Basingstoke Local Group

BBAASSIINNGGSSTTOOKKEE LLOOCCAALL GGRROOUUPP

FEBRUARY 2017 NEWSLETTER

http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/basingstoke

Contents:

 From The Group Leader

 Notices

 Big Garden Birdwatch

 What’s Happening?

 February’s Outdoor Meeting

 March’s Outdoor Meeting

 January’s Outdoor Meeting

 Sri Lanka: The Long, Seriously Sinuous And

Serpentine Road To The Kirinda Beach Resort!

 Local Wildlife News

 Quiz ‘Page’

 And Finally!

Charity registered in England and Wales no. 207076 From The Group Leader

Welcome to the February Newsletter.

I hope that the receipt of this finds you well and that you, your gardens and the inhabitants of / visitors to the latter not suffering too badly from the recent more wintery conditions.

Once again here in the south we’ve been subjected to, for us, huge swings in the temperature and all that then comes from this – rain, sleet, hail, snow, mist, fog, flooding and blinding sunshine, and then the next day …….. Such vagaries may well inconvenience us, but for wildlife these unexpected turns in the weather can be so much more dramatically felt, often drawing our attention towards birds and animals that often might not get a second glance, or even be seen.

As an example, the number of Blackcaps visiting gardens rose noticeably as the weather worsened, but was this due to the effect the weather had on their usual food sources, making them forage in more urban areas where easier pickings were to be had or was it a case of more observers were watching their gardens rather than birding further afield; they being isolated from their more distant venues due to the weather? Presumably a little of both but it’d be interesting to see if those that watch their gardens regularly noticed quite such a dramatic a change as those that perhaps look close to home on a less regular basis.

Waxwing have been noted in recent Newsletters but it was only late last month when birds arriving locally were good enough to linger – I hope that you managed to see the ‘Eastrop 8’ during their all too short stay. As can be seen from the ‘Local Wildlife News’ a few did, some coming from as far afield as south-east Hayling Island, where we’ll be returning the favour in just a month’s time, though spring migrants will hopefully be more to the fore than winter ones during the Outdoor Meeting!

February’s often the month that delivers the most wintery of weather but it’s also the time when the first of the returning ‘spring’ migrants reappear, those such as Sand Martin and Wheatear often appearing before the month closes. As you note birds new in to your area this year please do keep us updated on this as it’d be interesting to see how different areas are suffering from migrant depravation, if at all, if the birds are arriving earlier or late than anticipated and who’s actually out in the field and where they’re looking – any news, no matter how minor it may appear to be, will be much appreciated. As they say, ‘Watch this space!’

To complete this month’s events the Group will be heading to Blashford Lakes HIWWT on Sunday. I look forward to seeing you there, when those attending are anticipated to see a varied range and excellent numbers of birds; even if you don’t like gulls much!

Peter E. Hutchins Notices

New Mailing Address

Please be aware that due to continuing issues with the ‘normal’ mailing address a new one has been created specifically for your enquiries, sightings, thoughts, gripes and groans and other input and anything else RSPB, wildlife-related or otherwise that you’d like to bring to the attention of the Group Leader / Committee.

This is [email protected] and is available now for your use.

The electronic version of the February Newsletter has been forwarded from this mailing address so all those in receipt of this should now have the new mailing address to hand for future use. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Evening Walks Programme

During the months of May and June the Local Group will again be running a programme of Evening Walks, all local and led by Members of the Group.

If you’d be interested in helping to create this Programme, either by suggesting areas of local interest or, better still, by offering to lead a walk please do get in contact with the Committee at the earliest possible opportunity.

The dates on which walks are proposed to take place are:

May – 2nd, 10th, 16th, 24th and 31st.

June – 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th.

Updates on how the Programme’s developing will be placed in the March Newsletter, the April one to have the completed Programme included within it.

Stamp Recycling

Please do remember that the Local Group continues to collect, sort and forward used stamps to the Society for conversion in to yet more conservation-minded monies.

The Local Group’s lucky enough to have Eileen Poulter continuing to do this on its’ behalf, so do please keep her busy!

A convenient mnemonic...

Remember Stamps Post to Bedfordshire

Butterfly Walks In Hampshire And The Isle of Wight

Butterfly Conservation Saving butterflies, moths and our environment

A new book detailing 25 walks about the county and island where you’re most likely to bump in to these other airborne beauties.

You can inspect some sample pages from the book here ...

The Press Release about the book is available here ...

To order your copy send a cheque for £7.25 (£6.00 for the guide and £1.25 for postage and packing) made payable to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Branch Butterfly Conservation, together with your name and postal address to: Kevin Freeborn, c/o Butterfly Conservation, Unit 2, Bull Pens, Manor Farm, Itchen Stoke, Alresford, Hampshire, SO24 0QT

Copies will also be available for purchase (cash only) from Jayne Chapman on the Wednesday Wanders, and Ashley Whitlock on the branch fieldtrips where he is the walk leader.

Or to buy a copy online click here ...

To report any inaccuracies in the book please email here.

British Birds

We’ve been given a number of copies of British Birds that are no longer of use to the original owner, these covering the years 2001 to 2008; in total 96 issues and the Index for each of the eight years.

If you’d be interested in purchasing any of these please contact the Group Leader. They will also be on sale at the Indoor Meetings, with a price of £1 per issue or £10 for a year, 12 copies and the Index, having been suggested.

As always, any profits gained through the sale of these items will go to the RSPB and its’ continuing work.

Brian’s Bees

The honey that has been on sale at Indoor Meetings is still available! In three varieties! Thank you to all those that purchased this locally sourced product, and to all those that do you in the future! Please do remember when considering sourcing honey in the future that this is both locally produced, some of you may even know the bees, and that a donation to the Group is made on each purchase!

Local Group Website

The Local Group website continues to be worked upon by our trusted band of computer- literates, well Tim. Carr, so if you haven't been to the site recently, why not take a look and tell us what you think. Any thoughts on what we should, or should not, include within the site will always be appreciated, this then helping to make the site more relevant to current group members, and helping to get across the right message to potential members.

Link: http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/basingstoke/

Newsletter Mailings

Do we have your email address? If not, please do pass it on so that the Group can communicate with you in a more environmentally sensitive manner! The monthly Newsletter being an example of this, saving resources, money and time by being mailed to you, rather than hard copies being created and perhaps only sitting partially read until the next one appears. With regard to this, it’s hoped, seemingly never-endingly, that the lack of hard copy will be resolved in the future!

Bird Food

We are happy to supply any bird food to you at any time, just call on 01256 – 770831, 07895 – 388378 or mail us on [email protected] and we will arrange delivery to you. If you have any requirements that are not listed, please do let us know and we will ensure that they are available when you, or your birds, need them.

The below are examples of just a few of the items that we can supply. Please do enquire after anything else and we will provide you with a cost, time of delivery etc. As both of us are currently working in / about Basingstoke delivery can be expected to be completed within a day of an order being received – can you get that service anywhere else? Prices vary according to the seasonality of the foods, where we are able to source them from, and so on:

Wild Bird Mix – Peanuts – Black Sunflowers – Sunflower Hearts – Niger – Fat Squares – Fat Pecker Balls – Birdboxes – Feeders – Wildfowl Food – Bat Boxes – Mealworms – Suet Pellets – Hedgehog Feeders.

A variety of items will be available at most Indoor Meetings but if there is something ‘missing’ that you want, please do let us know.

Peter & Alison

Big Garden Birdwatch

Unfortunately there’s little to report locally from this nationwide event, just two watches results having been received, along with another ‘part’ watch.

So, the results so far received:

An Overton garden: a Blackbird, a Blue Tit and 2 Dunnock.

A Chineham garden: a Blackbird, 2 Blue Tit, a Collared Dove, a Dunnock, 2 Great Tit, 2 Greenfinch, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Magpie, a Robin and 2 Woodpigeon.

And the ’part’ watch from a Harrow Way garden: 5 Blackbird, 2 Blackcap, 2 Blue Tit, a Carrion Crow, 2 Chaffinch, 2 Collared Dove, 5 Goldfinch, a Great Tit, 9+ House Sparrow, 2 Jackdaw, a Red Kite over, a Robin, 7+ Starling, 5 Woodpigeon and a Wren; plus 3 ‘domestic dove’ and 3 Greenfinch that didn’t quite make the airspace over the garden.

The ‘part’ due to the observer being unable to retrospectively download the recording form, which he wasn’t aware of until it was too late  Due to this the numbers and species noted are the totals, rather than the maximum counts recorded.

So, as can be seen, even from these three results, there’s a significant difference in the birds that can be noted visiting during the Big Garden Birdwatch, this down to, amongst other variables, the type of garden, location of it, the time of day the watch was carried out, the weather at the time of the watch and the amenities afforded the birds – though in the case of the Overton garden it would appear that the birds were so well fed that they didn’t come back for seconds during the watch!

If you’ve any results you could forward to give a truer picture of what birds were noted locally during the Big Garden Birdwatch and perhaps why they were please do.

Further news from this year’s watches, both locally and nationally, will appear in future Newsletters.

