No 490 Autumn 2018

Photograph - Sparrowhawk at our Belvide Reserve Photographer Kevin Wardlaw This front page is sponsored by The Birder’s Store, Worcester WMBC News Is published in March, June, September and December each year to link members with each other, what’s been happening, Membership Matters current issues and forthcoming events on the birding scene in our area and further We are pleased to welcome the following new members of the club who have joined afield together with a selection of your articles and a comprehensive summary of since the last newsletter. Please note the names shown are as on the membership the recorded bird sightings in our area form but that all family members at each address are included in this welcome. Hello everyone, Mr T Baggaley of STOKE ON TRENT, Ms J Chamberlain of COVENTRY, Mr M Cottingham Here we are again, where has the last three months gone? What a summer, when folks journeyed of SOLIHULL, Mr D Daniel of BIRMINGHAM, Mr M Davies of WOLVERHAMPTON, abroad to avoid the high temperatures in Britain! But as I write the high temperatures have subsided Mr P Fletcher of WOLVERHAMPTON, Mr J Foster of FRODSHAM, Mr D Johnson of and autumn is truly on the way with birds returning on their migratory journeys and excitement and BIRMINGHAM, Mr M Khuram of BIRMINGHAM, Mr K Mallett of WHITCHURCH, Mr S O’Brien anticipation returning to our reserves. Oooh bring it on! of STAFFORD, Mr W Rotchell of RUGELEY, Mr E Whiting of LEEK, Mr R Ching of SUTTON There is lots to enjoy in this issue of your Newsletter and that is thanks entirely to your fellow members COLDFIELD, Mr D Holden of ASHBOURNE, Ms V Kirkham of CRADLEY HEATH, Mr L Stokes for sharing their birding experiences and also to the keen photographers who are increasingly sharing of WOLVERHAMPTON, Mr B Jones of WOLVERHAMPTON and Mr B Jones of their terrific shots with me without being prompted (thank you so much). If you are one of those WOLVERHAMPTON. who has sent photographs of local rarities after June I haven’t ignored you! Rest assured they will accompany Humphrey’s Bird Notes in the next issue. Do I need to say the next issue is in your hands? We are also pleased to be able to welcome the members below, who have joined under the new Joint Membership class introduced recently. Now after over three years in this job I feel you are friends so can I get a bit personal? Are you one of the 931*? I am, I filled in my consent form and submitted it straight away (well it would have been a Mrs P Ackland of KINGSWINFORD, Ms M Archer of WOLVERHAMPTON, Mr M Arnold of bit odd, wouldn’t it, if I hadn’t as I produced it) but how long did it take me? I am old and a bit slow so TAMWORTH, Ms A Baker of BURTON ON TRENT, Mrs Y Banton of STAFFORD, Ms C Billington 5 minutes maximum, (much quicker for some of you sweet young things). Now let’s look at Michael, of DERBY, Ms A Birkert of WOLVERHAMPTON, Mr B Bolton of WALSALL, Ms J Brocklebank our Mem.Sec., I am willing to bet that it took him at least that 5 minutes to transfer my preferences of SUTTON COLDFIELD, Mrs A Brookes of WATER ORTON, Mrs E Brown of CANNOCK, to his system. OK so I did it once. He has done it 931 times! WHY!!! We are told by some of you that filling in the consent form is TOTALLY unnecessary and we really do respect your expertise on this. Mrs P Burkes of STOKE ON TRENT, Mr P Burton of TAMWORTH, Mr K Butt of SOLIHULL, We accept that to service your membership we don’t need your permission BUT (and here’s the rub) Mrs R Ching of SUTTON COLDFIELD, Mrs A Clarke of TAMWORTH, Ms B Cowen of STAFFORD, we use an outside distributor to send out our mailings to you and, be honest, we never asked for your Mrs D Davies of LICHFIELD, Mrs L Davies of SOLIHULL, Mrs S Davis of WOLVERHAMPTON, permission for that did we? So would it really hurt you to do as we request and complete the consent Mrs J Dawson of WOLVERHAMPTON, Ms A Evans-Hill of CHEADLE, Ms T Goodwin of form? If you don’t want to post it back Michael will send you an electronic form which is quicker STOKE ON TRENT, Mrs J Harrison of WARWICK, Mrs L Hill of WOLVERHAMPTON, and free, just email him. We may, as time goes on, find that all this was unnecessary but does that Mrs M Holden of ASHBOURNE, Mr B Kirkham of CRADLEY HEATH, Mrs G Lancaster of matter if it gives peace of mind to those of us who are, after all, only trying to look after you and very TAMWORTH, Mrs P MacMillan of RUGELEY and Mrs B Malpas of WOLVERHAMPTON. importantly protect the financial reserves of our club against a hefty fine. Thank you * see next page Sue GDPR Consent Update Sincere thanks to all who have responded by completing and returning the GDPR Consent form. At In This Issue the time of writing I have had responses from 931 (56%) members. Of course, this leaves a significant Page 3 Membership Matters - Michael Bevan number still to respond. I would urge all those who have not yet done so to send in their forms either Pages 4-6 Our Development Plan - Roger Broadbent by post or email. If you have received another consent form with this newsletter then it means that I Page 6 The Woman who saved the Birds - John Holt have not had a response from you to date. If you would like me to email an electronic form for you to Pages 7-10 Twenty years of local patch birding - Grimley - Brian Stretch return, then please just email me at the address below. Page 11 New Warwickshire Top Man - Chris Hill Tribute to Steve Haynes - Update on Worcestershire County Recorder Kind Regards Page 12 Ken Darlow - Obituary - Alan Richards Pages 13-16 The Biking Birder - Peru Update - Gary Prescott Michael Bevan Pages 17-21 My 2017 Scilly Season - Gerald Brereton WMBC Membership Secretary Pages 22-23 Four days in Turkey - June 2018 - Richard Rafe 64 Brookfields Road, Ipstones, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire ST10 2LY Pages 24-26 WMBC Club and Branch Field Trips and Indoor Meetings Email: membership westmidlandbirdclub.org.uk Pages 27-30 Bird Notes - May - July - Humphrey Miller Included with this Newsletter is a leaflet from the Berryhill Fields Action Group (paid for by that group) alerting Pages 32-34 WMBC Field Trip Reports - Ray Davies you to their campaign. This issue was brought to our attention by interested club members and we are now Page 35 Ladywalk Reserve Update - Richard King involved in offering support and advice. If a planning proposal in your area gives cause for concern and you want Page 36 Belvide Reserve Update - Sue Judge WMBC to get involved contact Dave, the Club Conservation Officer, at [email protected]. Page 37 And Finally, Suggestions and Next issue - Cutoff date Anyone wishing to contact the Berryhill Fields Action Group should use the revised address at :- Page 38 WMBC Officers and their contact details www.facebook.com/saveberryhillfieldsactiongroup 2 3 the dedication of the four county bird recorders, their writing and rarity committees and finally the wonderful editor Dave Emley BEM the Club will publish its second Report within the same calendar Our Development Plan year. This will become another first for the Club. The Club will place greater emphasis on surveys by Club Chairperson Roger Broadbent and research. We are currently involved in surveying the woodland areas around Dudley Castle and more recently at Drayton Manor Park. Recent experience has shown that surveys promote a sense of Inevitably, when an organisation comes under new management things will be different. That togetherness and new friendships. A new breeding atlas covering the West Midlands Region should certainly applies to our Club. The big difference is that we will be working to the first structured and be our ambition. evolving Development Plan that I can remember being agreed to by the Management Committee (MC). The Plan has been derived by the Club’s Trustees and the WMBC Management Committee. This Our Events and activities are headed by field trips and indoor meetings. They have been part of the exercise has been extremely helpful to me in acquainting myself more fully with all aspects of Club Club’s core activities almost from the time when the Club was formed. Those field trips departing activity. from Birmingham City Centre remain as popular as ever whilst support for branch field meetings has dwindled. This may be due perhaps to lack of ambition to produce a programme as varied as The plan gives us an opportunity to review those activities. We need to know what seems to be our Meetings secretary Ray Davies provides. The MC will encourage branches to consider joining up working well, and those matters that need improvement and development. We will continue to make with other organisations such as at our Stafford branch which has worked with U3A to promote local a significant contribution to the birding community primarily across the West Midlands, but also birding trips. This has proved to be very successful to the point where a recent trip for Nightjars further afield. Underlying all of this is a belief that there is a greater need than ever for independent and Owls on Cannock Chase was supported by 30 participants. Extra visits were made for those that bird clubs and other wildlife groups to come together and make their voices heard regarding applied after the list had to be closed. developments that have little regard for the natural world. Too many of our favourite birding sites are under threat from developments that give little consideration to birds and wildlife, even sites where Birding has diversified so that many of you have become specialists in areas of activity. Digital birds giving conservation concern are present such as Corn Buntings, Grey Partridge, Tree Sparrow photography has transformed our hobby. Ringing birds for research and scientific study has recently and Curlew. I am pleased that Dave Jackson has taken on the role of Conservation Officer. become more popular. That was why a couple of years ago the Club was the first to buy a thermal imaging camera (TIC) to help locate roosting birds after dark for birders who were BTO licenced. We Under the heading Developing Membership the MC will set targets to increase our membership by have recently signed an agreement with the Bache, Shearwood, and McShane Ringing group that will not only attracting new members including the young and those still in education but those who allow the continuation of this ground-breaking work across the Region using the Club’s TIC. Similarly, come to a greater interest in the birds and birdlife of the West Midlands in later life. Work is currently some members are becoming more interested in recording bird calls and song. The work of Clive being undertaken to produce a welcome pack for new members. In time the Club will appoint an Davies is particularly noteworthy. Whether you are a garden birdwatcher, long distance twitcher on a education officer to develop greater links with educational establishments. The Club will adopt a national or international scale, local patch birder or a volunteer on local surveys or our reserves then positive diversity strategy and improve contacts with schools, universities and colleges. Our ambition this Club is for all of you. will be to make you all feel proud to part of the Club. Section five of the Plan is about the jewels in our crown, namely our Reserves and Hides. These special Communication is of course important. In recent years our website has been completely revamped places must be safe for our work parties, members and visitors. Mark Rickus, our Club Secretary, has thanks largely to the efforts of our Vice President Jim Winsper. Similarly, the Bulletin, under the now taken the role that has been filled by the excellent Mike West for many years. Mark, as a senior editorial leadership of Sue Judge, has become the full colour quarterly WMBC News that you are officer, will be responsible for risk assessments and insurance whilst our reserve managers will make reading now. Great credit is due to Jim and Sue especially as they had none of the I.T skills essential to sure that equipment including hides will be clean and in a good state of repair. The latter are MC take on those tasks before taking on those roles. The challenge now is to maintain the high standards members and will make regular reports to the MC. This will include the presentation of development that Jim and Sue have set and to keep our website and WMBC News fresh with new ideas. plans and finance requirements that will be approved by the MC. I have visited Harborne and Rob Swift is now operating as our Publicity Officer and has taken on management of the WMBC Ladywalk Reserves recently and can commend the work of Richard King and Paul Bateman. As I live Twitter account. We follow the birding debate on twitter which helps us keep a finger on the pulse between Belvide and Blithfield unsurprisingly those are the reserves that I have visited most. I am of issues of concern local birders. As great as it is though social media does have limitations. We have familiar with the excellent work of Nigel Talbot, Steve Nuttall, Sue Judge and their team at Belvide noticed that people fly off the handle