A Common Yellowshank, the Bearded Vulture and friends

 Common Yellowshank

First trip back home since Lockdown began and connected with a Yorkshire tick in early July, the long staying Nosterfield Lesser Yellowlegs, number 339. I'm edging towards the top of the Yorkshire Birding listing league at the same pace as Wednesday's return to the Premier League! This cracking Nearctic wader showed well from the screen at Nosterfield in the company of a juvenile Redshank, an instructive id comparison between Nearctic and Palearctic relatives. Too far for the camera other than for a ropey record shot.

In search of the Bearded Vulture

On the way back to Herts. news was breaking that the Bearded Vulture seen several days earlier heading north from the Midlands had been seen in the southern area of the Peak District again. A potential first for GB, and then should it make a flew flaps to the north east, thoughts of a Yorkshire and Barnsley tick. Whatever the opinions about this bird's categorisation on the British List (A or E) and if, from the Alps reintroduction, how self sustaining is defined, it's a wild bird and a magnificent creature!

It was relocated on the South Yorkshire/Derbyshire border of the Dark Peak, seen from or at sites I regularly watch when back home. I safely returned home some 3 weeks on, will it still be there and given its haunts, will it be safe! It had let its known roost so where to start looking?

Saturday 01 August 2020 - Happy Yorkshire Day!

First up and on the Derbyshire/South Yorkshire border near Stanage Edge overlooking Hathersage. The view was impressive but the area too large to concentrate upon. A couple of Ravens flew by with Buzzards and Kestrels seen. Chased up a report in Derwentdale a few miles to the north but with no luck, nice views of a Peregrine circling Fairholmes with a couple of Buzzards. Enough chasing, off to the Dukes Road a moorland walk off of Mortimer Road the road that links Langsett in the north to the A57 in the south. The Dukes Road is the south-west border of the Barnsley bird recording area border, South Yorkshire. This track heads out west and then south towards Lost Lad/Back Tor. A beautiful walk say about 75 mins to the fork off to Howden Edge/Abbey Brook. Watching from here produced no large raptors, a brief sighting of a Hobby and more obliging Kestrels. The walk up saw a female Wheatear feeding a juvenile. Elsewhere a couple more, but showy, Hobbies fed over a nearby moor which hosted a wandering Red Kite, but no sign of the BV.

Sunday 02 August 2020

Off to Ewden Cabin, the 45 minute along the track bordering Broomhead Moor. A persistent wind nagged but the birding was good. 2 pairs of Stonechats along the walk sharing the undergrowth with restless Willow Warblers and Meadow Pipits flew by. At the Cabin a Tree Pipit called as it flew SW and later a juvenile Cuckoo drew our attention as this fledgling was being fed by Meadow Pipits. Up in the skies Buzzards were seen and a couple of Hobbies flew by, including a cracking adult seen at eye level, a passage Marsh Harrier flew by.

Left mid afternoon to breaking news of the Bearded Vulture being photographed in the Crowden area of the High Peak (Peak District, Derbyshire) the previous day. Perhaps a needle in a haystack but it was less than 15 miles or so away up on the Woodhead Pass. It would be rude not to go!

We arrived at about 16:30 and took the track up the valley leading north from the small car park at the hamlet. A birder leaving noted that the crag had been found relating to the previous day's sighting, but the Bearded Vulture was not present. Viewing the area after a 10 minute walk from the bridge, provided a decent view looking north and partial view looking back south. Two birders were on the western side of the valley scoping the crags. They soon wandered back down but stopped and were scoping the crags back to the south over Torside reservoir, very intently. On looking south a Buzzard was up but they were really focussed, and our view was obscured, so we crossed the bridge for a better look back south. And then there it was over crags above the reservoir, the Bearded Vulture. It soon turned north and glided up the eastern side of the valley and beyond us, flapping as it patrolled the hillside lost to view over a ridge to the north. It then showed on and off before heading back across to the crags south of Torside Reservoir where it was joined in the sky by a couple of tiny Buzzards and an equally diminutive Peregrine. It then drifted east towards Woodhead Reservoir where on leaving Crowden we saw it roosting on the crags as viewed from the lay-by on the Holmfirth road. This was to become one of its regular roosting sites.

A return visit late afternoon on Friday 07 August 2020 and the Bearded Vulture was roosting on the crags where we left it on Sunday. It eventually had a brief flight, the Kestrel that landed on a nearby crag looked ridiculously small in comparison.