What’s Happening?

A few of the forthcoming local events that will hopefully help keep you entertained as the winter struggled towards the spring:

Basingstoke Natural History Society [email protected]

Fleet Pond – History, Natural History And Restoration Programme

Date 7th March

Time 20:00pm

An illustrated presentation by Colin Gray, Chairman of the Fleet Pond Society.

United Reformed Church, London Street, Basingstoke

Patricia & Colin Stubbs: 01256 323324; Diane Rampton: 01256 467533 or Nicola Williams: 01256 353194.

Hampshire & Isle Of Wight Wildlife Trust http://www.hwt.org.uk/

Snowdrops On The Paper Mill Walk Laverstoke

Snowdrop Jonathan Oakley

Date 18th February

Time 10:30am to 12:30pm

A walk by the River Test on the Paper Mills Walk to see snowdrops and birds.

Join us for a walk along the River Test on the Paper Mills Walk. Snowdrops should be out and a variety of birds may be seen. Please bring suitable footwear and binoculars if you have them.

Meet at Laverstoke Sports Pavilion Car Park, Laverstoke Lane, opposite Bombay Sapphire. , Hampshire, RG28 7NR

Map reference SU490483

Basingstoke Wildlife Watch

Whats In The Woods Today?

Wildlife Watch In Action

Date 25th February

Time 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Exploring South Litchfield Woods, near Overton.

Fun wildlife-themed and outdoor activities for children aged 5-15 years

Please note, under 8s must be accompanied by an adult. All sessions will be held outdoors, whatever the weather, so wrap up warm and don’t forget your wellies!

Wildlife Watch events are for families and young people that want to get out and about and more involved with nature. The activities are based mostly outdoors, in natural surroundings. Please make sure you come prepared with a waterproof coat and some wellies.

Find out more about Wildlife Watch club membership here.

For further details, please contact:

Clare Lloyd Williams 01256 782665

Please note that all the events noted above may be filmed and photographed for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust's fundraising and publicity purposes. If you have any concerns, please speak to a member of staff.

Wildlife Gardening Mini Habitats

Date 4th March

Time 09:30am to 12:30pm

Learn how to create a range of mini-habitats for wildlife in your garden and discover the variety of wildlife that you can attract to your garden. You tutor Susan will start the session with a bit of a brainstorm of ideas and then you will look at how these habitats can be created in more detail. You will learn how and why to create a small wildlife pond, a bog garden or even just to provide a sunken tray of water in the garden. You will learn how to create a bug hotel, from a small bundle of twigs through to a multi-storeyed 5* hotel! You will talk about (and possibly explore) log piles for stag beetles and other invertebrates. Discover which sort of plants will attract bees and butterflies and discuss planting a native hedgerow in your garden – how, why and where.

Is this course for me? This is a great course if you are hoping to improve the range of micro habitats for wildlife in your garden and understanding more about wildlife gardening in general.

When and where?

Please arrive 10 minutes before the course is due to start

Wherwell Primary School, Longparish Road, Wherwell, Andover SP11 7JP

Parking is free in the school car park

What do I need to bring?

 Clean wellington boots  Warm & waterproof clothing  Notebook and pen or pencil if you want to take notes  Drink or snacks

Tutor

Susan Simmonds – Assistant Education Officer

Susan has a lifelong passion for wildlife and graduated in Environmental Science, she has worked and volunteered in the conservation sector for 15 years. She recently took the opportunity to spend two years lecturing as a temporary, sessional lecturer on a BTEC National Diploma course in Countryside Management at Sparsholt College. As a qualified teacher in the Lifelong Learning sector she enjoys teaching her skills through courses like plant species identification and mammal tracks and signs to others. Susan has a desire to make a difference and to play a part in conserving our natural world and believes that she can do that through further study and ultimately through lecturing and research. She loves species identification and regularly teaches wildflower identification and carries out survey work. She is currently playing a key part in updating the Botanical Society of The British Isles (BSBI) Atlas of the British & Irish Flora as a ‘Hectad Guardian’.

Susan is a governor at a local primary school and works each week with the teachers and children to assist them in using their outdoor environment. As the chairperson for the school’s Woodland Committee she has written a management plan for the site and oversees its management. You can hear Susan as she has a fortnightly slot on BBC Radio Wiltshire on Sunday lunchtimes, where she speaks about seasonal aspects of the countryside.

Book Now!

The Hare

Hare Russ Valentine

Date 8th March

Time 7:30pm to 9:30pm

A talk by enthusiastic author Jane Russ on one of the UK's most iconic mammals

Come and join Jane Russ, author and chairman of the Hare Preservation Trust to find out more things you never knew about these delightful and elusive creatures.

Badger Farm Community Centre, Winchester, adjacent to far end of Sainsbury's store, Badger Farm Road, Winchester, SO22 4QB

Map reference SU462 275

Wildlife Gardening Meadows and Woodland

Date 11th March

Time 9:30am to 12:30pm

Learn how to create a wildflower meadow in your garden, the variety of wildlife that you can attract and which plants will attract wildlife. Susan will start the session with a brainstorm and will take you to view the meadow at Wherwell Primary School and learn some basic identifying skills. You will discuss several different grassland types and wildflower meadows in general. Discover more about: how to create butterfly and bee borders, butterfly food plants, creating a natural wildflower meadow, the species wildflower meadows can attract. You will also discuss various options for creating the wildflower meadow from plug planting through to stripping off the topsoil and re- seeding.

Is this course for me? This is a great course if you are hoping to create a mini wildflower meadow in your garden and understanding more about wildlife gardening in general.

When and where?

Please arrive 10 minutes before the course is due to start

Wherwell Primary School, Longparish Road, Wherwell, Andover SP11 7JP

Parking is free in the school car park

What do I need to bring?

 Clean wellington boots  Warm & waterproof clothing  Notebook and pen or pencil if you want to take notes  Drink or snacks

Tutor

Susan Simmonds – Assistant Education Officer

Book Now!

Bird Watching for Beginners – Farmland

Goldfinch Alan Price

Date 12th March

Time 9:00am to 1:00pm

Experience the joy of bird watching in a relaxed series of courses and learn how to find and identify common species of birds to start off this fascinating hobby. You can take each course individually or several courses to build your knowledge of different bird species and their habitats. The farmland in the heart of the Hampshire Downs can be alive with birds. In this workshop you will visit farmland around Cheriton with its network of paths and good hedgerows for a variety of bird species. The farmland can hold good flocks of finches, buntings and winter thrushes. You may even have the good fortune to spot birds of prey, including Red Kite. Discover when and where to find birds and understand how they use the environments they live in. We will visit special places to find birds and look at how you can find birds in your local area. We will look at identification but with no pressure to get it right. And always remember, there is no such thing as a stupid question!

Is this course for me?

This is an ideal course for beginners to bird watching, this is a relaxed course designed to get your started on your birding journey.

The pace will be leisurely and we may cover up to three miles on possibly muddy tracks with moderate slopes in places.

When and where?

Please arrive 10 minutes before the start of the course

Meeting by the Cheriton Post Office SO24 0PX, half a mile from the A272 on the B3046 towards Alresford.

What do I need to bring?

Essential

 Suitable outdoor walking clothing for the weather on the day  Sturdy waterproof walking shoes or boots with a good grip  Note pad and pen or pencil if you like to take notes  Binoculars or scopes  Please bring your own drinks and food

Tutor

Andy Davidson

Andy Davidson has worked in conservation for 25 years managing a variety of habitats. He has also been enjoying birds for over 35 years, birdwatching across the UK

Book Now!

Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre

Annual Recorders Forum

HBIC has held a Recorders Forum in early March every year since it was established in 2002. The Forum is an opportunity for Hampshire recorders to get together and share information on current projects and surveys. Anyone with an interest in biological recording in Hampshire is welcome to attend.

The 2017 Recorders Forum will take place on Saturday 11th March at Littleton Village Hall with the programme being as follows:

Programme 09:30 10:00 Registration & Coffee 10:00 10:10 Welcome & Introduction: Nicky Court, HBIC Manager 10:10 10:35 Seeing the wood for the trees – Wild New Forest: Marcus Ward National Water Vole Mapping Project: Debbie Whitfield & Catherine McGuire, 10:35 11:00 HIWWT 11:00 11:20 Refreshments Hampshire's priority butterflies - review and conservation initiatives: Andy 11:20 11:40 Barker, Butterfly Conservation

The Countryside Services approach to survey and monitoring: Andy Davidson, 11:40 12:00 HCC Countryside Service 12:00 12:20 Introduction to QGIS for recorders: Martin Rand, BSBI 12.20 12.35 A series of 5 minute project updates 12.35 13.45 Lunch & displays 13.45 14:00 A series of 5 minute project updates 14.00 14.20 Thoughts on Open Data: Nicky Court, HBIC 14.20 14:35 Refreshments 14:35 14:55 Vegetation changes along the Basingstoke Canal: Ian Ralphs, HBIC 14:55 15:10 Recording Cotoneaster in the New Forest: Catherine Chatters, HIWWT 15.10 15.25 Hampshire Swifts: Tim Norriss, Hampshire Swifts 15:25 15:30 Summary & Close

To book your place please download and return the Recorders Forum booking form. This contains the programme details and directions.

