The RSPB North Staffs Local Group

The Ouzel September 2017

‘A bird does not sing because he has the answer to something – he sings because he has a song.’ Chinese Proverb

Ring ouzel Photo Credit – Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

As autumn 2017 is the start of our 35th year as an RSPB local group, it seems only appropriate to commence this issue with a photograph of our namesake. Sadly these days the ring ouzel is an uncommon breeding bird in Staffordshire although it can be seen on passage in a few places, including Berryhill Fields and Silverdale Country Park.

Group Leader’s Message

A pile of feathers; a poignant reminder of Nature in the Raw on my patio. 24 hours before writing this, on 9 August, something crashed against my patio glass, a brief flurry of activity took place and there was a collared dove being pinned down by a female sparrowhawk. The dove struggled briefly; so did I. The options were to go out and see the hawk off, thereby interfering with

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Swallow: photo credit Ben Andrews (rspb-images.com)

nature or let things take their course. The struggle was brief, the moment passed, as I gazed, transfixed, at proceedings. The time was 7.40 am; my six-year-old granddaughter was due to be dropped off in 40 minutes; would the drama still be ongoing? 8.05; the hawk continued with breakfast: I contemplated my own. By about 8.10, the hawk and carcase had gone. Mixed feelings ensued, but I think relief dominated. Seeing nature being that raw could have a negative impact on a youngster. As it was, on being told the story minutes later and seeing the feathers, Anya said, “oh, gross” and began unpacking pens and books. The sense of magic receded.

After breakfast, it was off to Fordhall Farm at Market Drayton for a session of river dipping; a good turnout, with 15 other children present. A different, mellower type of magic descended for the duration. No mishaps, no tears. A water scorpion was found, a couple of small crayfish, tiny shrimps and more. The farm is organic and the River Tern which borders it is clean and has otters. New friendships were made.

Back home, there were the feathers. Anya wanted to take a handful home. The dove? Days earlier, I’d counted six in the garden. I hadn’t seen a sparrowhawk there all year, but most of their visits only last two seconds as they make opportunistic passes.

Accept what nature proffers and feel the Magic. Let’s see and hopefully enjoy what the coming programme season brings.

Geoff Sales

It’s not long now before swallows and clocks both have to go back.

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Golden eagle Photo Credit – Chris

Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

Conservation Matters

(1) Bird of Prey Persecution

This summer the RSPB satellite-tagged a record number of hen

harrier chicks in order to help identify wildlife crime hotspots, see

rspb.org.uk/henharrierlife. In June the BBC News highlighted the

near extinction of the species in England as a national concern.

Just a month earlier, in late May, BBC Scotland also drew attention to the ongoing illegal persecution of birds of prey after Scottish Natural Heritage had reported the findings from an investigation into the disappearance of almost one third of the golden eagles tagged by satellite between 2004 and 2016, 41 out of 131 tracked birds. The scientists who conducted the investigation had ruled out problems with the birds’ tags and wind farms as the explanations for the disappearances, with their work showing that most of the birds had gone missing in areas managed for grouse shooting.

RSPB Scotland’s Head of Investigations, Ian Thomson, stated that “The irrefutable evidence in this report, demonstrating the scale of systematic, organised criminality, is shocking – and yet it is likely that none of this would have come to light had these birds not been fitted with satellite tags.

When you add this to the disappearances of satellite-tagged white- tailed eagles, red kites, goshawks, peregrines and hen harriers, not included in this review, and consider that satellite-tagged birds form a very small proportion of the populations of

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Kittiwake - photo credit: Ed Marshall (rspb-images.com)

these species, the overall numbers of eagles and other protected raptors that are actually being killed must be staggering.”

Although the Scottish Gamekeepers Association has questioned the report’s findings regarding wind farms a spokesperson has stated that the loss of an average of four (tagged) eagles a year is “totally unacceptable” and the association has “condemned whole heartedly” the illegal killing of any eagle.

The Scottish Government has announced a package of measures in response to the report, including a review of the environmental impact of grouse moor management practices.

(2) Anglesey

A little over a year ago the first phase of a Welsh seabird survey by Natural Resources Wales, which concentrated on the waters around North Wales revealed that an entire colony of 500 kittiwakes had vanished from Anglesey’s east coast since 2000, when a preceding census was undertaken. The work showed there had been increases in guillemot, razorbill and puffin numbers and decreases in shag, fulmar, lesser black-backed gull and kittiwake populations over the 16 year period with the latter having suffered a 41% decline. It is believed that climate change has forced the kittiwake’s main prey, sand eels, to move to colder waters, further away from the coast, preventing the birds breeding. Sadly, that is a conservation story we’ve become all too familiar with.