There are certain birds that are showstoppers, Bee-eater, Sabine's Gull and Goshawk spring to mind. Add to this the Bearded Vulture, on seeing it, it was almost disbelief, a bit like the expression held by Bishop Brennan when Father Ted kicked him up the...

South Yorkshire Moorlands

We all know this area is known for disappearing raptors, have a look here. Just hope the presence of the Bearded Vulture helps change fortunes. Still a great place to go birding and see migration happening at the right seasons.

Several Marsh Harriers wandered by, Red Kites passed through and local Kestrels and Buzzards graced the skies. Hobbies tormented insects and hirundines, and a Merlin welcomed a movement of Meadow Pipits over the moors when the winds were out of the SW. Sparrowhawks were elusive and an excitable juvenile Peregrine practised its hunting technique, it had much to learn with attendant Buzzards and Ravens waiting for a scrap of pigeon should a mistake be made. Mistle Thrushes started to flock and 3 Tree Pipits over may be a low number, but shows that early August is a good time to catch one flying south. Nightjars remained at their midge infested sites and a Barn Owl noted on upland farmland. Several pairs of Stonechats showed well and on quiet days Crossbills were a nice distraction as they flew around their moorland reservoir haunts. Nuthatches started to call again and young Buzzards gave begging calls from a couple of sites. I remember when they were description birds up here!

Off Piste

Visited Welbeck, Notts., on three visits the Honey Buzzards didn't show. Plenty of Buzzards, a couple each of Red Kite and Hobby noted as were Kestrels and a Sparrowhawk. Prolonged views of a couple of juvenile Goshawks, one of which loved to mob a Buzzard. Common Tern flew over the lake and Yellow Wagtail flew over.

Similar no luck at Wykeham Forest, North Yorkshire on the Honey Buzzards. A juvenile Peregrine flew east down the valley, Sparrowhawk, Kestrels and a handful of Buzzards seen. Also, great views of 2 juvenile Goshawks, one of which showed very well in comparison with a !inning Sparrowhawk. One moment when it turned and showed all the features characteristic of this species, arguably one of the best raptor species in the world.

Nosterfield, North Yorkshire, a second visit this summer, this time to Flask Lake at the quarry where at least 2 Ospreys had been seen in early August. One appeared out of nowhere after several hours wait on Saturday 08 August 2020, circling the lake for a little while before a Carrion Crow accompanied it over trees to the NE.

Kilnsea Wetlands, a gem on the Yorkshire coast, the gateway to the Spurn peninsula. A visit one afternoon and the scrape was alive with waders, a couple of moulting Curlew Sandpipers star species but all were noteworthy, from Dunlin, through to Redshanks, Ruff and Knot to the larger Greenshank, Avocet, Whimbrel and Black-tailed Godwits. Mediterranean Gulls (20+) of all ages were present and Common and Sandwich Terns called whereas several Little Terns flew by silently.

More photos at 'Latest UK Bird Photos'.

Lockdown Birding - Spring becomes Summer

So where were we?

As early May became mid May the birdsong intensity dropped and the skies became less crowded. Several Hobby sightings made but no sooner as they came, they went. Two more sightings later in the period as well but on both occasions they were soon out of here, the turn of pace of the one above the golf course treetops would have made an Eleonora's Falcon pause to view. Local Red Kites and Buzzards put on less of an aerial show as to be expected at this time of year, more noticeably the absence of Sparrowhawks who then did make more of an appearance around midsummer's day. Kestrels hovered close to their hidden nest sites, identified by the presence of calling juveniles. Ring-necked Parakeets sqwauked throughout, House Sparrows status rose from mythical to occasional as young fledged from nearby streets, and the wandering groups of Starlings sadly disappeared just as it was peak season for spotting a pink and black variety. Swifts flew by most days joined in the air by both Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and Black-headed Gulls were back in the area. Evening flights of Jackdaws off east to roost began to reform from mid June with over 700 counted most evenings. In nearby woodland Great Spotted Woodpeckers dispersed and one was soon seen flyby the flat window one morning.

