Where has the last month gone?

I can only apologise for what has been a month since my last post, which has in part been due to a new and very busy role at work, but also due to an extremely busy social calendar. In fact, things have been so busy that there was a period of seven days when I didn't even lift my binoculars, something I cannot remember happening before, and my camera has almost been mothballed.

Bird ringing activities have also been limited, but I have managed a couple of sessions. One was a ringing event on the Leckford Estate for Trustees of the John Spedan Lewis Trust and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust on 21st June. It was a bit of a breezy day but we managed to catch 34 birds of 11 species. Given that the visitors arrive at 11:00 and leave at 15:00, I am always glad to catch anything, and the crowd pleaser's were undoubtedly the two Kingfishers and single Great Spotted Woodpecker. The supporting cast included two Marsh Tits (one a retrap from last year), 13 Great Tits, five Wren's, 3 Robins, two of each Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest and single Blue Tit and Chaffinch, the latter a superb male.

Another session was at Manor Farm Country Park as part of my RAS project on 27th June. We ringed 46 birds of four species, 42 House Sparrows, three of which were retraps, two Blackbirds and single Robin and Wren. So plenty of target birds but very few retraps which was disappointing. In the afternoon I opened a net in my garden and caught 15 birds of five species, including six Great Tits, three Goldfinch's, 4 Blue Tits and single Chiffchaff and Robin.

Ringing at the Haven has also commenced for the autumn and to date we have ringed 131 birds of 16 species. Unsurprisingly Reed Warbler has been the most numerous species with 67 birds ringed, no doubt the local breeding population. Ten Cetti's Warblers, nine Blackcaps, eight Robins, five Chiffchaffs, four Dunnocks, three each Blackbird and Bullfinch, two Bearded Tit, Long-tailed Tit and Reed Bunting and single Wren, Song Thrush and Willow Warbler.

Juvenile Avocet, Titchfield Haven (Geoff Jones)

On the afternoon of the 18th July I received an email from the Haven with a picture taken by Geoff Jones, one of the Havens volunteers and a keen photographer. The image was of a juvenile Avocet wearing a yellow colour ring on its right tibia, and a yellow flag with the letters AC on it, on its left tibia. I knew that it was not one of the Haven birds as they have not been ringed, and based on the juvenile dispersal from the west of the county last year, I suspected it might be one of Graham Giddens' birds. 

Graham responded to my email immediately and it was indeed a chick he had ringed at a site in the west of the the county on 3rd June. It was disappointing to learn that this was the only bird to fledge from his site this year, the others being predated by large gulls and Grey Herons. The lack of success for Graham is not mirrored at the Haven where I understand over 25 chicks have fledged, the best ever year for breeding Avocet at the site.

Birding in black and white at Titchfield Haven

Over the course of the weekend I have made a couple of visits to the Haven, for no other reason than to enjoy the present spectacle of breeding gulls and waders. There is also the long-staying Greater Yellowlegs which is always worth a look if its showing, but I don't tend to seek it out if its not. As well as the breeding birds there are always plenty of other species on hand and this weekend there were Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Oystercatcher, Redshank and a couple of marauding Lesser Black-backed Gulls. Single Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint have also been seen this week and over the weekend, but I didn't manage to catch up with either.

Whilst walking around it was evident that the majority of the birds I was watching were mainly black and white, well at least it appeared like that, so I thought I would theme this post on them. My first species is Pied Avocet. This year is providing to be a good one for Avocets, with at least 14 nests on the south scrape. This species has to be a favourite of many a birder; they are elegant and very distinctive with their black and white markings. The upturned bill is perhaps the most distinctive feature, perfectly designed for sweeping from left to right as they feed. They are often feeding just in front of the hides giving excellent views and the first chicks of they year on the south scrape were a welcome sight, let's hope the evade the Lesser Black-backs.

