Where Are You?

Hello everyone, and this is just a short post designed to let readers know where I am should they be concerned that Another Bird Blog is defunct. 

No it’s just taking a break from wet and windswept Lancashire by spending time on the lovely warm and sunny island of Fuerteventura, just 60 miles from the coast of Morocco. This picture of Fuerteventura was taken from outer space by NASA, and not by me from a Boeing 757. 

Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is the oldest Canary Island, formed about 70 million years ago as a result of volcanic activity. The geographical position of Fuerteventura means that for many tens of thousands of years sand from the Sahara has been deposited on Fuerteventura's shores, resulting in 125 miles of some of the world's best beaches. I volunteered to check out a few beaches for waders. While you don’t see too many species from a static sunbed, I managed to clock up Kentish Plover, Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Grey Plover, Redshank, Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit and Curlew. Lots of Sandwich Terns buzzing along the shoreline too. 

Ringed Plover

 

Fuerteventura

Since most of the island is semi-desert, many of the more notable bird species found here are semi-desert species such as the Houbara Bustard, Stone Curlew and Cream-coloured Courser. There is one endemic species, the Canary Island Chat, which is found in some of the gullies around the island. Hopefully I’ll see this Stonechat relative in the next few days. Egyptian Vultures can be seen in remote parts of the island while Kestrels and Southern Grey Shrikes are very common. 

Southern Grey Shrike

There seems to be plenty of Hoopoes about, sometimes in gangs of three and four, with a number of Trumpeter Finches and Lesser Short-toed Lark seen. 

Hoopoe

All of the mammals found on Fuerteventura were either introduced deliberately or accidentally with the exception of bats. Of note is the Barbary Ground Squirrel, something of a tourist attraction at many of the miradors around the island, where the squirrels eat out of tourists’ hands. 

Barbary Ground Squirrel

Other mammals found on the island include Barbary Hedgehogs, Rabbits, Mice and Shrews as well as feral populations of Donkeys and Goats. Look out for the goats damaging your hire car though as they attack their own refelection in a shiny, well-waxed door.

There are no snakes on the island but there are plenty of geckos and an endemic race of Atlantic Lizard. It is possible that some Turtles still breed here on some of the more remote beaches and several species of Turtles are seen regularly in the waters around the island. 

Fuerteventura

Back in a day or two, in the meantime keep logging in to see how Another Bird Blog survives the heat of the midday sun.

For all regular readers, please continue to post comments and I'll reply asap.  I've asked the house-sitter to just log in and publish comments without trying to update the blog in any other way, so fingers crossed nothing goes awry.  

Mainly Finches

The weather this week has been mostly nasty, rain or fog and simply no sunshine, so when this morning dawned grey and cloudy but decidedly dry I headed over to Out Rawcliffe for a ringing session. During Tuesday’s rain I topped the feeders and scattered a little finch food, and with Wednesday being a shoot day which would keep birds away for a while, I hoped for a decent catch today. 

Arriving in the half-light I followed a Barn Owl for a while as it hunted along the road ahead of the car, then as I slowed to watch the owl it sped away with that rather rapid wing beat that Barn Owls can employ. 

The session was quite steady with just 4 species but a reasonable total of 24 new birds which were mainly finches, but no recaptures today: 10 Chaffinch, 10 Goldfinch, 3 Reed Bunting and 1 Brambling. The catch reflected the number of birds in the area today, with a mixed flock of c 160 Chaffinch and 8 Brambling in the distant stubble, a small number of which find their way to the nets. Once again there were 18/20 Reed Bunting along the woodland/field edge and a coming-and-going count of 45+ Goldfinch. 

A couple of this morning’s Chaffinches proved to be of probable Continental origin, an adult male with a wing length of 95mm and an adult female with a length of 87mm, both measurements almost as long as their respective limits. 

 Chaffinch - adult male

The single Brambling caught was a second calendar year (born 2012) female. The very pointy tail feathers gave the game away. 

Brambling - second calendar year female

Brambling - second calendar year female

Today’s three Reed Bunting added to the 23 apparently winterering but also very mobile birds caught here in November, December and to date in January 2013.

Reed Bunting

The ringing kept me fairly busy, however in-between times I clocked up 1750 Woodpigeon, 2 Jay, 2 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 32 Corn Bunting, 90 Fieldfare, 22 Redwing, 4 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 4 Skylark. 