Coming more up to date and there was better news regarding Anglesey this summer when RSPB Malltraeth Marsh, located

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Bee-eater Photo credit -Ian Worden

towards the centre of the island, underwent a major transformation and name change, after securing vital funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and an independent benefactor. The new reserve, RSPB Cors Ddyga, is apparently a reasonably good place to see hen and marsh harriers and bitterns are known to have nested there last year, the first time the species has nested in Wales in thirty two years.

(3) Changing Times

Climate change has also played a part in some of our breeding results this year. The nests of three European bee-eaters at East Leake Quarry, Nottinghamshire, sadly failed in early August as a result of predation but we have still had: an unprecedented thirteen black-winged stilt fledglings at sites in Kent, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk, nine of them at RSPB Cliffe Pools and RSPB Ouse Washes; a pair of spoonbills rearing three young at RSPB Fairburn Ings, West Yorkshire, the destination for our coach trip next January: and cattle egrets breeding for the second year running at RSPB Ham Wall in Somerset.

The downside to this is the fact that many of our more common, migratory birds are failing to keep pace with spring as it starts earlier each year. Sadly they are often finding insufficient food when they arrive here, which leads to them experiencing difficulties in breeding and ultimately failing to gain sufficient body mass and weight to make their return journeys at the end of summer.

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Cuckoo Photo Credit – RSPB (rspb-images.com)

East Anglian Weekend Away, 12-15 May - Leonie Parkes

In mid-May 32 of us left Staffordshire and headed for our weekend stop, a Holiday Inn in Norwich, with various options for stopping en route. Some of us visited Lakenheath and Weeting Heath and saw various tasty birds, including stone curlew and glossy ibis - whetting our appetite for the next few days.

Our hotel was very comfortable, with helpful staff and good food, the constant babble of voices at dinner reassuring Don McLauchlan - who made such a great job of leading the weekends away up to and including last year after taking over from Jenny Wright - that everyone was having a good time.

On the Saturday morning, which was bright and sunny, about half of us headed for Minsmere, whilst the rest spread themselves between the north coast and more local reserves such as Strumpshaw Fen and Buckenham Marshes. We were accompanied by the constant song of the cuckoo all weekend, which was a delight to hear.

We all compared notes at dinner and some lovely birds had been viewed, including marsh harrier, hobby, spoonbill, Mediterranean gulls and many more.

Sunday morning dawned a little wet and overcast but this eventually cleared to give us another sunny, warm day. We all departed for various venues again with some deciding to give

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Dartford warbler Photo Credit – Andrew Mason (rspb-images.com)

Minsmere another whirl and we were not disappointed, with views of Dartford warbler, common scoter, bearded tits and bar- tailed godwits. A number of others went to the reserves at Titchwell or Cley and saw and heard turtle dove, black-winged stilt and Temminck's stint.

Bronwen did a very enjoyable birdie quiz on the final evening, which came around all too quickly, with Geoff and Gail scooping the prize!

The total group bird count for East Anglia was 121, which was very pleasing. After yet another superb breakfast we said our goodbyes. Our group stopped at Rutland Water on our way home and were rewarded with excellent views of the male and female osprey on the nest with one live chick and two more eggs waiting to hatch. We also saw a red-crested pochard, which made the final count for the weekend 123 for some of us!

All in all, yet another brilliant weekend which we all thoroughly enjoyed and thanks go once again to Don for his care, attention to detail and determination that we should all get absolute value for money from the weekend. They also to go to Rob Lucking for all the information he gave us regarding which birds were about and where to find them.

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Food Pass- Roger Birch

During a holiday on Jersey at the end of May Roger visited National Trust Jersey’s wetland centre at St. Ouen’s Pond on the west coast where he had a very memorable sighting of marsh harriers he now very kindly tells us about. For anyone who doesn’t know (and that included the Editor up until a short while ago), St. Ouen’s Pond is the largest body of naturally occurring water on Jersey.

Welcomed by a strident Cetti’s To Jersey’s mini Serengeti,

St. Ouen’s Pond, serene, reed fringed, Surveyed by skylarks on the wing.

Skimmering water ‘neath cloudless sky,

Mallard and coot drift blithely by, Greylag and lapwing on the shore

Dark shadows pass (which they ignore).

