Sommaire pour September 2018 de Bird Watching

It is September and rare birds will certainly turn up this month. That is a given. But which rarities will turn up? Here are some of our semi-educated guesses. UPLAND SANDPIPER Seen less frequently than annually and with fewer than 60 UK records, this quirky and charismatic North American wader is a much-desired rarity. Most records have come from Scilly, Cornwall or Shetland, but they do turn up elsewhere. SOLITARY SANDPIPER The North American equivalent of the Green Sandpiper is an even rarer bird than the Upland Sandpiper, with a distinct bias toward Scilly in the UK records. Though similar to Green Sandpipers, they have an almost Wood Sandpiper-like jizz and have dark (not white) rumps. SIBERIAN THRUSH Siberian Thrush is a seriously rare thrush from Siberia (the clue is…

The recent decision by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to authorise the culling of Ravens in Perthshire has met with a storm of protest, and petitions aimed at getting the decision reversed. SNH says the five-year ‘experiment’ would be part of research into factors affecting declines in breeding success among various wader species. But wader experts and the RSPB have expressed their concern about the cull, especially as it will take place in an area - Strathbraan – with a bad recent record of raptor persecution. Academic research co-funded by SNH had previously found that Ravens – which were persecuted by gamekeepers for centuries – were not responsible for wader declines. To sign the petition against the cull, go to https://www.change.org/p/stop-proposedraven-cull-by-scottish-natural-heritage?…

MORE SITES For a full list of the sites we’ve featured, go to birdwatching.co.uk/gbindex KEY Sites may be best visited by car, or a car may be required to get from point to point. Requires birding to be done on foot. Specified points to visit, but can be done in any order (known as KEYPOINTS) Specified points to visit and are best done in numerical order (known as WAYMARKERS) NB: The MILES ON FOOT is the amount of miles you will need to walk and not necessarily the amount of miles in the whole route. The TIME is how many hours we recommend. So, if there are fewer miles per hour, it could be that there is more to see. COLLECT & KEEP Every month we bring you 10…

This small reserve lying alongside the River Tame comprises 18 hectares of former pastureland, created in part from road work on the nearby A5. Situated at the northern end of the Tame Valley wetlands, the site is somewhat overshadowed by the likes of Kingsbury Water Park and Middleton Lakes, but, nonetheless, offers a good variety of interesting wildlife. The lake is the main feature, with small islands interspersed with reedbed and willow carr. The reserve, which is also bordered by the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, is well supported by its volunteers, who have done much to improve the habitat. Spring heralds the arrival of Reed and Sedge Warblers, being joined by a reeling Grasshopper Warbler from time to time. Kingfishers join Grey Herons on their feeding forays along the river…

The Wye Valley is a beautiful area of Herefordshire, and this suggested walk along the ‘Wye Valley Walk’ follows a route between two large woodland areas on hillsides, passing several nature reserves along the way, so it is a really interesting and bird-filled walk. You return via part of Haugh Wood onto the Three Choirs Way – a bit of history here! The word ‘tump’ is a local word meaning a small rounded hill or mound or a clump of trees and shrubs, but it is not clear where the Bagpiper came from! Mordiford was originally an ancient ford over the River Lugg and now it has the oldest bridge in Herefordshire at the junction with the River Wye. The walk includes part of the 95-mile long Three Choirs Way…

At the southern end of Cefn Sidan Sands, that mighty bastion stretching eight miles from the mouth of the Gwendraeth Estuary to Burry Port, lies Pembrey Burrows. This coast was a notorious graveyard of ships in times past, with nearly 200 lost since 1668, the most famous being the La Jeune Emma, blown badly off course when bound from the West Indies to France in 1828. Among those lost were Adeline Coquelin, the 12-year-old niece of Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife, Josephine. The Burrows are part of a vast sand dune system, now largely swathed in coniferous woodlands first planted almost a century ago. In earlier days, one arm of the sea extended northwards immediately inland of the dunes, Edward Llwyd, the great Welsh naturalist and historian who died far too young…

Dunstable Downs is the highest point in Bedfordshire, affording spectacular views along the scarp slope of the Chiltern Hills and across the countryside of the Vale of Aylesbury to the north. Classic chalk downland habitat such as scrub and sheep-grazed pasture with clearings is suitable for tired migrants, typically warblers, chats, Redstarts and Ring Ouzel. The walk also takes in a golf course and the London Gliding Club airfield, both sites which can attract grounded migrants, gulls and corvids. Adjacent copses, arable fields hedgerows and an old chalk quarry all add to the range of habitats on offer. Along the way there are various points which give unobstructed sight lines suitable for observing visible migration. Arrive before dawn to settle down and listen for nocturnal migrants passing along the hills,…

