Bird Watching Mini Mag

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PHOTO SPECIAL:
The wonder of waterholes,
with top photographer
David Tipling
JUNE 2016 £4.20
SAMPLE
Bee-eaters!
Breeding
hopes for UK
create a buzz
Why there’s
much more to
woodpeckers
than just
drumming
GO BIRDING IN MALLORCA!
Target birds, including Eleonora’s Falcon, Black Vulture & Hoopoe
Guides to the best sites Discover the island’s hidden treasures

FIVE TO FIND in June
THIS MONTH WE are
dibbling unashamedly
into the realms of the
rare and scarce for the
five birds for which to
search. All of our regular summer
visitors will be on territory during
the month, with plenty to occupy
the long days of midsummer.
But here are a few which may
require some special effort to catch
up with. Some are much easier to
hear than see; so, enjoy the weird
and wonderful sounds, even if you
don’t see the curious creatures
producing them.
RARITY RATINGS
Common, widely distributed
Localised – always a treat
Very scarce or rare
TELL US WHAT YOU’VE SEEN!
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RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
QUAIL
This beautiful wader is surprisingly tiny, especially for
a bird which spends most of its time swimming. There
are fewer than 30 pairs breeding in the country, most
famously on Fetlar, Shetland, but also in the Hebridean
islands. However, June sees a small but definite passage
of birds through the rest of the UK, so keep an eye out on
suitable wader habitat, especially where there is a pool
for a phalarope to swim in. Phalaropes are highly unusual
among British birds in that the females
are the most brightly coloured ones,
and the duller males are the ones
that do the nest duties (apart from
the egg-laying, of course).
FLPA / Alamy
The tiny Quail is one of the birds that few people actually get
to see, though the ‘wet-my-lips’ song of the male is well known,
emanating from deep within a grain field. Unusually for
a gamebird, the Quail is migrant, coming to the UK as a
summer visitor, from May onwards. It only comes in small
numbers (often fewer than 500 singing males), though, spread
thinly across the country. Like several other birds which are
rarely seen but more often heard, it is predominantly
a night-singer, often starting off as the sun falls.
If you don’t mind not actually seeing a bird, the Quail
present a good opportunity for finding your own scarce
bird, just occasionally rewarding evening drives and
pauses to listen.
Did you
know?
Quails reach sexual maturity
remarkably quickly. So quickly,
in fact, that birds hatched in
the spring breed later in
the same summer
All Canada Photos / Alamy
SPOTTED CRAKE
If you thought that the Water Rail was an elusive bird, then
the Spotted Crake is simply invisible, at least during the
breeding season. They are most frequently seen as juveniles,
having dispersed in the late summer. However, now is the time
to hear their distinctive song, which is usually described as
a loud, repeated ‘whip!’.
Males don’t start singing until late in the day, when it is
already pretty dark, and the sound emanates from ditch-side
vegetation or a vegetated marsh, so don’t expect even a glimpse.
There are only about 80 singing males in the country, at
selected sites from southern England to northern Scotland, so
find a suitable site to listen after dark.
8 June 2016

RARITY PREDICTOR
Buiten-Beeld / Alamy
NIGHTJAR
This is one night bird which at
least you have a chance of
seeing, emerging from daytime
roosting sites, where it sits
invisible, wrapped in
immaculate cryptic camouflage.
They are, of course, night birds,
emerging in the crepuscular
hours of the evening, though
often only showing themselves
when you are about to give up
and go home. Only males sing
the distinctive, beautiful
purring song, as well as
croaking out a curious ‘koowick’
call and occasionally wingclapping
in display. Males are
also the only ones with white
wing patches and white corners
to the tail. Both genders have a
beautiful, buoyant flight, like a
small delicate falcon on strings.
MARSH WARBLER
Everyone knows that Starlings and
Song Thrushes mix mimicry with
their songs. But the real king of the
mimics among ‘British’ birds is the
Marsh Warbler. The song is
incredibly rich and beautiful and
jammed with bird songs and calls
picked up during the bird’s travels
through Europe and Africa.
Some of the birds you will recognise,
others will be mysteries. But,
whatever you hear will be just about
indistinguishable from the real thing.
Marsh Warblers are very similar in
appearance to Reed Warblers, but the
song should be enough to identify
the bird. The only problem is that
they are very rare breeding birds
in the UK,
with fewer
than 10
pairs,
mainly
confined to
Worcestershire
and Kent.
Unlike Reed
Warblers, they are
not tied directly to
reedbeds, often
singing in bushes
and rank vegetation
near water.
imageBROKER / Alamy David Tipling Photo Library / Alamy
SCOPS OWL
With more than 80 accepted records,
it would seem that Scops
Owl is not the rarest of
rarities. However, the
spread of records is
pretty evenly spread
through to the 19th
Century and a year
with more than one
record is unusual. Most
records have come from
the Northern Isles or the
south-west of England, but there have
been inland records, perhaps most
famously, in recent years, the singing male
at Thrupp, Oxfordshire in 2006 and 2007.
Many, if not most, of the accepted
records are for birds found dead or near
death (exhausted), which is not surprising
for a nocturnal bird, which is hard enough
to see in its normal European range.
WESTERN ORPHEAN
WARBLER
There have only been three
accepted occurrences
of Western Orphean
Warbler (plus a further
four which may have
been Western or
Eastern). These
included a longstaying
winter bird
at St Brides,
Pembrokeshire in 2013,
and the year before
a first-summer at Hartlepool Headland,
Cleveland/Durham on 29 May. It is
a large Sylvia Warbler, a bit like
a giant Lesser Whitethroat.
BRIDLED TERN
We have been spoilt
by these exotic terns
returning to the
north-east in recent
years. Will one
appear again this year?
HOW DID WE DO?
✓ ALPINE ACCENTOR
One of our April predictions was this
montane relative of the Dunnock.
By early April, more than a dozen out of
range Alpine Accentors had been
recorded in Germany and one was in the
Netherlands. So, it was no great surprise
when one turned up in the UK, found at
Brownwich Cliff, on the Solent coast,
Hampshire, on 13 April.
Blickwinkel/ Alamy
Nature Photographers Ltd / Alamy
Gerry Pearce / Alamy
birdwatching.co.uk 9