Pied Avocet - There are at least 14 pairs on the scrape this year and truly black and white bird

Another Pied Avocet

The Black-headed Gull colony at the Haven is doing very well, I haven't bothered to count them but there are loads. Within the colony there are a couple of pairs of Mediterranean Gulls and it is this species that is my next black and white species. The hood on a Med gull is jet black and contrasts with the white neck and underparts, there is of course the light grey back/mantle, but I won't dwell on that. The image below clearly shows the brown hood of the Black-headed Gull in comparison with the black hood of the Med, somebody clearly got it wrong when they named Black-headed Gull.

Adult Mediterranean Gulls (one sitting on the nest behind the other). Its jet black hood contrasts with the white neck and underparts as opposed to the Black-headed Gulls with their brown hoods - who on earth came up with Black-headed for this species

A Northern Lapwing was feeding, whilst protecting its two chicks just in front of the hide on the north scrape. Another distinctive species with its dark olive green back but black bib, crown and face mask, so this is my next black and white species. Its crest is also black and curls up in the opposite direction to the Avocet and is longer on the male. 

Lapwing - ok not really black and white, but more dark olive green and white, but it does have black on it!

My next species was Greater Yellowlegs, not a black and white species at all really, more grey and white, but has showed so well this weekend that I just had to include some images. Now that it has come into some plumage there are some black centres to some of the feathers on the back, so I think I can just about get away with including it. The bird seems to have got into a bit of a pattern now, when the river is high it moves up to the Posbrook flood, but as more mud becomes exposed on the river it moves back down. Occasionally it visits the scrapes but those visits are more sporadic.

Greater Yellowlegs - Definitely not black and white, more grey and white, but is its summer plumage it does have black centres to feathers on the mantle

Greater Yellowlegs

As I left the reserve and headed back to my car I noticed the almost resident Black Swan in the harbour. An all black bird, except that is for the red bill, but when sat next to a Mute Swan there was a very black and white scene. There were two Black Swans when I was at the Haven the other day, I don't think anyone has any idea where they have come from but they are an interesting addition to the harbours avifauna.

Two Swans, one Black and one White (Black Swan and Mute Swan)

Avocet and Lesser Black-backed Gull Details

I have recently heard back from Graham Giddens with details of the colour ringed Avocet I saw at Titchfield Haven on the 12th September and Paul Veron with details of the Lesser Black-backed Gull that I saw at Davidstow on the 5th October, and so as promised here they are.

Juvenile Avocet, Titchfield Haven NNR - 12th September 2014

The Avocet (green/blue-white/light green) was ringed at Needs Ore Point as a chick on the 14th July 2014. It was first recorded at Titchfield on the 7th September 2014, when it was recorded feeding with other juveniles. Graham informs me that out of 19 chicks colour-ringed, 11 have been sighted away from Needs Ore and all 11 of them have gone to or passed through Titchfield Haven at some point. Graham is gaining some interesting data which suggests that the Haven may be an important post-breeding/moulting site for Avocets.

Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull, Davidstow Airfield, Cornwall - 5th October 2014

The Lesser Black-backed Gull was first ringed at Chouet Landfill, on Guernsey in the Channel Islands on the 21st May 2012. It was aged as an adult (four or more calendar years old) and sexed as a female. On the 15th September 2012 it was recorded at Davidstow Airfield, Cornwall, England. It was recorded in France at Champteusse sur Baconne, Maine et Loire on the 15th November 2012. The next sighting was on the 12th September 2014 at Davidstow Airport again, where I recorded it on the 5th October 2014.

If you ever find a colour-ringed gull you can check out which scheme it is from by checking the European colour ringing site http://www.cr-birding.org and if a bird turns out to be one of Pauls birds you can enter details yourself on his site, which is http://birdrings.digimap.gg/Default.aspx.

