Having spent a couple of days at the coast looking for waders, I found myself distracted by the sound of terns. A drowsy shoreline is made wilder by the creeking and squeeking of these art deco sculptures- the very essence of sleekness and speed.
Saturday, 31 July 2021
Sunday, 25 July 2021
Hit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5fAWpv_axs
Everything seemed to crank up after half-term and free time seemed to slip away quickly. However there were some dirty hits of rare birds and twitchery that were too good to miss. Adding to the Mediterranean flavour of the Yorkshire twitch a Roller pitched up at the end of June not far out of the Ely10 at Icklingham on the edge of the Brecks. It took 5 days before I could squeeze in an after work visit but it was well worth it. The flambouyant predator doing it's huge Shrikey thing from roadside wires.
A surprise came in the form of the return of a Black-browed Albatross to the cliffs at Bempton. With the returning North Sea BB Albatross mauled and hacked by a flock of 9 Sea Eagles off the Danish coast earlier in the spring there was a general malaise about the prospects of an Albatross making it onto the cliffs of the Great White Cape again. Seems there's been a second bird out there all along and there was jubilation as it returned and settled into some level of predictability. During the late 80's as youngsters based in York we always fancifully dreamed, on our YOC trips to Bempton, that an Albatross would settle in the growing Gannetry - as one had done at Bass Rock from 1967 and then on Shetland from 1972 to 1995.
Nonchalant to seafolk, Bass Rock hosted Albie from 1967 - 69
A pre-dawn drive led to a 5am arrival at the clifftop where within minutes I had my eyes on this iconic bird, although I have seen many Albatross on pelagics off New Zealand and Australia, this was different and a tremendous buzz.
With the rest of the day stretched ahead of me and one childhood dream fulfilled I started to hatch another plan. During the early 90's I made several unsuccessful attempts to see Elsie, the returning Lesser Crested Tern, on the Farne Islands and Yorkshire coast. Subsequently we found our own Elsie at the salt pans near Roquetas De Mar on a package holiday to Spain and another more recently in Morocco but I still had a yearning to see a yellow billed tern doing it's thing in a Sandwich Tern colony. I'd been a bit surprised to miss the breeding Elegant Terns at Nourmoutier in France during a summer holiday a few years ago, so as I drove down the M18 I challenged myself to drive past the A1 turn off and head west on the M62. 3 hrs later I pulled into the car park at Cemlyn Bay on Anglesey hopeful of putting another youthful fancy to bed. I loved Cemlyn Bay - a pair of Black Guillemot bobbed around in the moon shaped bay and Chough charred over head. Walking the shingle the cacophony of the tern colony heightened and I was pleased to see that the nesting island was very close - any views I had of the summering Elegant Tern would be epic. An indeed they were.
3am Eternal
The first view of the coast floored me. A bank of thick, contoured cloud was settled low over the sea with the sun rising into a clear sky of tangerine through to peach and deep blue above. The coast and the outline of the Abbey set against that. Very special.
Not long after dawn I heard the gorgeous tremulous exuberant exotica of Beeater calls from within the little valley but couldn't see the birds. A bit of searching and moving around to get a view and 7 of the 9 beauties were on view.
After drinking these beauties in I decided to look for the Shrike. I had a hope that I might be able to watch the Shrike and the Beeaters at the same time and the Beeaters were becoming more vocal and ready to depart. A quick hack across a field and I was enjoying a cracking bird, really handsome. To top it off the Beeater calls started to crescendo and the flock of 9 swirled over head and regrouped to head south along the coast. I was back home for breakfast and a day with the family - all credit intact.
Friday, 9 July 2021
Saturday, 26 June 2021
Angels of Death take wing.
Summer has reached its zenith once again, and thanks to a tip-off from Andrew, I managed to see two remarkable spectacles in hte heart of the city, yesterday evening. The Peregrines have been even more successful this year than last, with four chicks fledging - though one seems to have gone missing. They perched on the golden stones until the adults returned, and then took to the air in a short display of raucous flight.
Down in the dappled light of the Canonry garden, a Spotted Flycatcher flicked into view - never still for more than a few seconds.
Monday, 31 May 2021
When You Sleep #2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcOhXThqh_0
Birding the candle at both ends is a continuing theme through the spring and following last years brief Nightjar residency at Chippenham Fen it was always going to be worth a couple of dusk strolls. I met Mark H and took a saunter into the damp, open woodland. A Woodcock grunted a welcome as it ploughed it's aerial furrow and the evening chorus was underpinned with the reeling of Grasshopper Warblers. A flyover Curlew was notable but tonight there was no mechanical churring or visit from a Nightjar.
