TWO PHALS FOR TWO PALS

 Two rare waders turned up recently at Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs near Cardiff, they were two Phalarope species the Red Necked Phalarope and Grey Phalarope a very rare occurrence indeed. So I managed to twist my birding companion Steve Bools arm to go down there and take a look. The weather was forecast heavy showers but the chance to see two Phalarope species on the same reservoir was to much of a temptation to miss. The Red Necked Phalarope breeds in the extreme north and north west whilst the Grey Phalarope is a rare breeder in Iceland, both bird species winter out at sea. They do sometimes get blown inland by high winds and storms and as we've now moved into Autumn with the migratory birds on the move these must have been blown in on the recent windy wintery conditions we've been having out in the west of the UK.

The Red Necked Phalarope in Spring is a very handsome bird with a dark face, white throat bright red neck and long buff stripes on a dark grey back. In Autumn they change to being white below greyish above with a black mask they also have a needle fine bill. The juveniles have a black cap, black mask and a buff striped blackish back. The birds at the reservoir were juveniles at least two but there might have been more as Steve spotted some with his scope right out in the middle of the water.

red necked phalarope

The Grey Phalarope is also a very handsome bird in it's breeding plumage being orangey red except for the black head, white cheeks and black and buff streaking on the back and wings. Up north in it's breeding grounds it is known as the Red Phalarope for obvious reasons. In winter birds are grey above, white below with a black mask, juveniles are similar but have a more Spangle on their backs. The bill is thicker than that of the Red Necked and in Summer is orangey yellow. 

grey phalarope

Another interesting fact is that in both these Phalarope species the female is much more brightly coloured than the males and does all the courtship displaying and after laying her clutch of eggs will leave the male to look after them and the young while she will look for another partner. 

Also whilst feeding they have the unusual habit of swimming in close circles, it creates a vortex which brings items like insect larvae and crustaceans from the bottom of shallow water to the surface, making them easy to catch with their bills. 

red necked 

grey

Steve digiscoped some great footage of the birds here's the Red Necked first.

And the Grey Phalarope.

We met some lovely people at the reservoir including Roger and Lisa both great birders with Roger being a photographer so we had plenty to chat about while watching and photographing the birds, he also told me what waterproof camera bag to buy instead of the awful plastic bag I was struggling with so "cheers mate".

red necked

grey

We were also lucky enough to see a Common Sandpiper I managed a couple of images and Steve some video.

common sandpiper

common Sandpiper

The reservoir was full of birds besides the Phalaropes and Common Sandpiper we saw a flyover Hobby, Kingfisher, loads of ducks, Swans, Coots and Moorhens and there were absolutely loads of hirundines Swallows, Sand and House Martins feeding on the thousands of insects over the water so a great birding location.

The weather finally turned really bad so we made our way back towards the car both soaked but it was well worth it. We had our customary Coffee and cake in their really lovely canteen to dry off a bit and look back on our great morning two Phalarope species together in the same place and both really close to each other, who could ask for better than that. 

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.