The Divers back !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Birding Trivia.

            Any Gilbert & Sullivan fans out there, particularly of the Comic Opera the Mikado?

If you have a minute, google “The Mikado Lyrics – Tit Willow”, and you will find the song which goes..

“On a tree by a river a little tom-tit

Sang "Willow, titwillow, titwillow"

And I said to him, "Dicky-bird, why do you sit

Singing 'Willow, titwillow, titwillow…………….etc

If you play the call of the Willow Tit on your phone, or computer, whilst not exactly the same, the call does sound a bit like the onomatopoeic word, Willow Tit. Well after a G & T, anyway.

Carsington came up with their own special day on Thursday 24^th November.  Not Black Friday, but Thrilling Thursday, with a Great Northern Diver back, hopefully staying for the winter, so if you did not get it on your 2017 bird list in the Spring, now is the time to add it to the list before the end of the year. Alan Stewardson gets the first sighting credit this Winter.

Black Friday?  Not for me… purple Thursday was my day. Day return, Tamworth to London St. Pancras, £32.  Brilliant eh?... even better…. that was for FOUR people!! Yep, £8 pp, reserved seats and without any Gold card discount. If it helps, it was exactly 35 days before the day we travel.

Meanwhile, with 34 days to go to get the 200 sightings for the year, Amanda, Lorna and I have already crossed the Rubicon.   But I know some birders who are still working towards the 200, and whilst Warblers etc have obviously gone, there are still plenty of sightable possibilities in the next 34 days.

I have yet to see a Bittern, and Great Grey Shrike, the latter I hoped to see this week at Owthorpe, but it seems I have missed the boat, as it has not been reported since last Tuesday. And Hawfinches have been particularly in evidence this Autumn.

A good friend of many years, who seems to always be travelling to and fro between his property near Exeter, and his villa on the Algarve, surprised me when he told me that his world count for 2017 is 137, and he is far from a serious birder. His e-mail stated “so far” which is positive thinking. His haul does include some nice species, including Wryneck, Temmincks Stint, Water Pipit to name just a few. I originally tried to get him into birding, and this now appears to be his hobby for his dotage**!! It is good to know what he recognises, although he is the first to admit that he has had help!!

(Ed: **Did you have to Google that?)

Sunday 26^th November (blimey, this time next month, Xmas day will be over) had a quick visit to Carsington, to collect the bird feed donations, and it was nice to collect 7 old pound coins which we can change and get more bird food.

Pat and Mac were in the Wildlife Centre, and just as I was leaving, Mac spotted the Great Northern Diver in the middle of the reservoir. A group of 16 birders who were on a mini-bus trip from Grimsby, were walking down the path as I left the hide to walk back to the centre. I told them that the GND was viewable, and they all broke into a veritable trot!! (The last time I saw running birders was when Simon Roddis told Amanda that there was a Hawfinch at Shiningford Creek South (more recently called the Wildlife Centre creek), and they both set off at high speed!)

Talking of Carsington, Peter Cartlidge has used one of the press boards in the courtyard for some action photos to publicise the work that Volunteers do, which is good and well deserved. (See photo below) I maintain the second press board with articles and photos from newspapers.

The water level remains very low at Carsington, just 70.5% full, and it is VERY important that people do NOT walk on the foreshore where the mud can be very glutinous and dangerous.

THE Fire brigade was called to the Hopton End recently to recover someone who had got stuck in the mud, and was unable to extract himself. He was in the mud for over an hour, and struggling to get free only made matters worse.  THE Danger signs are not there for fun…. They should be heeded.

This is a photo of the bird box that I bought in Honiton, and it is now up in the back garden. We had an Estate Agent give us a price on our house this week, but the bird bedroom extension did nothing for the price!   Not bad for just £15.

Bit thin on birding news, but don’t forget next Sunday December 3rd BWB 10.00am Carsington

Happy Birding

A good end to a non-birding week

It’s been a funny old week, in fact no bird watching until to-day when I did my Markeaton walk for Beginners.

