A WRYNECK TURNS UP IN DEVON

My very good birding mate and partner in crime Steve Bool and myself haven't  been on a road trip in a while, so when Steve discovered that a Wryneck had turned up in Devon we both decided to get down there to take a look.

The Wryneck has bred in Scotland in open park like woodland but with hardly any records in recent years it's now considered a rare passage migrant. The Wryneck gets it's name because of the birds ability to twist it's neck around and it's cryptic plumage is like tree bark which can make it look virtually invisible whilst at rest in a tree. Another non interesting fact is that Steve and myself have never seen one so this would be a lifer for both of us. 

This particular bird had already been there for three days so we were feeling a bit  anxious hoping that it would still be there. After setting off at 5am we arrived at an area where the bird had been reported called Turf Locke at about 7.20am. A stunning location with a canal that ran opposite an estuary with mudflats and a beautiful pub. 

There were a few birders already there and when one of them told us it was showing really well on the floor near the pub we were both relieved and excited. Walking to where the birders were gathered we spotted it there it was our first Wryneck it had only taken us 61 years to see one but it was well worth it "what a bird".

our first wryneck

I started taking pictures and Steve set up his scope to get some video footage.

what a bird

Here's one of Steve's video clips of the Wryneck.

                                            

The bird Started moving around the location but still staying fairly close giving me a good chance of getting photographs of the bird on different perches in between it going to the floor to feed.

Here's another of Steve's excellent video clips.

 After spending some time with the Wryneck we decided to take a look at what else was about.

We saw Little Egrets, loads of Black Headed Gulls, a couple of fly by Curlew and this Black tailed Godwit with the Redshank close by.

black tailed godwit

and another

redshank

At the side of the canal in the reeds we could hear Cettis Warblers calling but no picture I'm afraid.

it's me looking for the cettis

We had come here though to see the Wryneck, here's some of the birders that had made the trip to see it (whose that dodgy looking guy at the back?) also below is another one of Steve's clips, another one of my photographs of this stunning bird and a selfie pic of two very happy birders.

birders photographing the wryneck

two very happy birders

A brilliant morning and an experience that we might never have again so we were both glad we made the effort. A massive thank you to Steve for doing the driving and getting us there top man, it was an excellent trip.

THE CALL OF THE CUCKOO COMES BACK TO THE FARM

 Every Spring we await the arrival of everyone's favourite Summer migrant the Cuckoo. Although this year it's arrival was a tad later than in previous years, it finally arrived just after mid April and waking up to it's repetitive call was a treat to the ears and the soul, it was back.

the cuckoo returns

They seem to like it at the farm as there is plenty of moorland above us where Skylarks and Meadow Pipits nest and also at the farm there's Dunnocks and Tree Pipits, so plenty of host species nests that the Cuckoo can use to lay it's eggs. 

Here's some of the host species that Cuckoo's like to use. 

skylark

meadow pipit

dunnock

tree pipit

The female Cuckoo can lay as many as twelve eggs all scattered about her territory. These eggs hatch a lot sooner than it's host species and the young Cuckoo instinctively pushes either the eggs or chicks out of the nest, so it is the only chick left for it's foster parents to look after.

As soon as breeding is over the adult birds return to their wintering quarters in Africa no later than July, with the young birds once they have left their foster parents following on in September. They find their way to their wintering areas unaided a remarkable example of a birds inborn ability to navigate.

Here's a few more images from this years beautiful bird.

They can sometimes be mistaken for a Sparrowhawk but can be identified by it's heavier appearance pointed wings and it's long graduated tail spotted and tipped with white.

It's great to have them back, for me it just wouldn't be Spring without the sound of the Cuckoo.

CORN BUNTINGS AT MAIDEN CASTLE

 Being a birder and amateur photographer I use YouTube quite a bit to pick up hints and tips on my hobby and so I have quite a few YouTubers that I subscribe to one is a fantastic photographer called Mike Lane. He put a video up about videoing and photographing Corn Buntings at a place called Maiden Castle near Dorchester, as this is a bird I've never seen and my birding partner in crime Steve Bool hadn't seen one in years we decided to take a road trip down there to get a look at this now pretty rare and still declining Bunting.

maiden castle

If you read the poster below it gives you a brief over view of the history of the Castle.

Steve and myself had gone to a place earlier in the year where there was supposed to have been good numbers of Corn Buntings, but the day we went was so foggy and visibility so bad that we just turned around and headed back home. On this day though it was very bright and sunny so our hopes were high that we would have good views of the birds if they were there.

The Corn Buntings rapid decline is due to the loss of food sources, reduced weed abundance and the removal of field boundaries which have diminished the availability of seeds and insects which are vital for the birds.