But rodents cringe and pipits drop, Silent quartering makes hearts stop.

Marsh harriers meet and greet at last, Briefest union in swift food pass.

Marsh harrier Photo Credit – Chris Gomershall

(rspb-images.com)

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Little blue heron: Photo credit – Richard Moth

A Caribbean Holiday - Richard Moth and Celia Abbotts

Celia and I recently enjoyed a Fred Olsen cruising holiday, which was, I guess, a ‘taster’ for the Caribbean. It’s a new part of the world for us, but as we expected, it was warm and sunny most of the time although sometimes quite windy. Our ship started from Barbados and called in at St Lucia, Curacao, Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia, Aruba and Bonaire - the last two proving to be our favourites.

We were on organised tours most of the time where we caught fleeting glimpses of wildlife, but some of the birds were so brightly coloured it was difficult to miss them! The bananaquits, saffron finches, flamingos, yellow-tailed orioles and great egrets were plentiful. Fortunately most of the tour guides knew a lot about the wildlife in their part of the Caribbean – it was interesting because it was so different from back home.

Walking on our own in Aruba alongside beautiful beaches lined with well-known hotels, most of them having plush gardens with lots of trees and bushes the birds loved, we had time to work out what we saw. We had close-up views of mocking birds, grackles, bananaquits and a humming bird, and whilst waiting for the bus back to the ship, we had a close encounter with a large green iguana. It casually crossed a busy road, climbed the curb and started grazing on a verge – it even seemed to pose for photos!

In Bonaire we saw, without really trying, ruby turnstone, saffron finch, black-necked stint, yellow- tailed oriole, flamingo, crested caracara, yellow legs, little blue heron and great egret.

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Spotted flycatcher Photo credit – Gayle Caswell

The pace of life in the Caribbean is slow; the people really are laid-back and very friendly and the islanders, on the whole, seem proud of where they live. We could have easily spent a week on each island – goodness knows how many birds we would have seen and how many beautifully coloured lizards?

Unexpected Visitors – Gayle Caswell

Gayle appears to have had a slice of luck with a particular species of bird this year as she kindly explains:

Earlier this year unexpected visitors took over the artificial cup- shaped nest box that has been under my recessed back door for about five years. The first birds to nest in it were barn swallows and they did so all through the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, with bunting all over the patio. Next up was a family of blackbirds - what a squash that was when the youngsters got bigger - and then it was the turn of robins, which successfully raised five lovely chicks. Outside the breeding season the nest box has been used as a roost by wrens and I’ve counted up to ten of them going into it at dusk. This year, however, it has been used by my ultimate birds – a family of spotted flycatchers!

I first noticed the parent birds sitting on an old post, which was part of the original farm buildings, before they moved to a telephone wire for ‘higher flies.’ The next time I was made aware of the family was when I was sorting out the dustbin and a fledgling popped out of the nest box right over my head. A quick check showed there were four more in the nest – all of them ready to

leave it. The last one tried to fly when all the others had left but it was too small; it hung onto the wall before falling to the ground

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Little bittern Photo credit – Ian Worden

where its parents fed it until nightfall. I tried to put it back in the nest for safety but it successfully managed to fly onto a sparrow ‘terrace’ box. It had gone by the morning although I have seen the family since, all around our small wooded area. Let’s hope they reuse the nest box next year.

Bird watching trip to The Algarve March 2017 – Ian Worden

In response to a request from group members, Regent Travel organised an eight-day bird watching trip to The Algarve for us for March 2017. Such was the interest the trip was fully subscribed in less than a week.

Despite a twelve-month wait departure day soon arrived and we all met at East Midlands Airport for the three-hour flight. On arrival in Portugal we were immediately welcomed by warm and sunny weather. A short coach transfer took us to our hotel at Olhos D’Agua, near Albufeira, where most of the group saw gannet, cormorant and great skua during light lunches at bars overlooking the large bay.

After that evening’s briefing everyone was ready to meet our two local guides at 8.00am the following morning and begin bird watching in earnest although azure-winged magpie had already been observed in the hotel grounds whilst waiting for the coach. We were taken eastwards along the coast to the Ria Formosa, with the morning being spent exploring saltpans, marshes and freshwater ponds. Good views were obtained of spoonbill, Kentish plover, knot, sanderling, dunlin and common sandpiper. Both white stork and flamingo

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could be seen flying in the distance whilst booted eagle flew overhead and Sardinian warbler called from the nearby bushes. A visit to a reed-fringed freshwater pool revealed teal, pintail, purple gallinule, red-crested pochard and little grebe and gave us a very special view of a little bittern as it emerged from reed cover.

