Table of contents for Autumn 2021 in Bird Watching

twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag RARITY RATINGS 1 LESSER WHITETHROAT A few of our common warblers are notoriously shy. Lesser Whitethroat is one of these, spending the spring and summer hidden inside big hedges, betraying its presence mainly by brief snatches of rattled song, unseen. But, come autumn, when the need to stock up on body fat for the long southward journey becomes the chief priority, they start to miraculously appear in the open. They may be picking insects on the sunny side of a Hawthorn, soon after sunrise; or perhaps gobbling blackberries from the tangle of a bramble. They are slightly smaller, shorter-tailed, more compact birds than Whitethroats, with colder-toned plumage, black legs and often dark ear coverts compared with the rest of the head. 2 LITTLE STINT Waders are great, but…

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 Felixstowe Pier (-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…

I’ve been hooked on birds since my first I-Spy book, at the age of eight. I can remember hiding in my garden ticking off Robins, Blackbirds and House Sparrows with my pencil. Always on the lookout for rarities, I longed for the red-letter days that Big Chief I-Spy promised us if we kept our eyes peeled. I’ve come a long way since then. I’m now retired, after 45 years of driving a 40-ton truck all over Europe and Scandinavia. During those years, I had the best birdwatching hide imaginable – my cab. In the UK, whether parked in a lorry park (mating Foxes), a lay-by (Lapwings in a field dive-bombing a Stoat) or in a town centre (crows mobbing a Fox), there was always something to see. On an industrial…

1 Blackcaps by Jo Hutchinson Camera: Canon PowerShot SX70 Lens: 247mm, Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec Aperture: f/x6.5 ISO: 100 2 Dunnock by Trevor Burch Camera: NikonD500 Lens: 500mm, Shutter Speed: 1/1,000 sec Aperture: f/7.1 ISO: 4,000 3 Juvenile Redstart by Rob Porter Camera: Panasonic DC-G9 Lens: 400mm, Shutter Speed: 1/400 sec Aperture: f/6.3 ISO: 500 4 Great White Egret by Kevin Bowers Camera: Nikon D500 Lens: 600mm, Shutter Speed: 1/1,600 sec Aperture: f/6.3 ISO: 800 WE LOVE... Jo Hutchinson’s hungry young Blackcaps are just so adorable!…

NEW SERIES! Be a better bird photographer Photographing birds is not easy, but it’s very addictive. That difficulty is actually one of the things that makes bird photography so rewarding. Of course, there’s also huge frustration along the way, but nailing a cracking photo more than makes up for all the effort. First, I’d like to mention some of the things that can, and indeed do, go wrong. There are countless scenarios that conspire to scupper your chances of getting a picture that’s worthy of gracing the cover of a birdwatching magazine (like this one). The most obvious one is that very few wild birds ‘play ball’, so to speak. Some species aren’t as wary as others, but even common birds that are used to humans can be challenging to…

Ruth Miller: I would do a study on the (Eurasian) Curlew, an iconic bird in steep decline; in a bid to reverse its fortune. John Miles: Merlin - I have them breeding up from the house and there is a big decline in many areas of Britain. David Lindo: I am very curious about the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, perhaps even 20-years curious! Ian Parsons: Golden Eagle - I would love to study this raptor as it overcame persecution and reclaimed England. …and the Bird Watching team’s answers Matt Merritt: Kestrel - their decline is worrying, but are they also under-recorded? Mike Weedon: Kingfisher - I could just sit by a river bank enjoying our most exotic bird! Tim Unwin: I’m seeing fewer Goldfinches in my garden and I’d like to…

We are in the heart of the extreme rarity season, when anything can turn up. How about these three possibilities from the ‘mega’ files? MASKED SHRIKE With just five accepted records (and two shoo-ins from last October), this small shrike from south-eastern Europe is extremely rare. But, as those 2020 records may indicate, perhaps it is on the increase? Youngsters (which we have had so far) are quite like smaller Woodchat Shrike juveniles, but without the white rump. Any shrike is a good shrike, but finding one of these is something else. UPLAND SANDPIPER With nearly a dozen UK records since the turn of the Millennium, this odd, long-tailed, small-headed North American wader is not in the same league of rarity as Masked Shrike. But, what a bird! As usual,…

THE SQUIRREL-MOUSE Appearing part-squirrel, part-mouse, the Edible Dormouse is as strange a mammal as lives in the UK. It does not come as a total surprise, then, to learn that this is a non-native species - one found naturally in Central Europe but introduced here in 1902. The main population has stayed faithful to mixed woodland in the Chilterns, although it may be increasing and spreading. To see its bright-eyed, bushy-tailed form before hibernation beckons in a few weeks’ time, spend dusk in or around Wendover Woods. MAMMAL Fruit-loving carnivore We may think of Pine Marten as an unabashed carnivore, but those who have visited certain Scottish hides, campsites or lodges know different. At such ecotourist-centric destinations, offerings of jam sandwiches seek to tempt these engaging mustelids into revealing themselves.…