Late nesting Corn Buntings often build their nests in fields which are then destroyed during the harvesting process further impacting their population. Also the use of fertilizers and pesticides can badly effect the insects and seeds the birds rely on and the increased use of herbicides have reduced the diversity of plant life and the availability of suitable nesting and foraging habitat. 

At Maiden Castle though the habitat is perfect for Corn Buntings lots of hedgerow good uncultivated fields and the farmers are on board with the local wildlife authorities to keep the habitat wildlife friendly.

As we reached the car park we were greeted by the song which is said to sound like a jangle of keys of the Corn Bunting they were here, not just that they were everywhere we were both delighted. Steve started taking pictures and a bit of video with his digiscope and I took loads of pics with my camera. 

the corn bunting

emberiza calandra

Here's one of Steve's digiscoped short video's of the bird giving it's famous "jangle of keys" call.

It was just brilliant to be in the company of these cracking birds.

After a while we moved on to explore the area, there was thick hedgerow and gorse there which was alive with birds we soon spotted a whitethroat in amongst some bramble.

whitethroat

handsome warbler

Also there were a good number of Linnets, what a handsome bird the males are, especially perched on the gorse.

male linnet

what a handsome bird

There were also a good number of  Yellowhammers the males are stunning.

stunning male yellowhammer

                         

Just over the hedgerow was a field with quite long grass where we spotted some brown hares which was an added bonus to our day.

brown hare

Here's a couple more species that were seen on the day.

wren

male chaffinch

There are Grey Partridge at this site also another very rare and declining species and although we both heard the birds call we never got to see any, but we were more than happy with seeing the Corn Buntings what a fantastic bird.

Maiden Castle you done us proud. Here's a couple of pic's of the habitat and the digiscope king himself Steve Bool.

Big thanks for Steve for doing the driving on what was a brilliant day.

LESSER SPOTTED

The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is the smallest of our three resident woodpeckers being no bigger than a sparrow. They live in deciduous woodland and like to forage high in the tops of trees up on the thinner branches so are very difficult to locate. 

They are now very rare and myself and Steve Bool my birding buddy had never seen one. So after having some insider knowledge off a birding mate that they were in the New Forest in Hampshire we decided to head down there to see if we could finally tick off this very rare and illusive bird. Our insider knowledge was that good our mate had told us the location of the exact tree where the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers liked to land on and do some territorial drumming.

We both decided on a really early start so met up at 3am to start the long drive down there. We arrived at the New Forest at 5.30am it was still very dark but we were entertained by the many Deer that shone in the headlights as we drove to the car park.

At first light we made our way to find the area where the Lesser Spotted's hopefully would be.

this is the area where the LSW hopefully were

We found the tree so stood around hoping that the birds would turn up. We were joined after an hour or so by two other birders who had came to the same spot hoping to see the woodpeckers. A Green Woodpecker landed in the tree and was followed a couple of minutes later by this Great Spotted Woodpecker but still no Lesser Spotted's.

male GSW 

Steve then all of a sudden shouted what's that? as a small bird with an unusual flight pattern flew over his head and onto the tree it was the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker a male we were delighted to have finally seen this fantastic bird.

lesser spotted woodpecker

It stayed for a good few minutes giving us excellent views and photographic opportunities.

It finally flew off and although we waited for another half hour or so the bird didn't return but what a session to finally get this cracking little woodpecker.

What a stunning place the New Forest is the views are spectacular.

stunning views

 This horse and trap was a lovely site trotting around the tracks.

horse and trap

We decided to move on to see what else was about and walked up to this flat area which was covered in gorse bushes and scattered trees. There were a few Meadow pipits scattered about.

meadow pipit

Also this handsome Greenfinch was in full song.

greenfinch

We met quite a few birders who told us that Dartford Warblers have also been seen in this area, that's another bird that's been on my bucket list and would be another lifer for yours truly. After scouting about for a while Steve spotted one low in a tree it flew off and landed on top of a gorse bush just long enough for me to get these record shots but I'd seen it brilliant.

dartford warbler another lifer

We came back down to the spot where we'd seen the Woodpeckers still beaming over getting the Dartford Warbler when we spotted a Marsh Tit it was calling loudly as it foraged in a large tree. Steve got the scope ready and took this cracking bit of footage, what a super bird.

The Lesser Spotted didn't show again but we were more than happy with seeing it earlier on.

what a bird

two very happy birders

After 7 hours of birding we decided to call it a day and what a day it had been, a lifer for Steve and two for me no wonder we're smiling, we also saw a distant Goshawk to top the day off. A big thank you yet again to Steve for doing the driving and a big thank you to myself for buying the coffee and cake. The New Forest what a brilliant place.