Stretching from the canal basin at Tiverton in Mid Devon, to Lowdwells, near Holcombe Rogus at the Somerset border, this delightful country park is a historic remnant of a plan that once existed to aqueously link the north and south coasts of Britain’s south-west peninsula. During the era when most freight was transported by water, the journey by boat round the tip of Cornwall was hazardous. A system of inland waterways was a safer bet. But the railways came and canals died a commercial death, the Grand Western ceasing to operate in 1925. For decades it choked up until, in 1971, it was bought by Devon County Council and restored as place for leisure, rich with wildlife. It is one of Devon’s Wetland Bird Survey Sites. One of the last…

Dungeness National Nature Reserve is set on Europe’s largest shingle cuspate, formed over many thousands of years by a geological process known as longshore drift. Today, it is home to a nuclear power station complex, a small onshore fishing industry, the terminus for the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, and Dungeness Bird Observatory. The natural landscape is one of scrub-clad shingle ridges, small gardens, dense willow scrub around the Long Pits and Trapping Area where the bird observatory operates, and a moat complete with a recently restored Heligoland trap and mist net rides. Two hides in front of the power station are managed by Dungeness Bird Observatory, one of which overlooks the famous ‘Patch’, where the cooling outflow pipe from the power station attracts terns and gulls to the disturbed…

Thankfully, East Prawle is one of those villages which has preserved most of what rural English villages stand for. It’s rather lovely here, with little noise and lots of light. There’s a village green and an inn to die for, complementing a birdwatching potential at the higher end of the scale. This isn’t a long walk, although armed with your map you can certainly extend it into one of two circuits depending upon your chosen direction. I go ‘clockwise’ as a rule! It was in this area recently that the Cirl Bunting’s descent to extinction was arrested. The bird was given a leg-up by the RSPB and others. Fields are now farmed with 8m margins and there are still hedges and thickets reaching down towards the coastal path. The birds…

It hardly seems possible that the Bird Photographer of the Year competition (BPOTY) has now completed its third year. Bird Watching were yet again both excited and privileged to be involved with the competition, with editor Matt Merritt forming part of the final judging panel. With seven categories and a top prize of £5,000 on offer for the overall winner, thousands of entries were received from more than 60 countries across the globe. With so many photos to choose from, the judges had a tough task on their hands to select the winning images. Head judge Chris Packham said: “Now in its third year, the Bird Photographer of the Year competition has grown again – not just in the number of entrants, but also in the breadth and standard of…

problem and far greater than any of us realised. Any publicity or advice on possible solutions is to be welcomed. However, it is also an extremely complicated problem to solve with no one answer and needing solutions on a world-wide basis. This country is not a major source of plastic pollution (one river in Indonesia is blocked by miles of plastic which will take years to clear and much of which will end up in the Pacific Ocean) but we do have a plastic and waste problem the cause of which Bo hardly mentioned. As a generalisation, we are a filthy nation and waste (often plastic) is just thrown down or chucked out of the car. Look along many roadsides, especially slip roads, town centre areas, in parks, many areas…

That’s it, now. The great summer bird party is over. The travellers came to visit, had a ball and are now on their way back. Tick off the average autumn departure dates of your favourite migrants one by one, as they trickle away. It’s been a party, alright. All the guests bring their own unique imprint, just as we recognise human characters at gatherings. There’s the creepy one, a character you never quite trust, the Cuckoo. There’s the loud one, whose presence dominates the early evening karaoke until their partner gets them to be quiet – the Nightingale. There’s the one who seems to get drunk early and is soon out of control, all over the place, like a Whitethroat. There’s the notorious love-rat and womaniser, the Pied Flycatcher, mixing…

BIRDWATCHING LONDON David Darrell-Lambert, Safe Haven, £12.99 If our own Urban Birder David Lindo's current series of articles on birding the capital city has inspired you, this compact but highly informative volume, published in association with the London Wildlife Trust, might be just what you need. All the most important sites are covered, from well-known spots such as London Wetland Centre to suburban parks that might have hitherto escaped the notice of occasional visitors (as well as one outlier, in the form of Southend), and there are also a series of ‘Landmark London Birds’. These are well chosen, with species such as Black Redstart in there among the usual suspects. It’s well illustrated with excellent photography, and the text is thorough and very readable. Perhaps more extensive at-a-glance factboxes on…