more quickly and express their opinions more colourfully than as well as the work at Blithfield by Jerry Ray, John Holt ,Peter Betts and others. The MC is aware that they otherwise would do. There will, therefore, be a strategy that encourages the best use of twitter there is a need to establish, if possible, at least one new WMBC Reserve and/or a greater presence in and yet counters personally offensive abuse or extreme views. One of the positive things that we have the south of our Region. That work has already begun. We have reserve funds to make a significant picked up, though, has been the concern that many of you have regarding wildlife crime especially contribution towards establishing new reserves. The Club will, however, also explore the availability as it relates to raptor persecution. That is why the Club supported the Birders Against Wildlife Crime of environmental grants. Most of all we need more involvement from committed members living in (BAWC) Hen Harrier Day event at Stratford on the (in)Glorious Twelfth of August. We will consider Worcestershire and Warwickshire to make this happen. supporting and initiating campaigns that matter to Club members. Through our publicity and The Plan also looks at the state of the Club’s Branches at Stafford, Solihull (where there is recently a publications, on Television, radio and in magazines and newspapers the Club will promote its work new committee under the Chairmanship of Richard Harvey), and Kidderminster. The Club will ensure more effectively. the continuation of these branches where there is sufficient membership support for them to do Our aim is to catch up with the back-log that exists with the publication of our four county Annual so. Sustainability is a problem at Kidderminster where we need to recruit a new chairperson and Bird Reports. We are the only bird club in the country that takes on such a monumental task and it committee quite urgently. The WMBC Kidderminster Branch has been involved in a nest box and bird takes time to put everything together. Progress will be made by the end of this year when due to feeding scheme at Bodenham Arboretum whilst Solihull have a similar scheme at Blythe Valley Park. 4 5 The Bodenham project is likely to conclude. If there are members who would be interested in taking over a nest box and bird feeding project at Bodenham then they should contact me initially. The MC My Patch will review branch structure in the light of personnel and demographic changes. Twenty years of local patch birding at Grimley Regarding Governance the MC will work more closely with the Trustees who will meet in July, November, February and May each year. The Trustees will ensure that the Club is fully compliant with the requirements of the Charity Commission and that the Club’s affairs are well managed. The vacancy Brian Stretch for another independent trustee has been filled by John McMillan. Although I had visited the Grimley area on a few occasions, it wasn’t until the summer of 1998 that I made my first visit solely for the purpose of birding. Having scoured the annual West Midland Bird Financial planning and accounting is the responsibility of Andy Thomas, our Treasurer, who will Club reports and the latest sightings section of Birdwatching magazine it soon became apparent produce quarterly financial reports to the Trustees at their meetings. It is the responsibility of the that, given the variety of birdlife being reported, the area would make an ideal local patch. It was Branches and Reserve managers to produce their own accounts and present them to the Treasurer. only a ten minute drive from where I lived and worked in Worcester and therefore ideally placed for The Club’s audited annual accounts will continue to be presented to the Club’s AGM in May following regular visits in the hope that I too might be fortunate to discover some interesting birds. So after a financial statement that will be presented to the MC in March. They will then be published in the work on 21st July I made my first visit to what we now know as Camp Lane Pits, back then it was summer issue of WMBC News. known as Grimley new workings and still an active sand and gravel quarry. As I set off down the dusty I am very proud of the achievements of the West Midland Bird Club and honoured to be its Chairperson. access track, little did I know how the evening would unfold. Some of the first species to be seen were familiar, Little Ringed Plovers and Green Sandpipers, followed by a surprise Greenshank. So far, so good and as I approached the last area of water I saw another less familiar wader feeding with a Little Roger Broadbent Ringed Plover. It was clearly a calidrid, but given the yellowish-green leg colour, this was no Dunlin. The more I studied it, the more convinced I became that it was a Pectoral Sandpiper. But doubts kept WMBC Club Chairperson creeping in. How could there be a rarity at Grimley in late July and why was there nobody else on site? Once I was happy that I had come to the correct conclusion regarding the ID, it was time to spread the word. Back then, with no mobile phone, this was easier said than done. It was a ten minute walk back to the car and with no loose change for the phone box, I had to drive home and leave a message The Women Who Saved the Birds on the Birdline Midlands answer machine. A couple of fellow birders managed to see the bird before dusk and agreed with the identification. I would have been happy with the Greenshank, but to score Twelve years before the suffragette movement began dominating with a Pectoral Sandpiper on my very first visit was a little surreal to say the least! Further regular headlines, a very different women’s campaign caught the public visits followed during the autumn and winter of 1998 and turned up additional self-found goodies imagination. Its aim was simple: to save the birds from the cruel fashion including six Bewick’s Swans (still my only record on the patch), Garganey, Greater Scaup, an influx for feathered hats. This is the extraordinary story of the RSPB’s birth – of Little Stints, Curlew Sandpiper and Kittiwake. By the end of the year it was fair to say I had become the subject of Tessa Boase’s gripping new social history, Mrs Pankhurst’s hooked on local patch birding. Purple Feather. Tessa has unearthed rare images, a cast of invisible Located in the Severn Valley, just north of Worcester, Grimley is perfectly positioned to attract birds characters – and a surprising political secret. migrating along the river and provides a convenient refuelling stop-over point. The flooded gravel pits attract a wide variety of waders, wildfowl, gulls and terns while the surrounding field margins, Published May 2018 by Arum Press hedgerows and woodlands host plenty of passerines, some resident and many migratory. Since that ISBN No 978 1 78131 654 2, Price £20 (Paper Back out soon) very first visit back in 1998, I have managed to see just over 200 species of bird. Not bad for a site without any nature reserve status! As anyone who ‘works’ an inland local patch will know, it is hard On Tuesday, 18th September, at 7.30 p.m. Tessa will visit Berkswich History Society, Walton work, even more so when a site has no facilities or hides. This has its advantages and disadvantages Village Hall, Green Gore Lane, Walton on the Hill, Stafford, ST17 0LD to talk about her book. of course. I’m not a big fan of hides as they restrict your view, especially when looking for raptors, History Society Members £1, Visitors £3. Further information from Beryl Holt 01785 665834 but during periods of inclement weather it does mean you can carry on birding when something interesting could drop in. The Camp Lane Pits are very exposed with no shelter in poor weather and Tessa Boase read English at Lincoln College, Oxford, then worked as a voiceover artist, a this no doubt deters many observers from visiting a site which is grossly under watched at the best children’s scriptwriter, and as a commissioning editor for the Daily and Sunday Telegraph of times. Over the years this area has been my main focus as it forms the largest area of water on the and the Daily Mail. As a freelance feature writer she contributes to the Daily Telegraph, The patch and being so close to the river attracts many species more associated with coastal regions. Sunday Times, the Financial Times, the Daily Mail, the Guardian, the Observer, and various There have been multiple records of Sanderling, Turnstone, Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Gull, Kittiwake, magazines.” Arctic and Sandwich Terns and Rock Pipit. The variety of waterbirds can also be good with several records of Whooper Swan, Brent and Pink-footed Geese, Common Scoter and Greater Scaup, while Thanks for this information go to our Blithfield Representative John Holt whose wife, Beryl, it is the best site in the county for Garganey. Rarer visitors have included Green-winged Teal (2003), has been involved in much of the genealogical research for this book. Ferruginous Duck (2004), Long-tailed Duck (2006) and Black-throated Diver (2018).

6 7 woodlands have scarcely fared any better. Willow Tits were another regular feature but many years have passed without any records although thankfully we do retain two or three pairs of Marsh Tits. Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers could be pretty much guaranteed up until around ten years ago, but records are now extremely infrequent, involving single birds. This catastrophic loss of resident birds in a relatively short space of time is both astonishing and worrying in equal measure and often makes for a thoroughly depressing visit outside of migration periods. One of the very few exceptions to these declines has been the rise in the number of Little Egrets, especially from mid to late summer, although we still await our first nesting attempt. This increase has seen a corresponding rise in the numbers of Great White Egrets occurring, although they still remain rare with less than ten records. I’ve also witnessed a flyover Spoonbill and two Common Cranes while a Glossy Ibis found by visiting birders in 2009 gave locals the run around before finally settling in fields along the River Severn for a few days. The River Severn itself is often devoid of birdlife and other than the occasional Goosander in winter and Mandarin in summer there is little of interest. However, during cold snaps when many of the Camp Lane Pits at Grimley. Image: Brian Stretch surrounding water bodies are frozen over, it can repay careful scrutiny. It was during one such period The surrounding bushes and trees also attract migrant passerines, one of my favourite finds here in February 2006 when a large raft of Tufted Ducks congregated on the river just upstream of Bevere being a singing male Siberian Chiffchaff which lingered for days in late April 2015. Other scarcities Island. As I scanned the flock from some distance I noticed a drake aythya with a ‘silvery’ back and have included Black Redstart and Water Pipit, while in March 2009 I was fortunate to find a Twite, approaching cautiously for a closer look I was half expecting the bird to be a hybrid so was astonished which I believe still remains the most ‘recent’ county record. However, my most eventful visit to Camp to find that the bird showed every feature consistent with a first-winter drake Lesser Scaup! Being the Lane Pits was on 7th October 2007. A Little Gull had been found earlier in the day and I was unable to first county record, the bird generated considerable local interest as well as from further afield. During get to the patch until late afternoon by which time it had departed. As I walked back to the car I heard the spring and particularly the autumn, the bushes and trees along the river side footpaths are good a distinctive and increasingly loud ‘shreep-shreep’ call and thinking it was an odd location (along for Redstarts and the occasional Spotted Flycatcher while one October I discovered a Firecrest which Camp Lane) for a House Sparrow, was amazed to see a large pipit species flying straight towards lingered just long enough for a handful of locals to see it. me. As the bird passed at just above head height and continued to call, there was no doubt - it was a The area known as the ‘old workings’ have become very overgrown in recent years, but is now in Richard’s Pipit! The bird descended towards the large field on the east side of the pits and continued the process of being managed. During the first five or six years of my visits to Grimley, I found some flying around calling, joining large numbers of Meadow Pipits with which the size difference was great birds there, including two Spotted Crakes (1999 and 2002), Avocet (2000 - when they were obvious. It eventually dropped in to the field and out of sight by which time the light was beginning still rare), Bearded Tit (2004) and Marsh Warbler (2005). It’s a very good site for warblers, including to fade. As I made one last effort to relocate the bird, amongst a chorus of calling Meadow Pipits rising nesting Garden, Reed, Sedge, Blackcaps and Whitethroats while the first