tag:,2009:/471 2009-01-08T17:09:00Z John Dempsey has been a properish birder for more than 30 years and compiled the Daily Post "Country Matters" column. Birdblog looks at birding in Merseyside, Lancs and beyond! Movable Type Enterprise 4.21-en tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2009://471.115242 2009-01-08T16:51:09Z 2009-01-08T17:09:00Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Breaking all the rules of Snow Buntery, the little weasels were out on the wet sand rather than foraging in the tidal debris at the top of the beach. They were whizzing about like Sanderlings searching for food, with at least one male in the flock, although I'd have had to have used a flashlight to be absolutely sure of the rest, it was so dark when I found 'em. After about 15 minutes they flew off south to the area where Ralph had seen them earlier, trilling away - nice....certainly nicer than the albino-ish Chaffinch posing as a Snow Bunting in the Daily Mail over the festive period - good to see that organ is maintaining its usual grip on reality. On the down side, the boat I've had my eye on as a possible escape vehicle should the need arise is now in a parlous state - strange, it looked okay when I last checked it in November. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... ]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2009://471.114895 2009-01-07T12:04:51Z 2009-01-07T12:53:03Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Martin Mere welcomes back a very old friend "A 23 year old Bewick's Swan has astounded WWT staff by arriving at Martin Mere after it was first ringed at the Centre in 1991. Given the fact that the Bewick's Swan migration journey from Siberia to winter in the UK is approximately 2,200 miles, this bird will have travelled at least 100,000 miles so far in its unusally long life. Martin Mere is commonly known for the numbers of Whooper Swans that migrate from Iceland to winter at the mere, but in the eighties, Martin Mere also welcomed thousands of wintering Bewick Swans from Siberia but as temperatures have increased the swans don't need to make such a long journey and they are now tending to spend the winter in Holland or east coast of England. As a result Martin Mere has only had 7 Bewick Swans arrive at the Centre this winter, the lowest recorded number since it was established in 1975 illustrating how global warming is affecting migration patterns of birds. Centre Manager, Andy Wooldridge, said: "The Bewick's Swan arrived back at Martin Mere on 6 January and after reading the metal ring number we were amazed to discover that the bird was ringed at Martin Mere as an adult in 1991 when we assumed he was at least 4 years old, making him an astonishing 23 years old in 2009. Throughout his life he has been logged in the Netherlands and in Denmark, but was last seen in the local area on 24/01/2006 at Bradshaws Lane at Pilling by Charlie Ligget, a former warden at Martin Mere. " We know that he is a male swan because the ring was placed on his right leg, the identification tool for knowing the sex of a swan. Bewick Swans are much smaller than Whooper Swans and they can be identified by just having a small yellow dot on their bill in comparison to the Whooper Swans who have the majority of the bill covered in a yellow triangle. Visitors to the Centre can now come and spot the Bewick Swans in the daily swan feeds and there are two final opportunities on Saturday 7 February and Saturday 14 March to see the birds as they leave the roost at our Dawn Flight events. The event costs £14.00 and includes a full English breakfast. Please call 01704 891220 for further information. WWT Martin Mere is open every day from 9.30am to 5.00pm and parking is free of charge. Situated off the A59, it is signposted from the M61, M58 and M6. The Centre is also accessible via the Southport to Manchester and the Liverpool to Preston line by train from Burscough Rail Stations. Visit the web site http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/martinmere/ to find out what's on all year round at Martin Mere and the other eight centres." It's certainly the case that Bewick's Swans are changing their mgration patterns, but I'm sure I've read somewhere that Whooper Swans are (not surprisingly given their larger size) the dominant species at food sources, so another reason for their scarcity round here now could be the increase in Whooper numbers too. Birders of a certain age will remember when Bewick's was the common swan at Marshside in winter, and Whooper was the tricky one to find - how things change! Speaking of Marshside, thanks to Graham Clarkson for sending me these details of a colour ringed Ruff seen on the reserve recently. It was first caught on April 4th, this year at Workum in Holland (ring colourcode: B2RWBY) Date/Site/Observer: 19-4-2008: Workum, Workumerbinnenwaard-Zuid, Netherlands;Theunis Piersma. 11-7-2008: Workum, Workumerbinnenwaard-Noord, Netherlands; Theunis Piersma. 30-9-2008: Martin Mere WWT, Sunley's Marsh; David and/or Estelle Walsh. 3-10-2008: Martin Mere WWT, Sunley's Marsh; Kane Brides. 