SOUTH WEST Highlights Top billing in the region must go to the long-awaited Royal Tern, which relocated in the Weymouth area, Dorset, in the evening of 20th after departing on the same day from West Sussex. A Pacific Golden Plover was at Gwithian, Cornwall, at the end of the month. AVON CLEVEDON-WESTON-SUPER-MARE: Clevedon-Yeo held 80 early Wigeon (15th), three Little Ringed Plovers (28th) and a Sanderling (2nd). There were 19 Manx Shearwaters off Sand Point (5th). Sand Bay had a Rose-coloured Starling (10th). A Bittern was at Kenn (28th). SEVERNSIDE: Storm Hector (14th) brought a Fulmar, Storm Petrel, 150 Manx Shearwaters, six Gannets, a Great Skua, Mediterranean Gull, Yellow-legged Gull and two Kittiwakes to Severn Beach, with 80 Manx Shearwaters (17th) and another Storm Petrel (18th). Severn Beach/ Northwick Warth…

Canon’s latest image-stablilised binoculars – the IS range – are perfect for all kinds of wildlife-watching, from birds at long distance, to dragonflies or moths right up close and personal. Their precision optics include field flattener lens elements and a Super Spectra coating, giving high definition and true-to-life colours, for an outstanding all-round view. Field of view is 105m at 1000m All the models in the range have Standard and Powered Image Stabiliser (IS) modes, which keeps the view steady even at high magnification, and enables steady handheld tracking. There’s fingertip control for switching between the modes, with easy to access buttons on the top of the barrels. The contoured barrel design and rubberised coating give excellent grip in the field, even while you’re wearing gloves, and there are large…

During the relatively quiet bird season of mid-summer, many birdwatchers turn to alternative means to get their wildlife kicks. We have a natural enthusiasm for animals and plants of sufficiently low diversity that they have common English names (rather than just scientific binomials), are readily visible and lend themselves to ‘listing’. So, orchids are ticked off in early summer, and as the warmer months develop, butterflies and dragonflies form a nice distraction from scruffy birds trying to raise a family. But, even as summer gives way to autumn, and the birding hots up, there are still plenty of insects to chase. Chief among these for many of us, are the butterflies, many of which have an August-September flight period (sometimes as a second brood). Butterflies are members of the order…

On first impressions, most British mammals are almost the opposite of our birds: largely nocturnal, drably coloured, generally quiet, painfully shy, hard to watch and low in diversity. These are some of the reasons that watching mammals has nowhere near the popularity of birdwatching, in the UK. But, partly because of their secretive behaviour, and partly because they are so naturally charismatic, mammals are really exciting creatures to watch. Here are some tips for watching mammals in the UK Bats There are about 17 species of bat breeding in the UK (including Common Pipistrelle, right) which make up nearly a quarter of all the mammals in the country. Of course, all are nocturnal, and so quite hard to watch. So, bats are easiest to ‘observe’ using a bat detector. These…

The Bird Watching team will be present and looking forward to hearing your questions about the magazine and birdwatching more generally, and hearing how your own birding is going. There’ll be exclusive subscription offers, a chance to meet this issue’s cover artist Andy Mackay and win the framed original print of his artwork, and reader holiday offers. Editor Matt Merritt and optics reviewer David Chandler will be running an Optics Q&A session in the Hobby Lecture Theatre at midday on Sunday the 19th. In addition, we’ll be keeping track of sightings around the Egleton reserve, and taking visitors on birding walks to some of the hides – the first one, at 10am on Friday the 17th, is on a strictly first-come first-served basis, so email us at birdwatching@bauermedia.co.uk if you’d…

Be aware that during the autumn there can be a bit of a shuffling around of the birds in your garden. Most of the species we consider as the commonest garden birds are ‘resident’ species, at least in the sense that they are around throughout the year. We also have summer visitors such as warblers and some winter visitors, such as Redwings and Fieldfares. However, during the autumn, your garden could be visited by some less expected birds. Some species, such as some warblers (especially juveniles), start to wander around during the autumn and prior to their migration. So, you may see unexpected birds, such as Reed and Sedge Warblers, Lesser Whitethroat or flycatchers, that you may not normally see in the rest of the year.…

