Table of contents for January 2016 in Bird Watching

NEW YEAR, OF course, is a time for making resolutions and fresh starts, and I’m beginning 2016 by making a few myself – to see a Wryneck in the UK, to build a bigger patch list than ever before (and that might need a crash course in gull ID), and to make my garden wildlife-friendly. They’re all the sort of aspirations that our 16-page centre section – Your Best Birding Year Ever – aims to make achievable. We’ve got monthly challenges, tips on finding ‘bogey’ birds and other target species, and the start of a new series on how to create a better garden for birds, from scratch. But you’ll also notice that we’ve had a facelift all-round. All your favourite features and columnists are still there, but we’ve given…

MID-WINTER SEES THE trees cleared of the last leaves, revealing seed-rich catkins and, with luck, flocks of tiny finches hanging from them. Now is a great time to look for wintering finches. These four are just a small sample of the riches on offer this month. How many can you see? RARITY RATINGS Common, widely distributed Localised – always a treat Very scarce or rare CROSSBILL The Crossbill is an unusual finch in more ways than one. Even ignoring the uniquely crossed bill, it is also a bird which nests very early in the year. Indeed, juveniles may appear before many species have even settled down to nest. Crossbills are tied to coniferous woodland, and can be found in family groups or larger associations, feeding quietly on cones. Bits of…

ONCE THOUGHT TO foretell a death in the household, the hooting of a Tawny Owl is welcomed today as a taste of the wild. The territorial call of the male is a drawn out, wavering ‘hooo – hu – oohoohooo’, and both sexes make a ‘ke-wick’ call; these are sometimes heard together as a call-and-response between two different birds, thought to be behind the popular belief that owls say ‘to-whit-to-wo o’. They are most often heard over the autumn and winter, when the birds are establishing territories in preparation for their early spring breeding season. While their favoured habitat is broadleaved woodland, Tawny Owls are widely distributed and can be found in conifer plantations, tree-dotted farmland, parks and large gardens. They are recorded in up to 5% of Garden BirdWatch…

THE TURN OF THE year is a time of fresh starts and resolutions, but also a time to look back on what happened over the last 365 days. To begin at the ending, my birding 2015 in Peterborough came to a bit of a miserable finish, when I discovered a freshly dead Kittiwake (a storm victim) on my cycle into work. Then, a couple of days later, the shooting dead of a Red-footed Falcon close to home hit the national news. It turned out that this was the same falcon which had toured the country (Stoke to South Lincolnshire and Northumberland) and been enjoyed by hundreds or perhaps thousands of birdwatchers. It was the very same bird featured in this column a few months ago, when it was just north…

GOOD NEWS FROM South America, where numbers of Red-tailed Amazon parrots have reached a record high. Thanks to more than 20 years of conservation work, the parrot’s population, which had once dwindled to fewer than 2,500 individuals, has reached a high of 9,176 birds as of the 2015 census, the maximum ever recorded for the species. If that wasn’t good news enough, more than 120 chicks were hatched in the previous season, with 86 successfully fledging. While the Red-tailed Amazon is still listed globally as Vulnerable, the new figures have allowed the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment to lower the species’ Brazilian status to Near Threatened.…

STANDING UP FOR RAPTORS The RSPB is calling for better enforcement of laws that protect raptors in the UK, as the Birdcrime 2014 report highlights the level of illegal persecution. In 2014, the RSPB received 179 reports of shooting and destruction of birds of prey, including 34 Buzzards, nine Red Kites, and a Hen Harrier. The report also documents 72 incidents of poisoning and pesticide-related offences. NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR ESK The Yorkshire Esk Rivers Trust has teamed up with the North York Moors National Park Authority to launch the River Esk and Coastal Streams Catchment Partnership. The 28-mile Esk flows through outstanding scenery and is home to increasing numbers of Sand Martins, Dippers, and Kingfishers. For more on this, go to northyorkmoors.org.uk POWER CABLE THREAT Three Spanish Imperial Eagles, one…

Is SNH not a conservation body paid by us to conserve nature not kill it? How can an organisation write such rubbish in reply? (Your View, December 2015) I phoned the RSPB at Loch Gruinart for their response to the letter in the December issue and was left trying to find one word that SNH had written that was true! I will not bore you with the figures of the geese as these will be disputed by the different organisations. What is clear is lead will poison many birds, as a new report shows 73,000 wildfowl to die of lead each year in the UK. Lead will be used over all fields away from main water bodies but most fields have water flashes in winter where the geese come to…

