The Influx Increases! Bird Report for 30/03/20 - 05/04/20

March has been a spectacular month (bird-wise at least) and has brought all the delights of spring, fine weather and lots of great birds to see! This trend seems only set to continue, as since moving into April we've had yet another jam-packed week, with the spring vagrants in full show and yet more new species for the blog!

Let's just jump straight into the new species, starting with a Magpie, in our own garden! Whilst pretty common across the UK, we just don't seem to get them locally, so any time we see one it's a pleasant surprise. Corvids aren't unusual in the garden for us, and often we have Carrion Crows (even a hybrid from time to time), Jackdaws and Rooks all coming down to investigate the fat balls on the feeder. Elsewhere on our walks, we had records of Ravens and even a Jay, so getting our full corvid compliment this week.

A Moorhen comes to the water to clean its muddy bill

The marshes were the hive of activity this week though. Teals and Mallards are common sights (and sounds), with a Grey Heron making an appearance now and then. Previously we have had records of Snipe in the marshes, however this week we had our first Jack Snipe! Due to their small size and camouflage, they can be very hard to pick out, and so its possible there could well be more hiding out of view. Perhaps not as glamourous, but still nice to see was our first Moorhen. They have always been about, but with limited habitat and a reclusive nature, they can be quite challenging to spot locally. If that wasn't enough, we also had our first Reed Buntings of the year!

Away from the marshes and we had plenty of other waders this week. Ringed Plovers and Turnstone were around in small groups, and a single Dunlin managed to find it's way to our shores midweek. Finally, alongside a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits, we had records of Black-tailed Godwits (70 of them no less!) up in our end of the loch.

Elsewhere around the beaches, we had some records of Rock Pipits. Alongside them, a pair of Grey Wagtails. Whilst we get Pied Wagtails fairly regularly (up to 10 this week), Grey's are more infrequent and so very nice to see. Another uncommon record up until now, Blackcaps have started appearing again. These are partial migrants, so whilst we might have some locally overwinter, we still get a spring influx as they return from the warmer south. Finally, the spring Chiffchaffs are out in full force, with as many as 9 seen (and heard) in one day.

Sandwich Tern in the midst of a plumage change

Indeed many of the species we saw for the first time in the past 2 weeks are now present in considerable numbers. From a single Sandwich Tern last week, we now have 10 records, and we expect this only to continue to grow in the coming days. From terns to gulls, this week we've done very well. Black-headed, Common and Herring Gulls are as regular as ever, with even a couple of Scandinavian Herring Gulls thrown into the mix as well. Lesser and Greater Black-backed Gulls have also been fairly prevalent of late, with 8 and 11 birds seen respectively. Amongst all this activity, we also had our first Mediterranean Gull of the year. Contrary to their name they are often sighted on our coasts, indeed it's likely that this bird wintered in Britain somewhere.

March has been a spectacular month, with 15 new species across both birds and mammals. What better way to end in then, with the sighting of our first March Hare. Normally they are nocturnal and quite elusive, however, spring means breeding season and so we should expect to see more of them in the coming weeks.

It has only been a few days and April is already shaping up to be a terrific month for birding and (the advantage of writing these a week behind) I know we're going to see even more new species as the month progresses. If the weather stays like it is, then it should be a beautiful spring, so here is hoping that we're allowed out to enjoy it!

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

The Signs they Leave Behind

Often when out and about, it is very easy to be fixated by the wildlife around and above you. We can get caught up in following birds through the trees and trying to get our next half-glimpse of what is in that bush 20 metres away. However, a just as interesting part of observing wildlife is studying them through what they leave behind. Simply by looking down, we can find all kinds of sticky (and often smelly) evidence of animals passing by.

If there's been some rain of late, and the ground is particularly muddy, you have a good chance of seeing some animal tracks. Most common of these are the cloven hooves of deer, of which the general shape is consistent for all species, and so are distinguished by the size and spacing between prints.

Whilst other mammal's footprints can be much harder to pick out (especially if dog-walkers frequent the area), there are still some tell-tale signs to detect their presence. Mole-hills are the obvious example of this, and are all most of us will ever see of moles. Other signs can include scratches in the mud caused by rabbits, or if the mud is properly churned up, perhaps a badger digging.

