Bird Blog 9 - The Final Chapter? - Birds of Prey plus...

I've entitled 9 of these 'bird blogs' but maybe I should include an earlier blog when I mentioned that I would be writing such blogs, consequently it would make a much nicer 'round ten' to finish the series with? Not to say I won't write more about birds seen locally... anyway, my ninth, or tenth, bird blog. I have continued to use Gooders' book The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide* as my structural tool, and as a source of information about birds I have seen whilst on my regular travels/exercise, walking across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March last year. Also, I was very much influenced by the sound of birdsong during my walks last Spring and early Summer, notably in the larger sand quarry at Fairlight (YouTube), which helped me to keep sane, as well as fit.

This blog is called, among other things, Birds of Prey, but it is really me winding up by including other birds I have seen but not mentioned in these blogs so far, which is just the odd pheasant or two (above) and birds of prey, or at least the birds I recognized and was aware of seeing. I have seen other birds of course, for example a stork (blog), but that has been away from the country park, so not really relevant to this series, but still an acknowledgement that writing about birds will not stop here, particularly now my 'birder' instincts have been reawakened by the lockdowns.

I have to admit that seeing, or more often hearing Pheasants, was a bit of a surprise at first, but quite common over the months. The pheasant is one of the most common, and certainly most widespread, ground-dwelling gamebirds around the country, inhabiting woods, hedgerows and fields, and feeds on shoots, seeds and berries. Quite often I've seen one in a field, as in the photograph above, not a great image, but it flew away from me after crossing my path. Indeed, I've even had one just hopping/flying away from me down the same path without escaping to the side, not the brightest of creatures!

I only spotted a Buzzard once during last year's earlier walks/exercise, which is a bit surprising as they have recently displaced the Kestrel as being the most observed and widespread of the raptor species, having multiplied in numbers by at least 7 times since the 1960s (Sussex Wildlife Trust). They had been in danger beforehand as their population diminished because of food shortages during the myxomatosis outbreak among rabbits, and because of the use of pesticides like DDT that caused eggshell thinning in contaminated birds, thus preventing attempts to reproduce. 

Numbers had been decimated in earlier times too, as gamekeepers shot them, sadly, as they erroneously believed they would attack landowners' gamebirds. Indeed, the Buzzard mostly feeds on small mammals and is happy to take advantage scavenging roadkill too, and may even eat earthworms in colder months, which may have been what the Buzzard I saw in a field by Barley Lane was eating before taking off.

Also, early on during my walks I had seen a Kestrel, or maybe a Hobby as I have since been told that a Hobby has been spotted in the area near to Fairlight and above Warren Glen, but I tend to think it was the much more common Kestrel sitting on a post, before flying off at my approach, but you never know. 😉 Anyway, the photograph above, which I think is a Kestrel, was taken reasonably recently by a mate when we met up for a socially distanced meeting, as allowed outdoors. Not a clear image, but I believe it is a Kestrel hovering above Warren Glen, a raptor that feeds on small mammals and birds.

So, that's it for today and the final 'chapter' of this series of bird observations. Many thanks for reading these blogs, and keep safe folks!

Photograph of the Buzzard reproduced with many thanks to the RSPB and Hazmik.

* 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.

Bird Blog VIII - Gulls!

Yet another 'bird blog' with a shorter title than that of the chapter in Gooders' book* (Waders, Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks) as I have only seen gulls from this chapter whilst on my walks during these troubled times and lockdowns, although I have seen Turnstones when walking along the seafront, pretty common there. For anyone reading one of my 'Bird Blogs' for the first time, they are based on birds I have seen whilst on my regular travels across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March. Gooders says that this "huge group... are members of the order Charadriiformes and are relatively closely related." 

