February? 25? - A Cracking month Gromit!

As a PS from last week, thought you may like to see the 2 “legs” I bought in Exeter, particularly the Mahogany nut crackers

               

………… and another PS. I said I would try and get some photographic evidence of the Drone in action checking out the Carsington Osprey nests. This photo is on the footpath at Lane End and near the bombing tower. No need to go scrambling across the muddy Ridge and Furrow field.

………Anyway, as I was saying………

Thursday 15^th February. Once again it was time for us to enjoy our annual train pilgrimage to Paignton.

With the benefit of a 30% Pensioners discount card, we pay £6.90 each for 3 hours train travel, a round trip of 162 miles, including going up and down the Exe - twice!  Now that’s good value. Best part is at Exeter St David’s, like the old days of the trams (and at Crich!) – when the train stops, you move seats to face the other way, as the train terminates, and continues in reverse!!

Simon, my brother and his wife Sarah were duly waiting at Paignton, in his superb vintage Jaguar, and after a coffee we head for Berry Head. Compared with our previous visit there, it was much calmer and we could see the little spurts of sea water as Gannets dived offshore. A Guillemot was a nice addition, but a lifetime experience for both Mary and I were to stand by the tallest **Lighthouse in England, and watch 12/15 Porpoises playing very close in.

**Berry Head lighthouse is said to be the shortest lighthouse in Great Britain, but also one of the highest, being only five metres tall, but 58 metres above mean sea level. It is also said to be the deepest lighthouse in the British Isles. Originally the optic was turned by a weight driven mechanism. The weigh is dropped 45m down a shaft. 

                                 

               

A cracking hotel, not cheap, but in the middle of a good area for birding, and Berry Head is great for sea watching, and scrubs and bushes to catch migrants. East of Start Point and well out into Lyme Bay. Torbay has good numbers of Diver reports, and the cliffs have the usual suspects.

For the rest of our holiday, we were denied finding Cirl Bunting or Purple Sandpiper, and had we known previously we could have dropped in in Gloucester for Penduline Tit.  Still, 56 was a good count for the break.

By the way, after the rotten weather on Wednesday, the Exe cruise from Topsham reverted to normal on Thursday, having been cancelled on Wednesday due to the high seas.

Sunday 18^th February and a record number of 11 people joined my Markeaton BwB. Sadly, not many species, although we did get excellent views of Nuthatches and Goldcrests. Pamela once again came with a very generous bag of mixed food and the response to filling the bird table was instant.

Tuesday 20^th February  Chris, Chris, Gill and I met up at Rutland Water for a pleasant birding session.

I spotted a Red Kite immediately after getting out of the car, and we decided to blitz the North Arm before lunch, a good area for rare Grebes and Divers. Christopher (to avoid confusion!) picked up a Great Northern Diver from Old Hall, and a Black Necked Grebe. After Scaup and Redpoll had been added to the list, thence followed a Marsh v Willow debate.

At the feeding station, I called Willow Tit saying that the Tit buzzing in and out had some white on the wings, to which an experienced local said “Not at Rutland – it will be Marsh”.  And what happened?   Despite our patience it didn’t return.

So that’s one to check later in the year when we will no doubt visit Rutland again. But it did not detract from an excellent day count of 56.

Friday 23rd February, thanks to a kind offer from Rod Key the Derbyshire County bird recorder, he offered to show me some rarities in the area, and our first stop was near Repton, where  we saw the 2 Cattle Egret, literally in a field by the side of the road. Parking on the hard shoulder also picked up a Skylark.

We then went to a new venue for me, Albert Village, just in Leicester, principally to see the Black Throated Diver, which we duly did. Rod is great on Gulls, and not just the species but virtually the date of birth! He quickly picked up a second year Caspian Gull, then a third year, then an adult, and a juvenile Iceland Gull. 

A Yellow-Legged Gull appeared but became elusive, so I left with a very satisfactory addition of 5 new birds for 2018, thanks to a very knowledgeable birder.  (Someone no doubt to be tapped again later in the year!!)

A little snippet I picked up on the Exe cruise.  4^th February 2018, an Oystercatcher ringed number M7 at Dawlish Warren was recorded at Carsington on 10^th February 2018.

