An Arctic Adventure 19th - 24th March (Day 5)

Today was to be our last full day in Norway and we were back on the road again. This time we were heading south past Kirkenes and to the Pasvik Valley, where we would spend the night at BIRK Husky. Our reasoning behind choosing this site was because it was a guaranteed location for Pine Grosbeak, one of Si's target birds, and other forest specialities. As with many of the sites we were visiting, they were often better later in the spring, when waders and other migrant passerines were passing through, the recent snow had made accessing many sites difficult, so we didn't know what to expect.

We set off early again as we were keen to get into the Pasvik Valley when there was still time to bird. A scan of the harbour before we set off produced a flock of Purple Sandpipers, Glaucous, Herring, Common, Black-headed and the dodgy Thayer's type gull, and the usual selection of eiders and Long-tailed Ducks. A distant White-tailed Eagle drifted over whilst we were scanning. We started to travel west along the E75, had a brief stop at Nesseby, but there was little to report, and pressed on, but no sooner had we got going a White-tailed Eagle came in off the fjord and flew right over our car. Si was the quickest out of the car and got some amazing photos as it drifted overhead. We continued east and before long had stopped two more times, both times for Hawk Owls, two at one site and one at another.

Hawk Owl - Nyborg Area

Hawk Owl - Nyborg Area

We continued east along the E75 and turned south on the E6 at Varangerbotn. We made good time on our journey, adding a couple more Hawk Owls on the way, before heading south on the 885. Heavy overnight snow combined with a fairly narrow and winding road, made driving conditions interesting, and didn't give much opportunity for stopping and we hence made better time than expected. 

Our first stop in the Pasvik Valley was the National Park Centre where we had good views of both Common (Mealy) and Arctic Redpoll on the feeders, but that was about it. We had been advised that the old birch woodlands were a good site for Three-toed Woodpecker, but the snow was knee deep and none of the trails were open. We decided to move on and continued south through Svanvik and then took a detour along a minor road towards Skrotnes. This road was apparently another good site for Three-toed Woodpecker and we stopped several times, but only saw Willow Tits, Greenfinchs and Ravens. Further along the road, and just as we were about to rejoin the 885, Si picked up a Goshawk; the views were unfortunately distant and the bird was flying away at all times.

We arrived at BIRK Husky and after dropping our stuff off in our room we headed out exploring. Our first stop was the feeders in search of Pine Grosbeak, and we didn't have to wait too long. There were four birds coming in, and when not feeding they tended to sit around on the tops of the pines, occasionally coming lower. Whilst waiting for good photo opportunities we also picked up Siberian Jay, Siberian Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Willow Tit, Bullfinch and Greenfinch.

Male Pine Grosbeak

Female Pine Grosbeak

Siberian Jay

Siberian Tit

Willow Tit

The most common birds on the feeders were redpolls, and they were present in their tens. We spent a long time working our way through them and considering their ID and I have to say that I came away from the experience feeling more confused than when I started. That confusion was not helped when I started doing a bit of research back home. I initially worked my way through the various images and tried to sort out the ID of each bird, but have also sort the advice of Simon Rix (Oslo Birder) who is far more experienced with Common (Mealy) and Arctic Redpolls than I.   

Bird 1 - I initially put this bird down as a Mealy, but deliberated over the ID for a while before doing that. However, Simon Rix thinks this birds probably an Arctic, it has a generally frosty appearance and a small bill with a pinched culmen. The undertail coverts are predominantly white, with the dark central feather, although he is concerned this maybe a bit too broad. Unfortunately I don't have any images that show all of the rump, but what is shown again is predominantly white with a small amount of streaking.

Bird 1 - Probably an Arctic Redpoll

Bird 2 - Common (Mealy) Redpoll

Bird 3 - I initially thought this bird was a Mealy Redpoll, but again there is a suggestion it maybe an Arctic. Unfortunately I don't have any images of the undertail coverts, and only one image showing a very small amount of rump, which is unstreaked. 

Bird 4 - Common (Mealy) Redpoll

Bird 5 - Common (Mealy) Redpoll

Bird 5 - Common (Mealy) Redpoll

Bird 6 - Common (Mealy) Redpoll

Bird 6 - Common (Mealy) Redpoll

Bird 7 - Coues' Arctic Redpoll

After a fair while at the feeders we decided to go and have a wander and followed a track through a patch of woodland to a frozen lake. It was very quite bird wise and the only birds of note were Willow Tit, Siberian Tit and a few more redpolls. After our stroll we nipped down to the river that bordered BIRK Husky. We were right on the Russian border at this location, with the boundary running down the middle of the river. Neither of us have ever been to Russia so we scanned the landscape looking for any birds for our Russian list. Si quickly picked up a Dipper (Black-bellied) that was feeding along the edge of the river, on the Russian side and then a Whooper Swan flew downstream, landing in front of us before swimming to the Russian side of the river.

Dipper (Black-bellied) in Russia

Whooper Swan in Russia

With the light now fading we headed back to our room, briefly popping out to pick up a couple of beers. Later in the evening a couple of other guess who were staying came in and told us that the aurora borealis were showing outside, we quickly grabbed our cameras and ran out but had missed the best of the display.

A faint Aurora Borealis display

Mealy Redpolls at Blashford Lakes - January 2014

A recent visit to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trusts Blashford Lakes reserve gave me the opportunity to pop into the woodland hide to look at the visiting finches. The feeders are a popular place for visiting birders as you can get great views of a variety of species, especially lesser redpolls, siskins and bramblings, although there have been none of the latter recorded so far this year. Siskins too have been thin on the ground, but there are good numbers of lesser redpolls coming to the feeders, despite the mild weather. There has also been reports of a mealy redpoll frequenting the feeders and fortunately for me it was there as I entered the hide.

