Slowly Does It

Mid-June and It’s a struggle to come up with news or pictures today. Many birds are lying low, in the throes of breeding, moulting their feathers or in some cases both. But Another Bird Blog doesn’t give up that easily and I was out Pilling way as usual even though a little later than normal. 

Imagine my surprise to see at 0930 a Red Fox strolling across the often busy lane, the animal crossing from one part of the wood towards another. I saw it early and then slowed the car hoping the fox wouldn’t notice before I stopped for a photo, but just as the car came to a halt the animal melted into the undergrowth, so no picture to show. 

As usual I was left with mixed feelings about the thrill of seeing and wanting to photograph a predator with a repuation as bad as a fox. This particular fox may be living on borrowed time if it chooses to stay around “the shoot” environs. Come the month of August thousands of Red-legged Partridges will be released in preparation for the sporting season whereby nothing should hinder its success. 

Red-legged Partridge

There were 3 Kestrels this morning, the pair at Fluke Hall and one near the nest box at Damside. I think both pairs now have young to feed so actively do they hunt at the moment. One male had leftovers of the last meal attached to his bill and was already on the lookout for another family meal. 

Kestrel

In the woodland and along the hedgerows I found 6/8 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers and a single Buzzard. Later another Buzzard was circling over Head Dyke, for such a large raptor an effortless flap and glide from Fluke Hall. 

Needless to say, I walked the (sea) wall where I suppose that even now I’ve not abandoned all hope of finding evidence of Lapwing, Oystercatcher or Redshank chicks. It can be the case that adults lead their broods of young from inland fields to the coast where they all feed in the still wet drainage channels and ditches, but still no sign of new youngsters today, just the calls and brief attentions of the one Lapwing pair with their single chick. Half a dozen Redshanks and five or six Oystercatchers showed no signs of concern at my passing by or even to escort me off the premises as they do when youngsters are in tow.

Along the sea wall signs of post-breeding with several extra Curlews, 3 Grey Heron and 50+ Shelduck. 

Back home has seen a number of Goldfinches in the garden, up to 15 at a time, with a number of fresh juveniles learning the whys and wherefores of niger seed. It’s hard to believe that those rather dull looking juveniles will turn into our handsome UK Goldfinch. 

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

Rather unexpectedly I caught a Treecreeper, an adult female which showed signs of feathering over a recent brood patch. The Treecreeper is another of those species which has suffered local declines and although there are copses and stands of trees quite near home, Treecreepers are generally much more difficult to find than ten or twenty years ago. 

 Treecreeper

There’s a full day pass tomorrow. Log in to Another Bird Blog on Friday so see if the birding moved up a gear or two.

That Kestrel on a barbed wire fence means a link to Theresa's Run A Round Ranch is in order. 

Linking Saturday to Eileen's Saturday Critters.

Not A Lot

Daughter Joanne had a surprise when for a couple of days from the kitchen window she saw a Little Owl on the garden fence. Dad had the job of finding out where the owl was living and why it suddenly took a liking to Joanne’s garden. 

Monday began with a hint of rain, but at 10am I made my way to the garden arbour waiting for the owl to appear. Little did I know the owl was on the conservatory roof behind me, not until it swooped low over the lawn pursued by a scolding Blackbird. The owl flew over the fence and off towards the rather large and unkempt garden 30 yards away where there are tumbledown sheds and greenhouses. The Little Owl perched up briefly as I grabbed a single (underexposed) picture. I’ll go back soon for another try, remembering to use the eyes in the back of my head that all dads have. 

Little Owl

On Tuesday I had a couple of hours free before the babysitting employment so snuck off down Pilling way. 

The sea wall has been really hard work this year, the breeding success of the waders the worst ever in 25+ years of surveying this stretch of coastal "wetland". This year the warning calls of adult Lapwings, Redshanks and Oystercatchers have been absent, the sky overhead unusually silent. This morning I found only my second Lapwing brood of the year and this just a single small chick; it's hardly enough to replenish the pool of new blood for coming years. The remaining pair of Oystercatchers looked to have given up since their chosen Hi-Fly field was tilled again since my visit of Sunday. 

Lapwing

Oystercatcher

There was little else of note, 2 juvenile Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Heron, 6+ Skylark, 2 Corn Bunting, several loafing Shelduck and way out at the tideline a pair of Eider duck. 

At Lane Ends in the tree tops was a young Jay calling loudly for food. Nearby I found one that didn’t make it, a dead youngster. Jays have bred here for a few years but for a normally noisy species they remain very quiet throughout the breeding seaon. 

 Jay

On and around the pools were 4 Reed Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 2 Little Grebe and a Kestrel suspended in mid-air. 

Little Grebe

Kestrel

That’s not a lot for a couple of hours birding is it? Have no fear, Another Bird Blog will try again tomorrow.