Overton Biodiversity Society http://www.overton-biodiversity.org/

The Story Of The North Wessex Downs Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Date 23rd February

Time 7:30pm

An illustrated presentation by Rose Somerset, the Communications Officer for the North Wessex Downs, followed by refreshments.

Overton Community Centre, Winchester Street, Overton.

For further information please contact:

Ken or Jane on 01256 – 771121 or email [email protected]

Local Opportunities for Conservation Volunteering

Are you interested in your local environment? Do you have a passion for conservation and wildlife? If yes, try the following the site to check on what’s happening locally that you could become involved in.

http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2BEA9CA3-DD29-414A-AAE4- 0F8A916F61E4/0/Conservationworkparties.pdf

There are opportunities for you as an individual, a family or a social group to join the groups of volunteers already working in the following areas:

Black Dam Ponds and Crabtree Plantation Mill Field Local Nature Reserve Chineham Oakley Cliddesden Old Down, Kempshott Glebe Gardens, Victory Park and King Overton George Vth Playing Fields (Brookvale) Popley Kempshott South View

February’s Outdoor Meeting

Blashford Lakes HIWWT: 19th.

For this Outdoor Meeting please meet in the Ibsley Water car park north of Ellingham Drove for a 10:00 start (SU 151 083, OS Landranger map 195; BH24 3PJ).

This is just east of the A338 Ringwood to Salisbury road, itself north off the A31 at the roundabout on the northern side of Ringwood.

 For further details of the starting point, to offer or request a lift etc. please contact a Committee Member prior to the weekend of the outing.

The RAC Route Planner gives a distance of 50.34 miles between Basingstoke and the site, the AA site 48.6; a travelling time of 51 and 59 minutes being quoted by these sites; this via the M3 and M27. As always, it’s best to leave ample time to reach the site for the start time, so please do bear this in mind when deciding on when to leave.

 A series of hides and blinds allow easy access to many of the birds on this well-known and increasingly popular Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust reserve. The varied habitats, from open water to thick woodland, ensure a continuous presence of many individuals / species, especially during the winter months when increased numbers of wildfowl, gulls and ‘herons’ are to be found about the former gravel pits

The walk about this reserve will start with the hides overlooking Ibsley Water, these adjacent / close to the car park and sure to keep those attending busy for some time as they sift through the masses of ducks, geese, gulls and the occasional wader; just the second Franklin’s Gull for Hampshire, Black-necked Grebe, Black-tailed Godwit, and good numbers of Goosander among the birds noted here recently.

Smew, Red-breasted Merganser and Goosander Alan Lewis Though the image taker was not happy with the shot, it’s not often you get all of the commoner sawbills together

The larophiles among you, few and far between I expect, will have ample opportunities to look over the pallid flotillas of gulls for the Ring-billed, Caspian, Yellow-legged and Mediterranean that have again been present over recent winter months.

Moving southwards back over Ellingham Drive and towards the Visitor Centre will bring woodland birds to the Groups’ attention, woodpeckers, tits, finches and buntings among those to be found in the footpath flanking vegetation, perhaps Green of the former to be seen on the open grassland by the smaller car park to be walked by. The stream running alongside the path encourages Grey Wagtail to feed, as is also the case for other smaller insectivorous species, such as Wren, Dunnock and Robin. The woodland here can also harbour the first flowering plants to be seen of the year, the milder weather perhaps allowing Snowdrop, Primrose and even Wild Daffodil all possibly to have already bloomed.

Moving through towards Ivy Lake, a call sure to be made at the Visitor Centre for a ‘comfort stop’ and to allow all to make the most of the other facilities on site. Recent sightings, on-going management work, static displays and nearby feeders all there to make the visit that little more enjoyable, and even educational!

The woodland south of the centre has yet a further hide, this overlooking the feeders in an open area of woodland. Time spent here should ensure further tits, finches and buntings are seen, perhaps Lesser Redpoll, Brambling and Marsh Tit joining the more expected visitants. Grey Squirrel, no real surprise there, may well be making the most of the easy pickings, but look down to the woodland floor and you may catch sight of the smaller woodland denizens, Short-tailed Vole often being particularly active and providing a ‘cute’ distraction from the avians others are focussing upon.

Finally, the hides overlooking Ivy Lake are to be visited in the hope of seeing the wintering Bittern, though other birds will be out on the lake; if anybody can take their eyes and cameras off the target bird.

Bittern Alan Lewis This taken from the hide where we’ll be ensconced for some time I’m sure!

Smew and Green Sandpiper are among the other wintering species here, but will anybody even notice them? Rarer than the Bittern is a returning Ferruginous Duck, another ‘oddity’ to be scanned for from the hides and nearby blinds.

A return trip, eventually, towards Ellingham Drive can lead to further pits being visited on both the southern and northern sides of the road. Here additional wildfowl may be found as these pits are less disturbed, the returning Great White Egret often favouring these quieter waters. Pintail, Shoveler and Teal may be in larger numbers here and even Ruddy Duck could, in theory, be found under the overhanging island vegetation – don’t tell anybody though ;-) These pits are flanked by more mature woodland at the edge of The New Forest

NP proper and so species that, again, prefer less disturbance may be found. Buzzard and Sparrowhawk are more likely to be found out over these areas and wintering thrushes often mix with the stock in the well-used paddocks.

The Outdoor Meeting to this reserve should provide another excellent day out, plenty of birds and a few notable species – let’s just hope that the Bittern have been properly trained for the Groups’ visit!

More updated information on the site*, the wildlife present and places to visit on the journey home, such as The New Forest NP, Stockbridge Common and Down, Winnall Moors, St. Catherine’s Hill and Fishlake Meadows will be available closer to the day of the trip, and during the outing itself. If you have any queries, no matter what, please ensure that these are addressed as soon as is possible.

* The Blashford Blog: http://blashfordlakes.wordpress.com/

 It’s winter, so please be prepared for any inclement weather we might just encounter.

 The walk will take us through to early afternoon when the revisiting of the Visitor Centre etc. will definitely be a welcome addition to the day’s activities.

March’s Outdoor Meeting

Sandy Point / Black Point: 19th.

 For this outing please meet at the eastern end of Sandy Point Road for a 10:00 start (SZ 745 983: OS Landranger map 197; PO11 9SE).

On reaching the southern part of Hayling Island follow signs to the Lifeboat Station / Sandy Point / Black Point and this will take you to

 For further details of the starting point, to offer or request a lift etc. please contact a Committee Member prior to the weekend of the outing.

The RAC Route Planner gives a distance of 57.96 miles between Basingstoke and the meeting place, the AA site 58.0; a travelling time of 67 and 66 minutes being quoted by these sites. These routes are via the M3 and M27, more direct routes being somewhat slower and therefore possibly taking longer than the noted times. As always, it’s best to leave ample time to reach the site for the start time, so please do bear this in mind when deciding on when to leave.

 The area to be visited this month is at the very south-eastern coastal edge of Hampshire and so a noted point for birds both leaving and, more importantly, arriving from the continent. As the Group’s visiting during the earlier part of the spring passage this should ensure that many of those present will be seeing birds that they’ve not encountered since autumn 2016.

Sand Martin Riparia riparia One of the first migrants to arrive locally and so anticipated for this outing

The most regular visitor to the site, Andy Johnson, has been contacted with regard to the Group’s visit and will be in touch as birds appear both prior to and during the day of our visit; he sure to be out in the field well before the arrival of the Group.

On moving off from the meeting place we will pass by a number of gardens prior to reaching the entrance to the points area, all worthy of attention as warblers, finches, thrushes and other chats may be lurking in them or on the rooftops of the residences, the thicker vegetation here offering both shelter and a place to forage away from the coastal ‘breezes’.

Also passed will be the northern extremities of Sandy Point Nature Reserve where both wood and scrub-covered coastal ‘heath’ will be looked over for incoming migrants such as the already noted Sand Martin as well as Wheatear, Chiffchaff and Blackcap; the latter pair quite possibly betraying their presence as they sing to as yet non-existent partners. This Local Nature Reserve has a reputation for providing refuge for the unexpected, so even the slightest movement / call should be investigated, just in case!

Walking out in to the more open coastal flats the Group will turn northwards, following the edge of Chichester Harbour to Black Point, the sailing club and the tidal areas that provide food and roost sites for waders during the day. All areas covered are very much dependent on the tide state for the wildlife they’ll hold, so it’s possible that after the initial walk to and from the point another may be made towards the end of the outing to see how things have changed.

Checking out the wader roost by the sailing club - Dark-bellied Brent in the foreground

Waders gathering on the sandy spit near the sailing club

As can be seen from the above images good numbers of waders can be present, accompanied by gulls, terns, cormorant, wildfowl and the occasional raptor breaking the roosting ‘silence’. Peregrine are regular here whilst watching further afield may well provide Buzzard and Kestrel over more suitable hunting areas.

