Table of contents for May 2018 in Bird Watching

One thing you quickly realise about birds is that they operate to their own calendar. For the most part that means seasons starting earlier than they do for us but in May, they’re both ahead of and behind the clock. Residents, summer visitors and wintering birds can all be present at the same time, and as you’ll see from our special 16-page centre section, that gives you the chance to have your best birding month ever! Try even a few of the ideas in there, and you’ll see something you’ve never encountered before. Elsewhere, we take a close look at two species dear to my own heart. On page 32, Richard Smyth explains how you can help Kittiwakes, our most marine and arguably most astonishing gull, while on page 24,…

Each month we play the semi-educated rarity lottery. Based on birds which have occurred very rarely at this time in previous years, here are our predictions for what may turn up this month... LESSER KESTREL Because of the similarity with the Kestrel, this very rare species is simultaneously overlooked and possibly ‘over-reported’ in the UK. There have been more than 30 accepted records, but only about a dozen in the last 50 years, a third of which have been in May. DUSKY THRUSH Of the 15 or so Dusky Thrushes which have ever occurred in the UK, only one was in May, the most recent one, a first-winter female in a cemetery at Margate in mid-May, 2013. Don’t let that put you off searching for these lovely Asiatic thrushes, this…

“The final mammal of the trilogy was the big one... Iberian Lynx” In early March, I spent a few rainy days in Andalucía, southern Spain, and our group were treated to some superb wildlife action. Birds included Spanish (aka Iberian) Imperial Eagles; Black, Griffon and Egyptian Vultures; Lesser Kestrels and Black-shouldered Kites. We watched giant male Great Bustards turning themselves inside out; Great Spotted Cuckoos galore; oodles of Iberian Green Woodpeckers and Azure-winged Magpies; and hundreds of nesting White Storks. There were all the wetland birding delights that Coto Doñana has to offer, from Cranes, through Purple Swamphens, and Purple Herons, through Spoonbills and Glossy Ibises, Marsh Sandpipers. You get the picture… But, despite the birding riches on offer, it was mammals which once more stole the show. In fact…

I blame the Canada Geese. Not the most glamorous birds to trigger a renewed interest in birdwatching after a 35-year hiatus, I grant you. But if I’ve learned anything in the two-and-a-bit years since those hulking squawkers flew low over my head that morning – and I mean grazing-my-bald-patch-with-their-wingtips low – it’s to seek beauty in even the most mundane spectacles. And as any London-based birder will attest, there are few things more mundane than the Canada Goose. It was January 2016 and, as is the way of things, I’d made New Year’s resolutions. I hadn’t called them ‘resolutions’, of course – I find they’re much easier to break that way. But I was absolutely clear in my head that, halfway through my 51st year, I needed to shake things…

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…

The Forest of Bowland has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1964, with Whitendale part of it. The valley starts at Dunsop Bridge, with the name ‘Trough’ describing the entrance into the area. It is a very popular part of these uplands, and is one of the most visited areas for birdwatching. The AONB signs show a Hen Harrier. By 1974, there were 39 nesting females, but by 1977 all breeding Hen Harriers had disappeared from the Red Grouse moors. After recent comebacks, Hen Harriers have failed to breed in recent years, but individuals pass through. In 2017, many people visited the area to watch a male Pallid Harrier, which held territory here. With so many people watching, immature male Hen Harriers were seen, as well…

This is an interesting area made up of different woodlands, with conifers prominent, but with a variety of other trees, bushes, shrubs and weeds tempting different species of birds. The area is very hilly, with heights of up to 376m, and has lots of paths, so I suggest taking a compass to keep you on track through the forest. It is also worth knowing that Fallow Deer are around. A bird to look for here is the Crossbill, which breeds in the area and, along with the Goldcrest, a Firecrest may be seen. In the sky, Buzzards are regularly seen, as are Ravens. Tawny Owls are around and a roding Woodcock should be here during the evening. Forest Enterprise thins the woods and this is where Treecreepers can be seen.…