Kea This large parrot, found on New Zealand’s South Island, is notoriously inquisitive, and has been shown to use tools. New Caledonian Crow Well-known for its habit of using tools such as sticks (trimmed to length) to extract the insects that it eats from crevices and nooks. Large-billed Crow In Japan, they place walnuts on pedestrian crossings, getting cars to crack the nuts, before retrieving the edible parts – now that’s clever!…

This stretch of magical Perthshire forest was originally designed as a pleasure ground in the 18th Century for the Dukes of Atholl. Douglas Firs tower over the paths leading to the roaring Black Linn Falls, where the River Braan crashes down into the deep, foaming pools below. Overlooking the waterfall is the picturesque folly known as Ossian’s Hall, built in 1757 as the focal point in an extensive designed landscape. With the firs dominating the first part of the walk, it may make it hard hunting for birds, but the river should supply both Dipper and Grey Wagtail, along with Goosander chasing the small fish. Douglas Fir cones provide food for Crossbills, Siskin and even Red Squirrels. The new clear fell across the river has the potential of adding some…

Stranraer looks a lonely place now, with the ferry companies moved up to Cairnryan. The trains still use the station coming down from Ayrshire, but there are no links to the east other than through buses. Loch Ryan has been famous for its winter birds, but spring and summer are increasingly periods when it should be checked, especially for terns and waders. As this area is built up, you may not have the large flocks of grey geese, but pale-bellied Brent Geese can be viewed from here at times, especially to the east of the station at low tide. Black Guillemots are a year-round bird here, nesting around the pier walls. Eider are another species to look for all year round, but it is many years since the regular King…

This enjoyable walk has a small lake and a river joined together by hilly mixed woodland. Throxenby Lake has ducks and geese, including Tufted Duck and Greylag Goose, the woodland offers Great Spotted Woodpecker and Treecreeper, and the river, Dipper and Kingfisher, so there is a good range of birds here. The boardwalk alongside the River Derwent is particularly useful and there is a noticeboard at the car park with information about birds of the area. There are two options, here – the first is to park at Throxenby Mere and walk through Raincliffe Wood to the River Derwent at Forge Valley then back to the start (about six miles) or there is a car park about halfway to Forge Valley for a look at the woodland, then a car…

GRID REF: SK 207 026 POSTCODE: B78 3JD HOW TO GET THERE: From the A5 at Tamworth, take the A4091 Fazeley Road towards Ventura Retail Park, which is signposted WHERE TO PARK: At Ventura Retail Park, Tamworth, and cross the road following the footpath to the reserve entrance, which is just a few minutes’ walk away. Alternatively park carefully on roads opposite the reserve (the area can get very busy with traffic) TERRAIN: Rough grass paths and boardwalks in parts which can be muddy after heavy rainfall if there is a degree of flooding ACCESSIBILITY: Open all year round. Not suitable for disabled access, although reasonable views can be had from the nearby pavement. Some benches on site FACILITIES: None on site. Plenty at the nearby Ventura Retail Park PUBLIC…

GRID REF: SS 414 996 POSTCODE: SA16 0EJ (for visitor centre, Pembrey Burrows) HOW TO GET THERE: From the A484 Llanelli to Carmarthen road in Pembrey, follow the signs to the Country Park and Beach WHERE TO PARK: A choice within the country park, fee payable, a lower fee between October and March TERRAIN: A superb beach backed by saltmarshes, sand dunes, some with board walks with steps and coniferous woodlands with numerous footpaths including a section of the Wales Coastal Path ACCESS: Open 8am-10pm daily FACILITIES: Visitor centre open daily 10am-4pm, while a range of camping opportunities are available. Pembrey Country Park, Pembrey, Llanelli SA16 0EJ. Tel: 01554 742 424, email: camppembrey@carmarthenshire.gov.uk PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Burry Port, nearest station is easily reached by the train services running between Swansea and…

GRID REF: TL 008 197 POSTCODE: LU6 2GY HOW TO GET THERE: From Dunstable town centre take the B489 to Tring. After one mile turn left at the roundabout on the B4541 to Whipsnade. Site access is signposted after a further one mile on the right WHERE TO PARK: In the designated pay and display car park by the visitor centre off the B4541 TERRAIN: Mostly unsurfaced paths and tracks, some steep inclines ACCESS: Year-round access on public footpaths. For those with limited mobility there is good access around the Gateway Centre FACILITIES: Gateway Centre for information, café and toilets. There are several interpretive boards, seats and picnic tables on site PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Stagecoach buses operate a service from Luton to Dunstable stopping nearby, web: stagecoach.com ORGANISATION: National Trust, Whipsnade…