Lesser Yellowlegs, Titchfield Haven - August 2014

News broke yesterday of a Lesser Yellowlegs at Titchfield Haven, and as it was still there today I nipped down this evening to go and have a look. The bird had been frequenting the North Scrape and so is best viewed from the Pumfrett Hide but I thought I would check the South Scrape first, just in case it was present. The light was fantastic and in front of the hide a couple of Pied Avocets, several Common Snipes and a Black-tailed Godwit were feeding.

The Avocets were both juveniles, and one of them was wearing some colour rings. I have yet to find out where this bird is from, but suspect it was ringed in the west of the County as Graham Giddens apparently colour rings them. One of the issues with colour rings is the way that they discolour, on the Haven bird the upper ring on the right leg is discoloured, I suspect it is white. The ring below appears to be light green, but appears to have faded and looks to be a similar colour to the discoloured white ring above. Maybe coloured darvic rings, with letters would be a better idea for a species of this size.

Avocet, Titchfield Haven - August 2014

Avocet, Titchfield Haven - August 2014

The snipe were also feeding just in front of the hide, at least six snipe were present with another 20 scattered around the scrape. Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwing were the other wader species present, with ducks, including Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler and Common Teal also on the scrape. I scanned around the south scrape but could see no sign of the Lesser legs, but then I spotted it feeding in the North Scrape.

Common Snipe - Titchfield Haven, August 2014

Common Snipe - Titchfield Haven, August 2014

Common Snipe - Titchfield Haven, August 2014

I headed round to the Pumfrett Hide to view the scrape and there it was. The Lesser Yellowlegs was towards the back of the scrape, and although giving great scope views in excellent light, it was bit too far away for decent photos. Given that there has been a Lesser Yellowlegs at Keyhaven for the last few days, I suspect this bird has come from there, as that bird has not been seen the last couple of days. It is great to see another bird so soon after the one that wintered last year.

Lesser Yellowlegs - Titchfield Haven - August

So not a bad week for the Haven, Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on Saturday, Lesser Yellowlegs yesterday and today, what will tomorrow bring!

In Search of Winter Birds, Day 3 - Norfolk 2014

We awoke to heavy and persistent rain on day 3, which we had expected. The forecast suggested that it would clear by 10am, and so undaunted by the weather we still headed out at our usual time, and just hoped that we would be able to find some sheltered spots.

Choseley Barns

Our aim was to go to the RSPB reserve of Titchwell, and on our way called into Choseley Barns looking for corn buntings. Unfortunatley once again there were none, but the small flock of house sparrows was still there along with a flock of around 40 brambling. We did also add yellowhammer to our trip list as a single bird was feeding on some freshly spilt corn.

Titchwell

The rain was still falling heavily when we arrived at Titchwell, so we staggered our birding, starting first at the covered area overlooking the feeders, then headed out to the first hide. A very large female hen harrier was feeding over the fresh marsh west of the reserve, but not much else was visible. What was visible again was the extent of damage caused by the recent storm surge, which fortunately appeared not to have breached the sea defences protecting the main part of the reserve. The islands were crammed with lapwing and golden plover, and after a bit of scanning we picked out pied avocets, black-tailed godwits, snipe and ruff and of course the usual duck species. 

Pied Avocet and Shoveler - Titchwell

Pied Avocets, Lapwing, Black-headed Gulls and Black-tailed Godwits - Titchwell

After a while the rain appeared to have eased and so we headed up to the beach to scan the sea. The destruction in this part of the reserve was very evident, the dunes by the beach had mostly gone, and the boardwalk leading to the beach was badly damaged and unusable. The last scrape had also been completely flooded and most of the islands had gone, but some waders were still using it, including three spotted redshanks. On the sea there were the usual large flocks of common scoter, red-breasted merganser and goldeneye. Red-throated divers were regularly passing, but the surprise was a great skua, that dropped onto the sea and began bathing. We continued to scan and picked out some velvet scoter in with the commons and then a red-necked grebe appeared. It fed just offshore before flying out to sea. Many species of wader were feeding on the beach, bar-tailed godwit, knot, sanderling and common ringed plover, to name a few.

