harbour area were also Cormorants (both Double-crested and Pelagic) and Great Blue Herons. I also saw a couple of Peregrines fly over as well as a Bald Eagle. The three children went on a whale watching boat trip where they managed to see a large pod of Orcas. In the city itself there were not many birds to be seen (apart from a few GW Gulls) but I did manage to find some White-crowned Sparrows.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUxSdLJAWNUlX-2n6qmmmS8zdexxUOZoNEh4GgzG4DYuQXfEBDJsJQ09to-KlB6wdAV_5_GMVxtQutHc5X2zllCa5C0HWEaR3hV31yx5vPZkxtdM5aWVQwRz_jHfU0qtUaDIKntHBqhZG-sMV5jIEue4q3vr4A1n2RmgX9z6sHDenrnJ4cT_IzHBp/s600/_GWG2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUxSdLJAWNUlX-2n6qmmmS8zdexxUOZoNEh4GgzG4DYuQXfEBDJsJQ09to-KlB6wdAV_5_GMVxtQutHc5X2zllCa5C0HWEaR3hV31yx5vPZkxtdM5aWVQwRz_jHfU0qtUaDIKntHBqhZG-sMV5jIEue4q3vr4A1n2RmgX9z6sHDenrnJ4cT_IzHBp/s16000/_GWG2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Adult Glaucous-winged Gull</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1W-XSTrumdBLAPC6z4kwsJ8esVMdOJE1YNsqKbcB18OKaZ_SVzdEAS4IhJq61wn_4FkMnv86_PH4Jdua1RXc_c7YHAW3H63c13epGlNuyVxTZPHSRQ2_fkct0tipss7Z2fJhaOk-Ox50WxdJ9N6bF6x1E2xDLuqP7crpXruB_G_dpOYK-a_eIID2h/s600/_1s_GWG.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1W-XSTrumdBLAPC6z4kwsJ8esVMdOJE1YNsqKbcB18OKaZ_SVzdEAS4IhJq61wn_4FkMnv86_PH4Jdua1RXc_c7YHAW3H63c13epGlNuyVxTZPHSRQ2_fkct0tipss7Z2fJhaOk-Ox50WxdJ9N6bF6x1E2xDLuqP7crpXruB_G_dpOYK-a_eIID2h/s16000/_1s_GWG.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>1s Glaucous-winged Gull</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mymrwJy7fJucR3WbCXvAXJd5uZIlXiJaAgNaZeD7o2H_gkt0ShSOkuUxMTj29OnmGUUtF86it6oP1rtZgsWDAuPgZPHr8TcjMelR09D15VgN5lIgtQEhW8JsJRaznIOrb0YXGZdmr3J-dmbW8z1Z_e-bzFkEMrswx6Jd2ymf2izDQuQsad7av7u9/s600/_DCCor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mymrwJy7fJucR3WbCXvAXJd5uZIlXiJaAgNaZeD7o2H_gkt0ShSOkuUxMTj29OnmGUUtF86it6oP1rtZgsWDAuPgZPHr8TcjMelR09D15VgN5lIgtQEhW8JsJRaznIOrb0YXGZdmr3J-dmbW8z1Z_e-bzFkEMrswx6Jd2ymf2izDQuQsad7av7u9/s16000/_DCCor.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Double-crested Cormorant</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgN-vrdZaDA1RGP_mxhIA_vCdVAp2q5C2a_VQWqcyoNBCJNXyorir0HuWOzPVhh4nXbQL9ckjrxrjjz97smjZZe0mIXHubICOFuMx4awJS5WOGBh1s7sp1ITQF-w6xaNeb89m5SEBskqIa9QshJTKtF8IHowf2EI26J-uFp8XCBurDBbsD4RBsX-d/s600/_PelagicCormorant.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirgN-vrdZaDA1RGP_mxhIA_vCdVAp2q5C2a_VQWqcyoNBCJNXyorir0HuWOzPVhh4nXbQL9ckjrxrjjz97smjZZe0mIXHubICOFuMx4awJS5WOGBh1s7sp1ITQF-w6xaNeb89m5SEBskqIa9QshJTKtF8IHowf2EI26J-uFp8XCBurDBbsD4RBsX-d/s16000/_PelagicCormorant.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pelagic Cormorant</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxp5ERE3xEFRlyWKmBTZTKzwXL4EuteJa6J0QaEJVHB1t8RE2kGwsPTSjEtxBoCT6KfaUOsWMPmgruSgJsv3cBP7Fcjm5bI3SCCOmHKc9wnEXRjlqKOYtgQiNzf3dUsPioaPqTbdNN0Wr6b5f_T60liiMbX_N7T-k7JDvxMG6qrgL5mRbFeIN1m65/s600/_WCSprw.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxp5ERE3xEFRlyWKmBTZTKzwXL4EuteJa6J0QaEJVHB1t8RE2kGwsPTSjEtxBoCT6KfaUOsWMPmgruSgJsv3cBP7Fcjm5bI3SCCOmHKc9wnEXRjlqKOYtgQiNzf3dUsPioaPqTbdNN0Wr6b5f_T60liiMbX_N7T-k7JDvxMG6qrgL5mRbFeIN1m65/s16000/_WCSprw.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>White-crowned Sparrow</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0EEh7ejxYz1HbNsIuK8h21SOjbdTARMOr_C0xQqfMgZckrpZ2JK48bfV_-lnh7qqMktvAPdmktGhVmIbmJEfYG_StmeYVNdLaDPPlnFS-P101o_Y6q3Y4RMStR5qDNxeo47Pg7sB5XzA9cFMkWna-NECVNxSYlyubvOq_2UqybyOo4PEoRth6CID/s600/_CalGull.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0EEh7ejxYz1HbNsIuK8h21SOjbdTARMOr_C0xQqfMgZckrpZ2JK48bfV_-lnh7qqMktvAPdmktGhVmIbmJEfYG_StmeYVNdLaDPPlnFS-P101o_Y6q3Y4RMStR5qDNxeo47Pg7sB5XzA9cFMkWna-NECVNxSYlyubvOq_2UqybyOo4PEoRth6CID/s16000/_CalGull.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>1s California Gull (I think!)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIWAfOImdiHYNGcuzgwkcomPqeR-M2d4_ZGzyr5PCK3nxavUHIoN0dodLVuFkpKnNlmdGYLR_1BB8QT8EbI_vWNEZ9NJdQPusQQzqWZ1Zobmq59lTuomqAl5YglnHHsuIL0YE5AGzA2cuayPDCT7BJ2R_BqiB9C4lw8yESbPFgGx1w7PuBruPRUVv/s600/_GBHeron.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIWAfOImdiHYNGcuzgwkcomPqeR-M2d4_ZGzyr5PCK3nxavUHIoN0dodLVuFkpKnNlmdGYLR_1BB8QT8EbI_vWNEZ9NJdQPusQQzqWZ1Zobmq59lTuomqAl5YglnHHsuIL0YE5AGzA2cuayPDCT7BJ2R_BqiB9C4lw8yESbPFgGx1w7PuBruPRUVv/s16000/_GBHeron.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Great Blue Heron</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">We went for a walk in Stanley Park where we found a lovely lake (Beaver Lake). There were quite a few birds to be seen here including Song Sparrows, Tree Swallows, Wood Duck and Spotted Towhee.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0E_fLQsk-2WY0sAIC50m0KDOxDgCv5GdD9RBStfIMikSfxmInWnDCg9VrsKINJR4O-2B9p9C7ia8d01Huo3XMAQPTPmBMF07Y2uwDCp4GSgpLvjN4g4J-zlvC7Ry1m7RZh17VCYAn5T5BOoKpKwosYnM4hHJQWEAn_Fh9OqSmR0tKrJmNUeJ5JLNG/s600/_SSprw.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0E_fLQsk-2WY0sAIC50m0KDOxDgCv5GdD9RBStfIMikSfxmInWnDCg9VrsKINJR4O-2B9p9C7ia8d01Huo3XMAQPTPmBMF07Y2uwDCp4GSgpLvjN4g4J-zlvC7Ry1m7RZh17VCYAn5T5BOoKpKwosYnM4hHJQWEAn_Fh9OqSmR0tKrJmNUeJ5JLNG/s16000/_SSprw.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Song Sparrow</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJCl1MjuJy0Na9I6iJ7g7mripXPHd-OUU0vkDLSvSNALmWnARxIbI9ilKheTInZFoJGoUBTutUCJLn_tak0gzV65lz76szuWyfInHkFKtSvKyhk0qVJ6CzpQejun60Pe-Ok70EIrkNBr3AGYortKrtOUFrFvOn6ot4sESHKMKHOw26TH7cGBupOFk/s600/_ST.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="518" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJCl1MjuJy0Na9I6iJ7g7mripXPHd-OUU0vkDLSvSNALmWnARxIbI9ilKheTInZFoJGoUBTutUCJLn_tak0gzV65lz76szuWyfInHkFKtSvKyhk0qVJ6CzpQejun60Pe-Ok70EIrkNBr3AGYortKrtOUFrFvOn6ot4sESHKMKHOw26TH7cGBupOFk/s16000/_ST.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Spotted Towhee</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0xhfEpfk8JkI79VnFM2U8zsUBr9ihLIRzwf_bmc5alD8ASTL490YFg9rdsen9RvGtkb6YoQ4A9wPR9E-c3fNkPXNv_8U8tuOFd03XGHQfdxioI3hMej-j_il0da2BJ1pi0Y_b2MdIRT_ut3oL721iUgAmNn24id4kkDLuTkT6kUIbaIfVt1VwytL/s600/_WDck.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0xhfEpfk8JkI79VnFM2U8zsUBr9ihLIRzwf_bmc5alD8ASTL490YFg9rdsen9RvGtkb6YoQ4A9wPR9E-c3fNkPXNv_8U8tuOFd03XGHQfdxioI3hMej-j_il0da2BJ1pi0Y_b2MdIRT_ut3oL721iUgAmNn24id4kkDLuTkT6kUIbaIfVt1VwytL/s16000/_WDck.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Wood Duck</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">We took a bus to the Capilano suspension bridge - a spectacular wire-strung suspension bridge over a steep gorge. Whilst the entrance price was eye-wateringly expensive (they do seem to like to gouge tourists in Canada) the scenery was really nice. It also had a tree-top walkway in amongst the forest. Douglas Squirrels were to be seen here. We also saw a Hummingbird species and I saw a Black Swift fly over the gorge. This was probably the rarest bird that I saw on my trip as it a very localised speciality of gorge habitat.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd1UkG4LOnKIQWs56hKDapG93dL9IqEoMnBGbNPpanFI3QojRfSCah7o6NoypyBl6rIiflVpP2kch-ymyV-g7CNal-B_JqeeDBAKsX3hvS-MTF17_-KODUDrrfzLKg8qVI-g5iYW61xFxtH0eHBLEiauRGzPuz6cEB_1IhcsIYOan5SfWuDzu0Mw5/s600/DouglasSquirrel.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="600" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd1UkG4LOnKIQWs56hKDapG93dL9IqEoMnBGbNPpanFI3QojRfSCah7o6NoypyBl6rIiflVpP2kch-ymyV-g7CNal-B_JqeeDBAKsX3hvS-MTF17_-KODUDrrfzLKg8qVI-g5iYW61xFxtH0eHBLEiauRGzPuz6cEB_1IhcsIYOan5SfWuDzu0Mw5/s320/DouglasSquirrel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Douglas Squirrel</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">Video <a href="https://youtube.com/shorts/94dLprWiMZ0?feature=share">here</a></p><p><b><br />En Route to Jasper</b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Once we had picked up the cars we decided to head to Jasper via the north route so we could stop off at "Jacks Bar & Grill" - a riverside restaurant that happens to feature in the Netflix series Virgin River that my VLW and daughters liked. The food was good though the experience was somewhat marred by our car getting towed to a nearby compound where we were charged an arm and a leg to have it released. It did rather seem like a scheme to prey on unsuspecting tourists though technically we should not have parked where we did.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Part way through our journey we ground to a halt as it turned out that a rock slide had blocked the road. Apparently some climbers had disturbed the rocks which had come tumbling down. Sadly two of the climbers were killed. Whilst waiting by a rather pretty lake side for someone to come and clear the rocks, there was plenty of wildlife to see including Bald Eagles, Cedar Waxwings and a Warbling Vireo. Finally, after a three hour wait, the road was cleared and we had a tricky drive in the dark and rain to our overnight stop in a motel in Kamloops.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The motel turned out to be right beside a river and in the morning the trees were full of Red-winged Blackbirds along with an American Goldfinch, Tree Swallows and a Northern Flicker.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrftXL-zeINvgOK8_uR1gAiFX8JGreoOjUPClr9kiU3fnVS5zDOcAbsdQfJG4CjdEBujnsgSGtML5PoxCb80hZAvQzo8LEvwZwYT_bEQLywEZMmeyP4NEBSZdt6H1OM20DHI-yzd3_poiAQKBvFDoM8ivQXV5V-rEZGdS0HhAuwZ4cfiE5EgMJ1xR/s600/_RBBbd.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrftXL-zeINvgOK8_uR1gAiFX8JGreoOjUPClr9kiU3fnVS5zDOcAbsdQfJG4CjdEBujnsgSGtML5PoxCb80hZAvQzo8LEvwZwYT_bEQLywEZMmeyP4NEBSZdt6H1OM20DHI-yzd3_poiAQKBvFDoM8ivQXV5V-rEZGdS0HhAuwZ4cfiE5EgMJ1xR/s16000/_RBBbd.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Female Red-winged Blackbird</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXeKa1M8HWD8T7nTQu6c3nefT41vNyDkWq1JsCT1ynnjozTTt25NgBESWaeipp8xdX7zGEc6VI23Jw2e4XG1O-v8YY91NgTtRQkaKDXJcYRkk65jvvt2Qv4GhYMkN3k2G3R6p24XC3wU6cafYV6_gEKlsFBnHfAc_GfpOe90y2zcfN2OgHWDsGOSV/s600/_NFlkr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXeKa1M8HWD8T7nTQu6c3nefT41vNyDkWq1JsCT1ynnjozTTt25NgBESWaeipp8xdX7zGEc6VI23Jw2e4XG1O-v8YY91NgTtRQkaKDXJcYRkk65jvvt2Qv4GhYMkN3k2G3R6p24XC3wU6cafYV6_gEKlsFBnHfAc_GfpOe90y2zcfN2OgHWDsGOSV/s16000/_NFlkr.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Northern Flicker</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b>Jasper</b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">The next day we finally arrived at Jasper National Park. We'd just gone through the toll area and bought our pass. I said "so where are these bears then?" and literally a minute later we saw a car pulled up by the road side with a Black Bear right next to it eating dandelions. We got point blank views for a few minutes before it ambled off into the forest. What a great start!</div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-r66YqE9K6bcjGbpJdd2zzDKjDipy1Tl1UAdp5g23E8yEbAeDWbffs92xAwgtDctBjcHBomKkZpFtoMJtTlMt-XLIdVMRcZaIFTcx6xfHhJaaejZ5n79_rsjvx8pnX8YDSjmWagcio8ov4k7KD9YLfvlc3rWFmkaZHYSCnlQ1tzEXU2h7A-1nIJ9w/s600/_BlackBear1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-r66YqE9K6bcjGbpJdd2zzDKjDipy1Tl1UAdp5g23E8yEbAeDWbffs92xAwgtDctBjcHBomKkZpFtoMJtTlMt-XLIdVMRcZaIFTcx6xfHhJaaejZ5n79_rsjvx8pnX8YDSjmWagcio8ov4k7KD9YLfvlc3rWFmkaZHYSCnlQ1tzEXU2h7A-1nIJ9w/s16000/_BlackBear1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Black Bear by the Roadside</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Our accommodation turned out to be a couple of wood cabins on the outskirts of Jasper. There were Columbian Ground Squirrels all around the cabin area which were cute. One day a pair of Elk wandered right past the house. The first day we went on a local hike from Jasper itself. There were various heard-only birds that I couldn't identify though I did manage to get Pine Siskin and Black-capped Chikadee. On one of the lakes on the trail were a family of Barrow's Goldeneye.