14-12-2008: Marshside RSPB Reserve;Graham Clarkson. And, not forgetting these excellent shots that Graham Moreton has sent me from the over the festive period....wish I could blatt a Barn Owl like that Graham! Thanks all - nowt much else to report, although an egret I saw flying westward over Formby by-pass near the Lighthouse roundabout yesterday afternoon looked mighty small. No way of stopping in the traffic, but I'm sure it was just a Little. Probably. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... ]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2009://471.114560 2009-01-05T19:46:50Z 2009-01-05T19:56:05Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> You'd think it'd be straightforward enough to find a feeding flock of Pink Feet on the mosses, even with the shorter winter hours - yet I failed spectacularly this afternoon. Annoying, as I wanted to look for the two fabalis (Donald Duck-type) Bean Geese that have been around for the last week or two. But first you have to find your geese, and there weren't any on Downholland Moss, in fact only Pheasants, Kestrels and small pockets of Fieldfares were about as the temperatures fell away. No gulls around Worrall House Farm either, but things looked up a bit with a fine hunting Barn Owl on the Withins, behind the farm buildings from Engine Lane, and a few skeins of Pinkies, which seemed to be heading off towards Lydiate Moss. Red Legged Partridge calling away there too, but the owl was a cracker - switching one way and another as it quartered the ditches, hovering and plunging into the grass, before it headed off towards Altcar Moss. As I left the mosses and drove towards Formby By-Pass, the sky was filled with about 1,700 Pinkies heading out to roost on the Alt estuary at Hightown (I bet they were all out on Plex earlier in the afternoon). Some days are like that. At least the sunset was nice. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2009://471.114318 2009-01-04T15:53:43Z 2009-01-04T19:48:15Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Okay, so it's not a Glaucous Winged Gull - but then, what is? Wigeon and Pintail at point blank range too, but not that many waders on the inland side - apart from Blackwits and Curlew, only to be expected given the cold conditions. Over the other side of the road, about 700 Pinkies were in the outer marsh and were spooked by this hunting Marsh Harrier, which sent them scattering before heading off on its way. Just a bit too far off to get any nice digiscoped shots, but it was around for about 45 minutes, until a Carrion Crow began hassling it and before both birds went up high to the north. Could just make out a little bit of pale feathering on the forewing. Perched up halfway out was a pale Common Buzzard too. Otherwise Stonechats, Merlin, Kestrel etc out there and 7 + Little Egrets. Tawny Owl in the back garden at Dempsey Towers was nice last night, and now four Fieldfares coming into the garden, with all the usual. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... PS: Si Glinn's Twite shots from Weld Road today ]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2009://471.114288 2009-01-03T16:20:44Z 2009-01-03T16:31:07Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> The Ings were on good form, with a great drake Smew - an elusive if regular species on the reed fringed pits here each winter. No sign of any Bitterns this time, but you can't have everything. A male Bearded Tit feeding in the reedbed was particularly unobliging too. Green Woodpecker in the fields near the reserve, and plenty of Fieldfares and Blackbirds in the hawthorn hedgerows. A wintering juv Marsh Harrier was a nice bonus. Apart from the Smew and small numbers of Tufties and dabblers, Ruddy Ducks and Grey Herons, a few Great Crested Grebes were sailing about, and two were already starting half hearted display. Nice to see. Further down the coast at Killingholme Haven, more Fieldfares, Redwings and a Kingfisher, but not much else it had to be said. There was always the House Sparrow colony in "The Outlaws" back garden at Immingham to enjoy - we don't get them at Dempsey Towers. Got back to Merseyside today - Fieldfares and Mistle Thrushes in the garden, but not a lot else. Happy New Year to all. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... ]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.113751 2008-12-29T19:44:24Z 2009-01-04T16:24:46Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Amazing - just what you need in the depths of winter - Mike McKavett comes up with the goods on Gambia...over to Mike, and enjoy.... Just back from a week in The Gambia after a 20 year absence. Not much change really. Abjectly poor and very hot. 95 during the day and 75 at night. Phew! More people, but I'm not sure if that's population increase or people gravitating towards the coast. Probably a bit of both. Increased development around the coast. The area where we used to stay near Kotu Stream was horrendous as was the area around the Senegambia; a favourite with birders. It was like 'tin