The village of Stone-in-Oxney is situated on the eastern edge of the Isle of Oxney and bordered on three sides by the Royal Military Canal, the floodplain of the River Rother and Shirley Moor, the western ‘arm’ of Walland Marsh. Before the marshes were drained Oxney would have been cut off at high tide, accessible only by ferry, but something of the old island feel remains to this day, despite being linked by country lanes. This is a walk of contrasting scenery from the small fields and hedgerows around the village with its paddocks and orchards, plus arable farmland, copses and, most importantly from a birding point of view, the watercourse of the Rother and the Royal Military Canal, complete with lush marginal herbaceous growth. As a result, and at…

I write in response to the question in last month’s issue regarding apple trees in gardens to attract and feed the birds. I am a part-time gardener and every autumn see literally thousands of apples go to waste. There’s only so much crumble you can eat ,and many people with an abundance of apples can’t even give them away. Many varieties of apples store well. For the past few years, I have collected and stored apples in my garage and used them to feed the birds throughout the winter. A dark cupboard or drawer in a garage or shed is ideal to store them in. Must be cool but frost free. Either stand them apart or wrap them in tissue paper to prevent them touching. Checking them regularly allows you…

PATAGONIA WOMEN’S HIGH SPY PANTS, £100 For Brits, these are trousers not pants, made with ripstop polyester that is 4-way stretchy and 100% recycled. They only weigh 176g, resist wrinkling and dry quickly. The High Spys are made for mobility – for active birding, including the dash to the tearoom. The waistband has a drawcord, and some elastic at the back for comfort. There are five pockets, including a hidden one, and buttons and tabs for rolling the legs up. 50+ UPF sun protection. In black, classic navy, or canyon brown. Sizes 2-14. eu.patagonia.com VICTORINOX SPARTAN WOOD POCKET KNIFE, £35 In a break from tradition, this medium sized pocket knife doesn’t have red sides. Instead, they’re ‘elegant, durable, walnut wood’. It’s made in Switzerland (of course), is 91mm long, weighs…

HIGHLIGHTS: A good count of 69 Slavonian Grebes were at Strangford Lough (21st). The long-staying Great White Egret at Lough Beg was reported throughout. Two separate Glossy Ibises were seen throughout, both long-staying birds, one at Portmore Lough RSPB, and the other at Lough Beg. An early Whimbrel was seen on Rathlin Island (25th). The long-staying Spoonbill was reported from Annes Point, Co.Down throughout the month. The Green-winged Teal was seen throughout the month at the Ecos Centre, Ballymena. A redhead Smew was reported from Portmore Lough RSPB throughout. A Spotted Redshank was seen at Myroe, Co.L’derry (23rd). The three overwintering Little Stints were seen throughout the month. A Turtle Dove was seen and photographed from a private garden in Doagh, Co.Antrim (17th). A Black Redstart was seen at Helens…

With luck, your nestboxes will be occupied, and the insects that you’ve provided habitat for will be a vital source of food for the young birds raised in them. You’ll remember to keep your feeders and bird baths topped up throughout the spring and summer (this allows adult birds to spend more of their time finding food for the youngsters), and you can sit back and reflect on a job well done. Well, you deserve to relax, but May through to October is still a busy time for the wildlife gardener. Keep on top of the tasks below, and your garden will be a haven for wildlife throughout the year. MAY This is a busy month for any gardener, with frosts well and truly gone, and warm daytime temperatures. •…

Swarovski Optik manufactures products that are the ideal companions for your expeditions. Use them to view the world and you’ll be totally focused. Great birdwatching is not just stumbling upon the bird that has eluded you for years, it’s about enjoying the search and, when you find it, a Swarovski binocular or telescope will ensure that you can identify every intricate detail of the bird’s plumage, its beak or its vicious looking talons, and that the moment is never forgotten. At Swarovski Optik we are proud of the fact that all of our optics are manufactured from our factory in the Tyrol. We push the boundaries in our quest for new innovative products that lead the way for the future. Never resting on our laurels, Swarovski Optik is constantly striving…

