01/05/2023 Lower Largo, Fife

Stejneger's Scoter: A first for Britain, this rhino horned scoter has turned up within a 500+ strong super flock of velvet scoter. 

The drake Stejneger's have a number of differing characteristics from that of the white-winged scoter. With winged typically darker yellow coloration of most of the bill and a less tall bill knob similar to the velvet scoter. 

Stejneger's have a very tall knob, that really stands out in the field and the base of their bill is orange-yellow. White-winged scoters tend to have "two-stepped" profile between the bill and the head, compared to the long "Roman nose" profile of Stejneger's scoter similar to that of a common eider. 

White-winged Scoter: Not only was the super flock home to the Stejneger's but three white-winged scoter, both new birds for my British list.

 

White-winged & Velvet Scoter: This image shows the contrast and comparrsion between the bill shape and coloration of the white winged (left) and the velvet scoter (right).

Velvet Scoter: Not to be overlooked were the much more numerous velvets, while I was there the sea was like a still glass pond with very light winds and no white topped waves.  Lower Largo is s a quaint seaside village overlooking the Firth of Forth and offers the scoters a quiet sheltered bay to over winter within. 

Just before we left for home a small velvet flock landed close to the shore giving us some brilliant views of several males change a male and collectivey feeding. 

27/04/2023 Seaford Head, East Sussex

White-crowned Sparrow: Native to North America, and rarely seen in Europe with fewer than thirteen  observations recorded in Britain it could be possible that this bird has been blown 3,000 miles off course while migrating south from the east coast of Canada.

Instead of the United States, it crossed the Atlantic Ocean and arrived in as small wooded are set with the breathtaking line of chalk cliffs. Undoubtedly one of the best places to enjoy spectacular views of the Seven Sisters and Cuckmere Valley.

 

Another theory is that it landed on a ship after becoming lost and tired and hitched a ride to the UK, perhaps this is how the majority of American passerines make their way here?

There are five currently known subspecies of white-crowned sparrow (pugetensis, gambelii, nuttalli, oriantha, and leucophrys), varying in breeding distribution migratory route. 

Birds of the subspecies nuttalli are permanent residents in California, while birds of the subspecies gambelli may migrate as far as the Arctic Circle during the summer breeding season. Northern birds migrate to the southern United States and northern Mexico.

Birds of the subspecies nuttalli are permanent residents in California, while birds of the subspecies gambelli may migrate as far as the Arctic Circle during the summer breeding season. Northern birds migrate to the southern United States and northern Mexico.

This bird is part of the gambelli race, with classic gambelii they have characters that include orange bill, darker pure grey neck and breast with brownish flanks contrasty back pattern of deep reddish centres and pale grey edges rich chestnut edges to inner greater coverts. They also have tertials long primary projection.

The bird has now settled on a seeded patch and has become regular in that area, unlike the two guys I spoke to while I was there, one who had taken three trips to see the bird and spent 20 hours looking and the other over 40 hours looking, once I parked up the bird was on show right way. If only all twitches could be like this.

I was absolutely blown away by the views the bird gave, sitting up unobstructed for prolonged periods and feeding on the ground. A 10 hour round trip, a long way but with a bird as great as this and showing as well as it did, it was worth it. 

23/04/2023 Whinfell Tarn, Cumbria

Hooded Merganser: Direct from the shores of North America or maybe not?

This bird has some folk excited and I share their enthusiasm to add another North American vagrant to our British list, but the sceptics still question.

The bird is unlined, completely able to fly and has a routine where it roosts on the Tarn and then dispersers possibly back to the River Kent near Kendal where is was first observed and then back again to roost while it associating with both tufted duck and gossander. 

When we arrived there was no sign of any birds on the Tarn and with limited viewing only from a small public road I astride to worry, but not before too long the bird appeared from behind the only area of the Tarn that was out of sight.

 

Will it get accepted? I might have more luck predicting the lottery, lets just wait and see. 

I'm hoping it gets accepted, all I can do is keep my fingers crossed. 

