NOA 2009 SPONSORED BIRDWATCH

24^TH DECEMBER 2009

 

This year’s Christmas Eve sponsored birdwatch was a particular success, with 5 taking part; Jed Andrews (Warden), Sophie Barker (Assistant Warden), Geoffrey Barker (Chairman), Jenny Barker (Trustee) and Connor Rand (Member and trainee ringer), all meeting at 7.30am for the necessary fried breakfast and to pick up key species to be found in the warden’s garden. Great Spotted Woodpecker was duly added over sausage, bacon, egg, beans, black pudding and fried bread, and a much needed cup of tea, and the team then set off, brandishing their hip-flasks, for the golf course at Holme.

Progress was hampered this year by the extremely icy conditions which made the simple act of walking onto the beach from the car park extremely treacherous. The participants took their safety in their hands all through the day in pursuit of the magic 100. In addition the ice was affecting much of the fresh water including the Broadwater and Redwell Marsh which were almost entirely frozen, and therefore unusually lacking in bird life.

The Golf Course was very rewarding however, as the team had barely begun to identify a few passing sea ducks when a commotion drew Connor’s attention to a Peregrine which swept along the shore and landed. Then Jenny spotted the Red Kite, a recent addition to the Holme bird population, which then sailed majestically westward over the beach in front of us, putting up gulls and waders as it flew.

In its wake Connor and I were suddenly aware of a call above our heads which demanded our attention – Lapland Bunting, calling repeatedly and finally identified heading for a very distant grey cloud! Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Linnets, Curlews and Pink-footed Geese were added flying overhead as we stood looking through the gulls and waders. Geoff found a Yellow-legged Gull among the Herrings which was a very useful addition, as was Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Great Crested Grebe and Red-throated Diver.

A Sparrowhawk was also showing its interest in the accumulating waders. After surveying the scene for about 40 minutes, during which the Kite repeated its fly past, we then headed back to the van (by necessity very slowly) and made straight for the Observatory so we could walk out to Thornham Harbour before the tide came in. It proved a fruitful journey, with Grey Partridge appearing on the course as we left, Common Buzzard breath-takingly close as we drove along the approach road, and Long-tailed Tits calling in the pines as we reached the Observatory. On the way to Thornham the ring-tailed Hen Harrier put in a star performance, together with two Barn Owls, a Stonechat on the fence and a brief ‘ping’ from a Bearded Tit at the sluice which was frustratingly heard only by myself and Connor, but left us with hope of a view on our return from the Harbour. A Kingfisher flew over the bank but was so fast I was the only one lucky enough to catch it. Several Reed Buntings obliged, however as we slowly slithered along the footpath to the harbour the tide was rising rapidly, condensing the concentration of Redshank and Teal in the channel. As it rose, a flock of waders crossed the main channel and landed near us, including Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank and Dunlin. Another Peregrine shot through, and a drake Goldeneye slinked behind a mud island beyond the channel. South of the bank were a flock of Golden Plover and dozens of Skylarks feeding between the stems in the snow. A thorough check with the scope revealed two Lapland Buntings among them, with Meadow and Rock Pipit also added for the day list. Returning to do a seawatch, we stopped again at the sluice where another brief ‘ping’ was heard, so everyone stopped to look for the culprits, but they simply disappeared. It was decided to leave Jed on the path and walk on, and it worked almost instantly as our departure was greeted by a shower of pings and a view of at least 5 Bearded Tits for the lucky warden waiting on the bank!

On returning to the Observatory a Coal Tit was on the corner and two Water Rails screamed from the reeds at each other. Several Goldfinches were at the feeding station. We took our chairs and went into the dunes to seawatch. A Great Northern Diver, Red-necked Grebe, 1200 Common Scoter, another Goldeneye, 3 Fulmars, and a Guillemot were the highlights, and after 30 minutes we returned, seeing a Goldcrest in the pines, and after completing the seawatch form and seeing a Woodcock by the heligoland trap we left for Drove Orchards to look for thrushes and finches to add for the day. We stopped briefly at Redwell Marsh to see a Canada Goose for the list. Driving through the village in Holme we picked up Collared Dove and House Sparrow, and on arriving at the Orchard we were greeted by a Mistle Thrush, and flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings feeding on the apples. We had hoped to add Red-legged Partridge here but none were visible, so we headed onward to Nigel Watson’s garden in Thornham where he had already seen a wintering Blackcap and a Tree Sparrow that morning. A welcome warm spell in Nigel’s conservatory with a cup of tea and slice of stolen was accompanied by good views of both the required species, and capped off by the screeching of a Jay just outside the house, we made for our final destination; Titchwell.