Ringed – literally – Plover Charadrius hiaticula This bird had been ringed as an adult at Black Point, this photograph the being taken165 km ENE of there on the bird being relocated at Reculver, Kent

Throughout the time of the walk north Chichester Harbour will be looked over, there being the possibility of seaduck, grebes, auks and divers to be found on the waters constituting the county boundaries. At the time of writing a Black-throated Diver has been present for some weeks, Red-necked Grebe has been an occasional visitor and both Razorbill and Guillemot have been seen in small numbers on a reliable basis. As with all coastal visits, that present is very much dependent on the weather prior to and during the visit, so be prepared, both for the birds and the weather!

Black Point Looking south towards Sandy Point – these waters holding seaduck, grebes, auks and divers consistently throughout the winter / early spring period; though here they look empty!

Some of the waders to be anticipated in and about the point roost site include Oystercatcher, Curlew, Dunlin, Sanderling, Turnstone, Ringed Plover and Grey Plover, though careful scrutiny of the ever-changing masses could provide less expected species, as well as the aforementioned gulls and terns.

Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis

Numbers of this species linger about the adjacent harbours every winter, though further migrants may have already arrived to boost these numbers by the time we visit

On returning southwards towards Sandy Point, the very south-eastern tip of Hampshire, the saltmarsh and creeks inland will be checked for further waders, wildfowl, including perhaps relatively confiding Dark-bellied Brent, pipits and larks, plus the hoped-for Wheatear. Some of the species resident in the more urban areas flanking this spill out on to the saltmarsh and adjacent scrub to feed, Starling, House Sparrow and the like perhaps to then be encountered.

Moving along the beach past the Lifeboat Station more mature trees on the eastern edge of the reserve provide areas of further interest, the foraging parties of tits, crests and similar perhaps now augmented by incoming warblers. Any party of House Sparrow’s is worthy of more attention than we might give them up in the ‘north’ as Tree Sparrow are an annual visitor to the site and often associate with the locals before moving on.

The open waters off the point will be scanned for more sea-oriented birds, scoter, Eider, auks, grebes and diver again amongst that to be looked for, as well as perhaps Gannet, Fulmar and even an early / late skua or two.

Moving westwards long the seafront the coastal side of the reserve will be closely scrutinised for further migrants as well as birds that may well still be lingering from the winter – Dartford Warbler an example of the latter. As noted previously our man on site will be keeping us updated on anything he or others have found, so we shouldn’t miss too much! The more open scrub on this side of the reserve hosts chats, pipits, wagtails, warblers and some of the more local crows and is a good place to look for raptors looking to take such birds, and the smaller rodents etc.

Great Tit Parus major Andy Johnson This image taken on site, showing just a few things that could be seen during the visit!

Dependent on the state of the tide earlier in the visit, the weather, the movement of migrants and other more attendee-oriented factors on walking the southern boundaries of the reserve we’ll either continue westwards for a short time or head back towards Black Point for further wader and harbour watching. If the former, as well as looking out over the ‘sea’ and watching the beach for birds of passage we’ll keep an eye on the coastal properties and their gardens, again for recently arrived migrants and perhaps those that have lingered from the winter; the aforementioned Wheatear, Blackcap, Sand Martin and Chiffchaff all in this category, but Black Redstart another that could be found with careful watching and some luck.

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros A regularly occurring winter / passage visitor to the area

Whether we head west or north we will finish the outing by returning via the northern, more wooded, side of the reserve and the more mature nearby gardens, checking for yet more migrants and those ‘common’ species that might have eluded us on the way out.

 Please be aware that ….. it’s still winter, well, presumably spring won’t be too obvious on the coast as yet!!!

 The walk will take us through to early afternoon when there will be a number of options for those attending – lunch, of course, go directly home, move off to other sites of interest or participate in a further walk about the area during the middle / latter part of the afternoon; all are welcome to join the latter.

More updated information on the site, the wildlife present and places to visit on the journey home, such as Sinah Warren, The Kench, The Hayling Billy Trail, North Hayling NR, Langstone and Chichester Harbours, Southmoors, Farlington Marshes, Butser Hill and Selborne will be available closer to the day of the trip, and during the outing itself. If you have any queries, no matter what, please ensure that these are addressed as soon as is possible.

January’s Outdoor Meeting

Pulborough Brooks RSPB: 22nd.

We travelled south east, to Pulborough Brooks RSPB reserve for our first group outing of 2017 and, after negotiating ice, misty patches and low-angle sunshine glaring straight into drivers' eyes, arrived on a classically crisp and crunchy winter morning at the reserve car park.

Moss-frost

A good birding site already; without leaving the car park, we were ticking-off a confiding Song Thrush which grabbed an orange snail from the leaf litter and proceeded to crack it on a pebble to get at the flesh. A couple of Robins watched us, carefully, hoping for largesse from the people getting out of the cars; a Wren burrowed through low herbage, then followed the foraging Thrush which was tossing leaves about in a search for more snails, among other food items. The Wren used the industry of the Thrush to reveal small organisms such as springtails, minute spiders etc. which the bigger bird might ignore or miss. Dunnocks crept low and one joined the Wren to trail the Thrush. A Great Spotted Woodpecker bounded between the boughs of an Oak to a favourite, resonant, dead branch to produce a series of accomplished drum-rolls. At any moment, a Nuthatch, Great Tit or Blue Tit would be passing en route to or from the visitor centre feeders, where a small flock of white domestic doves gleaned spilt grain from the ground, their plumage contrasting with that of a couple of lurking Jackdaws. Smaller birds, in particular, were fluffed to almost spherical shape against the cold and crouched so that as little leg as possible was exposed to the frigid air; some would immediately tuck a leg into their feathers every time they stood still, to conserve warmth in the sub-zero temperature.

Nuthatch Fluffed-up Robin

Luckily, though, the wind was negligible so there was no wind-chill to afflict the birds and us and the weak sunshine caused the thick hoar-frost, encrusting twigs, moss, lichen, grass and ground to sparkle.

After completing the formalities of entering the reserve, using the facilities (and, in some cases, making a mental note to stop for a warm drink and something to eat, after the walk) we looked out, from the high view-point. The small pond, just outside the doors of the centre was heavily-lidded with ice, several centimetres thick; a couple of Moorhens were pecking about in the grass, unable to access food in the water.

View from visitors' centre over frozen pond to frozen valley; mist rising with the sun.

A closer look at the House Sparrows revealed that several were actually Reed Buntings in bushes and ranker herbage. The field below the visitors' centre was mainly populated with Rabbits, grazing peripheral grass while crouching Pheasants, finding a refuge from the guns outside the reserve sneaked low in a search for food. Down-slope, a couple of Stock Doves

perched and preened in a dead tree. There were holes and crevices in the tree, which they might have found suitable for nest-sites but they were just as likely to utilise a nearby raptor/owl nest box, if it wasn't used by such birds.

Reed Bunting Cock Sparra

We scanned the iced expanses of pools and meadows, below us, finding only distant Canada Geese. No refuge or feeding opportunity for many wildfowl; it looked more like a scene which the Dutch painter, Hendrick Avercamp might have populated with crowds of festive skaters.

With the drumming of two or three Great Spotted Woodpeckers rattling in the background, we set off to the north, heading through scrub towards the zig-zag track, down towards Meads Hide. Birds were difficult to find, apart from Robins, which seemed to be everywhere, noisy Blackbirds commoner Tits and Song Thrushes, another of which was whacking a snail on a stone beside the track. Close examination revealed several places where accumulated snail-shell fragments indicated “anvils” used by mollusc-consuming Thrushes.

Song Thrush with snail and anvil

A Yaffle called several times though it was never seen, but a noisy Jay was seen to cross a space between trees. A single Fieldfare was noted in a pasture, with a couple of Redwings and a Meadow Pipit not far off. A Goldcrest was spotted, flicking from twig to twig and Long-tailed Tits entertained, as always. Chaffinches were few and far-between, far out- numbered by Linnets and Goldfinches; the latter, in particular, being charming, as usual but Greenfinches were more heard than seen.

Goldcrest Fieldfare

At one spot, a sign alerted walkers to the possibility of seeing a Little Owl, which had recently claimed territory in the area. We searched and became excited when a very convincing owl-shape was discovered in a distant Oak. Closer examination, though, revealed the “owl” to be covered in bark and lichen.

No owl, but we were treated to the sight of a Mole-hill heaving as a Mole pushed soil up into the heap from below. This activity was not missed by yet another Robin, which flew down to search the fresh soil for invertebrates fleeing their furry nemesis.

Our first port-of-call was West Mead Hide, where we sat on the cold, wooden benches to view the icy wastes of the flood-plain pools. From here, we could hear the conversations of the Canada Goose herd. This closer view-point enabled us to find a few more birds. On the short grass of grazed rough pasture beyond the closest pool, Pied Wagtails and a few Meadow Pipits scurried. One Piewag was running about on the ice close to the hide, skidding and sliding as it tried to make sharp turns, though what it was finding to chase, out over the ice is anybody's guess.