GRID REF: TR 093 172 POSTCODE: TN29 9ND HOW TO GET THERE: From Ashford, take the A2070 towards Hastings. At Brenzett roundabout turn left on the A259 to New Romney. One mile from town turn right along the B2075 Romney Road, signposted to Lydd, turning left over the railway bridge along Harden Road and left again at the roundabout and straight on for 2 miles. Turn right onto the Dungeness Estate signposted to the lighthouse WHERE TO PARK: In the roadside car park halfway along Dungeness Road opposite the gated concrete road or by the old lighthouse TERRAIN: A combination of rough tracks and shingle on level ground. For those with limited mobility, the sea can be scanned from a boardwalk opposite the Britannia pub ACCESS: Open access on public…

HOW TO GET THERE: Leave the A379 at Torcross south of Slapton. Follow a plethora of signposts and lanes via Beeson & South Allington until you reach East Prawle WHERE TO PARK: I start and finish this walk in the village, parking at grid ref SX 775 355 but, if you prefer, use the car park at SX 781 362 TERRAIN: Much is on tarmac road and lanes but the coastal path, though well walked, is stony and uneven ACCESSIBILITY: All year but not easy for the less mobile FACILITIES: East Prawle has a shop – ‘The Piglet Stores and café’, but the Pig’s Nose Inn will entice you. Otherwise it’s remote here so bring a good picnic and a drink PUBLIC TRANSPORT: None, I’m afraid. You need to use…

• Puffins have been recorded carrying up to 60 sandeels at one time in their bills. • The inside of a Puffin’s upper jaw is serrated, and it can hold fish against this with its tongue, while diving for more fish to take back to the burrow. • The soft yellow flesh in the corner of the bill is known as a rosette and is stretchy, to allow the Puffin to open its bill wide enough to accommodate multiple sandeels. • Puffins can dive for up to one minute, though they usually only stay underwater for about 30 seconds. They can dive as deep as 60m. • A gathering of Puffins is known variously as a colony, a puffinry, a circus, a burrow, a gathering, or an improbability. • Geolocators…

You can order Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) Collection 3 for just £19.99, including free P&P to UK addresses, a combined deal of BPOTY collections 2 and 3 for £29.99 with free P&P to UK addresses, or a combined deal of BPOTY collections 1, 2 and 3 for £37.99 with free P&P to UK addresses. To order, please send a cheque for the appropriate amount, payable to Bauer Media, to: Nicki Manning, Bird Watching, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA. Please include your name and full address.…

May I begin by saying what a first rate magazine Bird Watching is. I have been a reader from the very first issue. As someone who lived in Axbridge in the early 1940s I was a little surprised to see Cheddar Reservoir in Gloucestershire (Go Birding Site 8, August). Surely Cheddar, like Axbridge, is in the glorious county of Somerset! Despite this, may you continue producing your excellent magazine. You’re quite right Roger, and we apologise to you and other readers (and to site contributor Simone Stanbrook-Byrne) for the error. We know a lot of you collect and keep Go Birding site pages so we’ve corrected our mistake and made a page which can be viewed here: birdwatching.co.uk/cheddar-reservoir And thanks for your kind comments regarding the mag, Roger!…

Your garden might be getting quieter in September – summer visitors will generally be winging their way south, while resident birds will be relinquishing their breeding territories as they prepare to roam in search of winter food (Robins excepted). But it’s a busy time for the wildlife gardener. • Leave seedheads, especially on teasels, thistles and sunflowers, to give your garden birds some natural food in the colder months. • Allow at least some vegetation to die back naturally. Again, it will provide valuable seed food for some species, and all garden birds will appreciate the cover during bad weather. • If you’re weeding, try to concentrate on those which are actually harmful to your garden – others can be left to provide food for birds, and sometimes a welcome…

TREE SPARROW Formally widespread in London, this nationally localised species is on the verge of extinction as a breeding bird in the capital. Its main toehold is now at Beddington Farmland, where just a fraction of its previous numbers now exists. Despite the declines in the UK and Western Europe, globally it’s a different story. The Tree Sparrow’s range stretches across to Java and Bali in southeast Asia. Interestingly, in Asia it is very much an urban bird, found in the grimiest of situations, and like the House Sparrow it too has been introduced to other continents like Americas and Australia. Tree Sparrows belong to the Old World Sparrow family, which is not closely related to the sparrows of the Americas. Indeed, the family seems to be more closely related…

