Sunday supplement - Earlswood Lakes (Little Gull)

 You know how it is, you're gathering brownie points at home, promising to cook your wife a lovely meal. But just as you enter the kitchen a loud ping rings out. You check your phone and what do you know? Little Gull at Earlswood.

Brownie points are cast aside. "I won't be long". And you're off.

Matt G had found the bird on Engine Pool, and both he and the bird were still there when I arrived. The Little Gull was flying around the middle of the lake along with two newly arrived Swallows.

Little Gull

Mostly showing in flight, it occasionally dropped onto the water for a few seconds. An adult moulting into summer plumage, it's head still speckled in a kind of halfway house towards full summer plumage.

This is a classic arrival. Easterlies, a lake, late March/early April. Little Gulls are never guaranteed, but always a possibility. It will have been heading for the Netherlands or Sweden,  on its way back from the Atlantic where it will have wintered. A little bit of adverse weather is all it takes.

Thanks Matt.

Sunday March 31 - Is it worth carrying a scope?

 The question posed at the start of this post is not something I would even have thought would be an issue ten years ago. Of course you should carry a scope, I would have said. Nowadays I'm not so sure. 

Digital cameras, even my Bridge camera (a Nikon P900), are something of a game-changer. That said, when I visit Morton Bagot, like today, I still carry both (and also a tripod). The downside is the weight of all that equipment. There are several approaches you can take. 

You can mount your scope on the tripod and extend its legs, and walk around all day juggling scope/tripod and binoculars, and camera. I doubt anybody does that though, and I certainly don't.

Another option is to keep scope and tripod slung separately over your shoulder, your camera in a knapsack, and use your binoculars to spot birds. I often do this, and if its raining there is little alternative.

Today as usual, I opted to have both binoculars and camera slung around my neck, while scope and tripod remained as a potential back-up (slung separately over the shoulder). As a result, when I spotted a small bird at the top of a distant oak tree, I was initially intrigued as to what it might be, but reluctant to go through the palaver of getting my scope out. This is where the camera effectively acts as a scope.

This is the uncropped image, which is roughly the same as the view from 10x bins

So, from this view I had an idea of what the bird might be, but the real magic came when I zoomed in on the back of the camera. It became clear that it was a male Wheatear.

Zoomed in (cropped) image of the Wheatear

So even in poor light, there was no need to get the scope unpacked. The image at 30x would probably have been similar.

Sometimes I opt not to bother carrying a scope at all, but this can be a dangerous game to play. Although I often use my camera to check the identity of a distant bird, it doesn't always work. Earlier, we had seen some distant finches in the birches. The light was terrible and we couldn't decide between Redpolls and Siskins (Dave thought Redpolls, I was on the fence). I tried taking a picture, and all I got was a larger, blurred image of what could still have been either species. If I could have been bothered to get the scope out I probably would have nailed them, but the time taken may have left me too late to see them before they flew off.

At Morton Bagot a scope is arguably essential for checking the flashes, particularly the furthest flash. To see the latter properly you need to be high on the slope, looking through a line of trees to the flash in the distance. The scope has no problem with this, the binoculars alone are rarely sufficient, and the camera struggles to focus as tree branches and/or rushes get in the way.

Today, we couldn't see anything much on the furthest flash, and we didn't need a scope for the nearest. The single pairs of Avocet and Shelduck were easy to identify, as were the dozen or so Teal. Slightly less straightforward was a Green Sandpiper which crept into view. It was identifiable with binoculars (and would have been great with the scope), but laziness and the fact that it helpfully moved away from the intervening rushes meant that a reasonable photo was possible to record its presence.

Green Sandpiper

This is what is known as a record shot. It won't win any awards, but you can tell what it is.

We did in fact require the scope on one occasion today. A distant lump on top of a pylon seemed worth investigating.

Not a record shot

With the bird settled there was time to disentangle myself from all the straps and get the scope out. With this we confirmed our suspicion that it was a Peregrine.

When I visit Earlswood, or any woodland or farmland in summer, I never take a scope. Binoculars and a camera are perfectly adequate to record what I see. Farmland in winter is different. To find a rare Thrush or Finch, a scope is essential (not that I ever find one), but the camera is always there as back up.

