Inhaltsverzeichnis für August 2018 in Bird Watching

YELLOW WARBLER One of the commoner North American warbler species is a very rare bird on this side, with only half a dozen UK records and a few more in western Ireland. Most UK records are from the Northern Isles, with the last on Mainland Shetland in 2005. All previous birds have occurred from late August to early November. RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD Notoriously rare and difficult to connect with, all accepted UK records of this glorious seabird were off Cornwall or Scilly, with the most recent two (2013 and 2015) seen from land during August seawatching sessions. SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER The Asiatic equivalent of North America’s Pectoral Sandpiper, the Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is a much rarer bird, less than annual in the UK. The are similar in size, structure and size, and even…

Muggy, warm days in summer are the ideal time for flying ants. These are the winged, reproductive members of the colony (which are otherwise nearly all ‘sterile’ workers, the familiar ants that seem to be everywhere). The small-winged males take flight in search of the large winged females, with the sole intention of mating. The females, having mated, descend to earth, shed their wings and become queens of new colonies. When the conditions are right, colonies appear to synchronise the release of thousands upon thousands of these alates or ‘flying ants’, which typically rise quite high in the sky on their nuptial flight. Naturally, an abundant source of weak-flying proteinaceous ants, gently thermalling into the air, is a great draw for hungry birds. Look out on ‘flying ant days’ for…

Spring and autumn are times of maximum migration and the British winter sees our wetlands swell with millions of hungry visitors. Summer is the time to take a holiday from birdwatching, right? Wrong! The much misunderstood summer in the British Isles can be a great time to add new and exciting birds to your #My200BirdYear list, as well as enjoying some exciting non-avian wildlife. Summer need not just be a season for trying to ignore eclipse ducks through a veil of heat haze. There really is a cure for the summertime blues. Here are 10 reasons why summer is great. Pelagics, seawatching and cetacean-watching Late summer is the traditional time for ‘pelagic’ trips, expeditions by boat out onto the open sea, in search of seabirds. Trips out of Scilly and…

Reed Buntings, as the name suggests, are associated with wet ground and wetlands, but they also turn up occasionally in gardens across the country where they are happy to exploit the bird food left out by many of us. They have learnt that our gardens can provide a valuable food resource when their traditional feeding areas are bare. Reed Buntings typically leave their wetland breeding sites in late autumn, moving on to farmland where they can form very large flocks, often mixed with other species, that forage for seeds across the fields. However, by March that food supply is running out and late March to early April sees some of these birds move to our gardens in search of sustenance before they return to their wetland breeding sites towards the…

There are two Loch Speys. The first is natural, and was the location of breeding Temminck’s Stints in the 1970s, and is situated 12 miles west of a dammed loch feeding one of the greatest wildlife rivers in Scotland, the Spey. The water extracted from this dammed loch is pumped and then flows west to Fort William. The second loch is the subject of this walk. Leading to the dam are a number of fields with feeding waders such as Curlew, Oystercatcher and Lapwing. Once up above the dam, a minor road takes you along the south side of the loch. A large Forestry Commission wood sits above the dam with the Pictish hillfort of Dun da Lamh sitting proud on its highest point. Sadly, deer fencing makes it a…

How many times do folk travel to see Caerlaverock WWT and not look at nearby habitats to add birds and wildlife to their day list? The area has a number of great opportunities, including this one. Glencaple is an ideal location to start off, with a small harbour, hotel and now a new café offering great views onto the River Nith and across to Kirkconnell Merse (managed by the RSPB). Of course, geese are a big pull, with plenty of Barnacle and Pink-footed possible, but singles of Ross’s, Red-breasted, pale-bellied Brent, Richardson’s Cackling and Taverner’s Canada have also been picked out in the flocks. Whooper Swans are likely in the area, but it is many years since Bewick’s Swans were found in numbers. A winter gull passage heading to roosts…