VORTEX VIPER HD BINOCULARS, FROM £559 The new Viper HDs focus closer and have a wider field of view than their predecessors – 1.5m/7.8° for the 8x42, and 1.5m/6.5° on the 10x42. They are a bit heavier, but not heavy – 690g and 700g respectively, and have “outstanding edge-to-edge clarity”. The package includes a Binocular Harness Pack – a protective case that can be carried in four ways. And they are the same price as the older version. Watch out for a full review or grab a Viper at the Birdfair. newprouk.co.uk BILLINGHAM GALBIN BINOCULAR CASE, £120/£135 Designed for 8x32/42s (Galbin 8) and 10x42s (Galbin 10) this high quality product will provide a high level of protection for a very long time. The main flap has a contoured fit and…

What first sparked your interest in birdwatching, and when? The date of 8 October 2005 at 6.24pm will always be etched on my mind. It was at that moment I first experienced birdwatchers rushing to view what would turn out to be a Blackpoll Warbler. My wife and I had just viewed this bird, oblivious to what it was and we were barged out of the way by people shouting “It’s over here!” We were on holiday on the Isles of Scilly and this encounter made me want to come back and make a documentary about what I thought was a crazy pastime. I did go back next year and I became a birdwatcher myself when I saw a Red-eyed Vireo and was smitten. It took many months before I…

Hawkers These can be tricky to identify, especially as there are times when they just keep on flying, and never seem to settle. COMMON HAWKER A big, cautious hawker that is hard to get close to! Look for: Thick yellow vein at front of wings; paired dots along abdomen – blue on male, yellow on female. Male has narrow, yellow shoulder stripes. In flight abdomen is held straight and above horizontal. Habitat: Still water, normally acidic or neutral, on moors and heaths. Sometimes at garden ponds. Range: Widespread throughout much of the UK, but absent from most of eastern and southeast England. Flight period: July to October, peaking from July to September. MIGRANT HAWKER If you see a swarm of hawkers, this is what it’s likely to be. Sometimes allows…

September is to autumn what April is to spring. Just as April hasn’t quite the same illustrious reputation as May, so September falls somewhat into October’s shadow. But both April and September are powerful players in the calendar. Indeed, some years, September can produce even rarer birds than the later month. For now, however, here are five birds to try for this month; five birds for which September is a peak period. RARITY RATINGS Common, widely distributed Localised – always a treat Very scarce or rare TELL US WHAT YOU’VE SEEN! twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag JUVENILE CURLEW SANDPIPER In autumn, juvenile waders (ie those hatched this year) tend to greatly outnumber adults. This is certainly true of the relatively scarce Curlew Sandpiper. Many of us were, in our birding youth, brought up…

JOIN CHANDLER IN PORTUGAL If you want an autumnal boost to #My200BirdYear, or fancy seeing Greater Flamingo, Iberian Imperial Eagle, Great Bustard, Black-winged Kite, Azure-winged Magpie and more, David Chandler, our own optics reviewer, will be guiding a week-long tour to southern Portugal from 22-29 October with Birds & Nature Tours Portugal. David will be looking for other wildlife, too, especially dragonflies, and he won’t mind if you ask him a few optics questions while you’re there. The week’s programme will take in several species-rich regions without needing to travel long distances. You’ll visit the Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve, Cork Oak woodlands, the rolling plains of Castro Verde in the Alentejo, the Guadiana Valley, the Ria Formosa Nature Park and Castro Marin Nature Reserve in the Algarve, and more. Contact…

Thanks to a grant from the Japanese city of Toyooka, Birdfair 2018 will have a new area dedicated to young visitors. A large marquee will host entertainment including plays, storytelling, films, guided walks, virtual pond dipping, mini-talks, origami sessions, a Puffin mural, and debates, and TV stars including Mike Dilger, Nick Baker, Jules Howard and Adrian Cale will be appearing. In addition, authors Anneliese Emmans Dean, Edward Giles and Vicky Woodgate will read or perform a variety of shows. Forest school activities, from hedge-laying to making your own ‘Harry Potter’ style wands will help bring youngsters closer to nature. Admission to Birdfair is free for under-16s.…