county record of Barred from the grasses I flushed a bunting just ahead of me which called a repetitive, soft ‘teww’. I was half Warbler (2011) and two Yellow-browed Warblers (both 2016) have been pulled from the ringing nets. expecting it to be a Snow Bunting but it lacked any white in the wings and upon checking the calls Just to the south are two small fishing pools, one of which includes a tiny reedbed where a fellow back at home, I was happy the bird was indeed a Lapland Bunting - the first confirmed county record. birder discovered a singing Great Reed Warbler one day in May 2013. This was an amazing find and It was also heard calling the following morning as it departed high to the south. Quite why two demonstrates that even in the most marginal of habitat, rare birds are waiting to be found. county rarities were present in the very same field on the same evening is what makes patch birding so special but their occurrence must have been linked to the high numbers of Meadow Pipits present Female Bar-tailed Godwit at Grimley. that evening - by far the largest I’ve ever encountered at Grimley, numbering around 600 birds. Image: Brian Stretch As most birders will be aware, farmland birds have come under intense pressure and the last The gravel pits at Wagon Wheel Lane have twenty years has seen some significant changes at Grimley. Whilst the habitat has remained largely added another dimension to the local unchanged the birdlife certainly has not. During the first few years of visiting Grimley, Turtle Doves birding scene and along with the adjacent were a regular feature from late April until early September and it wasn’t unusual to see multiple birds fields which can flood at any time of the with my best count being a flock of nine in September 2001. They have now completely vanished and year, continue to attract many good birds. that same fate has fallen upon both Corn Bunting and Tree Sparrow, neither of which I’ve recorded Personal self-found highlights here include on the patch for over ten years. The status of Yellow Wagtail has changed from a regular breeding Common Scoter, Greater Scaup, Shag, species to a much reduced passage migrant. Skylarks and Linnets continue to cling on in small Bar-tailed Godwit, Little Stint, Knot, Little numbers while Yellowhammer, which was regularly seen throughout the year, is now largely confined Gull, Kittiwake, Osprey, Marsh Harrier and to being a scarce winter visitor. In fact, Grimley still holds the county record for the largest count of Snow Bunting, while other birders have found Grey Phalarope (2011) and White-rumped Sandpiper Yellowhammers when 600 were recorded in 1982, something highly unlikely to be witnessed again. (2012). The most recent additions to the pit complex are two pools separated by a public footpath The status of both partridge species is harder to assess as Grey has been the subject of recent releases at Church Farm Meadows. Although the pools themselves have yet to attract anything of interest, although apparently, Red-legged hasn’t and one or two are still seen occasionally. The surrounding the surrounding fields are attractive to passage Northern Wheatear and Whinchat and also hosted 8 9 a Short-eared Owl for a few days. As the gravel pit complex has grown over the years, the number of wintering wildfowl has increased. During the early years for example, Eurasian Wigeon numbers New Warwickshire barely reached twenty birds but in the last couple of winters up to 340 have been recorded. Careful scrutiny of the wintering flocks revealed a female American Wigeon in February 2017, a species I’d ‘Top Man’ always hoped I would find somewhere, but finding it on the local patch made it even sweeter. This was the third species of nearctic wildfowl that I‘ve found on the patch and so the hunt for the fourth Chris Hill continues, maybe one day, a Ring-necked Duck….. Female American Wigeon at Grimley. We are delighted to report that Image: Brian Stretch Chris Hill has been appointed as the Although my visits to the patch are no new Warwickshire County Recorder longer as regular as I would like, due to Let Chris introduce himself. increasing work commitments at The Birders Store, the future of birding at “I live in Solihull and have been a birder since Grimley is probably stronger than it has the age of seventeen, becoming a member of ever been. More birders, albeit still a the West Midland Bird Club in early 2004. I do small number, are visiting on a regular most of my birding around Solihull and in south basis and continue to find interesting Warwickshire, but also enjoy visiting from time to species despite the ongoing declines time the likes of Middleton Lakes RSPB, Otmoor in birds generally. RSPB and the Wyre Forest. My interest in birds has taken me to various parts of the UK and such far flung locations as Kazakhstan, Brazil and South Brian Stretch Africa. Away from birdwatching I still play football despite nearing the veteran stage of my career, and as a schoolboy played for Aston Villa. My mum’s side of the family come from Warwickshire and having worked in the ecology team at Warwickshire County Council since 2009 I know the county well. I hope to continue the excellent work of my two predecessors Steve Haynes and Jon Bowley”. Chris can be contacted at : [email protected] Steve Haynes Appreciation is expressed to Steve Haynes the ‘retiring’ Warwickshire County Recorder. Steve compiled the Warwickshire Annual Bird Reports from 1985, when he became the first Warwickshire Bird Recorder until 1995 and then returned for a second stint from 2011 until this year. Huge thanks for all your efforts Steve Worcestershire County Recorder Female Wheatear at Middleton Lakes, Staffordshire - Steve Atkinson We are also very pleased to announce that Steven Payne, our ‘Top Man’ I believe that this beautiful photograph is worthy of gracing the cover of our Newsletter. Unfortunately its orientation is portrait not landscape. Solution, I could always turn the has agreed to carry on as Worcestershire County Recorder front cover sideways sometimes! - Is that too radical? What do members think? Sue Steven can be contacted at: [email protected] 10 11 Obituary - Ken Darlow - 1935-2018 The Biking Birder (Died Saturday 14th July after a short illness) In the late 1950’s The West Midland Bird Club began to increase its membership at a rapid rate, in tandem with the nationwide growing Gary Prescott popularity of natural history pursuits and bird watching in particular. Among those who joined at that time were a number of teenage and adolescent birders who would become leading lights within the Club’s Our Green Correspondent administration. Not least among those teenagers of the day, was sixteen year old Ken Darlow, whose interest in wildlife and birds especially For the benefit of any new members who may not know, Gary is on an epic journey in Peru to try to break was learned through time spent roaming the countryside around the World Green Birding record! His goal is to see as many bird species as he possibly can without using Handsworth where he lived in the late 1940’s. His name first appeared motorised transport. He will cycle for three months then Kayak/trek for a further three and it’s going to in the Club’s 1951 report as a contributor to that years bird records and be very tough because the terrain is very challenging to say the least, with massive mountains with high would continue to do so for the following several years. His enthusiasm altitude and very hot rain forest and arid desert. Despite all obstacles, including poor internet connections, and eagerness to be involved in Club affairs quickly attracted the attention of the committee and Gary has managed to send me his monthly reports well ahead of the deadline so that members can enjoy he was soon invited to join the Club’s prestigious Research Committee. The Research Committee his adventures for which I am hugely grateful. Sue engaged in various projects including what was to be the publication of The Atlas of Breeding Birds of June starts with a painful walk from the centre of the city of Abancayo to the conservation sanctuary the West Midlands (Collins 1970). Ken played a key part in its compilation over the several years it took of Ampay. My feet are still quite poorly with blisters and dying toenails. Where oh where will I be to complete. There were other surveys that Ken would be involved with, including the Club’s Rook able to buy shoes that fit me? It never crossed my mind that size 46 shoes wouldn’t be available in Population, Cannock Chase and Wyre Forest nest box schemes, monthly Duck counts at Shustoke this nation of small feet! Reservoir, as well as the promotion and distribution of the avifauna, ’The Birds of Staffordshire’. Of note was his discovery of the first breeding record of the Little Ringed Plover in the club’s area, on the On paying the permit fee of thirty Soles, around £7.50, I spent the day slowly ascending the very ash lagoons of Hams Hall Power Station (later to become the Ladywalk Nature Reserve). steep path through low forest cover trying to get decent views of birds that preferred to stay hidden Additionally, Ken served two terms on the Club’s Main Committee (1962-1964 and 1967-1969). within the dense canopy. Two birds did show themselves incredibly well. First a Sharp-shinned Hawk Thereafter family and business interests meant he was able to spend less time with bird club affairs. landed on a branch close by after gliding through the trees. Also a Crowned Chat-tyrant walked on However, he maintained a close link and friendship with those club members of the group known as the path almost at my feet unconcerned by my presence before hopping down the slope. Other the ‘Lek’, up until the time of his sad demise. birds seen well and added to the Green Birding Year list included Apurimac Spinetail and Brush Finch, Band-tailed Pigeon, Cinnamon Flycatcher and, best of all, a Purple-backed Thornbill. Personally I was privileged to have been one of his close friends enjoying many birding trips together over the years to such places as Cley, Radipole, Portland Bill, Spain, Bulgaria and especially regular A day of pushing the heavy laden bike visits to Upton Warren and Marsh Lane in more recent times. up a long switch-backed ascent away from Abancayo followed and a Gould’s Additionally I shall always be grateful for his unstinting help with the Midland Bird Fairs up until 2011. Jewelfront was appreciated, as were the Ken will always be remembered as a kind , generous and genuine person, whose untimely passing family groups of Smooth-billed Anis that cannot be measured in words. Ken is survived by three daughters and a grieving wife, Jean. I saw whilst on the fifty mile descent towards Limatambo the following day. Alan Richards An afternoon walk at Andahuasi on the (WMBC Vice President) 7th had a bird list that included not only Photographs the extremely common Rufous-collared Top - Ken (right) and Charlie Sparrows, Puna Ibis and Hooded Siskins Brown (left) in 1951 at but also a Chestnut-fronted Mountain ‘Bellfields’ (now known as Finch and a superb fly past of a Cinereous Belvide) Harrier. An Aplomada Falcon sat on a tall

