Window to Wildlife

 Following the cancellation of our planned trip to Morocco, we decided to escape to Cornwall, a favourite location. On the way down we called into Exminster Marshes where a Spotted Crake had been reported close to the car park. We were helpfully advised where the bird had recently been seen and did not have to wait long for an unsatisfactory glimpse of the bird, or at least it’s distinctive buff-coloured tail! With a little more patience, and the help of some friendly locals, we managed further and better views of this ‘lifer’ before continuing on our way to Cornwall. Unfortunately it was too far away for photos. Easter was possibly not the best time of year to visit, being a little late for winter birds and a little early for summer visitors. There were a few rarities reported, notably Rose-coloured Starling and Woodchat Shrike, but we failed to catch up with these species, despite our best efforts. A Ferruginous Duck of suspect origin  was at Helston Lake, where it has appar...

 We were taken out to the Crawley area today by an SDOS member who has relocated to Shoreham. We begun in some rather attractive woodland searching for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Drumming was heard several times, but the length was indicative of Great rather than Lesser Spotted. Even more frustrating was a report later on that birds had been seen in the same location the previous day. Undeterred we set off to search for Goshawks, and this time we came up trumps. Birds were seen at every location we stopped at, with some stunning overhead views. A Sparrowhawk sharing the skies with a Goshawk at one site allowed for a useful comparison of the size and flight of these two species. A Woodlark posing obligingly on the fence was another highlight of the day… and a new tick for Sue M. A few record shots are shown below. Woodlark Goshawk Goshawk

 We had spent the morning at Pulborough, enjoying the warmer weather and were about to settle down at home for a nice cup of tea when news came through of a Desert Wheatear at Goring Gap. Despite feeling a little tired, this was an opportunity not to be missed. Wheatears don’t tend to hang around for long on their Spring migration and it was unlikely to linger till the next day, so we dragged ourselves and headed over to the beach. The bird was easy to find due to the small band of photographers, and although a little mobile, it stayed at a relatively close range and we had some incredible views. This was a lifer for me. We had hoped to be on a birdwatching tour in Morocco in late March, so it was rather lovely to have this beautiful bird come to us as we were unable to go to him! Desert Wheatear

 We have never stayed on the New Forest before but regularly drive through on our way to Dorset. Having read the excellent book ‘Rebirding’, this wood pasture area is praised for its mosaic of habitats creating ideal conditions for a variety of bird species. So we decided to book a two night stay and see what we might find. Day 1: We began at Piper’s Wait, a viewpoint overlooking some forest where historically there had been Goshawks. It was cold and windy, so we didn’t linger too long,  but managed to spot a pair of likely looking suspects flying around near a row of distant pylons. We went back to the car and studied the map, identifying a road which appeared to pass near these electricity wires so set off in that direction. We pulled in to a layby where an RSPB van was parked, thinking they may be watching our target birds. But as it happened, we had stumbled across an RSPB reserve, Franchise’s Lodge, which had been acquired in 2018, but was not yet widely publicised as a l...

 After a very ‘birdy’ January, the pace of February was somewhat slower, with family visits and trips to see friends reducing our birdwatching opportunities. However, overall it was a case of quality, not quantity. We started the month with a trip to Eastbourne on the 3rd,  in search of  a fairly long staying Hume’s Warbler. Rarer warblers like this can be very frustrating, as they flit unobtrusively amongst the branches, and so it proved today. We were helped by the fact that it’s call was loud and highly distinctive, and the bird was very vocal, often alerting us to its current position. Nevertheless, it felt rather like jigsaw birding - ‘I’ve seen the tail…this time I got the wing bar… now the head and eye stripe’. Eventually I managed a fleeting glimpse of the whole bird in the bins, but it was certainly hard work!  On 14th February we were back again in Eastbourne, this time lured across by the American Robin which had appeared the previous week in someone’s fro...

 We decided to break our journey home with another stop at Welney, having failed to find any Bean Geese elsewhere in Norfolk and knowing a group of nine birds had been consistently reported there throughout our stay.  From the main observatory these were quickly located resting on one of the islands. Although they spent much time roosting with their heads tucked under their wings, one bird remained standing showing clearly the diagnostic orange legs, contrasting with the Greylag Goose at the water’s edge nearby. Occasionally a bird would lift its head for a spot of preening and then the orange and brown bill pattern was easily seen. Tundra Bean Goose There were many Pochard swimming just below the hide window. The males conker-brown heads and red eyes looked magnificent at such close range, but I also took the opportunity to try to get to grips with the more subtle plumage features of the female, noting that the structure and patterning mirrored that of the male, although the ...

 Our last full day in Norfolk, and we decided to drive east in the hope of an Iceland Gull near Cley, which has been present for some weeks, reliably reported most mornings feeding on a seal carcass on the shingle ridge behind Arnold’s Marsh. We arrived around 10.15 and a quick route march along the track to the beach quickly got us onto the bird doing exactly that. The smaller of the white gull species, this juvenile was a stunning bird and we were able to study its features for a sustained time through the scope. Iceland Gull In the afternoon we decided to visit  Holkham Park, a new location for us. We regularly visit the beach and marshland area but had never visited the grounds before, with paths through the deer park leading to a huge lake. The parkland was surprisingly bereft of birds, although a couple of Mistle Thrushes were our first of the trip. The lake was more productive with good numbers of Tufted Duck, Shoveler and Pochard. Our target bird was a female Scaup, ...