SITE 3 CUMBRIA MILES ON FOOT: 3 TIME: 2 -3 HOURS THIS IS AN RSPB reserve which few people get to see. It is based around the town of Millom and the Duddon Estuary in south-west Cumbria and was a former iron ore works with large freshwater pools. The saltwater of the Duddon and the freshwater of these pools allows for a big mix of water birds and creates one of the best mixed tern colonies in the north-west of England. Black-headed Gulls help bring in Sandwich, Common, Little and sometimes even Arctic Terns, with at least three species breeding. The waders breeding round the colony include Oystercatcher, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Lapwing and Little Ringed Plover. Some of the passage waders have included Black-winged Stilt, Long-billed Dowitcher, Little and Temminck’s…

Wildlife author James Lowen is overseeing a new, extended version of his Beyond Birdwatching column on p12 Ð we hope you enjoy it! Author and bird guide Dominic Couzens has been thinking about Kestrels. Specifically, about why and when they hover. See p32. Photographer Graham Catley shares his striking photos of Snowy Owls from a trip to snow-bound North America. See page 39. Photographer and cameraman Luke Massey reports from a memorable trip to Ecuador on p62. Are there many better birding nations? Urban Birder David Lindo has been pounding the streets of Madrid, where Crested Lark and Iberian Green Woodpecker are two highlights Ð p68. Optics exert David Chandler has been getting to grips with the latest gear, picking out his favourites for our new-look Wish List on page…

WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW With only five accepted records in the UK, this is a seriously rare visitor from North America. Three of the five have been in May and one in October. But the longest staying bird was first seen on 3 January 2008 at Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk (right), staying put until 14 March. That bird is very unlikely to have crossed the Atlantic so late in the year, and possibly came over in the autumn, remaining unseen until arriving at the birders’ Mecca of Cley. As we have had some spectacular autumnal arrivals of American birds in recent months, it seems very possible that there could be a sneaky passerine still lurking out there unseen or unrecognised. It would a wonderful way to kick start your New Year list, and perhaps…

Find the location closest to your destination and add or subtract the hours and minutes from the high tide time at London Bridge, below. SOUTH WEST Weston-Super-Mare (+5:05) Barnstaple (+4:30) Newquay (+3:32) Falmouth (+3:30) Plymouth (+4:05) Torquay (+4:40) Bournemouth (-5:09)* Portland (+4:57) St Peter Port (+4:53) Swanage (-5:19)* Portsmouth (-2:29) Southampton (-2:53) SOUTH EAST Ryde (-2:29) Brighton (-2:51) Eastbourne (-2:48) Dungeness (-3:05) Dover (-2:53) Margate (-1:52) Herne Bay (-1:24) Southend-on-sea (-1:22 Clacton-on-sea (-2:00) EAST ANGLIA FelixstowePier (-2:23) Aldeburgh (-2:53) Lowestoft (-4:23) Cromer (+4:56) Hunstanton (+4:44) WALES Colwyn Bay (-2:47) Holyhead (-3:28) Barmouth (-5:45) Aberystwyth (-6:11) Fishguard (+5:44) Swansea (+4:42) Milford Haven (+4:37) Cardiff (+5:15) NORTH WEST Whitehaven (-2:30) Douglas (-2:44) Morecambe (-2:33) Blackpool (-2:50) NORTH  EAST Skegness (+4:29) Grimsby (+4:13) Bridlington (+2:58) Whitby (+2:20) Hartlepool (+1:59) Blyth (+1:46) Berwick (+0:54)…

UP TO 100,000 wildfowl are estimated to die each year of lead poisoning from spent gunshot, it has been revealed. The WWT, RSPB and the Sustainable Food Trust estimate that more than 5,000 tonnes of lead shot from live and clay shooting is irretrievably deposited on the ground each year, where it is eaten by ducks, geese, swans and other wildlife, and can even enter the human food chain. These figures draw on hundreds of scientific sources, and the three organisations are calling for the UK government to phase out lead ammunition from sport shooting by the end of 2017, and replace it with a less toxic alternative. The Convention for Migratory Species has also pressed for an end to lead shot by 2017, but the UK government, which is…

