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.

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.

Chats & Thrushes - Bird Blog 5

This blog has been a long time coming, apologies for the suspense, and I haven't seen the Whinchat illustrated above, but I have seen regularly on my travels across Hastings Country Park since lockdown began, a number of birds from this family, notably the thrushes. Indeed, a couple of our most familiar birds, and often seen in gardens too, are the Robin and the Blackbird. These are mostly ground-dwelling birds that find the majority of their food on the ground, and who hasn't heard and seen Blackbirds regularly foraging in undergrowth?!?

Male Stonechat

The Stonechat is the only non-thrush of this group that I have seen during this period as far as I am aware (who knows what I may miss among the fast flights across my path and in the distance?), and I have quite taken to the Stonechat too, once I knew what I was observing. Their orange-red breast, and the male's black head and white half-collar, made them stand out for me at first. They like heath and grasslands, and particularly the gorse that grows at Firehills, openly perching and taking off from the gorse and other vegetation there. Stonechats eat insects and worms, and have a distinctive 'chak-chak' call with an added whistle (YouTube).

Song Thrush

The Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush have been enchanting to see and hear, the Mistle Thrush being the slightly larger of the two. Both eat berries, worms and insects, and the Song Thrush also eats snails, and they both visit gardens as well as living in heaths, fields and woodland. I observed them more in the earlier months during the lockdown, and was delighted to see and hear a Song Thrush singing loudly from on high (YouTube) during a specific visit to the old disused Sand Quarry at Fairlight, what a beautiful sound!

Juvenile Robin

The Blackbird, another wonderful singer, and the Robin, are well known to us all, with songs written about them, and they are both great singers too, perhaps the Blackbird's song being the best known as it sings so loudly and clearly (YouTube). The habitat of both is widespread, and the Robin eats mostly insects, whilst the Blackbird also eats worms and berries. I have included an image of a juvenile Robin because I saw one a few days ago, and it took me a while to realize just what I had seen.

That's enough today for this chapter of my bird observations, and the next chapter of the book* is called Larks, Swallows, Wagtails, Wrens, Dippers, Accentors and Allies, consequently, the Birds Part VI blog will be called similar, although probably a shorter title, but please do watch out for it, and many thanks for reading the blog.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

All 3 photographs of individual birds are with many thanks to the RSPB, and specifically for the image of the Song Thrush singing with thanks to Chris Gomersall, and of the young Robin to Andy Bright.

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 and the Mayor of Winchelsea.

Birds Blog IV - Warblers and Flycatchers

So, here I am writing my Birds Part IV blog, Warblers and Flycatchers, with the image of a Wood Warbler and its brood (above) from the appropriate chapter of John Gooders' The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide. These birds mostly eat insects, although some do vary their diet slightly, particularly in the autumn before they migrate southwards, when many take advantage of fruit and berry crops. Sadly, I am not aware that I have seen any Wood Warblers since March the 23rd, so I shall write no more about this specific member of the group today, however...

What I have seen are Whitethroats (above) and Blackcaps. I saw my first Whitethroat quite early in the lockdown period, right at the eastern edge of Hastings Country Park Wildlife Reserve, sitting on a shrub singing his little heart out for me! More likely he was telling me to 'take a walk.' Anyway, go to YouTube to hear the Whitethroat song. A summer visitor to Britain from the fringes of the Sahara in Africa, probably spotted early due to our 'summer' coming so early this year. Indeed, the Whitethroat is an example in this group that does eat berries as well as insects. More recently I have seen other birds collecting nesting material for a second 'brood' this summer, there is so much food around for them, and they nested early the first time when humans were quite rare for them to see due to the lockdown.

Blackcaps are another of these birds who also eat berries in addition to insects and are mostly summer visitors, although they sometimes remain in southern England over warm winters. Warblers can be difficult to differentiate, and so I may well have seen others but not been aware. But I have seen the insect eating Chiffchaff with its distinctive call that it was named after, a summer visitor, and the insect and berry eating Garden Warbler, another summer visitor with a call similar to the Blackcap (YouTube).

What I have not noticed, although I may well have seen one fly by me, is the rarer Dartford Warbler (above). Why may I have seen this rare warbler? Well, a local dog walker I have met regularly at Firehills told me that, about a month ago, a large number of birders had descended upon Firehills to see the Dartford Warblers that had been spotted there, so I am mentioning the bird in this blog, and it is quite a fine looking bird, as well as being rare, I just wish I had seen it...

Anyway, that's enough today for this chapter of my bird observations, and the next chapter of the book* is called Chats and Thrushes, so the Birds Part 5 blog will be called similar, please do watch out for it, and many thanks for reading the blog today.

By the way, although not originally from the county, ornithologist John Gooders* used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago sadly, and had previously chaired the Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and been the Mayor of Winchelsea, consequently, the Speaker of the Cinque Ports for a year (website).