city'. Most of my photography 20 years ago was done around a seasonal wet area close to Kotu. The area looks like a small town now. We stayed at the Sheraton, a new development in a quiet area well to the south of the traditional tourist areas. It's very close to the Tanji Bird Reserve which is handy. An attempt to preserve the dwindling coastal scrub habitat, it's not that good for birding but it's nice and quiet and hassle free. I only came across 2 locals; fisherman who just said "hello". I came across them a little later, chopping wood which is illegal apparently. Could explain their reticence to engage me in conversation but I wasn't going to complain. It's easy for us 'armchair conservationists' sitting in our nice houses in overpopulated and overdeveloped UK belching out carbon as if it's a competition, but these people are so poor. For many in this country as elsewhere in sub-saharan Africa, wood is a basic daily necessity. Tanji Bird Reserve was established mainly through the efforts of Clive Barlow, the author of the superb Field Guide to Birds of The Gambia and Senegal. Clive, a local lad from the other side of Preston has been living in the Gambia as a professional bird guide for some years now and if you want to pay someone to show you the birds of the country, he's probably the best. I don't have any contact info but if you google his name, something will come up. Being a photographer, I tend not to use guides, but many years ago I approached the famous and apparently highly respected Lamin Sidibegh (my spelling). We agreed to meet at the Kombo Beach Hotel the following day. I wasn't staying there but it was mutually convenient. When I arrived, he'd run up a huge drinks bill in the bar on my tab, believing I was staying there. He was that pissed he was literally falling over. After we agreed a price, he then took me to all the well known stake-outs that I already knew about and demanded a new fee in excess of what we'd agreed. I dragged him out of the car and literally 'kicked his arse'. I then left him at the side of the road and looking back on the incident, am surprised I didn't end up in 2mile Prison. Make of this what you will, but my own personal opinion for what it's worth is to avoid local guides. There are hordes of them now plying their trade in the Kotu area. They're easy to spot with their binoculars but many haven't a clue and are just jumping on the 'bandwagon'. They often refer to bird species in general terms such as "de vulture, de shrike" etc. If you know a guide you've used before, great. Put money back into the local economy. I'm all for it and they sure as hell need it. The Gambian authorities probably consider coastal scrub as nothing more than wasteland, good only for hotel development. It's apparently very important not only for some resident species but also palearctic migrants such as Melodious & Subalpine Warbler, Redstart and Nightingale. Little Bee-eaters, the world's smallest, like hunting in the lower air-space close to the ground and are very common in this sort of habitat. The one in the attached photo was in some nice coastal scrub attached to the hotel grounds. It looks like it's warming up in the dawn light which may seem odd, but when you've been flying around chasing insects all day in temperatures approaching 100 F., 75 F. at night might feel cold. I built a small bird bath in the scrub using a bin liner (I always carry one in my camera holdall when abroad) and that's where the Black-rumped Waxbill was photographed. It was so hot, I had to frequently replenish the water supply. In the afternoon, I'd put about 8 litres in and by the morning, most had evaporated. I was only in the country for a week so didn't photograph many species. The star bird for me though was the male Northern Red Bishops. I've seen them in western Kenya as well as the Gambia, but they've always been in non-breeding plumage. The males then look like short-tailed female House Sparrows with crown stripes. This year the summer rains have apparently been good and the birds were nesting late. Driving along the main road east of Pirang, I found many males in breeding plumage displaying in the elephant grass and sorghum fields at the side of the road. The film I use, Fuji Velvia is well known for its deep colour saturation and is particularly sensitive to greens and reds so I knew these stupendous bright red males against the green grass had the makings of a stunning picture & I wasn't wrong. They were easy to photograph from the car. When they see a female, the males go ballistic with a spectacular display. They puff their mantle & crown feathers up like little puff-balls and set off on a strange hovering/bobbing flight, a bit like Sean Connery in Thunderball (I think) when he escapes from the building with a jet-pack on his back. They also make some weird sounds while doing this. A crackling raspy song that sounds like static electricity (or maybe it's the wings?). One afternoon while photographing the Bishops, I had my only mishap of the trip; the starter motor conked out. 4 tiny young boys duly