I’VE EATEN CHICKEN Kiev in Kiev; bought Moroccan leather in Marrakesh and sat listening to the Beach Boys sing California Girls in Long Beach with a Californian girl. Each of which, along with a tuna sandwich in Tunisia, represent lost opportunities. The thing is that my interest in birds was sparked in my childhood and the embers were fanned in my youth, but then there was the almost inevitable gap, shared, I’ve found, by most ‘lifelong’ birders. Ian Drury sang: “Sex and drugs and rock and roll, are all my brain and body need”. During our young adulthood we tend to spend time chasing the opposite sex, getting on down to the sound and overindulging in alcohol. Many of us get coupled up and form families, money is short and…

IN NOVEMBER AND early December 2013, news was breaking of a very large southerly movement of Snowy Owls into southern Canada and the northern US. It was the largest arrival for 50 years, following a highly successful breeding season in Quebec and areas of northern Canada, where it had been a bumper lemming year. Inevitably, photographs started to surge onto the internet with stories detailing people seeing 20-40 birds in a single day! Kev DuRose, Will Bowell and I were looking at a trip north into Scandinavia, but the prospect of multiple Snowy Owls just across the Atlantic seemed too good to miss. A week later, after contacting my friend John in Toronto for local information, the flights were booked, car hired and motels sorted for the first week in…

POSTCODE: KW17 2LX GRID REF: HY 240 285 HOW TO GET THERE: From Stromness take the A965 and onto the A967 turning onto the A966. From Kirkwall take the A965 onto the A967 and turn onto the A966. In Birsay turn right towards the island. WHERE TO PARK: There is a free car park just opposite the island. TERRAIN: The walk is across the beach and onto the causeway, rough grassland and exposed rock by the cliffs. FACILITIES: birsaybaytearoom.co.uk everything you need is in Kirkwall or Stromness. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Buses daily, although infrequently. Additionally OCTO bus (01856 871536) operates a flexible, ‘by request’ service to all parts of the west mainland of Orkney, travelinescotland.com WEBSITES: orkneyjar.com/history/broughofbirsay/symbolstone.htm CLUB CONTACTS: SOC Orkney, 01856 874484, RSPB group, Dick Matson, 01856 751426, P.wilson410@btinternet.com COUNTY…

POSTCODE: PA4 7PP GRID REF: NR 288 728 HOW TO GET THERE: Follow the signs for the RSPB Reserve at Gruinart which is signed from the A847 Bridgend to Bruichladdich road, three miles from the turn-off, then take the minor road past their hides till you reach the loch on your left. WHERE TO PARK: Most people park on the right of the loch before the track turns towards the farm. TERRAIN: Most of the area has sand somewhere, but the tracks are harder, so stout footwear is advisable. FACILITIES: Everything you need is in Bowmore. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: No buses, sadly. For ferry information, Caledonian Macbrayne, 01631 566 966. WEBSITES: islaybirds.blogspot.co.uk, islayinfo.com/islay-walk-ardnave-point.html, CLUB CONTACT: islaynaturalhistory.org COUNTY RECORDER: (Argyll) Jim Dickson, meg@jdickson5.plus.com MAPS: OS Explorer 353, OS Landranger 60.…

GRID REF: SD 174 790 POSTCODE: LA18 4LG HOW TO GET THERE: Millom is found from the north off the A595 and from the east off the A590. From Millom town square, continue east beyond the pedestrian crossing, taking the second right (Mainsgate Road signposted for Hodbarrow RSPB). Continue for about half a mile, turning left by the lagoon for the car park. WHERE TO PARK: Car park situated at the end of Mainsgate Road with a firm stone surface and ample spaces. TERRAIN: Hardcore around the reserve, with many pot holes! FACILITIES: Travel to Millom and Haverigg for everything you need. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Several buses use this route. Trains stop at Millom, for info call 01228 226 723. WEBSITE: rspb.org.uk/hodbarrow CLUB CONTACTS: rspb.org.uk/groups/ westcumbria Carlisle Natural History Society, 01228 618736,…

1 On arrival at the shore, why not take a few minutes to soak up the views. 2 Check the gull flocks carefully for scarce visitors; an Ivory Gull in 2002 was only the fourth for Wales, Sabine’s, Little, Mediterranean, Yellow-legged and Glaucous Gulls are always possible. 3 Common Scoter, Eider, Red-throated Diver and Great Crested Grebe are normally to be seen at no great distance offshore, while Slavonian and occasionally Black-necked Grebes are reported. 4 The Warren is vast but deserves your attention the reward may be Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Merlin and Peregrine.…