With the 15-20 wagtails on the grass, a couple of Mistle Thrushes were foraging in a much more ponderous fashion. Lapwings were spaced widely around the pasture and, much closer to hand, three Common Snipe were found on the edge of small islets just in front of our

viewing windows. One bird just huddled on the end of its' personal islet, another two seemed to have found either unfrozen ground or enough thick turf to be worth probing for food and were actively shoving beaks deeply.

“Sneaky” Snipe!

To the right of the hide another Goldcrest made intermittent appearances in the Willow pollards.

Far out, over the Mead, a Common Buzzard slouched in a tree and a couple of Stonechats perched on tall stalks, bushes and posts, tails waving as they looked for prey. A single Skylark flew over the valley but was only heard.

The most excitement, though, was provided by a very dark-plumaged, cream-headed female Marsh Harrier which spent some time perching on very distant posts near Phragmites reeds or hunted, with that typical, light, floating harrier-flight over rough grass and reeds near the embanked River Arun on the far side of the reserve. Distant, but very clear and extended

views. This species of raptor is, these days, an expected winter visitor at this site. I recall that, on our last visit, in the spring, we were entertained by the interaction between a Marsh Harrier and a Red Kite; no such action, this time, though.

Female Marsh Harrier

On leaving the hide, we made our way, along the lower path, to Winpenny Hide. I know, it sounds like a place found at the end of a seaside pier; full of one-armed bandits and the like but it turned out to be a very interesting stop.

My gaze was grabbed, first, by the peculiar and beautiful, spiky ice crystals growing on the glass of the windows. People of my generation may recall houses without central heating, no double-glazing, house walls without internal insulation and bedroom windows covered in “frost-flowers” on cold mornings. They were more reminiscent of ferns or frondose mosses than flowers but the ones I was looking at in the hide were of a kind I've never seen before; almost planktonic, some, like snowflakes or marine feather stars.

“Ice flakes” on window of Winpenny Hide

My admiration was interrupted by a sudden flurry of avian action as the patrolling Marsh Harrier re-appeared, escorted by a Crow, flushing a Sparrowhawk from cover and, between them, flushing a wisp of Snipe and a single Dunlin from ditches and sedges. The Sparrowhawk flew low over the icy meadow, closely past the hide, while the Harrier returned to a perch. As things settled, again, we scanned for more. Just visible, far to our right, ducks were clustered on frozen ice, another or the same Buzzard was seen in a distant tree, a tightly packed flock of Wigeon grazed , just visible over the banked course of the River Arun and Canada Geese pulled grass nearby. At one point, every goose-head was raised, and all stared in the same direction but we never found out what it was that had caught their attention. Some did fly off and two feral Swan Geese were noted in their company. These large grey geese are separated from Greylags by their long, dark bills and are natives of Mongolia and northern China, though becoming rare, in the wild. Like our Greylag, they have been domesticated and the domestic ones often have exaggerated “knobs” (even bigger than those of Mute Swans) on their bills and develop swinging dewlaps and a variety of colour forms. They may also interbreed with Greylags in captivity. No genuine vagrants have been proven to turn up in Western Europe, though.

More interest was provided by five “new” geese, which flew in from the north. It became apparent that they were markedly smaller than the Canada geese and they were, at first thought to be Pink-footed Geese but, as they air-braked, with webs spread, to land, we saw that their feet were bright orange, helping the identification of Tundra Bean Geese to be

made; a much more unexpected sighting. Unfortunately, they landed in a depression, out of our sight and further examination was impossible.

As we walked to the next viewing point; low, almost water-level wooden platforms, we passed by the place where, last spring, we had enjoyed prolonged, close views of a very (uniquely, in the experience of most) confiding Nightingale which fed in path-side turf, occasionally perching to deliver that wonderful song. I wonder if a visit, later, this year will be so rewarded.

From the platforms, a Greylag was seen to fly down to disappear below a grassy bank, a Moorhen wandered about on the ice and another couple of Stonechats perched and sortied. As we scrambled back to the track, we paused to look at the bright orange-yellow carunculations of Brain Fungus on a fallen Oak branch.

The Little Hanger Hide, below steep Oak-clad slopes afforded views of what would normally be open water, often teeming with waterfowl. This time, the ducks were all clustered in a mixed flock, close to an area of water kept open mostly by their constant movement. This enabled some to dabble, hopefully, for food and provided somewhere to roost in relative safety from marauding Foxes, whose weight the ice would certainly support.

One duck had not found safety, though. On an island, a large falcon; a female Peregrine, was ripping hunks from the body of her Teal-meal kill. At a respectful distance, several Carrion Crows watched and a pale Buzzard hunched even further off, probably awaiting a chance to scavenge. The Grey Heron, by a reedy ditch would also probably not be averse to a bit of duck.

Now that the Peregrine had hunted and killed, the crowd of ducks, conserving energy not far off seemed quite relaxed; they were not, for the time-being, on her menu. Not this day, at least.

There were surviving Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, a few each of Pintail and Shoveler, all cheek- by-jowl and even a couple of Little Grebes, which were diving for food in the ice-free area. If the ice increased, they would have to leave, perhaps to fish in the nearby River Arun.

After leaving Little Hanger hide, we climbed the track through the woods, pausing to look out from Hanger View, an open bit of level ground set among the trees, with a view over the valley, towards Greatham. We could see the crowd of ducks around the ice-free patch and pick out distant Heron, Buzzard and Crows but the Peregrine Falcon was gone from the scene. Now, she was perched on a branch of a tree only about 50m to our left, clearly aware of us but not bothered. This was her regular perching spot. Her crop was bulging from feeding and I suppose she was waiting while her body processed the food before returning to “process” more of the duck. Our views of her were magnificent. I don't know if her views of us were so appreciated. I had an anthropomorphic moment: her face looked so innocent,

even gentle; how could such a charming face like that smash a Teal from the air and rip it apart as she clearly had just done? The fact is, she was innocent and had just done what she must, to survive.

Suddenly, she focussed her glare out into the wide spaces below and launched into a fast, low, direct flight towards her kill. It was clear, she meant business and, with a series of breath-taking aerial manoeuvres, scattered the encroaching Crows. She had not finished with the prey, yet and was establishing her ownership by reminding the carrion-seekers that she was still keeping an eye on it. That done, she powered back to the perch and posed for photographs again.

It was not until I examined the images I took that I realised she was wearing “bling”; rings on both legs. This supported the idea that she was most probably the regular individual, which had been ringed, as a chick, at the nest in an old quarry at Amberley Station, only a few miles away.

Just below the watch point was an open space (no obscuring trees) with scrub and brambles growing above the rough grass. A bright male Bullfinch was visible as it mumbled Blackthorn buds and delicately cracked blackberry seeds from withered fruits still attached to their vines. A startling touch of colour in a muted-brown / green environment.

Peregrine, showing bulging crop and “bling” Tucking into duck

We moved uphill a little further. One or two of our party visited Nettley's Hide and, perhaps, Jupp's View, a little further north of us but I didn't hear that they had discovered anything new at those sites.

Bullfinch

We, however, started back towards the visitors' Centre, passing a few of the long-horned Highland Cattle which are set the task of keeping grassland grazed and open and producing dung in which insects can breed and provide food for the birds.

Back at the centre, the same collection of birds hung around the feeders that we'd seen earlier. A Kestrel grew like an extension to a pole overlooking the weedy field; baggy- trousered Rooks strode about, pausing to pick-axe the ground in a search for food and several of our party remembered that hot drinks and tasty morsels were available inside the building.

Rook

After refreshments, some of us made for Waltham Brooks to look for a reported Great Grey Shrike. On the way there, we passed around a dozen Fallow Deer, in a roadside field, the

only ones seen on the day (though we had spotted a Roe Deer on the journey down. It transpired that no searching was required for the shrike; there it was, large as life and not too distant, perched out in the open on top of a bush. At first, just a silhouette but by walking only a little distance we were able to see it clearly.

Great Grey Shrike

The Shrike was clearly actively hunting. At one point, it chased a small bird low over the ground until it escaped into a thick bramble. I was close enough to hear the shrike calling (perhaps in frustration) from the bush above. After flying to a variety of perches close by, the shrike spent a long time repeatedly chasing something around the interior of a twiggy bush. Eventually, it became clear that it was after several Long-tailed tits which, understandably, were very reluctant to leave the bush and its brambly base. As soon as one broke cover and flew in the open; the shrike would have the advantage and would be very likely to grab it. At times, I could see several Long-tailed Tits perched about the bush, watching the shrike intently and (though we were too far away to hear them) scolding with their quiet “trrt” alarm calls.

Eventually, the beautifully patterned shrike gave-up on the tits and moved a little further away.

I took a little more notice of other birds; a “chucking” Fieldfare watching from a tree behind us, flocks of Wigeon and Teal moving up-river along the course of the Arun, more Long- tailed Tits in a bush beside us, several House Sparrows calling their alarm at the nearby

shrike, Blackbirds, Robins, Dunnocks, all close to us but cautious, gaining protection from the shrike by our presence, perhaps. A single Black-headed Gull perched on a post near the river; little available for such a bird to eat in this environment unless a farmer decided to try ploughing frozen soil. I suspect most of its fellows had left for the coast, not far south of the reserve.