This area was made famous by the breeding Bee-eaters in 2017, when many birdwatchers travelled to see such an extraordinary spectacle. The complex has been expanded four times in recent years and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has been involved for more than 20 years. The Cemex sand and gravel company allows no access to its site for safety reasons, but a public footpath allows views over several man-made pools, from flashes to deep water, with natural regeneration of reed and other aquatic plants in many areas. Some fields contain rough features with many field weed species good for feeding flocks of finches and buntings, especially Goldfinches, Linnets, Chaffinch and Reed Buntings. With so much water, wildfowl are a real hit on this walk with common species such as Mallard, Tufted Duck,…

The little village of Hook-a-Gate was, in the 19th Century, a stop on the Shropshire and Montgomeryshire railway line that went from the Shrewsbury Abbey to Llanymynech – at the time called Potts Line. The railway line was dismantled long ago, but still provides some interest for birding walkers. The walk starts by a weir in the Lea Brook, then follows a path uphill with good views of the brook, then through woodland alongside the brook to the dismantled railway line, where the brook parts company and flows off to the west. There is an area of woodland called Woodcote Coppice to explore before turning back over an open area and hillside towards the start, passing one or two moats along the way. Although only a stone’s throw away from…

Snug below the southern slopes of Cadair Idris, at 2,930ft a mighty southern bastion of the Snowdonia range, lies Tal-y-llyn Lake, from where the outflow, the Afon Dysynni, begins its 16-mile, often convoluted journey south-west to reach the expanse of the Broad Water, before squeezing through the narrowest of outflow channels to reach Cardigan Bay. The Broad Water is the only percolation lagoon in Wales, a lagoon separated from the sea by shingle banks through which seawater percolates. Other habitats include sand dunes, salt marsh, mudflats and reed swamp. Extending from the coast in this part of Cardigan Bay are three sarns, submerged rock ridges, moraines left here at the end of the last glaciation – the shortest at some four miles is Sarn Badrig near the Broad Water. Low…

This is an area by the River Wye, and the walk is literally alongside the river for a good part of the route. It is such a lovely countryside area, and a river such as the Wye is always fascinating for its attraction to water birds, with some rarities always a possibility. The name Fiddler’s Green is thought to come from the legendary concept of an afterlife where there is perpetual mirth, a fiddle never stops playing and dancers never get tired. There is also a maritime folklore that the afterlife was for sailors who had served at least 50 years at sea! But what about the birds? Well, the Wye is especially good for diving birds and dabbling ducks, and is a particularly good winter site, with scarce and…

Staines Moor is a remnant ancient alluvial grassland situated between Heathrow and the M25 on the floodplain of the River Colne. This 107-hectare site comprises neutral semi-improved grassland, marshy grassland, swamp and scrub, bordered by narrow strips of woodland and hedges and bisected by the River Colne. Grazed by cattle and horses since at least 1065, this Site of Special Scientific Interest has not been ploughed for at least 1,000 years and supports a rich floral diversity, as well as the oldest anthills of the Yellow Meadow Ant (Lasius flavus) in Britain. Staines Moor has a long birdwatching history and 200 bird species have now been recorded. Within the last 10 years, Britain’s seventh Brown Shrike, London’s sixth Black Stork and London’s eleventh Barred Warbler have all been discovered here.…

Cheddar Reservoir, with its circular concrete edges, is an extremely artificial habitat, but the birds don’t seem to mind. Opened in 1937 and with a surface area of some 260 acres, its water supply comes from the river that runs through famous Cheddar Gorge. Visit in summer when hordes of people are about and you may think that Mallard is all that is on offer, but in autumn and winter the place becomes a hotspot for species on passage or overwintering, including occasional Glaucous and Iceland Gulls. A lucky autumn storm may blow in Grey Phalarope or Pectoral Sandpiper. North of the reservoir is Cheddar Wood, a lush mixed woodland of which 17 acres is the Somerset Wildlife Trust nature reserve, Cheddar Wood Edge. Notable plants here include Purple Gromwell…