On the way home I couldn’t resist a shot of the dependable and regular Little Owl, even though I had to use ISO800 and over expose due to the poor light.

Little Owl

Keep looking in folks, Another Bird Blog is back soon.

Slowly….

With a capital “S” became the order of the day at Out Rawcliffe when catching just 24 birds took up four hours of the morning. Of the 24 birds caught, 15 were new ones, with 8 recaptures and a single “control”, a bird ringed elsewhere: 11 Chaffinch, 4 Goldfinch,3 Reed Bunting, 2 Dunnock, 1 Great Tit, 1 Blue Tit, 1 Goldcrest and 1 Brambling. 

The "control" bird a second calendar year male Reed Bunting, Y763574, was quite well advanced into acquiring the black headed appearance of a spring and summer male. 

Reed Bunting

In all there were approximately 18 Reed Buntings in the area again, similar number to recent weeks and days. As most of them now manage to keep clear of the nets, the new birds I continue to catch must be precisely that, newcomers to the site. It was quite unusual to recapture 5 Chaffinch today, one of them first ringed here in September 2007, so now a good age for a Chaffinch. 

The plumage confirms an adult, well demarcated tertial feathers and well rounded, even “squared off” tail feathers. There’s an adult male for comparison. 

Chaffinch - adult female

Chaffinch - adult male

Although I caught 11 Chaffinch there didn’t seem many about until the shoot on a neighbouring farm caused 200+ birds to scatter from the stubble. There were probably Bramblings amongst the flock as I saw and heard at least 5 about the nets today, catching just the single female. Looking at the bird’s dirty bill, it too had probably flown over from the same peaty stubble field. 

Brambling

A number of Goldfinch appear to be attaining full breeding plumage, like the male below - black nasal hairs and red extending beyond the eye. 

Goldfinch

The slow ringing allowed time to look about and around, although not much happened until the nearby shoot disturbed many feeding birds. As previously mentioned, 200+ Chaffinch, 30+ Fieldfare, 25 + Redwing, 2000+ Wood Pigeon, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Kestrel, 2 Buzzard, 2 Lesser Redpoll and 7 Corn Bunting. One of the Corn Buntings sung a brief melody from the regular spring and summer fence posts nearby.

Corn Bunting

Slowly but surely, Spring will soon be here. 

Join Another Bird Blog soon and watch time fly. In the meantime visit Weekly Top Shot , Anni's Blog and Stewart's Photo Gallery for more birds and cool photography.

Don’t Bank On It

A dry start at last, so I drove to Out Rawcliffe hoping for a spot of ringing, and while the catch was poor, the in-between birding was more than OK. 

There wasn’t quite the 7mph wind promised by the BBC, more like a 10-15, enough for a single net in the ride which is sheltered but least favoured by the finches who prefer a more open aspect when feeding. There were a good number of Chaffinches about together with a much smaller number of Bramblings, probably 50 and 5 respectively, together with 20+ Goldfinches, but not all at the same time. It’s not a large, mixed feeding continuously flock, but more of a stop off point for birds roving the area. 

Just 6 Chaffinches caught until I packed up when the breeze increased and a light drizzle began. I had to remember to change the IPMR ageing codes this morning as from 1st January first calendar year birds become second calendar year birds, and for all six of the birds caught today the age code is now “5” - a bird born last year. Chaffinches are a doddle to age at all times of the year and below is a second calendar year female with worn, pointed tail feathers and worn, bleached edges to the tertial feathers. 

Chaffinch

Chaffinch - 2nd calendar year female

Birding wise and in-between the quiet net rounds came 1600 + Woodpigeon, with at one point a smaller flock harassed by a male Peregrine. After a few half- hearted passes the Peregrine appeared to lose interest and went on its way south. Other raptors - 1 male Sparrowhawk , 1 Buzzard and then 3 Kestrels, the now closely bonded pair and a single male some distance away. Nearby wet fields held 17 Whooper Swan, 200+ Lapwing and 500+ Black-headed Gull. 

Peregrine

There were thrushes about this morning, and in addition to the now regularly singing Mistle Thrush were 50+ Fieldfare and 18/20 Redwing. Other passerines included 20+ Reed Bunting, 4 Skylark, 50+ Tree Sparrow, 12 Corn Bunting and a single Chiffchaff close to the ringing station. 

