A BREATH OF FRESH AYR

Scotland scores mainland UK’s first Myrtle Warbler in a decade

April 2024 • £5.99 • Issue 382 www.birdguides.com

SUMMER TEAL
The life and times of the delightful Garganey
OBSERVATORIES MIGRATION IDENTIFICATION

CLEAR SHIFTING FLYING

WINNER PATTERNS STARTS
Irish migration How spring arrival Where and when to
hot-spot profiled dates are changing find redstarts this month

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 THIS ISSUE APRIL 2024

30

Contents
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ISSN 0967-1870
20 The cricket teal COVER STORY 36 Shifting spring
No part of this magazine may be Scarce, secretive and full of character, Josh Jones investigates the rapid
reproduced, copied or stored in a retrieval
system without the prior permission in
Garganey is a popular bird. Dan Owen changes being observed in some of our
explores the life history of this duck. most celebrated summer visitors.
COVER PHOTOS: GARGANEY BY DANIELE OCCHIATO; MYRTLE WARBLER BY DAVID CARR

writing of the publisher. The views expressed

are not necessarily those of Warners Group
Publications or its staff. No liability can be 24 Cape crusaders 42 Island dreams
accepted for any loss or damage to material
submitted, however caused.
Steve Wing delves into the history of the An off-the-beaten-track island-hopping trip
famous migration hot-spot of Cape Clear in search of Indonesia’s endemic birds
& BROCHURE
NE PR

Island and its bird observatory. brought Keith Betton into contact with
ZI

This publication is printed

IN
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MA

by Warners Midlands PLC

WARNERS  

Telephone: 01778 391000 30 Field ID notes: Black and some of the world’s least-known species.
Common Redstarts 48 Flying back from the brink
ADVISORY PANEL April is a probably the best month for The World Land Trust’s Christie Reed
Tim Appleton MBE, Lucy McRobert,
Chris Harbard, Killian Mullarney, finding either of these species on your introduces a successful initiative to help
Bill Oddie OBE, Dante Shepherd, patch, as Ed Stubbs discusses. Blue-throated Macaw. FREE 26-PAGE DIGITAL
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www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 3

 SEEING
THE FIRST SMART BINOCULARS

AX VISIO

36
COMMON CHIFFCHAFF BY PAUL SAWER
REGULARS
6 The big picture
This month we take a
look at one of the
greatest conservation
success stories in
Britain: the return of
Eurasian Bittern.
8 The big stories
A back-garden Myrtle
Warbler drew crowds to
Ayrshire, while Shetland
scored a national second
and a Sociable Lapwing
visited Cornwall.
10 Analysis: Britain and
Ireland
Western counties
boasted the month’s two
main prizes, in the shape
of a Nearctic passerine
and mega wader, as early
spring migrants began to
arrive.
14 Analysis: Western
Palearctic
Cape Verde made further
birding headlines in
February, with some major
Birdwatch subscriber issues are
delivered in a paper envelope so
you can easily recycle them in
your usual recycling collection.
www.birdguides.com
WP breeding news and a
flurry of Black-capped
Petrel sightings.
17 Contemplations of a 67 Letters and photos
birder
Our new columnist, David
Campbell, bids farewell
to one patch and says
hello to another following 70 Murmurations
a recent house move.
19 The Political Birder
Mark Avery reflects on
the relationship between
the UK and the EU – and
what might have been for
What’s in the digital edition?
APRIL’S digital edition has bonus content, including:
• Video of Garganey;
• Black and Common Redstart footage;
• Film of spring migrants;
• Bonus photographs of Banda Sea
species;
• More images and videos of the latest
rarities and scarcities.
The digital edition is available for PC,
Mac, iPhone/iPad and Android. Sample
issues are free, and subscriptions or
single copies can be purchased. Visit
www.pktmags.com/bw-digital
to find out more.
THIS ISSUE APRIL 2024
42
TANAHJAMPEA BLUE FLYCATCHER BY JAMES EATON
54 With its lightweight
construction and
competitive price, Nikon’s
new 800-mm lens has been
turning heads in the
photography world. Kit Day
our wildlife, as well as puts it to the test.
the policies that
safeguard it.
Bird names, garden
feeding, Waxwings and
sandgrouse have you
writing in this month.
Self-appointed experts and
the blind leading the blind
are just some of the
characters to be found on
Facebook bird groups,
writes Lucy McRobert.
60 Perfecting fieldcraft,
preparing your
garden for spring, April
patch targets, avian vision
and birding in Belize are all
covered this month.
ARCTIC TERN BY JOSH JONES
Birdwatch•April 2024 5
NICK WILLIAMS
THE BIG PICTURE CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORIES

Boom time
T
he far-carrying ‘booming’ display call of Eurasian Bittern will be
resonating across UK wetlands once again this month as males
advertise themselves in the hope of attracting a mate. Thanks
to intensive conservation efforts, this remarkable sound is becoming
increasingly prevalent as the population recovers from a recent low ebb.
Bittern has a chequered history in the UK. In the 1880s, this elusive
reedbed-dweller became extirpated due to a combination of overhunting
for food and skins, egg collection and extensive drainage of its favoured
wetland habitats to make way for agriculture. Although the species
returned to Britain in the early 20th century, the population remained very
localised – almost all were in the Norfolk Broads – and continued to teeter
on the edge for decades. In fact, as recently as 1997, there were only 11
booming males across the entire UK, with almost all restricted to East
Anglia. At that time, there was a very real risk of the species being lost for
the second time.
Less than three decades later and the national outlook for Eurasian
Bittern has improved dramatically. In 2022, no fewer than 228 booming
males were counted across the UK, with birds having spread out from their
East Anglian strongholds in recent years and nesting confirmed as far and
wide as South Wales, Cheshire and Teesside. The key to this impressive
turnaround has been the restoration and creation of its favoured wetland
habitats, which kicked off in the 1990s after the RSPB prepared a
recovery plan. There was a rapid response from the birds, with targeted
action achieving positive results across the country in an unexpectedly
short time and the number of booming birds rising much more quickly
than anticipated. More than half of the UK’s booming bitterns are found on
RSPB reserves, at which the charity diligently manages reedbeds to suit
the species.
With Eurasian Bittern having responded so well to conservation
management, it seems likely that this beautiful and intricately plumaged
member of the heron family will continue to spread north and west into
many of its historical haunts, giving more birders the opportunity to hear
its iconic boom each spring as we head further into the 21st century. ■

6 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

 tmags.
ke

co
w.poc
Get extra

m/birdw
content in
the digital

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edition!
atc
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www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 7

 BIRD NEWS THE BIG STORIES
PAUL COOMBES
This Myrtle Warbler – Ayrshire’s first American warbler of any kind – was the latest Nearctic passerine to make headlines this winter when it
was discovered by Jimmy Crawford in his Kilwinning garden on 20 February.
TUESDAY 20 February 2024
started off like any other
Tuesday at this time of year,
with nothing much planned
due to the weather. It was a
little before 11.30 am when I
decided to pop into the kitchen
for a cuppa and take a glance
at the feeders, which I often like
to do. I have a small lane and
some mature trees between the
house and a nearby river – this
habitat means that I get plenty
of feeder visitors including tit
species and regular Eurasian
Nuthatch.
However, when I looked out
on this occasion, what caught
my eye was a vivid yellow rump
disappearing over the fence
being pursued by a European
Robin. An aberrant Eurasian
Bullfinch? I went to grab my
camera but realised it had no
charge, so I got my phone and
binoculars and settled down at
the window, hoping the mystery
bird would reappear.
Luckily, about 10 minutes
later, it did, and I began taking
photos which I soon shared with
David Lynn, Dougie Edmond and
8 Birdwatch•April 2024
FIRST FOR BIRD NEWS
FINDER’S REPORT
Myrtle Warbler: Kilwinning, Ayrshire, from 20 February 2024
Bruce Kerr. After David got back
to me and asked if I’d taken
them with a Nokia 3310 through
a bathroom window (they
Garden gold!
weren’t the best!) we started
Jimmy Crawford made history when he
to rule out common species discovered Ayrshire’s first-ever American
or aberrations ... after all, who warbler visiting his garden feeders.
expects an American warbler to
PAUL COOMBES
turn up in an Ayrshire garden?
As I started to point out the
features to David, he began to
pick them up in the photos and
we quickly realised that this
wasn’t any sort of aberration. By
this time we were starting to get
rather excited and in the final
picture that I sent we actually
thought that it was some sort
of American flycatcher. David
told me to get Dougie on the
blower and ask him to get down
pronto with his camera as I
really needed to get the bird
documented!
After a quick call, Dougie A regular supply of food ensured that the bird performed well
arrived at my door 15 minutes following its discovery, allowing plenty of birders to connect.
later and took some decent
shots, which he quickly released found a Myrtle Warbler – a first March, there is still a steady
to some of the top Ayrshire American warbler for Ayrshire flow of birders coming to visit as
birders. Dave Grant got back and a first find of anything out the bird has hung around. I’m
within two minutes informing of the ordinary for myself! still on a high and can’t quite
myself and Dougie that I had At the time of writing, in early get my head around it. ■
www.birdguides.com
 FIRST FOR BIRD NEWS

REPORT
IN an autumn and winter Holboell’s Red-necked Grebe: Quendale Bay, Shetland, 5-15 February 2024
of mega Nearctic vagrants,

REBECCA NASON
Holboell’s Red-necked Grebe
won’t fill many birder’s headline
slots – but one at Quendale Bay,
Shetland, from 5-15 February,
is undoubtedly one of the rarest
birds to be found during the
American bonanza.
Only in-hand measurements
can definitively separate the
North American and East Asian
holboellii form of Red-necked
Grebe, which has occurred
only once in Britain and sits in
Category B owing to a single
specimen record from Gruinard
Bay, Highland, in September
1925. More recently, birds
have appeared in France and
Iceland. A credible British claim
off Barra, Outer Hebrides, from The Quendale Red-necked Grebe was unfortunately found dead on 15 February, although this did mean it
January-March 2018, was only could be measured and confirmed as a bird of the East Asian and North American holboellii form.
documented in the field and thus
couldn’t make the grade.
The Shetland bird’s
appearance was certainly
suggestive of holboellii. The
Holboellii hullabaloo
bird’s large, thickset bill, which is A sad end for a striking Red-necked Grebe in Shetland looks set
reminiscent of a Great Crested
Grebe, was the main tell-tale
to help confirm it as a British second.
sign, and the solid, dusky cheek similar in length and therefore a found dead on 15th – providing biometrics confirmed it as
patch was also interesting. better fit for holboellii, was also an unexpected opportunity a male holboellii – the first
The relative length of tarsus to evident in some photos. to confirm its subspecific confirmed modern-day record
bill, which also appeared to be In a cruel twist, the bird was identity outright. As anticipated, for Britain. ■

REPORT
FEBRUARY began with a bang Sociable Lapwing: Fal Estuary, Cornwall, 1-9 February 2024
when a Sociable Lapwing was
GRAHAM JEPSON

found with Northern Lapwings

on the Fal Estuary in Cornwall.
Apparently present since
November, this once near-annual
vagrant is now a mega-rarity
in Britain, with the drop-off in
records mirroring the extensive
population decline of this
Critically Endangered species in
recent years. This bird performed
well until 9th, when it was last
seen.
Sociable Lapwing’s extreme
rarity has led some to postulate
that it might be the same bird
from the winter of 2020-21
returning. That individual, a first-
winter, was present in Cornwall
between November 2020 and Despite reportedly being present on the Fal Estuary since November, news of the Sociable Lapwing only
February 2021, before relocating emerged at the start of February. The bird would perform until 9th, when it was last seen.
to West Sedgemoor RSPB,
ORNISTATS

Somerset, for much of March.

Prior to this occurrence, there had
been a 12-year gap in sightings.
Anti-sociable? Sociable
Lapwing
occurrences
Of the 47 accepted British in Britain
and Irish records, three hail from
News of a Sociable Lapwing between
Cornwall – in addition to the on a Cornish estuary was 1950 and
2020. The
2020 bird, there were first-winters apparently suppressed until slump in
at Hayle Estuary in October 1978 records
and Davidstow Airfield in October
word got out, with the bird since 2000
1987. ■ then enjoyed by many. is evident.

www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 9

 BIRD NEWS BRITAIN AND IRELAND
ROBIN CHITTENDEN
U
nsettled weather again
defined February across
Britain and Ireland, with
changeable conditions meaning
many experienced a mix of
torrential rain, bright sunshine,
brisk wind and a scattering
of snow and ice. This was in
contrast to the birding on offer,
which remained steady and
saw a number of winter visitors
bedded in for the duration of the
month.
Autumn 2023 may have felt
like a lifetime ago, but it always
seemed likely there might be
a surprise or two yet to come
following that unprecedented
arrival of Nearctic rarities last
year. This came to fruition in
Ayrshire, as Kilwinning played
host to a popular Myrtle
Warbler from 20th (see page
8). Incredibly, this is the
28th species of American
landbird sighted in Britain and
Ireland since the beginning of
September.
Getting February off to a flier
was the Sociable Lapwing at the
Fal Estuary, Cornwall, from 1-9th
(see page 9) – though there are
murmurings of it having been
present but suppressed there
since November. An unseasonal
Gull-billed Tern at Kilkeran Lake,
Co Cork, from 18th was another
10 Birdwatch•April 2024
Rarities and scarcities: February 2024
West is best!
Western counties boasted the month’s two main
prizes, in the shape of a Nearctic passerine and
mega wader, as early summer migrants began to
arrive. Sam Viles reports.
unexpected visitor on the rarity at Lymm, Cheshire, on 16th,
front. The species is rarely seen though it seems likely that both
in its winter plumage in northern overwintered in north-west Europe
Europe and, unsurprisingly, this is rather than constituting genuine
the earliest-ever Irish record. spring migrants. A Common
Whitethroat at Saltholme RSPB,
Spring comes early Cleveland, was first noted on
The tern wasn’t the only 21 January, but again had
unseasonal summer visitor noted presumably wintered. European
during the month. Southerly Serins were in Kent and Devon,
gusts whipped along the north- with Garganey seen at seven
west African coastline, bringing sites.
Saharan dust and a few early
migrants. Notable finds included Azores high
no fewer than two Northern South-westerly winds at the start
Wheatears – birds in Shropshire of February contributed to an
and Northumberland – nine Sand eclectic gull roost on St Clement’s
Martins, seven House Martins Isle off Mousehole, Cornwall,
and a scattering of Swallows. A where two Azores Gulls – a third-
House Martin taken into care in winter and a first-winter – starred
Somerset seemingly bore the ill alongside a probable first-winter
effects of this premature arrival. American Herring Gull and adult
Even more exceptional were an Iceland and Kumlien’s Gulls.
Osprey near Stowlangtoft, Suffolk, Ring-billed Gulls included a
on 4th and a Little Ringed Plover wandering adult in Avon and a
FIRST FOR BIRD NEWS
new first-winter in the gull roost at
Blackpill, Glamorgan. This site has
a storied history with the species
– including hosting Britain’s first
in March 1973 – but declines
in British sightings here have
mirrored the taxon’s sharp drop-off
in frequency elsewhere in Europe.
Despite being a near-annual visitor
at Blackpill into the early 2000s,
with a peak of three there on 26
April 2002, this is the site’s first
since two adults in spring 2014.
Two first-winters in western Ireland
brought the month’s total for
Britain and Ireland to nine.
Despite a poor showing of
white-winged gulls this winter,
Kumlien’s Gulls bucked the trend
with as many as 15 reported
during February. This included five
in England, with the most notable
sighting being a third-winter
at Amwell NR, Hertfordshire.
Amazingly, Kumlien’s accounted for
www.birdguides.com
 FIRST FOR BIRD NEWS

RICHARD STONIER
Facing page: It has been a good
winter for Red-breasted Goose,
with at least five across Britain.
This bird was one of two in
Norfolk during February.

nearly a quarter of the 63 Iceland

Gulls recorded, while Glaucous
Gulls were seen at more than 50
sites.

Nearctic waterbirds
Sleepy Co Westmeath in interior
Ireland delivered a big surprise
on 27th with the discovery of
an adult drake Bufflehead at
Lough Sheelin – a county first, it
becomes the seventh Irish county
to record the species. Being
190 km due east of Inishmore,
Co Galway, it seems likely to
be the same bird last seen on
that island in mid-January. The
Pied-billed Grebe was still on
Inishmore on 15th. Three sites hosted Pallid Harriers during February. This juvenile male at Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire, was
one of two wintering in South Wales.
Relocating Nearctic wildfowl
became a theme. Essex was the
JOHN MALLOY

latest county to enjoy a bumper

arrival of Lesser Scaup, with the
quintet from Lower Tamar Lake,
Devon, seemingly relocating to
the site from 4th. It is feasible
that the drake Lesser consorting
with three Greater Scaup on
the Exe Estuary, Devon, on
11th was the Pembrokeshire
flock relocating. Aythya flocks
typically begin to move during
February, making the discovery of
an additional three birds rather
unsurprising. One in Cheshire
was the county’s first in 10 years,
bringing the month’s total to a
winter high of 20.
Norfolk’s first-ever Black
Scoter stuck around off Holkham
throughout, though the bird’s
distance coupled with masses
of scoter to scour through meant
many twitchers left frustrated.
In Ireland, White-winged Scoter In Northumberland, this Black-bellied Dipper spent three days in the company of two British-breeding birds at
Cramlington from 10-12th.
continued off Inishbofin, Co
Galway, and Inch, Co Kerry – the
SEAN CRONIN

latter in close company with two King Eider, with a first-winter

first-winter drakes perhaps best
described as either Velvet or
White-winged.
Winter staples
The adult drake Baikal Teal
at Greylake RSPB, Somerset,
remained a popular attraction
for much of the month. Green-
winged Teal saw a slight increase
to 43 birds, with other totals
comprising 10 American Wigeon,
six Ferruginous Duck, 80 Smew
and the Co Mayo American Black
Duck. No fewer than 21 of 55
Ring-necked Duck were new.
Disappointingly, there was no sign
of the Essex Canvasback at all
during February.
Lothian held on to last month’s
www.birdguides.com
drake at the reliable site of
Bluemull Sound, Shetland. Surf
Scoter were off eight sites in
Britain and Ireland. The long-
staying adult Double-crested
Cormorant hung on at Doon
Lough, Co Leitrim, while 12 White-
billed Divers included the juvenile
again off Southend-on-Sea, Essex,
from 7-10th and adults off Fife
and Aberdeenshire.
Notably, two Cackling Geese
were in the vicinity of Lunt
Meadows, Lancashire, on 3rd,
one of which accompanied
Pink-footed Geese north of the
reserve, while the long-stayer
hung out with the site’s resident Ireland’s earliest-ever Gull-billed Tern was a most unexpected February
Canada Geese. Controversially, find at Kilkeran Lake, Co Cork, on 18th. The species is rarely seen in
only the first of these birds
winter plumage this far north.
❯
Birdwatch•April 2024 11
STEVE YOUNG BIRD NEWS BRITAIN AND IRELAND
Of the 55 or so Ring-necked Duck logged across Britain and Ireland in February, at least 21 were new birds, which is suggestive of individuals
getting caught up with Tufted Duck movement. This first-winter drake visited a park lake in St Helens, Lancashire.
is likely to be accepted as a
wild vagrant, with a previous
occurrence with Canada Geese
in Manchester two years ago
relegated to Category E (implying
it as an escape from captivity).
Other ‘Cacklers’ included two on
Islay, Argyll, and singletons in Co
Mayo and Co Donegal.
The good winter for Red-
breasted Goose continued, with
a new adult discovered among
Dark-bellied Brent Geese at
Keyhaven Marshes, Hampshire,
where it afforded excellent views.
Two birds remained in Norfolk,
as did adults in both Argyll and
Northumberland. At least four
Grey-bellied Brant continued in Co
Dublin, with Black Brant in East
Yorkshire, Essex and Co Wexford.
Four Snow Geese were in
Scotland and a blue morph of
unknown origin was in North
Wales. Scotland’s wintering flock
of Taiga Bean Geese began to
depart Slamannan, Forth, in
mid-January, with as few as 60
remaining into February. The
discovery of seven Tundra Bean
Geese at Low Marishes, North
Yorkshire, was notable in a poor
winter for the species.
Duskys and dippers
The Isle of Man chalked up a new
Dusky Warbler and the identity of
the overwintering Siberian Lesser
Whitethroat in a garden in Bristol,
12 Birdwatch•April 2024
FIRST FOR BIRD NEWS
BRIAN POWER
Avon, was confirmed by genetic
analysis. The East Yorkshire
Black-throated Thrush lasted into
February, as did the Eurasian
Penduline Tit at Lough Beg, Co
Cork. Belated news emerged of
a Northern Cardinal in a garden
at Sherwood, Nottinghamshire,
on 13 January, although this
resident of eastern North America
is commonly kept in captivity in
Europe.
In Northumberland, a Black-
bellied Dipper spent three days in
the company of two British birds
in suburban Cramlington from
10-12th. Shetland’s wintering
bird was still present on 8th and
a lingering Northern Treecreeper
was at Finstown, Mainland As many as 15 Kumlien’s Gulls were seen in Britain and Ireland during
Orkney. Waxwings were again February. They included this well-marked adult at Tralee, Co Kerry,
which has been returning for at least seven winters.
widespread despite a small drop-
off in numbers during the month,
with high double-figure flocks still and Kirkconnel, Dumfries and areas, with timely survey results
present as far south as London Galloway. The pitiful winter for showing that 2023 was another
and Surrey. Great Grey Shrike continued with record-breaking year for the
Cumbria’s first twitchable only six recorded this month. species across Britain. A high
Richard’s Pipit since 2015 was Bucking the trend was Rough- of 80 pairs attempted to breed,
at Ulverston from 22nd, while legged Buzzard, which put in its fledging 36 chicks. The returning
Gloucestershire’s overwintering best showing of the winter so far, adult White Stork was at Smithy
adult was noted on two dates. increasing to a minimum of five. Fen, Cambridgeshire, and Glossy
Cover crops in Kent and Dorset Three in North Yorkshire included Ibis were at 20 sites.
produced two new Little Buntings two hunting in the same scope Long-billed Dowitcher and
– birds at West Morden, Dorset, view at Rosedale Moor. Three Lesser Yellowlegs numbered
and Godmersham, Kent – with overwintering Pallid Harriers were three apiece, with a new
at least two still in Cornwall. reported from their usual haunts. dowitcher flirting with the Norfolk-
Shore Larks at 12 sites included February sees Common Cranes Suffolk county line. The long-
notable inland sightings at begin to leave their winter roosts staying Somerset Kentish Plover
High Bradfield, South Yorkshire, and return in pairs to breeding remained in situ. ■
www.birdguides.com
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BIRD NEWS WESTERN PALEARCTIC FIRST FOR BIRD NEWS