One of the charming things about a bijou county like the Isle of Wight is the variety of its topography and its birds, all packaged within an island context, which adds to the possibilities for birdwatching. This walk can be connected to the best-known walk on the island, but is a decent three-mile wander in its own right. It’s interesting at all times of year because that key word ‘variety’ plays its tune. There’s farmland, town streets with mature gardens to appease any urban birder, three reedbeds of differing size, as well as tidal mudflats and woodland. Oh, and that doesn’t include the chance to sit out of any unfriendly wind in a shelter across from the car park for a spot of modest seawatching! Aim for 40-plus species on…

The sand spit of Dawlish Warren juts into the mouth of the River Exe estuary like a giant curved arm forming a protective barrier beach of sand dunes and marram grass from the rough seas of Lyme Bay. The peninsula has National Nature Reserve status and is one of the finest estuarine habitats in the south-west, with a myriad of inter-tidal sand bars, mudflats and slacks ideal to receive a wide range of migratory seabirds, waders and passerines. A small oak wood, thickets of scrub, freshwater ponds and marshy grassland all add to the habitat variety, while a private golf links can be overlooked for grounded migrants on the fairways, where Cirl Buntings also often turn up. On the outer arm of the Warren a hide overlooks a high tide…

CETTI’S WARBLER The Cetti’s Warbler is a bit of an anomaly. A fairly recent colonist of the UK, this species has steadily gained a foothold despite the knockbacks caused by harsh winters. Named after Italian zoologist, Francesco Cetti, it has a range that stretches from the UK, southern and central Europe, north-west Africa to south-east Asia, as far as Pakistan. It belongs to a subfamily called the Bush Warblers that contains 15 species. The taxonomy of this group is in question, with some commentators speculating that this subfamily may not be true warblers at all. Indeed, the Cetti’s Warbler is unusual among warblers because it lays blue eggs. Furthermore, unlike all other passerines, it has 10 tail feathers.…

WORLD'S BEST BIRD SONGS Hannu Jännes, New Holland, £10.99 Seventy of the world's best bird songs, with the singers of each illustrated with fine colour photos, and described in concise species accounts. That's a nice enough idea for a book in itself, but it's the accompanying app that really brings it to life and gives it an extra dimension. Download it to your smartphone, and you can scan over the QR code on each species, and your phone will then play the song in question. That all works very well, so your main gripes are likely to be the same as mine – that the selection of species is sometimes a bit eccentric. I know I’ll be opening myself up to all sorts of debate here, but how can you…

SOUTH WEST Highlights Two birds dominated rare bird proceedings in the region during May. There was a male Northern Harrier (the North American counterpart of Hen Harrier) touring Scilly (mainly on St Mary’s, 12th to 15th). In Dorset, a male Black-headed Bunting was present on 28th. AVON CLEVEDON TO WESTON-SUPER-MARE: The Channel View area held a Kentish Plover (28th-29th). Clevedon-Yeo had a Wigeon (3rd), two Garganeys intermittently, a Spotted Redshank (to 4th), the odd Greenshank, 32 Whimbrels (3rd), a Water Pipit (19th) and 130 Ringed Plovers plus 160 Dunlin (27th). A Merlin was at the River Yeo (6th). A Honey Buzzard was near the Axe Estuary (27th). SEVERNSIDE: Star bird was a Spotted Sandpiper at Portbury Wharf (11th-13th), with a Marsh Harrier (29th). Oldbury had a Wigeon, Spoonbill (13th), Arctic…

The biggest change in birdwatching in the last 20 years has undoubtedly been brought about by the availability of digital cameras. Go into any hide, and you’ll probably see as many DSLRs, and increasingly bridge/hybrid/micro four-thirds cameras, as binoculars or scopes. The ability to shoot almost limitless numbers of images makes it possible for just about anyone to have a go at photographing birds (given that you can delete anything that doesn’t come up to scratch). But you’re still going to need to develop technical skills, not to mention bird knowledge and fieldcraft, if you’re going to come up with the sort of photos that win competitions, or adorn the pages of magazines such as Bird Watching. We’ve put together tips from top wildlife photographers, all of whose work has…