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ljxBwlsz_SvLse3ctftPdRC1vA90T9hjnCA79uthQf5NFh9-r0--WtPpFjm3kGiLVlczXxoBVX1Jyy5ZsdxT7WbvXyt1sbKq92wmjOcjqWJtGVesPub-ExdWfF7b5jJmVM_wUB5kM3-QcD4HcU8RHKDk-UTMGHGmC3HOYSoL_6Cm7AI9SDTsxiF5/s600/_BG.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ljxBwlsz_SvLse3ctftPdRC1vA90T9hjnCA79uthQf5NFh9-r0--WtPpFjm3kGiLVlczXxoBVX1Jyy5ZsdxT7WbvXyt1sbKq92wmjOcjqWJtGVesPub-ExdWfF7b5jJmVM_wUB5kM3-QcD4HcU8RHKDk-UTMGHGmC3HOYSoL_6Cm7AI9SDTsxiF5/s16000/_BG.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Female Barrow's Goldeneye<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmsQ8DdATLGwFuaBsdTaWHUcpTuc9fExLUIJ2pID-SP-bwEn9FGDoGQM287uX2QrmNvNzJ49s468KEVc9PBXt0397ytsf1VuE0pNUfoB2jFJLn7SYEpM6aaV9hPjRL5MpPVfNQxgpsZluPWGo_hdWFbYPxmfLAtKHfVrrFmgqWP8i72XvV1PEKu-M/s1280/photo_2022-09-16_14-41-02.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1163" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmsQ8DdATLGwFuaBsdTaWHUcpTuc9fExLUIJ2pID-SP-bwEn9FGDoGQM287uX2QrmNvNzJ49s468KEVc9PBXt0397ytsf1VuE0pNUfoB2jFJLn7SYEpM6aaV9hPjRL5MpPVfNQxgpsZluPWGo_hdWFbYPxmfLAtKHfVrrFmgqWP8i72XvV1PEKu-M/w364-h400/photo_2022-09-16_14-41-02.jpg" width="364" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I don't know what exactly this is but in the UK I would call this a White-faced Darter</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Towards the end of the walk it started to rain quite heavily though we did manage to see an Elk quite well.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcgEGTTDEXCB3WiePk7sTpX9FjwrfzYIKwnAP9PAa2o7QcCY6TLtaBCyrhJmDxevWoWz-K94mbR4SaSwmeFXSTbVkaGPlslBpjCxHGNGMWj-C0MfKqUq5UGgSlub098I8_LT92-uoSB79QKZzClD_kZk4vW1r-_NeAzMnYPA0zqyVUr8Z5VNTljL8/s610/_Elk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcgEGTTDEXCB3WiePk7sTpX9FjwrfzYIKwnAP9PAa2o7QcCY6TLtaBCyrhJmDxevWoWz-K94mbR4SaSwmeFXSTbVkaGPlslBpjCxHGNGMWj-C0MfKqUq5UGgSlub098I8_LT92-uoSB79QKZzClD_kZk4vW1r-_NeAzMnYPA0zqyVUr8Z5VNTljL8/s16000/_Elk.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Elk</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">The next day we drove up to Moose Lake in the hope of seeing the eponymous animal. Sadly there were none to be seen though the lake itself was lovely. A family of Grey Jays proved to be very tame and would come and sit on your outstretched hand. </p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAFljRnZliJtl6mVxGC17UuxN7YLObb7V90sdt_VlsWuldG4GBMhg7Bvo5nGR5vNCbRqQTOxceWH10Wt0uLrG7LdHj1Q9EFKyAYtXaI2PWZP7JgJ0AcIBqP_mmWljYP2pPl-t14gNyrh1ZV2kImNTduh_II2DXcDpYCtZO7n0wvo0PymRaHwPtpSr/s600/_GJ.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="514" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAFljRnZliJtl6mVxGC17UuxN7YLObb7V90sdt_VlsWuldG4GBMhg7Bvo5nGR5vNCbRqQTOxceWH10Wt0uLrG7LdHj1Q9EFKyAYtXaI2PWZP7JgJ0AcIBqP_mmWljYP2pPl-t14gNyrh1ZV2kImNTduh_II2DXcDpYCtZO7n0wvo0PymRaHwPtpSr/s16000/_GJ.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAVBq9rbPsm2lHjt4B9BwBHjcVa1-esfd5MwPxGxqxvSTHIJhk7sn-abdMtmcvIFARaq49Yul3dPItItr9vajGiGw46gpcA_KBXpKiRk882Rg1B72df4tkrWElzqsilW6SVBJoYQF_Wcq6YKx0gGgGb_okvnxgJ4iGycwtrF6f_ONKONp7ZKOz2gE/s600/_SwnsTh.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJAVBq9rbPsm2lHjt4B9BwBHjcVa1-esfd5MwPxGxqxvSTHIJhk7sn-abdMtmcvIFARaq49Yul3dPItItr9vajGiGw46gpcA_KBXpKiRk882Rg1B72df4tkrWElzqsilW6SVBJoYQF_Wcq6YKx0gGgGb_okvnxgJ4iGycwtrF6f_ONKONp7ZKOz2gE/s16000/_SwnsTh.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swainson's Thrush</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6AXlwHZVAv5VrexXOVTCWaRJWnmCWnkliHLE5FNRRlBjZ_w-HZXGABQdJdJJd2mGHzZXQeW-UMynL3vr4yOj2s812OIVXhLbaesCdXGoSNz4k9o219rD-xL8ElG9R2Y4Dbj298TvUyVwyszj_WctCOe-PmkEzG_OrW6G1UcvgB_QVuvnojbb08xC/s600/_YRWrblr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="470" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6AXlwHZVAv5VrexXOVTCWaRJWnmCWnkliHLE5FNRRlBjZ_w-HZXGABQdJdJJd2mGHzZXQeW-UMynL3vr4yOj2s812OIVXhLbaesCdXGoSNz4k9o219rD-xL8ElG9R2Y4Dbj298TvUyVwyszj_WctCOe-PmkEzG_OrW6G1UcvgB_QVuvnojbb08xC/s16000/_YRWrblr.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Myrtle/Audubons's </i><i>Warbler I</i><i>ntergrade </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br />On the main lake (Maligne Lake) there were Cliff Swallows and Tree Swallows hawking over the lake and I found a Greater Scaup by the edge.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqqHLoGQWnBwSHVwPQUwHaphdYnVix8jd3ugdCf5XTW4B2Cm9QA9HbNCNKLI2xgsCDeetRpQIx7jP7ay93t5RbWYG6N1_AVRad-uKjyoZ705BIQU9t-KEphtxtv6ftrq-JDwsTQh0NIl-KLoQE4-uQxAJoWae1RdYwtHH8_VB-Mollo-hbXKMvfZi/s600/_GSc.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqqHLoGQWnBwSHVwPQUwHaphdYnVix8jd3ugdCf5XTW4B2Cm9QA9HbNCNKLI2xgsCDeetRpQIx7jP7ay93t5RbWYG6N1_AVRad-uKjyoZ705BIQU9t-KEphtxtv6ftrq-JDwsTQh0NIl-KLoQE4-uQxAJoWae1RdYwtHH8_VB-Mollo-hbXKMvfZi/s16000/_GSc.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Greater Scaup</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>On the drive back to the cabin we came across a mother Black Bear and cub which gave us great views by the road side for several minutes. So that was three bears notched up already!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryJo2tLR9oTV5dQC4flXOlp6i-WtYrujLj_0mfx_exNNxU2UMP0BW0UFEV2yjgToNj4HCOxUWxYD9Q_tNybG07IXGo2LD8q_LhklOZgrDCpiTG2jwbo69mab5IJnG-sgvXEZ-3RLLJSxoDussg0gTft_Kw82_7UxbLEEKeBoQL_kASlmhASf27tJi/s600/_BBr.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryJo2tLR9oTV5dQC4flXOlp6i-WtYrujLj_0mfx_exNNxU2UMP0BW0UFEV2yjgToNj4HCOxUWxYD9Q_tNybG07IXGo2LD8q_LhklOZgrDCpiTG2jwbo69mab5IJnG-sgvXEZ-3RLLJSxoDussg0gTft_Kw82_7UxbLEEKeBoQL_kASlmhASf27tJi/s16000/_BBr.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mother Black Bear</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The next day we explored a local lake which had a Common Loon on it and we could hear distant Wolf howls (apparently a common occurrence).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Bxu35a-K5zWECY-u_4vecxqpoFvqf7wSPK0Y0wSj5acDSW6kLWcqxEGO5ZkHLs_eIY1KjXmRkKyw15avJ_Kxu6aEeO5Wtp-xW62eC9XCw92RwyTCm5QrAQP7lxKboQVPq5194jxWTViK96bmP8HxBIbICRGfgu99uhEkS6p0bkzAKlaGQpnzjIp8/s600/_Cln.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Bxu35a-K5zWECY-u_4vecxqpoFvqf7wSPK0Y0wSj5acDSW6kLWcqxEGO5ZkHLs_eIY1KjXmRkKyw15avJ_Kxu6aEeO5Wtp-xW62eC9XCw92RwyTCm5QrAQP7lxKboQVPq5194jxWTViK96bmP8HxBIbICRGfgu99uhEkS6p0bkzAKlaGQpnzjIp8/s16000/_Cln.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Common Loon & young (Great Norther Diver to you and I)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /><b>The Icefield Parkway</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After our three days in Jasper it was time to hit the highway again. The Icefield Parkway is a scenic road (supposedly the "most beautiful road in the world") that runs through the middle of the Rocky Mountain range from Jasper to Banff. Armed with our tourist guide book, we were told of lots of things to stop off for <i>en route</i>. This could include: looking at gushing waterfalls (the rivers were very full due to the unseasonal amount of rain that had fallen earlier in the year); stopping in a layby to look at stunning mountain scenery; viewing one of numerous glaciers along the route or going to look at a stunning blue lake. The lakes are coloured blue due to the presence of rock flour which is a very fine suspension of rock particles in the water that have the property of turning the water turquoise. All I can say is that the scenery was absolutely stunning. One runs out of superlatives to try to convey but we would stop and gaze with awe at the next view, thinking that it couldn't get much better but no around the corner was yet another jaw-dropping view. Some of the stops were rather busy so there wasn't much wildlife to see and as the road was comparatively busy there were fewer roadside opportunities though in passing we say deer and Elk.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGKqZAD08_qPcdpd-o03py_H1RNGTkmHCRQWMHl2X93CcGWLlE4PI0RCuFWWlbIktuDL1DsvS0MySenv9tP3xf4h64PX7VGjocw6rx9Ge7EtNU84Y0jE55lepGSxv1DPlKVQuwLfbPFncC7vfK99n4c5y_0qldycEzOyDkI3lclvB1OaFLrhgYZMQ/s600/_PJ.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMGKqZAD08_qPcdpd-o03py_H1RNGTkmHCRQWMHl2X93CcGWLlE4PI0RCuFWWlbIktuDL1DsvS0MySenv9tP3xf4h64PX7VGjocw6rx9Ge7EtNU84Y0jE55lepGSxv1DPlKVQuwLfbPFncC7vfK99n4c5y_0qldycEzOyDkI3lclvB1OaFLrhgYZMQ/s16000/_PJ.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Stellar's Jay at a car park at the summit of a mountain pass</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDH2nxF8uHiONSc5N4uFWp6RXBkvHAoJcv94CYJpqTM8M1EhEeI_ki4M7j9vzQ064S8n4zEv4mz3FkoVRBfP84muPLHmXOBdFQnxdLHY3OKZJgYVJ82aKAxTI4efSA0SeGaFe9mhdU7TL-Df1aGflMRt80G5lWWGS44FK0EKBVv4aGYQF-MwV0mJAc/s600/_BHCB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDH2nxF8uHiONSc5N4uFWp6RXBkvHAoJcv94CYJpqTM8M1EhEeI_ki4M7j9vzQ064S8n4zEv4mz3FkoVRBfP84muPLHmXOBdFQnxdLHY3OKZJgYVJ82aKAxTI4efSA0SeGaFe9mhdU7TL-Df1aGflMRt80G5lWWGS44FK0EKBVv4aGYQF-MwV0mJAc/s16000/_BHCB.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Brown-headed Cowbird by some picnic tables near a lake where we had our lunch</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOqC4ffn11309ZmtCbmd8YzsNWW4ZVQECRu9JoS9Mt22THVatoLr0F9JBedxARQ9Jubl18lkvjOUMHDhhAwB8rH-MF0H7CBbZRz20nRuIrFCiYjEnUI47g2eIRM6iADlEAq8wCsRiT4M6k_fcGOys19gqI3h69SFnK-WCGTr3wDGijOVvgPz8sbIh/s1280/photo_2022-09-16_14-49-39.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOqC4ffn11309ZmtCbmd8YzsNWW4ZVQECRu9JoS9Mt22THVatoLr0F9JBedxARQ9Jubl18lkvjOUMHDhhAwB8rH-MF0H7CBbZRz20nRuIrFCiYjEnUI47g2eIRM6iADlEAq8wCsRiT4M6k_fcGOys19gqI3h69SFnK-WCGTr3wDGijOVvgPz8sbIh/w400-h300/photo_2022-09-16_14-49-39.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>One of many lakes coloured blue by the rock flower</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We had booked a visit to the XX Glacier towards the end of the day. This was an amazing experience where an almost military-like operation would ship you out via coach and then a giant "moon buggy" with huge tires onto the glacier. We got to spend 20 minutes walking about on the glacier before being driven back to the main base. On the way back we saw an Arctic Fox by the road side. As part of the experience we also got driven to a "sky walk", a glass viewing platform jutting out from the side of a cliff. Once again the views were spectacular and there was a Mountain Goat conveniently perched on the cliff side right next to us. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8H-IdYKBj15DBo3sGjC2GH7esMLsTqqZuqD5GK-mStJ9gZ6dt6PaTYcLz56HEHS4SCz2c64rpGwim1GQ6uBjwARPMfnyYpLzLTMflyNZocCWeRmXdzUk-x5xd6IPi3heDWK_5jrIV9KqF3kJCVWuFi458865TrSkvoUiNyadeMSQ_S4tXWUcuo5I/s686/_Goat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8H-IdYKBj15DBo3sGjC2GH7esMLsTqqZuqD5GK-mStJ9gZ6dt6PaTYcLz56HEHS4SCz2c64rpGwim1GQ6uBjwARPMfnyYpLzLTMflyNZocCWeRmXdzUk-x5xd6IPi3heDWK_5jrIV9KqF3kJCVWuFi458865TrSkvoUiNyadeMSQ_S4tXWUcuo5I/s16000/_Goat.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Mountain Goat Perched Precariously on a High Cliff Face</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>Nordegg</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">To break up our journey we decided to have a few days of comparative rest in a log cabin a bit off the beaten track at a small town called Nordegg. The idea was that because of the rigours of a road trip where you are upping sticks every couple of days, it would be good to have something comparatively low key for a few days so we could just rest. The road off the Icefield Parkway up to Nordegg was quiet but very scenic in a more low key sort of way. This area is known for its wild horses and we did indeed manage to see some by the roadside. The cabin turned out to be lovely, a well equipped and modern building with a firepit outside that one could sit around. The only downside was that the water pump system was so loud that we all had a rather fitful first night there before we got the owners to talk us through turning the pump off at night.