Buzzard pellets, in pieces and a whole

I'm sure birds do leave prints (albeit very small ones) in the mud, however, trying to identify most of them is probably a waste of time. Fortunately, birds can leave behind an alternative form of evidence, pellets. Pellets are the regurgitated remains of the bird's recent meals, normally the bones and fur which they can't digest. It is typically only birds of prey that leave these behind, however, Herons and Gulls can also produce them. That still leaves a lot of possible owners for any pellets you might find. Fortunately, pellets can be identified from a combination of their size and the arrangement of animal remains which they contain.

This week we were fortunate enough to find numerous pellets in our local woods, of which we brought 4 back for closer study. Firstly the pellets were photographed and measured, as the size and shape are important factors in distinguishing between possible owners. The pellets varied in size, with the largest being 72 by 26mm. In our area the main culprits are likely to be Barn Owls, Tawny Owls and Buzzards, who have maximum sizes of 70 by 40mm, 50 by 25mm and 60 by 30mm respectively. Their lengths are just guidelines and can vary depending on the individual bird and the food its been eating. Next, they were placed in a little bit of water and teased apart using whatever implements we had close to hand. Whilst not all bones are easily identifiable, the presence of fur and lack of bones in some was a very helpful clue. This made the majority of our pellets belong to a buzzard, as they are very picky eaters. When devouring a kill they will rip it into small pieces, and then eat only the choicest morsels, so minimizing the number of bones they eat. One pellet, however, belonged to a barn owl, determined by its darker colour and very round ends. This was very nice to find, as in those woods I have not seen a Barn Owl yet, but its encouraging to know they are about.

A Badger latrine and it's been revisited

Our sticky find didn't end there, however, as elsewhere we were lucky enough to stumble upon some badger latrines. Rather than just excreting wherever they feel like, badgers will dig small holes for their poo as a form of marking their territory. Our spot had 2 latrines dugout, with some fresh poo in one, a good sign of a local badger scoping out the area. Along with some possible scratch marks nearby, this was an encouraging sign that we have at least one local badger. This would be a very exciting find since we have not seen one in our area before, and I'm still itching to see my first badger in the wild.

Its exciting to know that all these animals could be in our local area, and even though we haven't seen them, the evidence would certainly suggest they're around. Of course, picking up regurgitated food might not be everyone's idea of fun, but definitely keep your eyes out for pellets and tracks, since they could possibly lead to species you weren't expecting to see.

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

Spring is Sprung! Bird Report for 23/03/20 - 29/03/20

This last week has been extraordinarily bountiful, and despite our limited time outside we were able to see 65 species in one day, as well as 5 new species across the week!  The spring influx is in full swing, and we are very lucky to live in an area where we don't have to go far to see a great variety of habitats and species. 

This week I'm actually starting at Bishop Burn, a stretch of beach from Stranraer heading out towards Cairnryan. Looking out into the loch you get Wigeon and Red-breasted Mergansers, with Eider and Scaup further out. This week also had some Brent Geese, with up to 70 birds counted on Monday. The mainstay species, however, are the waders, and this week had Oystercatchers, Curlews, up to 50 Redshanks and 52 Knot. The real highlights are the Godwits though, with up to 20 Bar-tailed's and a pair of Black-tailed Godwits recorded. The later is a spring migrant, and so hopefully we'll see some up at our end of the loch soon! Special thanks to Gill Deacon for providing these records, it's great to know what is being seen in other parts of the loch, and we happily accept the records. 

The view from Bishop Burn

Moving back to our own shores, and there has been a flurry of bird activity this week. We officially called it spring when we had our first Wheatear, shortly followed by our first Sandwich Tern. If that wasn't enough we also had a Greenland White-fronted Goose flying overhead as well!

Speaking of geese, we retained our full complement of species this week. The Pale-bellied Brents were regularly grazing in the fields next to the shore, with the Dark-bellied Brent still among them. Meanwhile, up at Loch Connell, we had Pink-footed, Greylag, and Canada geese, as well as a flock of 84 Whooper Swans, the largest we've seen this year. 

Continuing to look outside of the Wig, my daily excursions this week have been up in the woods behind Kirkcolm. It is only a short stretch of woodland (about half a mile) however, walking through and alongside it, there is a great variety of species which you can see. This week I had a lot of the regulars, including Blue Tits, Great Tits, and Chaffinches. Walking back past the cemetery there is always a regular Buzzard up in the branches, as well as plenty of Pheasants in the fields. Further up was where all the excitement was though, as I had my first pair of Nuthatches in the wood, and then a Kestral passes by overhead! And if that wasn't enough, a Red Squirrel startled me as it ran up a tree not 2 metres away from the path. 

