Bird Watching の October 2018 の目次

Slowly but surely, the finishing line of #My200BirdYear is hoving into view. A few distant Manx Shearwaters seen during a family holiday to Cornwall brought my total up to 179, but a more major boost awaits. As we explain on page 20, October offers the chance to start mopping up those raptors and owls that you haven’t yet seen. I plan a few trips out to the Great Fen, and our forthcoming Readers’ Holiday on Speyside should help, too. Read on to find out how you could do the same. On page 92, we’ve got the first in a 13-part series on getting started in bird photography. Paul Sterry, one of the men behind Bird Photographer of the Year, will be taking you through all the basics, so this time…

October has arrived. For some, this is the most exciting time of the birdwatching calendar. And with some justification, as many scarce and rare birds appear among the commoner species. Summer birds cross over with winter birds in this period of abundance and change. And it is getting to the ‘last chance saloon’ with respect to some birds you may need for your #My200BirdYear list. Here are five birds to be getting on with. 1 STARLING Like the Dunlin featured as our Bird of the Month, the Starling comes into its own when gathered in big numbers. From late summer and throughout the winter, Starlings gather in the evening, often in flocks of many thousands of birds to roost communally. These ‘murmurations’ of thousands or even millions of Starlings swirling…

REPEATED CHECKING Autumn is a peak time for migration. Increasingly, birdwatchers are aware of ‘visible migration’, AKA vis mig, when birds can be seen (and/ or heard) in the actual act of migration. Migration ceases to be a theoretical concept and appears as an observable reality. Most vis mig watches consist of observing birds flying over a prominent spot. But you can also observe birds on the move at places like mud-fringed gravel pits and the like. Birds such as waders may be on the move, often in small parties, at different times of day, and seek out such sites for a bit of a wash and brush up, a drink and perhaps a brief refuelling feed. If you check such a site first thing in the morning, you may…

I love this time of year. Trees, laden with berries and fruits and with leaves beginning to turn, adorn the countryside with their autumnal palette of colours. Fungi pop up everywhere and the night air begins to chill. It is at this time of year that I hope to see one of my favourite birds, back to winter among us again – the Fieldfare. It is, of course, one of our winter thrushes (the other being the Redwing), a visitor from the north and east of the continent that comes here to escape the harder winters of its breeding areas and to exploit our abundance of fruit and berries. It is a herald of shorter days and winter weather – and it is also a beautiful bird! It has a…

If you would like to know what this article is primarily about, the answer is, well, nothing. Or at least, doing nothing. This is an aspect of bird behaviour that is very rarely written about. Since birds tend to be highly active creatures, seemingly always flying about or feeding or fighting, we sometimes forget that they do come to a halt sometimes, and not just to sleep. At times in their lives birds just loaf, or lounge, or gaze at their navel (okay, they don’t have a navel) for hours on end. And this time isn’t merely incidental, but important. One bird that lounges a lot is the Grey Heron. Much of the time, though, we don’t realise that it is doing it. Herons, as you know, are patient fish-catchers,…

BIRD 1 We start with a typical farmland scene, familiar to everyone: a bunch of birds following some farm equipment being dragged across a field. Sometimes, the followers will be gulls, but in this case they are black and long winged and look like classic corvids. There are three common black crows that could conceivably follow such a machine: Carrion Crow, Rook and Jackdaw (Ravens are very unlikely to be seen in such a flock). Luckily, they are pretty easy to identify, even when small in a photo such as this. Firstly, Jackdaws have grey heads and small peg-like black bills. Carrion Crows and Rooks are similar in size and shape, but Carrion Crows have black bills, with black-feathered bases. These birds have pale-based bills. They are Rooks. KEY FEATURES…

Since we last talked, I’ve moved house and I’m writing to you from my favourite chair in the conservatory that looks out onto the garden. Currently licking my ankles is a small rabbit called Ottie who can best be described as free range. As a result, I have to look before I leap. Having a pet after all these years without one is so much fun and watching how she explores the world is joyful – constantly reminding me to approach this new era with curiosity, sniffing out the surroundings, sussing out what’s where and who has already marked their territory, albeit subtly. First up, the gang of sparrows who hang out in the apple tree. I’ve placed Ottie’s hutch beside the tree and she loves to watch these excitable…