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NEWS WIRE
ALL THE BIGGEST BIRD NEWS & EVENTS
COMPILED BY: KIRK PARSONS
BIRDERS SET FOR FAIR
Farmland Bird Appeal set to benefit from major weekend event held in beautiful Norfolk
BRITAIN’S BEST-KNOWN
BIRDWATCHING county
will play host to the
annual two-day Norfolk
Birdfair in support of
conservation charities.
The BTO’s Farmland Bird Appeal
will benefit from this year’s event,
which takes place at Mannington
Hall, near Saxthorpe, Norfolk, on
May 21 and 22.
Set amid unspoiled countryside,
it’s a spacious and scenic site, and
well placed if you want to combine
a visit to the fair with visits to
some of the county’s most
renowned birdwatching spots.
There’ll be a wide range of
exhibitors, including optics
companies and retailers (among
them Cley Spy), charities and
NGOs, tour operators, artists,
photographers and authors.
There’ll also be lectures from the
likes of the BTO, Wader Quest,
Falklands Conservation, Richard
Brooks (on birding in Lemnos),
Yoav Perlman (on bird ID and
taxonomy), Norfolk Wildlife Trust
(on Norfolk’s hidden gems for
wildlife), and fair organiser Robert
Wilson, an award-winning
photographer, on DSLR
photography of birds.
Bird Watching magazine will be
present on both days – so come
and see us for great subscription
offers, if you’d like advice or help
with any aspect of birdwatching,
or if you just want to tell us what
you like and don’t like about the
magazine! There’s a wide range of
activities, too, including birdringing,
bird walks with the North
East Norfolk Bird Club, insect
identification, a wildlife trail,
basket-weaving, an evening walk
with the Amphibian and Reptile
Rapture Photographics
Group, and wildlife art painting in
progress with David Ord Kerr.
There’s also the announcement
of the winner of the Norfolk
Wildlife Photography Competition,
won last year by Bird Watching
regular James Lowen.
Refreshments include a variety
of local produce and tickets are £10
on the door or £8 in advance for
adults, or £18 for both days on the
door, and £15 in advance. A
maximum of three children per
adult get in free. Group bookings
of 10 or more are £7 a ticket in
advance only. Please note there is
good disabled access. There are
still vacancies for volunteers to
help with car-parking and
children’s craft activities – if you
sign up for four hours, enjoy free
access for the rest of the day.
MORE INFO
WHAT: The Norfolk Bird & Wildlife fair
WHEN: 21 and 22 May, 2016
WHERE: Mannington Hall, Saxthorpe, Norfolk NR11 7BB
WEBSITE: norfolkbirdfair.com
EMAIL: birdfairnorfolk@yahoo.com
ç BIRDS
See birds and learn
about them, too, at the
Norfolk Birdfair!
ê SETTING
The birdfair will take
place at the beautiful
setting of Norfolk’s
Mannington Hall
Rapture Photographics
16 June 2016

SPECIES BEE-EATERS
ê COLOURFUL
The Bee-eater is a wonderful,
colourful-looking bird
blickwinkel / Alamy
22 June 2016

CREATING A
BUZZ!
The Bee-eater could soon become a regular British breeder
WORDS: IAN PARSONS
birdwatching.co.uk 23

SPECIES BEE-EATERS
The Bee-eater is a gem of a bird, the beautiful colours of its
plumage giving it truly exotic looks and, indeed, it’s a species
that British birdwatchers have long thought of as ‘exotic’,
a bird of foreign shores, rather than our own. However,
recent events mean that this species is no longer quite as
exotic as it looks. Bee-eaters are seen in Britain every year
but, generally, only as scarce passage visitors. There were
a couple of cases of breeding last century, a failed attempt
in 1920, a successful one in 1955. But these are the exception.
Then, in 2002, a pair bred in County Durham.
This was followed by two failed breeding attempts
in 2005 and 2006 (in Herefordshire and Dorset
respectively) and then the much publicised
successful breeding of two pairs on the Isle of
Wight in 2014.
Last year, a pair nested at Low Gelt sand quarry,
near Brampton in the Cumbrian North Pennines.
So, in the last 10 to 15 years, the breeding, or
attempted breeding, of this beautiful bird in
Britain, while still remaining a very rare event,
has become much more regular. That’s leading
many birders to believe (and to hope!) that it’s
possible that this small, colourful migrant could
become a regular breeder in Britain.
The European Bee-eater (Merops apiaster),
to give it its ‘full’ name, is one of 27 species of
bee-eater found throughout the Old World from
Europe to Australia, with the majority of species
occurring in Africa.
All of them are aerial predators of flying insects,
with Hymenoptera (the bees, wasps and ants)
being, by far, the preferred prey items. Our
Bee-eater’s favourite prey is indeed the Honey Bee,
with some studies showing that it makes up to
more than 80% of the diet in Europe. Dragonflies
also play an important role in the diet, with at
least one study suggesting that young birds
24 June 2016

è PURE ELEGANCE
There are few more beautiful
sights than a Bee-eater in flight
ê MOSTLY EATS BEES...
Much of the diet consists of bees
and wasps, but they will eat a
variety of other flying insects, too
The Honey Bee makes
up more than 80% of
the Bee-eaters’ diet
in Europe.
An average single
hive will contain
about 100,000
worker bees.
A productive bee
hive will produce up
to 2,000 new
workers every day.
An adult Bee-eater
will consume between
200 and 250 worker
bees a day when it is
rearing young.
increase their bodyweight quicker if they are fed
on a mixture of both bees and dragonflies, rather
than on bees alone.
The birds hunt either by gliding on their
triangular-shaped wings, suddenly increasing
their speed to pursue a nearby insect, or by using
the technique known as fly-catching, where they
wait on a favoured perch, darting off it to catch
any prey item that strays too close to them.
Once they have caught their prey, the bird will
often take it to a favoured perch, usually a dead
bare branch, where it will then smear the rear
end of the insect in a sideways wiping motion to
dislodge the sting.
Like that other birding jewel, the Kingfisher,
in Extremadura in
Spain, and Bee-eaters
are very common there,
as are beekeepers.
Every spring,
just after the
birds have
arrived, the local papers
and news channels have
reports featuring calls for the
birds to be controlled. There is
no disputing the fact that these
beautiful birds do indeed predate
Honey Bees – they will often be
seen hunting over the hives
themselves – but what is extremely
doubtful is whether they actually
have any negative impact on the
hives’ productivity.
Several studies have shown that an adult
Bee-eater will consume between 200 and 250
worker bees a day when it is rearing young.
This may seem a lot, but an average single hive
(and more often than not there are several hives
together) will contain about 100,000 worker bees,
and every day a productive hive is producing 2,000
new workers, more than enough to replace those
being lost to a pair of Bee-eaters.
The argument in areas where there are high
densities of nesting Bee-eaters (which prefer to
nest in colonies), is that large numbers of Beeeaters
lead to much higher losses of bees. But
these areas also have large numbers of bee hives
producing huge numbers of new bees each day,
and indeed it is highly likely that it is the large
number of hives that attract the large number
Wild Wonders of Europe / Varesvuo /NPL
Once they have caught their prey, the bird will often take it to a
favoured perch, usually a dead bare branch, where it will then smear
the rear end of the insect in a sideways wiping motion
to dislodge the sting
Hans Dieter Brandl/FLPA
Bee-eaters are tunnel-nesters. They start to
excavate their nest tunnel during the first part of
May. It looks like a flattened oval at the entrance,
and these tunnels can be about a metre in length.
The bird digs these in exposed sandy banks,
taking up to 20 days to chisel away at the substrate
with its bill, and excavating up to 80 times its own
body weight.
Sometimes, though, this hard work can be in
vain. Many nests are located on low, exposed
sandy faces, sometimes no more than a few
centimetres higher than surrounding ground level.
This makes them extremely vulnerable to grounddwelling
predators such as snakes, while the
sandy soils mean that other, larger predators find
it relatively easy to dig out the nest to take the
young or eggs. Despite these losses, though, the
Bee-eater is holding its own in Europe, with
a relatively stable population, that is gradually
expanding northwards in its range.
Bee-eaters, as we’ve already seen, do exactly
what their name suggests; they eat bees. This
has often brought them into conflict with man,
particularly beekeepers. I spend much of the year
è KINGFISHER RELATIVE
The general shape, rich colours (and the structure of the foot) all betray the
Bee-eater’s close relationship to rollers and kingfishers
Giulio Ercolani / Alamy
birdwatching.co.uk 25