Stiffkey Fen

None of us had been to Stiffkey Fen before, but we had been advised that it was the best place to view Blakeney Harbour, albeit distantly. The fen itself was full of birds, mainly lapwing and black-tailed godwit but also loads of duck. After scanning the fen we headed out to view the harbour and immediately picked up our target birds, great northern and black-throated diver and long-tailed duck. The tide was low and from our viewpoint we could see six long-tailed ducks, in what appeared to be immaculate plumage, but we were just to far away to fully enjoy it. The one black-throated diver soon became five and the one great northern diver became 2 and a guillemot and red-throated diver soon appeared. It seemed ridiculous to see so many birds crammed into such a small area of water feeding, there must be an abundance of food there. Just as we were packing up to leave we spotted our second great skua of the day, and a peregrine flew fast and low over the dunes.

Wells Harbour

We called in to Wells only briefly to catch up with the regular wintering shag, and as usual it was feeding in the channel at low tide. We have been seeing this bird annually for many years, I wonder how long it will continue to turn up.

Holkham (Pines and Lady Anne’s Drive)

Our final stop of the day was Holkham. We first headed out to the dunes in search of snow buntings, as they are a regular winter visitor here. Initially we could not see them but then a flock of about 40 birds were picked up in the distance. The were flying in from the beach and headed towards us, landing briefly before taking flight again and and heading off. They landed again, but were getting flushed continuously by walkers and dogs.

With the light fading fast we headed back to Lady Anne’s Drive, three barn owls were quartering over the fields. These were the first barn owls of our trip which is very surprising for a winter Norfolk trip, they are usually much commoner. 

Pink-footed Geese leaving at Dusk

We were hoping to see woodcock as they emerge from the woods at dusk, but as the sun set and thousands of pink-footed geese dropped in, our attention was unsurprisingly diverted. We patiently waited, but it was in vain, no woodcocks appeared, at least not from the area where we were standing. It was not all bad though, as for the second night running we were given excellent views of the planet of Jupiter and treated to an amazing sunset.

Sunset over Lady Anne's Drive, Holkham

It was too dark to continue now so we headed back to our cottage, we had recorded 93 species of bird, bringing our total for the trip so far to 122.

More Fruits of Our Labour - Bird Ringing at Titchfield Haven

With no ringing activity to report, due to recent bad weather I thought that it was time to publish some more controls and recoveries of birds captured at the Haven. So far we have had 36 birds, either controlled at the Haven or recovered elsewhere, but as is often the case we are yet to hear back from the BTO for many of them. The species to date include sedge warbler, reed warbler, blackcap, chiffchaff and one avocet. 

The pied avocet story is an amazing one, on 24th June 2002 the first pair of avocets bred at Hook with Warsash, Local Nature Reserve. They had two chicks but an out of control dog entered the reserve and disturbed the birds which resulted in them walking along the foreshore with the parents flying overhead trying to protect them. The commotion was such that it alerted the wardens at the Haven, who went out and rescued the birds and released them onto the scrapes at the Haven, with the adults following. However before releasing them, the chicks were ringed. In May 2005, one of the chicks was recaptured in The Netherlands and colour-ringed. In April of this year, the same bird was re-sighted, still in The Netherlands nearly 11 years since ringing! A fantastic success story that could had easily ended in disaster had the dog got hold of them.

The other records are not as spectacular but nonetheless they still make interesting reading, we for us anyway!