appeared out of the surrounding bush, their flashing white teeth almost blinding me as they smiled and offered to push-start me. I was in a long wheel-base Mitsubishi 4WD that looked like tank and thought "there is no way these tiny kids are going to push this vehicle". We agreed a fee of 50 Dh (about£1.50) and as I walked back to the vehicle, one said "you pay us first", obviously mindful of the fact that I could possibly just drive off. I released the hand-brake and the vehicle flew down the road. I don't know where they got the strength from but I was impressed. I gave them 100 Dh. and they ran off into the bush waiving the crisp new note above their heads, screaming wildly. A little further down the road at a police check-point, I told the guy what had happened and that I thought maybe their mother would confiscate the money. "Not necessarily" he replied. "It depends if they have been educated. If they have been to school, they will know to keep the money in their pockets". Obviously Business Studies is high on the Gambian school curriculum. I drove back to the car-hire firm and 5 miles from base, the engine blew up with smoke everywhere. I started walking back with all my gear in the heat, but a local guy outside his house by the side of the road offered to take me in his car for 100 Dh. He gave me his e-mail address and said "maybe I can come to England and stay with you". The usual crap you get whenever you make contact with anyone on the coast as they desperately try to 'escape' from the poverty but you can't solve their problems and you have to detach yourself from this. That idiot Geldof thinks otherwise and believes it's all our fault. "Has he ever been to Africa?" I sometimes wonder. Long after my last visit 20 years ago, I think it was 1994, there was a military coup in the Gambia and the head of the military installed himself as leader. On this visit, I noticed large billboards at the side of the road with the smiling leader in traditional robes 'looking down at his tribe' and underneath something like "thank you for 14 wonderful years". I'm sure they have been as he counts all the money in his Swiss bank account. I have to be careful what I say here as I'm hoping to go back next year. There's an English missionary languishing in Mile2 Prison near the junction with Bund Road, accused of sedition. I've never been inside thank God! but have seen it from the outside (It's adjacent to Banjul rubbish tip) and you don't need a vivid imagination to picture the horrors inside. The African Pygmy Kingfisher was photographed in Abuko, at one time the country's most famous and only reserve. It was photographed from one of the so called photo-hides up by the animal orphanage (a small zoo really). You can book in advance for sole use and a small fee. This is handy as it avoids the bird photographer's perennial problem, human disturbance. The Pygmy Kingfisher, one of the world's smallest, is a typical dry habitat species found in forest and dense scrub. They're insectivorous and regularly come to the small pool in front of the hide to bathe. The only problem is they're quick and usually dart back into cover after diving into the water. You also need 'fill-flash' as the light is poor but as you can see from the attached shot, I was very lucky. To give your readers a taste of the country, I've attached a shed load of pictures from 20 years ago. They were taken on Kodachrome 64, considered 'de rigueur' by serious wildlife photographers at the time but showing it's age now. Variously described as rain forest and forest savanna mosaic, Abuko, a very small reserve is not really rain forest, more like riverine forest and dense savanna scrub but it's good for birds and monkeys too. Western Red Colobus, an endangered species due to habitat destruction and the 'bush-meat' trade, is common in Abuko and easily seen. I found the place a little run down, 20 years on. Lethargic disinterested staff and several of the photo-hides overgrown with vegetation and out of use. 5 species of Roller occur in the Gambia and I've attached 3 of them. Abysinnian is a local breeder in the country but very common in the dry season when birds from the sahel to the north disperse after the rainy season. Very common on roadside telegraph wires and one of the first birds seen en route from the airport to the hotels. Blue-bellied is a west African speciality that appears to have a close affinity with oil-palms. They frequently nest in the hollow trunks of dead ones but have also been recorded eating the fleshy fruits. This one was photographed in Abuko. Green Turacos are large noisy west african forest birds that can be difficult to see. They like to remain within the dense foilage and are usually seen flying across gaps between the canopy in noisy groups. Interestingly, the name was apparently believed to be derived from the word turacin which I am led to believe is a water soluble copper compound used in the dyeing industry and which apparently occurs in high concentrations in the bright red wing feathers of all turacos. Some scientists have