I cannot imagine ever going birding without my camera these days, but for the scope its horses for courses.

Saturday March 30 - Rare moth

 Before I get onto the subject of moths I should report that I went to Earlswood Lakes on Thursday hoping a female Pochard which had been on Terry's Pool might still be present. It turned out that I had played it too cool and it had gone. Compensation came in the form of my first Swallow of the year which was flying somewhat distantly over Engine Pool when the rain arrived late morning, an Oystercatcher asleep on a raft, and a few Linnets which I saw because I accompanied John Oakes to Pound Green Farm where he had seen a much larger number a few days ago. After we separated John went on to locate a Wheatear for good measure.

Oystercatcher

Now, regarding the moth, I've been itching to put my garden trap out for nearly two weeks, but its just been too chilly. Last night it was still too cold but I could wait no longer. Around 10.15pm I went out to see if there was anything obvious and immediately spotted a Frosted Green on the fence. I'd only seen two before, so I potted it, took a photo and released it. 

I then noticed there was a micro moth on the fence close to where the Frosted Green had been, so I potted that too. I quickly realised it could be a good one, so took its photo and popped it in the fridge for the morning. I had decided it was a Dark-streaked Tortrix Acleris umbrana, so I posted the photo on a local Whatsapp site. I got a thumbs up from John who had checked it with an on-line app.

This morning I was up early. My trap only contained five moths (the Frosted Green was not among them) all of which were species I'd already caught this year. So I got the Dark-streaked Tortrix out of the fridge and persuaded it to crawl onto a leaf to have its picture taken. It made a break for it shortly after the photo was taken, but I recaptured it and returned it to the trap for a safer release tonight.

Acleris umbrana

This species occurs in Herefordshire and along the south coast, but is extending its range north. There have been several records in Worcestershire, including from Redditch, in the last few years. However, I understand this is only the third or fourth for Warwickshire.

Tuesday March 26 - Something to mull over

 I had a clear plan for today. I was going to go to Mappleborough Green Flash to see if there were any waders there (Morton Bagot currently looking unsuitable due to a shortage of mud). Then a spanner was inserted in the works. Mark Clarke posted a photograph on Whatsapp of a swimming White-fronted Goose at Arrow Valley Lake.

I assumed this was the immature I had found at Morton Bagot at the turn of the year, which was subsequently reported at Upper Bittell. I hadn't been to see it at Bittell, but a chat with Mark Islip at the Cattle Egret twitch (just me and him), led me to understand that it was turning up occasionally at Arrow Valley Lake and was starting to show a more advanced plumage.

So I diverted to have a look at it. I found it easily on the shore at the yacht club, and had no hesitation in identifying it as a White-fronted Goose which was moulting towards adult plumage.

White-fronted Goose

To me, the white fore-crown combined with largely unmarked belly (there are just a couple of black feathers starting to come through) and the relatively faintly barred mantle were consistent with this being a first year bird even though the white "front" is now adult-like.

However I later received a text from an experienced Worcestershire birder which I initially thought was querying the bird's provenance, but in fact implied that it may not be a pure-bred White-fronted Goose. The argument being that a first-winter bird should not have so advanced a white forehead, while an adult should show more black on the belly. I agreed to send him a photograph so that he could forward it to a very experience Goose expert who would look at the bird "properly" (unlike me I suppose).

I thought I'd compare this bird with my more distant shots of the Morton Bagot bird from December.

The Morton Bagot White-front in December 2023

The obvious first question is whether it is even the same bird. The earlier bird appears to have a plainer mantle and looks darker (but it is distant, so the shot is cropped). There is only a hint of white on the forehead. I wish I knew what the Bittell bird looked like (I would imagine the views were also very distant), but the fact it was reported within two days of the Morton Bagot bird's only appearance suggests it should be the same bird.