The Herring Gull (above) needs no introduction, I presume, being as many thousands live in Hastings and close by, and many of us will have had a food item stolen by one, or certainly seen food items stolen from others by Herring Gulls. Indeed, they eat virtually anything. In addition, many of us will have also had the 'good luck' to have been hit by its excrement too, and not a few may have been attacked by them, for example, I had one literally jump on my back when I was painting the Stacey Marie (RX134) 4 or 5 years ago! Their aggressive behaviour is understandable as it tends to be associated with protecting their young, or looking for food. And, whether you love them, or loath them, and they are a bit of a 'Marmite' bird, they are a protected species, but breed prolifically locally, with nests on roofs, cliffs, just about anywhere.

I have spotted, more rarely, though they often appear later in the summer down at the seafront in greater numbers, the Great Black-backed Gull (above), and the Black-headed Gull. The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest gull in Britain, and when seen solitary among Herring Gulls, they do stand out size-wise, and not intimidated at all when outnumbered. They have a relatively more specific diet, preferring to eat smaller seabirds and offal, but in winter may travel inland and attack rubbish dumps. As far as I'm aware they do not nest locally, but further along the coast.

Black-headed Gulls (above), which I've seen more of at Bexhill over the years, are rarer in Hastings, although they are a reasonably regular visitor to Alexandra Park in later summer. The colour is actually more of a chocolate brown than a black head, and this is only in summer, disappearing during the winter when a dark spot behind the 'ear' is what most differentiates them. A much more particular diet for this gull, which eats fish, insects and invertebrates. They nest in reeds and rushes, which is probably why they're not seen in Hastings in the spring and early summer.

So, that's it for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations. The ninth and final bird blog in this series will include a number of birds from other chapters of the book* and more, and called Bird Blogs: The Final Chapter, maybe... Please do watch out for it, and many thanks for reading these blogs.

The photograph of the Great Black-backed Gull is reproduced with many thanks to the RSPB, and of the Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull, with thanks to The Wildlife Trusts.

* 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.

Pigeons, Woodpeckers and Allies - Birds Part 7

Another blog with a shorter title than that of the chapter in Gooders' book* as, quite frankly, all I have seen of the birds mentioned in this chapter on my walks during these troubled times and the 2 lockdowns, are pigeons, doves and woodpeckers... For anyone reading my Bird Blogs for the first time, they are based on birds I have seen on my regular travels across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March. Gooders says that this group is a “rag-bag of species, convenient in that they are the "only perching birds that do not belong to the order Passeriforms." So now you know...

Great Spotted Woodpecker

For my first couple of sightings I refer to the woodpeckers, and, usually heard rather than seen, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, the most common and most widespread woodpecker in Britain. I have heard woodpeckers drumming and drilling away all over the place, notably when walking in the higher parts of Alexandra Park, but early on in my cross Hastings Country Park walks during this crisis I not only heard them, but saw one, I heard it first and was lucky enough to spot it whilst walking long Barley Lane just after Fishponds View, thank you very much! They eat mostly insects and larvae, but during the Autumn and Winter months they switch their diet to include berries and nuts, and they may be seen in gardens pecking at peanut feeders.

I have seen many more Green Woodpeckers than the more common Great Spotted variety during my life, well noticed them anyway, indeed my first ever was as a young lad out with a mate, duffle bag over my shoulder, and flask of tea and some goodies in the bag for sustenance, saw the Green Woodpecker and followed it for quite a way until it flew over a small stream, without thinking I threw my bag over to the other side and leapt over myself; well, thermos flasks in those days had very fragile glass linings and I wasn't forgiven by my mum for ages, and no more tea to drink either that day! Similarly, their main diet is insects, and they can often be seen searching for food on the ground, ants forming a significant part of their diet, indeed, the one I saw, again quite early during the lockdown, was on the ground along a track off Barley Lane.