I must confess to being very involved in turning my new Engineers tool box into a display box for my renowned collections of legs, my diminishing collection of sugar tongs, (some of which have already been consigned to a fine art auction in January), and a range of badges of one sort or another.

The first 6 trays now include the majority of the legs, and has involved cutting sections to drop in each leg. This is best illustrated by the following photo of one drawer.

In the case of the sugar tongs collection, a collection which peaked at 94 Tongs (or nips as they also get called), as they look at their best when you can view the edge, I have had to adapt a drawer by adding dowel rails, so that the tongs can be hung over the dowel thereby showing the interesting edge. 

Again, a photo best explains.

What other news?

First, I see Slim Bridge has added a couple of blog replies. As usual, my comprehensive and full (-at least 17 years old-) records, show that he saw the Snow Buntings and Shore Larks, at Skegness in a Saturday in February 2001, probably at about 12.30!!

Also, a PS from last week, a photo of the Turnstone with the iffy foot.

Having been to the Derby hospital this week for a scan, we’ll start with TRIVIA of the week. 

That was an experience…” Drink a pint of water, 30 minutes before the scan”.  The nurse checks me on arrival and when she finds I am allergic to the contrast injection to show up on the scan, she gives me a further pint of liquorice tasting liquid, and I’m told to drink that (as well) in the next 45 minutes. “You can use the loo………………….. “Gangway!!!!!”

Sorry – TRIVIA. The Stethoscope was invented in France in 1816 (200 years ago last year). It was invented by a doctor who was uncomfortable placing his ear on women's chests to hear heart sounds.

A good friend over the years, Brian Woods, is a fellow volunteer at Carsington Water, and joined just 3 months after me, 20 years ago. I heard this week that as he is turning XX years, he is hanging up his Litter Picker. Brian has worked many hours as a Volunteer, and as a good carpenter, he has built many wooden structures including nest boxes and feeding stations for Carsington, and for other places. He was very thorough and produced excellent quality work. 

An Otter holt was one major task, and working together with Alan, and then with Jim, he was a great asset to the Volunteers, and to Severn Trent. I know he kept a scrap book of his achievements, and he had many photos of the tasks he carried out He and I attended a number of ceremonies to collect awards won by the Volunteer Rangers.

He will be missed, as will his wife Elaine, who is a keen birder and butterfly counter.

Sunday 19^th November. The Markeaton Bird Watching for Beginners walk was probably the best of the year, with 31 species, and 3 new additions to the year list. The 4 birders universally picked Redwing as BOD, helped by having excellent views through my scope, of the red rump and the eye stripe.

A nice male Bullfinch and a Jay were the other new additions, and a Green Woodpecker plus 

Goldcrests added to the enjoyment of the people very new to bird watching. Next walk is Sunday 17^th December.

Someone has been doing some artistic carving on some of the dead tree stumps around the park, and they are quite fun to see. This is an example, and I’ll try and get more on the next walk.

Sunday December 3^rd for the next Carsington walk.

Happy Birding

207. A Grey Phalarope - and I found it!! (to-day anyway)

Friday 10^th November 2017. I set off for 3 days birding, including a couple of nights at a B & B in Hunstanton, Norfolk. The Claremont was a comfortable base, with good full English breakfast and DIY toast. (Their words, based on there being a toaster on each breakfast table.) No black pud!!

Now look, I know I used to josh with Mary about my claim to being built like a Racing Snake, a line I cribbed from Terry Wogan. And it did elicit some derisory ripostes from the good lady. But when I lost almost 4 stone during my 2016 Op, my claim had some validity, and I now have no inches of spare fat. Which means when it IS cold………… and Hunstanton for 2 days out of 3 WAS cold…VERY cold, even my 6 layers of clothes plus a scarf did not stop the Northerly wind coming straight across the Wash from Skeggy and causing me untold damage.

I am only labouring this point, because the force XX wind meant that any looking for birds on the sea was a non-event. I did manage to see 6 Scoters at Cley, but only because they were almost on the beach!