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 (+0:54) SCOTLAND Leith…

It’s a bright, sunny, mild morning in March. The wide streets of Nether Edge, lined with Victorian and Edwardian villas and terraces, are quiet enough that it’s easy to pick out birdsong above distant traffic noise. We hear a Nuthatch, trilling from a front garden and a Blackbird, singing from an aerial. And countless Robins and Great Tits. The reasons aren’t difficult to see. The age of the houses means that the gardens are full of mature trees, bushes and shrubs. Combine that with the tall, mature trees lining the streets, and you have a Sheffield suburb that actually acts more like a nature reserve. As I walk around the streets with Jim Clarke, freelance ecologist and a member of Sheffield Tree Action Groups (STAG), we see and hear an…

Spring is well and truly here; and spring means migration. And among the great migrating treats on offer this month, there are waders, lovely waders. Some people are not fond of waders, claiming that they all look similar and are a tricky group to identify. But in May we get to see waders looking their finest, in spanking breeding plumage which is a long way from the samey brown or grey and white of wintering birds. There are splashes of colour and lovely rich blacks all over the place. Combine that with waders’ wide range of sizes and shapes, let alone the behaviours that go with them, and you are facing some of our most attractive spring birds. So, here are six waders in their May finery. Identify, them, then…

Insh Marshes are part of the River Spey floodplain between Kingussie and Kincraig, in Badenoch and Strathspey. They are said to be one of the most important wetlands in Europe, with winter floods holding a vast area of water, and are protected by several designations. The reserve has magnificent views, and there are several hides to use if the weather is bad. The high ground allows you to travel on paths away from water, with the hides built above the marsh, letting you look down on birds. Over the years the star breeding birds have included Wood Sandpiper, which bring their young to feed on the marsh, and Spotted Crake, which is heard more than seen with its nocturnal whip noises. Recent summer sightings of Marsh Harrier may add them…

Puffins once occurred here in prodigious numbers but then disaster struck, like with so many other islands. Brown Rats arrived, survivors from a shipwreck here in 1816, and by 1836 their descendants had exterminated the Puffins. By around 1880, the rats were exterminated, and the Puffins very quickly returned, with 2,000 pairs by 1907 seemingly the high point, and smaller numbers subsequently, perhaps as a result of predation by Great Black-backed Gulls and Ravens. Then, although how is unknown, rats re-colonised Puffin Island about 1960. In 1998 an extermination campaign was implemented by the Countryside Council for Wales and the RSPB. Once known as Priestholm (there are remains of a 12th Century monastery), Puffin Island, which rises to 192ft, is once again rat-free but faces another problem. Rabbits have long…

This recently-established wetland has quickly put the area on the birding map with some excellent wader records and good numbers of wildfowl, which is probably not surprising in view of its location bordering the Severn Estuary. Formerly, this was the site of an old military firing range and sheep paddocks, which were used to create the wetland during 2011. This new habitat has quickly become the main attraction for visiting birds and birdwatchers, producing excellent records such as Red-necked Phalarope, Black-winged Stilt, Temminck’s Stint, Pectoral Sandpiper, Glossy Ibis, Spoonbill, Black-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe and Red-throated Pipit. The pools are easily viewed from the Severn Way and excellent views of the shallow wader scrapes are obtained from the footpath that heads inland near the yellow sentry box. Nearby hedgerows and copses…

The former royal hunting forest of Hampshire, now the New Forest National Park, is a site of great historical importance and natural splendour, despite being set in one of the most densely populated parts of the country. In this busy modern world, sections of the park, such as Hampton Ridge, still retain a unique atmosphere redolent of medieval England with its wooded enclosures and ancient grazing rights made famous by the New Forest pony. The rolling countryside and sandy soils support a rich variety of wildlife and habitats from coniferous and deciduous woodland to isolated ponds and streams and what is the largest tract of heathland in southern England, complete with scattered birch scrub and solitary pine trees, an ideal setting for the likes of Hobby, Tree Pipit and Nightjar.…