We headed over to Wicken Fen and enjoyed trying to work out the physics of Grasshopper Warbler song, particularly more distant birds. Two conundrums present themselves - firstly reeling Grasshopper Warblers are easier to hear when walking but the song often then disappears when you stop to listen, secondly reeling can often be heard with one ear but ear cupping with both ears can effectively eliminate the sound from hearing. Something to do with Doppler I think and then Schroedinger I imagine.
And to imagination it all then went.......
Nearing the end of the Bakers Fen bank, well past midnight, we dawdled, reminiscing about the Marsh Warbler we'd found there singing it's heart out last spring. We'd also been talking about upcoming pelagics and seawatching in the south west - all booked for the summer. I had definitely zoned out and was thinking about Pteradroma's when I heard, clearly but absent mindedly, the very call I had been listening to on Xeno Canto with frequency, over the past month. Like some mad head I asked Mark if he'd heard the bonkers giggle of Little Crake. He hadn't and I immediately questioned if I had actually daydreamed the sound, a silent minute or two. I decided it must have been a short phrase of Sedge Warbler but then it called again and it still sounded exactly as a female Little Crake should. Mark hadn't heard it but now I knew I wasn't in fanciful territory, well there was a thing out there making a noise - the idea that it was a Little Crake still admittedly on the fanciful side. Another silent vigil and there again - Mark heard it this time and a little shocked we both agreed that it did sound exactly like a Little Crake. It was late and we knew that into the night these particular Crakes become very quiet so we were not surprised, after another half hour of listening, that we didn't hear the bird again. What to do........
Following the nocturnal Broad Billed Sandpiper that got away, I am now experimenting with continuously recording audio when out birding. The Crake was a subtle call not easy to pick up so I didn't expect that the recording would be much use. I was heading to Yorkshire with the family early next morning but I did grab some time to check the recording on Audacity. Once I'd located the dialogue I listened for the Crake, nothing first time but when I cranked up the volume - boom - there was the giggle. I sent the Birdo brethren the audio and we rang just a couple of people who could verify the record if it were to call again that night - which indeed it did and all seemed happy with the identification so the news has gone out. All a bit crazy really but very, very rewarding.
Post Script - for several nights it was heard intermittently and then a germ of doubt quickly led to a re-identification of the call as a snippet of nocturnal Shelduck song. A new ID pitfall for calling female Little Crake (that also removed a 2021 Yorkshire record) - in theory it's great to add to the ornithological knowledge base but I'd have preferred not to feel the pangs of disappointment that lasted several days.
Slow
Unlike the Swifts that hurtled past me at great speed as I walked the lode besides Smithy Fen, I was twice too slow over the weekend to catch up with any of the many Sanderling passing through the inland counties at the moment. A smart 2 CY Caspian Gull was some recompense and any day where Swifts are in abundance and sharing their airspace with you has to be red letter.
Sunday, 23 May 2021
When You Sleep
Me and Mark H went out prospecting for Crakes on a beautiful still evening out on the Nene Washes. Over the winter Ade Long had been talking to me quite a bit about continuous recording when out birding. I had an WAV recorder and mic with me and had been recording Godwit "song" only half an hour prior to the events that Mark reported to Cambirds below.
I have just returned from a few hours birding on the Washes with Duncan Poyser.
Birds included;
Wood Sandpiper one over low wash calling at dusk
Garganey 3 drks
Greenshank 3+
Cattle Egret
Barn Owl
Hobby
Barnacle Goose 2
However, the highlight came at c.10.15pm when we both independently heard a distant wader call once (we both thought Dunlin), but then it called again much closer, and almost directly overhead, and which point we realised it wasn't a Dunlin! There then followed 3 more clear calls (spaced 1-2 seconds apart) as the bird headed east down the low wash. The call was structured like a Dunlin, but deeper toned (not so dry or shrill) and more vibrant. A drawn-out and buzzing 'bree-et' call, slightly rising at the end (and unlike any call that either of us have heard before). I went to record the call on my telephone, but by the time it called again it was to far away.
We suspected a wader immediately, and checked Curlew Sandpiper and the then Broad-billed Sandpiper recordings. This call on Xeno-canto is a near perfect match for what we heard.
The same type of calls can be heard here too (although these birds are calling more frequently, perhaps because of the weather conditions).
Of course we will never know for sure, but we thought it best to report it, just in-case. How I wish we had got a sound-recording! An exciting nocturnal experience for both Duncan and I, and another reminder that there is magic in birding even after the sun has set.
Regards,
Mark
Saturday, 22 May 2021
Under the Pressure
Cambridgeshire Big Day 2021
We had a pootle around the county to see what we could see
Time Machine
I'm going to do my best to cover all the great birding of the last 4 months where, with far too much work to do, getting out birding has taken priority over writing about it afterwards. I'm going to do a whistle stop tour of the highlights in a roughly chronological order.