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Nordegg itself turned out to be a delightfully small town with very few shops and nothing much to do. I was told that a lot of "weekenders" would come to their huge log cabins (ours was comparatively modest) and engage in outdoor activities such as hiking, trail riding and hunting etc. The highlight of the town (for us at least) was a pie shop that did great pies including gluten fee ones so I could eat them too! We paid a couple of visits here!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It was while we were staying here that I remembered reading about the Merlin bird app having a sound id option. After upgrading my phone suddenly I was able to get an id for all the birds calling around me. This was a game changer as far as I was concerned as I went from basically not knowing what any calling bird was (how different to the UK where I would expect to know everything) to suddenly having an id for everything. Not that it was 100% accurate, I would watch it in real-time as it "listened" and id'ed things. Where a bird called repeatedly and the id always came up the same then I would be confident in the id but sometimes the tiniest of tweets would come up with something pretty left field and I knew not to trust it. At the very least I could look up the call on my Peterson "Birds of North America" app to confirm. This app was a pretty neat smartphone app with maps, calls and reasonable pictures which were bundled together in a nice compact manner. At under a tenner to unlock it all, it was definitely worth it on my trip.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Thanks to the app, all these mystery calls deep in the pine forests suddenly because understood. The commonest was Dark-eyed Junko (the North American equivalent of a Chaffinch) but there were also Fox Sparrows, various Chickadee species, Evening Grosbeaks, Red-breasted Nuthatch and American Robin to be heard. At dusk as we sat around the firepit toasting marshmallows we would hear this weird bubbling noise which turned out to be Wilson's Snip drumming.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMV0SPCvvN4Zo-9RDO3uHLyXNwOUZLjb74GnSTxeFkvgLZVDIb8NXyVY1eFzgy0r0UeazursajVgH-jWnG1nOnrPv8HSj1SJszZ9psxX5hxEeUH6nM0EUFaBJEIkFhh33381VjBh4GRcqGCyu7wUx8shUbj-VmpSZTRr8K5qYseyS9k-YvfZOcyQA/s600/_AR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibMV0SPCvvN4Zo-9RDO3uHLyXNwOUZLjb74GnSTxeFkvgLZVDIb8NXyVY1eFzgy0r0UeazursajVgH-jWnG1nOnrPv8HSj1SJszZ9psxX5hxEeUH6nM0EUFaBJEIkFhh33381VjBh4GRcqGCyu7wUx8shUbj-VmpSZTRr8K5qYseyS9k-YvfZOcyQA/s16000/_AR.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>American Robin was very common everywhere we went. There was a nest near our cabin</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6kl3PYj0EmdKjp1rn_Ei1sM8cykrKUg0vQzKogaxCHMqoVV1Rez7SBrf4ZV8u5Fre01XqTfWi-MDjDh5D_oYdAROSYJddud1-YbLjak-H4pPgcOa9VkKKH2oKsYFi7cEPkG_Pxb7_Gcb0z_1ocHkwDME1r409vbAP3Es2E9Lm8ivPQ4FSRwbDOMR/s600/_Cm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6kl3PYj0EmdKjp1rn_Ei1sM8cykrKUg0vQzKogaxCHMqoVV1Rez7SBrf4ZV8u5Fre01XqTfWi-MDjDh5D_oYdAROSYJddud1-YbLjak-H4pPgcOa9VkKKH2oKsYFi7cEPkG_Pxb7_Gcb0z_1ocHkwDME1r409vbAP3Es2E9Lm8ivPQ4FSRwbDOMR/s16000/_Cm.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Chipmunks were fairly ubiquitous as well</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>Banff</b></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">After our comparative rest in Nordegg it was back on the highway. Armed with the Merlin app now, I would routinely walk about with it on in order to see what was about. This way I was able to add all sorts of heard-only birds to my trip list. As I said above, the accuracy may not have been 100% but the app id was a great starting point. </span><span style="text-align: left;">We travelled the second half of the Icefield Parkway (having turned off it for Nordegg) and continued to stop at the various guide book stopping points. Once more it was stunning scenery with various (common) birds </span><i style="text-align: left;">en passant</i><span style="text-align: left;">. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">The Banff area itself was much more touristy than Jasper and the experience was rather different. We ended up having to book an Air BnB 20 minutes drive outside of Banff itself as that was all we could find. Our main tourist targets here were: Lake Louise (an extremely beautiful but insanely popular turquoise lake surrounded by stunning mountains and XXX Canyon. The only trouble was that the Lake Louise car park was known to fill up by about 9 a.m. so would require an early start. So we made a supreme effort and were on the road for the 45 minute drive shortly after 7:30 a.m. However, as we got nearer signs started appearing saying that the car park was already full and directing us to the shuttle bus car park instead. With our main plan already in tatters we thought we'd try this though from what we'd read this was usually booked up as well. We ended up in a large </span><span style="text-align: left;">ski lodge</span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;">car park where we were told that the earliest shuttle bus availability was 3:30pm! We went to the ski lodge main building to have a cup of tea and to think about it. Here we discovered that in the summer they operated gondola rides up the mountain where you could go hiking and take in the views. This wasn't originally in our plans but given we had 7 hours to kill and we were already there we decided that we might as well pay the eye-watering ticket price and do that. This turned out to be a great decision as it was probably one of the top activities of the holiday! To start with we were told that one of the two hiking trails was closed because of a Grizzly Bear and cub that was blocking the path. However, the good news was that they could be viewed from the gondola ride up the mountain. So it was with great excitement that boarded the ski lift. The adults chose an enclosed gondola whereas our children opted for an open seat one. Sure enough the mother and cub were easily seen on the way up just where they said they would be. It was great finally to get to see a Grizzly Bear!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">At the top we went to the viewing platform where in the bright sunshine we had amazing views of the mountain ridge with Lake Louise in the distance. It was simply stunning. After a while of taking in the views we decided to go on the easiest hike. This was a rather short but very steep slog up the hill before cutting into the woods a bit and then heading back down again. Back at the main viewing area we sat and had our sandwiches. At this point we overheard one of the rangers saying that there was a male Grizzly Bear that had wandered close to the other side of the electric fence that bordered the viewing area. We went to take a look and were treated to good views of him lolling around, cooling himself down on some of the remaining snow that was still around and rooting around for food.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkELju7WyuwfqcS-A9gEAQrgqZYpqXgBYe6ju9xGXHxVmYU-f5a20fhDmw641P5-pwoB447_EfZC5FfW8CA0Iymavnt7D_nBvojCnHbKgyuVc87bfJ6p6KWeNDMiV9WepgEWUIS-VcdrtjgXqrK7rXtC_wL7JC9TSC0KrCyznz7ydlcFSSXCCiF2M/s600/_GB1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkELju7WyuwfqcS-A9gEAQrgqZYpqXgBYe6ju9xGXHxVmYU-f5a20fhDmw641P5-pwoB447_EfZC5FfW8CA0Iymavnt7D_nBvojCnHbKgyuVc87bfJ6p6KWeNDMiV9WepgEWUIS-VcdrtjgXqrK7rXtC_wL7JC9TSC0KrCyznz7ydlcFSSXCCiF2M/s16000/_GB1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohjxoHUZJB8xDwZvlvQI2uOSqWnBjcAR6SubrjWhMSdvlyhTEwA5L02B9HGrGOrNJ3yC4TNqFMXJRfm3wBky17SMdzz48vUOT-BJGvv7UTNUnN60H_bFlYOsofuZshqoZ63swq-vDIhcvE5FbcpdDxw2D4FQPlIiM-ZmyKF5ZxS7O2uJSkSBU4E7j/s600/_GB2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohjxoHUZJB8xDwZvlvQI2uOSqWnBjcAR6SubrjWhMSdvlyhTEwA5L02B9HGrGOrNJ3yC4TNqFMXJRfm3wBky17SMdzz48vUOT-BJGvv7UTNUnN60H_bFlYOsofuZshqoZ63swq-vDIhcvE5FbcpdDxw2D4FQPlIiM-ZmyKF5ZxS7O2uJSkSBU4E7j/s16000/_GB2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>On the way back down we all opted to go in the open top gondola seats. About two thirds of the way down we spotted a Black Bear wandering across the area shortly ahead of us. By the time we got to the bottom he was rather distant for photos but it was great to have a fourth Bear for the day!</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally our shuttle bus time came and we bordered the bus. Looking back up the mountain from our coach seat we could just make out the male Grizzly who had wandered onto a different part of the mountain now but was still in one of many long clear corridors that went up the mountain.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lake Louise itself was pretty stunning being a bright turquoise colour surrounded by high mountains. The only trouble was the number of people: there were thousands of them. After taking a few photos we wandered along the lake shore path for a while and gradually numbers thinned out. I had my Merlin app on the whole time and picked up a few more ticks including Lincoln Sparrow that I actually managed to see as well as a silent warbler that was probably a young Blackpoll Warbler though it was hard to tell. Eventually we headed back to the car park to join the scrum waiting for the shuttle bus back to where our car was parked. Then it was back on the highway back to our Air BnB. There was one more bit of excitement <i>en route</i> when we saw a bunch of cars pulled up by the side of the road. It turned out to be a mother and cub Grizzly close to the road side just the other side of the large fence designed to keep the wildlife off the main road. However as the road was a dual carriageway it was too dangerous to stop so we didn't have the opportunity to take any photos. Still, that pushed our bear tally for the day up to 6 with 5 Grizzlies and one Black. Quite amazing!</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day we walked a beautiful trail by the side of a river that cut through some mountains. There was not much in the way of birdlife to report though I did come across some Twin-flower flowers that are a specialist rarity in Scotland. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTBCql9BfcTlw-TtuJ6KUga3Q_NWtMJl-OA3QrW30DNV-qtOqbEjZjid2ClvePTOxAt2oCl3NMHczRO55BUUEYPBMDJvMr9AhTXoH3imgZsl5FHNoTozbYmzO4ZTtkCJHr4zCYFhN5DDW7X8HtK9dXAVihCURysbyxHH8YoNbbvjKhZrAHA3RAF-3/s1280/photo_2022-09-16_14-41-09.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHTBCql9BfcTlw-TtuJ6KUga3Q_NWtMJl-OA3QrW30DNV-qtOqbEjZjid2ClvePTOxAt2oCl3NMHczRO55BUUEYPBMDJvMr9AhTXoH3imgZsl5FHNoTozbYmzO4ZTtkCJHr4zCYFhN5DDW7X8HtK9dXAVihCURysbyxHH8YoNbbvjKhZrAHA3RAF-3/w300-h400/photo_2022-09-16_14-41-09.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Twin-flower</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div><b>Kamloops</b></div><div><br /></div><div>The following day it was time to start the long slog back to Vancouver. Once again we decided to stop off at Kamloops, this time staying at a hotel on the other side of the river. The interesting thing about this one was that it had a large reed fringed pond in the grounds. This seemed to be an oasis for birds and I passed some wonderful time birding the area both in the evening of our arrival and the morning of the next day. In the evening the reeds were full of roosting Red-winged and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. Around the area were Common Yellowthroat, House Finches, Goldfinches, Cedar Waxwings and various Warblers to be seen. There were also ducks on the pond itself, including American Wigeon and Ruddy Ducks as well as American Coot. I even spotted a Beaver swimming in the water. In terms of the variety and entertainment value, this site was probably the birding highlight of the whole trip!