On local walks the Blackcaps went quiet, Whitethroats eventually followed suit, a Lesser Whitethroat gave a rattle to say he was still here but Chiffchaffs continued to say their name throughout. Song Thrushes never stopped, one still blasting out his repetitive notes half hour after sunset around midsummer's day. An anxiety call by a Carrion Crow on a Saturday afternoon walk soon had me watching an immature Peregrine circling the area, looking for tea. Bullfinch was a welcome sighting in local scrubland and a Crossbill moving west mid afternoon (June) "jipped" by, a nice surprise and given the ridiculous movements along the North Sea coast maybe more flyovers to come, perhaps in the company of a Siskin or two. An Oystercatcher flying over was a welcome yet unexpected addition to the lockdown list. A family party of Jays moving along an avenue of trees at the golf course nice to see, the density couldn't match a movement of Pinyon Jays through a North American gorge. This golf course/woodland edge, a kind of a habitat where you expect a calling Acadian Flycatcher to pierce the quiet air, but probably 3,500 miles too far north-east. Elsewhere, the drain at Parkfields yielded a pair of Grey Wagtails on several occasions, with one visit producing a Grass Snake raising itself up the banking. "Owling" - at least 3 Tawny Owl territories, a couple of juveniles called or should that be "sniffled" after sunset on several evenings. A Little Owl sighted on the perimeter of the walk one June evening with a further in July at a nearby farm. Repeated visits to the first site gave no sightings but calling birds at sunset. Again with a North American comparison you could imagine a "Chuck" or "Whip" calling in the distance, but no Nightjars here. At this time the paddocks were alive with Rabbits the numbers of which would have made Bishop Brennan anxious. Foxes roamed at sunset and a scurrying shape was a Muntjac deer, one of a couple of sightings.

As the bird sightings took a bit of a backseat, butterflies came to the fore. The local scrubland looked good for Marbled Whites, and this site paid dividends from mid June with double figures present. Commas showed as did the occasional Ringlet and prior to the last weekend of June I could only track down Large Skippers of the grassland Skippers that could be on offer, with several Small Skippers on the wing from the following weekend.  This particular weekend also produced a Red Admiral and a Green-veined White. The grasslands were crowded with Meadow Browns and single Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell also noted.  Whilst photographing a Comma I was distracted by Purple Hairstreaks, a new species for me (was first mistaken for White-letter Hairstreak).The dry land habitat made spotting dragonflies difficult though a couple of Emperors patrolled a grassy field and a couple of Black-tailed Skimmers were seen. A Brown Hawker moved by one weekend and in late July the first Migrant or Southern Hawker of the season spotted.

When the Lockdown walks started in March I was determined not to blog about Lockdown birding in the summer, when the Gatekeeper dominated the bramble bushes. It's that time, but I will end by saying that I'd never thought I would make a mention of a Father Ted scene in a blog post. Go on, go on, go on, I'll do another one next time!

Birding Blast from the Past 1, 2 and 3 - Magnificent Frigatebird, Pallid Harriers and Ospreys

So with birding opportunities limited during Lockdown, I've been having a wander down birding memory lane looking at some blasts from the past. First up, a magnificent seabird that came out of nowhere (actually a fog bank), the ultimate Harrier followed by a Royal fish-eating raptor.

Please enjoy.


Magnificent Frigatebird

During the 2018 World Series of Birding we were heading down the Garden State Parkway towards Brig. when a conversation about Star Trek took place, one of my teammates being a big fan. Somehow in the conversation I mentioned that if we saw a Klingon Starship 'decloak' over the Garden State Parkway then I'm out of here, no matter how good we were doing in the bird race!

Fast forward several days and after checking out of (the wonderful) Stockton Inns, returned a few moments later to Cape May Point to discover all hell had broken loose. It had already been a morning of where to look next with Golden-winged, Wilson's and Canada Warblers amongst many other species grabbing birders attentions during a fall of Spring migrants at CMBO Northwood. This time a Magnificent Frigatebird was patrolling the shore just off the Point, a cracking find a few moments earlier by R Crossley. Watching this wannabe Pterodactyl disappear into and then return out of a rolling fog bank was the closest I'm going to get to seeing a 'decloaking' Klingon Starship!

Time to blow my own trumpet, we (Team 1000birds) won the first prize, the Urner-Stone Cup, a brilliant independent write up of the day can be seen at the National Audubon's Society website.


Pallid Harriers

A mythical species that has now gratefully lost that tag in recent years here in GB. It's becoming a most sought after sight on passage, and with several individuals wintering this as allowed for good studies of this striking raptor. Following the sub-adult male gracing Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent in August 2002 I've been lucky to connect with several in Norfolk, Yorkshire and Lancashire, with the male holding territory in the Forest of Bowland in April 2017 the ultimate sighting to date. Never thought I'd see a skydancing "purring" male this side of the Channel or indeed anywhere.