Species	Ring No.	Type	Age	Capture	Date	Details
Pied Avocet
	EP32564	N	1J		24/06/2002	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire
		C		Recaptured	25/05/2005	Schuytgraaf, Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands (508 km, ENE, 2 yrs 335 days)
		S		Sighted	29/04/2013	Makkum, Friesland, Netherlands (516 km, ENE, 10 yrs 309days)
Sedge Warbler
	D006104	N	4M		25/05/2013	Slimbridge, Gloucestershire
		C	4	Recaptured	13/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (129 km, SE, 80 days)
	D037938	N	3J		29/06/2013	Levington, near River Orwell, Suffolk
		C	3	Recaptured	02/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (217 km, SW, 34 days)
	D295240	N	3J		17/07/2013	Skokholm Island, Pembrokeshire
		C	3	Recaptured	06/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (297 km, ESE, 20 days)
	Y380974	N	3J		15/07/2012	Oxmoor Wood, Halton
		C	4	Recaptured	10/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (298 km, SSE, 1 yr 26days)
	Y544401	N	3J		25/08/2013	Thatcham Marsh, West Berkshire
		C	3	Recaptured	27/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (65 km, S, 2 days)
	Y640780	N	4M		14/07/2013	Saltholme, near Teesmouth, Stockton-on-Tees
		C	4	Recaptured	26/07/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (420 km, S, 12 days)
	Y818091	N	4		24/08/2012	Hollesley Heath, Suffolk
		C	4F	Recaptured	06/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (231 km, SW, 347 days)
	Y911301	N	3		30/07/2012	Icklesham, East Sussex
		C	4	Recaptured	28/04/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (135 km, W, 272 days)
	Y456636	N	4		05/08/2012	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire
		C	4	Recaptured	04/05/2013	Mains of Auchenfranco, Lockfoot, Dumfries and Galloway (497 km, NNW, 272 days)
	Y717998	N	3		06/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire
		C	3	Recaptured	08/08/2013	Bude Marshes Nature Reserve, Cornwall (230 km, W, 2 days)
Reed Warbler
	D333221	N	3J		07/07/2013	Leighton Moss, Lancashire
		C	3	Recaptured	10/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (387 km, SSE, 34 days)
	V215858	N	3J		04/08/2007	Woolston Eyes, Warrington
		C	4	Recaptured	10/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire     (298 km, SSE, 6 yrs 6 days)
	Y534178	N	3J		23/08/2012	Cardiff Wetland Reserve, Cardiff
		C	4	Recaptured	06/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (152 km, ESE, 348 days)
	Y611556	N	4		05/07/2013	Corsham Lake, Wiltshire
		C	4F	Recaptured	11/07/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (94 km, SE, 6 days)
	Y634363	N	4M		05/05/2013	Wilstone Reservoir, Tring, Buckinghamshire
		C	4	Recaptured	11/07/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (116 km, SSW, 67 days)
	Y675226	N	4F		30/06/2013	Woolston Eyes, Warrington
		C	4	Recaptured	10/08/2013	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (298 km, SSE, 41 days)
	L590229	N	3		02/08/2011	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire
		C	4	Recaptured	16/06/2013	Chew Valley Lake, Avon, Bath and N. E. Somerset (111 km, WNW, 1 yr 318days)
		C	4	Recaptured	25/06/2013	Chew Valley Lake, Avon, Bath and N. E. Somerset (111 km, WNW, 1 yr 327days)
	T617835	N	3		26/07/2008	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire
		C	4M	Recaptured	16/07/2013	Stortons Gravel Pits, Northampton, Northamptonshire (159 km, N, 4 yrs
	T617836	N	4		26/07/2008	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire
		C	4M	Recaptured	25/06/2013	Stortons Gravel Pits, Northampton, Northamptonshire (159 km, N, 4 yrs 334 days)
	Y315442	N	3		23/09/2011	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire
		R	3	Recaptured	29/09/2011	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire (6 days)
			4M	Recaptured	22/05/2013	Haseley Manor, Arreton, Isle of Wight (17 km, S, 1 yr 241days)
	Y456091	N	4		04/08/2012	Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, Hampshire
		C	4		27/06/2013	Stanford Reservoir, Northamptonshire (178 km, N, 327 days