So what about provenance? Assuming this is indeed a first-winter White-fronted Goose and not an oddly plumage (possibly impure) adult, then I think its credentials as a wild bird are OK despite it turning up at a park lake. My reasoning is that a lost juvenile could easily latch onto a resident Greylag Goose flock, and then just follow them around all winter. Given that young geese learn to migrate by following their parents it might not even be too surprising if it now fails to migrate back to the arctic for the summer.

Nothing's ever simple where birds and birders are concerned.

Anyway I then resumed my original plan and paid my first visit of the year to Mappleborough Green Flash. Walking down the field from the Boot Inn, I heard, and briefly saw, a singing Willow Warbler. Others turned up at Earlswood and Coughton Park today, so spring is definitely here. This was nearly my earliest ever Willow Warbler in the UK (I saw one in the garden and heard two at Draycote on March 25 2005). Also singing was at least five Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap.

I reached the flash and found it much as it had looked last March. I counted 21 Teal, and a pair of Shovelers, before they all became aware of my presence and took flight.

The Shovelers flying off

One unfortunate aspect of this site is that it is virtually impossible to see the birds without disturbing them. By the time I reached the largest gap in the trees everything had gone, but I did hear the call of a Little Ringed Plover, and then located it in the gravelly field on the other side of the fence.

Very poor record shot in the heat haze. It was actually quite warm.

I then headed for the overspill flash (which dries up readily as spring advances) and found all the Teal and both Shovelers were now there, and so were a pair of Shelducks and a Green Sandpiper. Once again as soon as I got into a position where I might have been able to photograph anything, they all departed.

I also had a site tick. A very distant Red Kite, no longer unexpected around here.

My drive home was accompanied by regular sightings of fluttering Brimstone butterflies. The feel-good factor is back.

PS: The expert, Martin MacGill, has agreed it is indeed an advanced first-winter White-fronted Goose.

Sunday March 24 - Morton Bagot

 This morning Dave and I set out for our usual Sunday stroll around Morton Bagot. It turned out that we might have done better if it had been a Saturday stroll.

John Chidwick had attended yesterday, and I would say he did better than we did. Birds seen by John, but not by us included Little Egret, Shoveler, Shelduck, and Stonechat.

The weather has turned a little chillier, but this morning we still managed to log 15 singing Chiffchaffs. We wondered what the record was for the site, but I've since discovered it's 20, so we were well short.

Chiffchaff

Never mind, it was still pleasant to be out and about. The Blackthorn blossom is well out and provides a nice backdrop to any birds willing to pose in front of it.

Robin

There are still four Mute Swans present, although one of the immature birds has been replaced by an adult. The Avocets have gone missing from the flash field (John didn't see them either), but we were able to count 23 Teal, a Lapwing, and a Green Sandpiper which skulked behind rushes at the far end of the nearest flash.

The breeze was good for displaying raptors. We counted four pairs of Buzzards, a pair of Red Kites, and three Kestrels. One of the Kites appeared to be carrying something twig-like (or maybe an insect) in its bill, which was rather curious. Maybe an element of courtship?

Red Kite

There can be little doubt that the pair plan to breed nearby. Arguably our highlight was a pair of Grey Wagtails which flew down the brook, we don't often see them here in spring.

Something of a slow news day I'm afraid.

Saturday March 23 - Arrow Valley Lake saves the week

 I've not been able to get out much this week. A visit to Shortwood Roughs on Tuesday was quite pleasant until the local Clay Pigeon shoot opened up. 

Last night I got a text from Mark Islip telling me there was a Cattle Egret roosting with the Little Egrets at Arrow Valley Lake. I dashed there in fading light and counted 17 Egrets but couldn't pick out the Cattle Egret as most birds were asleep. I also noticed a lot of small bats flying over the water, which I would guess were Daubenton's Bats.

So this morning I was up with the lark, 05.15, (forgetting my mobile phone in my haste) and was relieved to see the same number of Egrets still present. It took a while to find the bird, but I eventually focussed on one bird which seemed to lack the long plumes shown by the obvious Little Egrets.

It remained back-on, and headless for about thirty minutes before I got a brief view of its head.  It had the saggy jowl look of a Cattle Egret, although the bill was disappointingly dull.

