A French Bonus

Saturday. The bright, sunny, and wind-free morning was perfect for a return to the Sand Martin colony at Cockerham where a motionless mist net would be hidden in the shade of the quarry face. 

Andy and I had decided to return knowing that unlike the last visit, there would be youngsters this time.  At first we caught no young, just adults coming and going on their early morning forays. 

Very soon along came “MUSEUM PARIS” with number 8998514, an adult female. The French ringed Sand Martin was a bonus, almost certainly ringed at Loire Atlantique where the River Lore meets the Atlantic Ocean, where ringers catch large numbers of migrating Sand Martins  on their journeys to and from Africa. 

Sand Martin

An hour or so later we’d caught 31 Sand Martins - 24 new ones, 6 recaptures, and Paris 8998514. Included in the 24 new Sand Martins were 11 birds of the year (juveniles) the remainder all adults. All are now on the database and with luck we should receive details of the French ringed one from the French ringing scheme soon. 

Sand Martin - juvenile

Sand Martin - juvenile

 

The martins kept us both fairly busy in taking them from our single 60 foot net and then processing each one by age, sex, breeding condition, wing and weight.  

Wing lengths varied with the shortest juvenile wing length of 84mm and then up to 105, the tinier wing lengths an indication of their age. During database input three of the juveniles threw up a DemOn message as potential errors on wing length measurement. The measurements were correct  and provided a clue to the fact that the young martins were very recently fledged and yet to complete their growth to adulthood.       

Meanwhile adult wings ranged from 103 to 111mm. The eleven juveniles weighed consistently heavier than the adults so it looks like the current fine weather is producing plenty of insect food. Juveniles - 12.3gms to 14.6gms adults from 11.8gms to 13.8gms. 

There was little time for birding except to note two pairs of Oystercatcher and a single but vocal Whooper Swan, the latter a left over from winter. By rights the Whooper Swan should now be several hundred miles away in Iceland. 

Whooper Swan

A pair of Little Ringed Plovers flew in briefly but left quickly when the resident pair of Oystercatchers started throwing their weight around. We think the plovers flew off in the direction of Conder Green where at least one has been present since April without any reports of breeding success.  

Little Ringed Plover

Back home in the garden there was a nest full of 5 Greenfinch chicks at an ideal age for ringing. 

It’s good to report that around here at least Greenfinches are doing better than for a number of years. The songs and calls of Greenfinches are back on the soundtrack of garden birds and I do think we have a small colony of the species in local gardens and hedgerows. 

“Trichomonosis is the name given to a disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas gallinae. It has been recorded in a number of garden bird species and is widely acknowledged to be the causal factor in the rapid decline of the British Greenfinch population first noted in late summer 2006.” 

 

Greenfinch

Let’s hope that Greenfinches are making a real comeback. A cause for celebration.

 

Mayday, Mayday!

For the hills of Oakenclough one weather forecast predicted rain for Wednesday. The other promised 50/50 of showers and cloud. Both were sure of there being less than  5mph wind so we simply had to go for it. I met Andy at 0600 to a light drizzle that came and went for the next two hours. We had two hours simply because there were no birds to be had other than the 2 Lesser Redpoll and a single Willow Warbler that found the nets; the overnight 100% cloud and another easterly waft did us no favours. 

Willow Warbler

 Lesser Redpoll

Otherwise we heard and a few Siskins overhead and then a single Swallow that flew quickly north. This really has been a very unproductive spring up here where the temperature has been consistently lower than the coast some 10 miles downhill and where most migrant birds, perhaps with the exception of Swallows, appeared to arrive on time. 

This was probably our last post-winter/spring session here at Oakenclough with just 154 captures. Leading the tallies were respectable totals of 33 Lesser Redpoll, 28 Goldfinch, 20 Siskin and 12 Chaffinch. Much more disappointing were just 10 Goldcrest, 6 Willow Warbler, 5 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff for the spring period that was dominated by cold easterly winds. Just one of those Willow Warblers was a female, suggesting that the females are still on their way here.

As I motored down to sea level the distant coast looked much clearer and a little inviting so I called into Conder Green for a look. 

Waders are pretty numerous there now that there is exposed mud and lots of places for nests. I counted 6 Avocets as three pairs, one pair of Little Ringed Plover, 22 Oystercatcher, 14 Redshank, 12 Black-tailed Godwit , 1 Greenshank, 2 Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron. While both Black-tailed Godwit and Greenshank are migrants, the Redshanks and Oystercatchers are pretty much paired for breeding. 

Little Ringed Plover  

Eurasian Avocet

At least one pair of Shelduck are about to breed as I watched a male vigorously chase a second male off a prime spot from the island habitat. Likewise the Tufted Ducks are mostly paired up with 14 counted. 

Shelduck 

As I stood at the viewing screen a Blackcap sang in my left ear with both Dunnock and Robin present. Further along the coastal path I found Common Whitethroat and a lone Willow Warbler, but very few Swallows or House Martins on the move. 