So a good week, and I’m on 121 which is quite satisfactory. The next upcoming event will be Sunday March 4^th which will be the next BwB, at Carsington……….. and not long before the migrants start arriving.

Happy Birding

Ice Cold in (Alex) Exmouth

You asked why was my blog was a bit early last week.  Saturday 10^th February, I took the Managing Editor for a relaxed week at Exmouth (again), and with coughs and colds, and my bandaged arm, it was meant to just be a chance to….chill.   Wrong word…it was very chill.

The Imperial Hotel, Exmouth

But the Imperial was as expected, warm and comfy, but unexpected - full with 50 retired policemen + partners!!! Security was tight!!  Mary and I tend to chat to other guests, and one guest from Weston Super Mare transpired to be a Traffic Warden. That was a first!!

We discovered that another guest used to work at the BBC Bristol alongside a sadly no longer with us cousin Roger Bennett, a very well known local radio presenter. We found we had all been at Rogers memorial service, as had Kate Adie, Michael Buerk and Acker Bilk.    What a small world.

What else??

Can you help….We went to see The film The Darkest hour… why was it 2 hours long?

Saturday February 10 and an insignificant drive to Exeter. We were in time to drop in at a good antique Fair on it’s first day. Bad idea. Yes, I bought a small leg shaped comb, but I then had 24 hours pondering whether I should have bought a very tactile Mahogany nut cracker. Result – I went back on Sunday and bought it!

Monday, we drove east to Seaton Marshes, well worth a visit if you are in the area. Several hides and a good wetlands. As you can see below, one good hide overlooks the tram track, and when I tried to take a picture incorporating a tram, nothing happened. When I moved from the window, a tram ran past.

Reminds me of an occasion many years ago at the Carsington Wildlife Centre, when a photographer opened the window overlooking the feeding station, erected a gauze screen and popped his camera lens through, waiting for Tree Sparrow photos.  After getting impatient, he went to the other end of the building, at which point a Sparrowhawk flew straight past his unattended camera!

I was told the Glossy Ibis was still somewhere at the marshes but I  settled fore a good view of a quartering Marsh Harrier.

You will not be surprised to know that our stay at Exmouth coincided with one of 3 River Exe birding cruises, and true to annual habit, I was suitably multi-clothed on the ice-cold Tuesday, along with 119 fellow enthusiasts on “The Pride of Exmouth”. 

Hot Cornish pasties and warming spiced lentil soup were not only a temptation to “go below” to sample, but “go below” to get the hell out of the wind. The upperdeck was supplied with blankets, but not of the tog that I needed. I apportioned the ratio of birders above;below of roughly 40:80… until it rained! 

My favourite spot on the boat has always been outside the saloon, at the stern, and I can move to and from between Port and Starboard as species are called. It has a loudspeaker and a roof. So a good place to spot. Ed I didn't know you could talk nautical?

And on good spots, we soon ticked off the regular gulls, Cormorants and Shags, and the gorgeous Mergansers, many in pairs. The resident Slavonian Grebe was seen, but not in his regular spot at Cockwood, Grey Plovers, Sanderlings and Avocets were seen in good numbers, and the Commentator Ian Waite was very adept at explaining the differences between the Black Tailed and the Bar Tailed Godwits., as well as going into raptures over the sizes of some of the flocks.

God knows how many Godwits!

The jury is still out on whether the dot on the gargoyle on the Exmouth church spire was the Peregrine Falcon.

Next day (wed) the weather was so inclement that the same bird trip was cancelled, the Dawlish Wall rail line closed and we went nowhere.

(To be Continued….next week.)

.,.., and finally

Trivia No 7.

Reference the Carsington Jack Snipes covered last week, made me wonder how “Jack” came about. Little info on the net, but the best I could find was that one meaning of a Jack is “a smaller version” (of an animal or bird). So in this case, a smaller version of a Snipe.

Latin only helps a bit. Common Snipe = Gallinago gallinago; Great Snipe = Gallinago media; Jack Snipe = Lymnocryptes minimus.

Happy Birding

Nine out of ten for effort.

 1.     Late News!  I had an e-mail telling me that the 2 Ringed Plovers seen on the BWB walk at Carsington last Sunday, were their first Ringed Plover sightings for 2018. I have therefore amended the BOD to Ringed Plover!!