SPECIES BEE-EATERS
of Bee-eaters to the area in the first place.
No scientific study has ever shown that Beeeaters
have a negative impact on bee hives, so the
beekeepers of Britain don’t need to be worried
about our new arrival. In fact, it is just possible
that they may even benefit from their presence.
One Spanish beekeeper I spoke with was
convinced that Bee-eaters at a low density actually
helped keep his many hives healthy; he believed
that they selected bees that weren’t healthy,
targeting the ones that had heavy mite
infestations; his exact words were “they clean the
hives”. One mite in particular has caused serious
problems for British beekeepers. The appropriately
named Varroa destructor spreads various viruses
between the bees, leading to epidemics that can
cause bee numbers in hives to collapse. In that
light the Spanish beekeeper’s thoughts are
certainly very interesting. I can’t prove he’s right,
but they do make sense, ecologically.
Predators the world over, be they Wolves in the
Arctic or Lions in Africa, select weaker prey when
hunting. There is also plenty of evidence to
suggest that when an animal has a high parasitic
load it has low reaction speeds and is more likely
to find itself in peril – studies have shown that
deer killed on our roads more often than not have
high parasitic loading; in other words, they aren’t
very well. Does this ecological fact apply to
insects? I don’t know, but it is certainly an
intriguing theory that merits further investigation.
One thing I am certain of, though, is that our
new potential colonisers are truly beautiful birds.
How great is it to be able to think that one day in
the next few years, you may find a pair of Beeeaters
on your patch? I’ve seen lots of Bee-eaters,
but I can’t wait to finally be able to watch them in
the British countryside.
Courtship feeding with a
hapless copper butterfly
Coming in to land, a Bee-eater
reveals its coppery underwings
Bee-eaters nest colonially in
deep tunnels burrowed into
muddy or sandy banks
Wild Wonders of Europe / Varesvuo / NPL
Roger Powell / NPL
Stelian Porojnicu / Alamy Stock Photo
26 June 2016

Alamy
Alamy
6
MORE
BEE-EATERS
Alamy
?
DID YOU KNOW...
The long process of nest-building
both blunts and shortens a
bee-eater’s bill. Despite this,
nestholes are generally only
used once.
Alamy
FLPA
LITTLE GREEN
BEE-EATER
Widely distributed across
sub-Saharan Africa and parts
of Asia, and with a number of
subspecies, this smallish
bee-eater is often found in
urban and suburban
habitats.
BLUE-BEARDED
BEE-EATER
Found in the Indian subcontinent
and south-east Asia, this large
bee-eater has a large, sickleshaped
bill and a tail that lacks
the protruding central ‘wires of
most other members of
the family.
PURPLE-
BEARDED BEE-EATER
Endemic to the Indonesian island
of Sulawesi, this species is in a
genus, Meropopon, of its own. Not
as brightly coloured as some
bee-eaters, they nonetheless have
a purple-blue ‘beard’ of shaggy
throat feathers.
Alamy
MORE INFO
Bee-eaters are a widespread bird across the
Mediterranean region, and Mallorca has a good
breeding population – see our 16-page centre
section for details of how to find them, and many
more superb birds, on the island’s reserves.
SOUTHERN
CARMINE BEE-EATER
Found throughout sub-equatorial
Africa, these gorgeous birds can
often be seen circling near the
edge of wildfires, picking off the
escaping insects, or perched on
the backs of large animals, before
hawking for prey.
WHITE-
THROATED BEE-EATER
Found mainly in semi-desert
along the southern edge of the
Sahara, this species doesn’t feed
on bees quite as much as some
others – instead, beetles and ants
probably form a much greater
part of its diet.
RAINBOW
BEE-EATER
Australia’s only bee-eater species,
spending the summer in the
southern part of the country
(excluding Tasmania), and
migrating to the north and to
New Guinea and Indonesia
in the winter.
?
DID YOU KNOW...
Bee-eaters spend about 10% of
each day in ‘comfort activities’ -
bathing, dust bathing, preening,
and sunning themselves.
These are often performed
communally, too.
Markus Varesvuo / NPL
birdwatching.co.uk 27

CHALLENGE
JUNE: SONG FLIGHTS
ID
EVERY EXTANT BRITISH bird has the power of flight. So, it is
hardly surprising that some of them employ this flight as a means
to broadcast their songs far and wide. If they can add a bit of
flourish and a visual element, with unusual flight techniques, then all the
better. Some birds, notably the Sky Lark, take the whole song flight thing
to extremes, spending extended periods high in the air belting out their
song. Others, such as some raptors, use display flights as a primary visual
performance, usually with simple yelps and mews as the accompaniment.
It is, however, only selected birds which use flight combined with sound
for their displays, which at least helps with identification. Have a try at
identifying these birds captured in the middle of the display flight. Then
turn for the solutions and turn again for more ID tips.
BIRD 1 BIRD 2
BIRD 1
WHAT AM I?
Nature Photographers Ltd / Alamy
Graham Catley / Alamy
BIRD 2
WHAT AM I?
BIRD 3 BIRD 4
BIRD 3
WHAT AM I?
BIRD 4
FLPA / Alamy Duncan Usher / Alamy
BIRD 5 BIRD 6
FLPA / Alamy
imageBROKER / Alamy
BIRD 5
BIRD 6
WHAT AM I?
WHAT AM I?
WHAT AM I?
TURN OVER TO FIND OUT
IF YOU birdwatching.co.uk ARE CORRECT! 39