GRID REF: SO 341 478 HOW TO GET THERE: From the A49 at Leominster take the A44 then the A4112 to Kinnersley and take the next left (south) signed to Letton and the Kinnersley Arms! From Hereford take the A438 to Letton then turn right (north) towards Kinnersley. WHERE TO PARK: There is a small area for two or three cars at the entrance. TERRAIN: Unimproved grassland, level going but can be wet. ACCESSIBILITY: No disabled access. Dogs under strict control as there are sheep about. Boots are advised because it can be wet in parts. FACILITIES: None on site but all in Hay-on-Wye (approximately eight miles) and Hereford (approximately 12 miles). PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Nearest railway station is Hereford, National Rail Enquiries 08457 700 240; bus services, call Traveline 08712…

GRID REF: ST 252 442 POSTCODE: TA5 2PU HOW TO GET THERE: From the A39 west of Bridgwater go north through Cannington towards Hinkley Point and the reserve is signposted. WHERE TO PARK: The main car park is along the road to Steart village just north-east of Stockland Bristol, the Steart Gate car park is another mile or so along on the right, and the Natural England car park (for Bridgwater Bay NNR and the breach) is on the left another half-mile further on. All are free. TERRAIN: Flat or gentle slopes ACCESSIBILITY: Open all year (except Christmas Day). Wide gravel paths are wheelchair-friendly and suitable for a bicycle. FACILITIES: Toilets at main car park, open 9am-4.30pm. Nearest shop and pub are in Cannington. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Extremely limited. See Travel…

1 Check the bushes on the track down to the harbour for mixed passerine flocks, typically of tits, Goldcrest and maybe a Chiffchaff or Firecrest. Scan the sea for Fulmar, sea ducks, auks, divers, Gannet and Great Crested Grebe. Gulls are common place including Mediterranean Gull and there is a chance of a white-winged gull in the harbour, along with Shag, Turnstone, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Rock Pipit. 2 In cold weather, the playing field can attract Lapwing and Golden Plover, Redwing and Fieldfare, but more likely are Common, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls and maybe a mixed flock of Linnets, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. 3 The rocks below the coastguards lookout can be covered in hundreds of Mediterranean Gulls, along with a wide selection of common species, plus a chance of…

“Maria, Maria…oohhh Maria”: Angel calls into the forests and shakes his pot of worms lightly. He repeats this a few times, with a whistle for good meausre, and suddenly a Giant Antpitta, named Maria hops into view. Over the past few years Angel and his brother have been working the local area to make these hard to attain species easier to spot. We also saw a pair of Yellow-breasted Antpittas, who seemed to respond to whistles; a Moustached Antpitta who was a little shyer; and my favourite was the tiny Ochre-breasted Antpitta, dubbed Shakira from the way she shook her shoulders from side to side. A supporting cast included Pepito the Rufous-breasted Antthrush (right), who strutted out within minutes of calling his name, and a covey of Dark-backed Wood-quails. If…

HELIOS MISTRAL WP6 8X42 £109.95 REVIEWED BY: MATT MERRITT EVERY FEW MONTHS, a colleague from one of our sister magazines will ask for some recommendations for binoculars to buy as a present for a relative who’s just got into birdwatching. Typically, they want to spend around £100, maybe £150 at a stretch. In recent years, finding suitable models to tell them about has become easier, as binoculars at the budget end of the market have become more and more impressive. Helios’s new Mistral WP6 bins landed on my desk just a few minutes after one of those conversations with a co-worker. So, can I whole-heartedly endorse them? The closed-bridge design is unremarkable, but they feel solid and robust in the hand, with plenty of rubber armouring, and well placed thumb…

WILDFOWL OF EUROPE, ASIA & NORTH AMERICA Sebastien Reeber Helm, 2015, HBK £35, BW BOOKSHOP PRICE £31.99 You know what you’re going to get with Helm’s superlative ID guides – beautifully drawn colour plates taking in a plethora of conceivable plumages, very detailed and thorough species accounts, clear distribution maps, and plenty of colour photographs to illustrate some of the finer points of wildfowl ID. They’re all present and correct in Sebastien Reeber’s fine volume – 72 plates with 920 drawings, and 650 photographs, to be exact – but of particular note is the close attention that he gives to hybrids, the bane of many a beginner birder, but one of the most interesting aspects of studying ducks, geese and swans for others. Pretty much all of the possibilities that…