Nearby, is a sewage treatment site, with a couple of filtration beds and such places are often attractive to a variety of birds so some of us walked there, over the railway bridge. Just as I was about to leave, the shrike returned, carrying something furry; perhaps a vole, and disappeared into a Blackthorn bush, returning thirty seconds later without it. Clearly, it had not had time to consume the rodent but had probably impaled it on a thorn, out of view from corvids, for consumption later.

Down by the filtration beds there were dozens of Chiffchaffs flitting about the bushes or riding the struts over the wet clinker. I've never seen so many in one place before. The bird which first caught my attention, though, stood out immediately as a much paler, grey bird in company with three “ordinary” Chiffchaffs; a Siberian Chiffchaff. This bird was known to be present but I had not expected it to be so easy to find. Had we more time or had we devoted less of our time to other things, we might have moved down the valley a little way and seen several Bewick's Swans and a Great White Egret but, as Alfie Bass used to say in his “Bootsie” persona; “Never mind, eh.” (Alright, I know it was a long time ago).

The filtration beds remain unfrozen in cold weather and provide a habitat for the larvae of huge numbers of non-biting chironomid midges (the familiar “bloodworms”) and the adult midges could be seen dancing in the cool air about the bushes. They perch, when it gets colder but, as bloodworms amongst the clinker or adults on walls, vegetation or in flight, they provide fodder for hungry birds. As well as the Chiffs, there were Goldcrests, Wrens, Robins, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Pied Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, Dunnocks; all hunting the midges.

If only the gentle breeze had wafted in a different direction, though.

Long-tailed Tit Chiffchaff

Well pleased, we returned to the car, taking a moment to admire the still-present shrike, through the gloom and to look at Dwarf Goats and pair of very hairy Kunekune Pigs in a paddock near the cars. The Kunekune is a New Zealand breed, the result of ancestral pigs being brought to the island by European colonisers. They show signs of Asian and European ancestry but it isn't clear where they originate. The Maori name, apparently, means “fat, round”. They are the smallest of the domestic breeds, reputedly very friendly; favourites for “pet” pigs. One of them has recently become a t.v. star by sitting on a couch, next to a woman who seems to have employed the wrong dating agency.

Kunekune

Time to go but a couple of us decided to make for Burton Mill Pond, an extensive pool not far off our route home and one where a Bittern has been appearing regularly. Unfortunately, though, by the time we got there, the light was increasingly dim and a mist was rising over

the water to further obscure the reeds where the Bittern had been climbing. Beautiful and atmospheric but not helpful to birdwatchers.

The pool was mostly frozen-over but another raft of ducks was keeping an area free of ice by their movements. They included new ones for the day; Common Pochard and Tufted Duck and we heard Water Rail squeals from somewhere in the gathering dark. As I made for the car, a Tawny Owl floated over a clearing in the woods on the other side of the road; the last species to be added to the day's list of 71.

On arrival at Pulborough Brooks, the vast expanse of frozen meadows and floods, apparently largely devoid of birds had not been very encouraging but our discoveries more than rewarded our efforts; at least one person added a “lifer”, in the shape of the delightful Great Grey Shrike but, perhaps, the superb views of the Peregrine had most impressed.

Sign at Hanger View

“I think that is probably enough. I do go rabbiting-on, sometimes!”

Doug. Kelson

The ‘list’:

Little Grebe Atlantic Great Cormorant Grey Heron Mute Swan Tundra Bean Goose Greylag Goose Greater Canada Goose Common Shelduck Eurasian Wigeon Gadwall Common Teal Mallard Northern Pintail Northern Shoveler Northern Pochard Tufted Duck Marsh Harrier Eurasian Sparrowhawk Common Buzzard Common Kestrel Peregrine Grey Partridge Common Pheasant Water Rail Moorhen Eurasian Coot Northern Lapwing Dunlin Common Snipe Black-headed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Rock Dove Stock Dove Wood Pigeon Collared Dove Tawny Owl Green Woodpecker Great Spotted Woodpecker Meadow Pipit Grey Wagtail Pied Wagtail Wren Dunnock European Robin Common Stonechat Common Blackbird Fieldfare Song Thrush Redwing Mistle Thrush Common Chiffchaff Siberian Chiffchaff Goldcrest Long-tailed Tit Blue Tit Great Tit Nuthatch Great Grey Shrike Eurasian Jay Black- billed Magpie Western Jackdaw Rook Carrion Crow Common Starling House Sparrow Chaffinch Greenfinch Goldfinch Linnet Bullfinch Reed Bunting

Plus Fallow Deer, Rabbit and Roe Deer.

Sri Lanka

The Long, Seriously Sinuous And Serpentine Road To The Kirinda Beach Resort!

We were, generally, descending, though the route took us into and out of multitudinous valleys and ridges in the lumpy Sri Lankan terrain, from the southern highlands, along the seriously loopy road down to the coast, at Kirinda.

We stopped, to look at birds, and other wildlife along the way, such as a roadside troop of Hanuman's Langur. These slender, long-tailed and gracefully athletic monkeys (with bulging thigh muscles) are important in the Hindu religion. Hanuman, sometimes said to be an incarnation of the god, Shiva, helped the hero, Rama, in his war against the demon king, Ravana and appears in other stories. This association has tended to make the people more tolerant of the mischief (I know, anthropocentric, again) caused by these simians. I suspect people of other religions might be reluctant to offend their Hindu neighbours by persecuting the monkeys. Whatever the reason, the result has been that these monkeys are, like the Toque Macaques, often commensal with people.

Hanuman / Grey Langur; she has a baby, not 2 tails. The troop's alpha male. Love the beard!

Black-winged Kite

We were still in the tea-growing region, when we made a stop on a road along the side of a steep hill to watch a pair of delightful, Kestrel-sized Black-winged Kites, in flight over the tea plantation. One bird settled nearby and allowed we four appreciative birders to examine it closely. Apparently, this was an unusual sighting in this area; the birds are scarce (this turned out to be our only sighting) and usually to be seen in the lowlands. Having stopped, we decided to stay a little longer and admire the lovely views and see what else we might find in this peaceful spot.

Clockwise: Chestnut-headed Bee-eater; Crested / Changeable Hawk Eagle; Common Myna; Streak-throated Woodpecker

As can be seen, it was very productive. The woodpecker, slightly smaller than our green Woodpecker, was a new one for us and is described as “fairly rare”. In Sri Lanka, it is confined to only a small region, mostly in the hills. An active Plain Prinia (more “personality” than the name suggests; think of the character of something like a Wren) sang, but wouldn't pose for me to photograph it. O.K. It was plain. And small. It had a longish tail, though...and a hint of supercilium! Just as active, was the iridescent purple, Hoopoe-billed, little Loten's Sunbird.

We paused at a popular tourist spot, to refresh ourselves and take tea in the Ella Gap Hotel, near the town of Ella, with views down a spectacular valley, into which cascaded the dramatic Ella Falls. Do we detect a theme, here? Another Oriental Honey Buzzard floated on thermals above us and drifted away to the next valley, while we enjoyed the brief respite

from the rigours of the centrifugal forces from swinging round the bends of the road down to the coast and admired the modest cascade of Ella Falls, foaming down a diagonal gash on the cliff, still to be swelled, dramatically, by the advent of the rains. We could see only a portion of what other view-points could reveal. The town of Ella, with views down a spectacular valley, into which cascaded the dramatic Ella Falls.

Oriental Honey Buzzard Praying Mantis sp.

On the road, again, I spotted a roadside stall, selling fresh green coconuts and fancied a drink of coconut “milk”. We took the opportunity to poke about in a few bushes, including a flowering Lantana, which was attraction a bustle of butterflies. We found something else interested in the butterflies, too. A pretty praying mantis lurked amongst the flowers, swivelling its head to watch me, as I approached, with my camera.

Clockwise: Common Leopard; Common Gull; Blue Glassy Tiger; Lime Blue; Common Mormon

The names might be confusing, in certain circumstances. In Sri Lanka, calling out that you've just seen a leopard has a good chance of causing consternation! Birders might be very surprised at the appearance of a Common Gull (another butterfly is called a Common Crow). The little Lime Blue is also confusing. As is the case with several Sri Lankan species, it has wet season and dry season forms. This is, I think, a wet season form; the rains were just about to begin.

I had expressed an interest in the stories of the epic, ancient stories in the Ramayana so Hetty pointed out a mountain which was said to be the result of a mission set for the warrior monkey-god, Hanuman. He had been sent to the Himalaya to collect four rare medicinal herbs, which grew on a particular mountain, to heal the wounded Lakshman, brother and close companion of the hero-god, Rama. Hanuman failed to identify the herbs so he ripped the mountain from the Himalaya and flew it to Sri Lanka, where a large chunk of it fell, to form the mountain that Hetty indicated. Unfortunately, this tour allowed little opportunity to experience the rich cultural history of the country, so, on with the birding.