speculated that maybe this is an adaptation that allows the birds to rid themselves of potentially poisonous metal compounds present in some of the forest fruits the birds eat. The general concensus however is that the name is west african in origin and derives from the loud raucous calls turacos utter. Having heard and seen many species in africa, my money is on the latter. Rufous-crowned Roller is one of the largest and looks quite drab compared to the others but when they fly, they have more blue in the wings than any roller I've ever seen. They're apparently a local dry season visitor and erratic in numbers but this year, I saw loads. They like recently burnt areas of open savanna and this one was photographed 20 years ago along a sandy track that connects the main road to Soma with the road to Selety. It's very sandy in places and you need 4WD but first thing in the morning it can be good for open country species and raptors. This is where I photographed the Bateleur. These spectacular birds of prey get their name from the French word which apparently means tight-rope walker and refers to the birds strange and distinctive canting flight. Apart from albatrosses, the Bateleur must be one of the world's most aerodynamic birds. The late Leslie Brown, a Scotsman who settled in Kenya and became one of the world's foremost experts on birds of prey, once described this species as "one of the most extraordinary, spectacular and specialised of all land birds". But despite their spectacular appearance, the Bateleur is an habitual scavenger, regularly feeding on road kills. In east africa where this species is very common, they're regularly seen quatering along the country's main roads on the look-out for road casualties. The Mombassa highway through Tsavo National Park is a good place to see them; they're not common in the Gambia. Other species taken from the photo-hides at Abuko include the Shikra, sub-sahara's answer to the Sparrowhawk and Pied Kingfisher. Most of the other species, Greenshank, Wattled Plover and the stonking female Painted Snipe were photographed at the site near to Kotu that sadly is no more. Painted Snipe are common in the Gambia but can be hard to find. Apart from being secretive and superbly camouflaged, they're crepuscular in their habits, being mainly active during the early morning and evening. I was very lucky to find the birds and was just as secretive as they were. This shot would not have been possible with hordes of birders around. I remember while sitting in the car, everytime a birder or anyone else for that matter approached to see what I was up to, the birds would slink off and disappear into the waterside vegetation. Possibly the most famous bird in the Gambia is the enigmatic Egyptian Plover. To have a real chance of seeing one, you need to travel upriver to the small town of Basse. From November to the New Year, small groups regularly occur by the riverside jetty. It's an horrendous journey of some 260 miles, especially on your own and takes between 7-9 hours. As you travel further east up country it gets even hotter and you need to take lots of water with you. I've done it twice and on both occasions the major problem for me, was where to stay. When I went up there 20 years ago, the only place was the famous or should it be infamous Apollo Hotel. As you can see from the pictures it's a dump. No lights and it was like an oven. No air-con with the corrugated iron roof re-radiating the daytime heat. I'm sorry about the shorts and white socks but they were all the fashion then, honestly! Apart from gallons of bottled water, I survived on biscuits and cold baked beans from a jar for 3 days. Some of you may be wondering "why a hotel there?" Well I don't want to offend anyone but for those of you who don't know, in many parts of sub-saharan africa, the word hotel is a euphemism for brothel and the Apollo was no exception. Apart from locking my room door, I barricaded it with a large heavy hard-wood table that was in the room and had to endure constant knocking on the door with male and female voices shouting "mister englishman. open the door". It's funny now but at the time it was a bit scary. I also had to endure mice and the biggest cockroaches I've ever seen attacking my biscuits. There are many special birds up there apart from Egyptian Plovers. Red-throated Bee-eaters are a local speciality. They're common in the sahel from Senegal across to Ethiopia, but in the Gambia are only found upriver in URD (upper river district). Their habits make them hard to connect with. They arrive at the breeding grounds towards the end of the rainy season (October) when the normally hard laterite soils in the region are still soft and workable. Once the nest burrows have been excavated, the birds disperse and become nomadic, returning just before the next rainy season (April?) to time their breeding cycle to coincide with the abundance of insects that occurs during the rains. 