SOUTH WEST Highlights The juvenile Hudsonian Whimbrel stayed at Marazion, Cornwall, until 9th. Once again, a Pacific Diver appeared off the Cornish coast, off Marazion on 27th. Presumably this is the returning adult, which may have been coming back to the Mount’s Bay area since February 2007. AVON HIGHLIGHTS: A Glossy Ibis was at Pilning Wetlands (6th-20th). A Red-throated Diver was at Chew (from 9th). The second modern county record of Black Guillemot was at Severn Beach (15th). PORTISHEAD & CLEVEDON: Seabirds included two Leach’s Petrels, three Arctic Skuas, six Great Skuas, a Common Scoter, Red-throated Diver and Fulmar. Seven Purple Sandpipers returned. There were three Short-eared Owls. Bramblings were noted (11th & 27th), with a Yellow-browed Warbler (3rd) and three Crossbills (18th). SEVERNSIDE: Seawatching produced six Leach’s Petrels, three…

Bird Watching reader and contributor Paul Brook is a man on a mission – a mission to help us see more birds! In each month, he’ll pick one great species and tell us how to see it. First up… JANUARY JANUARY CHALLENGE DO THE BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH This is one of the easiest ways to get involved in the sort of ‘citizen science’ that makes birdwatching the special hobby we’re all proud of! Last year, more than half a million birdwatchers took part, counting 8.5 million birds, helping paint a picture of the nation’s species and how they use our gardens. It’s very easy to join in. Just watch your garden over a single hour at a time of your choice during the weekend of 30-31 January 2016. Note down…

Look outside. Is it snowy? If not, there is bound to be mud out there, as it is mid-winter after all. Both snow and mud make excellent substrates for holding bird footprints, whether in your back garden or out on a mudflat. And the tracks left by birds can tell you a lot about which bird produced them and something about what they were up to. In this first look at footprints, we will address a few key things to look for as pointers to the first stage of identification. Check out each of these criteria: OVERALL SIZE How big is the footprint? Even with a similar print, size can be a key characteristic. For instance ducks have small webbed prints, geese, much larger, and swans, huge! PATTERN OF TRACKS…

CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALREADY having a damaging effect on Europe’s wildlife, according to a report from the RSPB. ‘The Nature of Climate Change’ compiles existing evidence that shows climate change as being the greatest long-term threat to wildlife and people. It highlights the rise in extreme weather conditions, such as the recent windy springs which have caused mass deaths among Britain’s internationally important Shag population, changes in plankton populations that have endangered the sand eel, which in turn has endangered Kittiwakes and other seabirds, and range changes by species escaping changing conditions in their habitat. At the same time, a survey conducted by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit shows that Britons are more worried about the impact of climate change on some of our best-loved wildlife than they are…

Joined up thinking in conservation seems to be working, according to a new report. The State of the UK’s Birds 2015 report showcases examples of organisations, from within and outside the conservation sector, joining forces with the aim of improving the status of UK birds in the UK and the UK’s Overseas Territories. The report reviews a number or projects, from targeted species recovery programmes that have benefitted Cirl Buntings, through to agri-environment projects that have improved the lot of species such as Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer and Grey Partridge. Also mentioned are habitat restoration schemes such as those that have benefitted Bitterns in Somerset and Curlew in Northern Ireland, and habitat management partnerships between game managers and conservationists aimed at increasing Black Grouse populations.…

Get in touch with Bird Watching Bird Watching, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA birdwatching@bauermedia.co.uk facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag Tawny Owl by Ben Dalgleish Camera: Nikon D7200 Lens: 300mm Shutter speed: 1/250 Aperture: f6.3 ISO: 400 Splendid Fairy Wren, by Norman Greaves Australia (no photo details supplied) Kingfisher by Helen Brassington Camera: Nikon D7100 Lens: 300mm Shutter speed: 1/1000 Aperture: f8 ISO: 640 Starling by Terry Hancock Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mk III Lens: 150-600mm Shutter speed: 1/2500 Aperture: f6.3 ISO: 500 SPONSORED BY LEICA BIRDING – closer than ever before. Experience nature with unmatched intensity. i WIN! Send us your best birding/ wildlife photos to birdwatching@bauermedia.co.uk every month to be within a chance of winning a mystery prize. This monthÕs winner is Ben Dalgleish. All images should be high resolution…