I went back home to get my phone and returned in better light, finding Mark watching it, and was able to get some better shots.

Cattle Egret

By now the light was good enough to enable me to see the faintly orange crown which is shown by birds in breeding plumage.

It started clambering about by about 07.30, and I suspect it may soon move off to feed elsewhere. 

Other birds were present around the lake, but with my time restricted I only noticed a Kingfisher, a Goosander, a few Redpolls, and singing Chiffchaff and Blackcap.

The Cattle Egret was the first I have seen within my Circle parameter. Many thanks to Mark for letting me know it was there.

Sunday March 17 - Could this be spring?

 As is usual at this time of year I am constantly searching for signs of spring.

A visit to Earlswood Lakes on Friday failed to bring me any Sand Martins, and I had to settle for a handful of Chiffchaffs around the lakes, while 20 Fieldfares flying east was a reminder that winter birds are still around.

On Saturday I heard that a couple of birders, Gary J and John C, had given Morton Bagot a look and between them had seen four Avocets, an egret sp, numerous Chiffchaffs, and a couple of Stonechats.

It rained heavily overnight, but was forecast to clear so I joined Dave for a bash around the patch this morning. Everywhere was seriously flooded and we joked that there was no chance of an LRP. We did however see a Little Egret with a Grey Heron on the scrapes before confirming that the four Avocets were still resident in the flash field. We logged 12 singing Chiffchaffs as we walked around, but were still missing that little bit of jam on top of the cream scone.

We didn't have to wait long. Scanning the tops of the plastic tree guards Dave noticed a male Stonechat, and panning to the right we picked up something else. Is that a Wheatear? It certainly was, possibly my earliest at Morton Bagot (confirmed as earliest by five days). As clear a sign as you could have that spring has arrived.

Wheatear

By now the sun was starting to shine, and the first three Brimstone butterflies of the season hurried past. They didn't stop long enough to allow a shot, but a Peacock shortly afterwards did.

Peacock

I have recently added to my collection of reference books with a book about hoverflies (Hoverflies of Britain and North-West Europe Bot & Van de Meutter), so I was very pleased when one appeared. 

Tapered Drone Fly Eristalis pertinax

The book suggests that the orange forelegs would indicate it's this common species (which I think I've seen here before). I should say that there are hundreds of species of hoverfly and many cannot be identified from a photograph, so I'm expecting a steep learning curve.

I'll be putting the moth-trap out tonight........and the results are now in:

I caught 34 moths of 11 species including one that was new for me, and three others which were new for the year.

The new one was Pale Pinion. I've seen images of them on line so when I caught it I didn't immediately realise it was new for the garden. I vaguely thought I'd caught one in 2018, but eventually realised I was getting confused with a moth with a similar name (Pale Prominent). They may be fairly common but it's still taken me seven years of garden trapping to finally see one.

Pale Pinion Lithophane socia

The other three which were new for the year were my only micro, Common Plume, plus a March Moth and a very small macro, Oak Nycteoline.

March Moth

Oak Nycteoline on Foxglove leaf

I thought I'd show a picture of the Oak Nycteoline on a Foxglove leaf just to demonstrate how small they are, for a macro.

By doing more trapping early in the season than normal, my garden totals this year are well up for most species. For example I have caught 94 Common Quakers (second best total, with about three weeks before they stop flying), 11 Hebrew Characters (best total), and 13 Clouded Drabs (best total). 

Wednesday March 13 - Mostly about moths

I haven't done much birding since the weekend. A stroll around Studley today produced fly-over Redpoll and Skylark and not a lot else.

However, last night was mild and dry so I put the trap out and duly caught 22 moths of seven species. This fairly modest haul included three that were new for the year; Double-striped Pug, two Oak Beauties, and a Diurnea fagella.

The latter was my first since 2020 and appears to have undergone a name-change since I last trapped one. The English name is no longer March Tubic, but is Early Reveller. I know this because I recently invested in the latest edition of Field Guide to the Micro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, and it now gives both English and Latin names for all the species featured.