20 years ago, I was very lucky to find an active colony, nest excavating in a dry gully almost in the centre of town in December, which I believe is quite late. Egyptian Plovers are sometimes called 'crocodile birds' but both names are really quite inaccurate. The name 'crocodile bird' has been documented as far back as the ancient greeks in the writings of Herodotus and the name refers to the alleged habit of picking the teeth of basking crocodiles. The most recent evidence of this habit comes from the late, now disredited Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen. The bird has been well studied in recent years and there is no modern documentary evidence of what now appears to be a myth. The more familiar name is not much better. For one thing, they haven't occurred in Egypt for a long time, possibly over 100 years and they're not plovers. The shot of the bird standing erect and alert gives a clue. Their closest relatives are the coursers, birds normally associated with dry desert habitat in africa, the middle east & india. Egyptian Plovers breed further upstream in Senegal and disperse after the breeding season, when they regularly occur at Basse. First thing in the morning, they feed around the ferry jetty and are quite tame and confiding. Later on as the area becomes busy with people, they disperse often to nearby riverside gullies and can be difficult to find. Their breeding biology is interesting. They nest on exposed sand-bars on the larger rivers in the drier parts of west & central Africa. They're supposed to be widespread and locally common but for British birders, the options are limited. Years ago apparently, one of the best known stake-outs was the capital of the Sudan, Khartoum, at the confluence of the Blue & White Nile, but if you read the papers regularly, you'll know that this venue is 'no-go' for westerners. They apparently partially bury the eggs in the sand and protect them from the scorching sun by squatting over them and wetting them with water brought in their absorbant belly feathers. As I said before, you have to time your trip carefully to have a chance of seeing them. I'm not sure of the current situation but they used to arrive in November and return upstream in January to breed. They have occured in other parts of the Gambia. A recent trip list I found on the internet had a record of several birds at Buiba Swamp, an unusual place for this species. The main road traverses this good birding area east of Soma en route to Basse and is where the Yellow-billed Stork was photographed. There was a breeding colony years ago in the nearby village of Jappeni and is probably where these birds came from, but I don't know if they still breed there. Anyway John, enjoy the pics and you might think of going out there one day. Wonderful Mike, thanks for the report and stunning pix - Gambia appears to knock the Sands Lake at Ainsdale into a cocked hat... Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.113728 2008-12-29T16:15:07Z 2008-12-29T16:24:16Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Water Rail squealing from cover halfway up, and one of the Mute Swans was calling repeatedly - not a call you hear that often, but then if I'd have had to walk around on ice in my bare feet all day, I'd probably have something to say about it too. Especially with those big splitty-splatties. Song Thrush, Redwing, Goldcrest, titmice etc in the bushes, and on the ice, Coots looking far more cheesed off than normal. Roll on spring. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... ]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.113598 2008-12-28T21:45:25Z 2008-12-28T21:55:26Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> A few more Fieldfare on the Withins, with Stock Dove there, and about 70 Lapwing and 30 Golden Plover. Just before I came into the back of Great Altcar vilage a superb hunting Barn Owl went falling across the fields in the bright sun, so I watched it for 20 minutes or so. Great bird, often pitching down into the grass, or more infuriatingly perching up in such a way that I was unable to focus the camera on it against a background of farm buildings, ending up with fuzzy images - there's more to this photography lark than meets the eye! Even less chance of getting a nice shot of it in flight as it flickered about like a giant moth, so I just watched it for most of the time instead, a real cracker... Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... ]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.113563 2008-12-27T17:08:48Z 2008-12-27T17:25:50Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Up to 18 Carrion Crows rooting amongst the infinity of razorshells washed up along the high tide mark - along with sea urchins, dog whelks etc. Sanderlings, Grey Plovers, Oycs and Barwits out in the channels as the tide receded and an adult Peregrine sitting on the sand nearer Weld Road. Tried to get closer to it, but it let me move to within 200 metres and then flew off to the north east contemptuously. Probably the bird Duncan Rothwell had seen flying past Ainsdale earlier in the day. A quick look offshore just after the high tide revealed 8 Great Crested Grebes and three Red Throated Divers plus about 50 Common Scoter. Good light with the sun making the grebes and divers shine white against the gentle swell - may be worth another look tomorrow over the tide. Didn't bother looking for Jack Snipe in the marshier areas - they'd probably been disturbed enough by passersby, and when it gets frosty they tend to decamp over the Coast Road and into the Birkdale NR Slacks anyway - and that mysterious world is best left to Tropical Thomason.... Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies.... ]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.113526 2008-12-26T16:12:12Z 2008-12-26T16:20:50Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Two Stonechats on the seaward side of the road north of the Sandplant, with Merlin and Peregrine out there too, but no sign of any Short Eared Owls or Hen Harriers, which I was hoping for given the glorious sunny conditions. Still on their Christmas jollies like everybody else I expect. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.113484 2008-12-24T16:11:58Z 2008-12-24T16:53:25Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Couldn't pick up anything out of the ordinary with them. Buzzard and two flocks of Corn Bunting out there too, with 20 birds in one flock and 14 in the other. Two Mistle Thrushes singing out on Plex this afternoon. If anything, the back garden of Dempsey Towers was more interesting, with male Blackcap and Greater 'Pecker amongst the titmice and finches at the feeders and three Redwing, four Mistle Thrush and seven or more Blackbirds fighting over cotoneaster berries. Commendably I resisted the temptation to take a shot of a singing Christmas Robin. The thrushes were too flighty to get a pic, but I may try again over the next few days. Just one problem... A wee scratch on my scope may pose something of a hinderance to this plan (how did that happen?), but I'm sure a bit of Sellotape and the thing will be good as new... Oh dear, in the immortal words of Jellyhead Jackson "look after your kit and your kit will look after you..." Luckily it's just the clear filter that's trashed (good job I use one - they really protect the lens), but I'll give Autoglass Repair a quick call anyway to see if they come out on Christmas Eve. On the subject of Christmas and all things festive, hope you all have a great Christmas and New Year - thanks for all the comments, info and pictures you've sent in over 2008. One final question - does anyone know where the hell I can get one of these before the shops shut? And more importantly, how do I wrap it? Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... ]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.112902 2008-12-22T12:16:50Z 2008-12-22T21:46:16Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> 'PERSECUTION' PUSHES BIRD OF PREY TO BRINK By Emily Beament, Press Association Environment Correspondent Continued illegal persecution of hen harriers is pushing the bird of prey to the brink of extinction in England, the Government's conservation body warned today. A report by Natural England said hen harriers were particularly at risk from systematic persecution and disruption in areas managed for red grouse or gamebird rearing. As a result, there are critically low numbers of breeding pairs on areas which provide suitable habitat and could support healthy populations. Natural England chairman Sir Martin Doughty said the hen harrier had become the "emblem of man's callous disregard" for the country's wildlife. Only a quarter (26%) of breeding pairs on red grouse moors manage to produce fledged chicks, while Natural England said there was "compelling evidence" that persecution continued at communal winter roosts. In one 12-month period, six birds fitted with satellite transmitters were tracked from the hen harrier stronghold of Bowland Fells into parts of the North Pennines managed as driven grouse moors - and literally disappeared off the map. They have not been recorded subsequently, while in another incident three signals "went dead" in one geographical area between 2007 and 2008. Monitoring work since 2002 revealed that the relative tiny area at Bowland, Lancashire, was the site of more than two-thirds of the 127 breeding attempts by the once-common hen harriers during that time. Bowland, where Natural England and the RSPB work with private landowners and gamekeepers to manage the area in a way that supports the birds, is the only place in England where the bird has increased since the hen harrier recovery project started in 2002. Some 50 of the 72 successful nesting attempts - in which hen harrier chicks fledged - in the past seven years were at Bowland. A report in September showed there were just a handful of successful nests again this year, despite estimates by the RSPB that the country's uplands could support at least 200 breeding pairs of one England's rarest bird of prey. The monitoring programme by the RSPB and Natural England found there were just 10 nests where the chicks were successfully reared, out of 19 attempts. Last year the figure was 14 successes from 23 