This
blog has a shorter title than the chapter in Gooders' book* Larks,
Swallows, Wagtails, Wrens, Dippers, Accentors and Allies, and, sadly, I'm not sure that I've seen a lark recently. Anyway, here I am again. For anyone who
is reading my Bird Blogs for the first time, they are based on birds
I
have seen on my regular travels across Hastings
Country Park
since the Covid-19
lockdown
began way back in March. Gooders admits that this is a
“grouping of convenience” but “nevertheless, these are mainly
small birds, mostly insect eaters, though some take seeds.”
The
first, shown in the chapter image above, is the Swallow, and I have
seen a couple of Swallows a few times above Fairlight Glen, or maybe
seen more than 2 at different times? A summer visitor that nests
inside barns, sheds, garages and other outbuildings, and which you'll
more likely see acrobatically flying about to catch insects to eat.
Swallows are recognizable with their long forked tails, pale
underneath, but dark metallic blue wings and tail, with a red face
and throat, a pleasure to behold, and I have had a 'pin badge' of the
Swallow for many years now.
Like
the Swallow, the House Martin is another summer visitor, similar in
shape, but with a shorter tail and wings, 'stubbier' and with
blue-black and white colouring. See the image above which shows the
difference between them (and Swifts, which I cannot remember
seeing or, rather, hearing). House Martins also eat insects, so are agile
in flight too. I have seen quite a few House Martins over the summer
months, but the Monday before last (14 September) I saw at least 500 coming together and 'flocking' above
Warren Glen (see YouTube, although the video isn't from my sighting, but very similar), presumably on their way to Africa for the winter. It was
an amazing sight, I was so lucky to have been there, at that specific time, to
see and experience it, quality.
A quite tame garden and woodland bird, the Dunnock (above), spends
much of its time searching for food on the ground, though, like the
Wren, it may be seen up higher when singing. It can be mistaken for the
House Sparrow in size and colouring, but it has grey foreparts and a
thinner bill makes it easier to separate the two. The Dunnock also
eats berries as well as insects, and has been quite a common sight
during my daily exercise/walks across Hastings Country Park.
The
Wren, popularly called 'Jenny Wren,' is one of the most
widespread birds across the country, and thanks to John Gooders* I
discovered it is the only member of its New World family (Troglodytidae) to have
colonized the Old World! I have seen wrens right across the walk from
Barley Lane to the eastern edge of Hastings Country Park, but most
often towards the Hastings end of my walks, and it has a right loud voice for such a wee bird when it sings (YouTube). The Wren is another insect eater that you will more commonly
see up in a tree or on a taller shrub, but they spend much of their
time hunting for insects under more dense ground cover.
I
have seen 2 of the Wagtail family during my walks, the more commonly
seen (indeed, in Hastings town centre and along the seafront too!) black and
white Pied Wagtail (above). A very familiar sight with it's 'wagging' or
bobbing tail, and regularly seen on the ground, searching for insects
to eat. Seen in this video (YouTube) is the rarer Yellow Wagtail, which I was
pleased to see, as it is a summer visitor only (another bird that migrates to Africa
for winter), earlier in my lockdown walking days. An
elegant looking bird that I saw a few times over at Firehills and the
eastern edge of the Country Park, mostly taking off from the ground, with me trying to follow its flight as long as possible.
Well,
that's enough for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations...
The
next chapter of the book* is called Pigeons,
Cuckoos, Owls, Woodpeckers, Nightjars and Allies,
consequently, my Birds
Part VII
blog will be similarly called, again probably shorter, but please do
watch out for it, and many thanks for reading these blogs.
Photograph
of the Pied Wagtail with many thanks to Derek Middleton, and of
the Dunnock to Roger Wilmshurst, and to the Sussex Wildlife Trust
for both, and many thanks to the RSPB for the image depicting the Swift, House Martin and Swallow.
* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.
John
Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago,
sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour
Nature Reserve.
