Saturday August 31 - Earlswood Lakes

 When I go birding I typically complete a circuit, trying to cover as much ground as possible. But there is another approach. What if I just stay in the same place to see what flies over? This is known as vizmigging (visual migration watching) and can be productive on a hill top at the right time of the year.

Now is the right time of year, and will be throughout the autumn, it's just a question of picking the right spot and having the patience. It also helps if you start at dawn. This morning I fancied it, so I drove to Earlswood to try my luck on the causeway. 

I arrived just after 09.00, much too late really. Nevertheless I gave it a go and at 10.10 it paid off. Admittedly I'd wandered down the side of Engine Pool to try to get a closer look at an interesting large gull (more of that later), and had just returned to the causeway when I noticed a small bird flying rapidly across the road at some height. I realised it was a wader and as I got on it I was lucky that it called, confirming its identity as a Dunlin. It wasn't hanging around, and I reckon it had left the area by the time I'd finished Whatsapp-ing the news out.

As far as visible migration is concerned that was it, but it was a year-tick and even a site tick, so I was well pleased. A little later on another wader appeared, but this was just a Common Sandpiper, the one wader which will land at Earlswood when there is next to no shoreline.

As for the gull, it was an immature large gull and I was wondering whether it was a Yellow-legged Gull. I knew there had been a third calendar year bird here recently, but this bird was younger. I photographed it and after pouring over reference books and on-line photos at home concluded it was probably a second calendar year bird of that species. 

It's primary feathers are still growing which is why it doesn't look long winged. I must admit I find immature Herring/Lesser Black-back type gulls very difficult, and I may have got it wrong.

Common Sandpiper - definitely.

PS: The feedback I have been getting on the Gull has so far been inconclusive, but a tentative identification as Lesser Black-backed Gull seems to be favoured. At least I'm not alone in finding the subject difficult.

Wednesday August 28 - Morton Bagot

 The wind has dropped at last and today was kind of sultry. It felt like a good day to go birding so I headed for the patch.

An early highlight was my first Small Tortoiseshell butterfly for ages. This species used to be so common that it hardly got glanced at, but they've started to get scarcer and scarcer.

As for birds, it looked like being a case of the same old stuff, but in better numbers. For example the nearest flash has had an influx of 29 Teal, all of which flew off when the digger driver working on the Kingfisher Pool lit a small bonfire. Oddly, they weren't bothered by the noise of the excavator. I also counted six Green Sandpipers, which is an increase, a dozen Lapwings, two Little Egrets, two Grey Herons, and the four Snipe seen in previous visits.

On my way back I found the first Whinchat of the autumn accompanying three Stonechats (two juveniles and a male). A nice selection of common warblers including a Lesser Whitethroat rounded things off.

Whinchat flanked by juvenile Stonechats

Whinchat

Encouraging signs, I thought.

Sunday August 25 - Morton Bagot

 Although we are now firmly in the productive part of August, no-one seems to have told Morton Bagot. Maybe I'm just under-performing. Dave unfortunately couldn't join me today and I tried very hard to winkle something out on what started as a fine sunny morning. The south-west wind and cloud increased later, which certainly didn't help.

My best moments were at the scrape field. An adult Hobby powered along the hedgeline, and five Little Egrets dropped in. It was quite a good day for raptors. As well as the Hobby I saw a Sparrowhawk, three Kestrels, six Buzzards, and two Red Kites. 

Common Buzzard

Red Kite

The flash field was disappointing again, just a handful of Green Sandpipers, Snipe, Lapwings, and Teal. It could be that more birds were sheltering from the wind out of sight. A Kingfisher called a few times, but I didn't manage to see it.

Passerines were also hiding away. I eventually spotted a Willow Warbler among the more numerous Chiffchaffs, but only saw three Whitethroats. As usual plenty of warblers tacked unseen in the dense cover, and I also couldn't pin down a sub-singing warbler which sounded as though it was either a Reed or a Sedge Warbler notwithstanding that the sound was coming from a particularly dry area of the forest which now covers the ridge field.