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGJ-7yfJvzFOjrtI_PY6eNwl9qg6wQm1YNixrHYTGPAgiRcJOfUsmAnDTXh4XvZpgLrzsNxAbg-SbQp7JZbUYPJKRjGKtAPHJztZ7deM0s7KsSAx27sODW52S7I_C0Z9dmEjsleDVNx3n6vediED7nTCM3tgjgtSgr299b7ZqPuhGimHiEMr_Mk2l/s600/_CW.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFGJ-7yfJvzFOjrtI_PY6eNwl9qg6wQm1YNixrHYTGPAgiRcJOfUsmAnDTXh4XvZpgLrzsNxAbg-SbQp7JZbUYPJKRjGKtAPHJztZ7deM0s7KsSAx27sODW52S7I_C0Z9dmEjsleDVNx3n6vediED7nTCM3tgjgtSgr299b7ZqPuhGimHiEMr_Mk2l/s16000/_CW.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cedar Waxwing</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuMdI3djIU37zEh_OfTowDk5mFdtKIl2usp_nCIEckP_gUhJwnr1eeAEkQRLCoy9LuPoVuUdDuksS_cvVzUtAGN4LemDGrA1dmJYPfHT8DcdRvIMPup6GE7kXO701hg0k81jkV2BjpxitkUmoz3w5BVTiv4BR20frMQgcDb0lD18h3dxAjufj35pq/s600/_ECD.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikuMdI3djIU37zEh_OfTowDk5mFdtKIl2usp_nCIEckP_gUhJwnr1eeAEkQRLCoy9LuPoVuUdDuksS_cvVzUtAGN4LemDGrA1dmJYPfHT8DcdRvIMPup6GE7kXO701hg0k81jkV2BjpxitkUmoz3w5BVTiv4BR20frMQgcDb0lD18h3dxAjufj35pq/s16000/_ECD.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>I didn't know that Collard Dove could be found on the American Continent as well</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTS42pX6WUwyDIyxpAZDGOsPB3Mf82mFz_5SLfvRrEfHKSH3AdwEytVzgG7B8Y1pB_iLZ8VtX5kWkdOc8WAgduHLbBnCemRxnxf7WAGgJphz3EMFau72EMuAPvpHLpPFdQaMlRzZFeyAz_DFomfDAjKHN5Lh-pWF8kJTrs9L_CEt-7wRKfXs8HVRvU/s600/_RD.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTS42pX6WUwyDIyxpAZDGOsPB3Mf82mFz_5SLfvRrEfHKSH3AdwEytVzgG7B8Y1pB_iLZ8VtX5kWkdOc8WAgduHLbBnCemRxnxf7WAGgJphz3EMFau72EMuAPvpHLpPFdQaMlRzZFeyAz_DFomfDAjKHN5Lh-pWF8kJTrs9L_CEt-7wRKfXs8HVRvU/s16000/_RD.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ruddy Duck</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rJHXfpOU4gmmThY_-9W0D2kwtsMiJ-cKRsaup6YZzzdWIyCAClFVv6XqQ3T92-mrcdflYXFQOZ_HgYirEydh60Yegzufvf2euep4lpMGKbHxWhpuvI_hI3z6RuNmIXR5USs3QICuTScyoZmWO__j6ClAOMDIpr9Ft0Uw4Ef3_uY-ia8Ar--zb6i-/s600/_RWB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rJHXfpOU4gmmThY_-9W0D2kwtsMiJ-cKRsaup6YZzzdWIyCAClFVv6XqQ3T92-mrcdflYXFQOZ_HgYirEydh60Yegzufvf2euep4lpMGKbHxWhpuvI_hI3z6RuNmIXR5USs3QICuTScyoZmWO__j6ClAOMDIpr9Ft0Uw4Ef3_uY-ia8Ar--zb6i-/s16000/_RWB.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red-winged Blackbird</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9KJctjjWJTKgtXampT1xaqxOaFHV3vhvtGXEjFi0oA_Mx_b2uUOgU84HflstJ9MIGNcjjdIbHXa553ke75armQNF7k_kvSs3Fm6Y0UhtnBx3NtvZS7rhosnhaVOdhLPso4eYWtld424Acdavf9ZnVbYg3loZBrkVEUxXstk1H88FRDESfsFu6M4l/s605/_YhBb.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9KJctjjWJTKgtXampT1xaqxOaFHV3vhvtGXEjFi0oA_Mx_b2uUOgU84HflstJ9MIGNcjjdIbHXa553ke75armQNF7k_kvSs3Fm6Y0UhtnBx3NtvZS7rhosnhaVOdhLPso4eYWtld424Acdavf9ZnVbYg3loZBrkVEUxXstk1H88FRDESfsFu6M4l/s16000/_YhBb.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Yellow-headed Blackbird</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><b>Vancouver & Home</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The next day it was the final leg back to Vancouver. Having driven thousands of miles without incident I managed to disgrace myself by scraping the side of the car against the multi-storey carpark entrance wall right at the end. I was so cross with myself! Thankfully for peace of mind we'd opted for the full collision damage waiver option when hiring the cars so the only cost was my wounded pride.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We spent the night in a rather upmarket hotel and went out for dinner to a restaurant that night to mark our last night in Canada. The next day whilst the others went shopping my brother-in-law and I opted to walk back up to Stanley Park and have a wander around. The main sighting of note was a family of Racoons along the shoreline.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNxbDufzYeH7EG-_qd0QN1hDcmS12h845ESeOcQ3Gja6K4Sz6SkJD5ehUr4M-dK6sGZJszY0Z_uP58fULnXw87wCDwW7hD9BiwiH9YrnHSXBJrM_9OlYDH-xFYrDXKdQdjOdHBDC8dvHLii9Y1mg6QPSAoDD1A_yKWnEUwmEQX-zYBVQjVbltKTq3/s600/_Rc2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNxbDufzYeH7EG-_qd0QN1hDcmS12h845ESeOcQ3Gja6K4Sz6SkJD5ehUr4M-dK6sGZJszY0Z_uP58fULnXw87wCDwW7hD9BiwiH9YrnHSXBJrM_9OlYDH-xFYrDXKdQdjOdHBDC8dvHLii9Y1mg6QPSAoDD1A_yKWnEUwmEQX-zYBVQjVbltKTq3/s16000/_Rc2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtt-0bDOIqEUOoQAKHUxVBtXSvyazvfGJJpnW70OC8v2jiiWl-NFn3xqnTGSJwBXBwtwRlxavzX6GBafNHScyEiN9H1E3zIleBeCUEtSIUzUr_IWF_8PLCWroSHCTDY1Fo1D584f9NFyBShjoVwQHWW5NhJVFN6lfe_YN7dLVLJH1SEaVz5lM4jFR/s600/_Rc.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMtt-0bDOIqEUOoQAKHUxVBtXSvyazvfGJJpnW70OC8v2jiiWl-NFn3xqnTGSJwBXBwtwRlxavzX6GBafNHScyEiN9H1E3zIleBeCUEtSIUzUr_IWF_8PLCWroSHCTDY1Fo1D584f9NFyBShjoVwQHWW5NhJVFN6lfe_YN7dLVLJH1SEaVz5lM4jFR/s16000/_Rc.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Racoon Family</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>Finally it was time to head back to the airport and then for home. We arrived back to the tail-end of the heatwave and an unbearably hot few days in the UK. Looking back, it had been a very memorable trip. Like any road trip, it was hard work at times but the memories of the scenery and the wildlife will stay with us for a long time.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueyhvqG9QcZAhgiUtJMLlyIH03WEBbJYvylVHX-rssTnAiZ7yAxFQN6V1aI9wNGQgXjPtRVwJKEdNynSN5Tcu-YHWVximaZnfIm9wBagI62JPV3sWOuEo-V9VjZbE3ZvIpxlV4zpwh1wPZgw_f55YWo0FYDT8wFZTNmMhCX3OOK0PhfigWFw6oOXt/s1600/_CGS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiueyhvqG9QcZAhgiUtJMLlyIH03WEBbJYvylVHX-rssTnAiZ7yAxFQN6V1aI9wNGQgXjPtRVwJKEdNynSN5Tcu-YHWVximaZnfIm9wBagI62JPV3sWOuEo-V9VjZbE3ZvIpxlV4zpwh1wPZgw_f55YWo0FYDT8wFZTNmMhCX3OOK0PhfigWFw6oOXt/w640-h428/_CGS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Columbian Ground Squirrel was fairly ubiquitous and often very tame</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-31689083553583170502022-08-15T11:11:00.000+01:002022-08-15T11:11:24.802+01:00Cape-tastic! A Trip to See "That" Gull<p style="text-align: justify;">Any birder who has their ear even remotely close to the ground must have heard about the amazing find of a "first for Britain" Cape Gull at Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire last Sunday. Found late morning on Sunday, it spent the entire day loafing around the dam area of Grafham Water, enabling those who were quick off the mark a comfortable tick. I couldn't go that day - I'd been out all day Saturday on my <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2022/08/wrestling-with-honey-buzzard-id.html">Honey Buzzard/friend reunion trip</a> and my VLW would have taken a dim view of me rushing off again the next day. However I had no commitments on Monday. What's more at only 1.5 hours drive from home and, seemingly on show the whole time, this bird was about as nailed down as a first for Britain could be so it was a bit of a no brainer on my part. I did half contemplate going mid morning after doing a spot of work first but soon realised that I would not be able to concentrate on any work for constantly worrying about seeing the gull so in the end I decided to head off first thing (or what passes for first thing for me) "on news".</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Monday dawned and RBA reported that the bird was still there following its usual routine of feeding on a dead trout before loafing on some railings. So a little after 8:15 a.m. I set off, stopping to refuel the Gnome-mobile before following the Sat Nat instructions which took me along A421 east towards Grafham Water. So it was that at about 10 a.m I arrived in the car park, found a spot, tooled up and hurried off in the already strong heat along with hoards of other twitchers. It was one of those special twitches where just about everyone in the birding world was there and the bird was reliable. Those on the way to see the bird had a certain amount of nervousness optimism and those who had seen it already were busy catching up with the social side of things. I fully expected to meet some fellow Oxon birders and indeed met CO on his way back who told me that IL and GW had just left as well. In addition at the twitch itself there was NH and MC so it was quite the social event that I was expecting.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was about a 15 minute walk around to the dam in the south east corner. As I got closer I could see the crowd leaving the railing area and heading to the far corner. The bird must have gone to feed on more trout I guessed, and so I hurried on: still a little nervous that I had yet to see it for myself. I needn't have worried as when I arrived, there he was, quite unmistakable, loafing near a half eaten trout and tearing bits off periodically. I busily set up my scope and set about taking photos and video.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1t15L0mDvoidBFObyzWCRXJXeV2xREWOQQ1JCKyjyToreR09MZILnlwp9Fq-qwkk2kFtEE564iLfkxFvDf6VCToATSFFqlmbR6Z3wSBouootErphp95jgOqdS7FZEfYzV-XhtM8jTNAFHmOqEeUbph8WA5B_cWxzlOJ3vs1gMIXHTmAyyPPg_8Q5k/s600/_CG5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1t15L0mDvoidBFObyzWCRXJXeV2xREWOQQ1JCKyjyToreR09MZILnlwp9Fq-qwkk2kFtEE564iLfkxFvDf6VCToATSFFqlmbR6Z3wSBouootErphp95jgOqdS7FZEfYzV-XhtM8jTNAFHmOqEeUbph8WA5B_cWxzlOJ3vs1gMIXHTmAyyPPg_8Q5k/s16000/_CG5.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>My first view of the Cape Gull. It had a surprisingly "leggy" appearance</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp03uu3cZpCCDRp6A_j4jf3UnrPOHp2MKoXbMATMGdM_9PgCXKMB-WzGzPS6_GkI-z4fZjSj01oafmU8Dnzq_aVobjbG7kDcxnMYt6x0vSoUpcNNMOBf9IhaYOJ-o1Lkwg0Jb_hQQ5goWSBkB_SdrXLqO3AriWZo7Na1KEcWhbwCbNewuV04-oo6E/s600/_CG2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAp03uu3cZpCCDRp6A_j4jf3UnrPOHp2MKoXbMATMGdM_9PgCXKMB-WzGzPS6_GkI-z4fZjSj01oafmU8Dnzq_aVobjbG7kDcxnMYt6x0vSoUpcNNMOBf9IhaYOJ-o1Lkwg0Jb_hQQ5goWSBkB_SdrXLqO3AriWZo7Na1KEcWhbwCbNewuV04-oo6E/s16000/_CG2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>When seen at close quarters it was a very distinctive bird</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Cape Gull (<i>larus dominicanus vetula</i>) is a subspecies of Kelp Gull that frequents southern Africa (hence the name). Kelp Gull is a large Great Black-backed like Gull of the southern hemisphere, occurring around the coast of the South American continent, along the coast of south east Australia and across New Zealand (nominate <i>l.d. dominicanus</i>), around the coast of the southern half of Africa ("Cape Gull" <i>l.d. vetula</i>), as well as a few islands with their own subspecies. Cape Gulls have gradually been extending their range, creeping northwards up the coast of Africa with perhaps a dozen records on the Iberian peninsular and a couple in France - one even turned up in a Paris zoo recently. With this gradually progression it was entirely possible that one would turn up eventually in the UK though one could see how it might easily be overlooked in a large flock of gulls. So full kudos to the finder for spotting it in such an unlikely inland location given their coastal preference. Mind you, actually the location would have helped tremendously as it offered such good views of the bird at close quarters that it was able to be identified.