Compact, light and rugged – Leica raises the bar with its 42mm models in the Trinovid HD family. In their class, the Leica Trinovid 8x42 HD and the Leica Trinovid 10x42 HD binoculars with Leica HD optics offer ideal and previously unattained viewing quality for birders. Thanks to the new optics, Trinovid HD binoculars guarantee an exceptionally bright and clear view, pin-sharp resolution, superb colour fidelity and perfect contrast. The ideal balance of high transmission and a bright viewing image with natural contrast and colour rendition guarantees breathtaking viewing experiences and unhindered enjoyment of the natural world, even in unfavourable light, on cloudy days and during the twilight hours. “With a weight of only 720 grams and a length of 140 millimetres, the Trinovid HD binoculars are extremely compact and…

The Ultravid 32 HD-Plus binoculars offer improved optical performance thanks to prisms made from Schott HT glass. Together with high quality lens coatings applied in a vacuum using a high temperature plasma process, this generates a significant improvement in light transmission. The benefits are particularly significant in the blue and violet spectral range, giving users higher image brightness, optimised colour transfer and a wider contrast spectrum in all observation conditions, especially in twilight. In addition, fluoride lenses ensure brilliant colour fidelity alongside the HD-lens system’s perfect contrast, captivating clarity and efficient stray light suppression. The Ultravid 32 HD-Plus binoculars also offer fast, precise focusing, with only 1.25 turnarounds from close focus to farthest distance, for split-second clarity in every observation situation. • RRP: From £1,350 www.leica-camera.com…

The emblem of the RSPB is the very essence of elegance in a wader. Beautifully proportioned and delightfully white with black bits in just the right places, the long-legged Avocet has the ultimate upturned super-fine bill to top off its majesty. Yet some peculiar birdwatchers go as far as resenting them, especially at sites such as Titchwell, where their feisty defence of their nests and young is seen as a noisy nuisance. It is very much owing to this very ‘toughness’ that the Avocet has managed to flourish since first recolonising the East Anglian coast in the 1940s (thanks to flooded coastal sea defences in the war). In fact, it is one of the few success stories among British breeding waders, in recent decades, with a nesting population which is…

Gannet The fluffy white youngsters will be about the size of their parents this month and will be moulting off that fluff to reveal a dark grey-brown bird with neat rows of pale spots (which is one of the more handsome seabirds). The best way to tell they are Gannets is their size and shape. Puffin In the nest, Pufflings are cute bundles of black fluff with a stubby bill, already showing signs of the lateral compression. As they start to lose the fluffiest down they become more black and white, eventually emerging like slightly smaller, winter plumaged (and billed) adult Puffins, with a dusky face and dark, half-depth bill. Kittiwake Kittiwakes, like all gulls, have fluffy chicks to start with, developing into a distinctive juvenile plumage by the time…

This month’s ID Challenge is all about birds which feed mainly on insects. If you were expecting a suite of swifts and swallows, you may be disappointed. Insect-eating birds include examples from many groups; indeed most land birds, even those we think of as seed-eaters, feed their young on protein-rich insects! It is this reliance on insects to feed the millions of birds which populate our islands which has been a major contributory factor in the huge drops of population in many species. Insecticide use in agriculture inevitably causes decline in available insect food for birds. But, regardless, here are six birds which are insect-feeders. Identify them, name them and turn the page for our solutions. Then, as usual, turn the page once more for a few tips to help…