What’s this Pembrokeshire bird? Q While walking along a clifftop in Pembrokeshire last month, the bird in the photo kept its distance in front of us, making short flights and hops on the ground before finally flying away. Is it a young Magpie? Its tail is too short and the beak is the wrong colour. Someone suggested a young Jay. Can you throw any light on my dilemma? Rob A We can understand why you’re puzzled, because this is an adult Rose-coloured Starling. It’s a species more usually found in south-eastern Europe and the Near and Middle East, and while small numbers do turn up in the UK each year, they’re usually juveniles. This year, though, there has been a larger than usual influx, and many more of them than…

There are few sites in the UK so productive for great birds and yet so relatively underwatched as Frampton Marsh RSPB in south Lincolnshire. Brilliantly situated very close to The Wash and brilliantly managed to maximise the action, Frampton delivered the goods once again in style during August. Top of the bill was a moulting adult Stilt Sandpiper which appeared on 22nd, the first in the county for more than 50 years. The next day, this beauty of a North American shorebird was sharing a pool with a hyperactive juvenile Red-necked Phalarope. And the day after that, a more elusive moulting adult Long-billed Dowitcher was also present, there (though the phalarope departed in the morning). By the end of the month, the Stilt Sandpiper was still showing to all comers…

The start of winter is the perfect time to clean out any nestboxes in your garden. Legally, boxes shouldn’t be disturbed until at least September, and it’s also best not to take them down during very cold weather in midwinter, since birds may be using the hollows they provide for roosting. Follow the advice given here by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to give the birds the most from your garden nestboxes. How to maintain a nest box Cleaning out nests will remove any parasites that over-winter in nest material and mean that the nestbox is ready for use the following spring. For your own safety, it’s advisable to wear gloves and a dust mask when cleaning out boxes, since some fungi growing on damp nest material may cause…

BUTTERFLIES IN WINTER People often make sweeping statements, such as, mayflies only live 24 hours, or dragonflies and butterflies only live a few weeks then they die. But, this is not really true, of course, it is just a function of our obsession with ‘adult’ creatures. Insects’ life cycles should not be thought of in the same way as mammals like us. Take a typical dragonfly for instance: most of its life will be as a fully aquatic nymph in, say, a pond, hunting other aquatic creatures, sometimes for years! What we perceive as a ‘dragonfly’ is the final reproductive stage of the life of the insect, not its ‘whole’ life. With some moths, this is taken to extremes. For instance, the hefty and spectacular Poplar Hawkmoth has not got…

MEADOW PIPIT It is thought that the ‘Pipit’ part of the Meadow Pipit’s name comes from its ‘pipit’ like clipped call (when it isn’t saying ‘ see-seesee’ …). The ‘Meadow’ part comes from its love of open country and grassy habitats. Some older birdwatchers still use the traditional old name of ‘Tit-lark’ for the bird, being a combination of lark (which the pipit somewhat resembles) and tit to denote that it is a much smaller bird than a Sky Lark.…

As regular readers will know only too well, I spend most of my birding life locked to the area around Peterborough. Just as a reminder, I will explain again. When we moved to Peterborough eons ago, our daughter Jasmine had just had her first birthday. Eddie was born about a year later; so we had two little tiddlers and it was not really a good idea for me to go off gallivanting all over the place in search of birds. The Peterborough area provided a very fine solution, removing to a decent extent the very real temptation of the delights of north Norfolk. You see, sites like Titchwell are less than 90 minutes from Peterborough; close-ish but hardly doorstep birding. Luckily, the Peterborough Bird Club (PBC) had already defined a…

Have you ever seen a Hen Harrier? It’s a very special bird and your life is immediately improved when you see one. The female is larger, rich brown above and streaky-buff below, with a white rump visible when she flies, and a striped tail, leading to the name ‘ringtail’ (like a Ring-tailed Lemur). She’s camouflaged for incubating eggs and rearing chicks in their nest hidden on the ground among the cover of heather and bracken on their moorland home. But it’s the male that you really want to see: the ‘ghost bird’. He is a glorious, spectral pale grey, with a white rump, a white belly and black wingtips, and if you see him quartering over the heather in his distinctive floaty way, he looks almost luminous against this backdrop.…