Western Palearctic: February 2024

I
t was impossible to keep

SAM GLENNIE
Cape Verde out of the
headlines at the start of
2024. February saw seabirds
take to the fore, including the
announcement of the first
successful recorded breeding
of White-tailed Tropicbird in the
Western Palearctic, after an
adult and chick were noted in
a burrow on Ilhéu de Cima on
13th. A pair first attempted to
breed on the islet in 2020.
Following the discovery of
multiple Black-capped Petrels
off the coast of Santo Antão
among rafts of breeding Fea’s
Petrels a year ago, birds were
again logged off Ponta do Sol on
four dates early in the month.
White-tailed Tropicbird appears to be establishing a foothold in the region, with successful breeding
Might a nesting pair be the next confirmed in Cape Verde during February. This bird was photographed in the Azores in July 2023.
seabird discovery from this
exciting archipelago?
A Magnificent Frigatebird
was reported from Sal, where
the White-faced Whistling Duck
and Lesser Moorhen both
The Cape Verde
remained. Yellow-billed Egrets
were at Mindelo, São Vicente,
and Poilão, Santiago. Yellow-
billed Egret is one of three
seabird show
newly split species that used to
be considered one, known as The West African archipelago made further birding
Intermediate Egret. headlines in February, with some major WP breeding
Afrotropical rallids continued news and a flurry of Black-capped Petrel sightings.
to arrive, with Egypt’s first
Lesser Moorhen at Faiyum and a Sam Viles reports. s ssssss ssss sssss ssssss
freshly dead Allen’s Gallinule in
MAX DETTORI

Groningen on 5th – the first for
the Netherlands – with another
of the latter on Gran Canaria.
A midwinter run of Nearctic
rarities saw an American Robin
found in a garden at Keflavík,
Iceland, from 2nd, with the first
Bufflehead for the Faroe Islands
– an adult drake – on Suðuroy
from 14th, followed by the
archipelago’s second Hooded
Merganser on Vágar a day later.
The archipelago scored its first
record of Caspian Gull on 29th.
Two drake Baikal Teal on
opposing sides of the Øresund
in Denmark and Sweden further
The two Ross’s Geese remained
in neighbouring Belgium.
Reports of a Sandhill Crane at
Wulfersdorf, Germany, from 24th
likely relate to one of Europe’s
two resident birds heading back
north with Common Cranes.
Greece enjoyed two national
firsts: a Great Knot at Evros
Delta and two Olive-backed Pipits
at Ioannina. A Black Scoter was
off the Polish coast, Luxembourg
bagged its first Lapland Bunting
and Croatia scored its second
White-billed Diver. Lingering Other Cape Verde sightings included two Yellow-billed Egrets. The
archipelago is the only regular place for this species in the WP.
rarities elsewhere included the
Forster’s Tern in France, Pacific
GUÐMUNDUR FALK

highlight the status change of Diver in Israel and Black-faced

this species across Europe in
recent years. Other Danish news
included the lingering Northern
Harrier, Stejneger’s Scoter and
Pacific Diver, while two White-
winged Scoter were in Iceland.
An adult drake Falcated Duck
at Zoetermeer, the Netherlands,
from 11th is thought to be
a returning bird previously
accepted onto Category A of
the Dutch list by the national
rarities committee (CDNA), while
a Moustached Warbler was a
national third at Wageningen.
Bunting in Italy.
Two Moroccan Wagtails
were on the north side of the
Strait of Gibraltar, with other
news comprising a Hudsonian
Whimbrel in Asturias, a Lesser
Flamingo back at Alcázar de San
Juan and two Sudan Golden
Sparrows on Gran Canaria.
A female Wood Duck on
Terceira and a Belted Kingfisher
on Flores were fresh finds in the
Azores, with the Green Heron
and Double-crested Cormorant
This American Robin visited a garden in Kelfavík, Iceland, from 2nd.
still on Faial. ■

14 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

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 COMMENT CONTEMPLATIONS OF A BIRDER

DAVID CAMPBELL
irders have so much to think
about when moving house.
Never mind the council tax
band and whether the area is
still ‘up and coming’
economically – we need to
know how close we are to the nearest
marshes and whether there are any good
When a birder
leading lines for visible migration.
Moving more than a few miles can
completely change one’s birding prospects.
It can be tough to say goodbye to a local
migrates
patch. After all those years of putting in Our new columnist, David Campbell, reflects on
hours at a favourite site, getting to know its
birds and building an impressive patch list, bidding farewell to one patch and saying hello to
the thought of making it work long-distance another following a recent house move.
might even cross your mind. But a clean
break is for the best and a new area offers
DAVID CAMPBELL

an exciting fresh start.

Just make sure you time it right so that all
the packing and unpacking doesn’t clash
with key weeks for migration. I ended up
wishing I hadn’t stalled for time when my
partner suggested a summer move a couple
of years ago. Much of September and
October last year were taken up with
shifting 60 km east along the Sussex coast
from Worthing to Hastings.
Although the split into two modern
counties is effectively ignored for bird
recording and competitive listing, the move
from West Sussex to East Sussex meant
swapping a flat and depressingly urbanised
coastline for rugged, underwatched clifftops
and exciting wetlands within easy reach.
Entering an upgraded birding arena but
without having to abandon my county list, I
couldn’t have hoped for better.
A Common Kingfisher flashed past the
top-floor window as we heaved the first few
boxes up to the ‘dumping room’ in our new
house. I’d already scrutinised the habitat in
our new area on Google Maps, so I knew
there were no water features close enough This Olive-backed Pipit, only the a miserly attitude to parking charges, led
to make this a regular sighting. It seemed third for Sussex and a fine inland me to check out a comparatively titchy area
prize, was a parting gift for David
like a good sign. on his old patch. of similar terrain closer to home.
I’d dreamt of a place just like West Hill,
New house, new patch but I hadn’t thought it existed. The habitat
Thankfully, autumn still had enough gas left looked incredibly promising but pleasingly
to give me a taste of local birding once the easy to cover. From one spot, it was possible
essential unpacking was done. Although to keep an eye on a sheltered gully while

there seemed to be few ‘resident’ birds
around the garden, the advantage of living
at the top of a hill was clear every time I
stepped outside to hear migrating finches,
hirundines and Meadow Pipits on tap.
Sorrow at leaving behind Cissbury Ring,
my former birding haven in Worthing
which saw me off with the discovery of the
first Olive-backed Pipit in Sussex for 20
years, was soon forgotten with a fantastic
realisation.
Hastings Country Park had been the
obvious choice of local patch. However,
❝
logging overland migration and
This was all seawatching. What’s more, it was a safe
area to bring my dog, Bentham, along, with
the proof I needed nothing sensitive for her to disturb.
The next day the weather was so awful
that I’d had to cancel a birding tour, but I
that I finally had was straight back out to West Hill. A Ring
Ouzel appeared in the trees as I made my
excellent birding a way to a comfortable seawatching position
at the base of the hill. My long-awaited first
short walk from Balearic Shearwater in Sussex flew past,
followed by another. This was all the proof
home. You don’t get I needed that I finally had excellent birding

❞
utter laziness when it comes to hiking up a short walk from home. You don’t get that
and down hills to walk to its west edge, and that on Zoopla on Zoopla. ■

www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 17

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 COMMENT THE POLITICAL BIRDER

o you ever think back to old

MARK AVERY
relationships and wonder
what might have been?
Where are they now? Would
it have worked? No, nor me,
except when it comes to our
leaving the EU. As a Remainer I didn’t
break up with the EU, and it didn’t break up
with me – it was the 51.9% of you out there
who caused the break-up. I can’t help
The one
wondering what might have been.
Someone wrote to me recently
pointing out that the Scottish and UK
governments’ recent banning of industrial
that got away
sandeel fishing was something that would Our columnist reflects on the formerly closer relationship
have been difficult if we had stayed between the UK and the EU – and what might have been
attached to the 448 million fellow
Europeans in the most important trading for our wildlife and the policies that protect it.
partnership in the world, and I had to
MICHAEL COTTAKIS

agree. This was a positive policy move and

could help seabird populations quite a bit,
despite the fact that fish swim around a lot
and those sandeels will still be endangered
by other fishing fleets out of telescope
range from UK seabird colonies. But we
can chalk this one up as a Brexit bonus.
The other main Brexit dividend may be
a better agricultural policy, although now
our politicians can’t blame everything on
Brussels Eurocrats or French farmers, they
are feeling the full heat of farmer fury at
the prospect of change. It is way too early
to judge whether we have jumped from
the frying pan into the fire, or into a
comfortable chair at the right distance
from the fire, or maybe just into a different
frying pan.
However, our farmers are kicking off
about how hard done by they are,
although any reading of the actual policies
reveals that they bear no relationship to
the policies being criticised. Usually, the
consequences of policy changes are not
nearly as good as those in favour predict,
nor anything like as bad as those opposed
claim. When 2-m uncropped field margins
were introduced, parts of the agricultural
lobby claimed this would presage the end
of British arable farming and a worsening Eight years on from Britain’s vote to Now this sounds too good to be true, and
in world hunger – but guess what? leave the European Union, are our it probably won’t happen to the extent that
wildlife policies improved?
Neither happened. you and I would like, but it is a very big
commitment and will require member
Fighting farmers states (not us any more, of course) to pull

But our farmers look like pet lambs
compared with the European farmers
driving their new and expensive tractors
through Brussels protesting at the Nature
Restoration Bill that the EU Parliament
passed on 27 February. The vote was hard
fought and the policy had been watered
down along the way, but it enshrines a
commitment for most of a continent (not
us, of course) to restore 20% of land and
sea ecosystems by 2030. Measures such as
❝
their fingers out even to appear to be
Usually, the heading in the right direction by 2030. But
this is so much better than we have in the
UK. I wish we had been a part of this, and
consequences of that I could have celebrated it not just for
its impact on ‘their’ wildlife but also for its
policy changes are impact on ‘ours’. It puts a sandeel fishing
ban into perspective.
not nearly as good The bill was carried by 329 to 275 votes.
I wonder how the UK’s former 87 MEPs
as those in favour would have voted? Maybe the EU is better

❞
farmland birds and grassland butterflies off without us? Sometimes it’s difficult not
will be used to assess progress. Wow! predict to hanker after what might have been … ■

www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 19

SPECIES PROFILE
G
arganey is a quirky bird. It is
among the most migratory of
all Western Palearctic (WP) duck
and is unique in that it’s the only species
of wildfowl that migrates to breed in the
region and then leaves for the winter.
The distinctive appearance, furtive
nature and general scarcity all combine
to make Garganey popular with British
birders – the birds never fail to delight,
no matter how regularly you see them.
Spring drakes are particularly smart,
with their distinctive white crescent
above the eye, silvery flanks and long,
drooping grey scapulars, and a closer
look reveals a delicately streaked brown
head and an intricately patterned breast.
It is a small duck, being a touch
larger than Eurasian Teal, with a
slightly longer bill and tail. In flight,
males of all ages show a pale blue-grey
forewing with bold white bars in the
greater coverts and trailing edge to the
secondaries, although first-calendar-
years are a little duller. Females are
more akin to other duck species but
have a bold head pattern with a pale
loral spot, pale supercilium, and dark
crown and eyestripe. They lack the
pale forewing coverts of males, instead
having a grey-brown forewing, paler
than the mantle. When swimming, the
slightly longer bill and tail also help
20 Birdwatch•April 2024
The cricket teal
Scarce, secretive and full of character, Garganey is a
favourite of many birders. Dan Owen explores the
fascinating life history of this long-distance migrant.
with ID, and they don’t show the pale However, where the species is more
undertail stipes as seen in Eurasian Teal. numerous, flocks of several hundred
It is difficult to estimate the British aren’t uncommon during passage.
breeding population of Garganey Garganey aren’t as vocal as most other
owing to the species’ shy behaviour, but duck species. That said, drakes find their
it is reckoned that approximately 120 voice during the breeding season, with a
pairs breed here, although this number characteristic dry rattle or gargle, similar
fluctuates. Contrary to its scarcity in to running your fingernail along a comb,
Britain, the global population is very that is usually given in social settings
large and the species has an extensive or in the presence of a female. It is this
distribution. There are two distinct unusual call that earned the species
populations within the WP, with the the old folk name of ‘cricket teal’, and
majority wintering in West Africa and this vocalisation can be a great way of
smaller numbers wintering in north- finding one in spring. Females tend to
eastern and eastern Africa. The world be rather quiet but do utter a low, feeble
population is in gradual decline but quack, similar to that of Eurasian Teal,
remains classified as Least Concern. although it can be differentiated with
BirdLife International estimated experience.
340,000-460,000 pairs in Europe in
2021, of which c 87% were in Russia. Northward push
As with most wildfowl, Garganey is Late winter is an important period for
a highly sociable species, although this Garganey and prior to migration they
is seldom fully appreciated in Britain. can increase their body mass by up to
www.birdguides.com
 Facing page: Old English names for Garganey
include ‘cricket teal’, due to the males’ curious
vocalisations, and ‘summer teal’, as a result of
their seasonal presence in Britain.
40% in central Africa. Unfortunately,
this makes them a desirable target
for local markets and the increase in
mass is also reflected in an increase in
cost per bird. Interestingly, mass gain
is much slower once in Europe, with
studies in the Camargue indicating
stop-overs there are often birds resting
or possibly waiting for better weather
conditions before continuing north.
Passage into the Mediterranean
starts in February, and peaks between
mid-March and mid-April. Weather
conditions have a close tie to spring
migration and the birds’ occurrence
in Britain. The highest numbers are
typically noted after wet winters, when
more habitat is available, and when the
following spring is warm with southerly
or south-easterly winds. Late March
2022 was particularly productive, with
some 160 sites logging birds from 15-25
March. It’s presumed that prolonged
easterly winds combined with mild and
dry weather likely triggered this influx,
which was also recorded in the Low
Countries. Typically, Garganey is a
bird of freshwater habitats – it’s more
readily seen at coastal localities during
spring passage, when there have been
BOTH IMAGES: DANIELE OCCHIATO
A small gathering of Garganey such as this would make for an exciting encounter anywhere in Britain. This image shows the upperwing patterns of
male and female birds, with the light bluish-grey of the males quite different to the sullied dark grey of the female.
www.birdguides.com
four-figure counts at sea off Cyprus in
March. Numbers never compete with
this on the south coast of England, but
small groups are regularly noted during
peak migration and can make for an
exciting seawatch.
Nesting habits
Breeding pairs typically arrive at nesting
sites in March and April, but continue
to appear well into May further north.
Habitat requirements are similar
to Northern Shoveler, with shallow,
eutrophic wetlands favoured; generally,
this means flooded grasslands, water
meadows and ponds with sufficient
riparian vegetation. Plant structure
is also important, with females often
choosing to nest in tussocks of Carex,
Glyceria or Typha. A wall of dense, tall
helophytes along the water’s edge isn’t
suitable for nesting but in moderation
does provide ample cover for ducklings.
Wet, fragmented Phragmites beds are
preferred in some areas of the country;
however, Garganey tolerates a wide
range of habitats and can adapt to
use floodplains and other ephemeral
wetlands. Disturbance can also be an
issue, and pairs will only choose to
settle in quieter spots or larger habitats.
Interestingly, nests have been recorded
being parasitised by Common Pochard,
Tufted Duck, Mallard and Northern
Shoveler.
Pairs often pop up in suitable habitat
during spring passage, but if the birds
remain for a week or more then it’s well
worth keeping in mind the possibility of
breeding. Mid-May is often regarded as
a good cut-off point for new arrivals and
any records of pairs in habitat at this
time should be noted. Proving breeding
for Garganey isn’t easy, but there are
signs to watch for. Drakes will often
begin to moult after copulation and once
the female has started incubating, so if
you note a lingering drake that begins
to moult, usually starting with a sullied
supercilium and some moult in the flanks
and scapulars, this could indicate the
presence of a female on a nest in the
vicinity. However, many drake Garganey
leave the breeding area to moult
elsewhere, sometimes in groups, so their
presence can only be taken as possible
sign of breeding, unless a female with
ducklings is noted.
Garganey can be nomadic and won’t
necessarily nest at the same sites every
year, with factors such as weather and
local conditions influencing patterns
annually. Nests are often in close vicinity
to the water’s edge, though have been
reported up to 150 m from water,
with the shortest distances tied to the
presence of Black-headed Gull colonies,
presumably due to the extra protection
provided from potential predators. In
Britain, the breeding population has ❯
Birdwatch•April 2024 21
JULIAN BHALERAO SPECIES PROFILE

Although typically seen in pairs in spring, influxes will bring small flocks to our shores. Garganey is often to be found mixed with groups of Eurasian
Teal, allowing for good comparisons between females of the two species, which are superficially similar.
STEFAN PFÜTZKE

remained stable for the last 25 years.

The best year was 1993 with 163 pairs;
eastern England hosted the lion’s share.
Garganey is protected under
Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and
Countryside Act 1981, making it an
offence to disturb breeding birds. If
you’re lucky enough to observe any
potential breeding evidence, you should
inform the relevant county recorder
or send details directly to the Rare
Breeding Birds Panel.

Autumn migration
Despite being so closely associated
with spring, late summer is arguably
the better time to look for Garganey Male Garganey will often begin to moult after copulation. Finding a lone, scruffy-looking bird
such as this in early summer could indicate the presence of a female on a nest nearby.
on your local patch. Summer build-ups
can consist of non-breeding adults,
JOSH JONES

drakes grouping up to perform wing

moult or juveniles after a successful
breeding season. The British record
count, involving a mammoth 127 birds,
was recorded on the Ouse Washes,
Cambridgeshire, during late August
2012.
If possible, it’s useful to age and
sex the birds present to understand
the make-up of any such gatherings.
During eclipse plumage, drakes will
look similar to females, and will
continue to do so until reaching their
wintering grounds. However, they
maintain the classic blue-grey forewing
and have a broader white bar in the
greater coverts. Juvenile drakes also Garganey is easiest to find in late summer and autumn. Juveniles, like the bird in this image, are
have a blue-grey forewing, although richly hued with a gingery breast and can be sexed by the upperwing pattern.
it’s sullied brown on the inner wing,
and they have a narrower greater a gingery breast, plus overall neater smaller and harder to see in summer.
covert bar. Females have a grey-brown appearance. Adult females can show Drakes have a darker, plain bill and
forewing at any age, with juveniles more colour to the bill base, but this also show a richer, chestnut-coloured
showing a narrower greater covert bar. is typically greenish (never orange as eye, though this is subtle – close views
Juveniles of both sexes can be aged in Eurasian Teal) and should show and comparison with a neighbouring
on the water by their rich tones with melanin spots, although these can be female would help to be sure.

