Welcome to our first newsletter of the new season.

At our last committee meeting, Ged volunteered to look in to the creation of a new website for the society, and I can reveal that he has been successful and the new website looks great. We are hoping that this will be live to all our members in the very near future. We are very indebted to Ged for taking on this task and all his hard work in setting it up.

We have had some further sad news over the summer. John Drake, our secretary in the recent past until he moved to near Sheffield, passed away in September. Paul sent a card on behalf of the society to Wendy.

A date has now been fixed for our January trip to the North Wales coast – Sunday 18th, meeting at Llanfairfechan at 9.00 am.

Indoor Meetings

Our first talk of the season was on October 10th when we had our biggest attendance since moving back to Hartford. Our returning speaker was Gary Prescott aka The Biking Birder, who gave a talk on his travels in Peru entitled ‘There’s a Tapir at the Door’. Gary is a retired schoolteacher, and all his birding is ‘green’, without the help of fossil fuel. He already had a British and European record for ‘green birding’ but wanted himself a World record. Peru has about 1900 bird species and an American ‘green birder’, Dorian Anderson held the record of 618 species from Lima to Amazonia on a bike including over the Andes and this was Gary’s goal.

He spent 7 months in Peru in 2018 and has visited numerous other times and his talk was about the whole adventure. He is to say the least, a larger-than-life character, and his adventure reflected this. He started on the Pacific coast at Lima with many gulls and American waders. We were treated to some great scenery, tales about some wonderful people that he met, and his bird images were excellent, including Cock of the Rock, Andean Motmot and Inca Tern. We watched videos of displaying Andean Condor while our audience hummed the music from Ravel’s Bolero, plus an Andean Potoo roosting in a tree and blending in beautifully at one place he stayed. 

He pack-crafted (rubber dinghy) a fair part of the way on the Madre de Dios, a tributary of the Amazon, visited the iconic Machu Picchu, travelled the Manu Road. He encountered many species of animals including Capybara, Black Caiman, various monkeys, Llamas, Alpacas and Vicunias. He diced with death a couple of times with the narrow roads & traffic in the Andes, white water rapids on the river and a ‘small’ encounter with a raging bull. ‘The Tapir at the door’ appeared at one of the last places he stayed at before his trip ended. Yes, he did break the world record, bird 619 was a Cream Coloured Woodpecker.

Overall, a bonkers evening ended up with the audience singing ‘Bring me Sunshine’ with Eric & Ernie (they were apparently one of his obsessions) – a wonderful start to the new season.

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Our November talk was by Nick Martin on the ‘Wildlife of the Forest of Dean’. Nick has been working in the conservation world all his working life, spending time with the RSPB and currently working for Warwickshire Wildlife Trust as their reserves manager.

He started by describing the mosaic of habitat at the Forest from coniferous and deciduous woodland to pools, wet bogland and heathland and with this mosaic comes a wealth of birds, mammals and invertebrates. He delighted us with photographs of common woodland birds and some not so common like Marsh Tit, Firecrest and Hawfinch plus some of the summer migrants like Redstart, Pied Flycatcher and Wood Warbler, and described his time spent with a ringing group in the forest to get wonderful photographs of Goshawk.

He showed us some of the animals present from Roe & Muntjac Deer to lizards and snakes plus smaller mammals like Bank Vole, Wood Mouse and Harvest Dormouse. The first half ended with photographs of Adder, one taken with a macro lens and just 8 cms from the snake – one of the calmer ones that he’d met.

After the interval, he described his journey in trying to take pictures of one of the largest mammals in the forest, the Wild Boar, and he eventually ended up with some excellent photographs after years of having his patience stretched when he first started.

This was another excellent, interesting talk – he classed himself as an amateur wildlife photographer, but his pictures told a different story. A good number turned up in filthy weather, and we were grateful to Nick for travelling from Solihull and hope he managed to get home safely through the wind and rain of Storm Claudia.

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The next two talks feature a returning speaker in Brian Andersen in December with ‘Feathers and Wings’. Brian is a professional photographer and this talk features 50 bird species from 5 continents, from familiar birds in Europe to Vultures and Caracaras in South America, Sunbirds and Bee-eaters in Asia to Albatrosses and Penguins in Antarctica

Our January talk is by Mike Whiteside, one of our own members, with ‘Orangs & Birds of Borneo/Birding in Costa Rica’. His talk will be in two halves, one east and the other west, the first on the birds and Orangs of the jungle forests of Borneo and the second on Costa Rica – the jewel of Central America with a huge variety of birds.