Left - three members of the electricity pylon just like Peregrines do ‘Lek’ taking it easy in Charlie back in Britain. Chestnut-fronted Mountain Finch Brown’s garden September Lakes, small and large, featured on the 8th of June. The first lake was arrived at after a cycle-push 2012 -From left to right up a bumpy dirt road through a Eucalyptus forest; these Australian trees are great for firewood and Ken Darlow therefore they dominate woodland in Peru. White-throated Hawk circled overhead. The lake was a Charlie Brown and welcome sight to a birder who had spent weeks pushing and plummeting whilst crossing The Andes. Alan Richards It was shallow, lush with water plants and had lots of birds, mostly Andean Coot. There were also 12 13 Puna Teal and Cinnamon Ducks, White-tufted Grebes and Andean Gulls. A lone Little Blue Heron named Carmen as we birded the stood whilst Black-necked Stilts strutted their stuff and flocks of Spot-winged pigeons exploded from extensive and bird-filled gardens. cut maize fields. A couple of Lesser Yellowlegs probed the mud as Andean Lapwings stood preening. Carmen excels with an extensive knowledge and understanding of all Once I had reached the far end of the lake I sat on the grass stroking a small pig whilst watching forms of nature but especially orchids. a nearby White-tufted Grebe repeatedly diving beneath the floating vegetation. The pig having Over two hundred orchid species in the emerged from a small ditch just rolled over like any small dog and enjoyed being scratched on his gardens of Inkaterra, Carmen showed belly and chest! me some that I would never have Beyond fields of tall dried out and already harvested maize I reached the magnificent Laguna Huapo, expected to be such; ones that looked an immense lake with reflected snow-capped mountains and extensive reedbeds. Yellow-winged like ferns not orchids. Twenty new birds Blackbirds called, hidden in the reeds, as a pair of, ill fated in the UK, Ruddy Ducks enjoyed being included Dusky Green Oropendulas where they really belong, on this side of the Atlantic. The blue-billed male pumped his head as the with their bubbly calls, the diminutive female passed, an amusing display accompanied by the pneumatic drill sound. With the incredible woodpecker-like species, Occelated vista of the Sacred Valley mountains to draw me towards that ancient place I cycled on and down Piculet and the almost impossible to to the city of Urubamba and as I headed towards the lovely village of Ollantaytambo I was bitten on identify birds, Tyrannulets. At strategic the calf by a small dog. A constant threat here in Peru is from territorial dogs, who bark and snarl at points bananas skewered on twigs any passing cyclist. When one has up to six doing so it can be quite un-nerving but this was the first attracted large numbers of Tanagers; Blue Andean Cock-of-the-Rock actual bite. Luckily no blood, just a bruise and a determination to not let that happen again! & Gray, Palm, Blue-necked, Silver-backed and Golden-naped and all with such incredible colours. Elsewhere four large hummingbird feeders were mostly dominated by Chestnut-fronted Coronets Ollantaytambo is the station stop of the famous trains that that chased away Lesser Violetears, Booted Racket-tails, whose males have long delicate tail plumes one must take to reach Aguas Calientes, the ‘hot water’ town twice as long as their small bodies, and the superb Collared Inca. at the base of Machu Picchu. Yet I couldn’t take the train. What, a Biking Birder take fossil fuel transport? No, that is Machu Picchu, possibly in my opinion the most magical World Heritage site in the world, yet getting not allowed. Instead I walked the thirty miles in pouring rain there could wait a while. I would take a leisurely walk up the hillside and bird all the way. It would and added nine new birds to my Green Birding year list for still be there and of course there would be hundreds of fellow tourists when I arrived. I had a target my trouble. Highland Motmots, resplendent with iridescent bird for the day, Inca Wren and all other birds seen during the steep climb were bonuses. The multi- blue plumage and incredibly long tails that ended with two coloured red-faced male Versicoloured Barbet was such a bonus, as was Glossy Black Thrush and rounded spoons and male Cock of the Rocks, the Peruvian White-throated Quail Dove that strode on the path just in front of me. White-winged Becard and National bird, were the last two to be seen before I reached Tropical Parula, Hepatic tanager with it’s splash of scarlet and Yellow-bellied Seedeaters, were all seen the town, exhausted but elated in darkness, having walked before I joined the queue for entry to the ancient citadel on the mountain top. for eleven hours. The crowds went via route two, the quickest way Inkattera ‘Machu Picchu’ Pueblo is a five star hotel complex into the ruins. I went via route one and headed of stunning luxury and birding the gardens is not allowed for the famous Sun Gate. Not that I would reach by the many who are not staying there. Fortunately for me there, that would be for another day. I searched my ‘fame’ allowed me a day’s pass and I accompanied a lady for bamboo. Inca Wrens live within the dark recesses of bamboo and my Henman fist pumps caused amusement when one came close. What a superb bird with it’s black and white stripey Photographs head. Larger than I expected I showed it to some Above - Blue-crowned Motmot passing French tourists. I walked around the buildings and walkways Right - Two Tanager species - relaxed and happy. The morning had been Saffron-crowned and Blue-necked successful with many new birds and the cloud Cinnamon Tyrant that had shrouded the site for all the early morning visitors had now dissipated leaving sunshine to emphasise the incredible vista. I had been here three times previously and I could take my time, sit and stare, wait and wonder. The deep leek quiche and wonderful apple pie in the cafe afterwards only added to the pleasure I got from a perfect day. Smoke-coloured Pewee and Chestnut-capped Brush Finch on the way back down, together with the tamest juvenile Golden-crowned Flycatcher, made my footsteps dance-like from the pleasure felt. 14 15 Two more days in Aguas Calientes, one spent walking the railway line whilst birding and the other spent at the fabulous Inkaterra Pueblo once more, gave me thirteen more birds for the Green Birding year list including Green Jay and the most amazingly beautiful hummingbird species, Long-tailed My 2017 Scilly Season Sylph; its long blue tail shining as it speedily went from one Fuchsia flower to another. The walk back to Ollantaytambo was more Gerald Brereton pleasurable this time as the sun shone with October 2017 and it was time for another Scilly season this year. I would be on the islands for 10 days views of snow-capped mountains and from October 14th to the 23rd and I was just hoping it was going to be a better year for me than 2016. steep forested hills around every bend. I went to Cornwall from Stoke on Trent on the National Express coach on Friday 13th and stayed the One moment of caution was when I saw night in Penzance at the Lugger Inn. I’ve stayed in the Lugger many times however the last time I was that I was about to step on a Leatherhead there was way back in 2004. It was when we came off Scilly that we would stay in the Lugger as the Pit Viper. Luckily I saw it in time and luckily people who I used to come down with would drive overnight, it seemed pointless to drive down and it was sloughing, in the process of losing its stay in some accommodation only to get up the next morning, cross the road and get on the ferry. skin which meant that it was slow to react. If it had bitten me I would have suffered a Saturday 14th October painful death. Ninety percent of deaths by The Scillonian III left Penzance at 9.10am and it was full of birders. Birds seen on the crossing were snake bites in Peru are caused by this family four Manx Shearwater, one Puffin, one Mediterranean Gull, one Arctic Tern and a Balearic Shearwater. of snakes. The Balearic was seen in Cornish waters so I couldn’t count it on my Scilly trip list. The ferry arrived at St Mary’s at 12.05pm. I then made my way to the ‘Leeward’ in Hugh Town where I would be staying. Leatherhead Pit Viper After I had unpacked I had a look around the allotments where I saw the only Raven of the trip come Over the next few days I made my way to Cusco, the Andean city two miles up and caught World Cup flying over from Peninnis, calling as it went. At 2.15pm I got the boat over to St Agnes as the Orphean fever. I desperately wanted Peru to do well, to be with a crowd of celebrating Peruvians in the main Warbler had been showing very well that day, however, when we arrived at the site we were told that Plaza of the splendid Spanish architectured quarters but it was not to be. Peru missed a penalty and the warbler hadn’t been seen since 12.00noon. The only birds of any note seen that afternoon on St Denmark won. Instead I watched as England beat Tunisia. My crowd numbered two, myself and a Agnes were just three Swallows. When I got back to St Mary’s there were three birds to go for, a bird Peruvian gentleman in a small cafe in Urubamba. reported as a Blyth’s Reed Warbler, which did turn out to be just a Reed Warbler, a Spotted Crake and an Isabelline Wheatear. I decided to go for the Wheatear as I’d only ever seen one before. A week spent in Cusco involved jungle survival, kayak training and equipment collection, all in preparation for the next three months as I descend into the lowlands of Peruvian Amazonia, into When I arrived at the airport the Isabelline Wheatear was feeding by the runway and was showing the most biodiverse area in the world. So the half way point, time-wise with three months gone, The well. It didn’t even mind when a plane landed and people got off. Amazingly this was the only species Andes are almost behind me and ahead is the famous Manu Road descent through cloud forest to the of Wheatear that I saw on Scilly on this trip. Amazonian Lowlands and The Manu itself. More adventures to come, more landscapes to take my I then made my way to Lower Moors for the Spotted Crake. Three Water Rails were showing but no breath away and best of all, more incredible birds to see. Crake. A Woodcock flew past me just as it started to get dark. That night I went to the bird log to pick up my 2016 Scilly report and find out what other birds were about. There were a few good birds to If you would like to follow my cycling and birding adventures then please take a look at my blog at :- go for but I decided that I would go back to St Agnes to try for the Orphean Warbler. At the end of my https://bikingbirder2016.blogspot.pe/ first day my list of birds seen was just 34. If you would like to see the photographs of each day then please go to my Facebook page : Day Two - Sunday 15th October https://web.facebook.com/bikingbirder2015/?ref=br_rs I was at Lower Moors by first light but again the Spotted Crake didn’t show. As I made my way back to the quay I saw a Black Redstart at Porth Mellon. The boat over to St. Agnes was full of birders who had If you are enjoying reading about Gary’s adventures he is collecting donations to Birdlife International and missed the Orphean Warbler on the Saturday. We all made our way to the warbler site however, as would really appreciate your support. He says donations keep his legs peddling and his arms lifting his time passed there was no sign of the bird and people started to drift away and by 1.13pm there were Opticron binoculars. Links to Justgiving page can be found on Gary’s blog. only three of us left, then I gave up and left. I was on my way to Troytown when news came over the CB radio that the Orphean Warbler was showing well by the sharp bend to Troytown. I went around He is also supporting a wonderful project that enables indigenous children to get an education and the corner and eight birders were watching it but I couldn’t get on the bird, I was looking at the wrong therefore fight the destruction in their area. It is called Chaskwasi-Manu. He would really appreciate it if part of the hedge, then the bird was gone and I thought that was it, however just a few minutes later you could donate something to help them. Once more the link can be found on Gary’s blog. Sue the warbler was back in the same part of the hedge and this time I saw it. The bird was perched out Last message from Gary - Thanks everybody. Isn’t it wonderful where Brummie birders get to . . . and in the open. It looked around, then took an orange berry and then flew off and wasn’t seen again for how? the rest of the day. The Western Orphean Warbler was on my Scilly list or I thought a Western Orphean Warbler was on my Scilly list. Feeling pleased with the Orphean I decided to celebrate with one of the island’s famous ice creams called ‘The Works’ which consists of vanilla and salted caramel and a Gary, The Biking Birder flake. I then heard about a Little Bunting by Porth Killier so off I went. This bird was showing down 16 17 to just a few yards. Other birds of note seen on St Agnes were a Firecrest and Hawfinch also I saw a Edward Sabine by his brother Joseph. Hummingbird Hawkmoth, the first of four seen on my trip. Also seen were ten Balearic, six Sooty and one Manx Shearwater. My fourth Soon it was time to get the boat back to St Mary’s. While we were waiting at the quay I saw my second ever Leach’s Petrel for Scilly was ever Portuguese Man o’ War. As it had been quite a successful day on Agnes I decided to try for the also seen today with ten plus Storm Spotted Crake again on St Mary’s. When I arrived at Lower Moors there were five birders there who Petrels. The Skuas put on a good had just been watching the Crake but it had just gone out of sight however, within five minutes the show for us with 15 Greats, one Arctic bird was back and showing well. This was my third ever Spotted Crake that I’ve seen in the very same and four Pomarines, with one of the spot and my 20th ever. My trip list was now 57. Pomarine Skuas almost landing in the Day Three - Monday 16th October boat at times. Also seen were three With wind speeds being recorded on St Mary’s at 72 miles per hour birding today was hard. All the common Dolphins, two harbour boats to off islands were cancelled and so was The Scillonian. Even Old Town Road was closed off Porpoises and, best of all, a Minke because of the weather. At 7.05am I was on my way to Porth Hellick to see the American Golden Plover. Whale right by the boat. We arrived The juvenile bird was showing really back at St Mary’s at 3.25pm. The trip well on the shore, how it didn’t had cost £25 and it had been well get blown over in the wind I just worth it. My trip list was now 82. couldn’t say. When I looked into Day Five - Wednesday 18th October the water in Porth Hellick bay I saw There was an early boat to Tresco today so 22 of us decided to go over to the island. We arrived at Carn another Portuguese Man o’ War, my Near