Collared Dove

The ubiquitous and largest pigeon in the country, is the Woodpigeon, and the most commonly seen pigeon during my walks across Hastings Country Park too, with an almost husky 'coo.' It eats seeds, leaves, grain, fruit, peas and root crops, consequently, it can become a pest to farmers. It's amazing that pigeons appear to know where to live, for example, up on the Country Park the Woodpigeon is virtually the only pigeon/dove you will see, whereas the feral town pigeons (mostly descended from rock doves/domesticated pigeons, although you may spot a hint of white dove or even collared dove interbreeding here and there), well, those town pigeons stay in town!

But back to the edge of town, and smaller than the Woodpigeon, I have spotted Collared Doves close to the Hastings end of Barley Lane during my travels. A relative newcomer to Britain, which was first recorded nesting in Norfolk in 1955 having spread westwards from Asia, but it has since spread throughout this country (and across to America too), and now is quite common in Britain. Again, it 'coos' but in a more gentle manner, almost begging you to listen, and eats seeds and grain from the ground.

Sorry folks, I haven't seen an owl for ages, consequently, not in my chapter! But the photograph above is of a wee painting I was given as a present over 35 years ago.

So, that's it for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations... The next chapter of the book* is called Waders, Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks, but my Birds Part VIII blog will likely just be called Gulls, you'll understand! 😉 Please do watch out for it, I'll try not to leave it for so long this time, and many thanks for reading these blogs.

The photograph of the Great Spotted Woodpecker is reproduced with many thanks to Mark Hamblin, and of the Collared Dove with thanks to Gillian Day, and thanks to The Wildlife Trusts for both.

* 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.

Swallows, Wagtails, Wrens, and Allies - Birds Part 6

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.

Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers

So, here I am at Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers, Birds Part III, you will have noticed that I haven't tried for a catchy title like my previous Bird Blog (I'm not naturally a comedian, though some people who know me may disagree), but I took a serious thought about what to call this one. I was worried that it may come up on search engines used by porn seekers and young boys (I was a young boy once, honest, and, like most, giggled very easily at certain words), but it is the title of the chapter, it's nonsense for me to worry, and should it happen to even one person, then maybe they'll see something they should have a healthy interest in. So welcome if you are such a reader, many thanks for clicking on this blog. And many thanks to the rest of you for bearing with me and my waffle, enjoy the blog!

Primarily, this was going to be about the Tit Family as these were the only birds from this chapter of the book* that I have noticed during my daily exercise from east to west, and back again, across Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve. These birds are historically woodland birds, however, now many are seen regularly in urban gardens too, they are very adaptable. They are also very gregarious. Although being territorial during the breeding season, they can often be seen to come together in mixed flocks at other times of the year, particularly the winter, indeed Nuthatches and Treecreepers may also join in these mixed flocks!

As the image from The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide is of 2 Nuthatches, I shall start with that bird, as, although I hadn't noticed any in the last few months, one may well have been in my eyesight, honestly, how many times do birds flit across in front of you and you have no idea what it was? Many times, really, and this is true of the last 4 months for me. But the Nuthatch, this colourful little (about the size of a Great Tit), woodpecker-like bird, is an interesting bird to observe, I have never noticed one 'in the wild' but I have seen them in the days I had a garden, climbing upside down on a tree searching for insects, or breaking seeds and nuts.

I include this photograph of a Blue Tit because it is probably one of the birds that most people can recognize, and is a frequent garden visitor, and I have seen many over the months, including 'juveniles' more recently, with their pale greener plumage and crown. They are exotic, colourful, and very interesting to watch. Indeed, the only time in my life I have had a nesting box, Blue Tits nested there, I observed the pair choosing their nest site and flying to and fro whilst feeding their young ones. I also had the great honour of spotting the last half a dozen young leaving the nest; they typically have 8-12 chicks, sometimes as many as 20! You could see the nesting box from our kitchen window, and I was washing up the breakfast dishes at the time, not that I ever needed to find an excuse to watch the box, but I was fortunate that morning.

