The Fellowship of the [Birding] Ring

Last weekend’s birding trip - a long weekend in mid Wales with friends from the Bedford RSPB Local Group - included a couple of what I can only describe as ‘Tolkien’ moments.  On Friday afternoon as we sat in the hide at Gigrin Farm, Powys waiting for the Red Kite feeding session to begin there was almost an air of menace as birds started to gather in trees around the feeding area, anticipating the gory banquet they were soon to take part in.

Red Kite

The Ravens in particular wouldn’t have looked out of place in any supernatural tale – dark forms against a background of knarled, misshapen branches…

As soon as the meat had been spread over the ground a free-for-all ensued that was mesmerizing to watch. By this time the sky was full of Kites; they preferred to use their aerial skills to get the food – swooping down one after the other and grabbing chunks to fly away with. By contrast the Buzzards and Corvids landed on the grass to eat…

… or stuffed as much as they could in their beaks before flying off somewhere to feast undisturbed.

The drama was non-stop and there was so much going on you hardly knew where to look for fear of missing something good – an unforgettable afternoon and definitely a wildlife spectacle not to be missed.

On Saturday a walk round RSPB Ynys-hir reserve and a cliff walk at Clarach Bay made a very pleasant day, but on Sunday morning we were back in Lord of the Rings terrain - RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas reserve. The path round this reserve crosses the steep slopes of a deep river valley. It was narrow and winding and as we made our way up and down through the boulders I was reminded of Frodo and his companions trying to cross the Misty Mountains – a band of intrepid heroes with tall, bearded Gandalf leading the way [oh yes, we even had our own Gandalf].

Even though it was hard going at times and quite treacherous in places it has to be said that no-one complained (although at one point I did hear a faint, anguished cry of ‘Is there a pub up here’).

Thinking that the others might be cheered by my comparison of our situation to that of the brave Middle-earth characters, I mentioned it to Paul who was next to me. His response - an indignant ‘Are you suggesting I’ve got short legs and hairy feet?’ - was not the reaction I’d hoped for. Hastily changing the subject, I decided to concentrate instead on watching out for any marauding Orcs – but thankfully they must have decided to take the day off, as none were seen. We did, however, get enchanting views of this little water sprite...

Dipper

After lunch we set off on the journey back home to The [Bedford] Shire, happy with the weekend’s birding and looking forward to our summer adventure in the wilderness of Northumberland. Who knows what wondrous creatures we’ll find there…

Homeward bound

Last weekend was mostly about seeing birds that were on route back to breeding grounds - whether breeding grounds in the UK or other countries.

At Dungeness on Saturday there were still several Smew viewable from the Hanson ARC hide, but it was surely one of the last opportunities I’ll have of seeing a redhead female Smew... 

or a ‘white nun’ male…

… before they head off to northern European forests for the summer.

The plan for Saturday had originally been Elmley Marshes and Rainham, but Malcolm made a last minute decision [we’re talking half an hour before we left!] to switch to Dungeness, thinking that it would give us a chance of seeing some early arriving spring migrants, and possibly the Penduline Tits reported there earlier in the week. As it turned out, the Pendulines didn’t show, but that aside - good choice Malcolm!

Our first ‘incomer’ was a Firecrest in scrub near the Christmas Dell hide. We had the most incredible views of this normally skulking tiny bird because its behaviour was more like that of a flycatcher – repeatedly launching itself into the air to take an insect and then landing on a branch or bush for a few seconds (which, luckily, were still leafless) before flitting into lower vegetation, obviously to ready itself for its next appearance.

And later in the afternoon, while on the beach near the power station for some sea watching we learned that two more early migrants were in the vicinity. It took us a while to find them but we eventually did, and what a welcome sight it was to see the first Wheatear of the year, and a Black Redstart bobbing up and down in the garden of the house next door to the lighthouse …

The next day, a morning walk around RSPB the Lodge, Sandy [with Beds Birders], and particularly time spent in the hide, gave close up views of Siskins…

and Lesser Redpolls...

… and best of all, a couple of Mealy Redpolls (unfortunately, didn’t get any photos of those). I hadn’t seen this larger, northern species of Redpoll before, or at least not such that I could be certain of the identification, but when you have the Beds bird recorder pointing them out - that’s a tick.

On the way back from Sandy we finished our birding weekend with some birds undoubtedly leaving Britain soon for their Scandinavian home lands - 100+ Waxwings at G&M Growers in Upper Caldecotte. The sound of their trilling calls filled the air and several times large groups flew over our heads to berry-laden bushes of the other side of the car park – where they ravenously gobbled down as many berries as they could before flying back to taller trees. Stocking up for the journey ahead I guess.

Soggy Shore Larks and Snowier Buntings

On Saturday, after a morning at Lynford Arboretum [- good views of several Treecreepers but not a Hawfinch to be seen], we decided to spend the rest of the day in North Norfolk again, with a report of Shore Larks at Cley deciding our first destination. We found the Larks on the sheltered side of the shingle bank– a flock of ten birds. The weather, which had started out OK in the morning, was not living up to the forecast of improving conditions after midday - quite the opposite unfortunately. By the time we had the Larks in our scopes it was cold and windy with persistent drizzle. But ironically, I think that worked in our favour because the Larks seemed less flighty and more inclined to stay on the ground. Two in particular came close to where we were standing, giving me the best views I’ve had of this species - albeit rather damp, subdued little birds.

In the photo below you can just about make out the spikey black feathers on each side of the bird’s head that are the reason for its alternative name of Horned Lark.

Leaving Cley, we set off for Titchwell, making a couple of stops on the way - first to view a soaring Rough-legged Buzzard, and shortly after that for three Marsh Harriers, which were so close that we could hear the whining call of one of the males.

Titchwell had been chosen because we hoped to catch up with some Snow Buntings seen there earlier. On arrival we made straight for the beach and as we stepped onto the wooden platform at the end of the path we could see, just a few metres to the right of us, two Snow Buntings - foraging amongst the bits of vegetation and rubbish washed up onto the beach.  They were starting to acquire summer plumage and so were much whiter than the ones seen at Cley last October - if anything, maybe even prettier…

Totally preoccupied with their search for food, they seemed more or less unaware of us.

A brighter end to the day gave me the chance to try a close up of one of my favourite duck species – this drake Pintail…