Quay at 9.00am. I made my way to Pentle Bay where I found a Sandwich Tern, which was the third. After a while birding I went to only one that I saw on my trip. Also seen here were four Mediterranean Gulls, three adults and a first Old Town Cafe for coffee and cake, winter bird. As I walked by Borough Road I came across two Bramblings, just past Rowesfield Cottage, it was here I met a birder who said and then I found a Firecrest, halfway down Racket Town Lane. I then made my way down to the Great there were over 20 Portuguese Man Pool to look for the six Pink-footed Geese. As I made my way along Abbey Drive I saw one of Tresco’s o’ War in Porth Hellick bay as the Red Squirrels but there was no sign of the geese and everyone I met hadn’t seen them. This was a bit tide was now in. It was also while I of a disappointment as I thought they would be easy to see. Since my first visit to Scilly in 1986 I’ve was at the cafe that I heard over the only seen Pink-footed Geese in 1994, 2008 and 2015. radio that two Leach’s Petrels were on the roads between St Mary’s and The boat left Tresco from New Grimsby Quay at 4.30pm then, as we passed Plumb Hill, the six Pink- Tesco and could be seen by The footed Geese were seen feeding in a field. I was pleased to have seen them. We arrived back at St Mermaid Pub. I didn’t even think about going for them as there was no way I could get there in time Mary’s at 4.50pm. There was a Corncrake at Old Town and a Water Pipit at Porth Hellick. As there for something just flying past. I then started to make my way back to Porth Hellick as the Wilson’s wasn’t enough light to see both birds I decided to go for the Pipit as this was a Scilly tick for me. When Snipe was again showing on the pool. Over the radio I still kept hearing news about the Petrels. At I arrived at Porth Hellick Bay two local birders were watching the Water Pipit feeding on the seaweed the top of Old Town Lane I heard the Petrels were flying very slow because of the wind. Could I make with Rock Pipits. I watched the bird for a while then I went back to my room. My trip list was now 95. it back in time? I didn’t know what to do. Just then Kriss Webb pulled up and asked if I wanted a lift back to the birds, so I said yes. When we arrived the two Leach’s Petrels were still showing and Day Six - Thursday 19th October showing well at times. The only other time that I’d seen this species on Scilly was way back in 1997 I was up this morning at 5.50am and I was at Peninnis before it got light. Unfortunately the more it so I was really pleased to see them. I then walked back up to Porth Hellick but there was no sign of got light the more the rain came down. Eventually I gave up and went back to my room for a coffee. the Wilson’s Snipe and by now the tide was out so I only saw two Portuguese Man o’ War. Other birds When news came out that the Corncrake was still at Old Town the rain, by then, was really coming of note seen on this very windy day was a Merlin at Porth Hellick, one Redwing at Borough Farm, a down. I still decided to go for it. There were ten birders at the site when I arrived. The Corncrake was Yellow-browed Warbler at Watermill and a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull on Porthloo. I also saw just walking around in a field out in the open, looking very wet. Then news came out that the possible another Hummingbird Hawk Moth at Holy Vale. My trip list was now 69 species of birds. Siberian Oystercatcher was again on Porthloo beach, so off I went. When I arrived at Porthloo the bird was showing very well and really close. The contrast between the black head and brown body was Day Four - Tuesday 17th October strikingly different who knows what will come of this bird. Unfortunately I didn’t get to film it because Today there was a pelagic on the Sapphire from St Mary’s so I decided to go on it. I was out just the weather was now terrible with very heavy rain. I did get to see three Whooper Swans fly over before first light and on my way to the Garrison as I passed the Bishop and Wolf pub I saw a small bat (one adult and two juveniles) and on Porth Hellick pool one Jack Snipe with no let up with the rain. I species flying around. A quick walk around the Garrison produced just one female Hawfinch which decided to call it a day at 6.30pm and went back to my room. My trip list was now 98. was perched on top of a dead pine tree. Day Seven - Friday 20th October The Sapphire left the quay at 9.30am with 30 of us on board. One of the first birds seen was a Grey I was at Porth Hellick again today at first light. The juvenile American Golden Plover was still showing Phalarope which flew around the boat then flew off. A second Grey Phalarope was seen later which well and five Little Egrets were also in the bay. Then I found a Black Redstart by the rocks. While I was gave better views. The next good bird seen was a juvenile Sabine’s Gull, a bird named after General Sir watching it two birds flew over me and landed on the wall. They were female Reed Buntings, a good 18 19 bird for Scilly. I then went a walk up Oystercatcher was again showing on the beach. It wasn’t as close as on Thursday so while I did get Porth Hellick Down where I flushed to film it the footage wasn’t as good as I would have liked. Also seen here were two Brent Geese of a Peregrine Falcon from amongst the pale bellied race and also two first winter Mediterranean Gulls. I then walked up to the top of the rocks. I was at Jacky’s Point Porthloo Lane where I found two male Black Redstarts. One of the birds was a very smart looking when I heard about the American bird, the sort of bird you would expect to see in spring. From the track down to Content Farm I found Yellow-billed Cuckoo on St Agnes. I another Hawfinch. The male bird was in a hawthorn tree eating the berries. Then I made my way to was too far away from the quay and my favourite cafe in the British Isles, ‘Longstones’ for coffee and cake. It was while I was there that I as I was no Barry Allen (the Flash) I heard about the Dusky Warbler at Lower Moors so off I went. When I arrived at Lower Moors there knew I wouldn’t make it in time for were many birders there. The Dusky Warbler had been showing but was very elusive however it the boat. Every year when I arrive was calling a lot. I had only been there ten minutes when it started to call between the Tin Hut and on Scilly I always note down a few Shooter’s Pool, then low down in the undergrowth. Then out in the open I saw the Dusky Warbler. It numbers for a taxi. This year, for was only the second time that I’d seen this species on Scilly so I was really pleased with this. My trip some reason, I didn’t. Luckily the list was now 105. boatmen decided to put another boat on at 11.30am. There were ten Day Ten - Monday 23rd October of us on the boat and we arrived at St. Agnes at 11.45am There was a big crowd of birders on the quay My last day on the Scillies for October 2017 had arrived. I knew I wouldn’t be doing much birding who had seen the Cuckoo and were waiting to come off the island. Many had to get back for The today as it didn’t get light until around 8.00am and I had to be at the ferry for 2.00pm. As I made my Scillonian as Saturday’s sailing had been cancelled. The ten of us made our way to Grinlinton Farm way to Lower Moor I saw a Black Redstart on the roof of Carn Thomas School. The Dusky Warbler was where the Yellow-billed Cuckoo was still on the lawn opposite the farm house. This was my second still by Shooter’s Pool but the only other birds that I saw at Lower Moors were three Water Rail and ever Yellow-billed Cuckoo and my 100th bird so far on this trip. The bird didn’t do much as it was in six Chiffchaff. Then I went up to The Garrison where I found a Firecrest. With not much time left on poor health. Later that day the bird was taken into care but unfortunately it died that night. I then the islands I decided to visit the museum as it had been 27 years since I last went there. At 1.55pm I had a walk around St Agnes. A female Brambling, two Swallows and one White Wagtail were seen and boarded The Scillonian III and at 2.50pm we left the Isles of Scilly. Because of the fog the only birds I by the post office I saw another Hummingbird Hawkmoth. saw were three Kittiwake and one Guillemot. I stopped off at the Turks Head pub for a pint of Wolf Rock before it was time to get the boat back to We arrived back in Penzance at 5.45pm and I made my way to the Carnson House where I would be St Mary’s. It had been a nice sunny day but by the time we got back to St Mary’s it had started to rain. staying for the night. I was in my room when at 9.25pm a mega alert went off on my pager. When I The mist had come down and it was very windy so by 4.20pm I was in my room. My trip list was now looked at the pager I couldn’t believe what I was reading. The Orphean Warbler was not a Western 101 species. but and Eastern, a first for Britain, it had been reidentified from photographs. What fantastic news. I heard later that some birders who only saw the Orphean Warbler flick over a hedge didn’t count it at Day Eight - Saturday 21st October the time because they thought is was a Western which they didn’t need but when they heard it was Today was not a very good day and I saw very few species of birds and it was all down to Brian, storm Eastern decided to tick the bird even though they didn’t see anything on the bird. My Final total of Brian that is. With the wind being recorded at 66 miles an hour on St Mary’s (to me it seemed much birds seen was 105. stronger) I didn’t go out until after 8.00am. There just didn’t seem to be any place to shelter. I had another look at the American Golden Plover then walked through Holy Vale. The only birds of note Gerald Brereton were two Yellow-browed Warblers and a Peregrine Falcon as well as the first of only two trip ticks Gerald’s record shots : American Golden Plover, Porth Hellick, St Mary’s: Pomarine Skua, Pelagic off St today, a flock of eight Stock Doves. I then went to Watermill but the only thing of note here was my Mary’s; Possible Siberian Oystercatcher, Porthloo, St Mary’s and Little Bunting, St Agnes fourth Hummingbird Hawkmoth. Next I went to Newford duck pond where there was at least some shelter from the wind. I sat and watched the bushes. One Willow Warbler was seen, another trip tick, and about 14 Chiffchaff. At 4.15pm it Photograph right started to rain so again I went to my room. Loaded Camel Rock, My trip list was now 103 Porth Hellick, St Mary’s Day Nine - Sunday 22nd October It was my last full day on the Isles of Scilly. The weather was much better today and it wasn’t as windy. I decided to stay on St Mary’s even though boats were going to all the off islands as there were no new birds to rush off for. I just slowly made my way around St Mary’s. The first place I went to was Porthloo where the possible Siberian 20 21 by the recent thunderstorms. But we got to the plateau below the peaks safely and with initial enthusiasm began scanning the ridges. Several Four Days in Turkey birds could be heard calling, a far-carrying whistle not unlike a curlew, in the distance. The mountains are big and the distances great. Enthusiasm waned June 2018 - Richard Rafe and people began looking at other birds, after all there were things like White-winged Snowfinch, For those birders interested in building their Western Palearctic list, Turkey is a must go place. For Radde’s Accentor, Asian Crimson Winged Finch and some reason despite having visited about thirty WP destinations I have never been to Turkey and Red-fronted Serin for distraction. After what seemed unfortunately some key places in the east of the country are now no-go areas for tourists. In contrast like ages Soner picked up a bird and several scopes the recent discovery of Brown Fish Owls breeding in south-western Turkey has invigorated birding were pointed at it, but the “dot” was hard to pick tours to this area. In June 2018 I joined a short trip with Wildwings (in association with Birdwatch up unless it moved. Eventually everyone had seen magazine) with local guide Soner Bekir to look for two enigmatic Turkish specialities – Brown Fish Owl the bird, though I wouldn’t class it as ‘good views’. and Caspian Snowcock, and a host of other ‘goodies’. Fortunately a second bird was found later, this one The first morning saw an extremely early start (which became the norm for the following days) with on a ridge, albeit a long way away. Target number a long drive to Oymapinar Lake, the only place in the western palearctic with accessible Brown Fish two in the bag. Owls. Our destination was a small tourist centre where there was the incongruous site of half a dozen I went on this tour specifically for the two large tourist boats alongside the jetty; spectacular scenery but an extremely isolated place to reach, target species, but it offered a whole lot gravel roads, basically no infrastructure, nonetheless presumably a popular local tourist spot. We more and many of the participants had boarded one of the vessels, joined by another birding group, and chugged slowly into a small narrow come