22 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

OLIVER SMART
Garganey is a gregarious bird on wintering grounds especially, sometimes forming spectacular flocks made up of many thousands of individuals.
Garganey is omnivorous, with a
bias towards animal matter during
summer and autumn. The species will
happily consume insects and larvae,
molluscs, amphibians and sometimes
small fish. This is particularly prevalent
during autumn passage, with studies
in the Camargue, France, showing
that animal matter accounted for up
to 68% of a bird’s diet at this time.
However, another study in the Volga
Delta showed that animal matter was
less important to Garganey there. Food
availability is thought to be the main
driver for birds to depart for wintering
grounds. Return passage begins in
August and peaks during September.
Juveniles typically leave their natal
grounds when they are between 65 and
70 days old.
Autumn passage also provides a
good opportunity to watch Garganey
move in big numbers elsewhere in
the WP. September sees the highest
counts move through Besh Barmag,
Azerbaijan, with a record 26,721 flying
south on 2 September 2018.
Through the winter
As with other summer visitors, there
has been an upturn in overwintering
birds in Britain and Ireland, with a
31% increase between winters 1995-
96 and 2020-21. In winter 2023-24,
Garganey were recorded at 12 sites in
Britain (although perhaps with some
overlap in individuals in Somerset) and
four sites in Ireland. Finland recorded
its first winter record in December
2007, and more remarkably still, a
female-type was present in northern
Iceland in late February 2022, at some
66° north.
Wintering Garganey often associate
www.birdguides.com
with Eurasian Teal or Northern 0.5%. Disease is also considered a
Shoveler, although Eurasian Wigeon potential problem, with the risk of
flocks can also host birds. A partial botulism during hot, dry summers,
pre-breeding moult takes place on the but also West Nile Virus. Introduced
wintering grounds, so drakes (especially American Mink have become
first-winter birds) are likely to retain a significant predators of Garganey,
female-type plumage until later in the particularly in the Baltic.
winter, meaning that birds should not Degradation of breeding habitat
be sexed unless the forewing is seen. can also be an issue, with drainage of
Wintering flocks can be huge. wet meadows and decreased grazing
Arguably the most important wintering of dense vegetation, as well as impacts
site is Lake Chad, where up to 400,000 associated with climate change, such as
Garganey can be present. Other key drought. Utilising changeable habitats
locations include Djoudj National has its drawbacks, and fluctuating water
Park in Senegal, where an impressive levels can be responsible for nest failure.
288,000 Garganey were estimated in In some areas of its range, mowing
January 2000, and the Inner Niger too early in the season is another issue.
Delta in Mali, where 206,000 were Thankfully, there is no real net loss of
counted in 1994. Large counts occur in wintering habitat, and loss of natural
Asia as well, with 125,000 at Kuttanad habitat is largely offset by the creation
Wetlands, India, in late February 2019. of rice fields, which can serve a similar
Plant matter makes up a large ecological function. The population
percentage of the birds’ diet during the is, however, related to water levels and
winter months, and large flocks can be benefits from winter rain.
found gorging themselves on abundant Population trends vary across much
waterlily seeds, but also various grasses. of the range. Fortunately, there appears
to be an upward trajectory in Britain,
What the future holds with the creation and preservation
As with other wildfowl, Garganey is of wetlands likely a key factor. The
impacted by hunting. Studies of the drying out of wetlands further south
species in the Camargue have shown in the breeding range and continued
that as many as 17% of the birds warmer temperatures are likely to see a
had ingested at least one lead pellet; northward shift, so it may well be that
however, similar research in Senegal we see more of this delightful duck in
suggests a much lower figure of around the decades to come. ■
References
• Fokin, S, et al. 2000. The Garganey in the former USSR: A compilation of the life-history information.
Wetlands International Global Series No. 7. Wetlands International, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
• Mednis, A, et al. 2003. The Garganey and Shoveler in the Baltic States and Belarus. Oiseaux Migrateurs
du Palearctique Occidental.
• Nagy, S, and Langendoen, T. 2020. Flyway trend analysis based on data from the African-Eurasian
Waterbird Census from the period of 1967-2018. Online publication. Wetlands International,
Wageningen, The Netherlands.
• Viskne, J, et al. 1998. Migration and dispersion of Latvian ducks. Acta Zoologica Lituanica 8: 85-92.
Birdwatch•April 2024 23
MIKI BARLOK OBSERVATORY FOCUS
S
ituated off the southernmost tip
of Ireland, the potential of Cape
Clear Island as a bird migration
hot-spot was first realised in the autumn
of 1959 when, under the direction
of the British Trust for Ornithology
(BTO), J T R Sharrock visited along
with four students from Leighton Park
School and Reading College. The
group was looking for somewhere
different from the norm and the BTO
sent them to Cape Clear – what an
inspired move that turned out to
be! That first visit showed just how
good the island can be for all forms
of birding, including seawatching,
monitoring migration, ringing and
general birding. Of course, today this
group of activities has been further
enhanced by the likes of noc-mig and
moth trapping.
In 1960 the new ‘committee’ was
met with the stunning news that the
building they were using was up for
sale and they were to have first refusal
with the price set at 300 Irish Punts.
Sadly, they could not raise that “huge
sum” and the building was lost to
the Irish Youth Hostel Association.
However, the ‘Capers’ back then, as
they do now, appreciated the need for
and importance of a bird observatory
on the island and alternative
accommodation was sourced. Two
years later, with the help of a generous
24 Birdwatch•April 2024
Cape crusaders
More than 60 years ago a hunch that Cape Clear Island, off
the coast of Co Cork, would be a productive spot for bird
migration was proved correct in spectacular fashion by a
group of pioneers. Steve Wing explores the history and
growth of the bird observatory, which has produced many
spectacular rarities over the decades, and offers advice for
visiting birders.
and anonymous donation, the the observatory has continued on a safe
committee was able to buy the nearby and secure footing. BirdWatch Ireland
Harbour House, which is where the is the country’s largest independent
observatory is situated to this day. conservation organisation, and a non-
As with many of the bird profit one at that.
observatories around our coast, in the
early years it was run by a small and An ideal spot
dedicated group of volunteers, with Although ‘location, location, location’
the occasional season having a warden is an adage commonly applied to house
present. For much of the time, the eldest hunting, it is equally apt in terms of
birder became the ‘honorary warden’. bird migration, and Cape Clear is a
Then, in 2000, with the building in fine illustration of this. It sits at the
a pretty awful state, it was decided southernmost tip of Ireland, just under 5
that a major overhaul was needed. It km from the famous Fastnet Lighthouse
was obvious that the committee could and nearly 13 km from the nearest
not hope to fund such a project so harbour on the mainland. Rather like
BirdWatch Ireland was approached the Isle of Portland on the south coast
and asked if it would ‘take over’ the of England (see Birdwatch 370: 30-34) it
running of the observatory. Thankfully, juts out from the coastline and acts as a
the request was accepted and since then natural magnet for tired or lost migrants.
www.birdguides.com
 STEVE WING
Facing page: Cape Clear is the most south-
westerly outpost of Ireland. Its geographical
positioning makes it a hot-spot for attracting
migrant and vagrant birds.

Its attraction to birds is increased by the

artificial lights of the lighthouse. In the
summer of 2018 the light was changed
from a mercury bulb to an LED system,
with the range of visibility dropping
from 27 to 18 nautical miles. It will be
interesting to see how this might affect
the numbers of migrants finding Cape
Clear in the future.
The island has a huge diversity of
habitats that have, over the years,
amassed a total of more than 320
bird species, with nearly 40 of these
originating from America. The amount
of tree cover on the island is increasing
alarmingly from a birder’s viewpoint,
Chough is one of the island’s most charismatic resident birds, with several breeding pairs.
making it more difficult for the few
visitors to the island to locate birds.
STEVE WING

One habitat that is lacking is extensive

mudflats, so the island doesn’t tend
to attract many waders. Having said
that, in autumn 2023, while other
parts of Western Europe were being
pelted with American passerines,
our ‘only’ transatlantic visitors were
two shorebirds – a superb Upland
Sandpiper and a very confiding Pectoral
Sandpiper.
Historically, one of Cape Clear’s
attractions was that it would be easier
to find a rarity here than at many
other sites, purely because of the lack
of birders. The island has a really
dedicated group of regulars who book
the middle two weeks of October,
taking the observatory and several
small holiday cottages, but in any week
outside of those two, finding somewhere
to stay is not likely to be a problem.

Super seabirds
Cape Clear has always been famous for
its passing seabirds and remains that
way. With the improvement in optical
equipment over the years, the need to
head out to the very southern tip of
the island has diminished. There are
several equally good spots now where
superb views of seabirds can be had,
including the huge numbers of passing
Manx Shearwaters. Summer 2023 saw
record numbers of Cory’s Shearwaters
passing the south coast of Co Cork and
the island was luckily involved in that
spectacle. I have personally counted
more than 5,000 Great Shearwaters
passing in just one hour – that was
from the tip of the island, but many
would certainly have been visible from
the newer seawatching sites. Wilson’s
www.birdguides.com
The famous bird observatory is the white building on the left, close to the main harbour. It is
operated on a self-catering basis and has three rooms in which visitors can stay.
Storm Petrels are seen annually from
the shore, but most pelagic trips out
from the island encounter this species.
The dreadful outbreaks of bird flu have
decimated our sightings of Great and
Arctic Skuas, although we are hoping to
witness a recovery in their numbers over
the next few years.
The lie of the land
The shape of Cape Clear Island is a
vague ‘figure of eight’, stretching from
south-west to north-east, with the south-
western end being the smaller of the
two ‘halves’. The narrow ‘waist’ of the
island holds the two main ringing areas,
Cotters Garden and Nordy Wood,
both of which have had their share
of rarities over the years. This is also
where what could loosely be called the
island’s ‘village’ is located, with a shop/
restaurant, three bars and the main
harbour where boats land.
One of my favourite sounds of all is
the call of Chough – it really is wildness
personified – and the island is lucky to
have several pairs breeding around its
cliffs and barns. Recently, Common
Buzzards have become more regular
visitors to the island, with at least three
wintering this year; it can only be a
matter of time before they breed here.
The western end of the island is
the more rugged with a mixture of ❯
Birdwatch•April 2024 25
RICHARD STONIER OBSERVATORY FOCUS
Being so far south-west, Cape Clear is in prime position to intercept movements of scarcer
seabirds such as Cory’s Shearwater during late summer and autumn.
heathland, bog and pasture. This
provides suitable habitat for a number
of breeding species, including Northern
Wheatear, Eurasian Skylark and
European Stonechat, while Raven,
Common Starling, House Martin
and Peregrine Falcon use the cliffs for
nesting.
Although the island has plenty
of cliffs, it has a rock structure that
limits the number of ledges where
species such as Guillemot can nest, but
there is nonetheless a small breeding
population. With very little accessible
foreshore it is difficult to gauge the
26 Birdwatch•April 2024
numbers of species such as Purple
Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone.
The three bogs, East, Central and
West, all hold Sedge Warblers in the
summer. In terms of ringing we have a
Constant Effort Site in East Bog, where
we caught and retrapped the same
Sedge Warbler over a period of six
years!
The larger, north-eastern part of
the island has a mixture of mainly
agricultural land with the elevated
southern edge being mostly dry coastal
heath and designated as a Special Area
of Conservation (SAC). Our largest
numbers of Northern Fulmars breed
along the cliffs in South Harbour, which
forms the start of this SAC. Large areas
of this coast are unexplored by birders
and much of the terrain is difficult to
access, being covered in dense gorse
and bramble. There are, however,
some excellent birding opportunities
at the eastern end, such as the garden
along the Lighthouse Road, Paddy
Timsey’s Garden, Mass Track Woods,
Secret Valley and the Old Post Office.
Generally speaking, this part of the
island is vastly underwatched, purely
down to a lack of observers, and surely
many good birds are missed.
Cape Clear is ideally placed for
seeing a fairly wide range of cetacean
species. Minke Whales are commonly
observed, while Humpback and Fin
Whales are recorded in most years.
Common Dolphins are also frequently
encountered, sometimes in huge
numbers, and Harbour Porpoise has a
resident population in the waters around
the island and is seen regularly. Basking
Sharks are becoming scarcer by the year
but some are usually located each spring.
The birding year
Although the observatory starts
recording in late March or early April,
there are a few birders on the island
who keep an eye open during the winter
months. Great Northern and Red-
throated Divers are frequently seen
from the ferry and Northern Fulmars
make regular visits to their nest sites.
We expect to see Sand Martin, House
Martin and Northern Wheatear before
the season actually starts, and Guillemot
and Razorbill begin to reappear along
the south coast. Raven will have already
laid eggs by then and early spring
migrants, such as Common Chiffchaff,
will be increasing.
During spring migration Cape Clear
is hugely underwatched and I’m certain
that more eyes on the island at this time
would bring better success rates. We tend
to get Hoopoe, European Turtle Dove
and Wryneck nearly every spring, and
occasionally, although rarely, the likes
of Alpine Swift, Red-rumped Swallow,
Tree Sparrow or other unusual migrants
will pay a visit. Our south-westerly
location doesn’t encourage huge spring
falls but, having said that, we rarely have
a dull day in April or May. In 2023 we
witnessed what may be an indication
of changes ahead, when we had a
large influx of more southern-based
waterbirds, with five Black-winged Stilts,
three Black-crowned Night Herons and
a Purple Heron.
During the summer months, we turn
www.birdguides.com
STEVE WING

Looking out from the south-west of the island towards Fastnet Rock, which is the most southerly point in Ireland and a useful seawatching marker.
JOSH JONES

STEVE WING

With Cape Clear being situated so far west, European migrants such as The island’s location renders it a hot-spot for rarities, with waders
this Spotted Flycatcher rarely appear in large numbers. such as White-rumped Sandpiper occasionally showing up.

our eyes to seabirding and especially to
Manx Shearwater passage. My highest
count was just over 32,000 in one hour,
but the average evening figures are
closer to 7,000-8,000 per hour. Black
Guillemots can be seen just outside
North Harbour, in small rafts on the
water or on the cliffs as they sit outside
their nest crevices.
Larger numbers of Northern Gannet,
Guillemot, Razorbill and Northern
Fulmar, along with the odd Sooty
Shearwater, start appearing further
offshore from July onwards, heralding
the onset of autumn passage.
Peak season
August and September are perhaps the
best months to visit the island if you
want to see spectacular numbers of
seabirds. Cory’s Shearwater can occur
from July onwards but Great Shearwater
is more of a September visitor. Prior to
the bird-flu outbreaks, this would also
be the prime time for any skua passage,
but sadly numbers last year were at an
all-time low. However, large numbers
of auks, including a few Puffins, can be
seen offshore, alongside many thousands
of Manx Shearwaters.
On land, August and September are
the peak autumn migration months on
Cape Clear. As with spring migration,
we are not treated to thousands of
‘phylloscs’ or hirundines, but we do get
them in the hundreds! The two expected
flycatcher species, Spotted and Pied, are
recorded every year and most autumns
we get one or two Red-breasted
Flycatchers. Scarce autumn migrants
such as Yellow-browed Warbler and
Firecrest are annual visitors and are
always a delightful sight, while a North
American passerine appearing as early
as August is not unknown.
Historically, October is the best month

www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 27

OBSERVATORY FOCUS

for rarities to turn up. In my opinion,

KEVIN DUROSE
this is largely due to the number of eyes
looking for them. September has huge
potential but success is hampered by the
lack of birders visiting the island.

Rarities
Where to start? During the 65 years that
the observatory has been in existence,
Cape Clear has amassed a staggering 30
Irish firsts, including an incredible eight
firsts for Britain and Ireland combined.
The island’s list is approaching 330,
including 39 American species. These
are pretty extraordinary stats for such a
small place and who knows how many
other rarities have been missed over the
years. On two separate occasions in the
last 25 years I have seen three American
species on the island in a single day.
There aren’t many places in Western
Europe to match that.
STEVE WING

I won’t bore you with a list of dates,

but some of the Nearctic highlights
at Cape Clear over the years have
included Yellow-bellied Sapsucker,
Blue-winged, American Yellow, Myrtle
and Black-and-white Warblers, Ruby-
crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush,
Bobolink, Rose-breasted Grosbeak,
Scarlet Tanager, Upland Sandpiper
and Redhead. From the east, headline
rarities have included Eastern
Olivaceous, Sykes’s, Greenish, Radde’s
and Dusky Warblers, Red-throated
Pipit and Red-flanked Bluetail, as well
as many more. Meanwhile, seabirds
include regular Fea’s-type petrels in
summer and early autumn. With a track
record like that, if you like the idea of
finding a national ‘first’ then Cape Clear
is a great place to start looking. ■
PHIL PALMER

Cape Clear’s south-westerly

Cape Clear position has ensured that
Bird Observatory the island has a long and
illustrious track record of
• Open from mid-April until the end of October, attracting North American
the observatory nestles in a sheltered spot rarities. Some 39 Nearctic
in North Harbour, just a short walk from the species have been recorded
ferry. Run on a self-catering basis, with a fully on the island over the years,
equipped kitchen, it has three basic, simple including an impressive
and comfortable bedrooms: a single, a twin
variety of landbirds. In
and a dormitory-style room with four beds.
fact, Cape Clear was long
• Short-term volunteers are welcome at any time
to help with work at the observatory, including considered the premier site
recording, habitat management and even in Ireland for such vagrants,
cleaning, while a few places are still available with Irish birders traditionally
on the week-long ‘Seabirds and Migration’ travelling down to Co Cork for
courses run by BirdWatch Ireland in April and an October stay on the island
September 2024. in the same manner that
• For bookings and enquiries: bit.ly/CCBObook British birders descended on
the Isles of Scilly.
Some of the many top
Help or find out more rarities to have occurred over
• Make a direct donation to the observatory: the years include Yellow-
bit.ly/CCBOdonate bellied Sapsucker from 16-19
• Join BirdWatch Ireland: bit.ly/BWIjoin October 1988 (top), Veery on
• Follow the observatory on Twitter/X: @CCBOIE 17-18 October 2018 (middle)
• A comprehensive book, The Natural History of and the Western Palearctic’s
Cape Clear, 1959-2019, is available from the first Blue-winged Warbler from
BirdWatch Ireland shop: bit.ly/NatHistCC 4-10 October 2000 (bottom).

28 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

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ED STUBBS IDENTIFICATION
Field ID notes
Common and
Black Redstarts
April is a probably the best month for finding either
Black or Common Redstart on your patch, with both
of these attractive species on the move at this time.
Ed Stubbs offers tips on how and where to find them.
I
find April to be the most frenetic
month on my patch. It can often
start with cold weather and lingering
winter visitors, but in a matter of weeks
you find yourself having chalked off
the good majority of expected summer
migrants. Weather obviously plays
a big factor in the turnover of birds
and how productive local birding is
at this time of the year, but migrants
will arrive and species you’ve yearned
to see and hear all winter will become
routine by the time May rolls around.
Among the species on the move
in April are Black and Common
Redstarts – two good-looking chats that
will turn the head of the patchbirder
based anywhere in Britain. Both
species breed in Britain (though Black
Redstart is rare and localised), but
encountering one on passage is always
satisfying and, depending on where you
live, may even represent a quality local
find. The first glimpse of the orange
‘start’ (an old name for tail), ‘shivering’
in the habitual way of both species, is
30 Birdwatch•April 2024
always cause for excitement.
April is the peak spring month for
encountering both of these species.
Passage Black Redstarts move earlier,
climaxing in the second half of March
and first half of April, with the bulk of
migrant Common Redstarts passing
through during April and rarely into
May. So, if you’re after one locally,
now’s the time to get looking. This
piece will take a look at both of these
species and, chiefly, what sort of habitat
you’re likely to find them in, as well as
the best conditions and identification
features to bear in mind. It’s worth
noting that most of the detail outlined
can also be applied in the autumn,
when both species are arguably even
more ‘gettable’ on passage.
The species
While Black Redstart can be recorded
throughout the year, it is rare in the
summer when it breeds at select urban
locales. Similarly, wintering birds are a
feature in some southern and western
KEY FEATURED SPECIES
• Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
• Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
• Moussier’s Redstart Phoenicurus moussieri
areas, typically along the coast, but
they tend to be localised. Most records
are of passage birds, peaking in the
autumn, but also with a healthy showing
in spring. European birds winter as far
south as the Horn of Africa, and it is
both an altitudinal and short- and long-
distance migrant. It is a common species
on the Continent, but birds routinely
pass through Britain and numbers can
be swelled in periods of easterly winds.
Generally, Black Redstart is a bird of
note wherever you live in Britain.
Common Redstart has a more
northerly range than Black Redstart
and, in Britain, is commonest in the
woodlands of the north and west,
though it also breeds in the south, albeit
patchily. It winters in sub-Saharan
Africa and birds heading north to
breeding grounds can turn up almost
anywhere on passage. Even in areas
where Common Redstarts breed,
though, they are generally uncommon
– or at least unobtrusive – away from
these nesting areas. For example, in my
local area in Surrey, where it breeds
conspicuously at heathland sites, I never
expect to see many (or any!) away from
Above: If there’s a place to perch and a supply
of insects, pretty much anywhere can attract a
passage Black Redstart – and April is a great
month to go looking locally.
www.birdguides.com
JOSH JONES

A dull early April day and a hedgerow yet to foliate can be illuminated considerably by the presence of a migrant Common Redstart, especially a
fetching male like this. Despite the bright colours, these shy birds can be surprisingly inconspicuous for long periods.