No, there are no exotic, colourful flowers out on Rawcliffe Moss, the picture was taken in the sunshine of Lanzarote just twelve months ago. Wish I was there now. 

Chiffchaff

I’ll have another try at the finches in a day or two if the promised high pressure system and resultant settled weather appears. Don’t bank on the Met Office getting it right though; just rely upon Another Bird Blog to report in with more news, information and pictures quite soon.

Someone in Saudi Arabia found my blog by searching the Internet for a sketch of a Kestrel. All anyone has to do is ask. Sorry it's a day late my friend, but doing a watercolour took a little longer.

 Kestrel - Fotosketcher

So That's Where It Went

It’s official, 2012 was the wettest year on record for the UK, not that birders, ringers or bird photographers needed the Met Office to tell them that. 

Yesterday was no different, but in between the blustery showers I topped up the feeders Out Rawcliffe way, disturbing a gang of 20 or so Goldfinches in the process. If only the wind and rain would relent I could get a few nets up, have a half decent catch of birds and in-between times take a proper look around the site. I found the two Chaffinch flocks again, about 60 one stubble field, and then 300+ on another field half a mile away. There were at least 4 Bramblings mixed in the bigger flock but hard to pin them down while the whole lot were so flighty, the wind induced movement of nearby trees, hedgerow and the leaf-strewn stubble making the birds nervous of the slightest disturbance. 

Other birds in the area included pairs of Mistle Thrush and Kestrel, 30 + Skylark and 10+ Reed Bunting. 

Indoors again today during the wind and rain, so as a post filler, I thought I’d recap some personal highlights of 2012 and include some favourite photographs of birds and places. 

Last January Sue and I were in warm and sunny Lanzarote where Southern Grey Shrikes seemed especially numerous, often very close to the tourist beaches. 

Southern Grey Shrike

Lanzarote

Spring came early in North West England, a feature being the movement north of Lesser Redpolls at the beginning of March when normally we would expect the phenomenon from mid-April onwards. After ringing over 90 of them during a warm spell of March weather, only 4 more were caught during April. I’d be happy to catch just stunning little Lesser Redpolls all year round. I’m still waiting to hear of a Belgium ringed one from September. 

Lesser Redpoll

The month of May saw Sue and I visiting beautiful Menorca for the umpteenth time, seeing friends we have made over the years and heading for birding spots discovered through our travels. 

Menorca

Bee Eater

The summer wasn’t too kind to birds, numerous nests and planned ringing sessions lost to the weather. Even the persistent Swallows fared badly. Sadly one place I visited for several years to monitor breeding Swallows decided they did not want the Swallows anymore, going to great lengths to keep the returning birds out of the farm buildings. Truly, this is becoming a sad, selfish world in which we live. 

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

A result of the wet summer appeared to be poor fledging success, an example being a nest of three Sparrowhawks at Pilling where only one made it into the big wide world. Some birds spent time at nests which failed completely during the summery downpours e.g. a pair of Buzzards out on the mosses. 

Sparrowhawk

Buzzard - Buteo buteo

Buzzard - Buteo buteo

A soggy Summer merged imperceptibly into an even rainier Autumn. Then before I knew it I was pitting my wits against returning Wheatears, catching more than a few via the mouth-watering meal worms. 

Wheatear

Meal Worms

Wheatear

Autumn is finch time, a goal being to continue with the work on Chaffinches begun in 2010. Although numbers were down, the results I hoped proved interesting and informative to ringers and local birders alike - More On Chaffinches 

Chaffinch

December brought the orange ones, the Bramblings from the east and north. Europe’s loss is our gain, so with luck and in a day or two we’ll meet again in 2013. 

Brambling

Let’s take this opportunity to thank all those who follow or read Another Bird Blog on a regular, occasional or even accidental basis. Although many are scattered around the world they are friends indeed, and without their support and comments the blog would be nothing. 

Happy New Year to all, and please visit again in 2013.

This week Another Bird Blog is linking to Weekly Top Shot  and Paying-ready-attention-gallery.

PS and don't forget, click on the pictures for a better qualty light box experience. 

Back To Normal?

Loading my gear into the car in the pitch black there seemed to be a lot of noise from the local Blackbirds. When I looked around to see the cause of the commotion a Tawny Owl in silhouette from the street lights sat atop a neighbour’s chimney pot. It was too dark to take a picture even and as I watched it the owl turned and flew back towards a local copse where it spends the daylight hours out of sight. 