attempts, and the number of successful nests in England has not exceeded 15 in any year since 1994. The hen harrier became extinct in the UK in Victorian times and recolonised in Scotland - where there are now 630 breeding pairs - in the interwar years. They only began to come back in England in the 1970s and numbers remain extremely low. Sir Martin said: "The hen harrier has unfortunately become the emblem of man's callous disregard for the spectacular and majestic wildlife that we have in England. "Following seven years of intensive monitoring and detailed research, the picture is unequivocal - hen harriers are being persecuted while they attempt to nest and birds are simply not returning to their breeding areas the following spring. "The hen harrier should have a much wider range than it does which begs the question why its breeding success is now restricted to one regular site. "The simple answer is that this magnificent bird is being persecuted to the brink of extinction as a breeding species in England." He said Natural England was looking at improving the hen harrier's fortunes by examining the feasibility of reintroducing hen harriers to the lowland part of its former range. Mark Avery, RSPB director of conservation, said: "The findings of this report reinforce what the RSPB has been saying for years: the hen harrier is being driven to extinction in England by illegal killing. "It is unacceptable in a modern society like ours that such crimes continue to be committed at all, let alone on such a scale. "Hen harriers belong to the skies and to all of us; they are not pests to be killed out of hand by a selfish minority. "The majority of those involved in shooting are decent, law-abiding people. This report puts the onus on them to root out those bad apples prepared to break the law and drag the good name of shooting through the mud." He added: "We would urge people to show their disgust at these crimes by pledging their support for our campaign to stop the illegal killing of birds of prey." To get involved in the RSPB campaign to stop low life weasels thinking they can off raptors with impunity, click here Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.112783 2008-12-21T20:56:22Z 2008-12-21T21:03:27Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> On the Sandplant lagoon up to 35 Pochards dozing away and smaller numbers of Tufties, with Little Grebe, Grey Heron etc. Best bird was undoubtedly the fine male Hen Harrier sweeping up and down the outer marsh - a beauty that at times came quite close to the road, rising high as the wind gusted. Merlin out there too, with about 1,000 Pink Feet bobbing up and down in the vegetation. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... ]]> tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.112677 2008-12-19T18:42:19Z 2008-12-19T19:00:05Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Today is apparently known as "Black Friday" because as the last Friday before Christmas, it's the day when everyone goes out and gets completely ratted - it would be rude not to join in, but before all hands headed down to the Guest House, I managed a quick count at the Sands Lake this afternoon. It was black as the inside of a coal sack by 3pm (only a few days to go before the days start getting longer again), and the wind was freshening already with occasional showers. 76+ Tufted Ducks, with at least 2 Pochard with them in the gloom, 2 Cormorant, the usual 2 Mute Swans, gazillions of Mallards, 16 Shovelers and up at the north end, Little Grebe and Water Rail. Plenty of Black Headed Gulls bumming bread by the car park, but not even enough light to manage an artsy-fartsy shot of the flock being blown around in the strengthening gale, so I gave up on fancy exposures and slow-mo shots and headed in the same direction as everybody else. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies... tag:birdblog.merseyblogs.co.uk,2008://471.112153 2008-12-17T16:13:34Z 2008-12-17T16:26:34Z

http://johndempsey.merseyblogs.co.uk ]]> Completely ragged the Baby Black Death out of the city this afternoon in a vain attempt to get back with enough light left for a quick seawatch off Ainsdale. There's only so long you can go without a seawatch. Even given the parlous state of my driving, I still couldn't make it down to the dunes before the sun went behind the big bank of cloud on the horizon and the sky and sea began to merge into a grey mess. About 30 Common Scoters offshore, moping about, and the usual Cormorants and gulls, but try as I might, I couldn't turn distant young LBBs into wintering Poms. One or two gull roosts on the sand after the high tide, and away up to the north, waders and Cormorants still packed together off Taggs Island. Sanderlings and Barwits feeding on the tideline. On the upside, a stonking Peregrine tanking into Liverpool city centre over Leeds Street yesterday, and today a pair of Mistle Thrushes getting frisky on Old Hall Street. Not my most successful afternoon - but sometimes just looking at the sea is enough. Eyes to the skies everyone, eyes to the skies...