1 Check the sea over the large dunes for passing waders and divers. Use the height of the dunes to scan back over the lochs. 2 Check over this loch for feeding and breeding ducks. Always check the waders as some great rarities have turned up here along with the breeding birds. 3 Another viewpoint where you may see a number of interesting waders. Check the gulls as oddments will turn up. Look over Loch Fada for other breeding waders and ducks. 4 Scan Loch Fada for wintering geese and ducks. Migrant waders are likely especially in the autumn. Listen out for Corn Crakes in the spring and summer. 5 Continue along this road for signs of hunting raptors. Starlings are a good indicator to show that a raptor is…

1 The harbour itself is a good vantage point for gulls – as well as occasional dolphins if you’re lucky – and you can’t miss the confiding Eiders. 2 In spring and early summer, the Kittiwakes and neighbouring Fulmars at Braidcarr Point are easy to watch, as are Grey Herons and Cormorants on the rocks by the Powder House. Auks and Arctic Terns can often be encountered, given the proximity to their nesting sites on the Farnes. Later in the summer and autumn, this is a great spot for a variety of waders, with passage birds joining the residents. Also keep an eye out for Rock Pipit and Goosander. 3 Having crossed the golf course, you should now follow the rocky shore round Snook or North Sunderland Point to the…

1 Best to park in the National Trust car park with trees all around you where you can listen for warblers and look out for tit flocks, depending on the time of the year that you visit the area. 2 Head north, passing a large flush which has some interesting dragonflies before heading up the steep steps in the direction of Bowder Crag. 3 The views up here are breathtaking, with the chance of some great birds floating by. Watch your step on some of the tricky parts of the path. 4 You are now halfway between Borrowdale and Watendlath. Check out the small slate quarries for ferns, reptiles and the odd Wheatear. 5 Drop down the path into Frith Wood looking for flycatchers, woodpeckers and warblers. The damp conditions…

1 A great place to visit early in the morning (to avoid dog walkers scaring the birds) before moving onto the RSPB reserve close by. 2 Always check the sea (or mud) depending on the tide for feeding or moving waders. Catch the geese moving off the Wash and check for migrants arriving over the water. 3 With such a wide variety of habitats including reedbed, scrub, conifers, marsh, open water and open heathland the species list can be amazing, especially during migration. 4 Try walking the flood bank for great views of the area moving up to the Heacham Drain. Wind off the Wash can even bring seabirds close to you. 5 Scan over the Ken Hill grazing marsh for feeding geese and waders. Look out for raptors hunting…

1 Cross the road bridge from the car park and explore the woodland pool. Great Crested Grebe, Tufted Duck, Coot and Moorhen should be present together with Canada Geese and a few Greylag Geese. Gulls may include Herring and Common Gulls. Grey and Pied Wagtails feed on muddy woodland margins while Kingfishers are also seen. 2 The feeding station gives great views of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch, together with a chance of Siskin, redpoll and Bullfinch. Song and Mistle Thrushes are also present. 3 Follow the canal towards Alrewas. A mild day by late January/February and you will hear the air filled with Sky Lark song, which are very common in the area. Linnets, Meadow Pipits, Redwing and Fieldfares may also be present. If visiting late in…

1 A short distance from the entrance, is a simple shelter with a map of the reserve and the first choice of the day. Downhill, at least to begin with, on the Woodpecker Walk, a lengthy circuit of three miles or so mostly close to the reserve boundary. Alternatively, stay on the high ground, at least to begin with on one of the shorter routes. 2 A simple log seat, a memorial to Margaret Patterson, a Pengelli stalwart in the early years, is close to a more open section of woodland and a chance to catch sight of a Buzzard, Red Kite or Raven overhead – or a Sparrowhawk hurtling across the glade. 3 Pengelli is renowned for its Dormice, and, although you will not see one, it is comforting…