Early Reveller Diurnea fagella

Oak Beauty

I'm also keeping up my New Year's Resolution of trying to only show moths in a natural setting. It's probably a bit irritating for the moths, and some of them (like the Double-striped Pug) just fly off before I can get a shot.

Whether this continues to be possible in the warmer weather to come, we shall see. 

Sunday March 10 - Good day at Morton Bagot (and a good bird at Earlswood)

 Before I get to today's visit to Morton Bagot I should wind the clock back to yesterday. John Oates found an adult Mediterranean Gull at Earlswood, and I was able to twitch it efficiently before doing the Saturday shop.

Mediterranean Gull with B H Gulls at Earlswood

They really are stunning birds. I believe this is the second there this year. 

So, back to this morning. The weather had taken a turn for the worse, but the mixture of light drizzle and heavy cloud was not bad enough to put me off. John C had visited on Saturday and it had been pretty quiet.

Dave was away (Mother's Day) so I had the place to myself. A ringed Marsh Tit in a hedge beyond the small pond was a decent start. The scrape field still contained a pair of Stonechats (the male colour-ringed and the female just metal ringed), while four or five Reed Buntings continued to make light work of decimating the bulrush heads.

I was trying to photograph a singing Goldcrest when the sound of a rush of wings proved to have come from a flock of Starlings heading north. Several more parties followed, and I convinced myself I was witnessing visible migration. However, I later discovered a whole load more in the flash field and so they were probably an accumulation of the birds seen "migrating". The flock was actually the largest I have ever seen here, and I would conservatively estimate 1000+.

Starlings (861 in this shot). There was a smaller flock just out of frame.

Moving hastily on towards the flash field I flushed a party of 26 Meadow Pipits before reaching the viewing point. It was immediately clear that two pairs of Avocets had arrived, and I spent a considerable time trying to get all four in one shot. They were clearly two pairs, and they didn't like each other much.

Avocets scrapping

All four spatially distancing

In addition to the Avocets I counted 19 Teal, 23 Lapwings, and two Green Sandpipers.

Lapwings (and a Starling)

Both Green Sandpipers

Slightly unusual for Morton Bagot were three immature Mute Swans which circled before two of them landed on the nearest flash.

Mute Swans

As I left the flash field the weather started to deteriorate, but I still heard my first singing Chiffchaff of the year and added a third Stonechat and a second Marsh Tit to the day's tally before reaching my car.

I'm quite tempted to put the moth trap out tonight.

Friday March 8

Typical early March. The temperature gauges have been heading in the wrong direction, and it's been hard to get motivated.

Nevertheless I convinced myself my cold had gone (it hasn't) and spent Wednesday morning exploring Rough Hill Wood on the south side of Redditch. It was foggy for the entire visit, but as I was in a wood it didn't really matter. Part of the reason for the visit was that Jonathan B (still writing his book on the birds of Warwickshire) had reminded me that he was hoping for additional breeding records for the east side of Redditch which was once within Warwickshire but is now part of Worcestershire. Just to complicate matters further, Rough Hill Wood is a Warwickshire Trust Reserve and is wholly in Warwickshire anyway.

I actually rather enjoyed the visit. It's a smashing wood and looked to have plenty of potential. No Lesser Spots called or drummed to announce their presence, but I did see a Marsh Tit and heard a Tawny Owl hoot. The latter was a year-tick, but it occurs to me that I am now well off the pace and if I do stick to the plan of surveying east Redditch for birds, this could prove a pretty ordinary year.

Rough Hill Wood

Lyn has caught my cold, but despite this we managed to keep our Thursday appointment at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford to see Midsummer Nights Dream. I'm glad we did because it was excellent.

On the downside I got a text half way through the performance; Little Gull at Lower Bittell. This is probably the first twitchworthy (well Shakespeare made lots of words up) bird of the year, and I was well and truly stuck.

This morning optimism got the better of me and I went to see if it was still there. It wasn't, although a flock of 44 Black-headed Gulls briefly raised my hopes. The visit wasn't a complete waste of time as an Oystercatcher appeared at Alvechurch Fisheries during my visit. 

Oystercatcher

Not exactly unexpected as they bred here last year, but still a year-tick.