I enjoyed Ruth Miller’s column on Costa Rica in the February issue, especially as I had visited the Central American country myself in the autumn of last year. While Ruth rightly commends the many positive conservation initiatives in Costa Rica, there are flaws in this Garden of Eden. The many threats to Costa Rica’s biodiversity include a rapidly growing human population, developing coastlines for the industry of tourism and harmful agricultural practices, all contributing to pollution and environmental degradation. However, the practice causing the greatest concern for Costa Rica’s environment is deforestation. This much-lauded eco-tourism role model has the fourth highest rate of deforestation in the world. Almost four percent of its forests are felled each year, with land clearance for cattle ranching being the most common cause. This form…

We don’t understand Grasshopper Warblers down here in the south of England, where I live. We enjoy a small burst of birds singing on migration in the first couple of weeks of April. And then they are gone, leaving us for the grasslands, marshes and damp ditches of the west and north. Their contribution to our summer is minimal. We hardly ever hear the wonderful, reeling song, that whisper from the rank vegetation, rising and falling in strength, intermittently, as the long spring day fades into evening. We can hardly imagine that Grasshopper Warblers do what other birds do: meet up, build nests and lay eggs. These days these small, retiring birds, once relatively common at our latitudes, can seem as remote as Ptarmigans or Golden Eagles. They have done…

What first sparked your interest in birdwatching, and when? I was always interested in wildlife, but it was a university biology field trip to Portugal that sparked my interest in birds in particular. I was allocated to a group catching and ringing birds; I couldn’t believe I was being allowed to hold amazing birds, such as Sardinian Warblers, that I’d never even heard of. Who was your birdwatching inspiration or mentor? My first mentor was Guy Anderson of the RSPB, my ringing trainer, who patiently taught me bird identification as I was learning to ring, and introduced me to surveying birds in the field and identifying songs and calls. And later, my colleagues at the BTO, including Mark Grantham, Dave Leech, Dawn Balmer and Nick Moran. Bird alone or with…

Bo Beolens Founder of Fat Birder website and Birding for All I was 10 when a Kingfisher landed on my fishing rod and turned me instantly into a birder. Back then, the only affordable binoculars were lead-heavy and pretty poor optically, and telescopes were clunky brass and leather affairs. As my pockets deepened, I bought better, lighter optics. Then, one day, I met a friend field-testing some binoculars at a local reserve. “Take a look through these,” he said. Frankly, I was stunned. I loved those ‘Swaros’; crisper, clearer, more comfortable and no edge distortion! I’ve since birded for 20 years on five continents, always with a Swarovski scope and binoculars. David Rosair Owner and principal tour guide of Island Ventures Top tips. Check the weather, know the best birding…

“Reducing photos to a pocket book size often leads to loss of sharp detail” I’ve lately been updating fatbirder.com with fabulous photos of wonderful birds taken by a growing number of fantastic photographers. They range from just terrific to truly remarkable. Things have completely changed since my youth. Half a century ago, a small band of dedicated photographers sat interminably in hides or hung about aviaries. I can barely remember decent pictures of birds in the likes of the National Geographic magazine; the only highly colourful feathers were in headdresses at tribal ceremonies. Popular bird books rarely had photos and those few were strictly monochrome. Fieldguides were illustrated with line-drawings or watercolours. Most weren’t up to much either. In 1954 a revolution began. Peterson et al produced a Field Guide…