Over the years I’ve seen some excellent birds at the least salubrious of places. Back in my twitching days, my ‘lifer’ Spotted Crake was in a dirty puddle under a flyover, crouching among the detritus that clung to an abandoned shopping trolley. Overseas, I’ve been amazed what birds find attractive. I watched a group of stilts in India finding food in the dirtiest, smelliest ditch I’ve ever come across, the little ‘water’ was black and the whole thing was like liquified litter, so pungent I rocked back on my heels when the odour assaulted me. I once sat waiting for her good self in a busy city car park, watching a pair of Collared Doves creating a nest on the bend in a wastepipe where the split in it had…

There’s still time to sign up for our #My200BirdYear challenge – remember that all those migrants have to pass through again in the autumn, and you’ll get a second chance of seeing winter visitors. • Go to: birdwatching.co.uk/my-200-sign-up • Complete the form there, and you’re signed up • Keep an eye on our website: birdwatching.co.uk for regular updates, tips and advice • Join our dedicated Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/My200BirdYear to exchange sightings, photos and birding knowledge etc • Buy Bird Watching magazine for monthly features on which species to look for, when, and where, and how to identify them when you do see them • Download our target list at: birdwatching.co.uk/target-list • Get out there, and watch birds! Good luck!…

Autumn is the season of scarce and rare visitors to the UK. By their very definition, they are generally unfamiliar birds to British birders, so present a peculiar identification challenge. Rare/scarce birds can come from just about any order of birds, and you just have to be prepared and expect the unexpected (as well as anticipating and predicting ‘likely’ candidates). There is, as with many things in the world of birding, no substitute for field experience. But, that said, a bit of book learning or internet research can do no harm! As usual, the challenge is simple (in principle, if not practice): please put a name to the six birds featured in the photographs on this page. Then, when you are happy with your answers, turn the page to see…

COLLECT & KEEP Every month we bring you 10 more sites to build up your GO BIRDING collection MAX MILES ON FOOT: 3 MIN TIME: 3 HOURS BORDERS ST ABB’S HEAD Seawatching plus a good chance of interesting migrants This is an excellent seawatching site, whether you’re planning on making a day of it, or stopping off on the way between the birding glories of Northumberland and the Scottish Highlands (which is my usual excuse for calling in). It’s not just seabirds, either – passerines can be very interesting, especially during migration periods, so check any birds that you don’t recognise, very carefully. MATT MERRITT WHERE TO WATCH 1 usually start in the village, parking a t the harbour and having a quick look around for scarcer gulls, then walk…

Moorland mystery bird Q Please identify this small bird for me. The photos were taken on 28 M ay on the North Yorkshire Moors (Canon 7D2 with 100-400 lens at 400mm. 1/1250 f9 ISO1,600). It’s smaller than a Meadow Pipit. Malcolm Jones A Thanks for your ID query, Malcolm. You were not to know this when you sent your letter in, but this is the third issue of BW in a row when we have dealt with this particular identification challenge on the Q&A pages. Your bird is a juvenile Stonechat, quite a young one, as you would expect on the date it was photographed. The main features are the Stonechat shape (relatively large head, thin bill, short tail and wings); the overall dark plumage, the blackish tail (with buff…

Fully inclusive of cruise, return flight via Oslo (based on London airports, though there are many return flight options), and our office and guiding services. Reserve the cabin of your choice! All are quoted per person in shared cabins: Quad. Porthole £2,795 Triple Porthole £3,145 Twin Porthole £3,495 Twin Window £3,695 Twin De Luxe £3,895 Superior £4,295 Junior Suite £4,495 Grand Suite £4,695 Singles – please consider sharing with people of the same gender; this works very well in comfortable accommodation on this voyage. Single occupancy of a Twin Porthole cabin is priced at £4,995. Friendly and experienced Heatherlea guides will be excited to share their knowledge and enthusiasm, and we will be flexible in our itinerary, paying close attention to weather and ice, changing course and using inflatable zodiacs…

In association with Q I’m relatively new to photography, and find the auto-focus on my DSLR (Canon) difficult to use when photographing birds – should I just turn it off and focus manually? D Kirk, Halesowen A If the subject is still and relatively close, then manual focus would be fine. However, for birds in flight this would be more difficult. Check your camera is in the SERVO mode so the AF is more active and will track subjects. Depending on the age of your camera, it may be worth an upgrade to a newer model – they have brilliant AF and tracking capabilities these days. Q What’s the difference between RAW files and normal image files, please, and is it worth shooting in RAW? G Wainwright, Maldon A The…