1 The sandy beach often attracts passerines along the tideline such as Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Starling and the occasional Snow Bunting. Check the foreshore for waders at low tide, typically Curlew, Oystercatcher, Bar-tailed Godwit, Knot, Sanderling and Dunlin, plus the sea defence blocks for Turnstone, Black Redstart and Rock Pipit. At high tide, Great Crested Grebe, Common Scoter and Red-throated Divers can be seen on the sea. 2 Check sheep pasture for flocks of Common and Black-headed Gulls, Wigeon, Curlew, Lapwing and Golden Plover, plus the occasional Ruff and Redshank. Arable land sometimes attracts feral geese and swans, but also White-fronted Geese and Bewick’s Swans on occasions. Look for birds along the sewers such as Little Egret, Grey Heron, Water Rail, Snipe, Kingfisher, finches, Reed Bunting and Meadow…

Partridges There is only one native British partridge, the Grey Partridge. The other species, the Red-legged Partridge, is an introduced gamebird, which is now twice as common as the Grey and in many parts of the country, the only partridge you readily encounter. But at least ID is straightforward. Here is how to tell a Grey Partridge from a Red-legged Partridge. Grey Partridge • Predominantly grey • Male has orange face • Dark brown belly patch • Brown flank stripes Red-legged Partridge • Predominantly brown • White supercilium and face, black eyestripe and lower throat and speckled breast • No belly patch • Black, brown and white flank stripes Search feeding flocks In autumn into winter, there are plenty of stubble fields and ploughed fields in our countryside, which provide…

It may be but a slim wedge of North Africa’s vast horizontal expanse, but Tunisia has enough history and diverse natural beauty to pack a country many times its size. With a balmy, sand-fringed Mediterranean coast, scented with jasmine and sea breezes, and where the fish on your plate is always fresh, Tunisia is prime territory for a straightforward sun, sand and sea holiday. But beyond the beaches, it’s a thrilling, underrated destination where distinct cultures and incredible extremes of landscape – forested coastlines, Saharan sand seas in the south – can be explored in just a few days. A remarkable 46 Important Bird Areas have been identified in Tunisia by BirdLife International covering 4,800 square miles, equivalent to 7.6% of the land surface area of the country. Ichkeul National…

So, Bresser’s Condors proved to be mightily impressive contenders in the sub-£200 binocular category. Their Pirsch ED range is aimed at the birdwatcher who wants higher-quality optics. So, how do they measure up? Well, they feel good, for starters, remarkably compact for 10x42s, and they’re well balanced to boot. I liked the open-bridge design, which made them easy and comfortable to grip even when wearing gloves, and the rubber armouring is solid and robust. I liked the battleship-grey colouring, too – distinctive but unobtrusive. The eyecups twist up and down to three distinct positions, and stayed in place well. They’re hard plastic, and well shaped for comfortable viewing. The focus wheel is really wide – pretty much two fingers – which again is great if you’re using the binoculars while…

BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Foreword by Chris Packham. William Collins, £25 This is the third collection of images from a competition that's fast developing a glowing reputation, and contains all this year’s winners, plus a selection of other photos that impressed the judges. If you’re a photographer yourself, it's inspiring and thought-provoking, but for any birdwatcher it provides new ways of looking at even the most familiar species – the Creative Imagery category in particular sets it apart from similar competitions. READER OFFER 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…

SOUTH WEST Highlights Scilly boasted its first Solitary Sandpiper in several years, with one on the Great Pool Tresco (15th-25th). A Sykes’s Warbler was at Porthgwarra, Cornwall on 30th. Wilson’s Petrel counts peaked at a superb 14, seen on a pelagic off Scilly on 9th. AVON CLEVEDON TO WESTON-SUPER-MARE: Clevedon-Yeo held 23 Little Egrets, with eight more at Sand Bay and the Axe estuary. Clevedon-Yeo had a Marsh Harrier, Merlin, Little Gull, two Little Stints, eight Knot, a Golden Plover and peaks of 425 Ringed Plovers, 825 Dunlin and 215 Curlews. There were 485 Redshanks on the Axe Estuary and 20 Sanderling at Sand Bay. A Ruff was on the Axe. An Ortolan and seven Yellow Wagtails were at Sand Point. SEVERNSIDE: A Great Skua was at Oldbury (29th). Northwick…