JUNE ID CHALLENGE
SONG FLIGHTS
How did you do?
Long tail with white
outer feathers
Grey-brown
plumage
White throat
Broken white eyering
BIRD 1
Here we have an essentially grey or grey-brown bird with a thin, insect-eater’s
bill, rounded wings and a long tail. Also obvious is the fact that the ‘puffy’
throat is clean white, contrasting with the buffer tones of the breast and belly.
And, while examining the head, note the broken white eye-ring and, if you
look very closely, you may see that the shaded iris is not dark. The long grey
tail has white outer tail feathers. The structure of the bird suggest a pipit or a
warbler. Its unstreaked underparts should steer you away from our pipits or
the streaked Sedge Warbler, which does sing in flight. It appears to be one of
the whitethroats. Lesser Whitethroats don’t sing in flight and have darker bills
and eyes and shorter tails. This is a Whitethroat.
KEY FEATURES
Thin bill and rounded wings suggests small insect-eater
Overall grey brown plumage and white throat
Yellowish base to bill, white eye-ring ‘pale’ eye
Long tail with white outer tail feathers
BIRD 2
In some ways this bird, singing in flight over a reedbed, is similar to Bird 1,
having short rounded wings and a thin insect-eater’s bill. Look again and you
will see that the structure is subtly different, this bird having a much shorter
rounded tail. Even more obvious, though, is that this bird has a very bold pale
supercilium (‘eyebrow’) with a dark stripe above it, and the warm brown
plumage, particularly of the upperparts, is streaked or spotted. The breast
and flanks are pretty ‘clean’, however, unlike a pipit or lark, which would be
streaked. This bird looks like a streaked warbler and the pattern and structure
should point you towards Sedge Warbler, one of the few warblers that has a
song flight. The reeds are a typical Sedge Warbler habitat.
KEY FEATURES
Small brown bird (compare reed heads)
Hint of streaking on upperparts
Obvious, bold, pale supercilium and dark lateral crown stripe
Shortish, rounded tail
Short rounded tail,
short rounded wings
Streaky plumage
Pale supercilium
and dark lateral
crown stripe
Streaked breast,
finer flank streaking
Massive tertials
Relatively short,
curved rear claw
BIRD 3
Yet another thin-billed small bird, which immediately makes you think of
warblers or pipits. The dangly legs with long claws and very long tertial
feathers (the wing feathers at the trailing edge, close to the body) plus the
streaked breast, should all point to this being a singing pipit. We have three
breeding pipits in the UK, all of which perform ‘similar-looking’ song flights.
Rock Pipit is the darkest, with heavy, smudgy breast- and flank- streaking
(and dark legs). The Meadow and Tree Pipits are more similar. However,
Meadow Pipit can be ruled out here by the much finer flank streaking than
breast streaking, the ‘short’, curved rear claws and the face pattern, including
a dark line through the eye, and a pale cheek spot. This is a Tree Pipit.
KEY FEATURES
Streaked breast gives pipit appearance
Larger breast streaks, finer flank streaks
Dark eyestripe, bold pale half-ring above eye
Dangling feet showing relatively short curved rear claw
40 June 2016

MY FAVOURITE SITE...
“I have long declared my love for the
Nene Washes, Cambs, where song
flights of waders, larks, pipits and
warblers are part of a typical spring
or summer walk.”
Mike Weedon, assistant editor
SNAP IT!
And send it to
birdwatching@
bauermedia.co.uk
NEXT MONTH
Juvenile wader ID
Alamy
Long wings
Band of breast streaking
White outer tail feathers
BIRD 4
Oh no, yet another pipit, you may be thinking. But there is something about
that relatively small head which suggests a larger, almost thrush-sized bird.
Those wings look long and the bird in general looks to have a robust, almost
chunky, weighty build. This bird has the structure of a lark. We have two
breeding lark species in the UK: the Sky Lark and the scarce Wood Lark,
both of which perform song flights. The latter is notably short-tailed and has
relatively short, rounded wings. But this bird has long wings and a long, full
tail for a lark. Crucially, it also has white outer tail feathers, and you can just
make out a white trailing edge to the inner flight feathers, both of which rule
out Wood Lark (which has white tail tips) . This is a Sky Lark.
KEY FEATURES
Head looks ‘small’ implying a decent-sized bird
Long, broad wings
Dense band of fine streaks across breast
Full, broad tail with white outer feathers
BIRD 5
Here we have a twist in the tale, as at last, this bird is obviously not a warbler,
pipit or lark. The very long narrow straight bill immediately points to this
being a wader, a conclusion only enhanced by the long pointed wings. In this
case the bill is so long, the bird can only be a snipe, Woodcock, godwit or
one of the rare dowitchers. But this bird is very well marked with streaks and
stripes, with a dark rump, so godwits and dowitchers can be dismissed. A key
feature lacking in Woodcock and Jack Snipe is at the tail. The two outermost
feathers are uniquely spread from the rest of the tail. Passing air causes these
feathers to resonate to produce the renowned drumming of the Snipe.
KEY FEATURES
Very long, straight bill, unmistakably a wader
Long pointed wings also point to wader
Heavily and boldly streaked with pale back lines
Diagnostic spread outer tail feathers
Heavily striped
plumage
Unique spread
outer tail feathers
Extremely
long, straight bill
Red base to straight
medium-long bill
White trailing band
Long red legs
and feet
BIRD 6
We end with another wader, as betrayed by the medium-long straight bill,
which is wide open, shouting out the ‘song’ and the long pointed wings. The
slim neat bill and straight bill imply this is a Tringa sandpiper. And there are
lots of ID pointers which make specific identification straightforward. Firstly,
the overall plumage is brown streaks and spots on a white background. Then,
you will notice the long red legs, with feet protruding beyond the tail (which
in Tringa terms, narrows it down to Redshank or Spotted Redshank). The bill
base of both mandibles is red and the wings show a translucency in the
trailing quarter, implying a broad white band there on the upper surface. This
can only be a Redshank.
KEY FEATURES
Mid-long, straight bill and long wings imply this is a wader
Overall brown plumage, with heavily streaking on white
Long red legs and feet protrude beyond tail
Red bill base and broad white trailing edge diagnostic
birdwatching.co.uk 41

JUNE ID CHALLENGE
SONG FLIGHTS
ID tips & tricks
TOP TIP!
The crepuscular
hours are the best
time to look and listen
for roding Woodcock
flying over their
territory
Chris Gomersall / Alamy
blickwinkel / Alamy
Most of our breeding waders use display flights to get across their
message of territorial ownership and attract the opposite sex. The Snipe
has its magic drumming, the Woodcock its crepuscular croaking and
squeaking flight called ‘roding’, Lapwings have tumbling flapping flight
with added electronic sounding calls, and birds such as Redshanks have
flicky-winged attention-seeking song flights. Even larger waders such as
Black-tailed Godwits have song flights, in the latter’s case consisting of a
very high sideways rocking flight, almost pretending that they have
forgotten how to fly properly, while yelping out the raptor like ‘godwit,
godwit’
call.
Lapwing
TO FLY OR NOT TO FLY
Many birds which incorporate song flights into their territorial
display will also sing from a perch or from the ground. Even that
most famed of aerial songsters, the Sky Lark, will deliver its song
from a perch on occasion, though the ‘high altitude’ far-reaching
broadcast of the Sky Lark’s song is much more effective at
covering a wide area of territory. The Wood Lark, on the other
hand, will readily sing from a high perch or from song flight from up
to 150m altitude. Similarly, Tree Pipits sing from a high perch,
usually continuing the song rising up singing, before parachuting
slowly down with their feet dangling below.
Few of our warblers opt to use a song flight, with the notable
exceptions of the Whitethroat and the Sedge Warbler. Both
these species will also readily sing from a perch, almost using the
song flight as an occasional added extra. Awareness of which
species employ song flights is a useful ID tool.
Wood Lark
Few of our warblers opt to use a song flight, with the
notable exceptions of the Whitethroat and the Sedge
Warbler. Both these species will also readily sing from a
perch, almost using the song flight as
WADER DISPLAY FLIGHTS
an occasional added extra
Woodcock
Black-tailed Godwit
Arterra Picture Library
blickwinkel / Alamy
Sedge Warbler
SKY DANCING RAPTORS
Masters of the air, raptors, particularly the broad-winged birds of
prey, are also kings of the display flight. Particularly in the case of
the harriers, the spectacular slow-motion rowing wing beats from
great heights, interspersed with extreme rollercoaster dives and
twists, are among the great spectacles of the birding world.
Hen Harrier
Christian Hutter / Alamy Avico Ltd / Alamy
42 June 2016