First stop was Frampton Marsh. Nothing to add to my year list, but Stonechats on the fence, a Marsh 

Harrier, and a good number of Golden Plovers were nice sightings.

After pausing for my alfresco salad (Please Note – Slim Bridge), I drove straight to Titchwell to see what was about before dusk. Plenty of waders, but the sea was running high, and the light fading fast, so I was the last person to get a cup of coffee at the kiosk at 3.57, before everything closed at 4pm.

  

With no additions to my year list, the evening was partly devoted to computer research on where to go on Saturday and plans were duly made.

Saturday 11^th November 2017.  I set off eastwards for Stiffkey where a pair of Cattle Egrets had been reported cohabiting with cattle, and that is exactly where they should be, and that is where they were.

From there, it was on to Cley, and a bit of earwigging in the reception desk area. The hi-tech sightings board (alternating between birds seen today and birds seen this week) showed no reports of any sightings for to-day of my target bird, the Grey Phalarope. 

But I heard there was a good flock of Snow Buntings at the beach car park, so with my £5 permit (+ “sign that for gift aid please”), I drove to the beach car park. As I got out of the car, said flock flew over, heading West so I went to the shore edge to watch the rolling waves (and the Scoters, above).

Shortly after, the Snow Buntings flew back, over my head and landed in some rough scrub. A rapid dash (on pebbles??) got me to the fence edge, and c25 people enjoyed close views of these cute birds.

A milestone. My list for 2017 was now 206, equalling my best year ever… one to go for another record!

Returning to the Visitor Centre in the hope that there had been some news about the Grey Phalarope (sadly not), I decided to walk to the Dauke’s hide overlooking Simmond’s scrape to search for myself. There are 3 hides close together, at the end of a sort of cul de sac, where many years ago I got my first close up views of Bearded Tits!! You can only walk to these hides, and this was probably a contributory factor to my getting an app message on my new slick phone, that I had done 10,000 steps!

The hide was quite full, but no one had seen the Phalarope. I checked the view at each end of the hide and was rewarded with the view of a Water Rail dashing in and out of the reeds, pursued by a second Rail. Too quick even to tell the others in the hide. (When I went in the neighbouring Teal hide a few minutes later, I was asked if I had heard a strange call from the reeds, and I was able to tell them that it was the Water Rail, which is often recognised by the call like a squealing pig)

On my own in Dauke’s, I finally spotted the Grey Phalarope some way off in the scrape. In due course a few more birders came in and despite the marauding Marsh Harrier, the bird stayed on the pool so that we all enjoyed excellent views, and I could now celebrate hitting my highest ever year count of 207, in 31 years of birding (No 1 – Robin. January 1986!!!). 

I could also be the first person to report the Phalarope that day. (+2 Water Rail!)

Sunday 12^th November 2017. Bit of an anti-climax after Saturday, but I had a look at Holme Dunes and Thornham Quay just in case, and was told about a Red Throated Diver and Purple Sandpiper, but they were either too far to walk, or too far East, and I was planning to get back to the Hunstanton Cliffs to see if Purple Sandpiper was there, especially as it was hi-tide at 12.40.

Nothing to report, apart from a poor Turnstone with a damaged leg.

And on the way home, down a diversionary lane I use to avoid Grantham, 18 red Legged Partridges in the middle of the road!

So, an enjoyable trip, and a Bucket list objective achieved.   And I get a 200-club award for myself this year!!

In passing, don’t forget the Markeaton Bird Walk next Sunday (19^th)… 10.30 at the walled garden

Happy birding.

For a Cirl Bunting ? I'd travel!

Monday 30th October, and Mary and I took off to the Imperial Hotel Exmouth (again!). I’m sure you realise by now that this is one of our favourite locations for a short break, and by 4pm, we were comfortably established in a nice room overlooking the gardens, the promenade, and across the mouth of the Exe estuary to Dawlish Warren…. and enjoying it all with a nice cup of Tetleys.