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

The photograph of the Dartford Warbler is reproduced with many thanks to Derek Middleton, and of the Whitethroat with many thanks to Nigel O, and thanks too to the Sussex Wildlife Trust and RSPB respectively.

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.

Birds Part I - Sparrows, Finches and Buntings

I am using The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide*, as I suggested I would in a previous blog, starting with the chapter Sparrows, Finches and Buntings. Indeed, as the photograph of this chapter features goldfinches, then goldfinches will be the first bird I report my seeing, quite regularly actually, during my 3 months (probably 4 months by the time I finish!) of walking and noting birds I see.  

This is a group of smaller seed eating birds, and the image above, from The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide* depicts 3 goldfinches, one of my favourite birds I've seen quite regularly over the past few months whilst traversing Hastings Country Park. Indeed, just last week I saw a couple of goldfinches flitting around a telephone wire pole from the window in my living room, and this is in the town centre, they must have been lost!

Goldfinch

Anyway, this blog is commencing with the goldfinch, one of the most colourful birds that can be seen in this country, with its attractive red, black and white head helping you to recognise the bird easily, plus a broad yellow band on its wings that stands out in flight, and also very apparent when the bird is at rest. I originally saw quite a number flocking together quite high up Barley Lane before nesting, they became less obvious for 4-6 weeks, then much more obvious recently, when I've seen groups of, very likely, young not long left the nest, but more regularly, a couple (as mentioned above) or one sitting high up in a tree, singing its heart out (YouTube), wonderful!

I have seen chaffinches and greenfinches too, but not in anywhere as large a number, nor as regularly, although I have to admit, I've walked along these 3 miles or so for years, and can't really remember seeing a goldfinch ever before! The period of lockdown due to the Coronavirus Crisis, and the daily walk I was allowed at the start, and which I've continued with as an institution for myself, has given me the time to look around me and take notice of the wildlife, not that I could miss the profusion of rabbits (obviously breeding like rabbits!), not a few foxes, and I've seen a badger too.

House Sparrow

As one would expect I have seen many House Sparrows, and Tree Sparrows, and realised that you should take more time to look at these birds, who, more often than not, no doubt, I've thought other birds that just flit quickly across the path must be, because they are small. Again, I've learnt over the past few months that, for years, I may have seen a huge number of other birds that I hadn't realised I had seen, which is a bit sad. But, the sparrows are quite beautifully coloured birds too, so one seen should not be written off as just 'another sparrow' ever, the blacks and whites, and the different shades of brown make quite a striking image, a vastly underrated bird in my new opinion!

Yellowhammer

Going further across the Park to Firehills, and you reach a virtual bird sanctuary, again, I've walked across here many times before, but my focus has been on the walk, and continuing on to Winchelsea, Pett or Rye, but who knows what rare birds I may have not noticed?!? In recent months I have seen Reed Buntings, Linnets, quite possibly Siskins, but very definitely the striking Yellowhammer. The Yellowhammer is a very yellow bunting, the male has a bright yellow head and body, with brown and black streaked wings and flecks beneath, consequently, it is very difficult not to notice, and they do seem to love Firehills, as do I!

Enough for today... My next Bird Blog will be Crows, although the chapter in the book* is called Orioles, Shrikes, Crows and Starlings, I've only noticed crows these last few months, can't even remember seeing a starling!

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide 

Photograph of Goldfinch, with thanks to the Sussex Wildlife Trust, and other photographs with thanks to the RSPB.

3 Months Birdwatching with Steve...

This is one of my own books about birds in the British Isles, and the book* that I will be using to help create an order in which to deal with my own list of birds seen since the Coronavirus Crisis 'lockdown' commenced on the 23rd of March 2020. I started out with a daily walk as my exercise nearly every day in that 3 months, and am still maintaining a similar walk, staying in the Borough of Hastings all that time, but managing a round trip of a little over 8 miles each day from my home in central Hastings. "How did I manage this?" I hear you ask, well I walk to the eastern edge of Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve (website) and back, early every morning, mostly, to the gate at the eastern edge of the park, and eastern border of Hastings Borough Ore Ward, at Fairlight/Firehills; see photograph below.

Gateway to Hastings!

You'll gather from my having appropriate books that I already had an interest in birds, indeed, I have been interested in birds since childhood and early ownership of The Observer's Book of British Birds. But I have never been a birdwatcher as a specific hobbyist, though my interest has increased enormously since March and enjoying seeing birds between the Gateway to Hastings in the east and the old town end of Barley Lane (below) in the west, mostly in Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve.

I shall not only be referring to The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide, but also to The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) website, and if I don't acknowledge anyone else for photographs borrowed, I shall pass on my thanks and acknowledgement to the RSPB now, as they'll be their's; as my own camera skills and equipment are completely hopeless for photographing wee birds that won't sit still!

So, if like me you are interesting in wee feathered creatures, watch out for my first 'bird' blog which will be entitled Sparrows, Finches and Buntings, many of them seen!


* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide