Three Stops, One Day :: 28 September 2024

Kev @kev07713 had friends coming over on Saturday night, and I had plans to go out to a nearby village to watch a tribute band. Since we were committed to staying local, it meant we couldn’t venture too far from home. Meanwhile, a lot of birders were heading up to East Yorkshire, flocking to the likes of RSPB Bempton Cliffs and Spurn. The draw for many was the chance to see some rare species, including a pale-legged leaf warbler and an Arctic warbler, which had been recently reported in the area. Kev's sister Karen @hobbylovinglife and her partner Dean @worlebirder were among them, as were Nick @old_caley and Anne Truby.

After a brief discussion, we decided to head over to Houghton Regis as Kev hadn’t yet seen a red-backed shrike this year. The location also put us in a good spot to travel quickly if any rare bird sightings were reported in nearby areas around Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, or Buckinghamshire. As usual, we stopped for breakfast and then pulled into the same parking spot I’d used the previous weekend. There were no other cars this time - there were three or four spaces - likely because many birders had already come to see the shrike, which had now been around for a week.

Arriving at the same spot I’d viewed from last week, we found a handful of birders standing further into the field, rather than next to the footpath. We joined them and learned that the shrike had been sunning itself along the far hedgerow when a sparrowhawk had suddenly flown through. There was some concern that the sprawk might have taken the shrike, which would have been incredibly unlucky. We began scanning the area, picking out stonechats, goldfinches, reed buntings, and a few other species. About 15 minutes later, I spotted movement at the far end of the hedge, over 200 metres away, and was able to identify our bird.

One of the other birders had a serious setup - an 800mm lens with a 1.4x teleconverter - and he quickly confirmed the sighting. Kev soon had it in view through the scope, and we were relieved to see the shrike had escaped the sparrowhawk’s earlier attack. A couple of birders then moved back onto the footpath and followed it along, parallel to the hedge, trying to get closer to the bird. Another 10 to 15 minutes passed before I relocated the shrike, this time back in the spot where it had been sunning itself earlier.

Not long after, a sparrowhawk - likely the same one - glided in from the left and perched in a nearby tree. The shrike remained in its spot, seemingly undisturbed. Moments later, the sparrowhawk swooped down and flew low along the hedge, passing right by the area where the shrike was perched. The shrike quickly darted into the brambles and out of sight, once again managing to avoid the sparrowhawk’s attention. The hawk continued a little further, landing in a tree about 20 metres beyond the shrike, partially hidden but still visible.

The shrike remained out of sight, so we checked our phones for updates from Birdguides to see if anything interesting was being reported nearby. What caught our attention was news of a Leach's petrel spotted at Rutland Water, likely grounded by the overnight rain. I had seen one of these back in October 2021 at Pitsford Reservoir, another large inland waterbody (report and photos here) - this species had so far evaded Kev (I think he was washing his hair when the Pitsford bird was on offer).

We agreed that getting a closer view of the shrike was unlikely anytime soon, so we decided to hop in the car and head for Rutland Water, around the Barnsdale area. As we approached the turnoff from the main road, just minutes from the site, a Birdguides update came through reporting that the Leach's petrel had stayed until 10:15 before flying strongly west. The update was posted 45 minutes after the bird's departure - we were already halfway there when it left.

On arrival, we met a few birders heading back up the slope to the parking area. They confirmed the petrel was no longer visible, although they hadn’t yet seen the Birdguides update. We made our way down to the water’s edge, scanning the area. Along the far bank, we spotted about a dozen great white egrets, but no sign of the petrel. We held out hope that it might still be lingering, but as time went on, it became clear it had moved on. A raven briefly called from behind us, and soon after, a few buzzards and a couple of red kites soared overhead.

There were lots of little grebes, a group of at least 15 off to our right, and others scattered around. While it was pleasant here, we decided that it would be good to make our way back home but stop at Eyebrook Reservoir where a black tern was reported. We stopped at our usual pull in and began our vigil, searching for a view of our tern. Little egrets, grey herons and various wildfowl kept us entertained.

Suddenly Kev called a tern heading up the reservoir - it circled behind bushes blocking our view but eventually hugged the far shore before rising high into the sky. It eventually turned and now barely visible due to the height, flew back down the reservoir. It was an Arctic tern rather than our black.

