Spring migration 2012

[goosey]

We had a very nice long weekend away on Texel, and saw plenty of birds.
The birds I was really wanting to see were the spoonbills. The only ones I had ever seen in the wild were heading south over the beach on their winter migration, there were about 40, that was 15-09-2011.
I was hoping for the last few weeks when we have been out and about to see the arrivals but nothing. Our luck changed on Texel though. There is a breeding colony at De Geul, but when went on Friday to look we couldn't see any on the lake from the observation platform, and because it is breeding season some of the walks had been closed of. I was a bit disappointed not to see the colony but was sort of made up when 4 flew over.



On the Saturday we were at another location called Utopia and saw a pair feeding - what funny movements they make sweeping their bills around, they look as if they are dancing.
As luck would have it on Sunday there was a guided walk at De Geul, which included the colony, so we booked ourselves on it. It was a bit dear at 8.50 Euro's each but was totally worth it in the end. Apart from learning so much about the area and lots of facts all stored in the back of my mind we got to see the Spoonbills!
They haven't all arrived back yet, they start arriving some as early as the end of February some year, and others won't get back for another month or so - it depends which route the ones from North Africa take and whether they cross the Med' or go round.
Last year there were 250 nests! I don't know if I heard this or made it up , but I think this is Europes most Northerly breeding colony.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by chris butterworth

I picked up my first Garden Warbler of the year on Saturday at Woolston Eyes, Warrington ( along with 10 - 12 Black-necked Grebe and 'lots' of Barn Swallow). Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Yellow Wagtail and Common Tern back on The Wirral. See the link for more gen on whats going on on The Dee Estuary.
Dee Estuary Birds - birdwatching, birding and twitching

Chris

No swallows for me yet, I keep asking my husband if they have arrived back where he works, they nest in the covered car park, but Thursday they still were not back.

I saw my first Terns this week end, there were loads on Mokweg when we arrived on Texel, had to get hubby to stop the car so I could get some piccies . Apart from Tern I don't know which type and there are no better photo's.



I didn't know that Yellow wagtails were migrants (so much to learn) until Saturday I had never seen any before but there were a dozen or more on a bank at Utopia. But it turns out I saw "Grey wagtails " but in Dutch they are called De grote gele kwikstaart which translates in to the Large yellow wagtail (no wonder I get confused). So I still haven't seen any yellow wagtails .
I take it I have a image of a male and female grey wagtail here, they look different?

[goosey]

A bit more to add from Texel .

Sadly I didn't see as many waders as I hope, well I saw hundreds and hundreds but the the tide was along way out and there was no public access to the mudflats so we just had to look from a far. There were hundreds of curlew which I could make out.

I saw 6 ring ouzels in flight, and didn't take much notice until it was too late thinking they were starlings or blackbirds, Then when they were in a tree they were much to far away for a decent piccie - I have one as evidence but it is completely rubbish!

What are local to me on the coast area of Ijmuiden in the dune area which I have never seen though over recent weeks lots of sighting from here have been reported. But on Texel at de Horsmeertjes, we saw some . What beautiful birds, not only with that bright blue throat but that orange and across the tail.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by goosey

I saw my first Terns this week end, there were loads on Mokweg when we arrived on Texel, had to get hubby to stop the car so I could get some piccies . Apart from Tern I don't know which type and there are no better photo's.

These are Sandwich Terns.

Originally Posted by goosey

I didn't know that Yellow wagtails were migrants (so much to learn) until Saturday I had never seen any before but there were a dozen or more on a bank at Utopia. But it turns out I saw "Grey wagtails " but in Dutch they are called De grote gele kwikstaart which translates in to the Large yellow wagtail (no wonder I get confused). So I still haven't seen any yellow wagtails .
I take it I have a image of a male and female grey wagtail here, they look different?

No! And No.

That is; No! - these are not Grey Wagtails, and no you don't have a male and female in the photos, both are males.

These are probably both 'pure' male Blue-headed Wagtails (Gele Kwikstaarts). The head colour looks a little bit pale, and the contrasting dark ear coverts on the second bird are a little unusual, but they are probably not outside of normal variation if the effect of lighting, angle, and differences in photographic reproduction are taken into account (if they aren't 'pure' Blue-headed Wagtails, then they are hybrids - eg. "Channel Wagtails", which are a cross between Blue-headed and Yellow Wagtail).
The Dutch list officially has Blue-headed and Yellow Wagtails split as separate species (as well as White and Pied Wagtails), so you still haven't seen a Yellow Wagtail [or Engelse Kwikstaart] though!