Sometimes they just pose perfectly for the camera!

On the subject of Red Squirrels, we also saw 5 others over the week in the Corsewall Estate. There were also some sightings of Roe Deer, as well as the first Tree Bumblebee of the year. Finally, to wrap off the non-avians we had an Otter in Loch Connell! They often can be seen swimming from the burn into the loch, but normally you have to get up nice and early if you want to stand a chance of seeing one.

With this article already packed to the brim with exciting records and new species its probably best to finish it here. Yet somehow, amazingly, we have more interesting discoveries this week, even despite our limited outing time. More on this in a later article though, so in the meantime stay safe and enjoy your birdwatching!

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

Coming into Flower: Bird Report for 16/03/20 - 22/03/20

After last week's influx of new species, this week seems relatively quiet in comparison. We've still been seeing a great variety of species however, including a particular focus on plants this week. 

Early flowering Wood Sorrel, but more on this later

Starting out on the Loch this week, and our Red-throated Diver numbers looked to be a little low compared to previous records. Whilst the highest count was only 30 birds, we did have a couple showing breeding plumage as well. Our other divers this week included a couple of Great-northern Divers, and a single Black-throated Diver at the beginning of the week. Alongside them, we had regular records of Slavonian Grebes, including a pair that were displaying. 

One of the most interesting (or frustrating, depending on your perspective!) aspects of birds, is the individuality within species. This often leads to races of birds within a species (some of which become new species themselves) which are unique to specific areas. Despite these races being determined by locality, they often still crop up here and there. This week we had a continental Cormorant (P. carbo sinensis) and a Scandinavian Herring Gull (L.a argentatus), which is the species from which our western Herring Gull race originates. These are very hard to identify with the Cormorants having slightly whiter heads, and the Herring Gulls being a shade darker on their backs and wing, and have less black on the wingtips. There are many species with defined races, including Black Guillemots, Dunlins, and Ringed Plovers, just to name a few. However, for most of these the difference between races is in the biometric measurements, and so often impossible to tell by sight when in the field. 

Speaking of Ringed Plover, they were a little thin on the ground this week, with only 1 bird recorded. On the whole though we had a good selection of waders, including 20 Curlews, 45 Turnstones, 150 Oystercatchers, and 3 Dunlins. 

Whilst things may have been tough to see this week, there certainly was a lot to hear! From Great-spotted Woodpeckers drumming, to the startled cry of a Pheasant, many species gave away their presence without ever being seen. This can be particularly useful when it comes to small brown birds, who are hard to tell apart by sight sometimes. Luckily we had a delightful chorus this week, including Linnets, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Chiffchaffs.

One species that was on the rise were the Stonechats. Normally we perhaps get a record of one once a week, but this week we had 7! We also had some good records from Loch Connell this week, including both Greylag and Canada Geese, alongside Tufted Ducks and a lone Goosander.

 Marsh Marigolds (left) and Ivy-leaved Crowfoot

Following a very warm winter, we have seen lots of plants starting to flower much earlier than expected. Throughout the Corsewall Estate we've had numerous early flowering plants, including Wood Sorrel, which normally isn't out till April. Really getting ahead of the competition was the Ivy-leaved Crowfoot and Marsh Marigold, which locally flower in May! Whether this is a result of the warmer winter, or perhaps a sign of global warming is unknown, but perhaps something to consider should they follow this trend in future years. 

And that's another week rounded out! We're still hoping to see lots of new species cropping up in the coming months, and even in light of the current world situation, we'll do our best to get out there and see some of them. We encourage people to continue birdwatching as part of their allowed excursions, however please practice the recommended distancing and stay safe. You might not be able to speak to fellow birdwatchers out and about, but we can still share records and photos online!

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

What is Birdwatching and how do I become a Budding Birdwatcher?

Birdwatching is a vast and broad subject, with no limits of how far or little you can pursue it. That said, from an outsider peering in, it can appear a daunting hobby. Trying to learn the differences between hundreds of species, numerous moults, plumages and immature stages. There's so much to know you could make a career out of it, and indeed, many people have. There is, of course, no lower limit for birdwatching, if you enjoy seeing the Robins in your garden, then that qualifies you as a birdwatcher to me! However, for many of us, that is not enough, and there is a drive to be able to identify more species, whether to learn about them or just the enjoyment of knowing what you have seen. Therefore, in this article, I will try and list some tips on how to improve your identification skills and get even more out of birdwatching.