Mealy Redpoll Carduelis flammea (first bird)

The bird was very obvious amongst the lesser's since it was larger and paler with pale fringing to the wing feathers and an obvious white rump. The wingbar formed by the greater coverts was also broad and white, and an obvious white tramline was present on the mantle. Looking at the pointed shape of the tail feathers on this bird it appeared that it was a first winter bird.

Mealy Redpoll (first bird)

After a while the Mealy flew off, but before long it appeared to be back again. However, looking at this bird it did not have the overall grey tones of the first bird, the mantle was warmer brown in tone and the streaking on the flanks was not as bold. Looking more closely at the bird the white fringing on the tertials and tips of the primaries was broader. The white rump on this bird was more heavily streaked than the first bird, but this is not visible in the photo below.

Mealy Redpoll (second bird)

For comparison, below is an image of a typical lesser redpoll. The plumage of this bird is much warmer brown in its tone and heavily streaked. The wing bars are buff coloured and the flanks are boldly streaked and brown. Most birds tend to lack the white tramlines down the mantle, but not all.

Lesser Redpoll C. cabaret

Redpolls are notoriously variable in their plumage and therefore care needs to be taken when identifying them. A recent article published the the birding journal British Birds (Volume 106, December 2013) provides an interesting insight into the complexities of redpolls and is worth a read. The image below shows the variation in three birds seen during my visit to Blashford Lakes.

Lesser Redpolls and Eurasian Siskin

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, you do get some excellent views of birds on the feeders, so it is definitely worth a visit. But please remember that the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is a charity and needs your support, so make sure you leave a donation to help pay for the bird food.

Eurasian Siskin

In Search of Winter Birds, Norfolk 2012 (Day3)

The third day of our winter birding trip to Norfolk, and it would appear that the predicted four inches of snow overnight had arrived. So prepared for the worst we opened the door, stepped out only to be surprised by the depth of the snow!!!

BTO Birding Team Surprised by Snow

After digging ourselves out we headed off to Titchwell for some more birding and in particular, the chance of seeing the Coues' Arctic Redpoll that had been in the area for a while. We arrived at Titchwell to be immediately greeted by a Jack Snipe and a Woodcock in the car park, but pressed on to the main path where the redpolls had been seen.

We immediately picked up a group of redpolls feeding low down in the Alder trees, with the lowest bird being the Coues' Caduelis hornemanni exilipes. The Redpoll species complex (Lesser, Mealy and Arctic) can be a tricky one and so we set about working through the features on the birds in front of us.

Coues' Arctic Redpoll  Carduelis hornemanni exilipes  - Titchwell

Our immediate impression of the Coues' Arctic was of a very cold, pale bird lacking any hint of brown.

Coues' Arctic Redpoll  Carduelis hornemanni exilipes  - Titchwell

The bill was very small and the rump pure white and predominantly unstreaked; the flanks were not heavily streaked, and a single central dark streak in the central undertail covert (as seen below) was evident, this is a very good 'exilipes' feature.

Coues' Arctic Redpoll   Carduelis hornemanni exilipes  - Titchwell

Given that this bird exhibited some streaking on the flanks, and had very pointed tail feathers , it is indicative of it being first year bird. The next bird we looked at was a Mealy (common) Redpoll C Flammea, which in contrast to the Arctic is a warmer coloured bird, but still with pale underparts. The bill is larger and male birds can show a pinkish flush across the upper breast.

Mealy (common) Redpoll Carduelis flammea - Titchwell

A variable amount of streaking is present on the flanks and the undertail coverts usually are streaked, a few can be unstreaked. Both Arctic and Mealy Redpolls are larger than Lesser Redpoll, with Mealy being the largest.

Mealy (common) Redpoll Carduelis flammea - Titchwell

Lesser Redpolls C. caberet are generally much browner in coloration and much more heavily streaked on the flanks, with a darker rump. In addition this species is much smaller than the two former species.

Lesser Redpoll Carduelis caberet

In all we spent a good hour working our way through the different repolls present, which currently have been split into three species.

Lesser Redpoll Carduelis caberet

We continued on down the main track and were faced with a scene that would be more fitting in the Arctic. All of the lagoons were frozen solid except from small areas of water, and these areas were crammed full of birds. 

A Frozen Titchwell 

Scanning though the birds produced good numbers of Shoveler, Tufted Ducks, Pochard, Pintail, Gadwall, Teal and Wigeon.

Drake and Duck Shoveler - Titchwell

A handful of Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit,and Golden Plover, two Ruff, and single Avocet and Bar-tailed Godwit, and two Juvenile Spoonbills, which were a bit of a surprise.

Juvenile Spoonbills - Titchwell

A quick view out to sea produced two Velvet Scoter, five Long-tailed ducks, including one drake and several Goldeneye. With not much else to see at Titchwell we moved on to Thornham Harbour, where we walked along the bank to the sea. On route we saw several Rock Pipits, a Peregrine Falcon, two Barn Owls, a Rough-legged Buzzard that gave great and prolonged views, and two Short-eared Owls. Very few ducks were present on the sea, but we did catch up with our first Red-breasted Mergansers, two Black-throated and several Red-throated Divers and a single Gannet. A Kingfisher in the creek back near the car was a very unusual record for the area.

Choseley Drying Barns were our next stop, where we had 30+ Corn Buntings, 20+ Yellowhammers, several Red-legged and Grey Partridges and loads of mad boxing Hares. Our final stop of the day was the cliff at Hunstanton where we saw Fulmar and a handful of Common Scoter. 

Surprisingly, we ended the day having seen 100 species, 18 of which were new, thereby bringing our trip today to 127.