A beautiful species, intermediate in structure between Montagu's and Hen Harriers. Watching adult males fly in off the Mediterranean in Cyprus is a sight to behold in late March/early April, plus there's a good opportunity to test identification skills of flyby Spring 'ringtails'. One such example was put to the test not on the island of Cyprus but when birding in Germany instead. A 1st summer female flew from the Rhine Rift Valley up over the northwest corner of the Black Forest on 11 April 2014, a bit unexpected especially on changing from scope to camera I moved inadvertently from a Red Kite to the Harrier!

Winterton, Norfolk (Autumn 2006)

Skilift Sieibelseckle, Black Forest, Germany (April 2014)

Flitcham, Norfolk (December 2015)

Welwick, East Yorkshire (December 2016)

Forest of Bowland (April 2017)

Paphos Headland, Cyprus (March 2018)

Cockerham, Lancashire (September 2018)

Paphos Headland, Cyprus (March 2019)

Ospreys

Driving down towards the green bridge at Broomhead Reservoir, South Yorkshire in the morning of 05 April 2010, a big bird of prey was over the woodland above the bridge. I pulled over, just had a feel that it wasn't a Buzzard. Through the windscreen I could see it was dark brown above and it turned to reveal shocking white underparts, my first moorland Osprey. I drove to the bridge and watched it drift towards Ewden Heights from where it was seen about 15 minutes later being escorted north by a pair of Ravens. It then spent time sat out of sight at Midhope Reservoir before leaving back towards the Ewden Valley. My next moorland Spring sighting was late afternoon on 05 April 2012, when one individual flew east over Midhope Reservoir, from Pike Lowe via Langsett Reservoir. It was constantly looking down at the snow covered moorland.

One of my favourite birds of prey, been lucky to connect with several more on this moorland edge and nearby over the last few years, in both Spring and Autumn. The Spring sightings have so far come in 2 clusters, 03 to 09 April and around the Spring Bank Holiday weekend (27 and 28 May).

Howden Reservoir, Derbyshire (April 2015)

Some of the above feature in these birding videos:

Magnificent Frigatebird - simply speechless! (May 2018)

Pallid Harrier - oh what a Circus, oh what a Show! (April 2017)

Ospreys - no Spring footage but 2 autumn birds on consecutive days (August 2017)

Previously on Lockdown Birding

Previously on Lockdown Birding...

Black-headed Gull finally dropped onto the from the flat window Birding Lockdown list, a couple of singles through in early May, then with a handful fly-catching early evening on another two occasions. A double tick day as the first flyby followed shortly after a Pied Wagtail undulated onto the list. On warm days, which have been plentiful, Starlings fly-catch like wannabe Bee-eaters.

The occasional Swallow with Swift regular overhead, a pair of the latter providing a backdrop to a wandering Peregrine one lunchtime. One Saturday afternoon this 'angry Parrot' flew over suburban Hertfordshire rooftops in a manner that would make a patrolling Sparrowhawk jealous. On a raptor theme Buzzards took to the skies at their choosing doing a bit of skydancing here and there, and Red Kites literally appeared out of the blue hanging and gliding against deep blue skies on a few dates.

Patch gold early one morning over breakfast as a pair of multiple obs Egyptian Geese moved north. Another mega when one Saturday evening a small bird was sat on top of the flats opposite. Turned out to be a House Sparrow. The from the flat window Birding Lockdown list stands at 44 (08 May 2020). The Sparrow's appearance was welcomed with a cheer as loud as that when I was lucky to find a Black-throated Grey Warbler several autumn's ago on the US Eastern Seaboard in Cape May!

On the wider area exercise walk Blackcap and Whitethroat compete for songster of the month in nearby scrub land where a Garden Warbler sang alongside the former. It showed for a second, quite a prolonged view for that not so boring species. Ring-necked Parakeets continue to annoy, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers have become more secretive, a sign of getting down to nesting, and the area has a healthy population of Stock Doves and regular presence of Red-legged Partridges. My wider area Birding Lockdown list now stands at 67 (08 May 2020).

Friends report garden ticks here in the south east, always nice to hear, and raptor skywatching by a group of us every Saturday between 12 and 2pm has been good but tough of late. The deep blue skies not ideal for picking up any moving avian species. Osprey remain on our wish lists, but can we get lucky with a Honey or a Monty's in the coming Saturday's. Nowt wrong with aiming (and looking) high!

Breaking news from a correspondent at a classified location from a city beginning with the letter 'M'. What's their birding news? Give me a minute, I'll just find a pair of tweezers and a magnifying glass, let me inspect the binding of the couriered Collins guide for a message. Hope I've not blown their cover. Here's a bit of paper, what does it say?

Happy skywatching no matter how great or small your field of view may be.

Cracked the coded message?...