Think of the commonest birds we regard as ‘garden birds’. Your little mental list will surely include such familiar birds as Blackbird, House Sparrow, Starling, Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Collared Dove, Magpie, Dunnock and Woodpigeon, plus of course, surely you had a little room in your list for the Robin. These birds all share certain characteristics, such as they are all tolerant of people, all suited to our pseudo-woodland glade human habitats and are all more or less resident birds, found throughout the year and able to tolerate and survive our winters. But, each also has fascinating life histories and stories all to itself; none more so than the Robin. Back in 2015, in the vote launched by Urban Birder David Lindo, the Robin topped the poll to be Britain’s National…

1 Put out feeders and perches Garden birds are essentially woodland birds and many can be tempted by food and water. By putting out food and water, you can lure birds within range. But photographs of birds on feeders or at artificial drinking sites can look artificial. So, it is a good idea to place nice looking perches (mossy branches are a favourite) near the feeders, but with the feeders out of shot. Similarly, drinking pools can be ‘disguised’ with some logs or leaves to look more attractive and realistic. Experiment with different perches in different positions so that the birds’ favoured routes to and from the feeders are exploited. 2 Hide food Artificially provided food can look ugly in shots of wildlife. So, it can be a good idea…

The Dunlin is the ultimate confusion species for wader-watchers. Despite being one of our commonest wintering shorebirds, with more than 350,000 individuals, and arguably our commonest passage wader, many inexperienced birdwatchers (and some experienced ones) still have problems with Dunlin. It should be the small dumpy wader against which all other small dumpy waders are judged. But instead it is the small dumpy wader which is very often misidentified as something much rarer. When they don’t have the distinctive black bellies of breeding adults, Dunlins have an uncanny ability to confuse. So, they are regularly mistaken for Curlew Sandpipers and a range of scarce and rare waders, notoriously including Baird’s and White-rumped Sandpipers. The solution, of course, is to become as familiar as possible with the ‘other’ plumages: the grey…

Pellets are regurgitated indigestible matter. Owls are the most well known producers of pellets, often found near roost and nest sites. But many birds produce them, including Rooks. They are most commonly found below the communal nesting areas, known as rookeries, or in fields where Rooks have been feeding. As Rooks largely feed on the ground, probing for insects and plant material with their peg-shaped bills, the pellets largely consist of undigested plant material (especially seed husks) and small stones, but may also contain bone fragments and feathers. They are about 3.5x1.5cm and are less elongated than Carrion Crow pellets (looking a bit like owl pellets).…

MARSH HARRIER Notably bigger than Hen Harriers, the chunky Marsh Harrier can even be mistaken for the much bulkier Buzzard at a distance. Females are larger, and are dark brown with golden shoulders and heads. Juveniles resemble females, but usually lack the golden shoulders. The smaller males are pale grey and brown, with grey tails, and grey in the wings, plus white rumps. Usually found in wetter habitats than Hen Harriers. BUZZARD Probably the commonest bird of prey in the UK, these days. They are chunky, rather rounded birds with very broad wings and short, stumpy tails. Seen flying or perched on fences, tree stumps etc or even hunting worms on the ground. Extremely variable in plumage. ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD Similar to the Buzzard, but most often paler and distinguished by…

Kittiwakes have nested along Newcastle’s River Tyne since 1949, and in the late 1990s they colonised the Tyne Bridge, having previously used the nearby Baltic Flour Mills in Gateshead. This makes the colony the furthest-inland breeding colony of Kittiwakes in the world. Listed as globally Vulnerable on the IUCN Red-List, this should be a fantastic example of how wildlife can survive and persist in urban environments. Where else can you see true seabirds nesting on buildings, lamp posts and bridges in an inland city? But this year, the birds have faced stiff opposition. Over the winter, netting was installed on several of the listed buildings in the Quayside area of Newcastle. Unfortunately, this netting led to the entrapment of many birds, and more than 20, including both adults and recently-fledged…

I left Cumbria shrouded in a cold fog, and made my way to Hexham, via the Military Road parallel with Hadrian’s Wall and the great birding site of Grindon Lough. Star bird there was a summer plumaged Long-billed Dowitcher with a supporting cast of several waders, such as Whimbrel, Dunlin, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Lapwing. But the real star was Miriam Darlington, who was giving a lecture at the Hexham Book Festival about her new book, Owl Sense. She was joined on stage there by Joe Shute, reading from his book on Ravens, A Shadow Above, and compere Adrian Pitches from BBC Look North. After the book signing, I took Miriam on a 10-minute walk to the River Tyne to see her first Salmon leaping. She had missed them before on…