POSTCODE: PH20 1AJ GRID REF: NN 576 932 HOW TO GET THERE: From the north A9, take exit to Kingussie and Newtonmoor onto A86 to Laggan. Take minor road towards Crathie. When you approach the dam take the left and right onto the Military Road. From the south come off on the A889 to Catlodge and Laggan WHERE TO PARK: I parked up just past the dam and walked to the end and back, scanning as I went TERRAIN: Ideal walking on the minor road. If you decide to walk up to the Pictish fort you may be delayed finding somewhere to get through the deer fencing. Stout footwear is advisable FACILITIES: Laggan is the nearest spot for most things PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Very little transport from Laggan. Add 2 hours…

POSTCODE: DG1 4RF GRID REF: NX 994 687 HOW TO GET THERE: From Dumfries, take the B725 along the River Nith which brings you to Glencaple. The old harbour is on your right. From Annan, take the B724 dropping onto the B725. Once at Bankend you are on the loop and can turn left or right to enjoy WHERE TO PARK: Several parking spots along the route with the old harbour at Glencaple or the car park at Castle Corner the largest. Please don’t block farm gates unless you intend to bird from the car and can move if the entrance is needed TERRAIN: Little walking is needed on your visit unless you walk to Caerlaverock Woods ACCESSIBILITY: All year round FACILITIES: Toilets and refreshments at Glencaple PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Use…

POSTCODE: LE12 6RG GRID REF: SK 565 245 HOW TO GET THERE: The A60 from Nottingham to Loughborough is a good run turning off west at Rempstone onto the A6006, looking out for the lay-by at SK 562 245 WHERE TO PARK: In the large lay-by on the A6006 just east of the Rempstone road end at SK 562 245 TERRAIN: Paths can be muddy so best to use stout footwear ACCESSIBILITY: All-year round FACILITIES: Toilets and refreshments at East Leake or Rempstone PUBLIC TRANSPORT: bustimes.org/services/1-navy-line-nottinghamclifton-east-leake-loughborough Traveline, tel: 01387 260383. Trains stop at Nottingham and also at Loughborough LOCAL INFO: Web: east-leake.co.uk ORGANISATIONS: Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Old Ragged School, Brook St, Nottingham NG1 1EA. Tel: 0115 958 8242, web: nottinghamshirewildlife.org CLUB CONTACT: nottsbirders.net/index.html / secretary Jenny Swindells, 21 Chaworth Road,…

GRID REFERENCE: SJ 465 092 HOW TO GET THERE: From Shrewsbury, take the road south-east from Meole Brace over the A5 to Hook-a-Gate village WHERE TO PARK: There is a free car park just before the village, (grid ref: SJ 469 096) TERRAIN: Generally easy going with small steep hills ACCESSIBILITY: No disabled access. Dogs under strict control FACILITIES: There is a pub in the village – otherwise Shrewsbury is first stop for all you need PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Nearest railway station is Shrewsbury, National Rail Enquiries, tel: 08457 700 240; bus services, Traveline, tel: 08712 002 233 CLUB CONTACT: Shropshire Ornithological Society, tel: 01743 761 507, web: shropshirebirds.com COUNTY RECORDER: Martyn Owen, tel: 01746 780 336, email: soscountyrecorder@gmail.com MAPS: OS Explorer 241, OS Landranger 126…

GRID REF: SH575 025 POST CODE: LL36 9AP (code for Sandilands Farm on the northern fringe of Tywyn) HOW TO GET THERE: Where the A493 in centre of Tywyn makes a right-angle turn, travel along the coast road north WHERE TO PARK: Limited parking close to the bridge, otherwise in Tonfanu or at the edge of Tywyn TERRAIN: Estuary with sandy shores ACCESS: Open at all times FACILITIES: Options in Tywyn PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Regular train services between Barmouth and Machynlleth pass through Tywyn, fewer on Sundays. Bus services from both Dolgellau and Machynlleth to Tywyn far fewer on Sundays. Traveline Cymru, tel: 0871 200 2233, web: travelinecymru.info COUNTY RECORDER: Jim Dustow, tel: 01766 830976, email: jim.dustow@rspb.org.uk WEB SITES: Welsh Ornithological Society, web: birdsin.wales MAPS: OS Explorer OL23, OS Landranger 135…