We waited to see if we might be able to see the black tern, which we did, but it refused to make it as far down the reservoir as the Arctic had. Out in front we scanned through the ducks, geese, and other wildfowl and picked out three pintails. In autumn, pintails begin their return migration to the UK after spending the summer breeding in northern regions, including Scandinavia, Russia, and Iceland. The UK serves as an important wintering ground for pintails, with large flocks arriving between late September and November. Their numbers peak during the colder months, particularly in areas like the Wash, the Severn Estuary, and the Solway Firth. These habitats provide the shallow waters and abundant food sources - such as aquatic plants, seeds, and invertebrates - that pintails rely on to sustain them through the winter.

We decided to relocate to the opposite bank and further down to where the black tern appeared to be turning back towards the dam. The light from here made the water appear milky and sun hid behind the clouds. We could see both tern species by the dam and although it approached, it turned away before ever getting close. Despite our waiting, it never got close and I only managed record shots. We had good views though through bins and scope.

Eventually, we had to pull stumps, as we both had evening plans and needed to head home. It had been a bit of an unusual day, but you can’t complain when it includes sightings of a red-backed shrike, along with both Arctic and black terns.

Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire :: 21 September 2024

With Kev @kev07713 attending a wedding and thunderstorms in the forecast, I opted to stay in bed and keep an eye out for anything interesting happening locally. Just before 9:00 a.m., a report of a red-backed shrike near Luton grabbed my attention. I checked the weather outside and found it was actually quite decent - it could be the same over there ...

It would be just over an hour's drive, so I could make it there and back by lunchtime if luck was on my side. After a quick breakfast, I set off with a rough plan of where to park.

As I approached the area, a great structure rose from the ground - a Lidl distribution centre. This is apparently Lidl's largest Regional Distribution Centre globally as the retailer continues to expand its infrastructure to meet growing customer demand. Spanning 1.2 million square feet and stretching half a kilometre in length, the facility serves 150 stores and create up to 1,500 jobs - nearly three times more than any other Lidl GB warehouse.

I circled the area where the shrike had been reported and approached a roundabout with no choice but to go straight through. However, to the right, there was a spot to pull over, where three cars were already parked. Two men, one with binoculars, were unloading scopes and boots from their vehicle. I parked and joined them as we walked to the reported location, where about half a dozen people were already gathered. The bird was perched on a branch right in front of them. It had been sitting there for at least twenty minutes and would remain there for another twenty.

Red-backed shrikes are fascinating birds known for their striking appearance and unique behaviour, particularly their habit of impaling prey on thorns or barbed wire, earning them the nickname "butcher bird." In the UK, they were once regular breeders, particularly in southern England, but their breeding population declined sharply during the mid-20th century, leading to their classification as extinct as a breeding species by the 1990s.

However, they are still occasional visitors to the UK, primarily during their migration, typically passing through in the spring (May and June) and autumn (August to October) on their way to and from their breeding grounds in continental Europe and their wintering grounds in Africa.

Recent years have seen small numbers of red-backed shrikes sighted in various parts of the UK, particularly along the coastlines and in areas like Norfolk, the Isles of Scilly, and parts of Scotland. It is nice to have one inland.

The plumage of male and female red-backed shrikes differs noticeably. The male has a striking grey crown and nape, giving it a sleek, capped look, with a prominent black "bandit" mask that runs across the eyes - the females and juveniles lack the grey crown and the bold black mask seen in males and instead their head is more subdued, with a brownish or greyish tone; the mask, if present, is much fainter and less defined.

Eventually the bird moved from its perch, not through choice but because a magpie came in and flushed it. It wasn’t long before we spotted it again, more in the centre of the bush. In many ways it was better for photography rather than having the pale blue/grey sky behind. The bird then moved around this and the next bush, catching bees and flies.

The bird briefly darted to the right and landed on the footpath, but I was too slow to react. Within just a couple of seconds, it had already taken off and returned to the bushes, as if executing a well-practiced manoeuvre. At this point, the shrike seemed much more active and scanning its surroundings. Suddenly, it flew high above the bushes, and when it dropped back down, I noticed it had a bee in its beak - quick and precise. I decided to reposition for a better vantage point, choosing to stand near lamppost 18 along the footpath. Now my mission was to capture the bird in flight.