COLLECT
& KEEP
Every month we bring
you 10 more sites to
build up your
GO BIRDING
collection
GO BIRDING
THE BEST PLACES IN BRITAIN TO WATCH BIRDS
FORSINARD FLOWS RSPB
Take a look at a truly unique habitat for the
UK, with plenty of rare breeding birds
1
LOCH AN EILEIN
Search for Caledonian forest specialists,
like Crested Tit on this summer walk
2
WOODSIDE
Find Pied Flycatchers and more in this
classic piece of western woodland
MORE
SITES
For a full list
of the sites we’ve
featured, go to
birdwatching.
co.uk/gbindex
PLANTATION WOOD
Discover a great
mixture of
wetland and
woodland species
at this easily
walkable site
PRIORY GROVES
Dipper and Grey wagtail are among the
target birds along this riverside trail
3
YORK
Look for Peregrines and more around
the city’s most historic buildings
THORNDON CP
Kingfishers are among
the highlights of this
green urban oasis
KEY
Sites may be best visited by car, or a car may
be required to get from point to point.
Requires birding to be done on foot.
Specified points to visit, but can be done in
any order (known as KEYPOINTS)
Specified points to visit and are best done in
numerical order (known as WAYMARKERS)
NB: The MILES ON FOOT is the amount of miles you
will need to walk and not necessarily the amount of miles
in the whole route. The TIME is how many hours we
recommend. So, if there are fewer miles per hour, it
maybe that there is more to see.
4
RESERVE DU GROS BANC
Great estuary-side birding, and rare
warblers, just a short ferry trip from the UK
6
7
ê
10
8
5
9
DERSINGHAM
It’s not just Nightjars
– this lowland bog has
owls, Wood Larks and
much more, too
LONGROPE WOOD
Mature woods mean Marsh Tit and Lesser
Spotted Woodpecker are target birds
birdwatching.co.uk 45

SITE 6 BRECONSHIRE //
MILES ON FOOT: 2 TIME: 1 HOURS
PRIORY GROVES
Find great woodland birds in a historic and tranquil setting
SITE STATS
blickwinkel / Alamy
ACAUSE OF some confusion is
the fact there are two rivers
called Afon Honddu in
Breconshire, one in the east of the
county, in the Vale of Ewyas, the
other, having risen on the high
ground of the Mynydd Epynt, flowing
southwards to join the River Usk at
Brecon, fringed at the last of its
11-mile journey by the woodlands of
Priory Groves.
Defending the rivers’ confluence is
Brecon Castle, originally built by the
Norman knight Bernard de
Neufmarche at the end of the 11th
Century after defeating the Welsh
rulers of South Wales, and now a
hotel and restaurant, so worth
bearing in mind when planning your
visit. A town quickly followed and on
the higher ground, immediately
overlooking the Afon Honddu,
Bernard founded a church and priory,
which in the Middle Ages was famed
for its great golden cross, though like
much else it was destroyed during the
Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Renewal began in the mid 19th
Century, resulting in the fine
cathedral seen today, which is always
worth a visit and includes the
enjoyment of watching Blackbirds on
the surrounding lawns, and even
a foraging Green Woodpecker.
Extending north from the Cathedral
and clinging to the steep slopes above
Grey Wagtail
the Afon Honddu are the Priory
Groves. Many a monk in
medieval times would have
followed the footpath and one
hopes appreciated the birds
encountered. Birds of the river,
like Common Sandpiper,
Kingfisher, Dipper and Grey Wagtail
can be found. In the woodlands are
summer visitors,
like Blackcap
and Chiffchaff,
and the residents
include Goldcrest,
Nuthatch and
Treecreeper.
DAVID SAUNDERS
KEY POINTS
1A short distance from the town centre is a
bridge over the Afon Honddu on which to
linger and hopefully enjoy sightings of Common
Sandpiper, Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher.
2Climb the hill, and note the Priory Well, a
sacred spring, before taking the woodland
footpath. This is Tawny Owl territory, though a
late evening visit will be necessary to hear or
perhaps glimpse it. The bats at such a time will
include both Daubenton’s and Pipistrelle.
3Our most widespread migrant warbler, the
Willow Warbler, is joined by other summer
visitors to the woodlands, including Chiffchaff,
Blackcap and Garden Warbler. Great Spotted
Woodpecker, Jay, Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch and
Treecreeper are also resident.
4Birds of prey in the woodlands or overhead
should be Buzzard, Red Kite and
Sparrowhawk while one to look out for in the
county is the Hobby.
Dipper
David Saunders
OTHER WILDLIFE
Sit quietly above the
riverbank and, with
patience, you may well
enjoy a sighting
of Otters
Chris Grady / Alamy
1
GRID REF: SO 048 296
POSTCODE: LD3 9DP (for the Brecon
Cathedral Heritage Centre)
HOW TO GET THERE: From east or west by
way of the A40 or from the south by the A470
before following signs for the Brecon centre
WHERE TO PARK: A town centre car park
TERRAIN: Good footpath but can be muddy,
boots or walking shoes ideal
ACCESSIBILITY: Open at all times
FACILITIES: Everything a hungry and thirsty
birdwatcher requires can be found in Brecon,
including at the main car park a fine
information centre and a short distance away
a splendid second-hand bookshop
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Regular bus services
to Brecon. Nearest rail station is Abergavenny.
Traveline Cymru, tel: 0871 200 2233,
travelinecymru.info
ORGANISATIONS: Brecknock Wildlife Trust,
Lion House, Bethel Square, Brecon, Powys
LD3 7AY. Tel: 01874 625708,
brecknockwildlifetrust.org.uk
COUNTY RECORDER: Andrew King,
andrew.king53@gmail.com
WEB SITES: brecknockbirds.co.uk
MAPS: OS Explorer OL 12,
OS Landranger 160
2
4
3
© Crown copyright 2016 Ordnance Survey. Media 026/16
birdwatching.co.uk 51