We are due cold northerlies this weekend. Luckily I will be somewhere slightly warmer by Friday lunchtime.

Slowly Does It

This ringing lark gets more difficult to predict. After the rain and wind of Sunday and Monday we felt sure that a fine start to Tuesday might produce an influx of birds to our site at Oakenclough. I met up with Andy at 0630 and then we waited, and waited. 

It was a good thing that the feeders were well topped up because that is where we realised the majority of our 20 birds, mostly finches: 14 Goldfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Willow Warbler and 1 Goldcrest. 

Of the 14 Goldfinch, 11 were birds of the year in varying stages of post-juvenile moult. An adult female had a clear and well-defined brood patch suggestive of current or very recent breeding this late in August. Such determined productivity and willingness to adopt the suburban garden defines the outstanding success of this now abundant species. 

Goldfinch 

In the field someone might easily label the below Blackcap as an adult male because of the black cap. Closer scrutiny showed a juvenile/first year tail but also, the tell-tale remnants of a juvenile brown cap. By late August juvenile male Blackcaps show hardly if any brown in their black caps. 

Blackcap 

Blackcap 

Ageing autumn Willow Warblers in the field is very hard, some might say impossible with any degree of certainty given the often brief views of a tiny warbler flitting through the greenery. 

The process is much easier in the hand when we employ an understanding of the moult strategy of Willow Warblers to separate the two age classes. Adult Willow Warblers go through a complete autumn moult while juveniles undertake a partial moult, so that by late summer/early August individual birds of different ages can initially appear identical. 

The tails of adults are typically broad, rounded with little or no abrasion; juvenile tails are usually narrower, more pointed and usually look more worn that the equivalent adult tail. In general but not absolutely, adults have whiter bellies than first year birds. 

Willow Warbler 

There seemed to be little visible migration this morning with just tiny groups of Goldfinch and Chaffinch making their way overhead. We saw 10-20 Swallows heading south and a probable local Sparrowhawk. 

We followed up a sighting of a few days ago – five or six Little Ringed Plovers on the margins of the nearby reservoir where the water level remains at summery lows. Yes indeed, 5 Little Ringed Plover. Thanks Peter. 

Little Ringed Plover 

Looks like a day off tomorrow. But back on Thursday with Another Bird Blog. 

Mostly Menorca

Today was rather quiet with little to report from the local patch except for an unlikely twosome - a retreating-to-the-barn Barn Owl and a fly-over Ring-necked Parakeet at Conder Green. There are still 26 Black-tailed Godwits and the usual wildfowl, waders and brown-jobs singing from the roadside and the hedgerows. 

Barn Owl

You can’t win them all, so today I’m posting more pictures from our recent Menorca holiday. "Click the pics" to see Menorca in a colourful slide show.

In addition to birds this post features a number of photos from the historic and picturesque town of Alaior, just a mile or two inland from some of the holiday resorts frequented by large numbers of visitors to Menorca. It is such a pity that towns like Alaior, Es Mercadal, Ferreries and Sant Lluis remain unexplored by many tourists. These charming and lovely municipalities remain true to the unspoilt nature of the island; within their quiet streets there is much to discover and appreciate. 

A number of long abandoned salt workings/sea inlets of the northern coast of Menorca hold a good variety of waders in the right seasons. Our wader list from the two sites Ses Salines and Addaia included Black-winged Stilt, Greenshank, Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Avocet and Greater Flamingo. Add in a few specials like Blue-headed Wagtail and Ospreys, plus the everyday Nightingale, Cetti’s Warbler, Tawny Pipit, Sardinian Warbler, Woodchat Shrike and Turtle Dove and there are enough birds to satisfy the most demanding of bird watchers. 

Ringed Plover and Little Stint

 Little Ringed Plover

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Addaia

Wood Sandpiper

Unlike most places where the species occurs in Northern Europe, the five pairs of Menorcan Ospreys are residents and do not migrate to and from Africa. At Addaia salt pans we saw two Ospreys hunting close together.

Osprey

The route to and from these localities provides a picturesque and untroubled route on quiet roads, plus a reason to stop for lunch on the way back to our south coast hotel. When necessary we would stop to note roadside shrikes, Turtle Doves and Red Kites.

Woodchat Shrike

Turtle Dove

Alaior, the home of the famous Mahon Cheese, is Menorca’s third largest town after Mahon and Ciutadella. With its narrow streets and white washed houses Alaior is a simply beautiful historic town, founded in 1304 by King Jaume 11 of Mallorca. Its church Santa Eulàlia was rebuilt in the 17th century and remains a wonderful example of Menorca’s historic past.

Alaior - Menorca

Alaior - Menorca

Alaior - Menorca

 Alaior - Menorca

 Alaior - Menorca

Potential visitors to the island should note that the need for siesta is respected in all of the inland towns and the two major cities, Mahon and Ciutadella. The sacrosanct hours are usually between approximately 1330 and 1730 hours. There’s much to be said for taking an early afternoon nap in the heat of the day and then enjoying the warmth of a Menorcan late afternoon and evening with a glass of Cava to hand. 