I stood there, camera in hand, patiently watching. After a few minutes, the bird launched itself into the air again, but I fluffed my chance, failing to track it properly and completely missing the shot. Frustrated, I quickly switched my camera into full-frame mode, hoping to increase my chance of success. Determined, I waited for another 10 minutes, scanning for any sign of movement. Then, it happened - the shrike took off once more, and this time, I was ready. I managed to snap a few shots, finally catching the bird in focus and within the frame. It was a small victory, but rewarding after the earlier miss.

I decided to wait for another chance, but the bird didn't repeat its earlier performance while I was there. One of the other birders spotted a hobby as it flew by, and shortly after, three jays flew over and landed at the top of a very tall tree. A tiding of magpies took exception to the jays' presence and chased them away, eventually driving them out of sight.

Attention then shifted back to the shrike. It vanished behind a bush to our left, only to reappear from low behind the foliage in front of us. The bird began preening, and we speculated it might have taken a dip in the stream behind the bush for a quick brush up.

While observing a red-backed shrike in Duston, Northamptonshire, in October 2022, I watched as reed buntings flitted around the shrike, only to quickly regret their proximity. The shrike swooped down and caught one of them, then proceeded to consume it right in front of us. Here a chiffchaff exhibited similar behaviour, which I found quite brave — presumably, nesting was done, and the chicks had fledged, so it didn’t need to be as aggressive. The shrike, however, remained unfazed.

People started to pack up and everyone appeared to be leaving - I thought it might be good to leave instructions on Birdguides as to the position and bushes between lampposts 18 and 19. Shame if they had to relocate it from the pin drop alone. I snapped off a couple of final photos and made for home, and lunch.

Year list: 237.

Blithfield Reservoir & Morton Bagot :: 14 September 2024

Kev @kev07713 and I had considered visiting Blithfield Reservoir last Saturday, but we ended up detouring to Morton Bagot before changing course and heading to Burnham-on-Sea instead. Since we've been members of the West Midlands Bird Club for a few years, we thought it was time to make an effort to explore more of the key reserves. While we’ve visited places like Ladywalk and Belvide, we had yet to make it to Blithfield.

Blithfield Reservoir is a premier birdwatching site in Staffordshire and a key reserve for the West Midlands Bird Club. Covering over 790 acres, it provides a variety of habitats, including open water, mudflats, reedbeds, woodlands, and surrounding fields, making it an excellent spot for a wide range of bird species. Some areas are accessible only to members of the West Midlands Bird Club, with certain locations requiring a key for further access.

We'd seen reports of a white stork (present from 31 August), seen from the Forward Hide in Tad Bay, so set the Satnav and headed off, stopping for breakfast on the way. The bird had been present on multiple occasions alongside other notable species like great white egrets, black terns, and barnacle geese.

The Cotswold Wildlife Park and Knepp Estate are both significant locations in the UK contributing to the conservation of white storks. Knepp has led a successful reintroduction programme, releasing white storks as part of efforts to reestablish breeding populations in the wild. The Cotswold Wildlife Park has been involved by providing storks for the project including our bird (blue ringed GBS4 - a female hatched at Cotswold Wildlife Park and released at Knepp this year).

Storks travel widely in search of food, adapting to various environments. As omnivores and opportunistic feeders, they hunt small mammals, earthworms, snails, crickets, and other large insects. Their preferred feeding grounds include water meadows, grasslands, and cultivated fields, where these food sources are abundant.

We arrived and took a moment to get our bearings, scanning the field between us and Tad Bay. Kev quickly spotted the white stork feeding among the sheep - an unexpectedly fast find! We watched it for a short time until it disappeared over the brow.

We dropped down into Stansley Wood Hide, onto the track, and viewed back up the slope to our bird. The light was improving. We found a couple of birders in the hide and let them know about the pantomime – “it’s behind you” ...

We pushed on to the Forward Hide and found a birder already in residence, watching large numbers of ringed plovers (c. 50) with a few dunlins, and a couple of curlews. There were also 15+ great white egret and as many (if not more) little egrets.

We watched the birds on show and remarked how we were enjoying this spot, only to learn that it’s less frequented by birders, who typically favour Blithe Bay. From the door, we glanced back up the field to watch the stork once more.

We then decided to check out Blithe Bay before heading to Morton Bagot to find the female black redstart, which had been reported again earlier - originally spotted on September 3rd at the Holy Trinity Church.

As we left the hide, we saw a birder photographing the stork along the hedge until it reached the field’s corner. After a few practice wing flaps, the stork took off. Although I was caught off guard, I managed to get some record shots of the bird as it relocated northward, away from easily accessible viewpoints.