I've not seen many migrants yet (not really been looking much), but I have seen my first Swallows and Sand Martins, Little Ringed Plovers, and a small selection of Warblers etc. An Osprey (almost) over my flat yesterday was nice to see though.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by RoyW

These are Sandwich Terns.

Well done, thats rather clever! Thanks

Originally Posted by RoyW

No! And No.

And OH NO from me

Originally Posted by RoyW

That is; No! - these are not Grey Wagtails, and no you don't have a male and female in the photos, both are males.

These are probably both 'pure' male Blue-headed Wagtails (Gele Kwikstaarts). The head colour looks a little bit pale, and the contrasting dark ear coverts on the second bird are a little unusual, but they are probably not outside of normal variation if the effect of lighting, angle, and differences in photographic reproduction are taken into account (if they aren't 'pure' Blue-headed Wagtails, then they are hybrids - eg. "Channel Wagtails", which are a cross between Blue-headed and Yellow Wagtail).
The Dutch list officially has Blue-headed and Yellow Wagtails split as separate species (as well as White and Pied Wagtails), so you still haven't seen a Yellow Wagtail [or Engelse Kwikstaart] though!


I've not seen many migrants yet (not really been looking much), but I have seen my first Swallows and Sand Martins, Little Ringed Plovers, and a small selection of Warblers etc. An Osprey (almost) over my flat yesterday was nice to see though.

I Blame my book , Blue-headed Wagtails don't feature, just the yellow and grey and they looked more grey than yellow. Actually I think the colour shown is pretty accurate, and they were on steep banking, what stops the Waddenzee flooding over on to the island.

Edit:
Actually Roy can you give me the right Latin name please - I have just checked Blue-headed Wagtail and it comes up as in some places as Motacilla flava and in others as Motacilla flava flava
and what is confusing me more is that when I check Yellow wagtail on the Dutch sites(and my Dutch book) that also comes up as Motacilla flava. Sorry.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by goosey

Actually Roy can you give me the right Latin name please - I have just checked Blue-headed Wagtail and it comes up as in some places as Motacilla flava and in others as Motacilla flava flava
and what is confusing me more is that when I check Yellow wagtail on the Dutch sites(and my Dutch book) that also comes up as Motacilla flava. Sorry.

The correct scientific name depends on the taxonomical stance you choose to take. To cover all possibilities the best way to write it is probably Motacilla (flava) flava.

Currently most 'official' taxonomical bodies treat most forms of "Yellow Wagtail" as one species under the name Motacilla flava - so Blue-headed Wagtail is M. f. flava, (British) Yellow Wagtail is M. f. flavissma, Grey-headed Wagtail is M. f. thunbergi etc.

The body that maintains the official Dutch, the Commissie Systematiek Nederlandse Avifauna (or CSNA), has split many of these and has treated them as separate species since 1999 though, so the 'flava' following Motacilla is removed from all of these scientific names on the official Dutch list to show them as different species. Books and websites tend to take time to catch up with changes like this, and even Dutch websites and books by Dutch authors may choose to follow the taxonomy accepted elsewhere in the world (for their own reasons).
The official Dutch list, as of January 2011, can be found as a pdf file here (for anyone who is interested).

I hope that this isn't too confusing!

[goosey]

Originally Posted by RoyW

The correct scientific name depends on the taxonomical stance you choose to take. To cover all possibilities the best way to write it is probably Motacilla (flava) flava.

That's great- thanks .

Originally Posted by RoyW

I've not seen many migrants yet (not really been looking much), but I have seen my first Swallows and Sand Martins, Little Ringed Plovers, and a small selection of Warblers etc. An Osprey (almost) over my flat yesterday was nice to see though.

Still no swallows for me but I did see ringed plovers on the 14th.

I wonder if that Osprey you saw was No Ring?

He is a male osprey which has bred successfully at Bassenthwaite in Cumbria since 2001 with two different females.
This year though he has not returned (yet), which is awfully sad, the Cumbrian Osprey project are still holding out some hope that he will return by the end of the month, but every day which passes there is less chance.

A ringed juvenile male returned on the 9th March, this bird was born at Bassenthwaite in 2007, so it was good to see him return.