I was pondering after reading the article on conservation for waders (Bird Watching, November 2015) about numbers of birds. In my area, Lytham St Annes, we are fortunate to have large numbers of waders at this time of year. As a birder, I obviously want to see birds and in number, but how many does a site have to support for both us and the landowners to be happy? Thousands, tens of thousands? How many do we need to ensure sustainability for the future? I know it seems strange to think like this but perhaps we need to. Vidus, email…

INTERTIDAL The intertidal zone is, put simply, the area of the coastline that is underwater at high tide, and above water at low tide. You might sometimes see it referred to as the foreshore, or the littoral zone. Intertidal areas can be divided between those with hard bottoms, such as rocky areas and the bases of cliffs, and those with soft bottoms, such as sandy beaches and saltmarshes, and both are very important habitats for birdlife. These areas support a good variety of plant and animal life, the majority of it well adapted to life in an area subjected to extremes of temperature, varying water levels, and the action of waves and wind, including shellfish, worms, crustaceans and kelp, which tolerate the conditions as a trade-off for a certain amount…

1 BROUGH OF BIRSAY Seabirds including Gannets and skuas, possible Lapland Buntings, and a historic former Viking island settlement 2 ARDNAVE Flocks of winter wildfowl, feeding Choughs and, of course, Barnacle Geese, at this great Islay site 3 HODBARROW Wintering grebes and divers are a highlight at this former industrial area, now an RSPB reserve 4 MORFA HARLECH Sandy shore and dunes play host to waders and hunting raptors, with flocks of Common Scoters to be seen offshore 5 FRANKWELL RIVERSIDE Kingfishers are always a highlight on this walk beside the Severn, but you’ll also find winter thrushes and plenty of wildfowl 6 WATERLOO Curlew, Snipe and Lapwing are winter visitors to this fine grassland site 7 STEART MARSHES New reserve attracts ducks and waders, plus raptors, and there’s a…

GRID REF:SH 565 337 POSTCODE:LL46Z 2UB HOW TO GET THERE:From Ffestiniog to the north or Barmouth to the south take the A496 to Harlech and then the minor road to the beach which, backed by the Royal St David’s Golf Club and then the dunes of the National Nature Reserve extends north to the mouth of the Afon Glaslyn. WHERE TO PARK:Beach car park. TERRAIN:Sandy shore and sand dunes. ACCESSIBILITY:Open at all times. FACILITIES:Toilets at car park may be locked in winter, but Harlech can meet all the needs of a hungry, thirsty birdwatcher. PUBLICTRANSPORT: Regular bus and train services Mon- Sat from Portmadog and Barmouth to Harlech, Traveline Cymru 0871 200 2233, travelinecymru.info ORGANISATIONS:Natural Resources Wales 0300 065 3000, enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk Snowdonia National Park Authority 01766 770274 eyrie-npa@gov.uk COUNTY RECORDER:Jim…

GRID REF: SJ 485 131 POSTCODE: SY3 8PU HOW TO GET THERE: On the northern edge of Shrewsbury, cross Welsh Bridge, go right round the roundabout then straight to the car park WHERE TO PARK: There is a big car park, there is a charge depending on time, eg all day is £4. TERRAIN: Generally level and easy going, but parts susceptible to wet and muddy times. There is one point where steps go up and down a steep rise. ACCESSIBILITY: No disabled access. Dogs under strict control. Swing gates and some steep steps. FACILITIES: All facilities in Shrewsbury. There is a footbridge from the car park into the town. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Nearest railway station is Shrewsbury (less than half a mile walk), National Rail Enquiries 08457 700240. Bus Services,…

1 From the road, go over the stile and follow the hedgerow track and check for thrush flocks, including Redwing and Fieldfare, possible Yellowhammer, Siskin and finch flocks. The pool may have Mallard, and Moorhen but also possible Grey Heron and Teal. 2 In the open areas of grassland, keep alert for Curlew, Snipe and Lapwing and keep checking the sky for Buzzard, Kestrel and a possible Red Kite. 3 On the way back to the pond, look for Little Owl and possibly a Pied Wagtail. 4 Finally there are some big trees around so there could be woodpeckers. Later in the year, Reed Bunting should be around.…