We began to travel through the rice-paddy and fruit-grove country of the lowlands. The paddies were often shallow lakes, still being churned with intriguing tiny ploughs. Imagine

a contraption controlled by a man holding two long handles, like a giant lawn mower's; in front of him, a plough-blade; in front of that, two large wheels and between and above them is a chugging engine. The man guides this device as it churns the mud of the paddy, through which he is paddling. Basically, he has replaced his Water Buffalo with an engine. The more luxurious versions feature a seat for the driver. Some people, of course, still use animal power.

The birds come to partake of the abundance of food found in the paddies. There are small fish, freshwater crustaceans, frogs, worms, dragonfly nymphs, and a whole host of other morsels to be probed for, snatched or sifted from the paddies. A peacock stalking along a mud bank was a little surprising, though.

There were Grey and Purple Herons, Great White, Intermediate and Little Egrets, White- breasted Waterhens, Black-headed Ibis, Black-winged Stilts, Redshanks, Greenshanks and much more.

Black-headed Ibis Intermediate Egret

We paused to examine a lotus-covered wetland at Tissamaharamaha; Lake Tissa. The rather splendid flowers surrounding the Intermediate Egret, above, are not, however, lotuses; they are Water Hyacinth blooms. Water Hyacinth is a problematic and invasive species from Amazonia, which has been introduced in climatically suitable areas all over the world. I've seen it in Nepal, Ethiopia and Uganda and I know it is a problem so troublesome in southern states of the USA that they once failed by just one vote to pass a proposal to introduce Hippotamuses from Africa (The “American Hippo Bill” in 1910), to eat their way through the impeded waterways! It can be very invasive; crowding out native vegetation and cutting the light from anything living below it, causing de-oxygenation of the water. The rapid growth (up to 2 to 5 metres per day) and vegetative reproduction may quickly build up a peaty layer and change water to land as well as impeding boats and water-flow.

It is a very beautiful bloom, though, as some of the following images show.

Clockwise: Spot-billed Pelican; Purple Heron; immature Yellow Bittern

The Spot-billed Pelican, a little smaller than most pelican species, was one of only 2 we saw during the tour and is a declining species. Many vast colonies of the past have disappeared today. The Purple Heron, though, is a species considered of “least concern” and is even expanding its range in some places. A pair bred successfully, in Dungeness in 2010 and we see several Purple Herons in the U.K. during most years. The Yellow Bitterns, though, are a mostly tropical species, though, in 1962, one turned up at Radipole Lake, in Dorset. That bird however is not thought, by most people, to be a genuinely wild bird. Yellow Bitterns are smaller than the European Great Bittern.

We spent some time gazing at this fascinating wetland but I will write more about that, next time.

If you want to hear, many of the species mentioned in this account, I recommend typing “Xeno-canto”, into whatever search engine you use, followed by the name of the species you are interested in. It is very likely that you will be able to hear the bird of your choice, wherever in the world it might be. Of course, there are many rare and little-known species still to be added but there will be no problem with British birds

and I've found every one of the Sri Lankan birds I've tried for, so far. Most of the time, contributors have entered multiple examples of the bird's vocalisations, so one can listen to song, contact calls, alarm calls etc.

Doug.

Local Wildlife News

The following ‘highlights’ reports received since the last Indoor Meeting in January. If you’ve anything further to add, please feel free to let us know at any time. All reports will be appreciated, whether they relate to birds or any other form of local wildlife. Also, as they say, this is “Just the tip of the iceberg” – there’s a great deal more out there to be found, especially as winter’s grip hopefully weakens and we’re all buoyed-up by the promise of spring and all that it has to offer.

Aythya hybrid – an apparent drake Ferruginous Duck x Pochard hybrid was seen on Ewhurst Pond, which has hosted the largest number of wildfowl locally this winter.

Dodgy Duck! Ewhurst Pond James Andrews

Barn Owl – an occasional bird was reported from the more rural roads, this unfortunately including one that had been hit by a car that ‘limped’ off on the wing and out of sight.

Blackcap – birds continued to be found visiting local gardens, a maximum of two at any one site. Numbers being reported however remained down on previous winters, possibly due to the lack of truly wintery weather driving the birds in to areas of more observation. Brambling – a single bird was recorded, this down to a puddle on an Overton track. Brown Hare – active animals, including early ‘boxers’, were reported about the quieter areas of Borough farmland with, as might be expected, the Hare Warren / Ashley Warren area giving up the greatest numbers, often of very photogenic individuals. Chiffchaff – further wintering birds were noted at a number of new sites, including one singing at Ivy Down Lane WTW on 3rd February. Further afield ringing at Eastleigh SF saw 64 being ringed in one session!

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Dave. Levy

Collared Dove – the first local species noted with young, birds already out of the nest by the latter part of January.

Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Dave. Levy

Dartford Warbler – these were still to be found on some of the local heaths whereas Stonechat seem to have disappeared almost entirely from this and other suitable wintering habitats.

Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata This one seen on Vampire Flats! James Andrews

Egyptian Goose – a peak of nine was noted at Ewhurst Pond early in February, though these still remain all too elusive for several locals! Firecrest – several of the more mature woodlands locally held these early in the year, though Goldcrest were somewhat easier to find! Goosander – a drake was an all too brief visitor to Ewhurst Pond. Green Sandpiper – several continued to winter on the cress at Mapledurwell.

Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus This one at Manor Farm, the alresfords Doug. Kelson

Grey Wagtail – these continued to visit an occasional garden, but the majority of sightings were now from more river-based habitats.

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea This one still visiting one of the Local Group Member’s gardens Dave. Levy

Hawfinch – exciting local news came in the form of a roost being found, at least four birds still attending this in to early February. These represent the first readily obtainable birds in the Borough for a great many years and so have proved popular with many locals. Away from this roost others have appeared at The Mill Field LNR, up to two at a time, and Ewhurst Pond; the 1st record / s for the site. Kestrel – good numbers were being reported on a very regular basis – positive news for the future of this species, at least locally, hopefully.

Kestrel Falco tinnunculus Perhaps on an upward trend locally? Dave. Levy

Kingfisher – The Test and The Loddon provided most local records with the most reliable areas to see these at present being the stream running adjacent to the railway line between Barton’s Mill and the Basing House Tythe Barn and the bridge on, appropriately, Bridge Street in Overton.

Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Dave. Levy

Lapwing – the largest flock reported was of 130+ birds on the wetter ‘meadows’ at Blacklands Farm. Little Owl – several were seen, near Ramsdell and Wildmoor, but this species remained very much a finder-only seen bird to date. Long-tailed Tit – by the time of writing most had split in to their spring pairings but some were still to be seen in larger groups, as well as amongst the rapidly dwindling mixed feeding parties in local woods and hedgerows.

Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Dave. Levy

And from up over the border!

The highlight of one day was the presence of a flock of 21 that lingered, rather than passing straight through the garden – the garden also holding 64 Tree Sparrow that same day! Stewart Woolley

Lunar Hornet Moth – notable belated news came in the form of these being seen locally, last June! A spectacular moth and one that far too few are lucky enough to encounter, locally or otherwise.

Lunar Hornet Moth Sesia bembeciformis Best looked for in July, as the adults emerge and rest low down on the trunks of the foodplants, sallow and willow Dave. Levy

Muntjac – after Roe Deer this remained the deer most likely to be encountered on driving about the Borough, often all too closely! Peregrine – regular sightings of at least a ‘pair’ was pleasing and perhaps bodes well for later this year. Do please keep records of these coming in as we head towards the, alleged, spring.

“Not the world's best pic! (Taken on mobile) pair of Peregrines over Basingstoke town centre this lunch time (and one kite not in shot!)” James Andrews

Pintail – a drake lingered on Ewhurst Pond in to the latter part of January. Red Kite – the more clement days have seen large numbers of these on the wing throughout the Basingstoke area, though no reports / counts from roost sites have been forthcoming.

Red Kite Milvus milvus One of the adults seen over Old Down, Kempshott Dave. Levy

Short-eared Owl – one was photographed in the Ashley Warren area early in February.

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus Watership Down area

David Thelwell

Snowdrop – these were now very evident in many local woodlands, as well as gardens!

Snowdrop Galanthus nivalis Barton’s Mill, Old Basing James Andrews

Tufted Duck – a peak count, on several days, of 57 at Ewhurst Pond was now an exceptional county locally.

Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula The Vyne NT Dave. Levy

Waxwing – several more fly-overs were reported, none however lingering like the eight noted late last month on and about Eastrop Way. So, just a few images of these to whet your avian appetite for the latter part of the winter.

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus All taken in Basingstoke!

Andy Johnson (top), James Andrews (1st ‘pair’), Barry Stalker (the 2nd ‘pair’ and head), Doug. Kelson (‘fat’ bird and ‘friend’, the latter often present during the flocks stay!) & Andrew Cleave MBE

Willow Tit – several of the local woodlands held singing birds, though many more held Marsh Tit. Winter Aconite – one of the few flowers mentioned so far this year, their waxy yellow blooms brightening a few local sites.