The female was thought to have returned on the 30th March.

This is where it gets interesting, this juvenile male was hunting on the lake and brought a fish back to the female - as she ate, he mated with her. Since then he has brought her more fish, sometimes snatching it back from her not really liking the idea of sharing but they have mated several times and started to build a nest in a new location so it is hoped there will be eggs very soon.
(last year's nest had been destroyed in a storm, one the pair made themselves and not one set up by the project, than used in previous years. Over the previous 11 years three nest sites have been used.)
Now then, was this son mating with his mother? It isn't usual behaviour, but has been known to happen, as with case of a grandson and grandmother. (not at Bassenthwaite)
Where this female is not ringed, the osprey project are wondering if it is indeed the same female or a look-alike who has turned up? Another reason for thinking this could be the case is the changing of nest sites they tend to use the same year after year.

[chris butterworth]

I picked up my second Common Redstart for the year not that far from my house, this morning ( my first was yesterday at Moore N.R. by Warrington ). There are more and more Sandwich and Common Tern passing North Wirral along with the years first Manx Shearwater. As for Yellow Wagtail Goosey . There was a paper a few years ago that found, genetically, there were at least two species contained in the bewildering variety of taxa called 'Yellow Wagtail', an eastern clade and a western one ( and two species in Citrine Wagtail ). It's going to take a hell of a lot of figuring out what is what. Don't look at me, I'm busy

Chris

Just heard there are two Common Sandpiper in a pool at the back of my house. Gotta go

C

[chris butterworth]

First Common Swift ( 2 ) belting through the tiny reserve at the back of the house this morning. They must have been part of the small influx that appeared in various places on N. Wirral today. There were also 5 Common Sandpiper, lots of Blackcap, Willow Warbler, a couple of Common Chiffchaff, 2 Sedge Warbler, a Common Whitethroat, 3 White Wagtail and 3 'Greenland' Wheatear. It made for a nice little wander around ( before the rain set in, anyway.)

Chris

[chris butterworth]

Another reasonable morning with anothe 'first for year'. There were still 3 Common Sandpiper at the back of the house ( opposite Gilroy N.P. ) along with a Lesser Whitethroat and 5 Swift. Hoylake Langfields had Sedge Warbler all over, singing from ditches and hedges, and my first Common Reed Warbler in a fenced off part of the local 'river'. Still a bit upset after finding there were a couple of White Stork less than a mile from the house, on Tuesday - but no other local birders knew about them either .

Chris

[goosey]

The Cuckoos are back . I haven't seen/heard one myself, but there are images from yesterday in the NP Zuid Kennemerland in an area I have see them myself. Its rather annoying actually as I had planned to go over to the Vogelmeer myself but it was too far and much too windy to go on the bike.

No swifts flying over the neighbourhood as yet, the earliest I have noted them is the 24th April with other years not noticing any until ín to the first week of May. I though they would have been here early with the strong southerly wind we have been having this week.

[goosey]

The swifts have made it back !
Swooping very low over the garden and tops of the neighbours roof (flat roofs).
Only 6 at the moment as of a few minutes ago, but more should arrive. They have come all this way to find dreadful weather like this - I wouldn't be surprised if they packed their bags and head back to Africa .

[goosey]

What a surprise when we were down at the beach this evening (alas no Bar-tailed godwits ). As we were walking back along the pier the sun was going down and there was about an hour of daylight left, hundreds probably thousands of swallows ! They were everywhere, skimming the almost flat sea, flying over the pier and along the rocks running the length of it, on the beach, in the car park in the sand dunes - I have never seen so many of any type of bird in one go.
What we noticed when we got to the beach that along the shore line and on the pier was the amount of insects around, thousands of midges and St Marksflies and quite alot of ladybirds, it must have been a real feest for the swallows. I can't work out though where all these birds can possibly be nesting .
I am gutted with my piccies I took so many I thought I would have had a couple of sharp images but I don't .

[goosey]

Originally Posted by goosey

The Cuckoos are back . I haven't seen/heard one myself, but there are images from yesterday in the NP Zuid Kennemerland in an area I have see them myself.

I have now .
Today we went over to the Vogelmeer and could hear a Cuckoo but I had to bide my time before I had a chance to see one, it made my day though .