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So what marks a Cape Gull from a Great Black-backed Gull? Like all gull ID, it wasn't one thing but instead a suite of features: the bill was large and pale with quite a bulbous tip; the top of the head was flat with a dark eye (a feature of the Cape subspecies), the legs were a greyish green and it was dark backed about mid size between a LBBG and a GBBG. The bird had been aged as a 2nd summer though was quite advanced in its plumage for such an age. It had just a single dark tail feather left and the lower section of its folded wing was dark brown but the overall impression was largely of a fairly mature dark back. The innermost primaries and secondaries had moulted to next generation showing the start of the broader white band to the trailing wing that is characteristic of a Kelp Gull.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74uoeaIwf3VFmTk0f-LyTUWYQOtdwzM_PCCVtTb_UcNi_QsP-bRXKtPaRXrWJQe7WOKvCzNfAJ-NNhTgjyDzNkti5pdnBs1iP4E9LmCaEnTxVk2azfxp5_i2gSVJxPNr--jitWRKayi53DWPFeb-j2_uJmg4rMZ-3NM_eqXwzLI-Tmsp4QM1JwZWf/s600/_CG1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg74uoeaIwf3VFmTk0f-LyTUWYQOtdwzM_PCCVtTb_UcNi_QsP-bRXKtPaRXrWJQe7WOKvCzNfAJ-NNhTgjyDzNkti5pdnBs1iP4E9LmCaEnTxVk2azfxp5_i2gSVJxPNr--jitWRKayi53DWPFeb-j2_uJmg4rMZ-3NM_eqXwzLI-Tmsp4QM1JwZWf/s16000/_CG1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>In flight you can clearly see the single dark tail feather left <br />and next generation innermost primaries and innermost secondaries</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">After feeding for a while it flew out onto the water for a clean up before deciding that it wanted a dessert and headed back to a different trout. However, it didn't seem that hungry so after pecking at it half heartedly for a while flew it back to the water for a final wash. Eventually it decided it was clean and so flew back to the railing for a good post-wash preen before going to sleep. The twitching crowd (perhaps a couple of hundred birders) duly followed it back to the railings and papped away vigorously from all angles.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sPnOIvn0Xkf45-AdSHwv7HF0Ez2PlfApbaDTSA0_sbzVXzzxRQ9Shd0Em8PAdmXiIRww2FjqPU2stuaee8-eWcP2i91rl6gYOiCS57fZmii2uWMqvlADCuLC_BOShV12pJZcVfMyubdyhapsvxM7suDg0lze5B4pg-ML9litMLQgHzH5AnDhSmk9/s600/_CG3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="586" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4sPnOIvn0Xkf45-AdSHwv7HF0Ez2PlfApbaDTSA0_sbzVXzzxRQ9Shd0Em8PAdmXiIRww2FjqPU2stuaee8-eWcP2i91rl6gYOiCS57fZmii2uWMqvlADCuLC_BOShV12pJZcVfMyubdyhapsvxM7suDg0lze5B4pg-ML9litMLQgHzH5AnDhSmk9/s16000/_CG3.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>On the water...</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAspr206t18bV462wmwIYsMk5rXHwK-kvL9FFraqNP9KYcpUAubi0AaniujrQTo7xlAS8p8jZYax0KiBv4HjtyJd5jp0EjrbuCg_W0H9lA6BedQBx76MBs-8ZAGOF7fx6KtyvnHojD0Y6Uz1FVzgeZIiXGReEVqs0QNBBs_ROmKmWZFEHdY9w524FL/s615/_CG4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAspr206t18bV462wmwIYsMk5rXHwK-kvL9FFraqNP9KYcpUAubi0AaniujrQTo7xlAS8p8jZYax0KiBv4HjtyJd5jp0EjrbuCg_W0H9lA6BedQBx76MBs-8ZAGOF7fx6KtyvnHojD0Y6Uz1FVzgeZIiXGReEVqs0QNBBs_ROmKmWZFEHdY9w524FL/s16000/_CG4.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>...and on the railings.<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FiGLElu6qts" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>Having a good preen</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Seeing this bird so well at such a close distance was great but I couldn't help but wonder whether I'd pick it out in a roost of birds floating on the water at dusk on a cold winter's evening - the chances were probably low. Still it at least offered another species to look out for in a roost and meant that there was more reason to give GBBG's a closer grilling.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Aside from the star bird there were some other species to be seen as well. We were treated to a wonderfully close fly-over of an Osprey with one or two others distantly on view periodically over the water. There were some Yellow-legged Gulls about, Common Terns were hunting over the water and quite a few Yellow Wagtails were calling in the fields below the dam. Swallows were hawking over the water and a single Redshank dropped in to feed along the margin. Apart from that it was the usual water fowl loafing around in the heat. In terms of the current heatwave the water was definitely low with large areas of dried mud exposed in the shallow corners. Still Grafham Water is such a vast expanse that there was plenty of water around yet. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8nu79yoVSO-7QCevLqbHUPOUBFWl0vGJnmMc41ccXW_UM_MJm3qsGPYQB57atMavLw5DbyU-5Damss-fE_PMKSkGYJ617JgGgDFInKS8OgEE5J8pB71a1CNRcJlV8uNGXGgVD9xVT00j0HTczVTnDwqys9Owq5wBDiqpP_zx2DhguCGqji1xVChx/s648/_RShk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8nu79yoVSO-7QCevLqbHUPOUBFWl0vGJnmMc41ccXW_UM_MJm3qsGPYQB57atMavLw5DbyU-5Damss-fE_PMKSkGYJ617JgGgDFInKS8OgEE5J8pB71a1CNRcJlV8uNGXGgVD9xVT00j0HTczVTnDwqys9Owq5wBDiqpP_zx2DhguCGqji1xVChx/s16000/_RShk.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A Bonus Redshank</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">After a while I decided to head back, passing other birders still coming the other way. Back in the car I drank half a bottle of water in one go to quench my thirst - it had been hard work in the baking sun. Then it was time to crank up the car air-con to 11 and set the Sat Nav for home, basking in the warm glow of a "first for Britain" tick. </p><p><b>Addendum</b><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Given how settled the bird looked, I was fully expecting it to stay around for some time to come. However it soon started to be less reliable and by Thursday there had been no further sign of it. Thank heavens I didn't do my usual thing of waiting a while before going to see the bird as I would have missed it!</div><p></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-70244729660584706682022-08-10T18:30:00.001+01:002022-08-10T18:30:27.455+01:00Wrestling with Honey Buzzard ID<p style="text-align: justify;">Regular readers may recall that roughly this time last year I <a href="http://oxfordbirder.blogspot.com/2021/07/new-forest-frolics-orchids-buzzards.html">went to the New Forest</a>, partly to see some Bog Orchids for the first time but also to do a spot of Honey Buzzard watching. I'd very much enjoyed my trip and had been thinking of maybe going again this year. So when a college friend of mine arranged a reunion of university friends at a house in Brockenhurst deep in the heart of the New Forest last weekend, I thought that it would be the perfect opportunity to sneak in a couple of hours of Honey Buzzard watching before arriving. So with an official arrival time at Brockenhurst of midday, I got up early and headed straight down, arriving at around 9:15 a.m. to another warm and sunny day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Last time I'd had the pleasure of the company of a fellow HB enthusiast, GD who had steered me right on the difficult art of differentiating Honeys from their commoner cousins. By the end I felt that I was getting a better feel for it though I was wondering how I would get on if I were on my own. This time I'd spent the previous evening swotting up by watching videos about Honey Buzzards to get a feel for the jizz and to glean some background info (see this great video <a href="https://youtu.be/r5SV_4O_Pcw">here</a> by Mark Mallalieu). When I arrived I found that I was indeed on my own so I was about to find out just how well these lessons had sunk in. Conditions were bright and very hazy and I was wondering just how easy it was going to be to see anything. I needn't have worried as within about 10 minutes of starting I had my first BOP in the air and as soon as I got my scope on it I could tell it was a Honey Buzzard. Indeed, I was treated to 5 minutes of fantastic views as it circled around before eventually heading off. During that time as I watched it, I couldn't help but think that when seen properly like this Honey Buzzards looked nothing like a Common Buzzard at all. Indeed they have more of a hawk shape to them than any Buzzard. The way they move is also much lighter and more agile, unlike the lumbering turns of a Common Buzzard. I was very pleased to have got my target bird under my belt so quickly and poured myself a celebratory cup of tea from my flask.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNvmz_X1LconCgVf6_2GO7b_Z4xN8y48rLqweJ_znu1sameKdOj3U301pEVUZ9nbtFJEIdcXtef3pWh1oAcEp9AMbktVcVlb-jBnSd9-jqB2UqhjUQp-Bk4fZW7aP0uguyftYZrPbTQQSnY5K5DFnKcvfk_VWw72vRmuDdZ5WZthjL-NTvd5YbrA1/s617/HB_MM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="617" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvNvmz_X1LconCgVf6_2GO7b_Z4xN8y48rLqweJ_znu1sameKdOj3U301pEVUZ9nbtFJEIdcXtef3pWh1oAcEp9AMbktVcVlb-jBnSd9-jqB2UqhjUQp-Bk4fZW7aP0uguyftYZrPbTQQSnY5K5DFnKcvfk_VWw72vRmuDdZ5WZthjL-NTvd5YbrA1/s16000/HB_MM.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Very distinctive! A grab from the video by Mark Mallalieu (c)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Shortly after that, a fellow birder turned up. He turned out to be RC, the number one expert on Honey Buzzards in the country - Mr. Honey Buzzard himself no less! We soon got talking and had a very enjoyable session together. He gently taught me the finer points of HB id, saying that the flat held wings were the main thing that he looked for above all else. What amazed me was that he just used a pair of bins for his watching but was able to id them faster than I could even find them in my scope. I guess that after as many years as he has put in, you just get a feel for them. Anyway, we had two more sightings of HBs along with plenty of Commons. He told me that in general Honey Buzzards will start flying earlier than Commons. In fact he likes to get to a viewing session at 8 am, saying that HBs will generally rise between then at about 9 whereas the Commons, being heavier birds, are generally rising from 9:30 onwards. A top tip!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There were surprisingly few other BOPs about today - with no Goshawks, Falcons or Red Kites seen at all. I did ask RC in passing about Dartford Warblers as it had been a few years since I'd seen one. To my surprise he said that you get them all around where we were. We started listening out and after a while heard the distinctive scolding churr of a Sylvia warbler - a Dartford! Seeing them was another matter. RC picked out a distant one but, being shorter in height, I just couldn't see it. Eventually RC had to leave and as time was marching on I decided to pack up my scope and head back to the car slowly to see if I could find and see a Dartford of my own. I found a good looking area which seemed to have more bird life, including some Stonechats that Dartfords like so much for company. Sure enough eventually I managed to winkle out a Dartford sighting. I even managed an appalling record shot of it though I won't shame myself by publishing it. Instead below is a stunning photo of a bird that turned up on the Oxfordshire downs last month, taken by Roget Wyatt.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1Urt88zK40A6axQtx2EXm47RKRem-tLXc0FXuc7Lr7rrsfoKnzhhxu6X1Aa7LP9vo1dpnw8ONhQIHjtOz05MLD11OXeEXrUW4pVOh2uEcuNR3eKvOeFAbSCoKItjMzHKOmFoQ5vzIlhdDgvt3ZPjXLdrgOXKe_c2iQ3IhpJNo8re5e9CXotMhbU-/s639/Badger%20180722%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="639" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1Urt88zK40A6axQtx2EXm47RKRem-tLXc0FXuc7Lr7rrsfoKnzhhxu6X1Aa7LP9vo1dpnw8ONhQIHjtOz05MLD11OXeEXrUW4pVOh2uEcuNR3eKvOeFAbSCoKItjMzHKOmFoQ5vzIlhdDgvt3ZPjXLdrgOXKe_c2iQ3IhpJNo8re5e9CXotMhbU-/w640-h426/Badger%20180722%20(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Instead of my rubbish, here is a exquisite photo of a Dartford Warbler taken by Roger Wyatt (c)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">Back at the car, I drank a lot of water to quench my thirst from having been out in the sun for such a length of time. Then it was time to head over to Brockenhurst to rendezvous with my college friends. There we had a lovely afternoon of catching up and reminiscing, along with a walk in the baking afternoon sun. Finally it was time to head back home. It had been a great day out - I think I might try to make this Honey Buzzard pilgrimage an annual event.