There are great sounds in birdwatching. The clear call of the first Cuckoo, the mournful mew of a Buzzard and the lovely liquidity of a Nightingale in full song – all are sounds that bring a smile to the face. My favourite birding sound, though, is not one of these, it is a sound which, when transposed into words doesn’t look that great if I am being honest, but in reality it is beautiful. That sound is a ‘Cronk!’ Very black and very large, Raven’s are formidable birds. They also make those ‘cronks’, but we’ll come back to that. The Raven is the largest member of the corvid family. It is also the largest passerine or perching bird and it is also one of the most widely distributed, found virtually…

POSTCODE: PH8 0AH GRID REF: NO 013 422 HOW TO GET THERE: Driving up from the south or north the A9 passes the brown sign for the main car park WHERE TO PARK: The main car parking area is left heading north and right heading south TERRAIN: Most of the track is hard underfoot with varied incline. Stout footwear is advisable FACILITIES: Dunkeld has plenty of shops and toilets PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Buses and trains from Perth or Inverness. Traveline Scotland, tel: 0871 200 22 33 LOCAL INFO: nts.org.uk/visit/places/the-hermitage & walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/hermitage.shtml & dunkeldandbirnam.org.uk ORGANISATIONS: Scottish Wildlife Trust, Harbourside House, 110 Commercial Street, Edinburgh EH6 6NF. Tel 0131 312 7765 / The SOC, The Scottish Birdwatching Resource Centre, Waterston House, Aberlady, East Lothian EH32 0PY CLUB CONTACT: SOC Central Scotland – Perthshire…

POSTCODE: DG9 8EJ GRID REF: NX 061 614 HOW TO GET THERE: From the north take the A77 down from Ayrshire and from the east the A75. Follow signs to the station and harbour WHERE TO PARK: Choice of several roadside parking spots. Always check if you need a parking disc TERRAIN: The walking is public footpaths, parks and concrete. Shoes or trainers are fine for this easy walking ACCESSIBILITY: All year round walk FACILITIES: Plenty of shops and cafés in Stranraer PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Trains from the north and buses travel in all directions as Stranraer is a main point of call. Use Traveline for information on 01387 260383 LOCAL INFO: discoversouthwestscotland.co.uk/activities/birdwatching-in-south-westscotland-2/birdwatching-in-south-westscotland/ & visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/stranraer-p239331 ORGANISATIONS: RSPB D & G Area Office, The Old School Crossmichael DG7 3A. Tel: 01556 670464.…

GRID REF: SE 995 888 HOW TO GET THERE: From the A171 (Scarborough to Whitby road) take Throxenby Lane (just after the hospital) for about three-quarters of a mile to Throxenby Mere WHERE TO PARK: Room for up to five cars at grid ref: TA 010 888 TERRAIN: Hilly in parts. I suggest good walking boots and a compass ACCESSIBILITY: Rather limited disabled access only on the road near Throxenby Mere and at Forge Valley, where there is a wooden path alongside the river with good disabled access. Dogs allowed under control (there are deer in part of the woods) FACILITIES: None on site but all in Ayton and Scarborough PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Nearest railway station is Scarborough, National Rail Enquiries tel: 08457 700 240. Bus Services, Traveline, tel: 08712 002…

GRID REFERENCE: SO 575 369 HOW TO GET THERE: From Hereford take the B4224 to Mordiford WHERE TO PARK: Park in the lay-by at grid ref: SO 573 373 TERRAIN: Partly level going then some hillsides ACCESSIBILITY: No disabled access. Dogs under strict control FACILITIES: All in nearby Hereford PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Nearest railway station is Hereford, National Rail Enquiries, tel: 08457 700 240. Bus services, Traveline, tel: 08712 002 233 ORGANISATIONS: Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, web: herefordshirewt.org CLUB CONTACT: Herefordshire Ornithological Club, tel: 01432 850 068 COUNTY RECORDER: Michael Colquhoun, email: mickcolquhoun@gmail.com MAPS: OS Explorer 189, OS Landranger 149…

GRID REF: SS963123 (canal basin); ST073196 (Lowdwells) POSTCODE (of basin): EX16 4HX. The postcode near Lowdwells end is TA21 0JY HOW TO GET THERE: Tiverton is 15 miles north of Exeter on the A396 and is easily accessed off the M5 PARKING: At Canal basin in Tiverton and smaller areas available throughout the length of the canal TERRAIN: Easy, level walking along the towpath, occasional bridges FACILITIES: Tiverton offers many opportunities for refreshments, including (in season) a fine floating bar/café at the canal basin, The Duck’s Ditty. Between Easter and autumn there are excellent tea rooms and gardens at Halberton Court Farm Shop, on the short circular walk just off the canal. Various pubs in villages along the route. Toilets in Tiverton, at the basin, and at refreshment stops PUBLIC…