1 The permissive peripheral path around the reservoir stretches for just over two miles. When the water is low, after dry summers, autumn is a good time to spot passing waders including Little Stint and Ruff. 2 Thousands of Coots overwinter here along with Pochard (including Red-crested), Tufted Ducks and Great Crested Grebes. Black-necked Grebe and Great Northern Diver appear most winters when the reservoir is also awash with gulls, including Little and Mediterranean. Common, Black and Arctic Terns also appear each year. The western side near the sewage works is home to resident Little Owl. Farmland species such as Meadow Pipit may be spotted where the lake abuts fields. 3 The woodland north of the reservoir can be full of cascading birdsong. Listen for Blackbird, Song Thrush and the…

In response to David Motkin’s query in the July issue of Bird Watching, about an unidentified feather found on the Isle of Wight, Jacqui Parsons wrote to say: “I am of the opinion that it could possibly be a Blue-and-gold Macaw feather. The colours are certainly correct. Maybe someone is missing their parrot?” Finley Hutchinson was of the same opinion, saying: “Regarding the unidentified blue and yellow feather, I have researched it, and I think it is a secondary wing feather from some kind of macaw, probably a Blue-and-gold Macaw .” Janet Jones said: “I think this is one of the lower-numbered primary feathers, or possibly a secondary feather, of a Lapwing. Lapwing does show all the colours mentioned in its wings: green/blue, black, yellow. The lower-numbered primaries have broad…

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 essential field guide is Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp (Helm, 2012). A Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh (Princeton University Press, 2017) is a mixed bag and too heavy to lug around the subcontinent. The photos vary considerably and there are errors, but it is an achievement no less and a useful tome. John Beaufoy Books (johnbeaufoy.com) have produced a snazzy series of naturalist guides to the butterflies, birds, mammals, reptiles, trees and shrubs of India. The standout all-round guide though is the Photographic Field Guide to the Wildlife of Central India by David Raju and Surya Ramachandran (Notion Press, 2016). It is eye-wateringly expensive in the UK, but easily picked up…

TILLEY T3 WANDERER HAT, £70 If your T3 ever wears out – through poor workmanship, faulty material or just normal wear and tear – it will be repaired or replaced. This is a hat for life!. The Wanderer is made from “enzyme washed cotton duck” so looks worn from day one, has a 50+ UPF, repels water (it’s a rain hat and a sun hat), has wind cords to keep it on, floats in water and… has a secret pocket. 153g. Rust, tan, olive or navy. Sizes 7- 7 7/8. tilley.com/uk_en PATAGONIA BOYS SUNRISE TRAIL PANTS, £55 Technical trousers for the up and coming generation! These Patagonias are made from bluesign approved 67% recycled nylon with four way stretch and a UPF rating of 40. They are tough, quick-drying and…

What first sparked your interest in birdwatching, and when? I always loved birds from as young as I can remember, I just gradually morphed into a proper birder by the end of primary school. But the first time I really noticed a bird and went “wow” was when I was about eight and saw a displaying pair of Great Crested Grebes at Westport Lake in Stoke. They still make me go “wow”! Who was your birdwatching inspiration or mentor? I’ve learnt so much from so many people over the years that it would be unfair to single anyone out. But what I can say, is that you’ll find no better inspiration or educators than getting to know dedicated local patch birders. Do you bird alone or with a friend? I’m…

Designed to provide an extraordinary, unparalleled viewing experience, whatever the weather or lighting conditions, the Leica Noctivid offer users the highest quality optics combined with a revolutionary, almost three-dimensional view of the world around them. Whether embarking on their next exciting travel or safari adventure, spending time observing wildlife and nature, this high-performance binocular delivers an unrivalled experience for the user, packaged in a compact, elegant yet incredibly robust design. Exceptionally well balanced due to the shorter length of the binocular tubes, and covered with a durable rubber armouring, the Noctivid offers an outstanding grip and sits comfortably in the palm of the hand. Precision is unmatched, thanks to a focusing wheel which allows pin-sharp focusing on even the tiniest of details – bringing distant objects into view instantaneously. Small…