23/04/2023 Duncombe Park, North Yorkshire

Black Kite: This brown bird of prey with five-foot wing span and acrobatic flying skills is a close cousin to the red kite is abundant in Europe. However, the warming climate is believed to be leading the bird to expand its territory to the north.This bird has made its home in the beautiful surroundings of Helmsley and seems to be attracted to the shows, possible attracted to the bird activity or the scraps of food that may be left behind? Who knows, but it makes for a pretty reliable twitchable seemingly wild black kite. 

Duncombe Park is one of Yorkshire's finest historic houses and estates, and home to the Duncombe family and is home to a collection of exotic birds of prey including Stella's sea eagle, grey eagle buzzard, burrowing owls and a wide range of other birds of prey including black kites.

Fortunately all their captive black kites are accounted for and they aren't missing any.

Some folk are questioning the origins of the bird and although I'll leave these questions t the powers that be it looked pretty wild to me. 

Red Kite: Well, at least that was the plan, as the bird didn't arrive for the first show keeping us waiting until the second show before making a short fly past right over the main field and over Duncombe Park.

The wait paid off. 

Red kites were much more showy and occasionally came in over Duncombe Park giving some excellent views. 

24/04/2023 Yarrow Valley County Park, Chorley, Lancs

Dipper: I've been keeping an eye on this marvollous little birds, after seeing several images coming out of Yarrow Valley CP I made a visit several weeks ago and found an active nest site. 

Both parents were actively feeding the young in the nest and very active foraging up and down the small stretch of the River Yarrow.

The young must have fledged the nest within the last week, they were photographed on the 18th of April carrying food and now they are rebuilding their nest.

The Dipper is the UK's only aquatic songbird and it's underwater feats are quite amazing, they can hold on to the wet rocks in fast flowing rivers while foraging under water.

The pair were coming back and fourth with a beak full of grass, twigs and moss and I observed them foraging and catching aquatic invertebrates. 

Dippers nest very close to water, using cavities in banks, holes in walls or trees. Both sexes build the nest which is large and domed and made from mosses, grasses, leaves and hair.  

Dippers lay 4-6 white eggs in March or April which are incubated by the female for 14-16 days. Males may feed the female at the nest and the chicks are fed by both parents and fledge at 20-24 days. 

17/04/2023 Totteridge Valley, London

Ring Ouzel: This week I find myself in the big smoke, London helping out another team on a project down here doing a range of breeding bird surveys. After the long drive down and doing the surveys I decided to go see some cracking local ring ouzel before beaching in to my hotel. 

Totteridge is a lovely little village on the outskirts of London in the borough of Barnet. It has a rural feel with a pretty village green, a cricket pitch, some pleasant local countryside and a nearby nature reserve to visit.  

There were two males and a single female in a small area that the locals call 'wheatear corner' that where forging close to an open gate. They weren't partially shy and ocssaiionally aligning upon a nearby tree and pulling worms out of the ground.

The weather down here was perfect for a spot of post-work birding, T-shirt weather has been a nice alternative then the long vantage point surveys of recent months, clad in fleece, jackets and waterproofs. 

 

15/04/2023 Hoo Zoo, Telford

Badger: Gary from work guested we visit Hoo Farm which is a small zoo located in Telford. They do have some captive birds and animals on site in eluding wolves, caracal's, clawed otters, racoon dogs swell as an array of giant anomatromic dinosaurs. 

And amongst the captive exotic animals and plastics dinos's they have a brilliant photograph hide where you can photograph wild badgers from located within the zoo. There is a badger sett within the zoo where a group of badgers reside forming an underground network. Every Saturday the zoo organises a badger watch from within the hide from 5pm to 8pm. 

There is also other wildlife to be seen as well like foxes however on both occasions, the foxes did not appear. The first visit was good as I got some good sightings of the badger and was the first time I had ever seen a badger

There is also other wildlife to be seen here as they have had foxes occasionally take advantage of the free food put out to entice the badgers. However on this occasions, the foxes did not appear. I loved this, the hide was well presented with both glass viewing area and open windows which give good coverage of the sett. 

The young lad leading from the zoo who was leading the guided tour was excellent, friendly and knowledgeable and the badgers were simply suburb. 