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Mid-week Group

The mid-week field trips opened their season in September, when 9 members enjoyed a visit to RSPB Conwy reserve led by Ged. Meeting at the car park at 10.00 am, the weather was rather grey and damp with a strong breeze but improved through the day with a bright and sunny afternoon.

Water levels on the reserve were very low and the shallow lagoon opposite the visitor centre was dried up with a consequent lack of birds. We were more successful from Tal-y-Fan hide where we had excellent close views of a Curlew Sandpiper together with Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Lapwing and numerous Redshank.

Moving on to the Carneddau hide the highlight was about a dozen Little Grebe but otherwise disappointing. We took the Ganol Trail to the river which gave us Goldcrest and Chiffchaff. The tide was out on the estuary, and we saw Curlew, Oystercatcher, Little & Great White Egret with Swallow and House Martin above the mudflats.

Following lunch five of us moved on to the Great Orme and enjoyed a walk from the carpark to the limestone pavements where we saw Stonechat, Raven and best of all Chough.

An excellent day with 49 species – a good start to our new birding season. 

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In October, thirteen hardy birding potterers met at Pennington Flash led by Andrew. The wind was blowing a hoolie over the flash, but the rain held off for a while. Around the shore was the usual gaggle of Canada Geese, Mallard, Black-headed Gulls, Mute Swans & a single isolated Oystercatcher.

Across the lake were many Tufted Duck, Coot, and someone saw a Goldeneye. We then wandered off to the nearest hide where lots of Cormorant were showing, together with a few Teal and Great Crested Grebes, and in the distance roosting Little Egret and a single Great White Egret. Further round the inevitable rain started, but looking back over the lake we had a great “discussion” about a little thin-necked bird in the distance. In the end, there were 3 of them and everyone decided they were Little Grebe! Further on, Simon spotted a Greater Spotted Woodpecker plus a Jay, and there were lots of Robin, Blue Tit, a Kestrel and a couple of crows.

At the hide with the feeding station, we saw the usual array of Blue, Great & Coal Tits, Dunnock and a couple of lovely Nuthatches. By this time the rain had started again so we all strolled back to our cars and headed off for lunch. Many thanks to everyone for a very enjoyable day birding in our local area. (Photos courtesy of Simon – many thanks).

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Unfortunately, the November trip (18th) led by Stephen to RSPB Point of Ayr on the Welsh side of the Dee had to be cancelled because of the adverse weather forecast.

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The next two trips are, to Marbury Country Park on the 16th of December led by Ged, followed by the members’ Christmas lunch at the Cock O’Budworth, Great Budworth, CW9 6HB at 12.30. Marbury has a wealth of woodland birds especially around the feeding station, plus good numbers of waterfowl. If you haven’t booked your Christmas lunch yet, please contact Stephen.

The January (14th) trip is to RSPB Burton Mere on the Dee estuary which will be led by Stephen. The reserve will have good numbers of waterfowl & waders plus woodland birds and the possibility of a few raptors including Marsh & Hen Harriers, Peregrine and Common Buzzard.

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Weekend Group

Our first weekend trip of the new season was a 3-day trip on the 17th - 19th October when 16 members travelled across to East Yorkshire, led by Ray. We stayed at The Revelstoke Hotel in Bridlington again, and as last year we were well looked after.

 We met mid-morning at North Cave Wetlands, just off the end of the M62, a fine reserve belonging to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and highlights included Little Grebe, Marsh Harrier, Whooper Swan, Redshank, Snipe and Cetti’s Warbler. After lunch we made our way up to Flamborough Head, to the South Landing area. We saw a daytime roosting Tawny Owl being mobbed by Long-tailed Tit and Yellow Browed Warbler.  Further highlights in the ravine were Chiffchaff and Grey Wagtail and a walk down to the beach gave us Common Scoter, Purple Sandpiper, Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit. Some of us moved to Thornwick Bay on the north side of the headland and the best birds were plentiful Gannet, Stonechat and Linnet.

After an excellent breakfast on the Saturday, the group travelled to RSPB Bempton where a Red-legged Partridge greeted us on the carpark. On the walk down to the cliffs, we had a very late Swallow and at the cliffs there were many Gannets again together with Stock Dove, Kestrel and Fieldfare coming in off the sea. We moved back up to the visitor centre and highlights in the Dell included Ring Ousel, Tree Sparrow, Goldcrest, Redwing, Fieldfare and Brambling.