I should mention that I went to Earlswood Lakes on Friday but just saw the usual species, although I was pleased to count five Swifts and three Sand Martins. 

Tuesday August 20 - Morton Bagot

 This was probably not the best morning to choose to revisit the patch. Just as I arrived the heavens opened and I had to sit out the first of what turned out to be a series of heavy showers. In between the deluges I made it to the nearest flash, logging a creditable count of three Willow Warblers along with larger numbers of Chiffchaffs, a Sedge Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, and small numbers of Whitethroats. All pretty standard fare at the back end of August, but welcome nonetheless. A calling Skylark alerted me to an approaching Peregrine which flew right overhead before disappearing over the flash field.

Once I'd got myself settled in the usual spot overlooking the nearest flash, it again started to bucket down. I was trying to be encouraged. Just the weather to drop down a migrant wader. But that doesn't seem to happen these days. In the end I had to settle for a further increase to 15 Teal, 20 Lapwings, a Little Egret, three or four Green Sandpipers and a single Snipe.

By the time it stopped I was thoroughly bedraggled and cold. I still tried wandering back through the long grass in the hope of flushing a Tree Pipit or finding some Chats, but all I managed to see was the local Goldfinch flock which had risen to, I thought, about a hundred birds. This was where the camera came in useful. I waited for the flock to rise out of the thistle heads and took a shot. Back home I counted just over a hundred, but as I'm sure several were out of frame I have raised my estimate to 120, and even that may be on the conservative side.

Most of the Goldfinch flock

Annoyingly the sun came out as I reached my car, but my time was up. It was still interesting to note how the onset of sunny weather encouraged previously silent Woodpigeons to start cooing, and Whitethroats and Reed Buntings to appear. 

I'll try and pick a better day next time.

Tundra Bean Goose getting closer

 I've not been to Morton Bagot this weekend, but was lured away by the opportunity to see the Tundra Bean Goose as it has ventured into Warwickshire for the first time. It took a quick twitch to Earlswood on Saturday afternoon. The bird was asleep with the Greylag Geese on the brick island and was therefore very close and easy to see. 

The hope is that it will now stray to Morton Bagot so that I can add it, despite its dodgy credentials, to the patch list. 

A much rarer creature was at Earlswood that day, but unfortunately I didn't get to see it. I refer to an Oleander Hawk-moth, a quite stunning looking creature, which was sitting in a box in a local garden. This was the ninth record for Warwickshire, the last being in 1962.

Also not seen by me was a Ruff which had circled the Lakes early in the morning. I had to settle for a juvenile Common Sandpiper for my wader fix.

I suppose it was a hankering for waders which led me to join the ringers at Middle Spernal this morning. I had been very impressed by the state of the pool on my last visit, and could just imagine something good on it. 

As it turned out, the only wader there was a Green Sandpiper. The ringers had caught a Kingfisher this morning, but by the time I found them they were winding up and I didn't see very much at all.

Inspired by the Oleander Hawk-moth, I decided to put the garden moth trap out. Obviously there were no Hawk-moths of any kind, let alone mega rare ones, but I did count 61 moths of 28 species. None were new to the garden but there were four that were new for the year. The best of these were both garden seconds, and both previously appeared in 2020.

Cypress Pug

Small Square-spot

The Cypress Pug has most likely come from a Leylandii from a garden four doors down. They only colonised Warwickshire a few years before 2016, but have quickly spread. Meanwhile the Small Square-spot is going in the opposite direction; formerly very common they are now much reduced in numbers. 

Friday August 16 - Morton Bagot

Before I get onto today's birding I should mention that on Wednesday in grey, drizzly conditions I visited Tardebigge Reservoir to see whether it might have a shoreline. As it turned out the reservoir's shore was the same as always, a sort of impacted hard earth which looks useless for waders and supported only Mallard and Canada Geese. The highlight was two Sparrowhawks which flew across the reservoir.