At the tail end of January amidst a strict lockdown, I found what, on the face off it, still appears to be a female Ferruginous Duck at Pymoor. Quite a few folk saw it and agreed, in fact many hours were spent checking this birds features as hybrids are so frequent. During the spring I have seen 6 hybrids with the Pochard flock and unfortunately several of these were photographed and reported as the Ferruginous Duck, clouding the waters of identification somewhat for the Twitterati. I don't think the videos I took help much either as in adjusting the brightness to get some features of a very dark bird I have overexposed features which do not reflect the bird as it appeared. We shall have to see what the committees make of it but I think I'm going to have to hold out for a classy looking, unringed male. Shortly after its departure a very similar looking bird appeared in Worcestershire. Ben took some nice sketches and notes on the first day of it's stay.
The lower reaches of the Washes were productive during February with 3 Glossy Ibis, a showy Shag and plenty of Water Pipits around Earith.
I checked the gull roost at Witcham Gravel a few times hoping for the locally wintering Kumlien's Gull to appear - it didn't for me but a good run of Caspian Gulls did.
March started really well when Ian Barton photographed an immature White Tailed Eagle over Stretham. Fortunately the news went out quickly and I was able to get from work to a nearby vantage point with a huge vista across Wicken Fen, Burwell and across to Newmarket. After 10 minutes or so I picked the bird up being mobbed by an fury of corvids as it headed SE out into Suffolk. I, like many, presumed this would be a wandering bird from the Isle of Wight re-introduction but it transpired not to be a tagged bird and considered "wild". The following weeks saw a fascinating back and forth of a tagged and untagged bird in the Ely 10 with the tagged bird staying for several days along the Washes.
Photo - back of camera Ian Barton from WhatsApp
A drake Smew was found at Pymoor, but an early morning search proved fruitful, although I didn't see the white nun. However it did reveal a summer plumage Black-necked Grebe and a little further up the Washes at Four Balls Farm I said a big hello to a drake Ring-necked Duck as it weaved it's way through the willow tangle of the far bank. This was a long overdue find and a bird, despite seeing many over the years, I'd been actively looking trying to find for well over 30 years. I managed to get the phone on the scope and get some brief and grainy footage.
A few days later I caught up with the Smew which stayed through Easter and showed well. To confuse matters further a bulkier Ferruginous hybrid appeared for a day, as all the diving duck departed, and looked just like the bird present at Stanwick, Northamptonshire last year. A Dark Bellied Brent Goose was hanging out with the Greylags too.
Spring was slow to get rolling with a drip drip drip but the quality of inland migration was high. Early in April a Black Redstart was a delight, flicking around manure heaps at Tubney Fen.
I took a trip to the Brecks to look at the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers which were in company of over 100 Crossbills and a very confiding Otter. I took some time to check out the woods where we'd found an old Goshawk nest. This spot proved very productive with 3 pairs of Goshawks up and displaying at one point. Some incredible views of my favourite bird of prey.
A very smart Little Tern spent a few hours at Isleham Washes, I have held out little faith of connecting with a Little Tern in the Ely10 so this was a very exciting twitch, just 10 minutes from work. The punk Avocets there were also very showy.
Photo - Paul Wiseman from WhatsApp
As the month progressed migration stepped up and initially some favourable easterly elements delivered multiple Whimbrel, Bar Tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Little Gulls and Arctic Terns. A lovely afterwork visit to Kingfishers Bridge produced all these and a trio of Black Terns twisting between the Little Gulls. A couple of Ring Ouzel had a prolonged stay here too.
Feeding ducks with the kids I stumbled on a Kingfishers nest by Soham Duck pond, it was lovely to watch these birds at close quarters.
The Washes drained pretty quickly with only a few pools concentrating the remaining wildfowl and newly arrived Garganey.
Almost up to date, although the spring has been protracted and full of inclement weather we have seen the welcome return of some local scarcities around Ely, in addition to the Peregrines and Marsh Harriers doing their thing we have had a Bittern booming at the Beet Pits, Nightingales at Roswell, squeeking young Long-eared Owls here in Stuntney and Chinese Water Deer finally showing a little better.
Photo - Bruce Liggit
Wednesday, 19 May 2021
Open Season
A gang of Tufted Ducks dropped onto the big pond in front of the main hide at Welney. One female, seemingly already paired up, and a few rival suitors determined to make their presence felt. Their pootling calls and general sidling were not appreciated, and every minute or so, a sudden rush by the possessive male kept them at arms length.
Out on one of the prongs of land at the back of the pool, one of the Godwits has so far withstood the attentions of the Crows, Gulls and other Harriers, and kept her nest safe. She's an unringed bird, but quite recogniseable with a mix of summer and winter tertials, and some summer coverts forming a patch on the rear of the wing area to compliment the mostly summer patterned scapulars.
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