After having lunch, we returned to South Landing on Flamborough Head where highlights included Tawny Owl, Rock and Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Red-throated Diver and Common Gull. Our final port of call on the Saturday was the headland where most of the group were treated to a Merlin chasing Meadow Pipit. Some of us saw an Owl species coming in off the sea, later identified for us as a Long-eared Owl. Other highlights included Common Scoter, Shag, Guillemot and Red-throated Diver but undoubtedly the highlight of the weekend for some of us was a pod of Bottlenose Dolphins (10+) which was travelling south past the headland and continuously breaching – a wonderful sight.

On the Sunday, we went to North Landing (a Red Backed Shrike had been reported here the previous evening but it wasn’t relocated) and the highlights here included Skylark and the only House Sparrows of the trip. We moved up to the headland where in a couple of hours sea- watching we saw Gannet, Shag, Guillemot, Razorbill, Red-throated Diver and a drake Eider.

We moved south then to Hornsea Mere. Our first bird on arriving was a Marsh Harrier quartering the reedbed and some of the earlier arrivals on the carpark saw a Glossy Ibis on the edge of the mere. Wildfowl was plentiful with Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Goldeneye, Gadwall, Shoveler, Pintail, Pochard, Tufted Duck and Scaup.Where there is an abundance of wildfowl, there is always raptors - no different this time with a juvenile Peregrine sat in a tree on one of the small islands.

We ended up with 96 species (more than last year) over the weekend. The weather was pretty good generally, some sunny intervals but no rain until we were leaving Hornsea on the Sunday afternoon. We didn’t see the rarities of last year’s trip, but we were able to see autumn migration in progress with hundreds of Blackbirds (some continental race), Redwings, Fieldfares and Ring Ousel dropping in especially at Bempton plus owls coming in off the sea.

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Our November field trip was to RSPB Leighton Moss led by Paul; nine members met at the reserve car park for a 9.30 am start. Given the amount of rain and conditions, members were advised to wear wellingtons! Greenfinch, Redwing, Robin and Goldfinch were all seen whilst waiting to move off. Over to reception and then out to the feeders where the usual species were present including a brief view of Marsh Tit. Cetti’s Warbler was heard from here and a Pheasant paid a visit. We then made our way to the causeway for possible Bearded Reedlings. The walk to the grit trays provided us with calling Water Rail, Greylag Goose overhead and Carrion Crow.

Bearded Reedlings were neither seen nor heard by us, although some had been seen earlier in the morning. Cetti’s called again as did more Water Rail. From the hide there was a distinct lack of ducks, mainly Gadwall, Coot, Teal and flying Shoveler present but we were treated to fly-pasts by Kingfisher and Snipe plus a female Marsh Harrier, while high above the trees we saw Common Buzzard and Sparrowhawk.

 The paths were submerged after this point so only a small number of the party continued to the revamped Lower hide where wellies were required. The path from the causeway to Lower hide provided good views of Marsh Tit (3), Treecreeper, Song Thrush, Redwing, Bullfinch, Siskin, Goldcrest and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. The return down the path provided good views of a Red Deer. We returned to Lillian’s hide to meet up with the others where highlights were Little Grebe, Snipe, Tufted Duck, Pochard and Curlew plus a huge raft of Coot.

We ate lunch in the car park and then moved to Allen’s hide on the coastal side of the reserve. Highlights here included Great and Little Egrets plus Oystercatcher, Wigeon, Curlew, Greenshank (4) and a large flock of Redshank and Black Tailed Godwit with a single Dunlin. By now the rain was becoming heavier, so off to Morecambe hide where we had distant views of  Eider on the sea and excellent views of a male Merlin on a log plus Grey Heron, Pintail (2m 2F) and several Red Breasted Merganser. A good day considering the conditions with a total of 58 species seen.

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The next two trips are – firstly in December (7th) to the RSPB Marshside reserve nr Southport led by Graham, meeting at the Sandwashing Plant carpark. There will be a wealth of waders, ducks, geese, egrets and raptors on show.

The trip in January (18th) is our annual winter trip to the North Wales coast led by Ray, meeting at Llanfairfechan when we will be visiting various sites. We will be looking for Divers, waders, rarer Grebes, sea duck including Eider, Scaup, Scoter, Purple Sandpiper and anything rare that might crop up along the coast (last year we had Surf Scoter).

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Ray Evans/Andrew Aldridge