This has some relevance to my visit to Morton Bagot today, this time in fine sunny weather. As I was chatting to the stockman I noticed a flock of Lapwings had got up from the distant flash field. I started counting them, but then noticed there was a large raptor circling high above them. My companion realised that he had lost my attention as I said I was sure it was a Goshawk. He remained convinced it was a Buzzard as I hurriedly unpacked my scope and tripod, and to be fair it was certainly Buzzard sized.

In the scope I confirmed my suspicion that it was a Goshawk, but was disappointed that it kept its distance as it circled vaguely towards Studley. I did then take a few record shots, but I'm not proud of them. My usual blurred silhouetted distant raptor shots.

Looking at the above shot afterwards I was amused to see what appears to be a Swift in the background, although I didn't actually "see" it while I was there. The Gos was brownish, so probably an immature and it was big, so probably a female.

It's lucky I saw this bird because there wasn't much else on offer. Just the usual Red Kite, Little Egret, Green Sandpipers (three), Snipe (two) and Teal (seven). 

The good news, I guess, is that the nearest flash once again contains water....but no muddy edge. There's no pleasing some people.

I saw most of the expected warblers including two slightly less expected Willow Warblers, evidence that birds are now most definitely moving.

Monday and Monday night - August 12

 Monday is generally my day-off from birding, but I'm open to opportunity. This time it was a Whatsapp ping at 07.50.....Black Tern at Earlswood. I couldn't go straight away so sat at home twiddling my thumbs. Another ping came through at 08.30....Marsh Harrier at Earlswood. By 09.00 I was finally able to leave the house by which time the Harrier had drifted north. 

At least I arrived in time to see the Black Tern careering about over Engine Pool. I didn't fancy my chances with the camera and sure enough, I didn't manage a single shot before the bird departed just before 10.00.

Overnight I put the moth trap out. This gained me 116 moths of 38 species, of which 11 were new for the year. Most of those were familiar faces, caught every year. One however was my first since 2018, and therefore the second for the garden. Double-striped Knot-horn Cryptoblabes bistriga is a micro, but not one of the ridiculously tiny ones.

Double-striped Knot-horn

Unfortunately at this time of year moths are mostly of the boring brown variety which get moths a bad name, and to make matters worse several cannot be identified to species level without resorting to the scalpel.

Grey Dagger (or is it a Dark Dagger)

One moth in this category was probably a faded Scarce Footman, but my app was quite certain it was a Hoary Footman, which would be a first for the West Midlands. There's only one way to find out for sure.

Scarce/Hoary Footman

Birds are so much easier.

Sunday August 11 - All's well that ends well

 The quest for a decent bird started with despair at Morton Bagot on a drizzly Thursday morning. Cattle have been released into the scrape field so I moved on to the nearest flash, only to find that it was virtually dry. Some wet mud in the middle harboured a few Pied Wagtails and an optimistic Teal.

The furthest flash was just viewable with a scope and did at least contain the first two Common Snipe of the autumn.

The Kingfisher Pool looks increasingly likely to be on its way to being a fishing pool. A single Cormorant was obviously having the same thoughts.

I also saw five Stonechats on the walk back.

This morning I was joined by Dave in much warmer conditions. The stockman arrived and wound down the window of his Land Rover for a chat. He mentioned having heard a Redshank on Friday. Our jaws dropped, and he admitted it could have been a Greenshank. 

Suitably encouraged, we made our way round. We soon found two Green Sandpipers, two Little Egrets, and five Stonechats on the scrapes. Scanning the furthest flash we located the two Snipe, and a few Lapwings which relocated to the nearest flash. That at least had a puddle in the middle of it.

Although that was the end of the morning's birding, it wasn't the end of the story.

Back home I got a mid-afternoon text from Mike. He'd flushed a Greenshank at Middle Spernal. He thought it might have gone to a small pool beyond and agreed to wait for me.

Things got complicated. On my way there I saw John Chidwick driving past, and managed to let him know about the bird after I caught up with him at a service station. Unfortunately he didn't know the site so I tried to give him directions.

I drove on, and joined Mike. To cut a long story slightly shorter, we found the bird on the small pool.