The Black-winged Stilt is a relative of the Avocet, in the family Recurvirostridae. This family of waders includes a few other avocet species from around the world, as well as a few other stilts. The basic difference between avocets and stilts is that the former have fine, up-turned bills and shorter legs, with more pronounced webbing in the feet (making swimming easier); whereas stilts have fine, straight bills and very long legs. The naming of the stilts, of course, comes from just how long these legs are, looking wildly out of proportion with the rest of the bird. This is particularly apparent when the bird is in flight and the long, red legs trail miles behind!…

PLANT AUTUMN BLOOM Rather more of a scarcity than I normally showcase in Beyond Birdwatching, Chiltern Gentian deserves its place because of its bold, autumn-blooming beauty. A vigorous, erect plant, its dense cluster of flowers exhibit bright pinkish-purple petals guarding a fringe of long, white protrusions. Chiltern Gentian grows on sheltered chalk downlands, often near scrub or trees, in north Hampshire, and (as its name suggests) in the Chilterns, east to Hertfordshire. If these areas are not ones that you frequent, look for its widespread and near-identical relative, Autumn Gentian. INVERTEBRATE HIDDEN BEAUTY The lichen-like pattern of a Marbled Beauty moth makes for highly effective camouflage. It is fairly common across much of Britain, including in suburbia. It is readily attracted to light, but diligent searching of stone walls by…

COUNTDOWN TO COMPETITION Swarovski Optik’s 13th Digiscoper of the Year competition opens on 1 August and runs to 30 September. Judged by a jury of international experts, first prize is a complete set of Swarovski digiscoping equipment. Entrants can submit photos and videos of animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and amphibians) in their natural habitat; photos and videos must be taken with a digital camera or smartphone through the eyepiece of a spotting scope or binoculars, with four categories: Movement & Action, Portrait & Macro, Mammals, and Video. One winner will be announced in each category, and from these four the jury will select the Digiscoper of the Year 2018. Terms of entry and the competition process can be viewed at: digiscoperoftheyear.com HAND-REARED GODWIT SUCCESS Twenty-one Black-tailed Godwits were released…

If you’re concerned about the falling House Sparrow population where you live, there’s lots you can do to help, starting in your back garden: • Set aside an area of your garden to go wild, or at least don’t tidy it as much as normally. This can include wild flowers, grass, and ‘weeds’. • Plant, insect and caterpillar-friendly trees such as apple, oak, birch, and Alder. • Plant for butterflies, whose caterpillars will provide sparrows with vital food in the spring. • Put up nest boxes. One is unlikely to be enough for these colonial nesters, so put up a few side by side. Put them over 2m above ground on the north or east sides of your house. • Plant hedges, shrubs and climbers (Hawthorn, Elder, Blackthorn and buddleia…

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…

GRID REFERENCE: SO 570 358 HOW TO GET THERE: From the east side of Hereford take the B4224 to Mordiford WHERE TO PARK: The lay-by just past the pub (grid ref: SO 573 375) TERRAIN: Fairly level going but can be a bit muddy in parts (I always recommend good walking boots so you don’t get caught out!) ACCESSIBILITY: No disabled access. Dogs under strict control FACILITIES: Some in the villages but all in 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: TQ 032 730 POSTCODE: TW19 6EA (nearest) HOW TO GET THERE: From the M25, exit at junction 13 and turn westbound onto Heron Lake Road. At the roundabout, take the first exit onto Wraysbury Road (B376). Continue for a mile then turn left onto Moor Lane WHERE TO PARK: In Moor Lane at the entrance to Staines Moor adjacent to Moor Lodge at grid ref: TQ 030 722, postcode: TW18 4YY TERRAIN: Grass and gravel paths, frequently waterlogged or muddy after rain and some small footbridges ACCESSIBILITY: Open 24 hours, year-round. Disabled access difficult due to kissing gates, stiles and uneven terrain FACILITIES: None on site. There is a small shop along Wraysbury Road and many shops in Staines-upon-Thames PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Nearest railway station is at Staines, just…