Linking today to Stewart's World Bird Wednesday.

Good Game, Good Game

On Sunday I set off for Cockersands and Conder Green where an early tide might do the trick in bringing a few birds closer. 

Like lots of birding sites in June the area of Conder Green is proving remarkably consistent in species and counts. Regular readers or those looking for something to catch up on might notice a few “goodies” in amongst the regular “dross” of 15+ Swift, 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Bunting, 4 Whitethroat, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2 Tree Sparrow, 2 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 8 Lapwing, 1 Greenshank, 1 Grey Partridge, 2 Curlew and 1 Great-spotted Woodpecker. 

Yes, the Curlew are possibly fresh-in with the Greenshank definitely new and either “late going” or “early coming back”, depending upon someone’s understanding of the breeding cycle of northern waders. I favour the early returning scenario, especially since a number of Lapwings appeared hereabouts today. 

Whether the Grey Partridge is “real” rather than a from £13.80" sub-species is anyone’s guess.  And yes, in case anyone is wondering, even an expensive and reintroduced Grey Partridge is literally "fair game" to a shoot.

Grey Partridge

There seemed to be lots of Lapwings in the Cockersands area too, with a total count of 80+ and a single count of 35 in one field. The Lapwings easily outnumbered the 15+ Brown Hares, several Oystercatchers and 2 Red-legged Partridge with which they shared the fields. On the circuit also, 4 Sedge Warbler, 5 Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting and 5 Tree Sparrow. 

 Lapwing

Lapwing

Eiders have bred close to Cockersands again. From the path I could see a single pair with 5 young on the edge of the tide with other adults in attendance and ten birds in total; more youngsters could well emerge in the next days and weeks.

Breeding hereabouts is a regular occurrence now as an offshoot of the colony of 700+ pairs just across Morecambe Bay at Walney Island, until recent years the most southerly breeding colony in England. Quite where the females nest around here is anyone’s guess as not only do they possess incredibly cryptic plumage, they are renowned for sitting amazingly tight, not vacating their nest until stood upon. I recall gull ringing expeditions to the Walney Island dunes, grabbing hold of reluctant Lesser Black-back and Herring Gulls while at the same time treading carefully to avoid standing on invisible Eider ducks.

Eider

Along the shore some newly arrived Black-headed Gulls, 2 Little Egret and a small number of Ringed Plover and Dunlin mixing freely on the shore and pebble beach. These latter species have been around for a week or two, part of their strong passage north, and unlike species like Greenshank and Spotted Redshank which return early, if these loiterers don’t get a move on soon they will meet themselves coming back. 

 

Ringed Plover and Dunlin

It was 10am, the Sunny Sunday crowd out and about, so time to head home after a good morning’s birding. 

Join Another Bird Blog soon for more of the same game.  

Buzzard Update, Birding Update

Firstly, and following Thursday's Blog posting. A big “Thank You” to readers from all over the world who gave support to our UK Buzzards through their blog comments and/or via a direct message to Natural England's website. 

By coincidence and within an hour or two of the blog posting Natural England had made their decision with the website updated as reproduced below. 

“Decision on buzzard control licence application. 

5 June 2014 

On 23 April 2014 Natural England received an application for a licence to cage trap and shoot ten common buzzard (Buteo buteo) in the vicinity of a site which has experienced loss to pheasant poults in recent years. The application had been made by the operator of a pheasant rearing and shooting business on the site and is supported by the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation. After careful consideration, Natural England has concluded that the application does not meet the criteria that would permit lethal control to be licensed. 

ENDS” 

So the rightful verdict was made in favour of Buzzards however the saga raises questions as to how and why deliberations and decisions made by a publicly funded body are conducted in secret without openness and transparency. 

Make no mistake, the forces of evil will not give up and more applications to kill Buzzards and other raptors will inevitably follow. Destroying Buzzards or anything else they see as a threat is an easy way out for farmers and landowners too lazy or incompetent to find ways of protecting their young pheasants. In any case it’s time that as a nation we debated the practice of the captive breeding and release of millions of birds into the countryside to then kill for pleasure. 

On to happier things and my birding to Conder Green and Fluke Hall this morning. 

A couple of infrequent species for Conder Green began the morning in the way of 2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers in The Stork car park and 2 Stock Doves feeding in the road. The woodpeckers were a juvenile and an adult, the adult bringing food to the noisy youngster. 

Also feeding young were Meadow Pipit and Reed Bunting with 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler and 5 Whitethroat in song. 

Meadow Pipit

I had a good count of Swifts this morning as more than 50 of them devoured the midge harvest above the hawthorn hedgerow. Swallows and martins were counted on one hand. 

On and around the water, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Grey Heron, 15 Redshank, 2 Shoveler, 17 Canada Goose, 14 Shelduck and 15 Oystercatcher, the latter including 3 chicks. 

Canada Goose

There wasn’t much doing at Glasson Dock save for another heron, more Swifts, several Swallows and a number of Mallards with young. The water was very still, the sky very blue. 

Mallards

 Glasson Dock

There were seven more Grey Herons in the ditches near Fluke Hall which told me that their breeding season is probably over, early nesters as they are. And then Surprise, Surprise. At last I saw 2 Lapwing chicks on the wildfowler’s pools along with a nesting Moorhen, 15/20 Shelduck and a singing Corn Bunting. This seems to happen each year, the late appearance of a few Corn Buntings which coincides with the fast May and June growth of the silage crop. 

Corn Bunting

In the vicinity of Fluke Hall itself, 2 Mistle Thrush, 2 Song Thrush, 2 Great-spotted Woodpeckers, 7 Whitethroat, 1 Blackcap. 

Whitethroat

Along the lane a single Kestrel hunted for a while until the morning’s procession of cars filled with dogs began to spoil the Kestrel’s fun and my photo attempts. 

Kestrel

Kestrel

Oh well, there’s always another day, another place for Another Bird Blog.

Linking today to Anni's Birding Blog and Eileen's Saturday Blog.

Buzzards - Here we Go Again

Here we go again. 5th June 2014. Our UK Buzzards are under a new threat from nameless individuals.  

Buzzard - Buteo buteo

 

“The RSPB is concerned to learn that Natural England — the UK Government's nature conservation agency — is considering a licence application to trap and shoot 10 Common Buzzards to protect young Pheasants. Natural England is expected to make a decision on the fate of the Buzzards imminently. 

Martin Harper is the RSPB's Conservation Director. He said: "The Buzzard is a fully protected bird of prey which is only now recovering its numbers from sustained historic persecution, which saw the bird lose much of its UK population and range. Any relaxation of their current protection, coupled with ongoing persecution, could threaten local populations. Their vulnerability is a key reason why we are fighting for their protection." 

Last year Natural England granted licences to control Buzzards at a chicken farm, and at a Pheasant shoot — the first time such licences had been issued. Subsequent licence applications to kill adult Buzzards at four Pheasant shoots managed by the original applicant were then rejected by Natural England. The RSPB has learnt that an application was made on 23rd April to cage-trap and shoot ten Buzzards across four sites to prevent 'serious damage' to Pheasant poults. 

The Society knows the applicant has sought licences to control Buzzards in previous years. Martin Harper added: "I am disappointed that a new licence application has been sought to control Buzzards to protect gamebirds. To our knowledge, there isn't convincing evidence to justify issuing licences for the control of Buzzards and we think the application should be rejected by Natural England, especially since they rejected applications for the same activity last year. It's time that wildlife licensing is conducted in a more transparent way. A test of a modern 21st-century society is one that is open and tolerates birds of prey and finds ways to live in harmony with them." 

There are a variety of ways to prevent young Pheasants being killed by Buzzards. For example, by creating cover for the gamebirds, or by installing deterrents to keep Buzzards away. The RSPB has written to Defra calling for clear guidance to Natural England to reject all licences to control Buzzards to protect gamebirds.” 

Pheasants, an introduced species, released in their millions every Spring do untold damage to native species like Grey Partridge. Buzzards are a native species have recolonized areas from which they were previously wiped out by shooting interests. 

Buzzard - Buteo buteo

Buzzard - Buteo buteo

The RSPB should name (and shame) the applicant and the sites involved, both to give unwelcome local publicity and to enable local bird watchers to monitor the area. 

I suggest that everyone reading this send an immediate complaint to Natural England via their website. Somewhat ironically the Natural Engand slogan is “Natural England – for people, for places for nature”.

Menorca Mop-Up

A rainy start to Thursday means I may not get birding until later or even Friday. So for today I’m posting left-over photographs from Menorca 2014, and then no more until next year - promise. 

Below, a Spotted Flycatcher, a common species in early May, this one near Cala Galdana. 

Spotted Flycatcher

There was a ringed Audouin’s Gull near the hotel most days. The Darvic letters BCFH looked familiar from 2013, and so it proved. The gull had been ringed as a chick in the nest at Cap Menorca, Ciutadella on 4th July 2008 but later taken a liking to Sant Tomas where I’d seen it in 2013 too. 

Audouin's Gull

Here’s a female Stonechat at the roadside from Tirant to Cap de Cavalleria. She was irate that we were near to her nest. 

Stonechat

Near Tirant - Menorca

I’m told that the insect is a not uncommon Scarlet Darter, the following photo the usual distant view of the elusive and shy Purple Heron, and then an unidentified millipede sp. 

Scarlet Darter

Purple Heron

Menorcan Millipede

Two Donkeys at Es Migjorn, much in love

Menorcan Donkeys

Black-winged Stilts at two different sites, Es Grau and Addaia. 