And – the continual replenishment of bird feeders after dark highlighted that perhaps they should be called something other than ‘bird feeders’!

A furry friend attending feeders in one Basingstoke garden Doug. Kelson

As always, thank you to all those that have contributed to this report; if I have missed anything, please do let me know and be sure to keep me updated as we head in to a new season. If you find anything you consider particularly notable, or you would like an update on what is happening locally, please do feel free to contact me at any time. I can assure you that you will always get a favourable response! 07895 – 388378 is the hot line, well my mobile number anyway! 

Quiz ‘Page’

As we’ve been the recipients of further wintery weather recently I thought a few winter wildfowl, waders and the like would get you pondering this month! Nothing too awkward, but certainly more difficult than last month and beware of a few that are not quite as close as they appear to be!

1 & 2 Here we have two birds with wintery white cheek patches. What are they?

3 A nice winter bird to see. But what is it? One particularly for those that have recently returned from the Local Group trip to Devon!

4 This one not perhaps quite as obvious as might initially be assumed!

5 The fishermen’s friend!

6 & 7 These might get you in a spin!

8 One for the slightly more travelled amongst you, but a bird hopefully one day to be confirmed as a British bird. PS Why included? I just like the image ;-)

8 One for the larid lovers who’ve visited Blashford Lakes recently and perhaps look for at the end of this week on the Outdoor Meeting.

9 Another white-cheeked waterbird that can be encountered locally during the winter.

10 The snootiest of the divers, but that should help you identify it!

How did you fare with the ‘gentle’ start to the year’s quizzing? 100% correct I’m sure!

1 Greenfinch Brambling Chaffinch

2 Blackbird Starling Crow

3 Woodpigeon Collared dove Turtle dove

4 Long-tailed tit Pied wagtail Chaffinch

5 Magpie Jay Crow

6 Robin House sparrow Dunnock

7 Blue tit Siskin Greenfinch

8 Great tit Blue tit Coal tit

9 Robin Dunnock House sparrow

10 Starling Hummingbird Blackbird

And Finally!

'Biking Birder' Breaks European Green Year List Record

Chris Boardman, Jason Kenny, Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins all feature on the list of illustrious British cycling champions... but how about Gary Prescott?

At 60 years old, asthmatic and (by his own admission) slightly overweight, Gary — aka the 'Biking Birder' — cuts a slightly surprising figure as a cycling record holder, but what he may lack in physical prowess he more than compensates for in sheer will and determination. In 2016 Gary gained the European Green Birding crown, recording 318 BOU (315 AERC) species during the course of the year.

Gary at Lake Vyrnwy RSPB

Gary, a retired special needs teacher from Worcestershire, has always been a keen birder, cyclist and promoter of environmental causes. Therefore the growing movement of green birding — not incurring a carbon footprint in the pursuit of the birds — came naturally to him. His efforts in 2016 were the culmination of six years of preparation, which commenced in 2010 when Gary took a sabbatical from teaching to cycle around the British Isles, visiting all RSPB and Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust reserves and recording a total of 251 species, matching the British green year list record held by Chris Mills. Following his retirement Gary repeated the feat in 2015, this time recording an impressive 289 species. However the dual lures of 300 species in a year, the benchmark for any decent year list, and the European green birding record of 304 species (AERC) set in 2013 by Ponc Feliu Latorre in Catalonia proved irresistible. As soon as one year-long odyssey was completed on 31 December 2015, another started on New Year's Day.

Setting off from his home patch of Upton Warren, Worcestershire, Gary headed off to the South-West, adding headline birds such as Pacific Diver and Hudsonian Whimbrel, before traversing the south coast. February saw Gary nail Greater Yellowlegs and Penduline Tit among others while March found him up in Norfolk, collecting the county's many winter specialities. From here Gary went to the North-East and across to the Lake District, only to find that the famous final male Golden Eagle was missing, presumed deceased.

The Perranuthnoe Hudsonian Whimbrel was a classy early addition to Gary's 2016 year list Peter Moore

Heading back down through Yorkshire, attending the RSPB member's weekend as a guest speaker, Gary returned to East Anglia, where highlights included Savi's Warbler at Minsmere. Arriving in Kent in late April, Iberian Chiffchaff in Ramsgate and the Oriental Turtle Dove near Sevenoaks were great bonuses before he returned to Norfolk, taking part in a 'big day' and recording 100 species.

May brought Broad-billed Sandpiper at Frampton Marsh, Great Reed Warbler at Paxton Pits and the Franklin's Gull at Abberton Reservoir. A Greenish Warbler at Lowestoft got June off to a flier. Heading north again, Gary notched Little Bittern at Old Moor and Bonaparte's Gull at Northumberland's Wansbeck Estuary.

Crossing the border into Scotland at the half-way point of the year on 258 species, it was apparent that the initial target of 300 was a realistic proposition. July was spent in adding the Scottish specialities in the Hebrides and Speyside and August kicked off with the American White-winged Scoter just north of Aberdeen. The next three months were to be spent on the Northern Isles, traversing between North Ronaldsay, Fair Isle and the Shetland Mainland.

It proved to be one of the most memorable autumn migrations on record. Gary was fortunate enough to observe a list of rarities too long and mouth-watering to reproduce in full, but personal highlights included finding Fea's-type Petrel and White-billed Diver with Samuel

Perfect as well as seeing Siberian Accentor, Lanceolated, Booted, Paddyfield, Radde's and Icterine Warblers, Black-faced Bunting, Isabelline and Pied Wheatears, Pechora Pipit, Citrine Wagtail, Arctic Redpoll, Great Snipe and Northern Harrier.

Lanceolated Warbler was one of the many rarities that Gary connected with on Fair Isle Lee Gregory

The British green record was broken on Fair Isle on 19 September with a Red-throated Pipit. The significant milestone of 300 was reached with an Olive-backed Pipit on the same island on 8 October and, finally, the European record of 305 was secured with Pine Bunting there ten days later. Both the 300 and the European record occasions were shared with Lee Gregory, then Assistant Warden of the Fair Isle Bird Observatory.

The return journey through England in December yielded Pallid Harrier and Dusky Thrush before Gary finished the year off back where it all began, at Upton Warren.

Gary calls in at Leighton Moss RSPB

In total Gary's epic year saw him clock up over 7,000 miles on his bike. During the year injuries and bike malfunctions added a further level of challenge beyond the usual weather, tarmac and insects. Memorable days were many and varied, but three that stick out in Gary's mind are:

 2 October: 'Super Sunday' on Fair Isle produces Pechora Pipit, Red-flanked Bluetail, Blyth's Reed and Radde's Warblers as well as year ticks in the form of Bluethroat, Arctic Warbler and Lanceolated Warbler  18 October: again on Fair Isle, a frantic afternoon adds Bean Goose, Siberian Stonechat and, finally, Pine Bunting to break the European record

 30 October: the Northern Harrier on North Ronaldsay was followed by a seawatch which delivered Little Auk, Pomarine Skua and the aforementioned Fea's Petrel, rounded off by a Glossy Ibis found by Larissa, a Canadian Residential Volunteer at North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory, that afternoon

Gary broke the European green birding record when he scored Pine Bunting on Fair Isle in mid-October Lee Gregory

The year was not just about twitching other people's birds and Gary managed to find Hoopoe, Icterine, Barred and Arctic Warblers as well as those already mentioned. Of course it wouldn't be birding without several dips during the course of the year — arguably most gallingly a Kentish Plover, which flew off when Gary was just four miles from the site! Other tantalising misses included Dan Pointon's White's Thrush at Spiggie, Shetland, and a Spotted Crake on Fair Isle, as well as a Red-footed Falcon in Essex — sadly Gary chose to visit on the only afternoon of its protracted stay that the bird didn't show!

All three green birding years have been about far more than just ticking off birds. Gary has been fundraising for four charities close to his heart: the RSPB, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Asthma UK and for the Chaskawasi-Manu Rainforest project in Peru, raising many thousands of pounds in donations. He has also delivered lectures and given presentations on both his adventures and environmental issues around the country during the course of his journeys, including several guest slots at regional bird fairs and a feature on Springwatch.

So what does the future hold in store for Gary? This year will be taken up with a number of smaller-scale adventures, such participating as part of a green birding team in the Champions of the Flyway bird race at Eilat, Israel, in March with a team of young birders associated with North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory. However, his main focus for the year will involve planning his next big challenge — an attempt at the world green birding big year record in Peru in 2018. Dorian Anderson's phenomenal total of 618 species achieved in the States in 2014 is a very challenging target but, given Gary's single-minded focus, it would be a foolish person who bet against him adding another record to his collection.

All the details of the Biking Birder 2016 adventure can be found on Gary's blog: bikingbirder2016.blogspot.co.uk

Gary's 2016 Year list is detailed on Bubo's Britain Year List for 2016.

For more information about green birding, take a look at Jim Royer's blog: The World of Green Birding

If you would like to donate to any of the charities Gary is supporting, please use the links to be found on his blog.

Phil Andrews

PS The reason for including the above?

The Committee’s pleased to confirm that Gary will be amongst the guest speakers in the next Programme!