these places during the passage seasons. Black Redstarts, generally, are boulders and so on are more preferable
The point here being that, even if you unfussy birds – on the Continent they for a foraging ‘Black Red’ than a tree or
have Common Redstart as a breeding are strongly associated with no-frills a hedge (which they will of course still
bird in your local area, it’s still a relative urban areas. On passage, open habitats use). Thus, they are a key feature when
goodie away from these sites. are best, certainly more so than for seeking the species.
Common Redstart. This includes I often find Black Redstart to prefer
Where to look farmland, larger areas of parkland, more rudimentary farmland, hanging
The identification of Black and beaches, clifftops, reservoirs, meadows out around scrapyards, piles of rubble,
Common Redstarts is pretty and grassland and even gardens. One old buildings or along fence lines that
straightforward – a lot of the answer important component of all these, bisect ecologically relatively poor
to finding them on passage, especially however, is prominent perching places habitat, such as horse paddocks. Indeed,
inland, lies in where you’re looking. – fences, farm buildings, large rocks and paddocks are perhaps the best place ❯
Less often encountered on passage than female and immature types, adult male Black
Redstarts are eye-catching birds, with a blackish face and breast, bright white wing panel, rusty-
red undertail coverts, outer tail feathers and rump and an overall charcoal-grey plumage.
KIT DAY

www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 31

TOM WRIGHT IDENTIFICATION

The first view of a passage Black Redstart might not be too dissimilar to this, with the bird on a prominent perch ahead of you, showing the red
‘start’ which may be ‘shivered’ with regularity. Note also the overall slate-grey tones to the head and body.

to look for migrant Black Redstarts
and I’d suggest making a mental note
of where these are in your local area.
Across my south-west Surrey patch,
there are a few sites that have good
form for Black Redstart, consistently
attracting birds down the years. In
that sense it is a species that can be
site-faithful on passage, which is worth
bearing in mind.
Common Redstart has a relatively
similar taste on passage, though the
big difference in habitat at least is its
preference to be closer to cover. As
a bird of trees and woodland, this
is little surprise. Exposed fence lines
in farmland or grassland can attract
birds, but perhaps more optimal is a
sheltered or dense hedgerow, especially
if bordering a paddock or pasture field,
where insect prey is plentiful. However,
they may be encountered anywhere
ED STUBBS
that suitable scrubby cover exists, such
as in parkland, along a river valley, at
a coastal wetland and so on. Common
Redstarts are less likely to be found
hopping around on beaches in the
fashion of Black Redstarts, but nearby
scrub could easily support one.
So, in general terms, the species
loosely share habitat preferences on
passage, including farmland (especially
paddocks), parkland and meadows.
However, Black Redstart is less fussy and
happy to be in more exposed areas away
from cover, while Common Redstart
usually likes to have nearby vegetation
in which to hide.
Timing and conditions
You’ve worked out where in your local
area might attract a migrant redstart,
but when is the best time to look?
During the bustle of spring migration,
‘any time’ would be a valid answer, but
certain periods of day can be more
optimal than others. Weather is well
worth keeping an eye on, too, as it can
drive mini-influxes of both species and
also make them more visible while
migrating.
Generally, I find both redstarts to
be ‘during the day’ birds rather than
early morning species. In fact, looking
through my recent records of passage
Black Redstarts, the majority have
occurred between 9 am and 12 pm –
with a lesser spike in the late afternoon,
and few early morning birds. Like many
chats, including Northern Wheatear and
Whinchat, redstarts will feed up during
the day while performing their shorter
diurnal movements. So, birds that have
been moving overnight may drop in
throughout the morning. Feeding up
ahead of a night flight links to greater

DAVID CAMPBELL

This rather nondescript farmland is classic Black Redstart habitat, Coastal birds may be found in habitat like this, with Black Redstarts
with plenty of fences, roofs and wires to forage from. favouring rocks and cliffs and Common Redstarts using scrub.

32 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

 ED STUBBS
visibility later in the day. Furthermore,
April mornings can often still be
quite chilly – not ideal for insects or
insectivores.
As with many migrant passerines, a
wind with a southerly element is needed
to encourage large numbers of birds
to head north from Iberia and France.
These classic spring conditions may
yield falls of common species, such as
Blackcap, Common Whitethroat or
Northern Wheatear – on such days,
it’s worth putting in the extra effort for
Common Redstart in particular. That
said, a headwind (northerly in spring)
is often useful for making chats more
obvious during the peak periods of Any area of open countryside with extensive fence line is worth checking for migrant Black
Redstarts, especially on days when the wind is in the east.
the month when the largest numbers
are moving. Cloud and light rain will
SAVERIO GATTO (AGAMI.NL)

ground birds as well.

Black Redstarts are particularly prone
to mini-influxes during periods of light
easterly winds, especially if you live in
the south or east. At such times it can
pay to keep plugged in to BirdGuides
– an arrival of Black Redstarts on the
coast may be a sign that you should get
looking for one locally. In 2023, I scored
three local Black Redstarts in April –
all came on days when the wind was
between the north-east and south-east
and cloud cover was 50% or more, and
all were found between 9 am and 3 pm
and close to or on an exposed fence line!

Behaviour
As alluded to previously, Black Redstart
tends to be more overt while on passage, Compared with the female-type Black Redstart in the top photo, this female Common Redstart
is paler and buffier, especially on the underparts and the face, where the eyering is obvious.
often egging you on to pick it out by
OLIVER SMART

Common Redstart tends to be less confiding than Black Redstart on passage, but birds will sit out in the open on occasion. Exposed fence lines in
farmland or grassland can attract birds – especially if bordering a paddock or pasture field, where insect prey is plentiful.
❯
www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 33
IDENTIFICATION

DAVID CAMPBELL
sitting up on a prominent perching
place. Despite this rather conspicuous
behaviour, spring migrants can be
surprisingly fleeting – I can think of a
couple of occasions when I’ve spotted
one and enjoyed a minute or two of
views before it’s disappeared, never to
be seen again.
Common Redstarts are generally
shyer and more skulking, although at
times they can be surprisingly obvious,
perhaps feeding in the open on the
short sward of a paddock or along
a fence on a hill slope. If they are
playing hard to get then be prepared
to put in some effort – individuals
can sometimes be really quite discreet
around dense cover, only occasionally
flying out to take insect prey. I can
recall one particular mid-April female Immature male Black Redstarts that have started acquiring adult-type plumage in their first
year, like this individual, are known as ‘paradoxus’ birds.
that I had rather incongruously in
some vegetation at the base of an oak
VINCENT LEGRAND (AGAMI.NL)

at a grassland site – it took a good half-

hour before I managed a decent view!
Even if Common Redstarts can
be skulking, both they and Black
Redstarts are usually quite active and
energetic on spring passage, often
feeding vigorously on insect prey. If
they have found a site that offers plenty
of food, they can perform well.

Identification
Perhaps the first sign you’ll see that
you’ve got a passage redstart is the
flash of rusty-red of the tail and
rump, before seeing the rest of the
bird. Adult males of both species are
handsome and distinctive, and are
straightforward to separate.
Female-types can occasionally offer
a slightly trickier ID conundrum, With only one British record, Moussier’s Redstart would represent a dream find. Given that bird
occurred in April, it pays to keep an open mind if birding on the coast!
especially in bad light or if proving
skittish or elusive. However, the overall
slate-grey tones of female Black Rarer redstarts Portugal and Spain have enjoyed multiple
Redstarts make them obvious. Female Eastern Black Redstart of the records of Moussier’s Redstart since the
Common Redstarts are paler and subspecies phoenicuroides has established British bird, so it doesn’t seem impossible
buffier, often with a peach wash to the a pattern of late-autumn vagrancy to that one could turn up again, most likely
underparts, plus a paler whitish throat Britain and north-west Europe – but on a south-facing coastal headland. It’s
and more obvious eyering. all of the 17 currently accepted British one for the keen rarity finder to bear in
Most first-winter male Black records have been found between late mind!
Redstarts remain uniform grey during October and early January, so it is not a
their first year of life (and will sing serious consideration for April. Key takeaways
in early spring in such plumage). On the other hand, the sole British Most of us patchwatchers won’t be
However, others obtain adult-like record of Moussier’s Redstart – a dreaming of Moussier’s Redstart this
plumage, especially around the face, resident of the Atlas Mountains month, though, and will more likely
and are known as ‘paradoxus’ birds. of north-west Africa and a short- be pleased with a Black or Common
Generally, both species are quiet on distance or altitudinal migrant – came Redstart. I’d say the key things to take
passage – especially Black Redstart, on 24 April 1988 at Dinas Head, away from this piece are: identifying
which is usually silent. However, some Pembrokeshire. Interestingly, this mega suitable sites that could harbour a
Common Redstarts can be vocal at was found in the early afternoon and, migrant redstart (ideally with plenty of
times, uttering a repeated hoo-eet call, according to the gripping finder’s fence line and available insect prey),
which sounds like a more forceful, account, several Common Redstarts looking between mid-morning and late
strident calling Willow Warbler, but had been seen at Dinas Head between afternoon, keeping an eye on the weather
this tends not to be too frequent away 23 and 25 April on the back of a week and following news of migrant arrivals,
from breeding grounds. of southerly winds. The likes of Italy, locally or nationally. ■

34 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

MIGRATION

W
hether it be the sweet,

KIT DAY
cascading song of a Willow
Warbler, the sight of a
Swallow skipping through a bright
blue April sky or the white flash of a
Northern Wheatear’s tail as it flicks
along a footpath, we all have our own
idea of what constitutes the ultimate
sign that spring has arrived. Every
year, up and down the country, birders
are joyed by their first encounters
with returning summer migrants.
Such moments are very intimate,
representing personal milestones in
our birding years and rejuvenating our
love for the hobby, as well as providing
optimism for the season ahead.
The appearance of these common
migrants can be relied upon each year,
but the timing and pattern of their
arrivals varies annually as numerous
factors take their toll: no two springs
are the same. There are always early
outliers for every species, with these
harbingers arriving days or even weeks
ahead of the main ‘wave’ of their
congeners. Weather conditions play
their part, with a run of mild south-
westerlies sometimes causing mass
arrivals well ahead of the expected
dates; on the other hand, chilly north-
easterlies can have the opposite effect.
Where exactly we live in the UK
also has an impact: how soon we can
expect to see a Sand Martin or hear
the scratchy refrain of a Common
Whitethroat, for example, will differ
significantly between a South Devon
valley and the east coast of Scotland –
Shifting spring
sometimes by weeks. The arrival of spring can be relied upon, but just how is
From the birder’s perspective, this
complex and fluctuating picture ‘season creep’ affecting our migrant birds compared to in
only furthers the anticipation of and the past? Josh Jones investigates the rapid changes being
excitement for the forthcoming season. observed in the status and distribution of some of our most
Which species will arrive early and
which will be late? How quickly will
celebrated summer visitors.
they settle down to breed? Will there be
any interesting influxes or falls? These about the impact of these emissions on the average arrival date of this iconic
are questions that race through our climate in recent decades and it is widely summer visitor has advanced by more
minds every year and are inevitably acknowledged that they are to blame than two weeks since the 1970s. For its
answered as the lengthening days of for global average temperatures having close relative, Sand Martin, the figure is
March, April and May come to pass. rapidly increased since the mid-20th as high as 25 days.
century. In fact, a 2016 study of 14 common
Changing times Correspondingly, it is now well known migrant species found that 11 of
Yearly fluctuations are entirely natural that climate change is having myriad them had advanced their arrival dates
and will have affected migrant birds for effects on the natural world. Among significantly since the 1960s and the
millennia, long before recorded history these are its impacts on phenology, or remaining three, while showing less
and the birth of ornithology. But as the the timing of biological events. Rising clear trends, nonetheless illustrated
impact of humans on Earth deepens, temperatures cause advances in the small advances. In addition to the
there are signs that something less flowering times of plants and the flight aforementioned hirundines, the
expected is now occurring. seasons of insects, as well as the earlier lengthiest shifts were in Blackcap
The Industrial Revolution was nesting of many birds. Additionally, the (18 days earlier), House Martin (16),
a watershed moment in human warming planet has been linked to the Common Chiffchaff (15), Common
history, for it was the time when our earlier arrival of migrant bird species Redstart (12) and Common Whitethroat
greenhouse gas emissions began to in spring. (10). These are startling changes for
accelerate. Much has been learned Take Swallow, for example. In the UK, such a short space of time.

36 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

PAUL SAWER
Swallow has increased in northern and western Britain in conjunction with an increase in pastoral farming, which generates plenty of insect prey.
MARKUS VARESVUO (AGAMI.NL)
Typically appearing in March, Sand Martin is one of our earliest
summer migrants. Its average arrival time has advanced by 25 days.
Facing page: Common Whitethroat, one of our
most conspicuous summer visitors, now arrives
10 days earlier in spring than in the 1960s.
But what are the implications of
the rapid shifts being witnessed in
many migrant species and do they
really matter? The answer to the
second part of that question is a fairly
straightforward ‘yes’, but delving into
the former reveals a plethora of impacts
that vary between species and which
will become only more augmented if
climatic warming continues as predicted
throughout the 21st century.
Match making
By arriving earlier, migrant birds are
essentially trying to keep pace with
the observed advance of spring across
Europe. But despite some species now
arriving weeks earlier than they did 50
years ago, they are still struggling to
keep up. This leads to a phenomenon
www.birdguides.com
OLIVER SMART
Pied Flycatcher is a well-known example of how phenological
mismatch can have an impact on breeding success.
known as phenological mismatch, in
which organisms that would normally
interact are no longer active at the same
time – in this case, it primarily relates to
migrant birds and the invertebrate prey
on which they feed their young.
Phenological mismatch is widely
considered a driver of declines in many
migrant species. This includes the
well-studied Pied Flycatcher, which is
suffering in many parts of its European
breeding range due to warmer springs
that have advanced the peak availability
of favoured caterpillar prey, despite the
species now arriving back earlier than
ever before. Missing this peak in food
availability results in a less productive
breeding season and consequently has a
negative effect on population.
Recently, researchers in the
Netherlands and Sweden experimented
with transporting Dutch Pied
Flycatchers overnight to Sweden,
resulting in an interesting impact
on breeding success. Releasing the
transported birds in Swedish forests,
where peak caterpillar availability comes
around two weeks later than the birds’
original destination, they bred more
successfully than local Pied Flycatchers.
Fascinatingly, the next year, the offspring
of the transported birds migrated to
Sweden earlier than local birds, and
went on to have boosted breeding
success themselves. This is clearly not a
realistic long-term conservation strategy
at a national or even continental scale,
but does at least demonstrate how
mismatch works.
Curiously, not all species are showing
significant changes in their arrival
dates, which in turn may cause them
further problems. Research shows
that Common Cuckoo has advanced
its spring arrival date by only three
days since the 1960s, and it has been
suggested that the increasing mismatch
between the breeding cycles of cuckoo
and some of its host species, such
as Dunnock, may be contributing ❯
Birdwatch•April 2024 37
MIGRATION

OLIVER SMART
to the 34% decline noted in Britain
since 1995, as well as decreasing food
availability and challenges along the
western migration route.
In similar fashion, Spotted
Flycatcher’s spring arrival has remained
constant, with its departure from
African wintering grounds driven by
day length rather than climatic cues.
As the peak abundance of their flying
insect prey has shifted forward, Spotted
Flycatchers have been left behind.
The exception to the rule has been in
northern Scotland, where this species
has fared well given the catastrophic
declines in many areas further south,
hinting at a climate-induced range shift.

Range changes
Rapid shifts in distribution are being
noted in other birds in response to
climate change, with some populations Willow Warbler populations have plummeted across southern Britain in conjunction with climatic
of species faring better than others. warming. Conversely, it has increased significantly in Scotland, where mean spring temperature
is now close to optimum for the species. But what will happen as warming continues?
Perhaps the most dramatic example of
this in the UK is Willow Warbler. While
TOM WRIGHT

still a familiar breeding bird, warming

temperatures have been identified as
the driver of the steep declines being
witnessed in southern areas, which
are simply becoming too warm for the
species. Conversely, the mean breeding-
season temperature is now more or
less optimum for Willow Warbler in
Scotland, where an increase of 77% was
noted between 1994 and 2018.
Land-use changes have also been
touted as likely causes of distribution
shifts and declines. Human-induced
habitat loss or degradation is an obvious
component of this which needs no
introduction, but more nuanced shifts
can also have far-reaching impacts.
For example, the starkest declines in
UK Swallow populations have come in
the south and east, where agricultural
intensification has combined with the
loss of livestock farming and grazed
grassland to reduce insect populations. Disturbance has been cited as a contributor to the declines of ground-nesting summer migrants
such as a Tree Pipit (above) and Wood Warbler in the UK.
Simultaneously, an increase in pasture in
the north and west has led to increases
in Swallows in these areas. The automatic assumption might being prolonged. This translated to the
Ranges can change as a consequence be that this is a good thing, citing a birds producing 75% more fledglings
of other habitat pressures. For potentially longer breeding season, but in the 2000s when compared to the
example, the vast increases in UK deer research reveals that it isn’t quite that 1980s. Presumably something similar
populations have resulted in greater straightforward. is happening here, given the observed
browsing of scrub and understorey. There has been one clear winner of positive trends, although wetland
This has been linked to the loss of the warmer European summers. In stark restoration and creation is likely to be a
undergrowth dwellers such as Common contrast to the declining trends of many factor, too.
Nightingale and Garden Warbler, which other summer migrants, Reed Warbler But a lengthier summer stay hasn’t
have a heavy reliance on such habitat. is faring well in the UK – its population afforded other species a similar boost.
here has more than doubled and its Despite spending almost a month longer
Longer stays range increased by 41% since the 1970s. in the UK compared to the 1960s,
Evidence shows that as well as arriving A Polish study, conducted over a similar Garden Warbler’s population continues
earlier, many migrants are now leaving timescale, found that Reed Warblers to fluctuate and is possibly even in
later in the autumn – meaning a longer were arriving earlier in spring and, long-term decline. House Martin arrives
stay overall in the breeding range. resultantly, their breeding seasons were earlier and spends an average of 15