</p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-1017313827840472772022-07-30T10:21:00.000+01:002022-07-30T10:21:10.281+01:00Bempton 'Bertie & the Red-tailed Shrike<p style="text-align: justify;">There have been many blog posts about Bempton Cliffs RSPB over the last couple of years, mainly because of its star headliner, the resident Black-browed Albatross. Up until now I've had to watch from the sidelines: at four hours each way from Oxford to Bempton, personally it was just too far to contemplate. Things got more interesting recently when Bempton 'Bertie was joined by a second star bird in residence, namely a Turkestan (or Red-tailed) Shrike. With the prospect of a two tick day, that could possibly justify an eight hour round-trip though it was still marginal. What tipped the balance however, was when my eldest daughter needed to head back to Durham. I "nobly" offered to drive her back rather than her having to take the train. So with the credit of these brownie points I could with a clear conscience head up to the North East and try to catch up with these two birds.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We'd all been away on holiday to Canada (expect a write-up sometime soon complete with lots of bear porn shots). My eldest daughter had stayed on for a conference the following week and on Sunday she finally arrived back in the UK. I'd offered to take her back up straight-away on the Monday - I was keen to crack on with it as I was worried about the Shrike leaving though in fairness it had been around for more than a month now. We set off at our usual time of about 8 a.m. and the journey up to Durham was uneventful. I dropped her off, had a quick cup of tea and a snack, and within half an hour was back on the road again. The reason for this quick turn-around was that the forecast was for heavy rain at Bempton later on in the afternoon and I wanted to get try to get both birds under my belt before it set in. I'd booked some accommodation nearby in Bridlington overnight and planned to visit Bempton again the following morning but was hoping that I wouldn't have to fret overnight about not having seen one of my two target birds. That was the plan anyway but how would it play out?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The trip from Durham to Bempton was a tortuous cross-country route that went on for two and a half hours. The journey wound its way past Middlesbrough, passed around Whitby and through Scarborough before I finally started to see signs for Bempton Cliffs RSPB. I eventually pulled into the car park sometime after 3pm to find conditions rather hot and humid. I quickly put together all my stuff, asked a helper for directions and yomped off down the path towards the Staple Newk viewpoint where the Albatross was usually seen. My plan was to drop in there to see how often it was showing, then nip over to tick the Shrike before coming back to get the 'tross before the rain set in.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was a 15 minute yomp to the viewpoint where I found a dozen or so other birders, mostly armed with long lenses all hanging around. I was told that "it was showing every 15 minutes or so" which sounded far better than the stories I'd been hearing about waiting hours to see it. If that were the case then I thought I could afford to spend a little time waiting to see it before going to get the Shrike. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Much has been written about the joys of Bempton and finally seeing it in the flesh it was indeed very striking! The first thing that hit you was the sound: an endless cacophony of Gannets calling, punctuated by Kittiwakes repeating their name. The next thing that hit you was the smell, the stench of guano was quite overpowering! Looking down, the cliff was mostly occupied by Gannets all the way from the very top down to the bottom. In amongst them and next most numerous were the Kittiwakes, perched precariously on tiny little ledges. Lower down one could see various Auks coming and going, mostly Puffins with a few Guillemots and Razorbills occasionally - I guess that it may be getting a bit late for these latter two. With some Rock Doves, a few Fulmars and Shags it was quite a spectacle to take in.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fVD0tLSVCl8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>The view from the Staple Newk viewing platform</i></p><p style="text-align: justify;">With a promise of only 15 minutes to wait I hung around for a while but there was no sign of my target bird so, with some ominous dark cloud out at sea in the distance I decided to go and get the Shrike first of all. This is where things went a bit wrong. My understanding was that it was in the hedge east of Wandale Farm (which was correct). What I got wrong was that it was not best viewed from the path west of the hedge that lead to the farm. I slogged my way all the way down to the farm only to spy some birders over on the east side of the far hedge clearly looking at something. So I had to slog back again, across the end of a ploughed field, nip over some barbed wire fence (to save having to go all the way back to the coastal path and up again) and finally I was on the right side of the hedge. Some other birders had got this wrong too and were stuck just on the west side of the hedge before realising that they too had to turn back. Anyway, I eventually made my way to a field of short grass where there was a single birder clearly scoping something. I arrived out of breath to be told that it was showing every few minutes. I sat down next to him on the grass and within a couple of minutes there it was, showing nicely just 20 yards away in front of us. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS4EEgdAHsg9vqz38eDW7CbI4WGt1ypStABF4Q3QrSEFB1GZY5QPCxzV4XIQ6eaCIkexdgMkW-pkWqatqlQwgGJA2nNHaWI_eAdSr-ZIlI8cUbrCMPpszCk3LqPvfwf6fQEyKRNr5wN-ZEQts7GGEe5w2UMa-MLJWdO4rnNeMTD80ZdbkseIn2ZaG/s600/_TkS2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS4EEgdAHsg9vqz38eDW7CbI4WGt1ypStABF4Q3QrSEFB1GZY5QPCxzV4XIQ6eaCIkexdgMkW-pkWqatqlQwgGJA2nNHaWI_eAdSr-ZIlI8cUbrCMPpszCk3LqPvfwf6fQEyKRNr5wN-ZEQts7GGEe5w2UMa-MLJWdO4rnNeMTD80ZdbkseIn2ZaG/s16000/_TkS2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-J__NYF1v3XVhvWmkIIbyP3ZO6U65UPsTFOzjsKyseHj8E5TceBp8UnFhQopmu9kEYrbgE0HHse7DJNZYZe6uZGnt7G6HgnQTev9X4O_xzybmAwDXZ7xX5n5By7bfZaWEDxVc8xvYRgS8024dlKoJgtfE-JU4OI9VITIjyv_amXgky46m55kYXwqt/s600/_TkS4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-J__NYF1v3XVhvWmkIIbyP3ZO6U65UPsTFOzjsKyseHj8E5TceBp8UnFhQopmu9kEYrbgE0HHse7DJNZYZe6uZGnt7G6HgnQTev9X4O_xzybmAwDXZ7xX5n5By7bfZaWEDxVc8xvYRgS8024dlKoJgtfE-JU4OI9VITIjyv_amXgky46m55kYXwqt/s16000/_TkS4.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A couple of record shots of the Turkestan Shrike, taken in the gloom</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Isabelline Shrike was recently split into two separate species: Daurian Shrike (from Mongolia and West China tablelands), and the much rarer Turkestan Shrike from central Asia. I'd managed to see the former in Pendeen, right outside my holiday cottage there but so far Turkestan Shrike had eluded me. The word Isabelline is said to refer to a greyish yellow colour and interestingly is said to come from Isabella I of Castile who promised not to change her undergarments until Spain was freed from the Moors. Unfortunately this went on for longer than she anticipated hence the discolouration of her underwear. I'd always felt that the name Isabelline had a rather poetic ring to it though this story does rather taint any romantic notions about the colour!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I spent about 15 minutes watching it, taking some photos and chatting to my companion. In passing he told me that it was possible to view the Albatross when it was on the cliff even if it wasn't flying and he explained where to view from. With time marching on and the Shrike under my belt now I wanted to try and get the 'tross before the weather set in. However, within a few minutes of setting back towards the cliffs the heavens opened and I was soon completely soaked. In my haste to get going I'd left my waterproof trousers in the car and I realised too late that I'd also forgotten to replace the lens caps on my scope so both lenses were now rain spattered. Gah!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Just as the rain started to ease I arrived back at the coastal path and headed round to where I'd been told to view from to scan the cliffs. My Shrike companion turned out to be close behind me and he showed me the exact spot: about 400 yards beyond Staple Newk where the path splits into two and then rejoins again. From here you could look back towards the cliffs and see everything that was on this side of the steep ridge that slopes down from the cliff top to the sea. He explained how far down to view and just with my bins (which were mercifully still dry!) I started to scan. "There it is" I exclaimed to two other people who were also looking for it. Indeed it stood out clearly amongst the throng. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKXRKadBLDdA-LbRuzT9qcG3-8ADo-vL751kQzF52e-qudfnxCfnK5FG21W5f3LPdrWfQRozpBRUlQskLM-KnFJjoVI5pOOxnXsIu1PpJ7vrF4nf6ROb4XEJYDVg6s_iET0hnjYjcck93l5NK7tUxl7V6Upmnl6ilKl4sKd3lvY5TjykobjwTsJkB/s600/_BBA3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJKXRKadBLDdA-LbRuzT9qcG3-8ADo-vL751kQzF52e-qudfnxCfnK5FG21W5f3LPdrWfQRozpBRUlQskLM-KnFJjoVI5pOOxnXsIu1PpJ7vrF4nf6ROb4XEJYDVg6s_iET0hnjYjcck93l5NK7tUxl7V6Upmnl6ilKl4sKd3lvY5TjykobjwTsJkB/s16000/_BBA3.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Albatross perched on the cliff</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">I started to assemble my scope and dry off the lenses to take a better look. One of the others said "has he gone now? I can't find him" and sure enough when I looked again there was no sign of him. Could he have flown off in that time? He must have done! I disassembled my scope again and headed back to Staple Newk where there was just one person, a lady sensibly clad head to toe in waterproofs. She told me that the Albatross had indeed just flown off and she could just about see it on the sea through her bins though it would be very hard to give directions. Given how poor the lighting was I decided I wouldn't bother trying to see a small dot on the sea. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So I waddled back to the car in my rain-soaked trousers. There I cranked up the heating, changed my trousers (I'd thankfully brought a second pair) and treated myself to several cups of tea from the flask and indulged in some celebratory snacking. Talk about cutting it fine! I'd managed to see the Albatross for the last 10 seconds before it flew off. Still, I'd clearly seen it so at least it meant I could relax for the evening. Having finally dried off and recovered from my soaking, I drove the car the 15 minutes into Bridlington to where I'd booked a nice little hotel right on the seafront at the north end of the beach looking out onto the sheltered Bridlington Bay with Flamborough Head in the distance. Here I had a quick shower to warm up then relaxed for the evening with a tasty curry, washed down with a beer from the bar. I spent the evening watching K-dramas (my guilty pleasure!) on Netflix before turning in for the night, listening to the waves lap against the shore and the occasional sound of calling gulls.