GRID REF: ST 439 543 NEARBY POSTCODE: BS26 2DL HOW TO GET THERE: Cheddar Reservoir is on the edge of Axbridge, on the A371 between Axbridge and Cheddar. This walk starts from the parking area at the north side of the reservoir, accessed off Cheddar Road in Axbridge where a small road sign directs to the reservoir WHERE TO PARK: Parking area at the north side of the reservoir (see above) TERRAIN: The permissive peripheral path round the reservoir is easy, level walking. The woodland tracks and paths can be muddy and there is a long, steady climb up to the woods. The section along the Strawberry Line, a dismantled railway, is easy and well-surfaced ACCESSIBILITY: Reservoir and Cheddar Wood Edge accessible all year – Cheddar Wood requires a permit…

HOW TO GET THERE: The A3055 runs through Freshwater Bay WHERE TO PARK: Public car park at Freshwater Bay (SZ 346 857) TERRAIN: Some well walked footpaths – can be muddy, a small stretch of boardwalk across reeds, half a mile of tarmac lanes (not busy), a gentle climb up towards the golf clubhouse – otherwise it’s reasonably level ACCESSIBILITY: All year although buggies and wheelchairs will not find the paths worth the effort FACILITIES: A short halfway detour could take you to the Red Lion Inn – also at the halfway point there is a large Co-op store. Freshwater Bay has hotels. Buses pass the car park, web: islandbuses.info ORGANISATIONS: IoW Ornithological Group, web: iowbirds.awardspace.com; IoW Natural History & Archaeological Society, web: iwnhas.org COUNTY RECORDER: Robin Attrill, email: robinpattrill@gmail.com…

GRID REF: SX 980 787 POSTCODE: CT13 9PF HOW TO GET THERE: From Exeter, take the A379 south to Dawlish. After 7 miles turn left past Starcross, signposted to Dawlish Warren and another one mile to site WHERE TO PARK: Signposted pay and display car park off Dawlish Warren Road near the golf course TERRAIN: Mostly on the level with a variety of paths, some of which are surfaced and suitable for the disabled to Langstone Rock ACCESS: Year-round access on public footpaths FACILITIES: Information and toilets in the visitor centre car park. Full range of facilities in the town PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Stagecoach buses operate a service from Exeter to Dawlish stopping at the Warren, tel 0871 200 22 33, web: stagecoach.com / Great Western Railways operate a service between…

If anybody considers going to see a Crested Tit in Britain, they will inevitably plan a trip to Scotland. If they live in Scotland, they will focus their attention only on the Caledonian pine forests and plantations of the central north, and nowhere else. Has this ever struck you as odd? It should do. Look at their range map of Europe and you’ll see that Crested Tits are widespread across a central band, right to the coast of northern France. They are commonplace fewer than 300km from London. But try to find one anywhere in England, or Wales or Northern Ireland for that matter, and you will draw a blank. It is as if the Auld Alliance of 1295, when Scotland and France ganged up against England, still finds expression…

In the year that sees England’s capital designated as a National Park City, it would seem a good idea to take a closer look at some of the birding sites that London has to offer. Long known for its attraction to birds and other wildlife, this city of nine million people still has some relatively underwatched sites that are deserving of fuller coverage. According to the London Bird Club, 372 species have been registered within its recording area, the 20 miles that radiates out from St Paul’s Cathedral. This is a remarkable number of species when you consider that the entire UK list has only just recently surpassed 600. In keeping with this column’s adherence to urban areas we will concentrate on some of the birding opportunities within the Greater…