A leisurely lunch preceded a boat journey to explore the sandbanks and islands in the protected coastal lagoons where greenshank, whimbrel, ringed plover, little grebe and grey heron could be seen at close quarters. An osprey was also observed as well as short-eared owl. We were lucky to see this owl and its later duel with the osprey as they are unusual visitors to the area. Screaming swifts welcomed us as we entered the harbour in the failing light.

The next day we headed further east to Castro Marim in the valley of the River Guadiania on the Spanish border. The group followed pathways through further saltpan and marsh areas where flamingos were observed in large numbers as well as a dozen black-necked grebes. Corn bunting and zitting cisticola called from nearby bushes whilst a pair of great spotted cuckoos flew overhead. Later exploration revealed avocet, black-winged stilt, red-legged partridge, oystercatcher, buzzard, hoopoe, serin and greater thicknee.

After lunch we visited Venta Moinhos on the estuary where marsh harrier floated across the grasslands and marsh whilst little egret and stork flew over the river. Again corn bunting was present whilst some people were lucky enough to observe a pair of bluethroats.

As planned, the third day was one of leisure where people made their own plans, many choosing to walk along the beach in the warm sunshine and locate somewhere for lunch.

Our next bird watching day took us inland to the hills surrounding the Fonte de Benemola. Jay, green woodpecker and short-toed

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Stork in flight Photo credit – Ian Worden

eagle were seen together with blue rock thrush. The afternoon was spent on Roche da Pena, a rocky plateau, where short-toed eagle and blue rock thrush were on show. Also very noteworthy in the area was the plant life, which included wild peony, and a variety of orchids including sombre bee orchid, naked man orchid and mirror orchid.

Our final bird watching day saw us head westwards to the Ria de Alvor, which combines coastal and estuarine habitats. The first tick of the day was a little owl perched on a barn roof, seen whilst we were still on the coach. Exploration revealed zitting cisticola, Caspian tern, spoonbill, yellow wagtail, whimbrel, grey plover, shelduck, little egret and ringed plover.

Lunch was taken in the medieval town of Silves, where white storks nested on many of the roofs.

The afternoon was spent at Pera Marsh at the Salgados lagoon where marsh harrier, white stork, grey heron and purple heron patrolled the skies.

Numerous glossy ibis were also about with common snipe, Audouin’s gull, black-winged stilt and redshank.

Our final day was spent at leisure, some members once again visiting sites local to the hotel where woodchat shrike, black-faced weaver and azure-winged magpie were seen.

Throughout the week barn swallow, red-rumped swallow and house martin were constant companions whilst little egret and cattle egret were also seen from the coach during our travels. Perhaps the rarest birds seen from the coach was a black-

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shouldered kite but unfortunately we were unable to stop and gain further views of this magnificent, but small, bird due to traffic. Many butterflies were also on display, including common and scarce swallowtail, clouded yellow, monarch, peacock and a beautiful Spanish festoon. A total of 126 species was seen during the week.

This trip was such a success that Regent has now arranged a second trip for us, this time to Mallorca in April 2018. All the places have been filled but I believe further future trips are being considered.

Editor’s Note

In September 2016 you may remember me telling you about seeing a male house sparrow repeatedly approaching a female and then slowly backing away dragging its wings on the ground in Andalucia. On a separate trip to the Algarve this year, I mentioned the observation to the Spanish guide leading our bird watching party given that it appeared to provide an interesting insight into bird behaviour. He heard me out and then calmly said, “Yeah, they do that!” in his impeccable English, before walking away. Spanish show-offs, the sparrows I mean!! The question I’ve got is, has anyone else ever suddenly gone off the taste of Sangria?

Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to this edition of the Ouzel. If you’ve got any articles, photographs, cartoons, ideas or jokes you’d like to share I’d love to hear from you. The Ouzel simply can’t continue without your support.

Please contact me, Alan Cartwright, via pandacartwright@gmail.com or on 01630-296126 and, if both of those don’t work, try grabbing me at an indoor meeting.

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The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home.

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The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England & Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654

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Treading Dangerously

An Artic explorer came face to face with a polar bear. Afraid of being eaten, he fell to his knees and started praying. When the polar bear knelt down beside him and started praying too, the man shouted, “It’s a miracle!” The polar bear opened one eye and said, “Don’t disturb me while I’m saying grace.”

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