There was a respite from the seasonal celebrations and even a break from the rain this morning, allowing time enough for a visit to Out Rawcliffe and a spot of ringing combined with a little birding. Driving through the lanes the Little Owl was sat up in the by now half-light; and for students of photography, the picture was taken with ISO3200. 

Little Owl

Having missed topping up the bird’s food for a day or two due to the weather and the intervention of Christmas I didn’t expect a huge number of birds. In fact it turned out OK with a catch of 17 new ones - 5 Chaffinch, 5 Goldfinch, 4 Reed Bunting, 1 Brambling, 1 Blackbird, and 1 Great Tit. 

Firstly, and because they are a rather special and sought after species, there’s a picture of today’s Brambling, another first year male. In the locality today were 4+ Brambling and 50+ Chaffinch. 

Brambling - 1st year male

I never tire of catching Reed Buntings, always so variable and interesting, never two the same. Today I counted 15+ Reed Bunting, a number similar to many recent occasions, but there must be a constant turnover of the species because recaptures are rare and I catch new ones on each visit. 

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

More than 40 Goldfinches about today, all with rather mucky bills but not too surprising as all their natural food must be permanently sodden with the constant rain.

Goldfinch - female

Other bits and bobs today: 6000+ Wood Pigeon and 5500 Pink-footed Goose in nearby woods and fields respectively, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel and 1 Mistle Thrush, the thrush in full song from a nearby wood. On the way home and near the river I clocked up two more Kestrels, and then in Hambleton village a roving Jay, a couple of sightings which finished off an agreeable morning. 

Log in soon and to see if Another Bird Blog can survive the rest of the festivities and then welcome in the New Year with good birding style.

This week we are linking to Anni who just like me would rather be birding at any time.

What’s The Excuse Today?

It’s getting to be a bad habit, this posting news a day late. So here is Sunday’s post with no justification unless a pre-Christmas haircut is a good enough reason? 

While I didn’t see a great number of species yesterday I did see many birds, if that makes sense. The job in hand was Out Rawcliffe, and where hoping for a dry and less windy spell of weather fit for ringing soon, I topped up the bird feeders and scattered a little mixed seed so as to keep the birds interested. All this wet weather has severely limited any opportunities to catch Bramblings as I did almost two weeks ago - And There's More  or Beasts From The East. 

The most interesting sighting on Sunday consisted of two large Chaffinch flocks, one of 300+ birds, the other of more than 200, the two flocks some three quarters of a mile apart. It could be that the huge flock of 700/800 Chaffinches I saw on 5th December had split up, both groups going their separate ways for now. In with the first flock were a minimum of 15 Brambling, and a further 8/10 Brambling in the smaller flock, but it is very difficult to get close to these big mixed flocks with so many pairs of eyes watching for danger. 

Chaffinch

Brambling

There’s still a flock of circa 30 Goldfinches, often in a nearby garden, sometimes on my few Nyger feeders, whereas I haven’t seen or heard a Linnet for months. The same garden holds a couple of Reed Buntings, several Tree Sparrows, a regular Mistle Thrush and always a Great-spotted Woodpecker - not your average garden selection. Counting the garden birds and other sighting led to a total of 18 Reed Bunting and 40+ Tree Sparrow. 

Goldfinch

Reed Bunting

The huge flocks of Woodpigeons were still around, scattered far and wide through the woods and mosses, constantly on the move and just like the finch flocks, there are many pairs of eyes watching out for danger, especially with yesterday's 8,000+ birds.

Woodpigeon

A walk through and around a couple of woodland plots found a Woodcock, 2 Jay, 4 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 3 Buzzard and 2 Kestrel, and in a really badly flooded field, 300+ Lapwings. 

Leaving the wood and on the way back to the car, and seconds before it disappeared behind a wood, I caught sight of the elusive and well-travelled Hen Harrier of recent weeks. It is a hard bird to pin down to one spot but appears to be the same as the Pilling Moss bird, and if so has a regular hunting circuit of some miles north, south, east and west of Lancaster Road. 

It’s 24th December, so that’s mine and I guess many other folks' birding done for a day or two? Never fear, Another Bird Blog will be back as soon as possible - join me then.