SITE 1 OUTER HEBRIDES // MILES ON FOOT: 6 MILES TIME: 4 HOURS When visiting Benbecula (joined by road to North and South Uists), you will be amazed by the sheer amount of fresh water all around. Some are very acid lochs, while others have a rich pasture and a much better pH, allowing for more species of invertebrate to survive, offering food for others. Loch Mor and Fada fit this bill and are not to be missed. One of the main reasons for this is the breeding Rednecked Phalaropes (plan for next spring!). I watched them from the road, so there is no need to enter any field as nesting birds can nest well away from the main water and, of course, are specially protected by law. There is…

SITE 2 NORTHUMBERLAND // MILES ON FOOT: 3 MILES TIME: 3 HOURS Seahouses is probably best known to birders as the place to board a boat to the Farne Islands – one of the most spectacular seabird experiences in Britain. The Farnes are unmissable if you’re in the area, especially in breeding season, but it would be a shame to overlook the many birds that can be found within a short walk of the harbour, many of which can be observed close-up. This route follows the coastal path south, passing a rocky bay, a Kittiwake colony (in spring and early summer), crossing the golf course and finishing at Seahouses South Beach, also known as Annstead Beach, a beautiful, white sandy beach where Annstead Burn runs out into the bay. If…

SITE 3 CUMBRIA // MILES ON FOOT: 6 MILES TIME: 3 HOURS This is a great lakeland walk for hardy walkers, but can be shortened to include just woodland flushes and a river walk. I have visited the area for its dragonflies, especially as it can be matched with a trip higher up the valley for one of the rare butterflies still found in England – the Mountain Ringlet. With so many old oak trees found here, don’t be surprised to find the ‘big three’ here in spring and summer – Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher and Redstart. The area is full of ferns with Hard, Male, Broad Buckler, Hart’s Tongue and Shield Ferns are everywhere. Listen out for woodpeckers, with both Great Spotted and Green very common, while Lesser Spotted…

SITE 4 NORFOLK // MILES ON FOOT: 3 MILES TIME: 3 HOURS This attractive park was set up in 1984 and covers 143 acres. It is owned by the Ken Hill Estate. Set next to the Wash, you cannot think you will not see waders with the hundreds of thousands of birds feeding out there. The best time to see them at this location is during a moving tide, with birds moving towards the RSPB reserve for safe roosting or coming away looking for feeding sites. Look for murmurations of Knot, Dunlin and godwits, not forgetting Oystercatchers, Redshank, Lapwing and Curlew. Passing waders include Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint, with both Grey and Red-necked Phalaropes found and even a White-rumped Sandpiper. In spring, migrants include Ring Ouzel,…

SITE 5 STAFFORDSHIRE // MILES ON FOOT: 2 MILES TIME: 2 HOURS The pleasant rural setting of Fradley Junction is a base for the Canal and Rivers Trust and the area offers a delightful mix of canal moorings, mixed woodland and arable fields, together with a small canal feeder reservoir which has been transformed into a nature reserve. The canal is at the busy junction of the Trent and Mersey and Coventry canals. Although the canalside walk can be busy in summer, it is probably best explored during the winter and early spring when on a calm crisp day the nature reserve feeding station will offer plenty of photographic opportunities and pretty close views of the varied avian visitors. This is an ideal place to bring the kids and dog…

SITE 6 SHROPSHIRE // MILES ON FOOT: 3 MILES TIME: 3 HOURS The hills of Shropshire are the makers of this lovely county and this particular area is a colourful part with wonderful views and, of course, lots of birds. The hills provide a good haunt for raptors, with Buzzard always around and Peregrine, Kestrel and Sparrowhawk fairly common. The Goshawk has become more frequent in the area and Red Kite, too, generally in the winter. The other to look out for is the Hobby, which can be seen anywhere in the Shropshire Hills in summer. There are patches of woodland and valleys here, so this adds to the range of birds to see, with the usual locals, such as Chaffinch, Robin, Dunnock and Blue and Great Tits, and scarce…