for the variety not particular species. canyon where we scanned unsuccessfully for owls; the boatman hadn’t seen owls here for some With only four days of birding and Soner’s weeks but it helped set the scene. We then crossed the lake to enter another canyon frequented by desire to see target species and maximise breeding owls and on cue located an adult and a juvenile on the canyon walls just above the water. the trip list, the going was hectic – early Target number one located with relative ease. We spent about half an hour with the birds before mornings and long days, including some retracing our steps back across the lake. Apparently the owls are only visible early in the morning; as long drives. There are long flights out the day warms up they move higher up the cliffs and seek shelter in out of the way places. Since the and back, with a changeover in Istanbul; breeding cliffs are totally inaccessible by land, an early morning boat trip is the only way for visiting effectively two days travelling. The hotels birders to see this bird. were variable from luxurious to basic, but all were clean and comfortable and Days two and three were spent visiting a range of habitats including pine forests, steppe, montane appropriate for the tour. Food was very valleys and marshes. We built an impressive list of species and I enjoyed the chance to re-acquaint enjoyable throughout; my emergency myself with many species which, although I had seen before, it was a long time ago. Some of the key provisions of yoghurt bars remained species for me were – Sombre Tit, Bimaculated Lark, Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler, Moustached Warbler, untouched. Upcher’s Warbler, Olive Tree Warbler, Eastern Orphean Warbler, Ruppell’s Warbler, Kruper’s Nuthatch, Western Rock Nuthatch, Rufous Scrub Robin, White-throated Robin, Finsch’s Wheatear, Ortolan Soner’s tours have always succeeded with the Owl Bunting, Cretzschmar’s Bunting and Black-headed Bunting. Not a bad little list. and the Snowcock over recent years although the Snowcock can take some hard work before giving The weather around Demirkazik, the Snowcock itself up. Given that many of the longer tours are mountain, had been unseasonal with intense not running at present I would not hesitate to thunderstorms; if it was like this we would not be able recommend this as an introduction to Turkish birds to get up the mountain or indeed see anything if we and to see Brown Fish Owl and Caspain Snowcock. did. Fortunately day four dawned bright and clear, not that we saw dawn since we were up and out by 4.00. Richard Rafe Our transportation was tractor and trailer – now I’ve done many tractor & trailer rides around farms in my Photographs: All Richard Rafe days working in conservation and in association with Scanning, FWAG (Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group) but this First View, was a whole new ballgame. An hour and a half on a Snowcock on ridge bumpy dirt track up a mountain with steep drops to Transport to get there (tractor and trailer) the side, not enhanced by the erosion gulleys caused 22 23 Sunday 2nd December 2018 Indoor meetings Club and Branch Rainham Marshes RSPB Indoor meetings are held in the Guild House, Depart: 08:00hrs. Expected return: 19:30hrs. Knowle B93 0LN, commencing at 19:30hrs Indoor Meetings and Field Trips Cost: £23 Admission: WMBC members £2.00, nonmembers WMBC FIELD TRIPS Sunday 9th September 2018 Marshland habitat with reedbeds, pools, shallow £2.50. Please note: Access from the eastern car park Please note: All WMBC members and Titchwell RSPB Reserve, Norfolk scrapes, some woodland and grazed meadows by the Thames estuary offers wildfowl, waders, via the churchyard is unlit and those who are not their families are welcome to join all Depart: 07:00hrs Expected return: 19:30hrs reedbed specialities and rare gulls. Remember confident about their night vision should either WMBC field trips and attend any Branch Cost: £23 to bring your RSPB card as there is a charge for bring a torch or take the slightly longer route via Seek seabirds, waders, wildfowl and migrants at indoor meetings or field trips. nonmembers. the High Street. peak migration time at the prime RSPB reserve. Coaches depart from Cambridge Street, See how recent changes to the reserve have Sunday 6th Jan 2019 - Rutland Water, Friday 12th October 2018 matured. Remember your RSPB card as there is a Birmingham City Centre, promptly at the time Leicestershire & Rutland Paul Wilkinson - The Natural History of stated. Food and drink should be brought as charge for non RSPB members. Depart: 07:00hrs. Expected return: 18.30hrs the Midlands Canals. Paul has been an required. Appropriate clothing and footwear to Cost: £22 ecologist for British Waterways for over 5 guard against the elements is recommended. Sunday 7th October 2018 Prime inland reservoir with lagoons, marshy years, and a herpetologist for over 20 years. Spurn Head margins, fields and woodland to provide a He holds Special Licences for great-crested Field Trip Contacts: To book or for further Depart: 07:00hrs. Expected return: 19:00hrs. wide range of species to start the year. The cost newts, white-clawed crayfish, floating water information please contact Ray Davies on 0121 Cost: £23 includes reserve entrance fee. plantain, natterjack toads, badgers and 682 4375 or 07762 061603 Seek seabirds, waders, wildfowl and migrants at water voles. [email protected] a peak migration time at this prime RSPB reserve. Friday 5th April 2019 or Liz Palmer on 01827 54557 or 07947 456448 Experience the new Visitor Centre (coach park, Devon Weekend [email protected] Friday 9th November 2018 coffee, toilets etc) and start from a more central Early Booking Recommended Please note that the coach can become fully position! Malcolm Ausden - Habitat Loss and Gain. booked (48 is possible) but non arrivals on We stay at the Langstone Cliff Hotel at Dawlish Malcolm is a principal Ecologist for the Warren for our annual Devon adventure. Centred the day can prevent those on a waiting list the Norfolk Weekend - A change this year! RSPB. He has co-authored papers for British chance to enjoy the day. Could members please at Dawlish Warren we will search for local Birds on habitat loss and gain, and how it Friday 9th November 2018 specialities and lingering wintering species, as contact Ray – however late – if they have to can be manipulated, for example with the During the weekend of Friday 9th - Sunday 11th well as the first summer migrants and rarities cancel their booking. On Sunday morning ring Cirl bunting project in Dorset. Ray’s mobile, 07762 061603, with any delays or November we will be staying at the Manor Hotel, that may be present. Mundesley, Norfolk. late cancellations. The cost is £75.00 per person per night for half Friday 14th December 2018 We are very pleased that Liz Palmer is being Situated in the eastern area of Norfolk it gives board (complimentary drink before dinner) for Roger Butler - A Week on St. Kilda. Roger is a great help with the organisation of Field us access to places like Sea Palling, hoping those sharing a room and £90 for singles. Travel a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society Trips. Anyone else willing to help? We would for wintering seabirds and maybe migrants, by own transport to meet at 6.30pm for dinner and a Licentiate of the Royal Photographic welcome further volunteers! Strumpshaw Fen reserve, for any rare visitors, at 7.00pm. A deposit of £20 (non refundable) Society. He has travelled and spoken wildly, and the Stubb Mill viewpoint with potential for per person is required by the hotel to confirm about places as diverse as Mexico, Patagonia your booking. Please call Ray or Liz to assess ANNOUNCEMENT Cranes, Marsh and Hen Harriers and maybe Owls. and Tajikistan. availability and then provide this payment by RAY WILL BE UNAVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER cheque made out to West Midland Bird Club Ray is abroad during September. PLEASE make On Sunday we will explore the North Norfolk Advance Notice (WMBC) and sent to Ray Davies at 140 Bradbury bookings then with Liz (Palmer) especially for coast hoping for winter passerines, wildfowl, Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B92 8AL before Friday 11th January 2019 the Norfolk and Devon Weekends, and the Field waders and birds of prey, and, naturally, any 20th October to confirm your reservation. We Prof. Graham Martin - Through Bird’s Trip in October to Spurn Head. At other times rarities. settle the remainder of our own bills at the Hotel Eyes. Prof. Martin is Chair of Worcester bookings can be made with either Liz or Ray. Cost for bed, breakfast and evening meal is £65.00 per person per night for those sharing, on departure. Wildlife Trust and is Emeritus Professor of Please Note: Payment of deposits for the Devon with a supplement of £10 for singles. Avian Sensory Science at the University of Weekend, by cheque made out to either West SOLIHULL BRANCH Birmingham. His recent interest include the Midland Bird Club or WMBC, should still be Please check with Ray for availability. Branch Contact: Branch Chair, problems of birds flying into wind turbines sent to Ray at 140 Bradbury Road, Solihull, West No Deposits in advance required this time. We Richard Harvey - 0789556125 and why some diving birds are prone to Midlands, B92 8AL by 20th October 2018 - Early settle our own hotel bills before leaving. Email: [email protected] being caught in gill nets. booking recommended. 24 25 Friday 8th February 2019 19th November WMBC Belvide Reserve Chris Ward - Waders, Waders, Waders. There will be no field meeting in December BIRD NOTES Friday March 8th 2019 21st January WMBC Ladywalk Reserve Magical Mull-Eagle Island-Pete Walkden Please contact Chris Evans for meeting May - July arrangements and further details: on 07905 Compiled from your records by Humphrey Miller STAFFORD BRANCH 563385 or by email at These notes are, as always, derived from Two Red-necked Phalaropes were recorded Branch Contact: David Dodd 01543 490096 [email protected] unchecked reports. The period covers the end at Clifton Pits on 17th June. A Dotterel was on Email: [email protected] The full programme for 2018/19 can be found on of the spring migration, the breeding season Bredon Hill on 12th May. A Montagu’s Harrier the Stafford Branch page of the Club website. and the start of autumn migration. My thanks to was seen at Downs Banks on 29th May. A Honey- Indoor Meetings all who have submitted records. buzzard was reported from Witley Court on 7th These are held at the Perkins Sports & Social KIDDERMINSTER BRANCH May. A Spotted Crake visited Upton Warren Club, Tixall Road, Stafford. ST16 3UB. Branch Contact: Branch Chair, Brian Rickett Humphrey on 27th July. A White-winged Black Tern was The Indoor Winter Season of talks will commence 01562 913898 or 01384 839838 RARITIES reported from Blithfield on 22nd June. on : Email: [email protected] A White-rumped Sandpiper visited Middleton Tuesday 6th November 2018 Lakes on 25th May. A Red-backed Shrike at Marsh Lane on 6th Mike Leach – In Search of the Flower Kissers. Indoor Meetings June is a reserve first record. A Glossy Ibis was Photographs of the White-rumped Sandpiper at Look forward to an evening of high speed Meetings are held at St. Oswald’s Church recorded at Doxey Marshes on 7th May. Records Middleton Lakes RSPB - Steve Atkinson - He and photography and interesting facts with the Centre, off Broadwaters Drive, Kidderminster of Eurasian Spoonbill came from Birchmoor John Harris found the bird, what a thrill! Humming Bird family. DY10 2RY commencing at 19.30hrs. A charge of £2.00 per person for WMBC members and Tuesday 4th December 2018 £2.50 for nonmembers is made, which includes Jeff Clarke – How to Build a Naturalist. refreshments. We all hope someone in the family will follow in our footsteps to look after nature in the future, Wednesday 26th September maybe Jeff has some hints about how to go Keith Offord - Sri Lanka. about it. The birds and fauna of this beautiful Island. Advance Notice Wednesday 24th October Wednesday 2nd January 2019 Neil Malton - East African Wildlife Landscape. Kate MacRae – A World of Wildlife in My Patch Birds, Fauna and Mammals of this African Wildlife. Please note the change of day due to wilderness the Bank Holiday. Wednesday 14th November Tuesday 5th February 2019 Mike Leach - A Funny way to make a living part 2. Mark Sissons – White and Wild It’s another opportunity to hear about Mike’s life as a wildlife photographer and author. Tuesday 5th March 2019 Ken Reeves – Fire on the Scillies. Wednesday 5th December Mike Wilkes - Birds in Action and Christmas Buffet. Field Meetings Following the success of the field trips organised Outdoor Meeting earlier in the year with our U3A friends the Sunday 2nd December 2018 - following programme has been arranged which WMBC members are invited to attend. Slimbridge - Meet in Main Car Park 10.00am

17th September Middleton Lakes RSPB Reserve Full programmes for all our branches can be 22nd October Doxey Marshes found on the Club website.