2.     With Chris being the first through the 100 barrier for 2018, hot on the heels is Amanda with a Dipper to hit her 100, on 5^th Feb.

3.     Another precedent set….. 3 comments added to the post on my blog last week…. Am I getting a following??? Yes, but probably for the wrong reasons.

One comment suggested a White Cheeked Starling as a possible for last weeks’ mystery bird. But the photo I posted, the Pied Mynah, had some strong contrasting black and white feathers, and also the Orange bill did not come to the tip on the Mynah as it did on the Starling. So, I think we can rule that out. Good effort though.

4.     If you read my weekly posts because you have set up the priority(!) facility to be contacted each time I post, you will probably not have gone into a post afresh, and thus not seen some of the comments that have been added. Try it sometime, and you will see that Slim Bridge is a regular commenter (Commentator?).

5.     Slim Bridge will be pleased to know that Slimbridge is spending some £6million in projects to enhance the facilities at Slimbridge, and by 2020 Slim Bridge will be able to visit the Slimbridge nature reserve at Slimbridge and enjoy Slimbridge 2020.

6.     Trivia No 6  If you ever find yourself in a conversation about which British Duck is the fastest and the heaviest, the answer is the Eider.

In the 7^th Century, Saint Cuthbert went to live on the Farne Islands, and one of his early achievements was to legislate for the protection of Eider Ducks on the Farnes.

The Eider has feathers/down which are used in Eiderdowns (hence the name), and whilst commercially, most eider down is not in fact eider, it is a sustainable activity. Real Eider down comes from the breasts of female adults and being soft and warm, is used to line nests. When the young leave the nest, the down is then harvested and sold as true Eider-Down.

With this explanation, and knowing that Saint Cuthbert (“Cuddy”) slept in “eider down” you have the origin of Cuddy’s Duck, an affectionate and appropriate name for the Eider, used regularly by people in Northumberland.

7.     Mike is a Severn Trent ranger at Carsington, who I have known from the days when he worked for an electrical contractor, and I still call him “Sparky” Mike. I first met Sparky on the Bridlington Belle in July 2005 (I told you I keep full records!) when we sat next to each other on an RSPB Manx Shearwater boat trip, incidentally the first and only time I have seen a Manxie.

Since Xmas, Mike has on 3 occasions found Jack Snipe at Carsington. The first single bird was near the Janet Ede hide, and in the next few days 4 Jacks at the same location. Now he tells me he found 2 in the reed bed area at Hopton End.  He has had cracking sightings, watching the birds only fly at the last minute as he approached, and the yellow back stripes (“bracers”) being very visible.

8.     I don’t think I told you that Severn Trent liked my idea of getting someone with a drone to fly over the Osprey nests and check what if anything needs doing to the nests to prepare them for the Osprey influx (we hope!) in 2018. Unfortunately, due to having to have my arm rebandaged last Monday I was unable to join the drone operator, but we have received 5 excellent overhead photos, which show what we need to know, without having to shin up a ladder, 5 times. Photos next week all being well.

The work was done by the Severn Trent Drone inspection team. What a nice job – imagine that on your CV.

The only comparable thing I can think of was at the 2012 London Olympics where radio-controlled BL minis (suitably adapted) where used to return Javelins, Discuses, Hammers etc to the starting point. Just imagine sitting there all day driving a toy car round the inner-ring area, and getting paid for it!!

9.     I’m scheduled to visit Rutland on Tuesday week with Chris. Even if I still have a problem with my arm, I can at least clamp my scope to a shelf in the hide.   So, bring it on.

10.   There is no number 10.

Happy Birding

PJ's coming home!!

PJ’s coming home!!

Not a Pyjama story – bird news. See below

Monday 29^th January, and with a week of all sorts of news and developments, I’m writing this post as the week progresses.

As we approach the end of January, I find my self wondering whether I will make the 100 mark by the month end. Last year I hit a record 124 for January, but that was heavily influenced by the superb coastal weekend in Norfolk so it’s not surprising I’m lagging behind.

Right – a teaser to start!!  Check out this bird and see what you think it is.

                                              

As a clue, my son Michael took the picture in Dubai, last week, and sent it to me saying not WhatsApp but WhatsIt!   Well I tried Amanda, but despite her good efforts she could not identify it. The plot did thicken when you consider that not only do you have no idea of size, but as it is Dubai, why is the background not sand?