The first tip to being a better birdwatcher is to bird watch more! This is pretty obvious really, after all, the more experience you gain, the better at something you become. For birdwatching this is especially true, as seeing birds in the field is very different from viewing them in a book. Whilst you can view birds in great detail as they stand still on the beach, or perch on a branch, I find this a rarity in encounters. More often, they are flying past at great speed, diving into the waves or hidden away in the treetops. Bird identification is really a combination of a multitude of factors, but familiarity with the target species goes a long way in assisting with that. So by going out, not only are you encountering new species that you will start to learn about, but you are also building up confidence with the species you already know. After all, the first step to identifying a new species is knowing its not a species that you already know!

Joining local bird outings can be a great way to learn from others!

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of improving your birdwatching is the equipment you use. Not only can this allow you to actively see more birds, but provide a wealth of knowledge from which you can draw upon. Though when I say equipment, what do I mean? Like all aspects of birdwatching, there is a wide range of equipment to be used, from the naked eye up to long-distance telescopes and fancy high tech cameras. I would say there are two key components for birdwatching though; the field guide, and the binoculars.

Field guides are the core of your learning ability when it comes to bird identification, as they will be your first port of call when looking up a new species. From detailing the main features, calls and even likely habitats, field guides contain a wealth of information that varies from book to book. What you have can often be down to availability, cost, or even personal choice, but if I had to recommend one it would be Collins. Detailing European species it offers all the aforementioned information, along with several great pictures for each species, all without ending up too bulky. Local pocket guides can also be great, offering instant access to common species and easily fitting into a coat pocket.

Perhaps the iconic tool of birdwatching, binoculars are a staple for once you start heading out and about. Such is the wary nature of birds that we can never get to close, and so binoculars allow us to observe without causing a disturbance, and to those that do come in close, see in great detail. Much like with field guides there is a huge variety, with massive ranges in size and optical magnification (and price!). I can't offer much wisdom when it comes to purchasing binoculars, having only purchased one set, which I've had for the last 5 years or so. However, I would recommend trying out binoculars before you buy them, as whilst written reviews can tell you all sorts of useful numbers, how they feel in hand is most important and can heavily influence your decision.

The Birdwatchers essentials, or mine at least!

From there you can look at spotting scopes (telescopes), tripods and even cameras. All of these are great tools for assisting in birdwatching, enhancing the experience in different ways. For a beginner or even intermediate birdwatcher however, they are by no means necessary, and should only supplement your current equipment. The combination of cameras tripod and scope can result in some great picture opportunities, but certainly, for myself, the price barrier is just a bit too high, and I enjoy the hobby well enough with my trusty binoculars.

The last tools I would recommend are the humble pen and paper. Being able to record what you see, from species to the features of an unknown bird, is an often overlooked part of birdwatching. As often is the case for me, I don't bring my field guide (or even my binoculars) when I go out. However, I always have a pen and paper, and so when I see something I am able to jot down its features; general shape and colour, its behaviour, habitat, and anything else that might help distinguish it. It's amazing how these simple bits of information can help you to later identify birds when you get your hands on your bird guide.

Just like people, birds all have their own quirks and characteristics

The very final aspect of improving your birdwatching is knowing that not all birds need to be identified upon sight. Whilst visual clues are perhaps the easiest to determine a species, both its call and behaviour can be indicative of the species. Now to some calls can seem like 1000 similar sounds (indeed, bird calls is what I struggle with the most). However, I would bet that most people can instinctively recognise the cry of a Herring Gull and Oystercatcher, simply because we hear them so often. So when it comes to bird calls, focus on a few common species that you know you will encounter. Get used to listening to their calls, and you will slowly start to pick them up. From there you will start to notice unfamiliar calls, and so from writing them down, looking them up, you will learn new birds that way.

Behaviour is something that can be unique to species, such as Snipe, which will fly directly upwards when disturbed. Whilst these things will be mentioned in field guides, it's the kind of knowledge you gain from having watched the species extensively. Such knowledge can be a godsend and allows you to identify some species from the merest of glances.

Once again I seem to have overdone it with these articles, but I hope you found some part of it useful. Birdwatching is a great past time and can be enjoyed no matter the age or experience, and for me, there is no better part than noticing my own improvement as a bird watcher, so I hope you can all experience that too. 

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]