26 27 Flash, Dordon (two birds), Ladywalk moving BLITHFIELD Blackcap, Bullfinch, Eurasian Nuthatch and July. Around the middle of May there was an Eurasian Jay, and also young Robins and excellent run of Hobby and Common Cuckoo to Middleton Lakes, and Blithfield. Common A Great White Egret was reported between 14th Blackbirds, have been seen. A sighting of a Grey records, with highest counts of seven and eight Cranes were reported from Ripple (two), and 18th July, preceded by a visit on 6th May. Blithfield and Stone (near Kidderminster). Wagtail on the brook in mid-June was unusual for respectively. A Great White Egret was reported the time of year. The number of Common Swifts on 1st July. Both European Stonechat and W.M.B.C. RESERVES nesting on nearby houses is much reduced this Whinchat were recorded in the second half year. A Green Woodpecker was heard calling on of May. A Grasshopper Warbler was reported BELVIDE 25th July, the first for two months, a pattern of on 9th May. There were several reports of On 6th May there was a report of a Little Ringed behaviour common to most years. Common both Marsh and Willow Tit. A White Wagtail Plover originally ringed near Valencia in Spain in Buzzards have been regular. was recorded on 11th May. A Sanderling was 2016. Two notable wader counts were 48 Ringed reported on 2nd May. An Osprey visited on 17th Plovers and 50 Black-tailed Godwits. Other wader LADYWALK May. species recorded included Sanderling, Bar-tailed Notable among breeding records was the Godwit, Whimbrel, European Golden Plover, reserve’s firstCommon Tern chicks - Photograph PRINCIPAL RECORDS ELSEWHERE Avocet, Turnstone, Common Greenshank, Grey below - Peter Lichfield. The successful breeding NON-PASSERINES Plover, Wood Sandpiper and Ruff. 42 Arctic Terns by Tawny Owls was the first for some years. were recorded on 2nd May, a Little Tern visited Unseasonal Whooper Swan reports come from Although it was feared that the spring bank Tittesworth, Radial Park (Stoke-on-Trent) and on 16th May, the highest count of Black Terns holiday floods would have a serious adverse was six, Common Terns fledged 12 young and Marsh Lane/ Packington Park: the last bird has Great White Egrets at Blithfield - Graham Mant impact on duck and wader breeding, there were been seen so frequently that its pedigree is there were two records of Sandwich Tern. 207 four broods of Goosander with 37 young and six pairs of Black-headed Gulls hatched 250 young. starting to be questioned. There have been Wader records included a Curlew Sandpiper broods of Gadwall with 44 young. Other species plenty of sightings of Garganey in the Severn There were a few reports of Mediterranean where young birds were recorded include Gull. Common Pochards had three broods, and (29th and 30th July), Ruff (highest count ten), Valley, principally at Grimley (Camp Lane), but Black-tailed Godwit (17 breeding-plumage Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Water also at Sling Pool, Clifton Pits and Ripple Pits: other duck species included Pintail, Garganey Rail, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Jay, Long-tailed and Common Scoter. There were three reports birds on 5th July), five Sanderling on 27th May, other records came from Stubbers’ Green (three Common Greenshank (maximum five), Little Tit, Common Chiffchaff, Black-headed Gull, birds), Tittesworth, Branston and Middleton of Osprey and several of Red Kite. 1-2 Black- Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Treecreeper, House necked Grebes were present in the first week Ringed Plover (highest count 18), Eurasian Lakes. There have been records of 1-2 Common Curlew (highest count six), Turnstone and Grey and Sand Martin, Linnet, Goldcrest, Little and Goldeneye from Whitemoor Haye. A Red- of June, with three other subsequent reports. Great Crested Grebes, Cetti’s and Reed Warbler, Tawny Owls raised three young, and just off Plover. A Little Tern was reported on 29th May. breasted Merganser was on the River Severn at The highest count of Arctic Terns was 60 on 2nd Common Whitethroat, Little Ringed Plover, Worcester on 2nd May. There have been a couple the reserve four Barn Owl chicks were ringed. Tufted Duck, Mallard, Grey and Pied Wagtails A Corn Bunting was seen on 24th July, and it is May (the same day as the Belvide flock, above). of counts of fewer than ten Red Grouse from the 11 juvenile Common Terns were recorded on and Willow Tit. Sightings on the May all-day North Staffordshire Moorlands. The degradation suspected that the species has bred just outside competition, not otherwise reported, included the reserve. Other passerine species recorded 16th June. The highest count of Black Terns of the site at Whitemoor Haye has become was nine on 24th May. There were a couple of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Common Redstart a cause for concern, so a count of 12 Grey included Yellow Wagtail, Common Redstart and and a late Redwing. There were single records of Willow Tit. sightings of Kittiwake and Mediterranean Gull Partridges on 22nd July is welcome. Common and one of Caspian Gull. There have been a Marsh Harrier and Red Kite. Other wader species Quails have been recorded at Aqualate Mere few reports of up to three Yellow-legged Gulls. included Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, and near Stourbridge. A Slavonian Grebe was Raptor species reported included Red Kite, Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff and Common at Bartley from 30th May to 1st June. Additional Osprey, Hobby and Peregrine Falcon. There Greenshank. A Great White Egret was reported reports of Great White Egret came from nine were a few records of Common Cuckoo. On 16th on 14th May. A Grey Partridge on 20th May further localities. Draycote Water has had good June there was a count of 35 juvenile Common was an unusual record. Other passerine species numbers of Little Egrets, with a highest count of Shelducks, followed by a combined count of 70 recorded included Grasshopper Warbler, Lesser at least 68. adults and juveniles on 4th July. 200 Common Whitethroat and Yellow Wagtail. There were a Swifts were present on 25th May. Yellow few reports of up to three Common Cuckoos. A Ospreys were seen at seven further locations. Wagtails were regularly present from June. A Black Tern visited on 28th June. A Northern Goshawk was reported from Common Redstart was recorded on 6th July Knypersley Reservoir on 22nd July. Additional SELECTED RECORDS FROM OTHER MAIN sightings of Marsh Harrier come from Middleton HARBORNE SITES - BRANDON MARSH Lakes, the nearby Dunton Island, Keele, Branston, Two Hen Harriers were reported on 22nd June. Salford Priors and West Hagley. Further Avocet Green Sandpiper, which dropped in to Belvide Three Blackcaps and a Song Thrush were still A Pectoral Sandpiper visited on 16th and 17th reports include successful breeding (three out on 26th June - Photograph Paul Smith singing at the start of July. Family parties of 28 29 of four young surviving) at Middleton Lakes, Warbler was seen feeding a Common Cuckoo after the first nest had been washed away. at Marsh Lane. Grasshopper Warblers were European Golden Plover reports came from recorded from ten further localities. A juvenile the North Staffordshire Moorlands, Wishaw and Blackcap ringed last autumn at Marsh Lane has Birchmoor Flash. Additional records of Grey been recovered in France. Reports of Garden Plover were from Middleton Lakes/Birchmoor Warbler include five at Cannock Chase and Flash, Upton Warren and Croxden. Whimbrel Highgate Common, and four at Kinver Edge. records include 56 at Clifton Pits on 28th July. Nine Ring Ouzels were counted on Bredon A Bar-tailed Godwit visited Middleton Lakes on Hill at the beginning of May. Most Spotted 10th May. Turnstones have been reported from Flycatcher reports came from Staffordshire, seven further locations. A Temminck’s Stint was with Gailey featuring regularly and a count of recorded at Middleton Lakes on 11th May. Little four being recorded at Coombes Valley: more Stints were recorded at Sling Pool, Birchmoor southerly records were from Marsh Lane and Flash, Draycote Water and Middleton Lakes. Morton Bagot. Similarly, with the exception There have been a few Woodcock reports of a report from the Wyre Forest, all records of from Cannock Chase. Further records of Wood Pied Flycatcher came from Staffordshire, with Sandpiper come from Ripple Pits, Sling Pool, four pairs at Coombes Valley and sightings Whitmore (Bent Lane), Middleton Lakes, away from the Moorlands at Trentham Gardens Uttoxeter Quarry, Doxey Marshes and Salford and Keele University. There was a report in the Priors. Spotted Redshank records came from birding press of a Black Redstart in Smethwick Grimley, Whitemoor Haye and Marsh Lane. in May. Whinchat reports were widespread, with Grimley having regular sightings towards Draycote Water was visited by a Kittiwake the end of the period. The highest count of Photograph below: A pair of Mediterranean Gulls that were on the Staffs part of Fisher’s Mill, on 27th July. There were several sightings of Northern Wheatear on spring passage was 27 Middleton Lakes RSPB on 18th April - Steve Atkinson. Steve didn’t put the pictures out on twitter at Little Gull at Upton Warren, with others at at Berryhill Fields. The only report of Dipper the time as they might have bred but they failed to and later moved on. Hewell Grange, Ryder’s Mere, Middleton Lakes came from the North Staffordshire Moorlands. and Chasewater. A juvenile Iceland Gull was During last year’s Cannock Chase bird survey there was no conclusive proof of breeding Cuckoos so reported at Draycote Water on 16th May. Five There was a count of 105 House Sparrows at it was especially pleasing when the following email was received. Sandwich Terns were at Upton Warren on 8th Berryhill Fields on 31st July. A Blue Headed Hello there, Today I saw a young cuckoo (blackbird sized ) being fed by a wren . I would say the cuckoo May. A Little Tern was recorded at Alvecote Wagtail was seen at Middleton Lakes on hadn’t long fledged, it was still a little clumsy as it flew to another branch, when a dog disturbed it and Pools on 8th May. The highest count of Arctic 26th May. White Wagtail reports came from the parents . The area was Cannock Chase, Beaudesert Park, on the main track leading down from Castle Terns on the big 2nd May passage was 110 at Uttoxeter Quarry and Whitmore (Bent Lane). At Ring. Isn’t it wonderful that Cannock Chase appears to be a national stronghold for the species . Glyn Draycote Water. Best of other counts of Black Chasewater, Meadow Pipits were seen feeding Tern was 22 at Draycote Water on 24th May. The a juvenile Common Cuckoo which was thought sole report of Turtle Dove came from Aqualate to be a passage bird, not one raised in their own Mere on 22nd May. Barn Owls were reported nest. Records of Tree Pipit came from Cannock from Middleton Lakes and Morton Bagot. Long- Chase, Highgate Common, Kinver Edge and eared Owl continues to be present on Cannock Newcastle-under-Lyme. The only Hawfinch Chase. A Short-eared Owl was reported from reports were derived from the birding press, Salford Priors on 1st June. European Nightjars and were at Napton. Two unusual venues have been recorded at Cannock Chase, near for Common Crossbills related to eight birds Chasewater and Hanchurch Woods. There has at West Hagley and 2-3 in and near Brueton been a report of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Park, Solihull. There were two counts of ten in Sutton Park. Yellowhammers at i54, and juvenile birds have been heard at Morton Bagot. PASSERINES Willow Tits have bred at Chasewater. Cetti’s Humphrey Miller Warbler has bred at Marsh Lane. Reports of Wood Warbler come from Cannock Chase, Its great to have an excuse to get this shot from my archives - Juvenile Cuckoo being fed by its Oakamoor and the Wyre Forest. A Reed Reed Warbler foster parent at our Belvide Reserve, Summer 2015 - photograph Martyn Pitt 30 31 were serenaded by a Willow Warbler. Raucous calls overhead brought our attention to a Carrion Crow mobbing a Red Kite. Then it was a Buzzard’s turn to be mobbed! A Hobby flew through. As we took West Midland Bird Club the path into a marshy area one of our number had the misfortune to fall heavily resulting in a cut cheek. She returned, accompanied, to the Centre where they waited patiently for an ambulance. Field Trip Reports - Ray Davies We had lunch at a viewing screen looking over a small pool and soon had Reed Warbler flying past and singing in the reeds. Along the boardwalk through moist scrubland Lesser Redpoll, Lesser and Ynys-Hir RSPB Nature Reserve - Sunday 13 May 2018 Common Whitethroat, Stonechat and Tree Pipit rewarded our searching. Cuckoos had been calling At the reserve area we parked and Pied Flycatcher - Steve Pattison regularly, unseen, until one was spotted perched nearby in some dead branches. At the far end of the walked into the reserve. We were reserve an Osprey nest was visible and a few of us saw a bird at the nest. Around the river below us greeted by a Pied Flycatcher, singing in were Redshank, Oystercatcher and a Goosander. We returned to the Centre to find that the ambulance a tree above us, which was soon located had not arrived! It did a little later so we were able to leave about five o’clock. After being checked at to get our visit off to a flying start! The the hospital our injured member made her way home by train. The day had been dry, thankfully, and warden welcomed us and talked about was successful in producing all the target species and recording 69 species! the birds on the reserve. We then set off and immediately behind the Centre Bempton Cliffs/Blacktoft Sands - Sunday 10 June 2018 a Wood Warbler greeted us with its ‘spinning coin’ trill and was seen by a At the Bempton Cliffs Visitor Centre the few before it moved deeper into the warden informed us about the cliffs and woodland. As we walked through the the improved Centre. Our walk down to the oak woodland, carpeted by the blue clifftops soon gave us views of Gannets gliding of bluebells, bird song was all around effortlessly by, the smell of bird guano and initially from common species like Blue the sound of the constant babble on the cliff- and Great Tits, Chaffinch, Blackcap, face which exemplified the reality of the ‘live experience’ which you don’t get on tele! We were soon watching plentiful Guillemots and Razorbills perched precariously on cliff ledges and flying to and fro to the sea below. Puffins were more difficult to find but those located were usually very close being near the cliff-tops. The views were savoured! Close views were available also of nesting Kittiwakes, Fulmar and Gannet - Steve Pattison Razorbill - Ray Davies Herring Gulls with opportunity Red Kite - Steve Pattison to admire their plumage detail. Meanwhile there was a constant Wood Warbler - Rob Going Chiffchaff, and Nuthatch. Further in to the wood flow of Gannets gliding by, many we heard songs we wished for - Wood Warbler and at eye level - glorious. Skylarks a Common Redstart. With patience we eventually sang overhead, Meadow Pipits located a Wood Warbler trilling around its area indulged in their display flights beneath the canopy. Occasionally it was directly as did the occasional Whitethroat. above us!. A second bird appeared and they chased each other away from us. The Redstart Around the Centre it was Tree proved difficult and was seen only briefly. Better Sparrow ‘city’ and Swallows views were had by others in a different part of the had a nest above the entrance wood. As we left the wood a Garden Warbler sang to the Centre attracting briefly and another bird sang more persistently a many an inquisitive glance. little later on our walk. We joined others, who had just had the delight of seeing a Treecreeper, and 32 33 Spoonbill - Steve Pattison Update from your Ladywalk Reserve In addition to some of the superb birds that have visited the reserve in recent months (see elsewhere) we are also blessed with a dedicated group of volunteers. Their tasks included spending a lot of time building some owl boxes, and a well constructed tern raft. On a wet day in March we manoeuvred the raft on to B Pool and secured it to a previous raft. Your writer had visions of it quickly slipping its moorings but there it remains, spinning in the breeze. By May the raft became home to a pair of Common Terns who enjoyed the 360 degree views the raft provides, and produced two chicks by the end of July. We know that young birds so often are predated by Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Crows but the parents are adept at seeing off anything that they deem too close such as visiting juvenile Peregrines and a Black Tern, a few minutes before our warden arrived! There are plans for further construction projects, perhaps a Sand Martin bank such as the successful one at Kingsbury as this year our colony was flooded out. Other news is that the introduction of the rust fungus on Himalayan Balsam was only partially successful, possibly due to the extreme weather last winter, and a further application has been made. In the meantime we appreciate the work of volunteers associated with HS2 who devoted a very hot We left for Blacktoft and after an uneventful drive parked and walked into the reserve. On the way we day to trampling and slaying the weed. In other areas which we have cut with a flail mower we have were soon watching more Tree Sparrows around the hedgerow and feeding station. At the Centre found that this limits the growth of the balsam in subsequent years. we were soon watching the first of many sightings of Marsh Harrier. Avocets were very noisy in front of Marshland Hide as they protected their young. There was a smattering of regular wildfowl and the The introduction of the rust fungus has been a pioneering project at Ladywalk as has the introduction occasional Grey Heron and Little Egret flew over the reedbed. A Hobby hunted around the reserve. of psyllids on to our stands of Japanese Knotweed and we hope that they will munch through these From Singleton Hide we were soon watching more Marsh Harriers and joined others watching a gap giant plants! More about that in the future We value the work of Tame Valley Wetlands Partnership between reed beds. Patience was rewarded with brief glimpses of Bearded Tits flitting between the and their scientific colleagues in assisting us in dealing with these invasive plants. reedbeds. High tide was imminent which pushed a group of five Spoonbill over the reserve together with a group of seven Little Egrets. Reed Warblers sought food in reeds in front of the hide. A Cetti’s Richard King Warbler was heard regularly especially whenever watchers entered the hide! Common Tern and Chicks - Peter Lichfield Soon we had to leave the Hide and we were delighted when as well as singing the Cetti’s was found perched in the branches of a willow tree just outside the hide. A great finish to a most enjoyable day!