NIKON Z FC BODY, £899 New retro coming soon from Nikon – a mirrorless camera modelled on the FM2. It has solid aluminium control dials in the same places as the FM2 – you can adjust ISO, shutter speed and exposure compensation without using the menu. And the high-res EVF is circular like the FM2’s viewfinder. 20.9MP DX sensor, 100-51,200 ISO, high-res vari-angle touchscreen monitor, a fast autofocus and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth. Shoots at up to 11fps. It can do 4K/UHD video at 30p, full HD slow-motion and 4K time-lapse. 134.5x93.5x43.5mm. 445g. nikon.co.uk HOKA ONE ONE ANACAPA MID GORE-TEX, £150 With recycled polyester in the laces, mesh and collar, PFC-free water-repellency, Gore-tex with recycled textile, a sockliner derived from 50% soybean oil, and Vibram® Megagrip soles, these boots are pretty eco friendly.…

Many non-birders (and indeed many birders) fall into the easy trap of thinking that a nice sunny day means a good day for birdwatching. Pleasant though sunshine and clear skies may be, they are often the enemy of the birder. If any birds choose to be on the move on such clear days, they fly through at height, invisibly. And even if they drop down on your patch for a quick wash and brush up, the heat haze can turn everything into an unidentifiable blur. This is one reason that we birders turn our attention to nice, manageable bird substitutes, like butterflies and dragonflies, during the pleasant sunny days of July. Indeed, I even managed a Peterborough Bird Club (PBC) area tick this month with a lovely large dragonfly called…

Petrels breeding Storm Petrels have been confirmed breeding on NatureScot’s Isle of May National Nature Reserve (NNR) for the first time. NatureScot, the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and the Isle of May Bird Observatory had suspected there might be a colony on the island since 2019, but the species is difficult to monitor, because of its nocturnal habits. It’s now thought that Storm Petrels breeding so far south in the North Sea might suggest other nearby colonies may have gone unnoticed. Osprey successes Rutland Osprey Project has seen its 200th chick fledge this year. Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust started the project 25 years ago because Ospreys had become extinct in England and Wales. But, as a result of the project, Ospreys have now spread across the…

As winter approaches, your garden will probably be full of birds making the most of the seasonal bounty and feeding up ahead of the lean months. But there is other wildlife that, although less visible, is equally, if not more, in need of your help at this time of year. Hedgehogs, for example, which are now on the UK Mammals Red List after catastrophic declines. Carol Palmer, of Alton, Hampshire, wrote to recommend that, if you want to feed Hedgehogs in your garden, you read up on the subject first, and don’t immediately turn to what is marketed as Hedgehog food. She said: “I have been a member of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society since 1985, and am a member of Hedgehog Highways on Facebook, as well as other Hedgehog…

GET IN TOUCH birdwatching@bauermedia.co.uk facebook.com/BirdWatchingMag twitter.com/BirdWatchingMag Bird Watching, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA Gone fishing I was pleased to find your article about Burgess Park in the August Bird Watching issue. I live in London, and Burgess is one of my favourite parks for birdwatching. The lake in the park attracts a variety of birds, and I enjoy recording the varying bird life as the seasons change. Early this spring, the Great Crested Grebes enthralled us with their courtship displays. Now they keep me entertained as they catch fish to feed their young ones. The action is fast, challenging enough keep them in the eyepiece and in focus, let alone capture on camera! More often than not, I fail to capture a sharp image. But here are a…

There is an old Finnish saying that goes as follows: “Voit asettaa kellosi mustaviklo.” It is spoken across the heathlands, tundra and open forests of the north of that country, as the locals meet to converse; much as British people outdoors might discuss the vagaries of the seasons. The phrase has a quaint quality, but it echoes a deep understanding of the sub-arctic and arctic environment. Roughly (Google-) translated, it means “You could set your watch by a Spotted Redshank.” To be honest, I completely made that up. With due apologies to any Finnish readers, there is no such phrase. However, there should be, because of a very fascinating and unusual quirk of Spotted Redshank migration. It is perhaps the finest example in Europe of an Instinct Migrant. Although the…

The Blackbird is well known in gardens up and down the land. Originally a woodland denizen, its familiar song and chattering alarm calls form part of the soundscape of many people’s lives. According to the British Trust of Ornithology, at 5.05 million pairs, it comes in at joint fifth most numerous British bird alongside the Chaffinch. And, for us in Britain, Ireland as well as most of Western Europe, it is a bird that needs little introduction. Well, at least the male doesn’t. His glossy black plumage and yellow bill makes him unmistakable in most urban settings, although confusion arises when similarly hued Starlings flash across the vistas of less experienced watchers. There is also the possibility of mixing the Blackbird up with its far scarcer and wilder cousin –…

WE HAVE A DREAM DR MYA-ROSE CRAIG, ILLUSTRATED BY SABRENA KHADIJA, MAGIC CAT, HB, £12.99 The author may be well known to you from social media, and the pages of this magazine, but her focus here is very much on voices that are too often unheard. The book pulls together the stories of 30 young indigenous people and people of colour – as it points out, often exactly those people disproportionately affected by climate change – and highlights the vital and inspiring work they have been carrying out, but also crucially gives voice to dreams for the future and messages of hope – “activism can make a difference” is one of the overriding messages here. Colourfully illustrated, the text is concise but punchy, and the sheer variety and energy of…