GRID REF: TR 239 364 POSTCODE: CT19 6BL HOW TO GET THERE: From Junction 13 of the M20 take the A259 Capel-le-Ferne road to the north east of Folkestone. From Dover Hill Road follow the signs to the harbour along Wear Bay Road passing the Martello Towers. WHERE TO PARK: Park by the Pavillion in Wear Bay Road overlooking the harbour. TERRAIN: A combination of rough tracks and surfaced paths on sloping ground, can be muddy after rain. ACCESS: Open access on public rights of way throughout. FACILITIES: The full range in the town, plus picnic seats and various information boards. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: There is a bus service between Dover and Folkestone that stops on site stagecoachbus.com ORGANISATION: White Cliffs Countryside Partnership, 01304 241806, whitecliffscountryside.org.uk CLUB CONTACT: Kent Ornithological Society,…

GRID REF: TQ 910 153 POSTCODE: TN36 4NG HOW TO GET THERE: From Hastings, take the A259 to Rye. To the east of Winchelsea take the minor road to Winchelsea Beach and a further 2 miles to site. WHERE TO PARK: Park in the lay-byes along Pett Level Road by the sea wall. TERRAIN: Mostly on the level with good paths, some surfaced and suitable for the disabled. Some of the level can be viewed from the road. ACCESS: Year round on public footpaths. FACILITIES: Toilets in Pett village. The Smugglers Inn at Pett is highly recommended, as is the Winchelsea Beach Cafe.. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Rye train station is on the main south coast line from Ashford. The 312 bus runs from Rye station to site every hour, 0870 608…

HOW TO GET THERE: From the UK, ferries go from Newhaven to Dieppe or Dover to Calais. Trains have a regular service to Abbeville station. Beauvais /Paris airport is close by. WHERE TO PARK: Plenty of parking on site. DISTANCE AND TIME: You could easily take all day, but the trails run to a maximum of a little over four miles. TERRAIN: Easy, relatively flat and the many (13) hides are all suitable for photography. ACESSIBILITY: Open daily from 10am to 7pm, except for winter, from November to March, when it is only open on weekends. A small cost entry fee for adults of 10 euros 50 cents allows a day’s visit to this superb birding reserve. FACILITIES: Facilites are near the car park and include a restaurant and a…

TOP TIP! Get to know the finches on your feeders or on your lawn. It is a great shortcut to finch ID BILL SIZE AND STRUCTURE As Darwin found when looking at the diverse finches of the Galàpagos Islands, different birds have evolved different bill lengths and structures according to their chosen diet. Our finches don’t quite have the range of bill types of those isolated equatorial island birds, but the principle is the same. At one extreme end, Hawfinches have huge powerful bills for crushing fruit stone and Crossbills have crossed mandibles for finely extracting tiny seeds from pine cones. At the other extreme, Siskins and redpolls have tiny tweezer-like bills for picking at tiny seeds from catkins. And more generalist seedeaters like Chaffinches and Bramblings have something inbetween.…

GOA IS ONE of the easiest and most accessible Indian birding destinations, rich for birding, with many key habitats concentrated in a fairly small and workable area. On this exciting holiday, we visit mountain jungle on the edge of the Western Ghats, paddyfields and wetlands, often interspersed with dry grassland, mangrove swamp, and coastal areas, including estuaries, beaches and wet swamps. Even the hotel gardens can be excellent for birding, with sunbirds, bulbuls, Indian Yellow Tit, and flocks of Chestnut-tailed Starlings. This holiday will be a riot of birdwatching from start to finish! We stay in three centres, and our 15-night holiday includes five nights at the excellent Backwoods Camp, plus time at the coast and in the interior. Birding includes visits to Cotigao and Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuaries, Carambolim,…

IBERIAN GREEN WOODPECKER This woodpecker looks and behaves like the Green Woodpecker (officially known as the Eurasian Green Woodpecker) that we all know and love. The key differences between the two are that the Iberian Green Woodpecker has little or no black in its face. This species is so ‘new’ that it will probably not be illustrated in your guidebook. It joins a roster of other, more established Iberian species, namely: Spanish Imperial Eagle, Iberian Chiffchaff and Iberian Grey Shrike. This woodpecker is found within the Iberian Peninsula, with the northern part of its range entering into south-western France. According to BirdLife International, the Iberian Green Woodpecker is Red Listed, as it is suffering a moderately rapid decline in Spain.…

LEICA TRINOVID £825 AND £875 Leica has revamped and relaunched its popular Trinovid HD range, with new versions of the 8x42 and 10x42 models. As well as offering bright, sharp images, with great colour fidelity, courtesy of the HD glass, they come complete with a new and innovative neoprene carrying strap. Weighing 720g, they have eyecups with four click-stopped settings, are water-resistant and have outstanding close focus, as low as 1.6m, plus a wide field of view. Prices are £825 and £875 respectively. More details at uk.leica-camera.com HEDGING PACKS £32.99 PLUS VAT Online hedge growers and suppliers Best4hedging have teamed up with the RSPB to launch a series of hedging packs, designed specifically to help provide food and shelter for birds. The Economy, Flowering, and Ultimate bird-friendly hedging bundles, priced…