We stopped on the far side of the causeway and scanned both sides, eventually encountering a handful of yellow wagtails and a distant tern on a buoy - we suspected it was a black tern but from the distance couldn't be definitive.

We arrived at the church and parked at a spot that wouldn't cause any access issues. As we began walking towards the church, Kev spotted a bird darting from the roof's ridge and disappearing. A few steps later, we saw the black redstart perched on the nearer of the two crosses. To give the bird some space, we moved around to the side of the church but down on a lower level on the tarmacked road. It briefly vanished from view but quickly reappeared.

In the UK, black redstarts are more commonly seen in urban and industrial areas where they can find suitable nesting sites and food sources. They tend to be shy and elusive, so spotting them can be a bit of a challenge. Outside the breeding season, they are more likely to be found in southern parts of the country, especially in areas with good foraging opportunities. The female's plumage is less striking than that of the male; generally brownish grey, with a paler underside and a more subdued appearance compared to the brightly coloured male, who sports a striking black and red plumage. Black redstarts are considered a species of conservation concern in the UK, and their populations can fluctuate.

We waited and soon our bird worked its way down onto the roof and along the gutters; we were really spoilt. We took our time, quietly observing from a respectful distance, making sure not to disturb it. The calm atmosphere of the churchyard made for a relaxing experience as we watched the bird go about its business. It would occasionally disappear behind the church’s ledges and reappear moments later, offering us regular and rewarding glimpses. A memorable encounter, and it felt like the perfect way to wrap up the day.

However, on the way back, we decided to make a quick detour to Grimsbury Reservoir to try our luck at spotting the whinchat reported on previous days (and again earlier today). We scanned the area on the western edge of the site, a cow field, focusing on the patches of scrub and low bushes where the whinchat was likely to be found. It didn’t take long before we caught sight of it — a small, striking bird perched atop a stalk. Try as we might, we couldn’t get great views and the sun/haze prevented any decent photos.

We stayed for a little while, watching it through binoculars and a scope, admiring its distinctive markings and its behaviour as it hunted for insects. Out on the water we also picked out a yellow-legged gull, a first for the year. The stop turned out to be a rewarding decision, adding a final highlight to an already successful day of birdwatching.

Year list: 236.

Belvide Reservoir & Burnham-on-Sea :: 07 September 2024

The pectoral sandpiper was still being reported at Belvide Reservoir, a members-only reserve managed by the West Midlands Bird Club, located northwest of Birmingham and near Wolverhampton. Kev and I have been members for the last couple of years but have only been once before and given that there was a lesser scaup there too, it made sense to give it a whirl.

We arrived at the gate, entered the code into the lock, and parked among nearly 15 to 20 cars already there. A fellow birder mentioned that today was the West Midlands "AllDayer" — funnily enough, it had been the same event when we visited last year. A total of 28 teams took part in today’s #westmidsalldayer. Some impressive counts were recorded, and a total of 145 species logged across all participating sites. Blithfield alone recorded 104 species, while Belvide noted 98.

We walked down to the water's edge and spotted about 10 birders along the dam wall, split into three groups, all scanning with scopes. An update on Birdguides mentioned the lesser scaup had been seen in the bay ahead of us, so we searched through the birds on the water but had no luck. Deciding to join the birders on the dam, we figured we’d spot the scaup before going after the pectoral sandpiper, which hadn’t been updated yet.

The first group told us the scaup was further along, so we moved on to the second group, who said it was still farther ahead. We stopped to chat, and they mentioned they had already seen the pectoral sandpiper from where we were, though it was a tiny bird and very distant. One of the birders took it upon himself to scan in front of Chappell Hide, and after about five minutes, he announced he had it in his scope. I looked — tick! Kev thought he had it too but then realised he’d been watching a teal. By then, the bird had disappeared.

At this point our helpful birder located the lesser scaup that had worked its way closer to us and pointed it out. I took a few photos and Kev a video.