Anyway, next I tried Rod Key (the Derbyshire bird recorder) when we met on the DOS walk at Witches Oak, and he came up with a Willi Magpie, but with the caveat that he would check. He later e-mailed suggesting Pied Mynah, an introduced bird in the UAE, and after some googling, and comparing the orange beak I agreed with his findings.

International birding??   Nothing like it

The reference above to PJ ??  this is the news this week that a 3-year old radio tagged Cuckoo named PJ, has already started his long journey back to the UK for the summer. Google “PJ the Cuckoo” and you can see details of his long journey South to Angola, and after quite a short stay, his journey back.

I have delivered the 200 club “medals” to the 4 people acheiving 200 species in 2017 (includng me!). This is what the trophies look like, the same as 2016, with individual names, and the achieved count inscribed in each case.

There were 2 qualifiers in 2016, and 4 in 2017. I’ll keep you informed of 2018 progress via my blog. Chris & Lorna are already on 100+ and Amanda and I are in the high 90’s

Are you participating for 2018?  Why not? It’s just for fun and even if you think 200 is remote, if you take your 2017 score, and beat it in 2018, you have achieved something, and it does show you have improved your knowledge. (Or is it that you got out more???)

Tuesday 30^th January, Chris and I had a good trip to WWT Slimbridge, adding 12 to my list, and 8 to hers. She and her husband John were not long back from a 3-day birding trip with Heatherlea birding in Aviemore, so she already had goodies like Golden Eagle, both the Grouses and Crested Tit to name just a few.

Our journey to Slimbridge was somewhat fraught due to roadworks and heavy traffic (M1 closed etc), but the M5 was good, and only when we crossed the canal at the Tudor Arms did we see that the WWT buildings were shrouded in mist… a bad omen for scoping the Dumbles!** Ed: ?? Anyway, the sun did burn off the mist, and by noon we had good visibility.

Bewick Swans, Golden Plovers and Pintails were early ticks, but picking up a Red Breasted Goose was an unexpected superb addition for 2018. My only previous sighting was in December 2006 at Donna Nook in Lincs. Being on the coast (sort-of!) for the first time this year, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Dunlin and Curlew were all new for me for 2018.

We initially saw the red Breasted Goose from the Holden Tower, and after lunch, from the Zeiss hide. A lady  from Monmouth, was ecstatic about seeing what to her was a lifer, even if she did struggle to see through the eye-piece.

Homeward journey was equally traumatic but buoyed with +12 made it all worthwhile!

** For the uninitiated, “Scoping the Dumbles” translates to “looking through a telescope at the Severn river bank area known as The Dumbles!”.

TRIVIA No 5.  I read an interesting report about a wartime carrier pigeon called Mary, who was honoured with a blue plaque, at Exeter. Another pigeon commando, commemorated by a Blue Plaque at Haywards Heath, received the Dickin medal for notable missions in 1942, out of a total of 90 missions.

It was reported that Hitler had a platoon of Falcons who were trained to “take out” message carrying British pigeons. Many pigeons survived, some in a sorry state but many did not.

An amusing newspaper item, from Wednesday. I don’t know if you read about the Robin that was in the House of Commons chamber just before PM’s question time! Unclear whether it was left or right wing!!!!  I don’t think it was the same Robin that was in the Zeiss hide with Chris and I on Tuesday.

 Sunday 4^th February.   Having a heavily bandaged arm, which inhibited using binoculars I was unable to lead the Carsington BWB today, but Amanda and Gary did an excellent job, a count of 39 birds including Kingfisher, Ruff and Redpoll. I did add Ringed Plover before they set off so that was some consolation.

And finally….Slim Bridge may have something to say about this photograph. We went to an Antique fair yesterday where I bought 4 additions for my leg collection (my other hobby), and pride of place now goes to this new one on which the Managing Editor spotted the suspender!!!

Diary dates… Sunday 18^th Feb.  BWB Markeaton park.  Sunday 25^th Feb. Nest box making at Markeaton Park.

Happy Birding,,, and keep pitching for that 200.    Bird watching magazine would like to know if you intend to “go for it”.  So would I.

Oh, and if you are thinking of joining the birding away day in May, do let me know.

David