38 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

ROBIN CHITTENDEN
The beautiful Whinchat is one of our most attractive summer visitors but population declines have been precipitous in recent times, thought to be
due to habitat change and poor breeding productivity. It is one of the few species which has shown little change in the timing of its spring arrival.
extra days with us each summer than
it did 50 years ago, yet almost 40% of
these Red-Listed birds have vanished
from UK skies since 1995. Myriad
factors are evidently at play, their
impacts varying on a case-by-case basis.
What’s more, a longer stay is not a
unanimous feature among summer
migrants. The exception is Common
Swift, which is arriving five days earlier
than it did in the 1960s, but it is also
departing south for wintering grounds
eight days earlier – resulting in a
slight drop in the time it spends in the
UK. But this isn’t seemingly playing
a role in the 60% decline noted since
1995, which is more likely caused by
building renovations reducing nest-site
availability and insect loss.
Complex web
Understanding how climate change will
impact migratory birds as we go into
the future is far from straightforward.
Every species has its own phenology,
distribution, migration strategy, habitat
preference, food sources and many
other factors besides, each of which
have varying influences on the species
at different times of year, in turn
translating to the differing responses
that have been documented over recent
decades.
Travelling thousands of kilometres
each year, these birds are exposed to
www.birdguides.com
changes not only on breeding grounds mast seeding events across Europe, and
but in wintering areas and on migratory provided a good demonstration of how
routes, too. A sudden crash in Common we are constantly learning.
Whitethroat in 1969 initially mystified Despite our improved knowledge,
ornithologists but was later linked to predicting how migratory birds might
drought in the western Sahel. Winter respond to further warming in the years
survival rates of adults of this species ahead remains a convoluted exercise.
and Sedge Warbler, which shares a Based on what we have witnessed so
similar non-breeding distribution, have far, there will be some winners – but,
since been shown to be closely related to soberingly, many more losers.
how populations fluctuate in Europe in This concerning outlook should
summer. only fuel our collective desire to do
As time goes by, our understanding everything in our power to save what
of how these processes interact and are some of our most beloved species.
impact migratory birds during their Submitting your observations to
annual life cycles continues to develop. BirdTrack (birdtrack.net) will help the
For example, the ground-nesting Wood BTO to monitor the national picture on
Warbler has long been known to be the arrival dates, distribution, breeding
particularly susceptible to disturbance success and departure dates of our
– this being cited as a key contributor most familiar summer visitors, and will
to a 75% decline in the UK since 1994 inform conservation thinking as we
– but 2023-published research linked travel further into an uncertain age for
population declines in the species to migratory birds. ■
References
• BTO. 2022. BirdTrends. Accessed via bto.org/birdtrends.
• Halupka, L, et al. 2021. Fitness consequences of longer breeding seasons of a migratory passerine
under changing climatic conditions. Journal of Animal Ecology 90 (7): 1655-1665.
• Maag, N, et al. 2023. Wood warbler population dynamics in response to mast seeding regimes in
Europe. Ecology 105 (2): e4227.
• Martay, B, et al. 2022. Breeding ground temperature rises, more than habitat change, are associated
with spatially variable population trends in two species of migratory bird. IBIS 165: 34-54.
• Newson, S E, et al. 2016 Long-term changes in the migration phenology of UK breeding birds detected
by large-scale citizen science recording schemes. IBIS 158: 481-495.
• Ockendon, N, et al. 2012. Declines in British-breeding populations of Afro-Palaearctic migrant birds
are linked to bioclimatic wintering zone in Africa, possibly via constraints on arrival time advancement.
Bird Study 59: 111-125.
Birdwatch•April 2024 39
JAMES EATON TRAVEL
S
ome of the world’s best birding
countries have so many different
hot-spots that you could spend
your whole life there and still not
exhaust your ‘wanted’ list. Indonesia
is a prime example, being eight times
the size of the UK and with several
huge islands, including Java, Sulawesi
and Sumatra in particular, as well as
West Papua – the western part of New
Guinea. It is easy to forget that the
country comprises more than 17,000
islands, with in excess of 700 languages
spoken across these.
The 4,000-km-long Indonesian
archipelago hosts more than 600
endemic bird species and many of
these are found in the Lesser Sunda
islands. Some of these islands, such as
Flores, Sumba and Timor, are visited
annually by birders, but there are others
that almost no birders have been to,
including Wetar, Pantar, Babar and
Damar – none of which you can buy
a flight to. The last four are all located
in the Banda Sea, so without doubt the
best way to catch up with their endemic
species is on a specialist Banda Sea
cruise. This was first attempted by James
Eaton and Rob Hutchinson of Birdtour
Asia in 2011. In fact, it was such a
trailblazing trip that it could easily have
been a one-off. The tour found 210
42 Birdwatch•April 2024
Island dreams
An off-the-beaten-track island-hopping trip in search of
Indonesia’s endemic birds brought Keith Betton into
contact with some of the world’s least-known species.
species, including many endemic birds Tanahjampea. This first sea crossing was
hardly ever seen before. a great opportunity to get a few seabirds
The good news is that James and Rob under our belts, including Aleutian
have since made this trip an annual and Lesser Crested Terns, Red-necked
event, and I was fortunate to secure a Phalarope, Streaked Shearwater and
place on the November 2022 tour as Wilson’s Storm Petrel.
a paying customer, spending 15 days, Arriving at dawn in a village on the
mostly at sea. south side of Tanahjampea, we began
a full morning of birding through scrub
Setting sail and forest-edge habitat. Our main
The group assembled in Bali and the targets here were Flores Sea Cuckoo-
next morning we flew to Labuan Bajo Dove, Tanahjampea Monarch and
in the west of Flores to board our vessel, Tanahjampea Blue Flycatcher, the last
the Lady Denok. This is a ‘liveaboard’ of which sadly was lumped into Sulawesi
yacht that caters for up to 12 passengers Blue Flycatcher within a week of the
in seven comfortable, air-conditioned, trip finishing! All of these birds showed
en-suite cabins. You can opt to watch brilliantly well, allowing great photos to
birds from a covered area, but the best be taken, as did an Elegant Pitta.
birding is from the sundeck. Our afternoon was spent on the
We departed from Labuan Bajo with nearby island of Kalao. The first birders
fantastic weather and as we headed to check this area did so only in 2017,
into the Flores Sea we began the shortly after Kalao Blue Flycatcher had
14-hour journey to our first island – been split by the IOC. We found three
www.birdguides.com
 KEITH BETTON
Above: The impressive volcanic island of Damar
is one of several scantily birded locations that
Keith visited on his Banda Sea cruise.
birds and again they showed perfectly.
Leaving the island, we were delighted
to see 27 of the Critically Endangered
Yellow-crested Cockatoo.
Island hopping
Overnight we made the journey to the
island of Kalaotoa, some 100 km
further east. The coastal habitat here
was quite degraded, but great views
were obtained again of Flores Sea
Cuckoo-Dove. We also had good looks
at Supertramp Fantail. The IOC has
only just split this from Arafura Fantail
as a new species, taking most of the
various subspecies with it – six of which
we would see on this trip.
Heading off on a 20-hour journey to
the island of Pantar gave us another
opportunity to look for seabirds. Again,
we had Aleutian Terns flying alongside
us, with at least 41 seen including a
single flock of 34. These birds would
have migrated here from either Russia
or Alaska. Now we also started to see
Pomarine, Long-tailed and Arctic
Skuas, but for me the seabird highlights
were a Heinroth’s Shearwater and a
Swinhoe’s Storm Petrel.
www.birdguides.com
The Lady Denok was home to the group for the duration of the trip, with this yacht boasting
seven air-conditioned cabins that can house up to a dozen people.
Our early afternoon arrival on Pantar
allowed us to wander along roads that
cross open hills. At present the island
has no recognised endemic bird species
of its own, although the local form
of Wallacean Cuckooshrike showed
well and given its distinct vocalisations
it may well be split in future. Pantar
presents a great opportunity to see Alor
Boobook, which is easier to find here
than on the island after which it was
named. Staying long after dusk, we
succeeded in watching an individual
growling at us in our spotlight.
The next morning we arrived on
Alor itself after a sea journey of some
70 km. In remote places such as this,
you have to make do with whatever
transportation there is on offer, and
we were fortunate to have four Toyota
Landcruisers ready to take us up into
the rugged hills. The highlands of
Alor rise up to 1,200 m, and it’s a
slow drive along a twisted and rutted
road. BANG! Suddenly my vehicle
– the fourth in the convoy – was
stationary after a tyre exploded. After
an agonising hour or so we finally
squeezed ourselves into the remaining
three vehicles and the birding was back
on track.
The key target here was Alor
Myzomela, a species that was only
described in 2019. As we reached
its habitat on the eucalyptus ridge,
the overcast and windy weather was
starting to close in. However, a young
male or female came close, allowing
brief but sufficient views to please us.
Also in the grassy vegetation was a
Javan Bush Warbler, creeping mouse-
like back and forth across a trail. A
brief break in the overcast weather
gave us the chance to do some raptor
watching, with the main target being
Flores Hawk-Eagle. That did not
show, but a total of 15 Crested Honey
Buzzards was very good compensation.
After this, the weather caved in totally,
and while half the group returned to
the yacht, the hardcore birders were
rewarded by a Mees’s Nightjar flying
around at dusk.
The next day we were back
seawatching again as we covered the
180 km to Wetar. Having made good
progress, a terrific highlight was the
chance to go snorkelling over a stunning
coral reef – an amazing experience.
At 120 km long, Wetar is the largest
Indonesian island without an airport.
Its deep canyons lead steeply into
the sea and our first day here was
spent exploring such an area – the
Naumatong Gorge. We all changed into
spare shoes and marched up a fast-
flowing river towards the best areas of
habitat, sometimes knee-deep in water
– a small price to pay for some great
birding.
Endemics aplenty
Two of the island’s endemics – Wetar
Oriole and Black-necklaced Honeyeater
– showed quite easily, but Wetar Ground
Dove was surprisingly elusive, calling
from deep in the vegetation and only
giving brief views. Some of its relatives
showed more easily, namely Black and
Timor Cuckoo-Doves, Pink-headed
Imperial Pigeon and Banded Fruit
Dove. We even had a reminder of
home – a Common Kingfisher, here
being of the subspecies floresiana, which
some people refer to as ‘Cobalt-eared
Kingfisher’. ❯
Birdwatch•April 2024 43
JAMES EATON TRAVEL

One of the star birds during a stop on Kalaotoa was Supertramp Fantail. Formerly treated as a subspecies of Arafura Fantail by the IOC, it has now
been split and has nine subspecies within it – six of which Keith saw during the trip.
KEITH BETTON

,&*5)
#&550/

Kalao Blue Flycatcher was the highlight of a stop on its namesake Tanahjampea was the first island visited on the cruise, with the
island. Keith was encouraged to see how positive the islanders were smart Tanahjampea Monarch giving excellent views. This species is
about the bird, giving hope for its future conservation. classified as Endangered due to habitat loss.

Our next day was spent bouncing
around in the ‘tipper’ section of a
dumper truck, which was a great place
to be apart from the half hour in which
we endured the mother of all tropical
rainstorms! This was a great test of
the durability of our birding gear and
also our ability to remain positive. I
can confirm that having obtained great
views of Wetar Myzomela just seconds
ahead of the downpour, I managed to
smile all the way back (I think). Later we
were treated to truly excellent views of
a male Wetar Ground Dove, proving
that perseverance pays off.
That evening we went in search of the
adorable Wetar Scops Owl, and were
rewarded with outstanding views. More
challenging was a species currently
known as ‘Timor Nightjar’, although as
yet it has not been formally described.
Being found only on Wetar, Rote and
Timor it is clearly closely related to,
but quite distinct from, Large-tailed
Nightjar. A future ‘armchair tick’ awaits!
Our next stop was the island of Leti,
175 km further east, and after a night
of travel we arrived in the late morning
and enjoyed more snorkelling before an
afternoon of birding. It was extremely
hot and humid, but the birds co-
operated well, and before long we were
seeing the Banda Sea form of Northern
Fantail, which is very likely to be split
soon. For most of us the big target was
Grey Friarbird, which is often called
‘Kisar Friarbird’ – a better name as the
bird is not grey and Kisar is one of the
three islands on which it is found. A pair
flew past us several times, clearly taking
food to a nest.
It was now day 11, and we were

44 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

JAMES EATON
Impressive scenery was enjoyed throughout. This is the hilly interior of Wetar, where endemics such as Black-necklaced Honeyeater were seen.
JAMES EATON
Alor Myzomela is found only in the eucalyptus-dominated highlands of its eponymous island.
travelling north-east through the Banda
Sea towards the island of Terbang
Selatan, where again we were treated to
unbelievable snorkelling opportunities
on a pristine coral reef. This really
was birding at its best – great birds,
great food and great experiences – and
seeing the active fumaroles on Damar
smouldering away in the early evening
light added further to the experience.
Another rare gem
Damar is about 20 km long and 18
km wide, and while most of the lower
www.birdguides.com
areas are devoted to agriculture, the
mountains have forests, and it was in
these that we went in search of Damar
Flycatcher. This bird is endemic to the
island. Having been collected in 1898
it was not looked for again until 2001,
so once again this was a species that
very few people had seen. Naturally,
there was some tension in the air as
we entered the woods, but within a
few minutes we had a male singing
beautifully in front of us. James, our
leader, had wisely decided to set us off
up the mountain before dawn, and while
this was to avoid the mid-morning heat,
it in fact meant that we saw the bird
before rain set in.
Our next island to visit was Babar,
130 km further east, and we arrived
in time for an afternoon and evening
of birding. The birding here is along
the roads and in open forest. Although
not a lifer for most of us, Tricoloured
Parrotfinches were in many of the fields,
as were Banda Myzomelas. Similarly,
a Cinnamon-banded Kingfisher gave
terrific views. The main target here was
‘Babar Whistler’, which is still treated
by the IOC as a subspecies of Yellow-
throated Whistler – although surely
this is a future split, not least because
it’s actually one of nine forms of this
species that does not have a yellow
throat!
A final flourish
Once again, we were at sea and
heading towards Anggarmasa, some
175 km east, and part of the Tanimbar
archipelago. All of us were on deck
for a much-wanted seabird – Tahiti
Petrel. Despite its name, this ocean
wanderer has been recorded in many
places between Australia and the USA,
although even on its breeding grounds
relatively little is known about its
ecology. I would have been happy with
one, of course, but in total 26 were seen
over the course of 15 minutes!
It was almost time to leave the ship,
but just before docking in Saumlaki on
Yamdena we found time to visit a small
island on which Tanimbar Megapode
and Beach Stone-curlew could be seen.
Birdwatch•April 2024 45
JAMES EATON TRAVEL

JAMES EATON
This is the as yet undescribed ‘Timor Nightjar’, which is found on the Wetar Ground Dove proved very tricky, but eventually some excellent
islands of Timor, Wetar and Rote. views were obtained of this secretive denizen of the undergrowth.
KEITH BETTON

JAMES EATON

Birding on Wetar. Keith and his fellow

travellers were transported up into the
mountains in the back of a dumper truck.

Nearby, a rocky outcrop was home to a

colony of Brown Boobies that presented
good photographic opportunities. The Near Threatened Damar Flycatcher was one of the key targets on Damar. This is the slate-
coloured male, showing off its white fore-supercilium and sparse breast streaking.
This trip was incredibly special
and no matter where I go and what
KEITH BETTON

I do in the rest of my birding life

it will no doubt remain up there
among my all-time best experiences.
The space here does not allow me to
mention everything we saw, and I have
completely ignored the wealth of other
sea life, such as the many dolphins and
whales that entertained us.
Without a doubt, when it comes to
Asian birding, James and Rob are the
greatest trailblazers of our times. This
cruise is just one example of this. A
lasting memory was on one of the first
days of the trip when we visited the
island of Kalao. The villagers were
delighted to see us and they told us how
Kalao Blue Flycatcher was important
to them. I suspect that few of them had
realised how special this bird was until
the first visit by James in 2017. Now
they know, and I feel sure that they will Tanimbar Megapode was encountered on a small island off Yamdena. This unusual bird was one
of the final highlights of a truly excellent trip.
take care of its habitat as a result. ■

46 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

CONSERVATION

DANIEL ALARCON (ASOCIACIÓN ARMONÍA)

I
n the lowlands of northern Bolivia’s
Beni Department, occupying
the south-west corner of the
vast Amazon basin, lies the Llanos
de Moxos. Also known as the Beni
Savannas, the area is a mosaic of
savannas and wetlands, dappled with
forest islands and patterned with rivers
running down from the eastern slopes
of the Andes. Spanning approximately
126,100 sq km, this neotropical
ecoregion is a rich haven of biodiversity
and endemism.
Here, deep in these seasonally
inundated plains, lives one of the
world’s rarest birds: Blue-throated
Macaw. With its namesake vibrant
turquoise plumage covering its wings,
tail feathers and throat over a bright
yellow breast and belly, Blue-throated
Macaw was so rare as to be thought
extinct until its rediscovery in 1992.
Although still Critically Endangered,
the 2016 census found the wild
population to number between 420
and 480. Today, thanks to tireless
conservation efforts, that number is
steadily growing, and it is estimated
that there may now be as many as 700.

Exploring the riverine forests

The Moxos plains, dominated by
sedges and grasses, form the largest
expanse of savanna in the Amazon
and third largest in South America.
For eight months of the year, as much
as 60% of the region is flooded when
seasonal rainfall and snow melt from
Flying back
the peaks of the Andes swells the
rivers and streams criss-crossing the
grassy plains. Across the waterlogged
terrain, groves of palm forests stand
from the brink
out above the waterline. It is believed Preserving and restoring habitat is a crucial step when it
that these islands are the remnant
earthwork structures belonging to comes to saving threatened species. World Land Trust’s
a large, sophisticated indigenous Christie Reed introduces a successful initiative to help the
civilisation that flourished for thousands Critically Endangered Blue-throated Macaw in Bolivia.
of years before European colonisation.
Inhabitants are thought to have built
huge networks of raised fields, canals, ex-poachers about a forest island set in bird’s blue throat, Barba Azul became
weirs and forested islands to utilise the the middle of a cattle-ranching area, the world’s first protected area for Blue-
seasonal flooding for irrigation. Here, formerly known as a fruitful hunting throated Macaw and is now home to
they grew cassava, maize, peanuts and place for the species. As Blue-throated more than 230 individuals.
beans, domesticating wild crops into the Macaws tend to be solitary birds that
varieties that are still cultivated today. roost in monogamous pairs, the team A symbol of Beni pride
It is on one of these long-ago was astonished to find a group of 10 and heritage
constructed forest islands that the individuals in the area – a discovery A large, long-tailed member of the
largest wild population of Blue- previously unheard of. As luck would parrot family, Blue-throated Macaw is
throated Macaw now resides. The have it, the ranch on which the Blue- endemic to Llanos de Moxos. It was
discovery came about when Asociación throated Macaws were found was for once thought to be a subspecies of the
Armonía’s Mauricio Herrera led an sale. So, in 2008, Asociación Armonía similar-looking Blue-and-yellow Macaw,
expedition into the Llanos de Moxos purchased it and created the 11,000-ha but genetic studies in the 1970s found
as part of a conservation project in Barba Azul Reserve, in partnership with it to have distinct differences. As well as
partnership with the American Bird World Land Trust (WLT) and other being smaller with a quieter call, Blue-
Conservancy. Searching remote areas international conservation organisations. throated Macaw can be distinguished by
of the savanna, they were told by Meaning ‘Blue Beard’ in honour of the its blue throat and crown. The striking

48 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

BENNETT HENNESSEY (ASOCIACIÓN ARMONÍA)

BENNETT HENNESSEY (ASOCIACIÓN ARMONÍA)

The isolated palm islands at Barba Azul are particularly striking from The lush forest islands provide important habitat for wildlife including
the air. Curiously, it is believed that they are artificial, having been Blue-throated Macaw, which relies on the Motacú palms for both
built by indigenous civiilsations long before European settlers arrived. feeding and nesting.
PICASA

Facing page: Blue-throated Macaw is identified

by its namesake blue throat, but it is also
smaller than the similar Blue-and-yellow Macaw.

blue feathers extend to a patch at the

base of the bill, where a pattern of
horizontal stripes unique to each bird
can be used to individually identify the
adults.
Despite isolating themselves in
remote areas away from human activity,
Blue-throated Macaws were hunted
to near-extinction by the 20th century.
The use of their colourful plumage
for traditional Moxeño headdresses in
Machetero ritual dances historically
made them a target for excessive
hunting by native communities. The
species’ decline was also due to the birds
being extremely sought-after for the
international pet trade. It was not until
1975 that these macaws were afforded
legal protection, after the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered
Species (CITES) made their capture
illegal.
Now, thanks to community
engagement and educational outreach
by organisations such as Asociación
Armonía, the Beni people – known
locally as Benianos – consider Blue-
throated Macaw as emblematic of their Blue-throated Macaws have taken well to breeding in the artificial nestboxes provided for them
at the Laney Rickman Reserve.
culture. The celebrated Beni Pride Day,
a festival of Beni society and history, has
become synonymous with Blue-throated short distances to nest. Unlike other used in construction. The larger the
Macaw. In fact, since 2015, the species macaw species, Blue-throated feeds palm, the more sought after it is for
has been legally protected as part of mostly on the fruit of the Attalea phalerata timber, meaning the macaws have to
Bolivia’s natural heritage, with a total palm, known locally as Motacú. The deal with their food source and nesting
hunting ban. birds also use the Motucú palms for sites vanishing.
nesting, where they lay their eggs and This is why Barba Azul Reserve holds
The haven of Isla Barba Azul care for their young in the cavities of such significance. Home to the largest
So, despite its many protections, why the dead parts of larger, older palms up of only three known populations of
has Blue-throated Macaw struggled to to 4 m high. However, Motacú is one Blue-throated Macaw, there are many
regain a foothold in its native home? A of the most economically important theories as to why the species favours
specialised species, it has an extremely palm species in Bolivia, with its leaves this very particular area, such as run-off
selective home range and migrates only harvested to thatch rooves and its timber from the Andes creating high-nutrient ❯
www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 49
LARISSA VACCARINI ÁVILA CONSERVATION

DANIEL ALARCON (ASOCIACIÓN ARMONÍA)

Giant Anteater is just one of the many
impressive mammals that can be found at
Barba Azul.

soil. It is not only a favourite with the

macaws: a savanna-wide survey of Buff-
breasted Sandpipers found the grassland
of Barba Azul to be a popular stop-over
area, even though the surrounding
savanna has very little bird activity
despite the landscape being very similar
and equally isolated. Since Barba
Azul has been protected, the habitat
has recovered far more than anyone Dedicated conservation work is paying off for Blue-throated Macaw: after many years of decline,
the population is now recovering quickly.
could have imagined. With the former
ranch land being safeguarded against
DAVID V RAJU

development and livestock grazing, the

tall grass has recovered into thatch, and
the insects it attracts bring birds flocking
– bare ground has become a thriving
ecosystem once again.
As with so many threatened species
today, habitat loss is the main concern
for Blue-throated Macaw outside the
boundaries of Barba Azul. Much of
its native range is open to all kinds of
agriculture, especially cattle ranching.
The traditional ranching practiced in
‘cowboy country’, locally known as
vaqueros, brings many ecological issues.
Most problematically, cattle are put
to pasture over the large grassy plains
with no management and congregate
in their favourite spots. This leads to
some patches becoming overgrazed,
and the remaining undergrazed thickets Barba Azul is proving to be a key stop-over site for Buff-breasted Sandpipers in the wider
are repeatedly burnt – an expensive, landscape, with the cessation of grazing leading to a profusion of insect life on which these
shorebirds feed.
time-intensive practice. To address this,
the reserve created an experimental
cattle ranch to demonstrate how The rangers at the heart of Outside of forest-fire season, ranger
sustainable management can be more conservation Raul Rojas Galvis shared with us his
effective and more profitable than Safeguarding Barba Azul and its wildlife frequent task of checking the camera
the current methods. This involves are the dedicated rangers who are traps positioned around the reserve to
rotational grazing in smaller, fenced responsible for patrolling, monitoring capture glimpses of its inhabitants. He
sections. With extremely promising and protecting the reserve. Supported by explained: “At each breakfast, drinking
results, the experimental ranch has not WLT’s Keepers of the Wild programme, strong coffee and eating homemade
needed burning for five years. While the rangers are indispensable to the bread, we are accompanied by the sweet
last year’s El Niño dry season increased reserve’s wellbeing. Several are trained melodic songs of various bird species
cattle mortality by 25%, the reserve’s forest firefighters, whose skills are needed that inhabit our reserve. These stunning
ranch numbers remained normal. The more and more each year as the impacts creatures emit all kinds of sounds that
project has had a very positive response of climate change worsen. Last year, two turn into music for us and those who
and is now working with the national fires broke out following lightning strikes visit.
Rancher’s Alliance to create a model for during the dry season which, without the “With all our field equipment and
the region. This is a plus for the future fire breaks created by the rangers, would activities planned, we embark on our
sustainability of the Llanos de Moxos. have swept right through Barba Azul. motorboat towards the port on the