Alaior - Menorca

Alaior - Menorca

We're on our way south through the island now where Egyptian Vultures cruise overhead all day long and can be seen almost anywhere, often at a good height, occasionally dropping into the fields to search for food on foot. In most cases the cream and black adults seem to be in the majority with just occasional sightings of younger birds like the one below.

 Egyptian Vulture

A whistle stop less than a mile from the main road north to south and it’s those Bee-eaters again, this time with a Menorcan snail thrown in. 

Bee-eater

I will try and do some local birding tomorrow but the forecast is rather poor with heavy rain predicted.

Be sure to log in soon anyway as there will always be new birds to see on Another Bird Blog. In the meantime you can see more blue skys at Sky Watch Friday or birds on fences at Theresa's Run A Round Ranch. 

Tuesday’s Trip

Today there is detail of a Brambling recovery plus a little birding news. 

On March 2nd 2013 at Out Rawcliffe I caught an adult male Brambling bearing a Norwegian ring - Stavanger ED78766. The photograph below is of the actual bird after I managed to locate the pic on my PC. 

Brambling

The details have just arrived from the BTO via Norwegian ringers who inform us that the Brambling was originally ringed at Randaberg, Rogaland, Norway on 11th October 2011. Randaberg is close to the Norwegian coast and just north of Stavanger, an area where many, many thousands of Bramblings pass through each autumn on their way to winter in Europe. We don’t know where ED 78766 spent the winter of 2011/12 but we do know that 2012/13 was a good winter to find Bramblings in the UK, this being the second such recovery from the ringing at Rawcliffe in 2012/13. 

Brambling - Norway to Out Rawcliffe

This morning I headed to Conder Green for a spot of birding. Just through Cockerham village I noticed many hundreds of Swallows along roadside wires and in the air. Looking right I remembered the large field of maize crop I pass often and from where the Swallows had obviously just woken up after their overnight roost.

Swallow

Conder was pretty quiet, just as it has been in recent days. The now single Little Ringed Plover was still there, as was the Spotted Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 60+ Redshanks and 300+ Lapwings. The rest of the birds came in two by twos - 2 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 2 Stock Dove, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Cormorant and 2 Little Egret. 

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

 

Mute Swan and Cormorant

With nothing much happening at sleepy Glasson I decided to try my luck at Pilling and the incoming tide. 

Canal Boats at Glasson

This wasn’t much better, a walk to Fluke and back giving a good show of herons - 5 Little Egret and 4 Grey Heron, but the tide a little too distant for decent wader numbers. There was a Buzzard circling over Lane Ends and when I approached Pilling Water, 2 juvenile Kestrels from the nearby nest box. 

Kestrel

There are released Mallards at the wildfowlers pools and in the ditches, easy to identify as they just stick together in a tight bunch on the water as if still in penned captivity. Teal are beginning to arrive in numbers with 140+ today, some already finding the wheat put out for them about the pools. A Green Sandpiper today but no sign of the usual Greenshank. 

Any day now the 2000+ Red-legged Partridge will be released - that should bring in a few harriers and Buzzards, keep the Peregrine happy and also provide some entertainment for Another Bird Blog. 

Linking today to Stewart's Gallery.

Green For Go

Conder Green and Glasson were the venues this morning, where after a slow start I eventually found a good selection of birds. Following a few blank days with the camera there are new pictures for blog readers, so as ever dear friends,  'click the pics' to enjoy. 

I finally got good views of the somewhat elusive Little Ringed Plovers, two siblings running around the pool margins close together but not near enough to get the two in the same frame properly. A little patience paid off when one came closer. 

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

The Spotted Redshank here since mid-June is now in almost complete grey winter plumage and I found it feeding alone again, not mixing with the 40+ Redshanks in the tidal channel. A single Greenshank today, 5 Common Sandpiper, 3 Snipe, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Oystercatcher and 45 Lapwing completed the wader count. Wildfowl and herons - 1 Goldeneye, 2 Wigeon, 4 Tufted Duck, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Little Egret and 1 Grey Heron. 

Little Egrets are indeed little and here’s a picture of one in the company of Mallards today. 

Little Egret and Mallards

Passerines - 10 Goldfinch, 2 Tree Sparrow, 2 Greenfinch and 3 Pied Wagtail. 

A Kingfisher treated me to a fishing display, plunge diving or then barely breaking the surface of the water to grab a tiny fish before flying back to sit at the sluice wall. 

Kingfisher

 

Kingfisher

Good numbers of waders at Glasson where against the bright morning light I managed an approximate count of 700 Dunlin, 250 Redshank, 350 Lapwing, 15 Curlew and 1 Little Egret. 

A look at Glasson yacht basin revealed 40+ Coot and 15 Tufted Duck, with a single Willow Warbler in the roadside trees. 

A very enjoyable couple of hours were had by all.  

Linking today to  Camera Critters,  Paying-Ready-Attention-gallery and  I'd Rather Be Birdin' - Well who wouldn't sooner be out birding?