Greenshank

Mike had to leave, but I needed to find John who had arrived and was lost. Eventually I found him and led him to the bird. A Kingfisher was a site tick, but two Green Sandpipers were more expected.

Needless to say I got lost on the walk back and stumbled back to my car a hot and sweaty mess, but at least I'd got the bird. 

Tuesday August 6 - Earlswood Lakes

I felt like a change of venue today, so opted for Earlswood. It was a cloudy morning, brightening later with hardly any breeze.

As this was my first visit for over a month I chose to walk around all three lakes. The first one, Terry's Pool, gave me an Earlswood tick. The female Mandarin had first been noticed in late July so although I wasn't expecting to see it, I wasn't exactly surprised either.

Mandarin

 In fact Terry's Pool punched above its weight as I also recorded Marsh Tit, and Little Egret. The former was near the causeway between Terry's and Engine rather than in the more usual spot.

The other lakes hosted the usual fare including a Tufted Duck with two ducklings, several pairs of Great Crested Grebes with young on their backs, and a second Little Egret which was so confiding it would have been a crime not to photograph it.

No cropping, it was just very close.

In truth, Earlswood has been just as quiet as Morton Bagot this summer. Hopefully things will soon start to pick up.

News from Morton Bagot: A Great Tit controlled by the ringers on 27 July 2024 had been ringed as a fledgling in a nest box at Mays Wood near Wootton Wawen on May 10 2024. So that's a movement of three kilometres. Quite a decent journey for a Great Tit.

Sunday August 4 - Morton Bagot

 It was a cloudy morning with barely any breeze. The continuing shortage of any significant rain means that the nearest flash continues to dry out. As a result the prospect of seeing any unusual birds remains small.

There are now three Little Egrets present, at least one a juvenile, but the Green Sandpiper counts remains on just four, and Teal achieved the same modest total. We also heard a Kingfisher for the first time for months.

Little Egrets (juv in the middle)

On the walk back Dave spotted some distant Stonechats and we eventually counted four, all juveniles.

When birds are thin on the ground we inevitably start looking at insects. Our first Small Copper of the year being a particular highlight. This species is never common here, but we generally see a few at the back end of summer.

Small Copper

There were plenty of little moths in the grass, including Pale Straw Pearl Udea lutealis, a species I see here every year. They are tricky to photograph as they like to perch on dangling grasses and you can usually only see the underside. 

Udea lutealis (Pale Straw Pearl)

Just as tricky are hoverflies. We noticed a small yellow one and established from the phone app that it was a Sphaerophoria species, I've tried to work it out subsequently and think it is a male Broad-banded Globetail Sphaerophoria taeniata...But it turns out I'm wrong and its probably Common Globetail Sphaerophoria scripta, although the corrected identification was hampered by the inadequacy of the shot.

Probably Common Globetail 

Thanks to Roger Morris for putting me right. I think I'll be more careful before I dabble in hoverfly identification again. 

Friday August 2 - Morton Bagot

 On the plus side, it's now August. This morning's visit to Morton Bagot followed the same script as just about every other visit for the last two months. It's better than sitting in an office all day.

There were a few little victories. The oddest discovery was a fly-over Meadow Pipit which called several times to confirm its identity. I don't think I've ever seen an autumn passage Meadow Pipit here before the very end of August.

Also noteworthy were a couple of juvenile Little Egrets. The ones seen previously this summer have been adults.

The absence of head plumes and slightly olive legs confirm them as juveniles

The water in the nearest flash pool is continuing to evaporate. An influx of 35 Black-headed Gulls was the most obvious result, but it also meant a sharp drop in Green Sandpiper numbers, down to four.

I suspect it will take a bit of bad weather to shake things up.

On the walk down the footpath from the road I photographed a grass moth which I assumed would be the very common A tristella, but on reviewing my photograph I think it may be Pale-streaked Grass-moth Agriphila selasella, which I am less familiar with and would be a site tick if it stands up to scrutiny when I submit it to the recorder.

Pale-streaked Grass-moth Agriphila selasella