While the birding has got off to a slow start, my mothing has been a lot more promising. The frosty mornings of the last week relented slightly last night so I gave it a go. This morning the resultant six Common Quakers and a single Small Quaker plus a chilly easterly breeze told me I probably shouldn't have bothered.

Sunday March 3 - Back in the field at last.

 I'm hoping this won't be a flash in the pan, but today I actually went birding to Morton Bagot, and even had a good bird.

The background to all this is that Lyn has required more assistance than usual, and I am her sole carer. Well that was until Friday when a long-standing friend of hers agreed to stay with us for a few days to allow me time to get out. Thanks Carol. 

I had arranged to attend the Warwickshire Biological Recorders meeting near Wellesbourne on Saturday, and was keen to attend. More of that later. But there was a fly in the ointment. During the course of Friday I realised I was coming down with a stinker of a cold. I even took a covid test before attending the meeting (negative fortunately), but I really suffered throughout the next day and apologise to any of the other attendees I may have given it to.

So this morning, still under the weather, I joined Dave at Morton Bagot for a much needed bit of birding. The weather was fine and sunny, though cold. Too early for any summer migrants (though I did hear there was a Sand Martin at Upper Bittell on Saturday). There were some encouraging signs, in particular a grand total of seven Stonechats. One was the colour-ringed bird and I made another attempt to read its ring, but another male showed fantastically (but was unfortunately unringed).

Stonechat (unringed)

Colour-ringed Stonechat

There was also plenty of Reed Bunting activity in the bulrushes bordering a small pool in the scrape field.

Reed Bunting

We reckoned there were about eight birds present, setting themselves up for the forthcoming breeding season.

I wish all birds showed this well. The morning's highlight was at the other end of the scale. After seeing a reasonably close Red Kite, Dave shouted that he had just seen a broad-winged accipiter flying through a flock of panicking Jackdaws. I missed it completely, but a few minutes later we saw what was almost certainly the same bird high and distant above Bannams Wood. From its shape we could tell it was a Goshawk. We watched it for about five minutes as it briefly threatened to come closer before heading off north-westwards in the direction of Gorcott Hill. At no point could any plumage details be seen, but we are starting to get to grips with the distinctive shape of a Gos, and were in no doubt about it.

There was nothing else seen which could match this bird's rarity value, but it was nice to see four Coots, 26 Teal, and a Lapwing on the flash field.

So back to last week.Stuck indoors my only hope was moths. Unfortunately the nights were generally cold and frosty and there was just one evening when I was tempted to put the trap out. The night of February 28 was also wet in parts, but I managed to catch 11 Common Quakers and three Clouded Drabs.

Clouded Drab

On the subject of moths its worth saying that since the start of the year it has been mild enough to encourage me to do a lot more mothing. Previous years' pre-March efforts have been zero days trapping in 2018, three in 2019, three in 2020, three in 2021, two in 2022, and two in 2023. This year I have attempted to catch moths on seven occasions. My results are nil in 2018, 30 of six species in 2019, five of five in 2020, nine of seven in 2021, three of two in 2022, and 17 of five in 2023.

This year I've caught 82 moths of 10 species, a massive increase.

Going back to the Recorders meeting. It was well attended, maybe sixty or so attendees, of which only five had any real interest in birds (and most of them were also experts in other fields). There were presentations on butterflies, moths, mammals plants, fungi, and bryophytes, and I just love seeing how much knowledge these diverse people had. It's hard to beat a lady interested in fungi who discovered an as yet unnamed small brown toadstool new to science in a graveyard in the county. (Mind you it had to be DNA sequenced to get the identification).

While I was unable to get out last week, other birders were finding a Mediterranean Gull at Earlswood, and confirming the continued presence of the Tundra Bean Goose, now back at a field near Shortwood Roughs, south of Alvechurch.

Tony has had a ringing tick at Morton Bagot, successfully catching a Stock Dove overnight on March 1. A common bird here, but you're not likely to catch one in a mist-net.

Stock Dove in the hand

I'm not sure what the coming week has in store. Carol has gone home, but I'm hopeful that I'll be birding again by mid-week.