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birdwatching.co.uk 57

CREATE YOUR
PART 6
GARDEN PATCH
FROM SCRATCH
It’s time to invite other wildlife into editor
Matt’s garden, including bees and bugs!
BY MATT MERRITT
TRUNK STYLE BUG HOTEL
POND COMPLETE, WE’VE turned our
attention to the rest of the back garden, as
well as to the front. OK, I know the latter
isn’t strictly within the remit of this
garden patch challenge, but birds being
what they are, they flit pretty readily
from one to the other, so making one
wildlife-friendly involves doing the same
to the other, too. So, let’s get to work!
First task for me was creating some
bee and bug hotels. Some chunky
off-cuts from our Field Maple and
from a Viburnum bush were ideal for
this. I cut them all to roughly the
same length, and then drilled the
ends with holes of a variety of sizes.
These need to be reasonably deep
– about 3cm – and make sure you
clear the sawdust from the hole and
sand off the edges so that insects
don’t damage themselves going in
and out. After that, I stacked them
roughly in a sunny spot near the
Field Maple, and now it’s just a
matter of waiting to see if the holes
get plugged by solitary bees.
At the back, we’ve planted
sunflowers, which should not only
look great but also provide our
visiting birds with seeds in autumn.
And everything we planted last
month, with the exception of the
rhubarb, is doing well, too. The
previous owners had left a full
compost bin, and we’ve used it
liberally where necessary.
Throughout all the digging and
weeding, incidentally, we’ve found
only a couple of slugs, but a lot of
Hedgehog poo – we’re pretty sure the
large Hedgehog we noticed last
month is visiting regularly and
hoovering them up, proving just how
effective natural pest control can be.
Later in the summer, we’ll take a
look at creating some Hedgehog
refuges so that one or more can
hibernate in the garden over the
winter. Finally, at the front, that
Viburnum I mentioned has been
replaced (large parts of it were dead)
with an ornamental cherry tree,
while we’ve got a bit of a dilemma
about a young Ash that’s clearly
self-seeded in the midst of several
other bushes. Do we try to move it, to
give it and its neighbours the best
possible chance of survival?
As far as new birds are concerned,
the first few Swallows have gone
over, and both Chiffchaff and
Blackcap have made fleeting visits to
the Field Maple to sing and hopefully
survey the burgeoning insect life.
Throughout our days of digging,
Robins were a constant presence,
coming to within a couple of feet –
I think we have a pair at both front
and back, and there have been one or
two face-offs between these fiercely
territorial birds.
I stacked them roughly in a sunny spot ... and
now it’s just a matter of waiting to see if the holes
get plugged by bees
Tom Bailey
68 June 2016

ê INVITING
Matt’s been pruning and planting
in an effort to attract even more
wildlife to his garden
WHAT TO DO
ADRIAN THOMAS
RSPB wildlife gardening expert
We still have so much to learn about
bats. It’s amazing to think the
Soprano Pipistrelle was only
separated from the Common Pipistrelle in 1997, and
the Alcathoe Bat was first found in the UK in 2010,
but had probably been here for decades.
Only a few of our 17 species are regular garden
visitors, and they need to eat thousands of flying
insects! That means a garden which mimics a
woodland glade, with banks of trees to provide
protection from the wind, plus a pond and other
insect-rich habitats, stands a good chance of being
a regular stop-off during a bat’s night-time
wanderings. Bat boxes are well worth putting up,
too; they need to be made of untreated timber, with
snug joints, and ideally with two or more cavities.
Put up at different heights and facing different
directions, under the eaves or on tree trunks, ideally
with shelter above but a clear flightline in from
below. They may only be used occasionally, but
bats need that choice so they can always find
the optimum conditions, whatever time of year
it may be.
WHAT TO GROW
LIZ POTTER
Editor, Garden Answers
Fruit-bearing ornamental cherries are
an attractive source of early blossom
for pollinators and summer fruit for
birds. When planting one, add in plenty of organic
matter to the planting hole and water well.
Add a stake at 45° to prevent any wind from rocking
the plant and making the roots loose. Try to keep
the lawn from encroaching on the trunk – it will
compete for moisture while the young tree is
getting established.
You will have mulched the tree with well-rotted
organic matter in late winter (February) and fed with
a general
fertiliser. Keep
trees well
watered while
they’re
establishing and
protect the
flowers from
frost using a
large sheet of
horticultural
fleece. You may
not see fruit
until the tree is
about two to
four years old.
BIRDS ADDED TO
OUR GARDEN LIST
1. Chiffchaff
2. Blackcap
3. Swallow
NEXT MONTH: PREPARING
FOR SUMMER

GEAR
NEW PRODUCTS & GREAT SAVINGS FOR ALL YOUR BIRDING NEEDS
REVIEWS
FINE TUNING
OF A GREAT
PRODUCT
SWAROVSKI EL FIELDPRO 8.5x42
FROM £2,000 REVIEWED BY MATT MERRITT
SWAROVSKI’S EL BINOCULARS were revamped to great
effect only a few years back, so the launch of the FieldPro
package represents more of a fine-tuning of an already
outstanding product, rather than a reinvention of any kind.
So what’s new, exactly? In terms of optics, the image is still
very bright and very sharp right to the edges, giving a ‘walk-in’ feel
that brings a wide panorama into precise focus.
The cutaway design is the same, but the rubber armour has a more
‘grippy’ feel, and the focus wheel, which takes 2.5 clockwise turns
from close focus (1.5m) to infinity, is easier to grip and move (very
smoothly). The dioptre setting is precise and stays in place well.
Extras
The extras are where things have changed. The objective lens covers
have a new attachment, which keeps them secure but stops them
flapping about, and can be removed easily and replaced with lugs
to stop the hinge getting damaged.
The neoprene ‘comfort’ strap now has circular rather than flat
cords at the end, making moving the rainguard much easier, and
these attach quickly and simply using a twist mechanism. This
enables you to switch rapidly and easily to accessories such as
a floating strap (seawatchers might like this), a harness or a binoguard
in the field. Finally, the length of the strap itself can be
adjusted and then secured instantly using two twist controls.
VERDICT
A subtle but effective evolution of outstanding binoculars – the
optics are the same, but the design even more user-friendly.
The new attachments make the
strap easier to fit or swap for
other accessories such as a
harness, while the length of the
strap can be altered very quickly
by twisting the discs on the end
of the neoprene section.
74 June 2016

RATINGS
OPTICS êêêêê
HANDLING êêêêê
PRICE êêêê
OVERALL êêêêê
NB: Price rating reflects value for
money against others in its class
BIRDTRACK IOS APP VERSION 2.0
REVIEWED BY JONNY RANKIN
The focus wheel feels easier to
grip, especially through gloves,
thanks to more pronounced and
harder ridges. The pullout dioptre
adjuster is easy to set, and locks
in place, preventing accidental
movement in the field.
FACTFILE
Field of view (@1000m): 133m
Close focus: 1.5m
Eye relief: 20mm
Dimensions: 160mm x 131mm x 61mm
Weight: 835g
RRP: £2,000
Contact: uk.swarovskioptik.com
LONG STANDING BIRD
Watching readers may recall
that I was delighted back in
2013 when the BirdTrack app
hit the app store; indeed,
I have used the app routinely
ever since. This updated iOS
version considerably
broadens the app’s
capabilities, to the extent that
you can now use it globally!
As well as the convenience of
being able to use BirdTrack
while on holiday, your records
now add conservation value
to in-country organisations in
the same way as they do here.
Given the now broadreaching
scope of the app,
various taxonomies are available in-app. The ‘BirdTrack Legacy’
list is the one to go for if you are UK-based. If you travel widely,
you could leave it set on the default ‘International Ornithological
Congress’ list and merrily BirdTrack your way around the world!
When the overhauled version 2.0 hit the app store in March
2016, I hit some initial stumbling blocks, all of which have now
been overcome. Paying heed to the in-built help module would
have largely avoided the issues I faced, but much like flat-packed
DIY, who actually reads the instructions?
First, under the Settings section of the app, be sure to press
the blue ‘Update’ button once you have added your user details.
If you have used BirdTrack before, this will pull in your existing
sites and allow the app to recognise your location in relation to
your established nearby sites. Thereafter, the aforementioned
‘BirdTrack Legacy Baselist’ will ensure the familiar species’ names
are in use. I am aware that some users have expressed concern
over the removal of the ‘Casual’ recording tool from the app,
which allows for the input of a one-off sighting. However, this
functionality is still available; it is just that all records are
submitted in a standardised manner. For a casual record you
input in the normal way but leave the Complete List slider in the
Off position. This adds value to your BirdTrack records, as it
avoids a collection of ‘mobile sites’ building up in your site history
by ensuring all sites have a meaningful place name associated
with them – a very welcome change for end-users like County
Recorders! Overall, once you have set up the app, the
functionality is now closer to the desktop version than ever.
It is an incredibly powerful bird recording tool with the scope
now broadened to allow for data entry anywhere in the world!
In itself, that is a hugely impressive achievement - reducing the
World and its 10,000 birds to one app. Perhaps my favourite
functions are the ability to create and name sites in the field and
to cumulatively add to counts of already recorded species.
birdwatching.co.uk 75

UK BIRD SIGHTINGS MARCH
SOUTH WEST
Highlights In association with
Two species of North
American gull were
perhaps the rarest ‘newer’ birds. There
were potentially two adult Franklin’s
Gulls in Cornwall, at Siblyback
Reservoir and later in the month at
Walmsley Sanctuary. And, in Devon,
there was an adult Bonaparte’s Gull,
once more at Dawlish Warren NNR.
AVON
HIGHLIGHTS: First dates included Sand
Martin (14th), Wheatear (20th), Swallow and
White Wagtail (21st), Little Ringed Plover
(22nd), House Martin (25th), Willow Warbler
(30th) and a very early Hobby (31st).
PORTISHEAD AND CLEVEDON AREA:
There was a Red-breasted Merganser (7th),
Goosanders (13th and 23rd), 23 Common
Scoters (30th), two Little Ringed Plovers
(30th), four Ruff, ten Purple Sandpipers, a
Black Redstart (4th), with two (12th), and six
Crossbills (29th).
SEVERNSIDE: At the start of the month there
were good numbers of Kittiwakes. There was a
Little Gull (13th), with four (15th), 55 Brent
Geese (22nd) and eight Common Scoters plus
two Gannets (28th). Avocets were seen (11th
and 20th). Four Little Ringed Plovers, three
Ruff, a Marsh Harrier (14th), Short-eared Owl,
five Crossbills (23rd) and four Water Pipits were
noted.
THE RESERVOIRS: Blagdon held a
Black-necked Grebe all month and an
unexpected Jack Snipe (21st). Chew had a
Slavonian Grebe (29th-30th), Black-necked
Grebe (22nd and 26th), nine Common Scoters
(19th), an early Osprey (24th) and a Ring-billed
Gull (5th). There was a Kittiwake (12th), a Little
Gull and Sandwich Tern (28th), Firecrest (10th)
and four Bearded Tits (25th).
WESTON-SUPER-MARE: The estuary held 21
Common Scoters, two Eiders, four Gannets and
a Sandwich Tern (28th), and three Goosanders
(29th). There was an Avocet (22nd-23rd),
Firecrest (22nd) with two (23rd) and a Marsh
Harrier (23rd).
OTHER SITES: The spring Red Kite passage
saw birds at Oldbury Power Station (2nd),
Northwick (two on 4th, 14th and 15th),
Kingston Seymour (two on 13th), Sheppardine
and Aust (14th), Walton Common (15th), Chew
(15th and 16th), Folly Farm (16th), Redland
(18th), Durdham Down and Bishopston (21st),
Chipping Sodbury (21st and 28th), Abbots
Leigh (22nd), Weston-super-Mare (22nd and
23rd), Shockerwick and Portishead (23rd) and
St Andrews, Bristol (25th).
Oldbury Power Station held a Short-eared
Owl and Water Pipit (11th), Black Redstart
(13th), Scandinavian Rock Pipit (22nd) and
Sandwich Tern (28th). Three Cranes flew over
Thornbury (15th), with two over New Passage
(17th) and six over Congresbury (21st). A
Firecrest remained in Eastville Park, Bristol (to
12th). A Smew was at Chipping Sodbury (12th).
Richard Mielcarek
CHANNEL ISLANDS
GUERNSEY: Great Northern Diver, Slavonian
Grebe, Great Crested Grebe and Brent Geese
were noted throughout. Marsh Harriers were
widespread. A Little Ringed Plover was on the
Colin Best Reserve (26th). A Common
Sandpiper was seen. Mediterranean Gulls were
at Colin Best and Havelet. Two Iceland Gulls
remained in the Town Harbour.
Puffins returned (22nd).
Several Kingfishers were seen. First dates
included Sand Martin (26th), Swallow (23rd),
House Martin (25th), Wheatear (25th) and
Willow Warbler (30th). A Water Pipit was at
Fort Le Crocq. A Cetti’s Warbler was at Grands
Pre. Siskins were in several gardens. Linnets
were on the west coast.
JERSEY: St Ouen’s held Water Pipits, 20 Marsh
Harriers, 65 Shovelers, Cetti’s Warblers,
Bearded Tits, Shelducks, Little Grebes, Snipe,
Lapwings, 20 Teal, a Whooper Swan and Merlin.
La Rocque had a Cattle Egret, Black Brant, 33
Herons, 60 Little Egrets, 15 Sandwich Tern, 20
Great Northern Divers, 100 Redwings,
Fieldfares, Woodcocks, White Wagtails, a Little
Ringed Plover and Hobby.
Grouville Logged Water Pipits, five Cirl
Buntings, a Jack Snipe, Snipe, Marsh Harriers,
Sandwich Terns, Black Redstarts, ten
Mediterranean Gulls, Brent Geese, divers,
grebes, Red-breasted Mergansers and a
Red-breasted Goose. Choughs and a Ring
Ouzel were at Sorel. Seven Dartford Warblers
were at Noirmont. Firecrests and Bramblings
were in wooded valleys. A Kingfisher was at
Queen’s Valley Reservoir.
A Wheatear and Short-eared Owl were at
Les Landes (8th). Peregrines were in St Helier
and on the north coast. Seventy pale-bellied
and 200 dark-bellied Brent Geese were at
Goose Green Marsh.
A House Martin was at Pontac. Two Puffins
and a Razorbill were at Plemont with Fulmar
and Shags. Hundreds of Sand Martins, Swallows
and Linnets moved through at the end of
the month.
Rod Ferbrache and Bertram Bree
DEVON
NORTH DEVON: Braunton logged a
Spoonbill, Barn Owl, Green Sandpiper, 100
Sand Martins and a Little Ringed Plover.
Bursdon Moor had two Hen Harriers, a
Peregrine and Merlin. The Taw Estuary had ten
Goosanders, 50 Sanderling and 289
dark-bellied Brent Geese. Fourteen
Snowy Owl
St Just, Cornwall,
4 April
Mediterranean Gulls and a Red-throated Pipit
were at Skern. A Merlin was at Morte Point.
Red Kites were in the Sterridge Valley and at
Filleigh. Lundy had four Swallows, a Sand
Martin, three Wheatears, 18 Pied Wagtails and a
Woodcock. Baggy Point had 120 Sand Martins,
two White Wagtails and a Red Kite. Rillage
Point had 18 Swallows and 45 Meadow Pipits.
Lower Tamar Lake held three Willow Tits, a
Cetti’s Warbler and Kingfisher.
SOUTH DEVON: Bowling Green Marsh
logged a Brambling, Spotted Redshank, Water
Rail, eight Grey Plovers, 250 Redshanks, two
Greenshanks, 300 Black-tailed Godwits, 250
Avocets, a Peregrine, 25 Sanderling, 40 Knot,
three Cetti’s Warblers, 22 Pintails, a
Mediterranean Gull, Spotted Sandpiper, 15
Bar-tailed Godwits, two Spotted Redshanks and
45 Sand Martins. Slapton Ley had a Marsh
Harrier, Bittern, five Goldeneyes, three Cetti’s
Warblers and a Great Northern Diver.
Five Black Redstarts, nine Ring-necked
Parakeets and a Glaucous Gull were in
Plymouth. Dawlish Warren had two Slavonian
Grebes, 14 Great Crested Grebes, 22
Red-breasted Mergansers, 14 Shags, 20
Sanderling, a Knot, four Wheatears and ten
Sandwich Terns. Torbay had two Great Northern
Divers, four Cirl Buntings, a Hobby and
Firecrest. Burrator Reservoir had three
Goosanders and two Scaup. Dunsford had a
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.
East Soar had 200 Golden Plovers, a Merlin
and Cirl Bunting. Yellow-browed Warblers were
at Crediton and Exeter. The Exe Estuary logged
a Bonaparte’s Gull, Black Brant, four pale-bellied
Brents, a Spotted Redshank, 15 Knot, an Osprey,
Water Pipit and two Green Sandpipers. Seaton
Marshes had a Glossy Ibis, Green-winged Teal,
two Water Rails, a Little Ringed Plover, three
Ruff, a Yellow-legged Gull and three
Goldeneyes.
West Charleton Marsh had a Cirl Bunting,
Jack Snipe, Whimbrel and Merlin. Rippon Tor,
Dartmoor and Exminster Marsh had
Short-eared Owls. Budleigh Salterton had two
Firecrests, eight Red-throated Divers and four
Common Scoters. Red Kites were at Bovey
Tracey and Sidford. Prawle Point had three
Red-throated Divers, 19 Common Scoters, 54
Meadow Pipits, 26 Wheatears, 55 Manx
Shearwaters and three Black-throated Divers.
Exmouth had an Iceland Gull, Purple Sandpiper
David Carr
and a Firecrest. Exminster had a Ruff and two
Little Ringed Plovers. Dartmeet had 300
Golden Plovers. Berry Head had a Black
Redstart and six Cirl Buntings. Hopes Nose
logged 12 Manx Shearwaters, 75 Fulmars and
65 Kittiwakes. A Cattle Egret was at
Powderham.
THURLESTONE BAY: Highlights included a
Whooper Swan, two Pintails, four Garganeys,
29 Common Scoters, two Red-throated Divers,
four Great Northern Divers, three Fulmars, 67
Gannets, five Little Egrets, four Great Crested
Grebes, a Marsh Harrier, Merlin, Peregrine, 27
Oystercatchers, a Little Ringed Plover, three
Ringed Plovers, a Knot, 30 Bar-tailed Godwits,
a Dunlin, ten Snipe, eight Turnstones, 12
Kittiwakes, seven Mediterranean Gulls, two
Yellow-legged Gulls and four Sandwich Terns.
There were two Firecrests, a Marsh Tit, 25
Chiffchaffs, a Siberian Chiffchaff, five
Fieldfares, 30 Redwings, a Black Redstart, two
White Wagtails, 50 Meadow Pipits, three Water
Pipits and Cirl Buntings at two sites.
Harvey Kendall and Mike Passman
(thurlestonebaybirds.co.uk)
SOUTH EAST
Highlights In association with
Perhaps the most
unusual record of
the month was a report on 4th March
of at least six of the delightful
white-headed northern nominate
subspecies (caudatus) of Long-tailed
Tit, in a flock of Long-tailed Tits at
St Margaret’s at Cliffe, Kent. Other
Norther Long-tailed Tits were seen
elsewhere in Kent during the month,
especially early on.
BEDFORDSHIRE
HIGHLIGHTS: A Red-necked Grebe was at
Radwell GP (18th). A Garganey was at Roxton
GP (30th). An Osprey was at The Lodge (8th),
with a Ring Ouzel there (24th). A Great Grey
Shrike was between Langford and Henlow (1st).
A Black Redstart was at Tempsford (16th-17th).
A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Marston Moretaine
(25th). Two Common Scoters flew over
Marston Moretaine (12th), with others at
Stewartby Lake (20th), Brogborough Lake
(21st), Grovebury SP (29th), Priory CP
(29th-31st) and Box End (30th).
A House Martin was at Priory CP (28th). A
Little Gull was at Brogborough Lake (28th). A
Scaup was at Rookery Pits (6th). Kittiwakes
were at Broom GP (5th), Marston Vale
Millennium CP (9th) and two at Grovebury SP
(9th). A Spotted Redshank was at Broom GP
(23rd).
Robin Chittenden. For the latest bird news
please phone 09068 700 245. Calls to 09068
700245 from a landline or mobile phone cost
65p per minute plus your telephone company
access charge. Service provided by Birdline East
Anglia. For enquiries please call 0330 3336946
or 07941333970. www.birdlineeastanglia.co.uk
BERKSHIRE
HIGHLIGHTS: A Glaucous Gull was at Knowl
Hill (3rd-8th)
BURGHFIELD GP: Highlights included three
Pintails, three Red-crested Pochards, a Smew
(from 5th), Water Rail (25th) and three
Oystercatchers (19th-20th).
84 June 2016

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