We had three badgers in total, including this big female who was the start of the show. It was obvious that she was brooding a little of young in the sett somewhere and was clever enough to come out first and feed for the longest. She came out around 18.45 and the others came out around 20.10. 

I'll be coming back. Thanks for organising this Gary lad, big thanks. 

12/03/2023 My Garden, Abram, Wigan

Willow Warbler: Before the winds picked up and the sun packed up and I was logging on to the work laptop I heard a melancholy, descending song of falling notes, the sound of summer coming from the willows on the otherwise of my garden fence.

This was the familiar song of the willow warbler, a first for my garden list and a welcome visitor possibly all the way from Africa. 

My garden has taken a bask seat to spending time with Autumn and work, as a Senior Ornithologist Im more busy now than I have ever been with work. But good busy, not like the other places I've worked. 

The bird was forging and singing along my fence line and my neighbours before alighting and flying over the house and out of view. 

11/04/2023 Zinc Works Road, Seaton Carew

Twite: After a very excellent Easter bank holiday weekend I found myself working up near Middlesbrough again today pondering the idea of a four day weekend being the holy grail to a peacfull life. 

My day started at the bottom of Zinc Works Road just off Tees Road past RSPB Slatholme where there has been half a dozen twice kicking about over the last few weeks. 

These small finches feed predominantly  on seeds and here some nice folk has been regularly seeding a small area to encourage them down to feed. They are a real coastal speciality although some breed on moorland. 

As is so typical thesis days the UK's twite population has dramatically declined in recent years, particularly in England where they're on the brink of extinction as a breeding bird. In winter, numbers are boosted by migrants from continental Europe. 

Twite often spend the winter on coastal saltmarshes, where they form flocks and sometimes join groups of linnets. This small flock was doing just that, having around with the linnets and goldfinches and forming large flocks to feed on the seeded area. 

Twite are small finches, about the size and shape of a linnet. They have a very short, stubby yellow beak. They're brown on the back with darker streaking, and paler buff-white on the belly with more streaking on the breast and flanks. 

In summer their beak is grey, but it turns yellow for the winter. Their face and upper breast also become a richer orange-brown in winter. Males can be identified by their pink rump.

Here is a good comparison of both twice and linnet.

With some patience and the right fieldcraft you can get partially close to these birds as they would drop in close and and being to feed feelings after as the feeding flock grows. 

I never thought I would be views like this, when I arrived they were pretty distant perched on the barbed wire fence and high in a nearby tree. But once I noticed the seeded area next to a tall wild mustard plant I sat quietly for most of the morning watching the mixed flock come and go. 

Most of the twice were cooler ringed a scheme designed to give data that is being used in studies addressing population structure, migratory connectivity (relationships between groups over time and space), flock fidelity (relationships between individuals within groups) and population genetics. 

These elements all provide important information on how the birds interact with each other across the European distribution, exchange genetic information and respond to conservation management implemented on both breeding and wintering grounds.

Dunnock: The twice were associating with linnet but were also joined by chaffinch, dunnock, goldfinch and even skylark. All descending on the seeded area to take advantage of an easy meal. 

I was really enjoying my morning here, went for a walk around the adjacent golfcourse hoping to find an ouzel or redstart. Then I noticed a young lad wearing a lack hoodie and walking a small pack of dogs, around 5 of them. 

I saw this lad take the time to bend down and pick up the dog mess left behind on the dunes from one of his small dogs. he collected it in a black poo-bag before slinging it against the side of the dune. I was indignation was through the roof!!!! 

As we walked away and I crossed over along the same pathway he was walking I counted seven tied up full poo-bags along the pathway in various locations all left behind by this brainless, selfish moron!

I meant just leave to dog mess on the ground if you have no intention of bagging it and taking it away with you, why on earth spend the time picking it up only to dump it on the ground?

Anyway back to the birds, here are the colour rings I noted, (white over red), (white over blue), (dark blue over light blue), (yellow over white), orange over black) and (red over pink). 

I've really enjoyed spending the morning with these charming little birds.