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">With both birds under my belt already there was no need for a first light dash back to the cliffs. Instead I opted for a comparative lie-in and a cooked breakfast before heading back at around 8 a.m. At least that was the plan though my intermittent insomnia kicked in at I was awake from 5 a.m. onwards. Still, I saw a flock of Sandwich Terns fly through along the beach and I took some time to finish drying off with a hair dryer some of my gear from yesterday's soaking. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">After breakfast I drove the 15 minutes back to the reserve where I found the car park largely empty, with only the keenest of birders there before me. I got ready and headed off along the cliffs once more. <i>En route</i> I was treated to some nice views of a Barn Owl hunting in the grassy fields that line the edge of the reserve. As I went a few birders were coming back the other way so I asked about the Albatross (there'd been no news on RBA as yet) only to be told that there was no sign of it so far. I got the impression that these people (they seemed like locals) would have checked the cliff top view to see if it were there so it seemed like it had not returned after its departure yesterday. If so then I would indeed have scraped my tick by the skin of my teeth yesterday evening!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I headed back to Staple Newk platform where I watched the to-ing and fro-ing of the birds for a while, taking it all in. As the light was better I took a few photos with my Superzoom though of course the quality is nothing compared to the myriad of top class Bempton photos out there on the internet.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzotGbZmI-HsxJYezpZ6kh88mU1VKAwRM8haROliWTLZ2K4E1lzHBN-ovXp91iAAFStAT34VwXi468mFUq_2BFHf-EiAHq_BAx-amsVCRU7icMh3id4XuuCrJXAj3VFTYqXBTUw6J8yU1D8fop_AzppTeZuqPwf_tOfn3XU-WutFuwMi25C5AJWn6/s600/_Gan1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzotGbZmI-HsxJYezpZ6kh88mU1VKAwRM8haROliWTLZ2K4E1lzHBN-ovXp91iAAFStAT34VwXi468mFUq_2BFHf-EiAHq_BAx-amsVCRU7icMh3id4XuuCrJXAj3VFTYqXBTUw6J8yU1D8fop_AzppTeZuqPwf_tOfn3XU-WutFuwMi25C5AJWn6/s16000/_Gan1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMvq3Ic_2tESQB0wUvhdnhOg22B1tvk-SsIrPybQFSd5PhN8nSm4hpuFQs20crUoVwZ_Jsg10ZzAsnmO254wiLlLnPBlXngceL6mMOvJLKPyAR6x5eWz7-i-2-o_L_wkSfNiQN3B4F4Utlxu-73JKUUfFQoJlWIsTnn9mg8Gu5A9Z4db0rwF-9XE4/s600/_Ktw1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMvq3Ic_2tESQB0wUvhdnhOg22B1tvk-SsIrPybQFSd5PhN8nSm4hpuFQs20crUoVwZ_Jsg10ZzAsnmO254wiLlLnPBlXngceL6mMOvJLKPyAR6x5eWz7-i-2-o_L_wkSfNiQN3B4F4Utlxu-73JKUUfFQoJlWIsTnn9mg8Gu5A9Z4db0rwF-9XE4/s16000/_Ktw1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALGs8Hv34QP9rBxbYZCyNwhyrVONrbZ4IC-ZLS7-Pa6k9ZSYhvej49FuhpKdFpHmZNVrLKCF8bsPF0hy64880Jm4F0Ssq2SBoLgSXbtbx1atXWRPj-ny_M4rf-E05YmuK3ZzNefsk59a2GdA59MO9CY4LGFrKplyFOr-l5PRStJL4NG1V8rLcrFx9/s613/_Puffin1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALGs8Hv34QP9rBxbYZCyNwhyrVONrbZ4IC-ZLS7-Pa6k9ZSYhvej49FuhpKdFpHmZNVrLKCF8bsPF0hy64880Jm4F0Ssq2SBoLgSXbtbx1atXWRPj-ny_M4rf-E05YmuK3ZzNefsk59a2GdA59MO9CY4LGFrKplyFOr-l5PRStJL4NG1V8rLcrFx9/s16000/_Puffin1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fR-GTKnpwxHC9isnMvZkVW2Us5b9dljkSZg4MkTMnAdfn5Tn7JTISqfVXPGDouELGxfsGxqQySkzma1y1BQJD9WOs4kglRgoXtx4Vocy5nHtry2O7rLlZuQjH5Q_6e3mv66_oW9oG6KZs__ycztmikpvMFlazKSb8qnTe-7pCxqFfPxCUmIzGBa-/s600/_Puffin2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fR-GTKnpwxHC9isnMvZkVW2Us5b9dljkSZg4MkTMnAdfn5Tn7JTISqfVXPGDouELGxfsGxqQySkzma1y1BQJD9WOs4kglRgoXtx4Vocy5nHtry2O7rLlZuQjH5Q_6e3mv66_oW9oG6KZs__ycztmikpvMFlazKSb8qnTe-7pCxqFfPxCUmIzGBa-/s16000/_Puffin2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">With there having been no news on the 'tross from anyone on the platform I thought I would go and check the cliff viewpoint before going for Shrike seconds. There was indeed no sign of it in its usual roost point where I'd seen it the day before so I headed back for the Shrike. This was still there in the same field and I took some more photos of it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqrgF3dl0Dx0M6f6JRHpjNzDpdEzyEK_vFgPmNDf2vHmCf0N1y6SNYZX-JnZtfJrUNossrfA7tZhNS0ijT_ghoPkWszn5V3TbkMcRAeXQ9nKFR2m9jQIaoM35P-FLuvkpp4w6gcckfbqynmy1Cv1lmRY4IyntwRTn-uw3yyiLq1NIL7NS1nQsHhJG/s631/_TkS1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="631" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqrgF3dl0Dx0M6f6JRHpjNzDpdEzyEK_vFgPmNDf2vHmCf0N1y6SNYZX-JnZtfJrUNossrfA7tZhNS0ijT_ghoPkWszn5V3TbkMcRAeXQ9nKFR2m9jQIaoM35P-FLuvkpp4w6gcckfbqynmy1Cv1lmRY4IyntwRTn-uw3yyiLq1NIL7NS1nQsHhJG/s16000/_TkS1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKxklMFuPyVXi3BpBi76agSPK72sXFk1j1Gn6DA_DzPZm4X4dX0H7eklSVRvYG9PotOuOuM4zECxhvzgMCXuZW8LVrBiwXGfHj0TWxsWh5C7HLLsfI1NDNPAK4vthMgdtSLfMXrt-rgHFXgk2XhOMFGmoBSBgs1wIsC-W1yNKIIpylkYNgnsptOMb/s600/_TkS3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKxklMFuPyVXi3BpBi76agSPK72sXFk1j1Gn6DA_DzPZm4X4dX0H7eklSVRvYG9PotOuOuM4zECxhvzgMCXuZW8LVrBiwXGfHj0TWxsWh5C7HLLsfI1NDNPAK4vthMgdtSLfMXrt-rgHFXgk2XhOMFGmoBSBgs1wIsC-W1yNKIIpylkYNgnsptOMb/s16000/_TkS3.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xVehPWJ4T3U" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br /><i>Some video I took<br />(thanks to Badger for the editing)</i></div><p style="text-align: justify;">After a while I headed back to Staple Newk to check on news but there had still been no sightings. I decided to head back to the visitor centre to take a look at the large Tree Sparrow population and to explore some of the nooks and crannies near the car park. This area has hosted some mega rarities (e.g. Eastern Crowned Warbler) in years gone by and it did indeed look very good. There were plenty of Tree Sparrows about including some young birds and I took some time enjoying their company.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK32pKrRK6dTNOnkVzZIqSfosoot69LKfwji1gh0E4LLvZELTmiPAHNnwxazWrnrG5p50iDnxptN2Swr6n5kCAc4Yyiy0_VbqiHv8krCkHi4xtc1MYl0AaHe0A856GDAUlC68XAc8RXl_erdqMISH63URi__NaMy045MK1GAXPEmitD5Jv4nUQLR35/s600/_TS1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK32pKrRK6dTNOnkVzZIqSfosoot69LKfwji1gh0E4LLvZELTmiPAHNnwxazWrnrG5p50iDnxptN2Swr6n5kCAc4Yyiy0_VbqiHv8krCkHi4xtc1MYl0AaHe0A856GDAUlC68XAc8RXl_erdqMISH63URi__NaMy045MK1GAXPEmitD5Jv4nUQLR35/s16000/_TS1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB33hYLgRLv7jdO3iM3iqBqKtBDOKao_djhSKJ-yR_YKy7PDV-kb_PnJ1hay1HQwhZdsHdEFGpA74nY6BGjHhIySiqFU6nbvYJHpqaGp3yK5mBj2tygyxtQpYSK1hsLvcXfJJRjK3u1Nu7gKORK1FDYbEVJyEJCF4umjqL7mts1SQcFWO6_xPb_aa/s600/_TS2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyB33hYLgRLv7jdO3iM3iqBqKtBDOKao_djhSKJ-yR_YKy7PDV-kb_PnJ1hay1HQwhZdsHdEFGpA74nY6BGjHhIySiqFU6nbvYJHpqaGp3yK5mBj2tygyxtQpYSK1hsLvcXfJJRjK3u1Nu7gKORK1FDYbEVJyEJCF4umjqL7mts1SQcFWO6_xPb_aa/s16000/_TS2.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGp3X6lbLLAQqISdaAkBjP95zb8hqNyWsjqjCJFMzvwR_92o2dISoxYvXsQYGp6oY7BatL-MeVH29R69jRRWBTf93YGQovC5qzotQUgLtLygQQhELreTR_r08rM0VT4OK7cWdJVjj1F3PXRLm6lOj8KOQMs-VSs5_sspCY0AJNfM8gE4LL-S9qLiG/s600/_TS3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOGp3X6lbLLAQqISdaAkBjP95zb8hqNyWsjqjCJFMzvwR_92o2dISoxYvXsQYGp6oY7BatL-MeVH29R69jRRWBTf93YGQovC5qzotQUgLtLygQQhELreTR_r08rM0VT4OK7cWdJVjj1F3PXRLm6lOj8KOQMs-VSs5_sspCY0AJNfM8gE4LL-S9qLiG/s16000/_TS3.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bempton Tree Sparrows</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">I next went to the café for a mid morning cup of tea and a snack. I was wondering what to do. In the absence of the Albatross I was asking myself if I should head back, perhaps stopping in for the Black-winged Stilts at Potteric Carr on the way. I was just about to start my tea when news came up on RBA that the Albatross was viewable distantly on the sea from Staple Newk. I hurried back to the car to retrieve my gear, pouring my tea into my flask for later before hurrying back to the platform. There, after a bit of asking, I found the person who had reported it. It was horribly difficult to get directions on the bird which was a distant (though clear enough) blob in his scope but eventually he got my scope on it and I could take a look for myself. A succession of other people then took a look through my scope before someone knocked it off alignment and after that I couldn't find it again. Lots of other people could not get on the bird though a couple of younger birders did manage it for a while. It was really hard to pick out though as it was drifting all the time.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">It started to rain again, though mercifully not too hard. After a while a couple of people refound the bird, this time much closer and much clearer. I had just got onto it again in my scope when it started to fly. I tracked it in my scope, enjoying the sight of a flying Black-browed Albatross in my field of view. A couple of years ago that would have been quite something to be writing! Eventually it got close enough that I switched over to bins and finally we all enjoyed some cliff front fly-bys before it settled on the cliff out of sight again. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXJIE-WvJkzwIvmiU5m9uKVOQZzV59h6NOZMasZ8w3sRVyvjI2uUbIUNJZbVI3lUj5EG_vuud-3QTpu6sGr6mLyKrjoB0qTyncQhiE_lrLxm4q5ir2BPRoz93Ebmi9Xa_0ALthuZ5WrkH1kXtJFJ1LGPcGkZ03mJXEf1Nh_jXoH9cqS_RP6nv0V63/s2816/_BBA1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2624" data-original-width="2816" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXJIE-WvJkzwIvmiU5m9uKVOQZzV59h6NOZMasZ8w3sRVyvjI2uUbIUNJZbVI3lUj5EG_vuud-3QTpu6sGr6mLyKrjoB0qTyncQhiE_lrLxm4q5ir2BPRoz93Ebmi9Xa_0ALthuZ5WrkH1kXtJFJ1LGPcGkZ03mJXEf1Nh_jXoH9cqS_RP6nv0V63/w640-h596/_BBA1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-jsnRVYseo1zeCeO8hXCGIpkYUX3T81snSBsBucEZLGeZ1HO905ucF5vHNBjFZaXA50VJY41WiKuqn4fnpJGNUlGHCO2qP5emi4RjtraurRh-ucgi20oZuIDbx_7wXENUSLOUl0k8qNjZ95zJxandjd-DZ4Gg2SFbPtQy8zbKpUxDd0cR5znEQh1/s600/_BBA2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-jsnRVYseo1zeCeO8hXCGIpkYUX3T81snSBsBucEZLGeZ1HO905ucF5vHNBjFZaXA50VJY41WiKuqn4fnpJGNUlGHCO2qP5emi4RjtraurRh-ucgi20oZuIDbx_7wXENUSLOUl0k8qNjZ95zJxandjd-DZ4Gg2SFbPtQy8zbKpUxDd0cR5znEQh1/s16000/_BBA2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A couple of record shots of the bird as it approached the cliffs.</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: justify;">I know that this is a bit of an "old hat" rare by now and everyone and their dog has already seen it but I had a re-read through of the Bird Forum thread on the bird and everyone was saying was a special and unique experience it was to see it. Having now seen it for myself, </span><span style="text-align: justify;">I have to say that I have to agree. It was indeed an amazing sight to behold seeing an Albatross flying back and forth at a close distance in front of me. It was a very special moment that I will not forget in a hurry. I too have become one of these "religious converts" and a true believer!</span></div><div><p style="text-align: justify;">With the bird now out of sight from the viewing platform I went back to the cliff viewing point to take a look at the bird back on the cliff and once again I could pick him out fairly easily in his usual spot. Having now seen him in all the different viewing modes (cliff perch, cliff fly-by and speck on the sea) I felt that I'd had the full Albatross experience and as time was marching on I happily headed back to the car to get ready for the long slog home. I detooled, had a slurp of tea and then programmed the sat nav for the journey back. The first leg of the trip was tough: my lack of sleep was now catching up and I had to concentrate carefully. I stopped in a layby for lunch to try to pep me up and I managed to make it until I reached the M18. After that, the motorway driving meant that I felt more awake and it was an uneventful (though still rather long) drive back home to Casa Gnome where I finally arrived just in time for a celebratory roast dinner prepared by my VLW. It had been a great trip out, with two shiny new life ticks for my troubles.