ON WINTER WALKS I often stop to watch flocks of birds in flight, stark against sepia skies. From October onwards, as temperatures fall and autumn arrives, they begin to group together. A cloud of Linnets will erupt from a hedge, or dozens of Goldfinches fly out of the verges, scattering from seedheads of Wild Carrot and Teazel. Sky-watching is rewarded with new shapes and silhouettes as migrating birds arrive to overwinter, or pass through on passage. In my imagination I visualise the streams of geese and swans, of Fieldfares and Redwings, taking off from Siberia or Iceland or Sweden, rivers in space wending south as the arctic winter begins to close in, heading to our shores. Gradually, grey days emerge from darkness before sliding back into night, but mild weather…

• Mute Swan• Bewick’s Swan• Whooper Swan• Bean Goose• Pink-footed Goose• White-fronted Goose• Lesser White-fronted Goose• Greylag Goose• Snow Goose• Canada Geese• Barnacle Goose• Brent Goose• Egyptian Goose• Ruddy Shelduck• Mandarin• Wigeon• American Wigeon• Gadwall• Teal• Green-winged Teal• Mallard• Pintail• Garganey• Blue-winged Teal • Shoveler• Red-crested Pochard• Pochard• Ring-necked Duck• Ferruginous Duck• Tufted Duck• Scaup• Lesser Scaup• Eider• King Eider• Long-tailed Duck• Common Scoter• Black Scoter• Surf Scoter• Velvet Scoter• White-winged Scoter• Goldeneye• Hooded Merganser• Smew• Red-breasted Merganser• Goosander• Ruddy Duck• Quail• Red-legged Partridge• Red Grouse• Ptarmigan• Black Grouse• Capercaillie• Grey Partridge• Pheasant• Golden Pheasant• Red-throated Diver • Black-throated Diver• Pacific Diver• Great Northern Diver• White-billed Diver• Fulmar• Cory’s Shearwater• Scopoli’s Shearwater• Great Shearwater• Sooty Shearwater• Manx Shearwater• Balearic Shearwater• Wilson’s Storm-petrel• Storm-petrel• Leach’s Petrel• Swinhoe’s Petrel• Gannet• Cormorant• Shag• Bittern• Little Bittern• Night Heron• Squacco Heron• Cattle Egret• Little Egret• Great White Egret• Grey Heron• Purple Heron• Black Stork• White Stork• Glossy Ibis• Spoonbill• Pied-billed Grebe • Little Grebe• Great Crested Grebe• Red-necked Grebe• Slavonian Grebe• Black-necked Grebe• Honey Buzzard• Black Kite• Red Kite• White-tailed Eagle• Marsh Harrier• Hen Harrier• Pallid Harrier• Montagu’s Harrier• Goshawk• Sparrowhawk• Buzzard• Rough-legged Buzzard• Golden Eagle• Osprey• Kestrel• Red-footed Falcon• Merlin• Hobby• Gyr Falcon• Peregrine• Water Rail• Spotted Crake• Sora Rail• Little Crake• Baillon’s Crake• Corn Crake• Moorhen • Coot• American Coot• Crane• Great Bustard• Stone-curlew• Black-winged Stilt• Avocet• Oystercatcher• American Golden Plover• Pacific Golden Plover• Golden Plover• Grey Plover• Lapwing• Little Ringed Plover• Ringed Plover• Kentish Plover• Dotterel• Hudsonian Whimbrel• Whimbrel• Curlew• Black-tailed Godwit• Hudsonian Godwit• Bar-tailed Godwit• Turnstone• Knot• Ruff• Curlew Sandpiper• Temminck’s Stint• Sanderling• Dunlin• Purple Sandpiper• Baird’s Sandpiper • Little Stint• White-rumped Sandpiper• Buff-breasted Sandpiper• Pectoral Sandpiper• Semipalmated Sandpiper• Wilson’s Phalarope• Red-necked Phalarope• Grey Phalarope• Terek Sandpiper• Common Sandpiper• Spotted Sandpiper• Green Sandpiper• Spotted Redshank• Greater…