Tuesday 31st October I know we have pretty thoroughly “done” the Exmouth area by October, so we set off this time with intentions of trying to find a few more Antique Centres, and try and add to my Microtibia collection. In that respect we failed, and the only souvenir was from a charity shop in Honiton, where I purchased what was clearly some Volunteers excellent efforts in making a Blue Tit nesting box from recycled wood. No ply-wood – more like floor or skirting boards. Including a flexible lid, this was £15 well spent.

Tuesday, we were in tourist mode and drove east passed Seaton, to Colyton (via a very naff antique store!), and then decided to have a look at Seaton Marshes, in particular the Colyford Area. Word was that Cattle Egret and Glossy Ibis had been reported close to the tram track, and after a bit of scanning, only with bins, the Glossy Ibis emerged on the edge of the scrape. 

A nice find, considering that previous visits to these marshes has been pleasant albeit not very productive. And as a bonus, a Kingfisher crossed our line of vision…. and that we HAD seen before at Colyford.

Still wanting Purple Sandpiper for my year list, we drove down to Seaton for an excellent coffee, but with very little in the way of rocks on the shoreline, no sign of a P.S.

Wednesday 1^st November We drove round to Brixham to see my brother Simon and his wife, and we took them out for a nice lunch at the Breakwater Bistro, which inevitably meant fish all round.

Many years ago, I visited Prawle Point which is on the Devon coast, south of Dartmouth. It was known to be one of the few places to see Cirl Buntings. At that time, I was not really into birding and my only recollection was a very wet and windy day, standing in a cold hide with the rain coming in horizontally. = No Cirl Buntings!

Until now, and apart from seeing them for the first time in Majorca in 2013, they had eluded me. But a recent web search threw up 2 sites in East Devon, one near Brixham and one near Teignmouth. As we were virtually passing the Brixham site at Broadsands, a little diversion found a large car park with 6 telescope toting birders.

One very helpful local told me that their targets were Firecrest and Yellow Browed Warbler, and Cirl Buntings would be “behind the beach huts where there is a feeding point.”    Time was sadly against us, and after we left my Brother a further visit was equally unproductive being inhibited by the poor light.

At least I now know where to go.

Brixham harbour, produced some interesting wildlife. We had a grey seal in the middle of what is predominantly a fishing boat harbour, Shags and Cormorants actively fishing, and a dumb Herring Gull. Well, put it this way – as Herring Gulls go, they do call a lot, but this 2-year old was near my feet, opening and shutting his beak, but no noise.?? Maybe Brixham has found the answer to noisy Gulls.

This is a nice photograph of a Mute Herring Gull!

He would have a job calling for food with apparently no voice-box.

Thursday 2nd November. My very supportive, sympathetic and compassionate wife (it says here) asked me if I wanted to go to Labrador Bay to see if I could find the Cirl Bunting. They are well reported, often in the car park, on the little RSPB reserve on the A379 coast road 1.5 miles south of Teignmouth.

And they were!!! I drove in to the lay-by/car park at about 9.45, went to read the interpretation board and the parking meter, and sitting in the bush….. Cirl  Bunting – a UK Lifer.    A short circuitous walk got me an even closer view, so our Exmouth holiday had added 2 species for 2017, now on 204.

Black Swans were visible at Dawlish, but as they are penned, and probably pinned, they are not on the list, at least not at this location.

As the tide was coming in for a 6pm high, I had a look at the Exe estuary, mainly Brent Geese, but I was able to excite a lady with her dog and a camera………………………………. by pointing out a Kingfisher on a dead tree branch in the water. She maximised the zoom, and said she would improve that when she downloaded the picture at home. “If I can help somebody, as I go along life’s way……etc”.

Sunday 5^th November  I thought the BWB walk at Carsington was not going to be very good, until Simon Roddis (a skilled Bird Club member) came and found us to point out 3 Whooper Swans.. and guess what was bird of the day for the 19 participants?

A cracking week.     It’s Norfolk for me next weekend so I hope to surge through my all-time record of 206 – I’ll let you know next Sunday.

Happy Birding.

David