The situation was very different this year in that by the time we left Nigel’s house it was already 2 o’Clock in the afternoon and we had already seen 95 species; a situation we normally achieve after spending some time at Titchwell. We therefore needed to see as much of the reserve as possible in the remaining 2 hours before sundown to get the maximum benefit for our day list.

At the feeding station we found a few Siskins in the alders at the back, and stopping in the new Island Hide for a cup of hot home-made soup and a tot of malt whiskey, we found a Lesser Black-backed Gull, and added Pintail and Gadwall at this point also.

Moving on, and with the clock ticking, a Kestrel flew over the bank, and a Ruff was feeding on the edge of one of the islands. We were running short of species to add, with only Pochard and Velvet Scoter realistically needed for the duck list, and Pied Wagtail and Cetti’s Warbler among our remaining passerines. As we arrived at the beach it was beginning to drizzle and the light was already starting to fade. Visibility was very poor by now and we struggled to add any further species. A Pied Wagtail was running among the debris, however, together with many thousands of gulls all feeding on a wreck of starfish, which stretched as far as the eye could see.

A diver very close offshore demanded inspection, and proved to be another Great Northern Diver – a lovely view but not new for the day, so we turned back to continue looking at birds coming in to roost in front of the island hide. I was convinced there must be a Med Gull among the many Common and Black-headed sitting on the scrapes, but having set my scope up on the bank I could find none. I did hear the pings of several Bearded Tits and the call of Reed Buntings from the reeds in front of us. We had discussed more than once the problem of Jed missing out on 100 through never being able to hear Cetti’s Warblers, so I had mixed feelings when I heard the alarm call of one just in front of us, and the light was fading fast. Jed stood straining to hear the sound, which is hardly the most recognisable that this bird makes, being an infuriated cross between an irate Wren and an ecstatic Bearded Tit. Jed couldn’t pick out the sound, and by this time had lost the will to live! (The phrase ‘Oh no, not again!’ going through his mind). We decided to move on, and as we did so the Cetti called again. It was very close now but Jed still couldn’t hear it and so ‘pished’ at the bird to see if it would come out and look at us. We were about to give up and move on again when there was a movement in the snow right in front of us. Nearly dismissed as a Wren in the darkening conditions, the Cetti was hopping around almost at our feet, uttering its irritation as it went at being spoken to in such a way, and we gradually got a better and better view as it came out to look and complain at us. In the end we all had great views, including Jed, and this was our final bird of the day.

Up to now Jed still had yet to achieve 100 species on any NOA birdwatch, owing mainly to the difficulty he has hearing species such as distant Cetti’s. My total of 106 equalled the day record for the NOA sponsored birdwatch, and included the Kingfisher which sadly no-one else picked up during our travels, but left Jed on 105, which beat his previous best birdwatch total by no fewer than six species!

We were especially impressed by the number of different raptors we had seen during the day, the Red Kite being a special treat, but there’s no doubt that the cold weather had had a mixed effect on our results – its normally quite difficult to visit the Observatory without seeing a Pochard, but we never found one on this outing, however the Woodcock, Snipe and hunting birds of prey were far more likely to be seen on a day like this one. The Cetti’s Warbler and its grumpy behaviour was, however, the cherry on the cake for us all!

A special thank you to all the participants and the sponsors who have contributed to this year’s Sponsored Birdwatch fundraising, your help is vital for projects like the improvements to the wheelchair facilities at Redwell which was this year’s fundraising project.

 

HAVE A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!