The Birds of Highbury Park
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The Birds of Highbury Park Paul Anthony Illustrated by Catharine Clarke Text Copyright C Paul Anthony March 2013 Illustration Copyright C Catharine Clarke 2013 Designed by Catharine Clarke 2013 Typeset in Narkism and Corbel Funded by Highbury Park Friends The Birds of Highbury Park Paul Anthony Illustrated by Catharine Clarke Contents Introduction ...... 5 Aquatic Birds ...... 7 Woodland Birds ...... 9 Exotica ...... 11 Thrushes ...... 15 Warblers ...... 16 Tits ...... 18 Corvids ...... 20 Finches ...... 21 Postscript ...... 23 On Reflection:The Future ...... 24 A Shared Habitat ...... 26 Appendix ...... 29 Further Reading ...... 30 Index ...... 31 4 Introduction To the north and east of our city, there is, further than the human eye can reach, nothing but a great wilderness of chimney stacks. But to the west and south we have richly wooded roads, lanes and charming sylvan spots, which would gladden the heart of any lover of nature……the city as an abiding place for beautiful and rare wild birds. F Coburn, ‘The Ornithology of the City of Birmingham,’ (1895) Even on the eve of World War 1, much of species their numbers were already what is now Kings Heath, Highbury and declining. Moor Green was still mainly farmland. It was a landscape of tree lined lanes, The impact of industrialisation, an pasture, heath, hedgerows and orchards. increasing urbanised population and the There is an enduring image of skylarks demands it made on agriculture caused hovering over fields where brown hares major disruption to the natural environment hid in the long grass; whilst butterflies and its wildlife. Habitat loss quickly drifted over wildflower meadows, like petals decimated the more specialised species that swept along by the breeze. The eponymous had been around for centuries. Only those call of the cuckoo, a barn owl’s screech and that were more adaptable were able to the song of the nightingale would be heard survive. It wasn’t just birds that declined. as the evening chorus settled for the night’s The now rare red squirrel, rather than the roost. It is probable that nightingales American grey, would have been familiar on occurred annually up to the early years of the Highbury Estate as recently as the the twentieth century but like a number of 1950’s. Water voles had disappeared by the early 1980’s. 5 In the century and a half that has followed The habitat within Highbury Park is a since the Chamberlain family established mosaic of scrub, mature woodland, marsh, the Highbury Estate, more than eighty stream, ponds and fields. The mixed and species of bird have been recorded; since broadleaved woodland found in Highbury the millennium, sixty six. Some have been Park provides habitat for the common single flyover sightings, such as osprey and bird species that make up the majority of red kite. Others, once scarce, are familiar Britain’s birdlife. In an average year fifty sights. Birds considered common have plus species will visit Highbury Park. Of declined or disappeared entirely, such as these, thirty six have bred or attempted to starlings and house sparrows. breed since 2000. 6 Aquatic Birds The Henbury Pond and the Long Pool A grey heron can be seen most days. It tends to favour the quieter Henbury Pond, where it hunts for amphibians, small bank- side mammals and fish. The presence of grey herons is a good indicator of water quality. Grey herons do not normally migrate. Canada geese are resident. Interestingly, one of the first reported breeding records in Britain was a pair in 1886 at Edgbaston Pool. For several years in the 1980’s, a solitary Egyptian goose and a greylag goose flocked with the resident Canada geese. Although regarded as sedentary, many young birds undergo what is called moult migration. They leave their breeding grounds for northern Scotland in late May and remain until early September. In harsh winters, many domestic flocks attract birds Grey Heron of Scandinavian origin and some British (Ardea cinerea) geese migrate to the French coast. Several pairs of mallard breed on the Long Pool. They flock with hybrid species and the winter population is boosted by wild birds from western and central Europe, which join the semi-domesticated, resident park birds. Like geese, mallards also moult and are flightless for several weeks. Moorhens breed on both the Henbury Pond and the Long Pool, where there is a plentiful supply of plant and animal material. Most years, moorhens raise three broods. Sadly undervalued, they are a delightful bird to watch. 7 The Long Pool, Highbury Park The Henbury Pond The oldest pond in Highbury Park, dating back at least 200 years. Kingfishers breed at several locations along the Rivers Cole and Rea , which is possibly where this bird originates. If you are lucky a kingfisher may also be seen on the Henbury Pond. Juvenile kingfishers rarely disperse more than fifteen kilometres from their natal site. Kingfishers were considered by the Ancient Greeks to signal the start of summer, hence the term halcyon days. Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) 8 Gulls Three species of gull can be seen daily have found city centre high rise office blocks foraging for invertebrates. These are the to their liking, as they replicate the vertical black headed gull , the lesser black backed cliff faces of their coastal breeding habitat. gull and the herring gull . The (misnamed, they actually have chocolate coloured Another bird associated with the sea but hoods) black headed gulls are the smallest which has established itself as a breeding of the gulls and are mainly a winter or non species at local inland reservoirs and flooded breeding visitor. Herring gulls and lesser gravel pits is the common tern . Terns are a black backed gulls are of similar size but Summer migrant that winter off the coast of herring gulls are lighter and have pink legs. southern Africa. Five flew over the park, Lesser black backed gulls have a charcoal Spring 2012. Non breeding birds summer at mantle (back) and yellow legs. Both species Earlswood Lakes and Bittel Reservoir. Woodland Birds Several raptor species are present. These include falcons, buzzards ( buteo ) and hawks ( accipiters ). Historically, all were Birds of Prey ruthlessly persecuted and later populations were affected by organochlorines which entered the foodchain. Birds of prey do not affect songbird numbers. Raptors have only one brood a year. They A Red Kite was seen early spring 2012. are extremely vulnerable and less than 20% Red kites are spreading from the original of fledged young survive to adulthood. Chilterns reintroduction site. As they continue to expand their range, hopefully there will be more sightings. In Shakespeare’s time red kites were Sparrowhawks have exploited woodland associated with scavenging in towns for habitat provided by urban parkland for both carrion. This activity meant red kites were nest sites and for feeding. A secretive bird, tolerated, as their presence helped reduce they are rarely seen or heard outside the the spread of diseases caused by waste. breeding season. In flight they have a Nevertheless, they were regarded as an cruciform shape silhouette and a distinctive ignoble bird. There is a reference to flap, flap, glide flight pattern. ‘detested kite’ in King Lear . Nowadays their Sparrowhawks have successfully bred but preferred habitat is sheep pastures and there was no proof of breeding in 2012. broadleaved woodland. 9 Kestrels bred 2010 and 2011 but even this nest site is now under threat. Several nearby church towers once supported breeding kestrels but these are now inaccessible because of pigeon proof wire mesh. Once known as the windhover , which vividly describes their hunting technique, as they wing over rough grassland hunting small mammals. Kestrels also take avian prey. Feather of Hobbies are a sub Saharan Summer Common Buzzard migrant. A single hobby has been seen (Buteo buteo) annually every year since 2010. Prey includes dragonflies and swifts, which still breed close by. Common buzzards have been present at Highbury since 2007. In March 2012 a count of seven was observed displaying, which would suggest birds holding territory. Young have been heard, which indicates possible breeding nearby. There is sufficient varied Peregrine Falcons are only occasionally prey to support an urban population. In seen, despite the park’s proximity to at least flight buzzards hold their wings in a shallow one nest site. A pair was seen displaying in V, which is diagnostic. 2011. Doves Stock doves , wood pigeons and collared seen at Highbury during the Autumn and doves are resident. Winter are migrants. Stock doves can be identified by a green, Collared doves are smaller and have silver metallic flash on the side of the neck; wood grey plumage. They were originally from the pigeons have a white collar. Stock doves Balkans and first bred in England in the often nest in trees holes, usually oak. 1950’s. Up to recently they were common but in the last several years numbers have Wood pigeons are considered to be quite declined substantially. Now they are rarely sedentary but the reality is many of those seen at Highbury. 10 Exotica Ring-necked Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) Originally from India, ring-necked parakeets were first reported at Highbury in 2009. They have bred successfully since, fledging a total of ten chicks. Their nesting period is anytime between January and June, as there is always an abundance of buds, their main food staple. Parakeets usually nest in abandoned woodpecker nest holes. The first known local breeding pair was along the River Cole at Green Road Ford in both 2006 and 2007. The first Kings Heath record was at Brandwood End Cemetery in 1991. The Highbury birds are one of only two known breeding populations in the West Midlands.