50 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

KEVIN COX (WLT)
The Llanos de Moxos in northern Bolivia, also known as the Beni Savannas, consists of a mosaic of savannas, forested islands and wetlands, which
are fed by rivers running down from the eastern slopes of the Andes.
other side of the Omi River, to patrol
the riverine forest of Isla Barba Azul.
During our journey, we always observe
the diverse fauna both along the banks
and within the forested islands along
the river. Some of the species we see
include Black and Yacaré Caimans,
river turtles and many mammals
drinking from the water, such as Giant
Anteaters, Coatis and Agoutis. With
luck, we might see felines such as
Puma or – as we did recently – Jaguar.
Among the countless aquatic birds,
we observe Jabirus, Hoatzins, various
species of ducks, herons, ospreys,
kingfishers and storks. There are so
many birds in fact that, if we were to
mention them all, we would run out of
pages.
“Venturing into the riparian forest
dominated by the Motacú palm,
machete in hand for our usual trail-
maintenance work, we encounter
the star of the reserve, Blue-throated
Macaw. Reaching the edge of the
Barba Azul Island for our weekly
monitoring, we prepare for the task of
identifying and quantifying individual
Blue-throated Macaws leaving the
island for their roosting sites. With
binoculars in hand, we observe the
characteristics of the individuals,
recording them until nightfall, when
the last one takes flight, and we
conclude the monitoring.
“Bitten by mosquitoes and always
alert to the active snakes in the area,
we return to the boat and head to the
station. After a well-deserved dinner
www.birdguides.com
and a good bath, it’s time to rest and
regain strength for another working day
surrounded by the great diversity that
Barba Azul has in its daily life.”
Fledglings are returning
To the south-east of Barba Azul and its
breeding population of Blue-throated
Macaws, the Laney Rickman Reserve
supports the nesting population with
a nestbox programme. Here, each
September, César Flores Aguilera,
a former rancher and now a ranger
with more than 12 years’ experience,
builds artificial nestboxes for macaws to
safely lay their eggs. Once November’s
breeding season begins, the rangers
saddle their horses every five days to
check the 128 boxes. If eggs are found,
cones are placed around the bases of
trees with occupied nestboxes to prevent
predation from the ground. However,
camera-trap footage previously showed
that inquisitive capuchin monkeys had
learned to drop in from above and
steal the eggs, so now maintenance also
includes trimming back any branches
close enough to swing from.
The macaw pairs stay with the nest
throughout the breeding season from
November to March, with one parent
caring for the chicks inside the nestbox
while the other forages for food and
keeps watch outside. While Blue-
throated Macaws are less territorial
than other macaws, reserve staff have
discovered that they will defend their
nests aggressively.
In 2023, 15 chicks successfully fledged
from eight boxes – the most yet in a
single year. The young fledglings stay
with their parents for their first year.
From tracking rings fitted to each new
chick, reserve staff have learned that
the mature adults will often return to
breed in the very same nestboxes they
themselves flew from. With an incredible
128 macaws now having joined the
wild population since the programme
began in 2005, the species is gradually
returning from the brink of extinction.
Thanks to Asociación Armonía’s
efforts, the IUCN has recognised the
wild population of Blue-throated
Macaw as ‘stable’ rather than the
previous ‘in decline’, as numbers are
rapidly climbing. The continuing
success of projects such as the nestbox
programme shows the tangible impact
our collective action can have on the
preservation of wildlife.
For those wishing to visit the rolling
plains of Llanos de Moxos and see Blue-
throated Macaws and the extraordinary
Beni wildlife for themselves, both Barba
Azul and Laney Rickman Reserve
welcome guests at their ecolodges.
You can help to support crucial
projects such as these with donations to
WLT’s Action Fund programme. ■
How you
can help
• To make a donation to
the World Land Trust or
to find out more about
its appeals, please
scan the QR code.
Birdwatch•April 2024 51
ADVERTISING FEATURE
I
f you’re into birding, then Gibraltar
is a spectacular place. It is here that,
given the right weather conditions,
you can witness many thousands of
birds on migration, plenty of which pass
at extremely close quarters.
Although bird migration can be
unpredictable, at Gibraltar there is
always something to see, and in the
right conditions it can be truly amazing.
While you wait for productive winds,
there are plenty of other things that
you can be doing. Many of Gibraltar’s
resident birds are Mediterranean
specialities – Blue Rock Thrush and
Sardinian Warbler are familiar breeders
at the famous Rock of Gibraltar.
Peregrine Falcons, which breed here
in some of the highest densities
found anywhere on Earth, patrol the
impressive cliffs. In spring, they defend
their nests vigorously and will attack
the even the largest passing eagles and
vultures, making for a spectacle seen in
few other places.
Also patrolling the cliffs are the
Mediterranean subspecies of European
Shag. These birds form one of only
52 Birdwatch•April 2024
Migrating raptors such as Black Kite (top)
and Short-toed Snake Eagle (above) give
stunning views as they pass Gibraltar.
two breeding colonies left on the
mainland coast of Mediterranean
Iberia, nesting within the Gorham’s
Cave Complex. This site was declared
a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in
2016, on account of the extraordinary
discoveries of Neanderthalic culture
that were made here. On a good spring
day, you can observe birds of prey
arriving from Africa, while seabirds
fly by and peregrines patrol overhead,
all against the backdrop of these
cathedral-like caves.
Unique birdlife
If this were not enough, you can also
see a bird species at the Rock that you
cannot find anywhere else in mainland
Europe. The beautiful Barbary
Partridge lives in the dense scrub of
the Upper Rock Nature Reserve and
other vegetated areas on the lower
slopes, which form part of the recently
created Gibraltar National Park. Like
the famous Barbary Macaques, the
partridges were brought to Gibraltar
from North Africa in the 18th century.
But it is for the bird migration that
Gibraltar is most famous. There is
migration of one form or another all
year round, but spring and autumn are
best for species and sheer numbers.
Spring starts early in these latitudes,
and you can see the first contingents
of arriving raptors even in February.
By then Swallows have appeared and
the Rock is a garden of wildflowers.
Things will get even better as spring
progresses, with March, April, May
and even June producing a succession
of raptors: Black Kites, Egyptian and
Griffon Vultures, Short-toed Snake and
www.birdguides.com
ALL PICTURES: FINLAYSON NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

Large numbers of White Storks move through Gibraltar every spring and autumn, sometimes in flocks many hundreds strong.

Booted Eagles and European Honey

Buzzards come in sequentially during
the spring, along with other species in
smaller numbers.
When bad weather hits during
spring migration, the birds of prey
stop crossing. However, the rain brings
down many smaller migrants which
settle on the Rock to await better
conditions. At such times, arrivals
of warblers, chats, larks, pipits and
wagtails can be amazing. There is
always a chance of a few rarities
turning up – perhaps migrants that
have drifted from further east, such
as Red-throated Pipit, or even from
the other side of the Atlantic, such as
a Myrtle Warbler in 2021. When the
weather clears, you can expect one of
nature’s great shows as all the birds
of prey that have been held up on the
North African coast make a rush for it,
with thousands crossing the Strait in a
short space of time.
Autumn highlights
The autumn is also excellent for
raptors, particularly from the end of
August until mid-October. This period
is a great time to observe seabirds
as well. The gatherings of Cory’s
Shearwaters are incredible, reaching
many thousands of birds at times.
Coinciding with the appearance of
flying fish, tuna and dolphins, which
gather to feast on the fish, the seabirds
Cory’s Shearwaters gather offshore in their
thousands during early autumn.
are ready to take their share of the
spoils.
It’s not just shearwaters that flock
here. Depending on the time of year,
large numbers of other seabirds
will attend these feeding frenzies –
Northern Gannets, Audouin’s Gulls,
skuas and terns can all add to the
spectacle, while there is always the
chance of a rarity showing up. In
recent years, Lesser Crested Terns have
been using the Bay of Gibraltar as a
migration stop-over.
Gibraltar’s small size means that
you can get around from one site to
the next quickly. The vagaries of the
weather make for an exciting stay
during migration time. What will
arrive next? In between ornithological
Gibraltar is the only place in mainland Europe
where Barbary Partridge can be seen.
surprises you can enjoy the landscape
and Mediterranean flora of the Rock,
including some of its endemics, an
amazing array of butterflies and a
rich heritage. Its small size also makes
it the ideal birding destination for the
family: beaches, parks, restaurants and
birding sites are all close to each other,
and all of it in a safe and friendly
environment. ■
FURTHER INFO
■ Gibraltar Ornithological and
Natural History Society: www.gonhs.org
■ Visit Gibraltar: www.visitgibraltar.gi

www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 53

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REVIEWS
Perfectly portable
MANUFACTURERS are
increasingly taking advantage
of autofocus and image-quality
developments in mirrorless
cameras to offer smaller,
‘slower’ (smaller maximum With its lightweight construction and competitive price, Nikon’s
aperture, larger f-number) lenses,
which are lighter in weight
new 800-mm lens has been turning heads in the photography
and less expensive than their world. Kit Day puts it to the test.
predecessors. Bigger lenses with
a larger maximum aperture (such
as 500 mm f/4 and 800 mm
REVIEW
f/5.6) still have their place. They
offer a shallower depth of field,
which is great for isolating the
Nikon NIKKOR Z 800 mm f/6.3 lens
subject and generating a blurred
background, but tend to be large,
heavy and costly. But perhaps
there is some compromise to be
had?
Step forward the NIKKOR Z
800 mm f/6.3 lens. Compatible
only with mirrorless bodies, the
f/6.3 maximum aperture is just
one third of a stop ‘slower’ than
the traditional 800 mm f/5.6
spec. Combining this tweak
with its PF (Phase Fresnel)
construction, Nikon has made a
remarkably portable lens
(2.4 kg) which is also incredibly
well priced (RRP £6,299).
Compared to Canon’s The NIKKOR 800 mm f/6.3 weighs just under 2.4 kg – significantly less
mirrorless-mount RF 800 mm than ‘traditional’ prime lenses made by the leading camera companies.
f/5.6, the Nikon is 25% lighter
and, scarcely believably, is only to photograph a mobile drake With a 1.4x teleconverter frame-filling shots of everything
a third of the price – a £12,800 Long-tailed Duck. My left arm added to this set-up, you get an but the tiniest birds. The focus
difference. The gulf in price is the did tire while taking images of impressive 1,120 mm at f/9 – limiter offers two options; ‘full’
same and the weight difference waders and wildfowl in flight from great for more distant subjects. (the full range from 5 m to
even wider (2.2 kg!) when Lady Anne’s Drive at Holkham. I detected only a little in the way infinity) or restricted to 10 m to
compared to Nikon’s most recent A monopod or tripod will be of decline in autofocus speed or infinity. Being a NIKKOR lens, it
F-mount (DSLR) 800 mm f/5.6. needed when you require more sharpness. Was it as good as is compatible with the company’s
You’re probably thinking that stability, are expecting a lot of what you’d achieve with a 600 formidable line-up of mirrorless
this sounds too good to be true. waiting around for a subject to mm f/4 with a 2x teleconverter camera bodies.
Not a bit of it! The lens performs show, or anticipating a lot of (which gives a broadly comparable Are there any caveats at all?
entirely as you’d expect for a birds to photograph! But, that 1,200 mm at f/8)? Quite possibly, The PF lens design is apparently
Nikon prime; build quality is said, flight and action shots and again, with notable cost and more prone to distracting
excellent, autofocus is fast and while on the move are very much weight savings. backgrounds and ring-shaped
silent, and sharpness is superb. more feasible than with the The lens is equipped with a coloured flare when shooting into
It offers up to 5.5 stops of range of heavier prime lenses focus ring and a control ring, the light, but I didn’t really notice
vibration reduction (VR), which, of comparable focal length. The which you can assign to change this. There is no VR (vibration
combined with the lighter weight, slightly slower f/6.3 aperture a setting such as aperture, ISO reduction) off switch on the lens –
makes handholding relatively makes next to no difference in or shutter speed. A close-focus you must do this in the camera. It
manageable. This helped me on real-world use; depth of field is distance of 5 m sounds like a also doesn’t have click-stops for
a wild duck chase at Snettisham still shallow, producing lovely, lot but is fine for an 800-mm each 90° turn on the tripod collar,
in Norfolk, where I was attempting blurred backgrounds. lens, and more than adequate for but when shooting handheld,