Between the 13th and 15th Centuries, Finlaggan was the administrative centre of the Lordship of the Isles for the chiefs of Clan MacDonald. These Lords of the Isles ruled the islands and part of the west coast of Scotland, from Kintyre to Lewis, virtually independent of royal control from Edinburgh. A fortified building was built which was also used for council meetings. Today, you will find a visitor centre, open from April to October, on the shore of the loch, but it is the birding why many people visit, as the area has a mixture of habitats starting with the Loch itself. This is a large body of water and ducks are never present in big numbers, but with diving ducks you need to be scanning for some time. Classic…

Surprisingly, with some of the most diverse habitat within the county, Sutton Park is largely neglected by birders, possibly put off by the lack of wader habitat, but the diversity of the area compensates. More than 2,400 acres of woodland, heathland, scrub, marsh and pools host a diverse array of both flora and fauna. The pools always offer possibilities, with recent records of Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Black-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe and Great Northern Diver, while small numbers of Gadwall, Shoveler, Goosander, Goldeneye and Wigeon visit during the winter months. Spring heralds the arrival of warblers and passage Whinchat and Wheatear and is one of the few sites within the county where Cuckoo can still be heard. A small population of Dartford Warblers brought added excitement, but severe weather put…

For hundreds of years the Fremington area was a source of clay extraction, processing and export. Potteries operated here, exporting their wares by boat down the estuary of the River Taw. In 1838, the Taw Vale Railway and Dock Company was formed to construct a quay at Fremington and the industry of the area developed greatly. Clay was exported; coal, lime and potatoes, among many other commodities, were imported. Eventually, industry in the local area declined, the railway sidings were removed and the quay fell into disrepair. In 1991, the combined footpath and cycle path section of the Tarka Trail opened, part of the long-distance route that explores the countryside celebrated in Henry Williamson’s enduring novel, Tarka the Otter. Running along the route of the former railway, the Tarka Trail…

OUR PLACE Mark Cocker, Nature Writing, £18,99 A new book by Mark Cocker is a major event, and this is no exception. But while the likes of Birds and People and Birds Britannica are classics of their kind, the sort of volumes that you dip back into again and again out of sheer curiosity (and enjoyment), this addresses pressing contemporary issues with a clear, realistic eye and a willingness to suggest answers as well as highlight questions. Cocker's never better than when he focuses in close on a subject, and here he starts very close to home, on a Norfolk floodplain where he is trying to create (or rather, recreate) habitats capable of supporting some of the native wildlife that we're otherwise in danger of losing. From there, he moves…

SOUTH WEST Highlights Easily the most exciting story from the region, in February, was the discovery of a lovely adult Ross’s Gull in Dorset, on 21st. It was seen flying up the Fleet at Ferrybridge, and subsequently also showed at Radipole and Lodmoor. AVON CLEVEDON-WESTON-SUPER-MARE: The Blind Yeo held 20 Goosanders. There were 18 Little Egrets in the Clevedon-Yeo area, with six on a disused airfield at Weston-super-Mare. The Axe Estuary produced 118 Oystercatchers, 25 Ringed Plovers and 300 Redshanks. The Clevedon-Yeo coast had a Merlin, two Spotted Redshanks, 39 Grey Plovers, 20 Knot, 1,700 Dunlin, 245 Curlews, 340 Redshanks and 10 Ravens. A Glaucous Gull was at Weston-super-Mare. Three Crossbills flew over Locking. SEVERNSIDE: Seven Short-eared Owls were at Aust Warth. Merlins were there and at Northwick Warth. A…

After what felt like a long, long winter, I’m sure I’m not alone in being relieved to be able to get back out into the garden, getting my hands dirty. After working hard to create a wildlife-friendly garden a couple of years ago, there’s plenty to be done to keep the birds and other creatures coming back. We hope this free magazine will help you do just that. As well as tips on high-priority jobs for spring, we’ve taken a look at some of the commonest garden visitors, and exactly what they need to survive and thrive. Two are of particular interest to me. I’m keeping an eye on the nestbox in which Blue Tits successfully raised a brood last year, and they’re showing every sign of returning. And I’m…