The lesser scaup is a North American diving duck that occasionally appears as a rare vagrant in the UK, typically during the autumn and winter months. While sightings are uncommon, they have become more frequent in recent years, especially in western parts of the UK, and can often be found in freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and gravel pits, where they may associate with other diving ducks, such as tufted ducks and pochards. Lesser scaup have several distinctive features that set them apart from similar species like the greater scaup. Their head is rounded with a noticeable blackish-purple iridescence, and the shape is slightly more peaked at the rear, giving it a more angular appearance than the greater scaup. The bill is bluish grey with a small black tip, while the body features a black chest and rump, contrasted by pale grey sides. Their back is finely barred with black and white, creating a "scaly" look. The eyes are bright yellow, making them stand out.

We headed toward the Chappell Hide and along the way came across some ringers retrieving birds from their mist nets. While the species weren't anything unusual, they could still add to the totals for the Alldayer. When we reached the hide, we found our helpful birder from earlier inside. He had the pectoral sandpiper in view, and this time we got a proper look. It spent the entire time feeding among the black-headed gulls while we watched.

Just then we received a message from our friends Adrian Sparrowhawk @sparra1959 and Bryan Manston @BryanManston who were on their way, and we confirmed the bird was still visible. They had joined the Club a couple of weeks earlier to see the lesser scaup, and now they’d get to add the pectoral sandpiper to their list as well.

We met Adrian and Bryan along the road as they arrived on site. We’d all planned to visit Morton Bagot as a black restart (female type) has been showing there for a few days and we departed, expecting to be seeing them again later.

As we chatted, Kev said that the only other thing he'd thought about for today was the Sabine's gull down in Somerset but that as we'd both had them there wasn't a strong need, although it was a cracking looking bird. When I mentioned that I'd never actually seen a Sabine's gull, the Satnav was reprogrammed and we were off to Burnham-on-Sea, stopping for lunch on the way.

The Sabine's is a rare but highly sought-after bird in the UK, mainly seen during migration in the late summer and autumn from their breeding grounds in the Arctic to the southern oceans for winter. It is a small, striking gull with a distinctive appearance, often found in coastal areas, especially along the western coasts of Britain - this one is a juvenile which I think in many ways is more attractive than the adult. The head is pale greyish-brown, unlike the bold black or white head of the adults and they have distinctive wing pattern with a black triangle on the outer wing; though the overall colours are more muted than in adults. Like the adults, the bill is slender and black, though juveniles typically lack the yellow tip.

We arrived at Burnham-on-Sea and quickly realised we couldn't access the viewpoint from where we'd parked. So, we had to drive a couple of miles around the town to reach Highbridge, where you cross the river and walk out to the pools where the bird had been regularly seen for the past week. It was a bit of a yomp but the birders coming the other way all confirmed that the gull was there and showing "well".

We reached the last group of birders, only to learn that the bird had flown just five minutes before our arrival and had since been lost — no one was sure which direction it had gone. We scanned the area but found no sign of it. Three birders left to move their car, leaving just the three of us behind.

Kev kept scanning with his scope while I headed back to some pools where the bird had been known to stop for a wash. Along the track, I flushed out a few wheatears, counting four in total. But when I reached the pools, all I could find was a little egret and a common sandpiper.

I returned to join Kev and the other birder, but they still hadn’t located the bird. As I scanned the grasses to our right, I spotted what I initially thought was a curlew flying away, but something seemed off. It landed, and I realized it was a peregrine falcon. I called out to the others, and we watched as the falcon took off, flying out over the water before circling back at high speed over the grass, disappearing briefly into one of the gullies. Less than thirty seconds later, it rose into the air, now chasing a bird. To my surprise, the falcon's prey was our Sabine’s gull!

The next few minutes were exhilarating—a thrilling chase unfolded as the peregrine pursued the gull, and at times, the gull turned to chase the peregrine in return. It was a real aerial dogfight, but Kev was convinced the peregrine was just practicing rather than making a serious attempt at a kill. Unfortunately, I coudn't manage to get both birds in the same frame.

Then the Sabine's disappeared off in the direction of Brean and was lost to view. What a spectical.

That might be the only view we'd have but we were glad to have seen some action rather than just the bird on the ground - and it had evaded capture.

We took a moment to recover and enjoyed some coffee while waiting to see if the bird might return. After about ten minutes, I spotted it dropping into a muddy pool around 75 meters away. It was a bit disappointing that it didn’t land in the shallow pool just to our left, where we;d heard it had shown incredibly well before, but we couldn’t really complain. Our companion left, and when the other three birders returned, we pointed out the bird to them before heading off. Another lifer iticked, and an outstanding individual at that! Thanks to Kev for the change of tack.