[Suzanne B]

How exciting!
I don't think I've ever heard one let alone seen one either (maybe when I was a child.... but then again it would probably have been a wood pigeon.)
And great to get such a clear photo in flight.
Are there many where you are?

[goosey]

Originally Posted by Suzanne B

How exciting!
I don't think I've ever heard one let alone seen one either (maybe when I was a child.... but then again it would probably have been a wood pigeon.)
And great to get such a clear photo in flight.
Are there many where you are?

Thanks Suzanne, there are about 80 images in the bin of it in a tree behind a mass of twigs, thank goodness it decided to move again!

I don't know if there are many around, I just know they are not as common as they used to be and like so many things on the decline. Having said that though, after a quick look on waarneming.nl hundreds have been heard or seen over the last few days all over the country which is great.
Last year I know for sure there were at least two in this very area where I saw this one yesterday because I could hear two at the same time if you know what I mean. Yesterday I heard lots of the cuckoo calls but in various places with in a few km's but can't tell you if there was more than one bird.

I have never heard them anywhere else in the NP Zuid Kennemerland than in this area, never in town and the only other place I have heard them for myself is in the Amsterdamse waterleiding Duinen.

I think when you hear a cuckoo it would be hard to confuse it with a pigeon or a collared dove, it does what it says on the tin and says cuckoo!

[chris butterworth]

Dee Estuary Birds - birdwatching, birding and twitching

Says it all for yesterday. Hilbre I. is a small ( 4.7 hectare ) tidal island off West Kirby, Wirral. The only cover is a patch of rather stunted Blackthorn and a few very small Sycamores. It was a bit quieter today but I was woken by lots of Willow Warbler song from the back of the house and had 6 feeding in the Black Currant bushes in the garden. Plenty of Common Whitethroat in song around the general area.

Chris

[goosey]

Originally Posted by goosey

I wonder if that Osprey you saw was No Ring?

He is a male osprey which has bred successfully at Bassenthwaite in Cumbria since 2001 with two different females.
This year though he has not returned (yet), which is awfully sad, the Cumbrian Osprey project are still holding out some hope that he will return by the end of the month, but every day which passes there is less chance.

A ringed juvenile male returned on the 9th March, this bird was born at Bassenthwaite in 2007, so it was good to see him return.

The female was thought to have returned on the 30th March.

This is where it gets interesting, this juvenile male was hunting on the lake and brought a fish back to the female - as she ate, he mated with her. Since then he has brought her more fish, sometimes snatching it back from her not really liking the idea of sharing but they have mated several times and started to build a nest in a new location so it is hoped there will be eggs very soon.
(last year's nest had been destroyed in a storm, one the pair made themselves and not one set up by the project, than used in previous years. Over the previous 11 years three nest sites have been used.)
Now then, was this son mating with his mother? It isn't usual behaviour, but has been known to happen, as with case of a grandson and grandmother. (not at Bassenthwaite)
Where this female is not ringed, the osprey project are wondering if it is indeed the same female or a look-alike who has turned up? Another reason for thinking this could be the case is the changing of nest sites they tend to use the same year after year.

No ring didn't return, though more ospreys were seen around the Bassenthwaite area.

There are three eggs in the nest, the third egg was laid on 23rd April, so there is still a wait for any (hopefully succesful) hatching as the incubation period is 35-39 days.
The male Osprey has been given a name Young Victor (YV) and the older and thankfully more experienced female is simply called Mrs.
YV is still being selfish with fish and not bringing much back (his leftovers often) to the nest despite her calling and needing food or him to sit on the eggs so she can go and fish for herself.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by goosey

No ring didn't return, though more ospreys were seen around the Bassenthwaite area.

There are three eggs in the nest, the third egg was laid on 23rd April, so there is still a wait for any (hopefully succesful) hatching as the incubation period is 35-39 days.
The male Osprey has been given a name Young Victor (YV) and the older and thankfully more experienced female is simply called Mrs.
YV is still being selfish with fish and not bringing much back (his leftovers often) to the nest despite her calling and needing food or him to sit on the eggs so she can go and fish for herself.

One of the three eggs was lost by accident last week, a crow getting to close and disturbing the nest resulted in the female flying at tit to scare it away, resulting in her breaking an egg as she left the nest with a tallon.

Today, better news. Just a few hours ago the first of the remaining chicks has hatched. It is hoped that the other egg will hatch on Sunday.