Ruth is one half of The Biggest Twitch team, and along with partner Alan Davies, set the then world record for most bird species seen in a year – 4,341, in 2008, an experience they wrote about in their book, The Biggest Twitch. Indeed, Ruth is still the female world record-holder! As well as her work as a tour leader, she is the author of the Birds, Boots and Butties books, on walking, birding and tea-drinking in North Wales, and previously worked as the RSPB’s head of trading. She lives in North Wales.…

The Aphrodite Ceramic Solar Cascade Water Feature will create an attractive feature on your patio or decking, and produce the relaxing sound of gently trickling water. The Aphrodite Ceramic Solar Cascade Water Feature has a solar powered pump which is located in the largest bowl, this pumps the water up to the urn at the top, from where it gently trickles down through the 3 jugs to the lower bowl. The Solar powered Pump is powered by a separate solar panel (supplied) which has a 3m (10ft) cable. Dimensions: Height 490mm x widest diameter 440mm. Lower bowl diameter 340mm.…

This nature reserve is a small part of the Albufera de Valencia Natural Park, which, in common with other coastal wetlands, has suffered because of excessive nutrients – in this case as a consequence of rice growing, industry and population growth. Tancat de La Pipa is the result of a project that started in 2007 which aimed to improve water quality, restore biodiversity and create space for the public and education. Forty hectares (99 acres) of rice has become the Natural Park’s biggest wetland reserve. Lagoons were planted with Reeds, Bulrushes, sedges and Lilies to soak up nitrates and phosphates as the incoming water enters the reserve. This helped to create an area which is now the best place in the park for species that are particularly sensitive to water…

1 Bug-watching We’re not sure there’s really such a thing as a ‘quiet time’ for birdwatching in the UK, but there’s no harm in having something else to look for if the birds really are temporarily out of sight (this can happen to an extent in late summer, when many birds moult). That’s when insect activity can be at its peak, though. Dragonflies and damselflies are perhaps the most obvious, but you can also start to learn more about solitary bees, shield bugs, or all sorts of other insects. 2 Butterflies and moths Although we’re grouping these together, there’s a big difference – butterflies are active during the day, and are often larger and brightly coloured, while most moths are active by night, and are often cryptically patterned and coloured.…

Dragon or damsel? First, work out if you’re looking at a damselfly or a true dragonfly. That’s not too difficult: Body shape: Damselflies look like matchsticks – true dragonflies are much chunkier. The wings: When they settle damselflies fold their wings along their back (except the Emerald damselflies – theirs stick out at about 45 degrees). True dragonflies hold their wings at right angles to the body. The eyes: Look for a gap between the eyes on a damselfly. On true dragonflies the eyes touch (with one exception in this country – the Club-tailed Dragonfly, but you’re not very likely to see one of those!) In flight: Damselflies are weak and fluttery, but very good at manoeuvring around vegetation; true dragonflies are strong, powerful fliers.…

Britain’s Dragonflies – a field guide to the damselflies and dragonflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Dave Smallshire & Andy Swash. Fourth edition. 2018. Princeton University Press. £17.99. Field Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Steve Brooks, Steve Cham and Richard Lewington. 5th edition. 2014. British Wildlife Publications. £20. The society: British Dragonfly Society: british-dragonflies.org.uk The reserve: There are plenty of good places to see these insects, including one reserve that is managed primarily for dragonflies and damselflies – Foxearth Meadows Nature Reserve, Essex (see arocha.org.uk/our-activities/practical-conservation/foxearth).…

1 Itmakes sense to use your binocular’s neck strap. This obviously keeps them safe around your neck and I always keep it quite short so they sit on my chest and don’t bash into things when I bend or sit down. 2 Getting the right focus is what it’s all about - you want a crystal-clear view and to be able to see as much as possible. So always make sure the distance between the two barrels is set at the right width for your eyes. Then roll the focus in and out around the specific object you’ve latched onto until it’s pin sharp. 3 Most of us have eyes which focus differently so to compensate for this you need to first close your right eye and adjust the focus…