The other tits I have seen include the largest, the Great Tit, more frequently at the beginning of the lockdown period, but am still seeing them now and then. Similar the Coal Tit, which I have not seen for at least 2 months now. All the tits are omnivores, eating insects and seeds, and anyone with a Nut Feeder will have seen them tucking in there too, though mostly going for the kernel of the nut, with bits and pieces of nuts flying off for ground feeding birds to take advantage of! I have also seen Marsh Tits, maybe Willow Tits as well, difficult to tell the difference, although their song is different (YouTube), hence why I know I have seen Marsh Tits, but... Oh yes, and the video shows other tits and birds at garden feeders and tables too, so well worth the watch.

It has been a pleasure to observe these gregarious birds, but onwards I go, and the next chapter of the book* is called Warblers and Flycatchers, consequently, so will the Birds Part III blog, please watch out for it.

Sorry, as far as I'm aware, I haven't seen a Treecreeper ever, let alone recently...

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

Photograph of the Nuthatch with many thanks to Derek Middleton, and of the Blue Tit to Bob Eade, and to the Sussex Wildlife Trust for both.

Corvids: Stone the Crows!

I thought that may catch some people's attention, CORVID, not Covid! As I said in Birds Part I (blog) my next Bird Blog Part II will be about Crows, although the book's* chapter is called Orioles, Shrikes, Crows and Starlings, I have only noticed crows during the last few months exercising (me, that is), and I can't even remember seeing a starling would you believe?!? Also, I have never 'stoned' a crow but I have certainly had a few surprises in my life, and seeing my first Jays when I started as a postgrad research student, many years ago now, shocked me a little as they are so wonderful to look at! Anyway, the relevant chapter image in The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide for this chapter is above, and is of a Jay, so a good place to begin...

I've seen Jays towards the Old Town end of Barley Lane during my Coronavirus Crisis exercise walks mostly across Hastings Country Park, it is primarily a woodland bird, but is well adapted, like most crows have become, to farmland, towns and gardens too. As I said, when I first saw a Jay I was impressed with its colours, with pink, purple, blue, brown, cream, grey, black and white, it is certainly a striking sight, as can be seen from the photograph above. Like humans they are omnivores, but with a slightly different range of diet, they eat acorns, nuts, seeds, worms, insects, small mammals and nestlings of other birds... I'm okay with the nuts, thank you.

Strangely, representatives of all 4 members of the crow family I have seen during these walks over the past few months are not to be seen in the north of Scotland (presumably they dislike cold, or cannot cope with the competing wild haggis, maybe 😉), although this is not true of all Corvids, for example the Raven, which I haven't noticed hereabouts, but from which the name Corvid comes, corvus being latin for raven. In addition to Jays, I have also seen the ubiquitous Magpie, plus Rooks and Jackdaws galore, and they are all omnivores, frequenting all manner of abode.

I have shown the RSPB image of the Jackdaw with the description (and you should never forget it now, unless you already knew, of course) because, apart from the Magpie, and Jay, once you've fathomed out which crow it is, it is the easiest to recognise, and I have seen them right across Hastings Country Park, and often seen them down by the black net huts in Rock a Nore Road too, searching for scraps, and less aggressive than the gulls! I call them all 'Jack' wherever I see them, the strange person that I am, the lockdown reducing my human contact has meant me talking to all and sundry during my walks, birds, ponies, cattle, sheep, foxes, rabbits, you name it!

Anyway, back to corvids and the Magpie, which you can recognize from its chattering long before you see it (YouTube), and which is a bird with many superstitions surrounding its history, so if you see a bloke saluting magpies up in Hastings Country Park, it is very likely to be me, not that I'm superstitious, touch wood...  And Rooks, well, they're black crows basically, omnivores etc etc...

The next chapter of the book* is called Tits, Nuthatches and Treecreepers, so Birds Part III will be called similar, please do watch out for it, many thanks.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide

Photograph of the Jay with thanks to Alan Price and the Sussex Wildlife Trust, and of the Jackdaw with thanks to Nigel Blake and the RSPB.