I think it's, "River Warblers back on territory and the same for Red-footed Falcons but no sign of Hobby. We want Homeland Series 9 - but give it a couple of years to develop a storyline!"

The Unwanted Birdrace - Lockdown Birding

Opportunities for birding during Lockdown...

There's staring through the flat window at weekends, and at the end of the working day, not forgetting listening to a dawn chorus, the strength of which seems highly weather dependent. Whilst not having a garden I'm lucky to have a south facing and reasonable view at a decent height for a skywatch of suburban south Hertfordshire (within the London recording area.) Otherwise a daily exercise walk offers birding opportunities through several dry-land habitats.

I've never kept a from the window list or local list for this area, but still concentrate upon adding to my World (IOC), British (BOURC) and then locally Yorkshire, Barnsley and Wath Area birding lists. But Lockdown it is and in keeping in touch with everyone back home and here down south it is interesting to see and hear, sometimes in real time, what folk are recording whilst birding at their homes.

Red Kite has been added to the (flyover) garden list back home during the period and several of us noted Raven(s) overhead on the same day in Herts and Essex. If only yesterday's Osprey over Hornchurch had turned west! Spring migration is well underway and this restricted birding, which I perhaps cruelly call, 'The Unwanted Birdrace' is a way of enduring the lack of freedom of movement. However, birding plays second fiddle to the welfare of all, everyone stay safe and well.

So, the prologue over with, what else has been spotted?

The south Hertfordshire vista sees daily sightings of Red Kite and Buzzards, both of which are showy on warm days. The Kites interested in looking for scraps from the gardens whereas the Buzzards are in display. Sparrowhawk and Kestrel sightings are regular and over two days during last week a male Peregrine flew by. Yesterday (18 April) saw a Raven fly north and met with equal excitement experienced when the first Lockdown list Greenfinch, Canada Goose and Jay flew by earlier in the period. Two high flying (away) Little Egrets were statistical if not enjoyable Lockdown ticks, the list is currently at 39 having added a 'yaffling' Green Woodpecker and flyby Swallows this morning (19 April). The noisy Ring-necked Parakeets have filled the niche left by the seemingly long gone Monk Parakeets and are now ever present, but I await a fly by House Sparrow and Pied Wagtail with the same anticipation of seeing an October rarity on the East coast! Surely the brambles along the in view railway line must hold Warblers other than Blackcap? Chiffchaff are everywhere roundabouts but here!

Skywatch Saturday 12-2pm has been hit and miss, more local raptors than passage here but it's been good to compare sightings with birding friends in the South East, back up north and overseas when time allows.

The wider list and a nice variety of habitat, be it a walk through fields with rarity inviting scrubland bordering one such area, small pieces of woodland and a golf course. The latter screams out Wheatear and Ring Ouzel on the deserted greens, but as time progresses offers diminishing returns as staging grounds for these summer visitors. I have settled so far for cracking views of Green Woodpecker and singing Mistle Thrush. An area of scrub has yielded the two Whitethroat species, a lone and probably passage Willow Warbler, with the air dominated by the sounds of singing Chiffchaff and Blackcaps. Not always a focus on summer visitors, the start of the period saw a morning of snow showers with Redwing passing by the flat window and Fieldfare noted for the wider area Lockdown list.  A late Fieldfare today (19 April) was perhaps unexpected on the daily exercise walk. The woodland areas gave up Nuthatch territories, one bird in dispute with Ring-necked Parakeets, and an evening walk produced calling Tawny Owl in such woodland.

Butterflies have also been on show, with early season examples of Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Peacock, Brimstone and Comma noted. A Holly Blue was a first of the year for me today (19 April). Foxes seen on a couple of evenings as Bats skirt the treetops, and a Muntjac deer moved through undergrowth one evening, it's small size almost making it undetectable along the edge of a grassy field. I might be stretching the limit of mammal listing with the photo shown below, could I argue this one is a first for Hertfordshire?

I'm grateful for the limited birding opportunities open to me, others are not so lucky be it due to their lockdown location or current health. Whilst Lockdown birding is like a birdrace over X days/weeks/months, the question is, what's the prize at the end of this birdrace?

Not a big trophy as the World Series of Birding our team were very happy to win in 2018. This time the prize will simply be to return to some form of normality, for me to travel to see and spend time with mum and dad, and friends back home and more local across the London and south east, plus when at Rainham Marshes RSPB to have the freedom to wander around and have a good moan about missing rarities on site!

We did like to have a good moan about missing rare/scarce birds, those days are sorely missed.