Although it is sad about the lost egg the experts at the Osprey project think in a way this could prove to be beneficial, to a pair having their first clutch together and Young Victor being so young and unsure and being a first time dad. There is a better chance that the youngsters will fare better with food only having to be provided for (hopefully) two young instead of three.

Young Victors fishing and sharing skills are said to be improving everyday you will be glad to hear .

[goosey]

Originally Posted by goosey

One of the three eggs was lost by accident last week, a crow getting to close and disturbing the nest resulted in the female flying at tit to scare it away, resulting in her breaking an egg as she left the nest with a tallon.

Today, better news. Just a few hours ago the first of the remaining chicks has hatched. It is hoped that the other egg will hatch on Sunday.

Although it is sad about the lost egg the experts at the Osprey project think in a way this could prove to be beneficial, to a pair having their first clutch together and Young Victor being so young and unsure and being a first time dad. There is a better chance that the youngsters will fare better with food only having to be provided for (hopefully) two young instead of three.

Young Victors fishing and sharing skills are said to be improving everyday you will be glad to hear .

It seems the remaining egg has run out of time and won't hatch now.
The one chick is grabbing all the attention and food, so every finger and toe crossed on this one that this chick survives.

The Lake District Osprey Project have an online diary and photostream so if you are interested you can keep up with the developements.


Flickr: Lake District Osprey Watch's Photostream

[goosey]

I was so pleased to see a pair of these beautiful Scarlet rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus yesterday. I didn't know they existed until photos started going on waarneming.nl from NP Zuid Kennemerland (my local stomping ground). I never expected to see any for myself. It is a shame the images are so dark and the bright red heads aren't so noticeable, you will just have to take my word how lovely these birds are.

[chris butterworth]

Originally Posted by goosey

I was so pleased to see a pair of these beautiful Scarlet rosefinch - Carpodacus erythrinus yesterday. I didn't know they existed until photos started going on waarneming.nl from NP Zuid Kennemerland (my local stomping ground). I never expected to see any for myself. It is a shame the images are so dark and the bright red heads aren't so noticeable, you will just have to take my word how lovely these birds are.

Nice one Goosey . It's surprising the difference the North Sea makes. Common ( Scarlet ) Rosefinch, Bluethroat and Spoonbill are all scarce ( ish ) migrants in the UK ( although all three have attempted to breed ).

Chris

[reninfrance]

Can I put in a word for my favorite summer visitor, first heard when we were living here in a caravan whilst building our home.
Unable to sleep in the stuffy tin can I opened the window and at 1am was serenaded for an hour by a bird in the brambles nearby.
The brambles are still there and at the end of May the nightingales have returned every year since.
Sitting in the garden in pitch darkness with a glass of something listening to the chattering and trilling which suddenly changes to long soaring notes sets the hair on the back of my neck on edge.
I have tried recording the song with the video on my camera and my computer with no success.
Any ideas?

[goosey]

Originally Posted by chris butterworth

Nice one Goosey . It's surprising the difference the North Sea makes. Common ( Scarlet ) Rosefinch, Bluethroat and Spoonbill are all scarce ( ish ) migrants in the UK ( although all three have attempted to breed ).

Chris

Thanks Chris, funny you should mention Blue throats, I saw my first on in the NP Zuid Kennemerland the day I saw the Rosefinches, prior to that the only place I have seen them were on Texel.

On Saturday we were at the Oostvaardseplassen in Flevoland, we have been quite a few time over the last few months to see the spoonbills, where we saw the black ibis which was causing quite a stir among the birders. There are also beavers there but we haven't seen them yet. But what we have been really wanting to see is a pair of white-tailed eagles who are in the area and produce one chick this year. So far no luck for us.

What we did see a few of though were Common Redstarts. We saw this fledgling which was so lovely, the parents were close by and brought food.




But this - was amazing, very low in this dead tree was a nest,the chicks were making such a noise - I had a quick peek and could see 3 but there could have been more, I moved away quickly and watched a male come into feed them, but there was a female which was much more wary so I moved away a bit more so she would feed them.

[chris butterworth]

Oostvaardseplassen is a stunning place, isn't it? Do they still have those Heck cattle there ( no wonder the Romans were a 'bit cautious' about Aurochs )? Not much on the bird front here, although I did pick up a flock of c.500 Knot belting north over my house very early the other morning.

Chris