Ray Davies

Puffin - Steve Pattison 34 35 For anyone wishing to get more involved at Belvide the scheduled work parties are the obvious starting Update from your Belvide Reserve place but members might equally consider joining the Belvide Management Team which meets every Since you received your last Newsletter gates have been installed at the West End of the reserve in an three months. This is NOT a formal committee but a team of club members who are Belvide regulars and attempt to deter walkers who were mistaking our new path leading to the Hawkshutts hide for the care deeply about the reserve and its future. Anyone who would like to join is welcome - next meeting public footpath, which is further along, This will also beef up our security generally. The staircase on 16th November at the Haling Dene Centre, Penkridge (meet in the bar anytime from 19.30 hrs for a the West End hide which, was causing concern, has also been replaced. Those on the Gazebo Hide prompt start at 20.00 hrs) more details from [email protected] We are currently and Scott Hide will be replaced this autumn before their condition becomes a matter for concern. working on producing the Belvide Development plan. The autumn/winter programme of organised work parties begins again on 30th September, see And Finally schedule below, but regular visitors to the reserve will recognise that many jobs that don’t risk If you have ever wondered if it was OK to bring your grandchildren to one of our Reserves the disrupting breeding birds are tackled by our volunteers throughout the year. This summer amongst answer is a resounding YES after all a love of nature is arguably the best legacy we could ever other things the roof on the Andrew Chappell hide has been completely replaced along with that on leave them. the Gazebo hide and also the original half of the Scott Hide. We would like to express huge thanks to Kaye at the Springslade Lodge, Camp Road, Cannock You will probably be familiar with our work party manager, Nigel Talbot, who organises this work but Chase who has sold around 100 of our Cannock Chase Survey Reports, not only informing may not realise what a stalwart we also have in Dave Bate who is responsible for much of the routine visitors about the birds of the Chase but in the process raising the profile of WMBC. Members maintenance around the reserve. If you find a new bench on the reserve Dave probably built it! may like to bear in mind that Kaye’s super tea room could be just the place for breakfast after a dawn chorus walk or even a group evening meal before a nightjar walk (by prior arrangement We all have our fingers crossed that the local clay pigeon shoot that caused disturbance to our birds, outside normal opening hours) and her coffee and cake always hits the spot whatever time of in particular over wintering wildfowl, is a thing of the past. The shoots did not resume this spring and day. they are reputedly looking for a new site. A theme park in France has deployed six “intelligent” birds to pick up In contrast the hugely increased Cormorant population over the last couple of autumns has decimated rubbish and spruce up the grounds. The Rooks at the Puy du Fou theme fish stocks, reducing the food supply for visiting Grebes and sawbills, who no longer linger. In an park in the west of the country have been taught to collect cigarette ends attempt to address this we have sought permission to install fish refuges. This is a two year plan and other small bits of rubbish. They then deposit the litter into a small starting as you read this. To save money these are being manufactured by WMBC and Brewood box which delivers some bird food as a reward for their hard work. Nicolas Angling Club volunteers on site so anyone who can spare a morning or so to help would be most de Villiers, head of the park, says that it was not just about keeping the welcome, the more hands we have the more refuges we can install this year. We are not expecting area clean. “The goal is not just to clear up, because the visitors are generally careful to keep things this scheme to be a ‘magic fix’ but hopefully in time it should help. clean”. It was also about showing “that nature itself can teach us to take care of the environment”. He In May Colin McShane, leader of Belvide ringers reported to the Belvide management team that the added that Corvids are “particularly intelligent” and “like to communicate with humans and establish BTO had issued a licence for them to fit Black-headed Gull chicks with red darvic rings, similar to the a relationship through play”. scheme carried out at Marsh Lane where white rings had been used. The operation was carried out Migration for all on 16th June, assisted by Cannock Sea Scouts. 125 chicks were colour ringed and in addition a small Bird migration is one of the great wonders of the natural world and the Spurn Peninsula on number, that were too small for the colour rings, were given only the metal ring on the other leg. Yorkshire’s East Coast is one of the best places in Britain to witness this spectacle. The Spurn This is a new venture, which has been sponsored by a friend of the reserve, and has already exceeded 2018 migration festival will take place on September 7th, 8th and 9th. This fantastic festival expectations. As a footnote, quite by chance, the ringers were accompanied by an ex trainee of theirs has something for everyone – walks, talks, stalls, the famous Hog Roast and hopefully lots of who now just happens to be one of the chief executives of Birdlife International! Colin reports that birds. For tickets and more information check out the website at spurnmigfest.com not only was he impressed with the operation but also with our Belvide reserve, after not visiting for many years he felt things had been transformed for the better. News of the gulls has already Suggestions Your Management Committee always welcomes suggestions and feedback from started to come in. Within a month of ringing there has already been sighting of four birds from a members regarding any aspect of our Club. Please send your feedback to Roger Broadbent or Sue wide geographical range—Rutland Water, Pennington (Manchester), north Lancashire and Dublin!! Judge, contact details as given on page 38. More reports should come through over the coming months and years so a picture can be built up of juvenile dispersal and return to the nesting colony. When sufficient records have been received Colin Next Issue The Winter issue of your newsletter will go to press by mid-November and should will write a report for this Newsletter. Thanks to everyone who helped with this scheme. be on your door mats at the beginning of December. Please send your contributions to the editor by 1st November at the latest please. Anything received after this cut off date will be held over Belvide work Party Schedule for 2018/19 until the Winter issue. It is never too early to send in your contribution for the next Newsletter. Sunday 30th September 2018 - Sunday 7th, 21st and 28th October 2018 If something in this issue prompts a response or inspires something entirely different don’t wait, Sunday 17th and 25th November 2018 - Sunday 16th and 23rd December 2018 email it to me straight away. Please share your ‘patch’ or birding breaks both near and far for the Sunday 27th January 2019 - Sunday 10th and 24th February 2019 - Sunday 3rd March 2019 enjoyment and possible inspiration of other members. No access to a computer? Don’t use this as an MEET AT THE CAR PARK 9.30am - ALL GLOVES AND TOOLS PROVIDED BUT FEEL FREE TO BRING YOUR OWN excuse, write it out and send it to me by post (the earlier the better) and I will type it up. I can even scan your photographs. Sue 36 37 WMBC Officers Harborne - Paul Bateman Email: [email protected] President - W. E. Oddie O.B.E. Vice Presidents - A.J. Richards, Ladywalk - Richard King G.R. Harrison and J.R. Winsper Email: [email protected] Chairperson - Roger Broadbent, Our Branches Maple Cottage , 8 Home Farm Court, Ingestre Stafford ST18 0PZ Kidderminster - Brian Rickett Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Deputy Chairperson - Sue Judge Solihull - Richard Harvey Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Honorary Secretary - Mark Rickus, Stafford - David Dodd 27 Ringmere Avenue, Castle Bromwich B36 9AT Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] WMBC Field Trip organiser Honorary Treasurer - Andy Thomas Ray Davies 24 Awbridge Road, Dudley, West Midlands, [email protected] DY2 0JA or Liz Palmer Email: [email protected] [email protected] Membership Secretary - Michael Bevan, Our County Recorders 64 Brookfields Road, Ipstones, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire - Nick Pomiankowski ST10 2LY Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Warwickshire - Chris Hill Group Permits Secretary - As Honorary Email: [email protected] Secretary Email: [email protected] Worcestershire - Steven Payne Email: [email protected] Press Officer - Rob Swift Email: [email protected] West Midlands - Kevin Clements Email: west-mids-recorderwestmidlandbirdclub.org.uk Conservation Officer - Dave Jackson Email: [email protected] Advertising Enquiries regarding advertising in this Annual Report Editor - D.W. (Dave) Emley, publication should be addressed to the Editor. 23 Leacroft, Stone, Staffordshire ST15 8GF Email: [email protected] Small ads of direct benefit to members and ‘for sale’ items from members will be normally be Website Manager - Christopher Rickus included free of charge, space permitting. Email: [email protected] The WMBC Newsletter Editor - Sue Judge Is a Registered Charity (number 213311), 3 Fennel Close, Cheslyn Hay, WS6 7DZ serving birdwatchers, ornithologists and all who Email: [email protected] have an interest in the birds of Staffordshire, Our Reserve Representatives Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the West Midlands Counties. Belvide - Sue Judge Email: [email protected] Website - westmidlandbirdclub.org.uk Blithfield - John Holt Twitter account @WestMidBirdClub Email: [email protected] 38 39 TTHHEE BBIIRRDDEERRSS SSTTOORREE We stock the UK''s largest range of optics & accessories for birders including many leading brands: Acuter, Barr & Stroud, Braun, Bresser, Celestron, Country Innovation, Cullmann, Eagle, Hawke, Helios, Hilkinson, Kite, Kowa, Leica, Meade, Minox, Novagrade, Olivon, Optech, Opticron, PhoneSkope, Praktica, Scopac, Skua, Steiner, Swarovski, Tilley, Vanguard, Velbon, Viking, Visionary, Vortex, Walkstool & Zeiss together with an extensive range of books & DVDs.

Through completely new eyes: ATX / STX / BTX

______4a Kiing Charlles Pllace,, Stt John''s,, Worcestter WR2 5AJ Openiing Hours:: 9am - 5pm Tuesday tto Satturday

Tel: 01905 312877 | Email: [email protected] | Web: www.birders-store.co.uk THE BIRDERS STORE in-store | online | telephone