54 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

 THIS MONTH’S EXPERT PANEL INCLUDES:
KIT DAY is a
Suffolk-based
birder who has
been photographing
wildlife at home and
abroad for more
than two decades.
and with the electronic levels
available in camera bodies these
days to help you achieve straight
horizons, I didn’t miss this
feature.
So, there’s not much to list
in the ‘cons’ column – but is
it the right lens for you? It is a
big piece of kit and the weight
is still considerable. This alone
means it’s not for everyone.
It is also a lot of money. But
these characteristics come with
the territory when it comes to
large prime lenses, and this
one compares very well against
others with similar specifications.
Additionally, 800 mm is a
lot of focal length. While it is
rarely too much in the UK in my
experience, it might be excessive
for large or very close subjects.
It might also not suit your style
of photography; many people will
want a more flexible set-up for
use on all kinds of wildlife. If you
also like snapping insects and
only want one lens for all your
wildlife photography, you’ll likely
favour a zoom lens and shorter
close-focus distance. Getting onto
birds in flight with the relatively
narrow field of view is also more
www.birdguides.com
STEVE YOUNG REBECCA KEITH BETTON
is a well-known bird ARMSTRONG has is Chairman of
photographer who a wide-ranging the Hampshire
was Birdwatch’s interest in all Ornithological Society
Photo Editor for wildlife. She worked and previously served
many years. for Birdwatch for 14 as Hampshire County
years. Recorder.
1. The relatively manageable
weight of the lens made keeping
up with this very mobile Long-
tailed Duck perfectly easy.
2. Tracking birds in flight with such
a long lens can be challenging, but
this offering from Nikon produces
excellent results.
3. The NIKKOR 800 mm takes a
1.4x teleconverter well, with the
resultant 1,200 mm focal length
bringing subjects like this Shoveler
to a larger size in the frame.
challenging, though this should
come with practice.
If you want a long lens purely
for bird photography, factoring in 2
price, reach, image quality and
weight, then it’s fair to say that
this model is in a league of its
own. ■
More info
■ Price: £6,299
■ Size: 110 x 385 mm
■ Weight: 2,385 g
■ Warranty: Nikon European Warranty
Verdict
Very sharp, even at f/6.3
Portable and well-priced for specification
Fixed 800 mm may be restrictive for
your general photographic needs 3
Birdwatch•April 2024 55
EXPERT REVIEWS BOOKS
Shetland in photos
I thought I had a reasonable
selection of images from
Shetland on file, taken during
my four memorable visits over
the years. Then I opened this
book and browsed through the
pages … I now realise that I
only have a few modest snaps!
Wild Shetland is full of
stunning images – 177 in total,
covering all aspects of the
An extraordinary life
THE work of Alfred Russel
Wallace (1823-1913) should
need no introduction. His
contribution to the theory
of evolution is increasingly
recognised (even if it still lags
some way behind Darwin’s in
terms of acknowledgement)
and he is widely considered
the ‘father of modern
biogeography’, writing about the
now eponymous ‘Wallace’s Line’
that broadly divides the faunas
of Indonesia into Sundaic and
Australasian, in a region also
widely known as Wallacea.
For those with even a passing
interest in Asian ornithology
or evolutionary biology, these
facets of his contribution will
be known, perhaps mostly
due to the works of Wallace
himself, especially The Malay
Archipelago, arguably one of
the best zoological travelogues
of the 19th century. What is
far less known is the life of the
man himself.
James T Costa fills this gap
with impressive thoroughness,
providing us with a 552-page
biography that offers the most
complete and comprehensive
account of Wallace’s life and
contribution in a single book
to date: Radical by Nature:
The Revolutionary Life of Alfred
Russel Wallace.
56 Birdwatch•April 2024
wildlife and scenery found in
these beautiful islands. Split
into four seasonal sections, it
provides a fascinating insight
into everything wild that is
found across the isles, all
photographed beautifully by the
author, Brydon Thomason, with
text accompanying the images.
Born on Fetlar and now living
on Unst, Brydon is Shetland
through and through, and his
love for the islands and their
wildlife shines through on every
single page.
I greatly enjoyed the little
snippets of Shetland dialect in
various pieces of poems and
songs. “Niv cast a kloot, till da
mont o May is oot” is just one
example and, believe me, if you
hear two Shetlanders talking
The ultimate purpose of
any biography is to provide
readers with an accurate
account of a person’s life, and
in this respect, it is hard to
find fault. Is it accurate? Well,
given Costa’s position as one
of the world’s leading experts
on ARW, it would be arrogant
for me to suggest that it might
not be, and the impressive
list of acknowledgements,
which includes many of the
other leading ARW academics,
grants confidence to any reader
that they are reading a work
of considerable scholarship.
Reading through all the pages,
which cover Wallace’s life from
his upbringing to his little-known
social advocacy, Costa leaves
together you will not understand
them.
There are so many fantastic
images that even picking a
top 10 is too difficult, but just
look at the aurora borealis
(or ‘mirrie dancers’, to give
the phenomenon its Shetland
name), Orcas, double-page
spread of a breeding plumage
Red Knot flock, Eurasian
Goshawk, otters through the
seasons and, for the rarity
lovers, a King Eider tucked in
among a raft of Common Eider
More info
■ Wild Shetland: Through the Seasons by Brydon Thomason (Shetland
Times, 2023).
■ 288 pages, 177 colour photos.
■ ISBN: 9781910997567. Hbk, £36.99.
us with no obvious gaps. It is as
authoritative and comprehensive
as a single-volume biography
gets and extends far beyond
a conspectus on his scientific
contribution (although this is
expectedly covered in admirable
detail). In this respect it
would be objective to say that
Costa delivers, but translating
knowledge into a good read is
the (often failed) objective of
many biographers.
In his introduction, Costa
apologises for his own
idiosyncratic writing style.
While it makes some (few)
sections slightly harder to read
than they perhaps could have
been, there is a great charm to
Costa’s writing that is rare in
biographical literature. It is clear
that this project was a labour
of love, and Costa’s ability
to write lyrically about even
drier aspects of Wallace’s life
genuinely make this a hard book
to put down.
I am loath to write book
reviews without any negative
criticism, but it is truly hard
More info
■ Radical by Nature: The Revolutionary Life of Alfred Russel Wallace
by James T Costa (Princeton University Press, 2023).
■ 552 pages, 36 colour and 62 black-and-white illustrations, three maps.
■ ISBN: 9780691233796. Hbk, £35.
and the famous Tengmalm’s
Owl – the finding by non-birders
of their “unken peerie owl” is a
nice story. I looked at so many
photos and thought ‘I wish I’d
taken that!’
As a photographer I would
love to have read about how
the photos were taken in more
detail (a small section at the
end gives some info), but this
isn’t a photographic handbook –
it’s more a pictorial celebration
of the islands. The end product
certainly does both Brydon and
his beloved Shetland justice.
It’s made me want to make that
journey north again.
Steve Young
“This project was
a labour of love,
and Costa’s ability
to write lyrically
about even drier
aspects of Wallace’s
life genuinely make
this a hard book to
put down”
to find fault. No doubt for
some – especially those
who were unprepared for its
content, or those for whom the
book is not written – Costa’s
thoroughness and detail will
verge into tedium (it must be
said that it is not light reading,
and takes considerable time to
digest), but to suggest that this
meticulousness is a flaw would
be remiss. For those with an
interest in Wallace that extends
beyond information collatable
online, this fabulous book
makes for essential reading.
Alex Berryman
Bookshop
from
£31.99
www.birdguides.com
 An essential for southern birders
THE Where to Watch guides have
a strong and loyal following that
dates back to the 1980s. In
fact, the original guide for Surrey,
Sussex and Kent first appeared
in 1987, and the fifth edition
of that book was published in
2009. Importantly, this is a
completely new book by different
authors, but with that said, it is
hard not to make comparisons
with the original title. In my
view, that book was overly
complicated with 19 regional
subdivisions to cover both
counties. This new book divides
the region into nine zones – a
welcome simplification.
In total, 96 sites are dealt
with in detail (35 for Surrey and
61 for Sussex) and in addition
there are brief summaries
for 109 further sites (59 and
50 respectively) where the
location was not felt to warrant
a detailed account. Most of
the original title’s key locations
are included, although a few
have been demoted. New
FROM
JUST
£30.60
Life Cycles of British
& Irish Butterflies
visit www.birdguides.com/store/bookshop/best-sellers
www.birdguides.com
birding areas in Surrey include
Tice’s Meadow and Canons
Farm (Banstead), while others
such as Thorpe Water Park
are upgraded to receive more
detailed treatment. Some are
downgraded, such as Farnham
Heath and Hankley Common.
In Sussex, the locations are
FROM
JUST
£23.99
The Where to Watch Birds
Wryneck in Surrey & Sussex
To order and receive FREE UK p&p,
perhaps more predictable
because many are the classic
coastal sites that have always
been focal points of county
birding, but Medmerry RSPB
has been added and inland
sites such as Knepp Castle and
Kingley Vale are included. West
Dean Woods and Wakehurst
Place receive less coverage
than before. There are many
maps to help you to understand
the layout of the sites, and
the inclusion of postcodes in
addition to grid references is
helpful.
There is a checklist of the
419 species recorded in the
area covered. A very useful
section is entitled ‘Thirty
species to see in Surrey and
Sussex’, which directs the
reader to the appropriate site
More info
■ Where to Watch Birds in Surrey and Sussex by Matt Phelps and
Ed Stubbs (Bloomsbury, 2024).
■ 320 pages, images and maps.
■ ISBN: 9781399404235. Pbk, £27.99.
FROM FROM
JUST JUST
£24.99 £7.99
RSPB Pocket Guide
to British Birds
that will give the best chances
to connect with the bird. An
eye-opener for many will be
that European Honey Buzzard
is included and some of the
relevant site descriptions give
six-figure grid references to
the best viewpoints. This open
approach is to be welcomed,
and reflects a greater realisation
that there is nothing to be lost
by encouraging people to look
for these birds responsibly.
Alongside that, it is worth
noting that in the 2009 book,
Eurasian Goshawk was not
even mentioned for Surrey and
Sussex, but now gets no fewer
than 25 mentions. If you are
undecided about whether to
buy this book, I think I have
just given you one of the best
reasons! Keith Betton
Bookshop
from
£24.99
FROM
JUST
£18.99
Springwatch
Great British Walks
bookshop
Birdwatch•April 2024 57
EXPERT REVIEWS BOOKS
Hope for the future
THIS book takes a look at the
climate and biodiversity crises
through the lens of 10 UK
species that are being affected.
It takes first-time author Sophie
Pavelle on a low-carbon journey
around the country as she
seeks to encounter each of
the 10.
The chosen species are an
eclectic mix, including beetles,
bats, grasses and fish, among
others. Two bird species are
represented: Black Guillemot
and Merlin. Using a combination
of train, bike, foot and the
occasional hire car or lift,
Pavelle heads to known hot-
spots for each species, meeting
up with experts along the way.
As she attempts to see each
one, the conservationists she
speaks to explain the different
and, more often, interconnected
threats facing the plants and
animals featured. There are
a lot. These species – like so
many others – are facing a
Trekking in spring
IN this, his seventh book,
West Sussex-based author
and campaigner Roger
Morgan-Grenville diarises a
collection of vignettes of hope
and conservation optimism
gathered from a 970-mile walk
across England and Scotland.
Setting out from Lymington
on the Hampshire coast, Roger
explains that his vision was
to progress north to Cape
Wrath Lighthouse in Scotland
at a pace of 20 miles per day,
mirroring the rate of oak-leaf
emergence as spring makes
its way gradually northwards
across the country. As well
as being a fantastic way to
experience the birth of a British
springtime there was also a
purpose to the walk, as the
author raised £17,000 for
Curlew Action, the charity he
co-founded with Mary Colwell
and others to help boost the
fortunes of this iconic but
rapidly declining wader.
Over the course of 57 days,
he encounters all manner
of interesting folk, many of
whom are dedicating their
58 Birdwatch•April 2024
plethora of problems – most of
them human induced.
It would be easy to get
downhearted here, but this isn’t
a hopeless book. One of the
overriding messages is that
nature is pretty hardy and left
to itself it’ll do all right, thank
lives to improving their natural
surroundings in whatever way
they can. Some are planting
trees and wildflowers, while
others are re-wetting peat
bogs and restoring traditional
farming techniques.
What comes across
throughout is the passion and
enthusiasm that Roger has for
conservation in general and,
as he freely admits, his lack of
you very much. The quote that
“Atlantic Salmon don’t need to
be managed. They are incredibly
adaptable if left alone” can very
much be applied to many other
species.
But we have to act now – or
more accurately maybe, stop
acting in certain ways now. This
is true of the species featured
here as well as the tens of
thousands of others around
the world whose continued
existence is in question.
Forget Me Not is as much
a personal journey as an
actual journey to see the 10
highlighted species. At one
point Pavelle describes her 10
species as the book’s “main
characters”; in truth it’s as
much about her as about them.
More info
■ Forget Me Not by Sophie Pavelle (Bloomsbury, 2023).
■ 352 pages, 10 black-and-white illustrations.
■ ISBN 9781472986238. Hbk, £10.99.
“This beautifully
captures the
essence of a
British spring,
as well as
countering the
admittedly
terrifying scale
of biodiversity
loss with heart-
warming nuggets
of positivity”
knowledge of just how much
there is to see and experience
in this country (“… a little part
of me finds myself wondering
why anyone would want to be
anywhere else”). There is also
More info
■ Across a Waking Land: A 1,000-Mile Walk Through a British Spring
by Roger Morgan-Grenville (Icon Books Ltd, 2023).
■ 368 pages.
■ ISBN: 9781785789762, Hbk, £18.99.
This isn’t a style that works
for me. I do wonder who the
book is aimed at. A footnote
explaining that Eurasian Hobby
is “Not, as you first might think,
knitting, cycling, gaming or
baking. But rather, another small
and exciting British falcon”
would suggest it’s not those who
already have some knowledge of
the natural world.
The book is also stuffed with
humour that didn’t work for me
(Linnaeus is described as “Bit
of a legend, TBH” in another
footnote). Metaphors are often
not just mixed but downright
confusing.
However, this is down to
personal taste, and there is
a lot of information here. It’s
energetically written and Pavelle
pursues her target species with
enthusiasm and determination.
Rebecca Armstrong
plenty of humour as various
anecdotes are imparted in
self-deprecating fashion.
Roger’s dedication to the spirit
of the walk is unwavering, as
he repeatedly turned down
offers of lifts and even returned
to Gloucestershire weeks
after reaching Cape Wrath,
to walk a 60-mile section he
had been forced to miss due
to an unwelcome run-in with
COVID-19.
This book is an enjoyable
read that beautifully captures
the essence of a British spring,
as well as countering the
admittedly terrifying scale of
biodiversity loss with heart-
warming nuggets of positivity
from people who care so
much about making the UK
more wildlife-rich for future
generations. In the author’s
words: “Hope is why forests
are planted by people who will
never walk through them …
Hope is threaded through the
fabric of the entire conservation
world.” Matt Phelps
www.birdguides.com
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 EXPERT ADVICE BEHIND THE LENS
The best tips, advice and more
www.birdguides.com
BEHIND THE LENS
Fieldcraft:
ALL PHOTOS: KIT DAY
reading bird behaviour
THE term ‘fieldcraft’ conjures up
images of a variety of techniques,
ranging from simply being quiet
and standing still to stalking a
bird like a lioness bearing down
on an antelope. Of course, you
don’t need to creep around like
a ninja to get close to birds, but
photography often requires you to
get that bit closer to the subject
and therefore fieldcraft becomes
even more essential.
The first and most vital
fieldcraft tip is always to watch
the birds and learn to ‘read’
their behaviour. In other words,
you need to know what sort of
character you’re dealing with. How
do they respond to other birds or
60 Birdwatch•April 2024
ADVICE
UK coasts and riversides get very busy, which is usually bad news for bird photography. On the plus side, it does mean
some normally shy species, such as Northern Pintail, can become more used to people and allow a closer approach.
people? Do they have favourite
perches, song posts or feeding
areas? Making an immediate
beeline for the bird’s current
position will often alarm it, so try
using what you’ve gained from
your observations to choose a
spot in which to wait. Think about
the setting and where the light is.
It’s best to remain inconspicuous
by keeping off the skyline, and
perhaps you can use a bush or
tree to break up your outline.
Having the bird come to you is
always the preferable option as it
will be relaxed, behaving naturally
and more likely to engage in
THIS MONTH’S PANEL
gu
ird id
www.b
es. o m
BONUS
ONLINE
c
CONTENT
interesting behaviour.
When attempting to get closer,
make your movements slow, low
if possible, and stealthy. Instead
of walking straight at the bird,
loop around to one side – you
can use this approach to get the
light where you want it, too. Keep
one eye on the target while you
move so you can concentrate
your activity in moments when
the bird is out of view (such as
under water or behind vegetation),
is looking the other way or is
busy feeding with its head down,
as well as ensuring that it’s
not alarmed by your presence.
AMY ROBJOHNS is a patchbirder,
ecologist and Assistant Recorder
for the Hampshire Ornithological
Society.
MATT PHELPS has spent the
best part of 15 years working in
various forms of land management,
including as a head gardener.
KIT DAY is a Suffolk-based birder
who has been photographing
wildlife at home and abroad for
more than two decades.
CHRIS HARBARD spent many
years at the RSPB and is now a tour
leader, writer and editor. He lives in
Arizona, USA, and travels widely.
KEITH BETTON is a writer, speaker
and Chairman of the Hampshire
Ornithological Society. He is a
highly experienced world birder.
Feeding and preening are signs
of a relaxed bird. Stand still when
it’s back in view or if it looks more
alert. Stepping softly and carefully
is important; the snap of a stick
can quickly undo all that careful
stalking! Look out for other birds
and try to avoid disturbing them
too; apart from anything else,
their alarm calls could alert your
target bird.
If the bird appears in front
of you, it’s always tempting to
whip your lens round as quickly
as possible and shout “There it
is!” to alert anyone nearby. It’s
preferable to slowly move into
www.birdguides.com
position to take the photo, keeping
one eye on the bird at all times.
If it looks perturbed, pause any
movements and let it settle. And it
goes without saying that you should
be as quiet as possible.
If the bird is keeping its distance
or looks worried, avoid giving chase.
This will only make it more wary and
mean you’re even less likely to get
a decent photo. Try getting ahead of
it and wait for it to come to you.
Staying low and off the skyline
generally causes less disturbance
and creates a better angle from
which to take your photographs.
But keep in mind the location. Birds
might be used to people being on
a seawall, for example, and will be
more tolerant of this.
Groups of birds are often harder
to approach; the one that spooks
Hawfinches were everywhere in the winter of 2017-18, but these shy birds can be difficult to get close to. I noticed
most easily will then disturb the some other finches coming down to this puddle at a site frequented by several Hawfinches. After a quiet wait,
rest. It’s often best to concentrate eventually one or two of the main targets dropped in.
on lone birds or smaller flocks. You
might have to take a more cautious
This Buff-breasted Sandpiper
approach when dealing with adult on Scilly in October 2023 was
birds than juveniles. A flock of adult reportedly very confiding. As
European Golden Plovers is going to I arrived with the morning
be next to impossible to approach boatload of birders and dog
closely, while we stand a much walkers, this didn’t seem to
be the case at all. The bird
better chance with a lone juvenile.
appeared wary and covered
It’s important to accept that a a lot of ground, keeping its
large proportion of birds in the distance. Being on the lightly
UK simply prefer to be outside populated island of St Agnes,
photographable range. This applies it had probably only seen one
to some species more than others, or two people that morning,
so a small crowd turning
but there’s always some variation
up all at once was bound to
between individuals, depending on worry it. As people drifted off,
their age, experiences of people the bird seemed to accept
or the places they frequent. Often that the few remaining people
there’s no rhyme or reason to an were not a threat, and would
individual bird’s behaviour; some often walk within a few feet.
In this kind of open habitat,
Hoopoes are extremely mobile it’s not possible to remain
and flighty, while others don’t obscured, but it still helped to
seem bothered by people at all. keep low to the ground or lean
Sometimes it makes sense; waders on a rock.
and wildfowl in busy harbours
often become more accustomed
to people and much easier to
photograph than those in wilder
settings. The same goes for birds in
urban parks. Even in these places
some fieldcraft and patience is
often necessary; the birds are used
to people walking past and have no
problem with this, but as soon as
you stop to look at them, they’re
off! Sitting and waiting should
pay dividends. Using the car as a
mobile hide is a very handy way to
get closer to wary species.
To summarise, practicing good
fieldcraft can result in special
encounters with birds and the
chance of top photos. No matter
what equipment you use, getting
closer to the bird will always result
in sharper images, while depth of
field will also be narrower, meaning Choughs on the coast of Cornwall have no problem with humans walking by at close range, but when people stop to
less distracting backgrounds. look at them, they’re prone to flying off. To photograph them, a more careful approach is needed, or even better, sit
Kit Day and wait for them to walk by.

www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 61

EXPERT ADVICE PHOTO TARGET • YOUR PHOTOS • IN THE GARDEN

Northern PHOTO TARGET ... APRIL

Lapwing
LONGER days, more warmth in
the sun, the scent of blossom
in the air and of course the
welcome return of spring
migrants mean that time spent
in the field during April can be
an absolute joy. In suitable
habitat, Northern Lapwings
will be gearing up for the
nesting season by performing
display flights, delivering their
extraordinary electronic bleeping
song or chasing away any
potential predators.
They often have a favoured
flight path while displaying, so
territory. They might already have
eggs or even chicks, particularly
towards the month’s end.
On the ground, lapwings
behave in a typical plover
fashion, walking or running a few
steps before adopting a pose
for a few seconds. Assess which
way they’re heading and wait
for them to come to you. A low
angle helps keep surrounding
clutter to a minimum and means
that you’re less conspicuous to
the bird. A burst of shots of a
bird on the move can capture
some pleasing poses. With their KIT DAY

waiting for a fly-by with the sun
behind you could pay off. A fast
shutter speed is needed to
freeze the action, while tracking
their erratic flight can be a
challenge! Always pay attention
to the bird’s behaviour; if it
consistently flies low over your
head, you’re too close to its
unique crest, a silhouette works
well.
With such different camera
settings needed for stationary
birds and those in flight, it
can be useful to set up your
camera buttons to switch quickly
between the two; modest shutter
speed, lower ISO and more
depth of field (higher f number)
for stationary birds, and faster
shutter speed, higher (or auto)
ISO and narrower depth of field
(to get the shutter speed up) for
action shots. As a contrasty bird
with areas of bright white and
dark green and black, keep an
eye on your exposure to ensure
the highlights aren’t lost and that
the dark areas retain colour and
detail. Kit Day

YOUR PHOTOS
MICHAEL THACKERAY

BRIAN CARTWRIGHT

Great Spotted Woodpecker

THANKS to all of you for your
submissions this month – the
Birdwatch team had plenty of
Great Spotted Woodpecker
photos to look through!
Michael Thackeray’s striking
image really caught our eye,
with two interacting birds
captured against a bright
blue sky. One bird is in flight,
wings spread, and Michael has
caught this well, while the other
woodpecker is open-beaked,
making for a quite dramatic
territorial scene.
The other photo, taken by
Brian Cartwright, is a classic
woodpecker pose on a wooden
perch. The bird is side on, and
the image really captures the
essence of the species, as well
as showing the bright colours
of the pied plumage, with that
lovely dash of blood red.

62 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

APRIL is a wonderful month
for enjoying the wildlife in your IN THE GARDEN
garden. Following on from the
Brimstones and Peacocks of
March, by the end of this month
you should have hopefully
seen the first male Orange-tip
butterflies (unless you live in the
far north of Scotland) dashing
around looking for a female
which, in turn, will be looking for
places to lay her eggs. A really
simple thing you can do in your
garden to encourage Orange-tips
is plant patches of Cuckooflower
(Cardamine pratensis) and Garlic
Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) – or
leave them uncut if you already
have them – as these are two
of the species’ favourite larval
foodplants.
Different butterfly and moth
species choose from a diverse
range of plants on which to
lay their eggs and it certainly
pays to familiarise yourself with
some of the flora which attract
the most species. Nettles
often get (rightly) celebrated
as being worthy of nurturing in
a corner of the garden for Red

Attracting insects
Admirals, Peacocks and Small
MATT PHELPS

Tortoiseshells, for example, but

it’s worth bearing in mind that
some light trimming of at least
some of the nettles midway
through the growing season Orange-tip is butterfly species synonymous with April, and the first warm days of the month could see
males, like this one, on the wing. They are often observed in gardens.
(June-July) will help to benefit
those species which prefer to lay
their eggs on fresh growth.
Wildflower patches or meadows
are often talked about as being
beneficial for pollinators, which
of course they are, but don’t be
fooled into thinking they need to
be a riot of flowering colour right
through the season. Flowers are
CHRISTIAN FERRER

very aesthetically pleasing for us

MATT PHELPS

and attract pollinating insects,

but just as important in a garden
or any greenspace are the larval
foodplants. Different meadows
will vary in terms of their grass
to herb (flowering plant) ratio but
around 20-30% wildflowers and
70-80% grass is fairly standard
in meadow seed mixes. Indeed,
the various grass species in a
wild patch of your lawn should
not be underestimated for their
wildlife value, as several butterfly
species, including Meadow
Brown, Marbled White, Ringlet,
Small and Essex Skippers and
Speckled Wood, may be tempted
to lay eggs in these areas, as will
many moth species.
At this time of year I always like
to plant Nasturtiums, primarily
as a kind of ‘sacrificial crop’ for
Large, Small and Green-veined
By planting Garlic Mustard in your garden, you Moths are fond of Evening Primrose. If you plant
stand a chance of attracting Orange-tips. some, you could attract a range of species.
Whites. This is especially worth then feed on those insects, experimenting with covering the
considering doing if you worry namely birds and bats. Moth same plants during the day and
about the caterpillars eating your enthusiasts tend to get a bit again at night found that the
brassicas! upset when moths are talked pollination rates were on average
Of course, every beneficial about as though they are much higher at night compared to
action in nature has its place nothing but bat food, but there during the day.
in the onward chain or trophic is no getting away from the fact If you want to find out more
cascade and invertebrates that if you plant lots of lovely about larval foodplants for
are a crucial element towards night-flowering, scented plants moths and butterflies there are
the bottom of many such food such as Evening Primrose, various great resources out there,
chains. It may sound obvious, Sweet Rocket, Honeysuckle and including the excellent Field Guide
but by planting species in your Night-flowering Catchfly, you will to the Moths of Great Britain and
garden that attract insects both attract lots of moths, which will Ireland by Paul Waring and Martin
for pollination and egg-laying in turn attract bats. Also, don’t Townsend, and the UK Butterflies
purposes you will also indirectly underestimate the pollinating website (www.ukbutterflies.co.uk).
benefit everything which may power of moths! Some studies Matt Phelps

www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 63

EXPERT ADVICE ON THE PATCH • BUILDING KNOWLEDGE
MIGRATION should be in full
swing this month, with hopefully
many enjoyable days on the
local patch to come. Every day
is different in April – you never
know what might appear! With
so many species on the move
and variable weather conditions,
migrants could pop up anywhere,
and for both coastal and inland
patches this is a good month for
passage waders and seabirds.
There is also the potential for
overshoots, especially later in
the month.
Species: Arctic
and Common Terns
Both of these tern species are
long-distance migrants and will
be passing through from early
April on their way to breeding
grounds in the UK and beyond.
Sadly, terns have been impacted
ED STUBBS
by bird flu so it’s hard to know
what the numbers will be like
this year, but fingers crossed the
picture won’t be too bad – and
that they will have a successful
breeding season. As well as
being recorded flying by during
seawatches, Common and Arctic
Terns often appear on inland
waterbodies during migration, so
it is well worth keeping them on
your radar. Drizzle or persistent
rain throughout the day could
result in a flock appearing and
lingering to rest or feed until
the weather clears, especially if
combined with a north-east wind.
So, keep an eye on the weather!
Weather: fall conditions
Spring migration is especially
exciting if you witness a good
arrival of migrants, often
deemed a ‘fall’ of birds. To
see your local patch dripping
in warblers or watching a flock
of waders suddenly drop down
during a rain shower is quite
something! Clear conditions
along the north coast of France
and across the English Channel
are helpful, whereas a large
amount of persistent rain is
likely to block most movement.
Southerlies and south-easterlies
coming up from the Continent
also encourage migration, as
can high pressure. For us British
patchbirders, calm and overcast
conditions should result in an
arrival of migrants such as the
common warblers, and perhaps
chats and Ring Ouzels. Drizzle
and light rain can have similar
results and it’s always worth
returning after rain as migrants
are constantly arriving. I’ve
64 Birdwatch•April 2024
ON THE PATCH
April arrivals
April is the peak month for arrivals of our commoner spring migrants, plenty of which – including the
delightful Yellow Wagtail – will bring a welcome splash of colour after a long winter.
had mixed results with fog and
mist, but it can ground migrants
which then tend to appear
once the sun breaks through.
Frustratingly, it usually burns off
and improves just as I’m heading
home for work! The blogs by bird
observatories such as Portland
(www.portlandbirdobs.com)
often discuss the weather and
provide useful insights into the
best conditions for look out for.
AMY ROBJOHNS
Habitat: scrub
Scrub is sometimes demonised
as being untidy, but it is an
important part of grassland
habitats, providing cover, food
and many other benefits, and Terns are on the move in April, with Arctic and Common (pictured)
possible both inland and at coastal watchpoints.
is well used by birds. From a
birding perspective, hedgerows
and gorse are equally useful and
well worth scanning carefully
for newly arrived migrants
and signs of breeding alike.
Species to look and listen out
for include the common warblers
such as Common and Lesser
Whitethroats, Garden and
Grasshopper Warblers, Whinchat,
Common Redstart and European
Turtle Dove. Common Nightingale
is another species which favours
scrub, particularly on woodland
edges, and has a super song.
Raptors and owls also make
ED STUBBS
use of scrub and hedges – it’s
possible in April that young
Tawny Owls could be hiding in
hedges or ivy-covered trees. Rather localised and declining, April is the best month to look for –
and listen to – Common Nightingale.
Amy Robjohns
www.birdguides.com
 BUILDING KNOWLEDGE