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Addendum</b></p><p>In case there are any people who have yet to see either bird below are some instructions that I wished I'd had when I visited as it would have saved me quite a bit of time and effort</p><p><u>Shrike Access</u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLf-fdVNQ8xVrq0wv4gyQzyjyQAxwzJCKPnL4kkgP5OQdblWdkBgqm7zCeQ4CBDWdOabuGbrFc_zmnak_zcC9BaTp7pwMRJ504N_VBNHb1BzaGhkPYaUMR1gQeePFDvOs1SJJlQtdjnD1h3oHVKfQbhAIj6_PDfm2tlkb7W0gmohsqFvbIpxsSxFx/s650/ShrikeAccess2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="639" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieLf-fdVNQ8xVrq0wv4gyQzyjyQAxwzJCKPnL4kkgP5OQdblWdkBgqm7zCeQ4CBDWdOabuGbrFc_zmnak_zcC9BaTp7pwMRJ504N_VBNHb1BzaGhkPYaUMR1gQeePFDvOs1SJJlQtdjnD1h3oHVKfQbhAIj6_PDfm2tlkb7W0gmohsqFvbIpxsSxFx/w630-h640/ShrikeAccess2.png" width="630" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">From the coastal path take the path through the kissing gate (circled yellow) and follow the dotted line path along the hedge to a second kissing gate at the end of the field (circled green). The shrike is in the field of short grass between the gate and the telegraph pole in the hedge (along the red line). It shows regularly every few minutes or so.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><u>Albatross Viewing</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">To see the Albatross on the cliff itself you need to go past Staple Newk viewing platform and follow the coastal path until it splits into two. A little while later the two paths rejoin. At that point view from the cliff top back towards the sloping rocks of Scale Nab.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgLp2tuGTVZ6lKeN7F2lGxDyvb6FHJ7iOcEw1TXm1qCx5QAE9eD2Om5NfCZ7vjbDlOMb7nNPs1s0g7Ozu3JoeJ7G5_fQqFU1XvgkRCdKlZH1Q1hn3ZpUlti47aRFoDQT4mnqje0DZzMiWVTQ8kKIn1LFtHeYn3Fx2oXLPrcQb_1PajM7zb0SGIr8E/s1032/Tross1.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="1032" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDgLp2tuGTVZ6lKeN7F2lGxDyvb6FHJ7iOcEw1TXm1qCx5QAE9eD2Om5NfCZ7vjbDlOMb7nNPs1s0g7Ozu3JoeJ7G5_fQqFU1XvgkRCdKlZH1Q1hn3ZpUlti47aRFoDQT4mnqje0DZzMiWVTQ8kKIn1LFtHeYn3Fx2oXLPrcQb_1PajM7zb0SGIr8E/w640-h488/Tross1.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Look back towards the cliffs where the two paths rejoin </i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">To see the bird you need to look at the slope of the rocks. At first it is reasonably steep (see yellow line below), before it becomes a bit less steep for a little bit (red line) and then drops off even more steeply (blue line). At the start of the red line bit look on the cliffs in the green circle. Note that this also more or less lines up with the base of the cliffs behind it as well. You should be able to pick it out with bins OK.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJwe9cez130SmHiP6WvUldP6mWX6C_Nzf5VsuJtHEc5pnXdWSPhkyEw3VjXIKVhkBbl00reBRyVNMGbc0ii9XmRm5cf7k-14TfbeOH5zc--gEsfKRR5pBEz_D7iEo-OJ9KWUg4tt1O-o1TAUFY8pG_YZvT8WRzPrcPeTyBgODbGCaN0qSOlprkBmB/s1210/Tross2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1210" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJwe9cez130SmHiP6WvUldP6mWX6C_Nzf5VsuJtHEc5pnXdWSPhkyEw3VjXIKVhkBbl00reBRyVNMGbc0ii9XmRm5cf7k-14TfbeOH5zc--gEsfKRR5pBEz_D7iEo-OJ9KWUg4tt1O-o1TAUFY8pG_YZvT8WRzPrcPeTyBgODbGCaN0qSOlprkBmB/w640-h518/Tross2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>If you look carefully you can just see the Albatross in the top left-hand corner of my green area</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275316787854095662.post-72433609463087814092022-06-20T15:55:00.000+01:002022-06-20T15:55:49.545+01:00Chasing Scarcities - Shillingford Scarce Chasers<p style="text-align: justify;">The summer months are a time when there is usually a lull in birding and, like many others, I tend to turn my attention to flowers and insects instead. I've been keeping it fairly low key so far, just visiting the Trap Grounds to look at the Odonata activity there and so far have not paid any visits away from my local patch. This all changed last week when a Scarce Chaser dragonfly was found on the river Thames at Shillingford on Tuesday by a local Odo enthusiast, JB, who regularly patrols this stretch of the river. Now Scarce Chasers are rather a localised species nationally with their main areas being either East Anglia or around the Bournemouth area. Indeed there have only previously been two or three records for the county so this was kind of a big deal in the Oxon Odo world. This would make a nice little trip out though I wasn't free the next day when it was seen again. However on Thursday morning, on what was forecast to be the hottest day of the year so far, it was reported as still present as I was just setting off to take a look for myself. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">By the time I had parked up by the Shillingford hotel and run the hay fever gauntlet of the mass of uncut grass in full flower all along the river bank path, a second male had been reported in the same general area. I arrived to find three other enthusiasts who had been watching the original Chaser for quite some time. Sadly, in typical fashion, it had just flown off before I arrived! I needn't have worried though because a few minutes later it turned up again, perching on the top of a reed stem and I was able to get my first view. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaM9t-Iydji7BpmOzvhPCbl0H77bxG5ELDeJ6diTpKsXrtLxfCFkf9qqz-ABuBZPgtpqPJFnl4NYLue9zpOMnm9_A63I1Ib_Z1eAaFjylTF0hmP_F92xB0KXcIrAuPy_2f35dTn1mhL5238hXoL-nizfsUtk-duWKSOKAQ8_xA_9B6EvtE477oYFc/s600/_SC0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhaM9t-Iydji7BpmOzvhPCbl0H77bxG5ELDeJ6diTpKsXrtLxfCFkf9qqz-ABuBZPgtpqPJFnl4NYLue9zpOMnm9_A63I1Ib_Z1eAaFjylTF0hmP_F92xB0KXcIrAuPy_2f35dTn1mhL5238hXoL-nizfsUtk-duWKSOKAQ8_xA_9B6EvtE477oYFc/s16000/_SC0.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Unfortunately, the Scarce Chaser spent a lot of time facing away from the bank <br />so the photo angle was less than ideal</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Scarce Chasers are rather an obliging species in that they like to spend a lot of time perched on the top of a reed stem waiting for something to pass by, quite unlike the Emperor that was patrolling the bank in the same general area that spent almost the entire time on the wing up and down the same stretch of the river. The Scarce Chaser would go missing for periods of time, presumably sitting somewhere out of sight, before turning up again in one of the fishing bays that are regular features along the river here.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Apart from the Scarce Chaser there was a mature Club-tailed Dragonfly knocking around that I got some brief views of, the aforementioned Emperor, a Four-spotted Chaser and the usual plethora of Banded Demoiselles. On the Damselfly front there were a few Red-eyed Damselflies on the river and some White-legged Damselflies in the bankside vegetation. This latter species was of particular interest because I'd only previously ever seen it once, in a colony up near Banbury a few years back. Whilst this species is regularly sighted along the river Thames in various places in the county, it usually only occurs in small numbers and a certain amount of effort is generally required to see them. However, by standing around waiting for the Scarce Chaser to re-appear I had the time to observe the local Damsels and eventually managed to pick out a few White-legged as they went about their business.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBGEk5lpLMTo73ezxdfe3ilp2Yp5CBT9FO1_TtHLXwb8ecUveWS6B-Dry8G2MgFKpwg0wqmldDqDtcTIirSx-EWWOxCmbDZblFTMlrezzXTgq_U0lZlLtK6lyBUqEuasucgJG_485yohFBMN0OwVtx9NAziZfTjG1_UHyDk2YvShfELHn4tRmLGgo/s600/_RED1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpBGEk5lpLMTo73ezxdfe3ilp2Yp5CBT9FO1_TtHLXwb8ecUveWS6B-Dry8G2MgFKpwg0wqmldDqDtcTIirSx-EWWOxCmbDZblFTMlrezzXTgq_U0lZlLtK6lyBUqEuasucgJG_485yohFBMN0OwVtx9NAziZfTjG1_UHyDk2YvShfELHn4tRmLGgo/s16000/_RED1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red-eyed Damselfly</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd0H7S8EkpEUOr7vUANBv-u2MXl1axXmumNBDfPE4swwIyowmh_fkwprQRToP7750Re4EhS2kHi6tFTtB3s0k1JMQOsVBrX81UpCEv-OfbKFPCTx6F8mnrnW4IeVgAOKUTonQJmvJIQzFkcH8_fyTwy8AoKo1YMjdJA5XJYjZVqxMksRgrEXhryKd/s600/_BD1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd0H7S8EkpEUOr7vUANBv-u2MXl1axXmumNBDfPE4swwIyowmh_fkwprQRToP7750Re4EhS2kHi6tFTtB3s0k1JMQOsVBrX81UpCEv-OfbKFPCTx6F8mnrnW4IeVgAOKUTonQJmvJIQzFkcH8_fyTwy8AoKo1YMjdJA5XJYjZVqxMksRgrEXhryKd/s16000/_BD1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Female Banded Demoiselle</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">After a period of time the Scarce Chaser reappeared, this time perched up on a much more convenient perch and at last I was able to get some reasonable photos. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFn793z0KxVB5spUDDa9Duc7ckEwP_3c-qaNK0-skAZOa-kqyizWBHksyj5wxBbfFHONQcD3Ha_QTN4GZWiDlDx_c8E3LRwl9d0UpQM6PW9nv9nOQdbxaC0-tsgvMY0LcOOuIxzTwsOESxNYhI7s2BhG5T0Eoh7p6alvnEygeCpfk044TYrxNvEMA/s600/_SC1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="476" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFn793z0KxVB5spUDDa9Duc7ckEwP_3c-qaNK0-skAZOa-kqyizWBHksyj5wxBbfFHONQcD3Ha_QTN4GZWiDlDx_c8E3LRwl9d0UpQM6PW9nv9nOQdbxaC0-tsgvMY0LcOOuIxzTwsOESxNYhI7s2BhG5T0Eoh7p6alvnEygeCpfk044TYrxNvEMA/s16000/_SC1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Cu4qCnwJ60L-5QnfqUSBhP6yQK7fztIrueR8BfQiQog8ZUPGkuZQUzkN0N1SBPp2HQ_Ve8Gqw-uYowpGUU0kOcMGN7YiQNGQWEzdCM4rtZdyfvCevpz8nQ92XxgA6IjU9HVIyv6lBiD0-SGSp5EbAYeRrqc2gdG7OyaLa1Du1zAYfHyh34r37nxo/s600/_SC2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Cu4qCnwJ60L-5QnfqUSBhP6yQK7fztIrueR8BfQiQog8ZUPGkuZQUzkN0N1SBPp2HQ_Ve8Gqw-uYowpGUU0kOcMGN7YiQNGQWEzdCM4rtZdyfvCevpz8nQ92XxgA6IjU9HVIyv6lBiD0-SGSp5EbAYeRrqc2gdG7OyaLa1Du1zAYfHyh34r37nxo/s16000/_SC2.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Scarce Chaser</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: left;"><br />I was just watching it and enjoying it in the company of IL when the second male re-appeared and the two clashed violently. They soared vertically upwards in the air as they did battle until they disappeared from view. IL chose to leave at that point but I hung around for another half an hour without seeing either of them again. Eventually I had to concede that they weren't coming back in a hurry so I ambled back to the car, finding some more White-legged Damselflies on the way. </span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiog8KohUpe8TYdlBLS00RLVRutuJM9E_dYZicTF9ww_L5lK3yEMSgocwwDTL8ToPsCZ_rwEuQFhXH_WKIhFV8q15SeDc3G7MVKJjDH_CRltQTb3n5njig-2Aivj-SvRxqeNd0DXcOx-xWtHdPc85wEsWPMPC5LAJ17DyH4CAyI8-A1s2HBj0Wl9hRC/s683/_WLD1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiog8KohUpe8TYdlBLS00RLVRutuJM9E_dYZicTF9ww_L5lK3yEMSgocwwDTL8ToPsCZ_rwEuQFhXH_WKIhFV8q15SeDc3G7MVKJjDH_CRltQTb3n5njig-2Aivj-SvRxqeNd0DXcOx-xWtHdPc85wEsWPMPC5LAJ17DyH4CAyI8-A1s2HBj0Wl9hRC/s16000/_WLD1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Female White-legged Damselfly seen on the way back to the car</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Adam Hartley (Gnome)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04367677984805807645noreply@blogger.com0