Black-winged Stilt

Black-winged Stilt

Woodpigeons on Menorca have noticeably darker plumage than our UK ones, but just like our own the Menorca ones are also losing their fear of man by frequenting towns and gardens on a regular basis.

Woodpigeon

A break from birds with a few pictures from our favourite coffee stop - the charming, unspoilt, quiet town of Es Mercadal. 

A Bistro - Es Mercadal

Street Scene - Es Mercadal

The Old Smithy - Es Mercadal

 

Coffee Stop - Cas Sucre at Es Mercadal

To finish today’s post, here is the ubiquitous Egyptian Vulture and a Bee-eater on that rusty old fence. 

Egyptian Vulture

Bee-eater

 
I hope blog readers enjoyed Menorca? We certainly did.

And who knows what tomorrow's post will bring?  Stop by Another Bird Blog soon to find out.

As you might expect, this post is linking to Theresa's Run-A-Round Ranch where you can find more birds on fences.

Sunday Sortie

The thrushes woke me this morning, Blackbirds mainly, but also a Song Thrush which has taken up residence in a neighbour’s garden and sings in ours. Whilst last winter was wet and stormy it remained very mild in temperature with negligible frost to solidify the ground where thrushes find most of their food. Blackbirds appear to be having a very successful year; I’m seeing heaps of them everywhere I go, and unlike recent years even Song Thrushes seem to be in good numbers at the moment. 

Song Thrush

 Blackbird

After the early wake-up call I grabbed a quick breakfast and then set off north for Conder Green et al. Cockerham saw the first gathering of post-breeding season Lapwings - 25+ birds on a field near Gulf Lane. “Post-breeding gathering” is a somewhat optimistic description when the species breeding success along here is zero and where the phrase “non-breeding gathering” might be more accurate. 

Afterwards the journey with window down was quiet enough to note 2 Lesser Whitethroat in roadside song between Gulf Lane and Conder Green. 

Upon arrival at the creek a Barn Owl was just heading back to roost, disappearing into the building and allowing little time for a picture. It looked bedraggled, a bit “mucky” and wet underneath in parts. All that diving into dew-laden long grass does nothing for a Barn Owl’s appearance, so best to go indoors for a rest and to dry off a bit. 

Barn Owl

And yes, the midges were out in force over the hedgerow, enough to attract 20+ Swifts to feed for a while. Just a small number of Swallows and House Martins in evidence here although I did find House Martins in the early stages of nest building at a new site in Glasson Dock where blobs of "brown-tack" decorated a frontage. The usual Swallows fed around the dock gate near their hidden from view nest sites.

Swallow

In song at Conder Green I found 2 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warbler, 2 Reed Bunting and 5 Whitethroat. Meanwhile, Meadow Pipit, Great Tit and Blue Tits were all in the throes of feeding youngsters. Also feeding youngsters were the Oystercatchers on the nearest island, 3 newly hatched chicks taking the tiniest of morsels offered to them by the adults. The Oystercatcher is unusual as the only British wader where the adults feed their young, as most wader chicks are able to feed themselves very soon after hatching. 

 Oystercatcher

Other wildfowl and waders, 5 Teal, 2 Wigeon, 18 Shelduck, 8 Tufted Duck, 14 Redshank, 1 Curlew, 2 Black-tailed Godwit and 2 Grey Heron. 

If the Oystercatchers have succeeded the Tufted Duck have yet to do so: I watched the male cajole the female into returning to the nest when the coast was clear, the female slinking low and quiet into her den of grasses after he shouted encouragement. 

Tufted Duck

A stop for Lane Ends led to a number of warblers: 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler and 1 Chiffchaff all in in song. Early arriving Chiffchaffs may be looking for their second brood by now. 

A male Kestrel carried food back to the nest box at Damside, and the same thing at Fluke Hall where a second pair are in residence. I got to thinking if regular Kestrel success played a small part in the misfortunes of local Lapwings in recent years? 

At Fluke Hall Great-spotted Woodpeckers were busy feeding young out of the nest, the noisy chicks scattered through the trees and almost impossible to see in the summery trees. The Tawny Owl was around again, the Blackbirds told me so but I left them to their dispute and walked to the sea wall, passing half-a-dozen Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat along the way. 

Still no Lapwings with young, but there’s possibly a late try from a couple of stay-behinds on the remnant stubble. A pair of Tufted Duck flew from the channel for the second time this week while a pair of Oystercatcher’s are definitely “at it” with the male giving me stick from the safety of his lookout post. 

 Oystercatcher

A good enough morning was had by all. It’s amazing what you can find when you put your mind to it. 

Log in soon to see what Another Bird Blog will discover next. Linking today to Stewart's World Bird Wednesday.