View to a kill
THE most important sense for a
bird is vision and most species
devote a large portion of their
brain to it. There is a wide
difference in vision between
the different bird families, and
this is largely to do with food
type and feeding methods.
Owls catching mice, terns
catching fish, swallows catching
insects and sparrows finding
seeds all have different visual
requirements to be successful.
Light-sensitive receptors are
cones, which are used in
daylight and provide colour
chickens, quail and guineafowl,
do not have fovea, but there are
many birds which have two. The
main one is called the central
fovea and is situated close to
where the optic nerve joins
the retina. Birds with only one
fovea, such as owls and some
waders, will bob their heads
to see better. The second is
called the temporal fovea,
towards the side of the eye, and
this helps with judging speed
and distance. Birds which
are bifoveal include raptors,
shrikes, swallows and martins,
ED STUBBS

vision, and rods, which are
used in dim light, resulting in
mainly black-and-white images.
The density of these receptors
differs. In pigeons it is 328,000
cones per sq mm, for House
Sparrow it is 400,000 per sq
mm and for Common Buzzard
it can reach 1,000,000 per sq
mm (in humans it is 100,000-
300,000 per sq mm).
The highest density of
receptors is in the fovea, a
small pit in the retina which
gives the sharpest resolution.
Most birds have a single fovea
in each eye. Some, such as
swifts, terns and kingfishers, all
of which actively pursue prey.
The fovea found in most birds
have receptors concentrated in
a circular area.
Hirundines have an unusual
visual system for songbirds.
Each of their eyes has two
fovea and their eyes are long,
with narrow binocular vision
and their two fovea seeing four
different areas, which do not
overlap, forming an arc around
the beak which enables them to
track aerial prey in front of them
at high speed. Seabirds, such
as Northern Fulmar, have their
Hirundines such as Sand Martin have two fovea, which see four
different areas, helping to target aerial prey while on the wing.
receptors also concentrated to depression, which can be quite
the sides of the fovea, forming a deep pit, and it has been
a horizontal patch often called suggested that this may serve
a linear fovea. Yellow-legged to magnify an image which
Gull has a deep central fovea would help detect movement.
and a shallow fovea to the The number of photoreceptors
side. This gives the species that attach to a nerve ganglion
two monocular visual fields to results in a higher visual acuity.
the sides, and a small central In pigeons there are 2.6 to 1
binocular field. while in Eurasian Sparrowhawk
The fovea usually forms a it is 11 to 1. Chris Harbard

BUILDING KNOWLEDGE

Healthy gardens
GARDEN Wildlife Health is a
citizen-science project which
began 10 years ago. It aims
to monitor the health of, and
identify disease threats to,
Britain’s garden wildlife and is
particularly focused on birds,
amphibians, reptiles and
hedgehogs. It asks the public
Greenfinch and Chaffinch and
threatens several other priority
species. Avian infuenza has
recently resulted in severe
mortality among internationally
important seabird and
waterfowl populations in the
UK and needs to be carefully
monitored.
STEVE YOUNG

to send in details of any sick or Information about a wide

dead wildlife, including samples
for analysis when possible.
The BTO and RSPB are
particularly concerned with
outbreaks of diseases such
as finch trichomonosis, which
can have a large impact on
wild bird populations. The
emergence of a lethal strain
of Trichomonas gallinae has
caused population declines of
range of bird diseases
is available including
trichomonosis, avian malaria,
Keeping your garden feeders clean will help against the spread of
salmonellosis, avian pox and
trichomonosis, which had a devastating impact on Greenfinches.
more unusual afflictions such
as Suttonella ornithocola in
Blue Tits or Escherichia albertii external parasites or skin website, www.gardenwildlife
in finches. Amphibians may abnormalities and reptiles may health.org, along with more
get ranavirus (frogs and toads) also have skin problems. All of information on the project and
or amphibian herpesvirus these and more are described how to take part.
(frogs). Hedgehogs may have and illustrated on the project Chris Harbard

www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 65

 EXPERT ADVICE AROUND THE WORLD
AROUND THE WORLD
ED STUBBS
The spectacular Ocellated Turkey is endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula and found in only three countries: Belize, Guatemala and Mexico. These
birds are best looked for in the winter months, between November and February, when they can be showier than usual.
ALTHOUGH well known to American
birders, Belize is much less frequently
visited by Europeans. It has been
overshadowed by Costa Rica, which
has a much bigger bird list. Despite
being small, it has a wide range of
habitats, from the northern coastal
savannas to the southern semi-
tropical lowland forest and montane
pine forest and cloudforest. River trips
or visits to Maya ruins such as Altun
Ha, and especially Lamanai, are very
rewarding and will reveal birds as well
as culture.
Unusually for a Central American
country, English is the official
language, but relatively few UK tour
operators feature Belize. So, you’ll
probably have to organise your own
tour and use a local guide for the
best results, particularly as car hire
is prohibitively expensive. Southern
parts of Belize have very rough tracks,
making access a real challenge.
January and February are in the
middle of the dry season and local
bird populations are augmented by
many Nearctic migrants.
One of the best places to stay at
is the luxurious Chan Chich Lodge,
which is situated in the middle of a
huge expanse of pristine dry upland
rainforest. It has an excellent system
of trails and has bird guides on hand.
The lodge is remote so you are best
to book a road transfer (four hours)
or fly-in charter (30 minutes). The
much sought-after Ocellated Turkey is
seen here regularly and can be hard
to find elsewhere. An alternative (but
with fewer species and no turkey) is
Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. The
journey time by road is only an hour,
so a taxi is affordable, and there
are several good-value hotels in the
nearby town of Crooked Tree. Another
66 Birdwatch•April 2024
Belize
option is to stay near Chaa Creek,
Area: (% of UK) 22,966 sq km (9%)
which offers reasonable value and has
occasional sightings of turkeys. Country checklist More than 600 species
It’s worth spending a couple of days Country endemics 0
around Belize City too, and a visit to Best time to visit December-March
Captain Hook’s Restaurant and Shrimp Target for a trip 200 species (one week)
Farm gives you both great wetland
birding and lunch options!
Getting there
No airlines offer direct flights from the
UK. One of the best value options (but
can take up to 25 hours each way)
is with Delta Airlines via Atlanta for
around £600 return.
Recommended book
Birds of Belize by Steve Howell and
Dale Dyer (Princeton University Press,
2023). Available from the BirdGuides
Bookshop: bit.ly/Belizebook.
Key species: Ocellated Turkey
Size: 66-102 cm (male is 30% bigger).
Near Threatened. Habitat destruction
and hunting pressure have caused
declines across its entire range, but
in Belize there has been an additional
problem caused by diseases spread
from domestic chickens. Productivity is
also low, and relatively little is known
about the species’ specific habitat
requirements, although dense forest
with open grassy areas appears to be
ED STUBBS
preferred – from sea level to 300 m.
They are relatively shy, but one way
to see them is to look for flocks of
up to 10 that roost in trees at night, A winter visit to Belize will produce stacks of
especially from November through to wintering North American passerines. White-eyed
Vireo is among the most abundant.
February. Keith Betton
www.birdguides.com
COMMENT YOUR TURN
your letters &photos
The Editor, at: Birdwatch, Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH
or email editorial@birdwatch.co.uk www.facebook.com/birdwatchmagazine
The naming game
AS a British birder who has lived in Canada for more than
40 years, I have a keen interest in North American bird
taxonomy and nomenclature. In her recent column (Birdwatch
380: 62), Lucy McRobert uncritically accepts the mind-
boggling decision by the American Ornithological Society
(AOS) to unilaterally change the English names of up to
150 species. How does the AOS justify this decision? AOS
President, Dr Colleen Handel, is quoted as saying: “Some
English bird names have associations with the past that
continue to be exclusionary and harmful today … Everyone
who loves and cares about birds should be able to enjoy
them and study them freely.”
Seriously? Are we supposed to believe that someone who
‘loves and cares about birds’ is going to be deterred from
becoming a birder or ornithologist by a handful of bird names
with unpleasant historical connotations?
According to the organisers of a petition requesting AOS
to reverse its decision, it was the receipt of a petition from
Bird Names for Birds (signed by some 2,500 people) that
convinced AOS that eliminating all eponymous names was
necessary. As usual, it seems that in the world of political
correctness, the tip of the tail gets to wag the dog.
Among the numerous ornithological luminaries who have
signed the counter-petition are Steve N G Howell, Paul
Lehman, Jon Dunn, Gary Rosenberg, Steve Mlodinow and
Kevin Zimmer. One has to wonder why, instead of opting for a
rational, measured stance and tackling this issue on a case-
by-case basis, a supposedly science-based organisation has
so massively overreacted and adopted a blanket, knee-jerk
approach that will end up throwing the baby out with the bath
water.
Despite being a ‘white westerner’ (McRobert’s term), I
heartily applauded the sensible decision by the American
Ornithologists’ Union (a co-precursor of AOS) in 2000
to replace the derogatory name ‘Oldsquaw’ for Clangula
hyemalis with Long-tailed Duck. However, I totally agree
with the counter-petition organisers’ statement that: “In all
reality this decision will have little to no impact in removing
obstacles to minorities in ornithology and birding.” With so
many bird populations under threat or in serious decline, one
might legitimately hope AOS would direct its energies toward
tackling genuine problems rather than engaging in virtuous
tokenism.
I consider AOS’s disdain for the historical development
of North American bird nomenclature to be reprehensible.
Surely, learning from history requires us to confront, study
and discuss it, rather than trying to erase the past. It makes
me wonder where such historical revisionism might end. For
example, since America has famously been characterised as
a nation founded on the twin pillars of genocide and slavery,
surely a case can also be made for deleting ‘American’ from
bird names.
Should the AOS’s chaos-inducing renaming project
proceed, I shall simply ignore it and hope that Birdwatch,
the BBRC, BOURC and IOC will do the same. After all, AOS
routinely chooses to ignore scientific taxonomic decisions
made by IOC.
AOS states that its renaming decision is all about
promoting inclusiveness. Therefore, I find it ironic that
McRobert says that “the last people to be consulted should
be birders” when it comes to bird names. I beg to differ.
Since birders are the people who know and use these names
all the time and will be among the most directly affected
by any changes, I believe they should be the first to be
consulted. Richard Thomas
www.birdguides.com
Tell us what you
think. Write to:
@BirdwatchExtra
Gift of tongues
PLEASE see the attached close up of this Waxwing’s arrowhead
synovial joint in its tongue being used to push a hawthorn berry
down the bird’s throat. This was one of a fabulous flock of up to 60
individuals present in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, in February,
feeding along a hawthorn hedge in a recently built housing estate, next
to a BP garage and the very busy A421. Mike Haberfield
Garden feeding
MARK Avery (Birdwatch 381: 21) raises some salient points about the Big
Garden Birdwatch and garden feeding in general. Until quite recently I had
a number of feeders permanently stationed in my suburban back garden.
Having read articles about upsetting the balance of certain species, I
removed the feeders last year when the warmer weather arrived and apart
from seeing fewer of the local House Sparrows, nothing much changed.
This year on my local Hampshire patch, every other bird seems to be a
Blue Tit. I’ve never seen so many. On the other hand, Coal Tit is becoming
harder to find and Marsh Tit very occasional. Willow Tit has all but
disappeared from the county.
I’ve now come to a compromise and only put out food during cold weather.
To be fair to the RSPB, the Big Garden Birdwatch takes place on the last
weekend of January, when it is supposed to be cold.
In conclusion, commercial interests and a love of data will always take
priority over what Mark terms ‘suspicions’. And let’s not forget that in one
brief hour we may be encouraging young people to take a lifelong interest in
birds and nature in general. Dave Wallace
Sandgrouse encounters
ED Stubbs’s splendid sandgrouse article (Birdwatch 381: 44-47) brought
back some great memories, one very recent. I have just returned from
Dubai, where I was staying with a nephew. We spent a day in the desert
looking for Arabian Oryx and, on the way back to the city, he needed to fill up
with fuel. As we were doing this, the attendant pointed behind the vehicle.
I got out and there, next to the pump by the back wheel, was a Pin-tailed
Sandgrouse! I could have lent down and picked it up, but it seemed fine.
My most spectacular sandgrouse encounter was in the Kalahari, where
we watched a Caracal, hiding by a watering hole, leap in the air and catch a
Burchell’s Sandgrouse coming in to drink.
When my brother-in-law was working in Oman, we spent a night out in the
desert. Returning to Muscat after dark along a sandy track we came to a
pool in the road with several Lichtenstein’s Sandgrouse calmly drinking. We
stopped the car and were able to watch them by the light on the headlights
just in front of us. Magic.
Thanks for a wonderful magazine! John Harding
Birdwatch•April 2024 67
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MIGRATION

SHIFTING
SPRING
Rapid changes in
our summer visitors
IDENTIFICATION

FLYING
START
Where and how to
find redstarts this spring
www.bit.ly/birdwatch24
INDONESIAN ADVE
NTURE • MACAW CONSERVAT
ION Display until 25 April

or call 01778 392027 (quoting BIRD/SUBS2024)

 ii YOUR MAGAZINE
CLASSIFIED Directory
AUSTRALIA AMERICA

Australian Birding In the next issue

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SCOTLAND NEW ZEALAND

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species of albatross. ■ Avian stowaways Is it OK to tick a for details of how to
Enjoy close up views of these rarity that hasn’t arrived under its own subscribe and save
NEW ZEALAND majestic wanderers of the
Southern Ocean just minutes steam? Where do we draw the line with more than 15%
from shore.
such records? Sam Viles ponders why
a year!
NEW ZEALAND 96 Esplanade, Kaikura, New Zealand.
the subject of ship assistance causes so
Wrybill Birding Tours, NZ albatrossencounter.co.nz
much controversy among birders.
See the amazing birds of NZ with
the team that rediscovered the SUFFOLK ■ Putting on a show In spring, birds driven by the
‘extinct’ NZ Storm-petrel. prospect of breeding perform an extraordinary range of
• Small groups, local knowledge. displays. Sarah Harris looks at some of the weird and
• Customised or scheduled tours
and pelagic birding. HOUSE FOR SALE wonderful courtships that can be seen on UK shores.
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Great birds, real birders. ■ West Midlands mainstay Steve Nuttall profiles his
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reputation as one of the premier inland birding sites in
RSPB Reserve, AONB &
River Estuary the entire country.
SCOTLAND ■ Black gold This month’s ID feature focuses on finding
Home, Holiday Home,
Black Terns in spring and autumn, including the best
Please visit ‘Holiday Let’
www.RCKphotography.co.uk perfect base for habitats and conditions, as well as looking at how to tell
Leisure, Nature & Wildlife, apart some of the rarer relatives.
All subjects
Health & Wellbeing, ■ Going Dutch Just across the North Sea lies Texel – a
taken in Arts & Crafts
mainland Britain
fantastically birdy island that produces excellent migration
and off islands Full details and plenty of rarities. Marc Guyt introduces this hot-spot.
( from Shetland to and photos e-mail:
Scilly, with my late ■ The ultimate spring birding Can you imagine seeing
lookout.75@outlook.com
wife by my side). hundreds of thousands of migrating American wood
Home page is the Cairngorms and several warblers in a single day? It’s sometimes possible in the
images have been scanned from slides. right conditions at Tadoussac in Quebec, as Ian Davies
explains.
HERZEGOVINA

PLUS: topical comment from our columnists, the BirdGuides

team provides in-depth round-ups of March’s birding
highlights, all the latest news, views and reviews, tips
to widen your birding knowledge, and our editorial team
responds to your questions.

May issue on sale

25 April 2024
www.birdguides.com Birdwatch•April 2024 69
COMMENT MURMURATIONS

LUCY MCROBERT
e are all different in the way
we learn. For example, I’ve
never learned much from
simply reading a book. I
must repeatedly experience
something, copy out notes
and test myself to make something stick in
my addled brain. Others can pick things up
The frustrations of
by scanning a piece of text. I need to
understand the why and how: I couldn’t
drive a car until someone explained how an
engine worked. It’s the same with birds. Just
Facebook birding
labelling a species won’t do, nor will reading Self-appointed experts and the blind leading the blind
the annotations in a field guide.
One method of ‘learning’ which I can’t are just some of the characters to be found on
fathom is through bird identification groups Facebook bird groups, writes our columnist.
on Facebook. I’m part of one with more than
20,000 members, and that’s just for the UK. I
believe in welcoming anyone interested in our
wonderful hobby. Everyone who wants to
know more about the natural world should be
applauded, their questions answered helpfully
and politely. After all, there was a time when
all of us saw our first Dunnock.
However, in a group with 50 or more posts
a week, there can be daily messages asking for
help identifying Dunnocks. And Eurasian
Sparrowhawks. To paraphrase: ‘There was an
eagle in my garden eating a pigeon.’ Common
Buzzards, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and
European Stonechats crop up weekly. It’s
marvellous that so many people are taking an
active interest in what they’ve seen, but 10
seconds of scrolling would give an almost
identical photo, and an answer.
A recent post (Meadow Pipit) received one
comprehensive identification, one shorter
answer, multiple two-worders (Meadow Pipit),
and one, a few hours later, just ‘pipit’. I The ID of Mistle and Song appointed opinion, democracy or guesswork.
wonder if the thread had continued, would Thrushes is one of the subjects There’s a reason why bird committees are
that crops up regularly in the
we have abbreviated further to ‘mipit’, ‘MP’, social media groups that Lucy made up of experts. Not every opinion needs
or just ‘P’. Did 20 people need to respond? has joined. sharing, especially when it might incorrectly
Another (Golden Eagle) hosted an accurate influence someone else’s knowledge.
description, with someone else commenting: Occasionally on these groups, the genuinely
‘Agreed, for the reasons mentioned above.’ I good birders (sometimes the best in Europe)
wish I could have written that in my A-levels. are drowned out. People will argue with the
authors of Collins Bird Guide based on AI. On
All opinions aired the other hand, there are some terrible photos
With 20,000 people in a group, who can you that receive accurate identifications, often

trust? There’s no ranking system. Recently,
helpful souls have taken to sticking other
people’s photographs into the Merlin Bird ID
app or (shudders) Google Lens. While well
intentioned, the ability to upload a photo to a
search engine and reply with ‘AI says it’s a
Rock Pipit’, does not give anyone the
authority to pronounce an opinion. It’s not
even their opinion, but that of algorithms.
Then there’s my real bugbear: ‘Mistle
Thrush – for me’. For me. The phrase that
wants to make me rip out my fingernails just
so I have something to throw at the screen in
frustration. It is okay that most people cannot
separate Mistle and Song Thrushes. But the
❝
with helpful notes, because the experts are
Not every patient and happy to help. There is genuinely
useful information available but separating it
opinion needs from the ‘for me’ crowd is hard work.
The problem with learning this way is that
sharing, you can lose the fundamentals: the
seasonality, location, behaviour, structure,
commonality, likelihood, and so on. Overall,
especially when it I’m a fan of these groups. They can strike
gold, and you feel yourself high fiving a
might incorrectly stranger from afar, as they have seen their first
Purple Sandpiper and taken a great photo. It
influence is the curse of social media that makes
everyone’s opinion equal, when if many of us
someone else’s kept quiet, we could access the finest bird

❞
identification of common bird species is not brains in the world daily. But, if you’re going
something that should be done on self- knowledge to write ‘for me’, at least say why. ■

70 Birdwatch•April 2024 www.birdguides.com

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