SITE 7 SUFFOLK // MILES ON FOOT: 4 MILES TIME: 3 HOURS To the north of the busy Minsmere RSPB reserve, and within the Suffolk Coastal Area of Natural Beauty, lies a classic East Anglian landscape providing the birder with the peace and tranquility typically associated with a large wetland system. Dingle Marshes is managed by RSPB and afforded the relevant environmental protections for its mosaic of reedbeds, pools, ditches and scrubby margins. The route also borders and bisects copses, heathland, farmland and a section of Dunwich Forest to guarantee a wide range of species along the way. The Dingle Hills viewpoint is popular with birders on a fine winter afternoon for watching hunting raptors. Marsh Harriers and Barn Owls are a given across the marshes with one or two…

SITE 8 PEMBROKESHIRE // MILES ON FOOT: 3 TIME: 4 HOURS Elizabethan chronicler George Owen of Henllys, in his Description of Penbrokshire (sic), completed at the beginning of the 17th century, lists nine forests and great woods, with Pengelli (which he owned) being one. Although much reduced in size, Pengelli, together with Panteg at 160 acres, is the largest remaining ancient Oak woodland in south-west Wales. That the forest still exists is something of a miracle as, during World War I ‘Finns’ and ‘Russians’ were brought in to fell the timber, an activity which continued until the 1930s, most being removed on a narrow gauge railway, or pulled out by horse. Subsequently, the forest was acquired by the Forestry Commission, who fortunately did not proceed with clear felling, followed by…

SITE 9 SOMERSET // MILES ON FOOT: 3.5 MILES TIME: 4 HOURS The Westhay Moor National Nature Reserve is an historic landscape. Part of the Avalon Marshes in the Somerset Levels, the region has changed hugely over time as sea levels have varied. Westhay Moor has, over the course of aeons, been covered by shallow sea and seen life as, variously, salt marsh, swamp, fen, woodland and the raised bog of accumulated peat. Neolithic farmers eked out a living in the Levels and, latterly, with better drainage, more of the area was successfully farmed and peat extracted. But what was once an industrial site of peat digging has now been transformed by the Somerset Wildlife Trust into a superbly rich wildlife habitat: a mosaic of lakes, reedbeds, island and stands…

SITE 10 EAST SUSSEX // MILES ON FOOT: 5 MILES TIME: 4 HOURS The wide-open expanse of Rye Bay is a spectacular setting at any time of year, with panoramic views across to Dungeness to the east and Cliff End to the west. The new car park and promenade at Broomhill has been recently renewed as part of extensive sea defence work to prevent flooding across this section of Walland Marsh, and affords a good vantage point to scan both the bay and farmland to the north. On the seaward side scarce sea ducks such as Eider and Red-breasted Merganser are sometimes reported among the flocks of grebes and scoters on the bay, while the occasional party of Snow Buntings feed along the tide line. Low tide offers good numbers…

Of all British birds, our farmland species have undergone some of the most dramatic declines in recent decades. Changes in farming practices have adversely affected the breeding performance and winter survival of species such as Sky Lark, Curlew, Corn Bunting and Turtle Dove, all of which are traditionally associated with farmland. But just because this is one of our most changed habitats doesn’t mean there are no birds there any more. Indeed, there are several birds which we think of when we think of farms, everything from Pheasants to finches. Some of them are easy to identify and some can be tricky. Here are six species which are archetypal farmland birds. Simply identify then, them check your answers with our solutions over the page. And, finally, we have a page…

Great Spotted Woodpeckers  By: Hannah Hurst (aged 14) Camera: Nikon Coolpix L310 Shutter Speed: 1/125 Aperture: f/5.8 ISO: 400 Snipe  By: Nigel Chester-Buckley Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Lens: 150-600mm Shutter Speed: 1/1,600 Aperture: f/7.1 ISO: 1,000 Kingfishers  By: Julia Brooks-Clark Camera: Canon EOS 70D Lens: 150mm Shutter Speed: 1/8,000 Aperture: f/6.3 ISO: 3,200 Please put a collaron your cat! I feel I must respond to a letter in your last issue entitled ‘place your feeders up high’ by Sharon Painter. I live on a small rural estate and have a medium-sized garden. Two years ago, I converted a large fish pond into a wildlife pond and have also planted lots of flowers and shrubs to attract birds and insects. Unfortunately, my quiet enjoyment of this space is spoilt…