DOCSLIB.ORG

Wader Quest the Newsletter Total Raised By

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Wader Quest the Newsletter Total Raised By Volume 5 Issue 1 SUPPORTING April 2018 SHOREBIRD Wader Quest the newsletter CONSERVATION Forthcoming talks: All ‘Wader Curlews and the Dartmoor Upland Wader Summit Quest’ unless otherwise stated. — Rick Simpson 19/04/2018 Nuneaton and District ‘Wader conservation is Birdwatchers’ Club about so much more than a cute bird with a funny little bill in the 25/04/2018 St Lawrence Wlidlife and Photography Club (New Moon far flung corners of Asia’. on the Wane — The Curse of the I wrote these words in Curlews) 2013 as our travels, in search of waders, revealed the extent to 08/05/2018 Lichfiled RSPB local which waders are being pushed group to the margins in every habitat 06/06/2018 Northamptonshire Bird that they frequent. I was Club (Plover Lover’s World of referring then, above all, to the Delights) decline in the British population of Northern Lapwings Vanellus 11/09/2018 Friends of Welney vanellus. Those words however have once again taken on a great Wader Quest meets HRH Prince Charles at the Upland Wader Summit 20/09/2018 Mid Nene RSPB local significance as we look at the group — © Charles Sainsbury-Plaice crisis that is engulfing the very 05/10/2018 Leigh Ornithological familiar, and much loved, available on the 21st of April, its converse for a short time as he Society Eurasian Curlew Numenius launch aimed to coincide with moved among the delegates. arquata. another of Mary’s projects The conclusions from 18/10/2018 Bristol Ornithological On pages 6 and 7 you World Curlew Day. the event were fairly Club can read about the Welsh Recently we were predictable; survival rates of Curlew Conference which we invited to another Curlew adults are holding up, but that of 06/11/2018 East Lancashire were sadly unable to attend. It convention, this time hosted by chicks is far too low resulting in a Ornithologists’ Club (Confessions of was organised by Friend of the Duchy of Cornwall and declining, ageing and geriatric s Bird Guide) Wader Quest Mary Colwell, who entitled the Dartmoor Upland population. The reasons for this 07/11/2018 Trent and Lower has done more than any other Wader Summit. Although the are primarily a lack of suitable Derwent Derbyshire Wildlife Trust individual to promote the cause title suggests a more general habitat and high predation rates. local group of the Curlew, theme the main topic was the We were treated to a Mary has also written a decline of the Curlew and what number of excellent talks kicked For a more complete listing with book Curlew Moon which can be done to save them from a off by Friend of Wader Quest times and venue details visit our concerns the Curlew, its fate worse than death; Tom Orde-Powlett who talked Talks page on the website. problems and her five hundred extinction. about the wintering Curlews to If we are giving a talk near you mile walk across Ireland, Wales The summit was be found in Wensleydale come and see us. and England, to raise awareness attended by His Royal Highness between September and about them. You’ll find a review The Prince of Wales with whom February. He pointed out that on page 23. This book will be we had the opportunity to silage, generally thought of as a menace as far as breeding waders are concerned, can Inside this issue: actually be advantageous in the Upland Wader Summit 1-2 winter, particularly if treated Wader Quest News 3 with slurry, providing vital Featured Photo; Eurasian Curlew 4 feeding areas in lowland habitat. World Curlew Day 5 This was followed by Welsh Curlew Conference 6-7 Amanda Perkins of the Proud to be Bird Aware; success in The Stiperstones Curlew project Solent 8-9 Curlew Country in Shropshire. Waders in Navarra 10-11 Part of her presentation was World Green Birding record attempt 12-13 about predation and the Sending US an SOS 14-17 difficulty of acquiring funding for Wader Ringing in Portugal 18-19 that contentious aspect of the More colour ringed waders 20-21 project. The most remarkable Research on Bar-tailed Godwits 21-22 image of the presentation was Book Review; Curlew Moon 23 Eurasian Curlew — Elis Simpson however of a sheep eating a Cairns Esplanade 24-25 Featured Artist 26 Wader Quest Anniversary Raffle 27 Wader Quest Privacy Policy 28 Wader photo gallery 29 Total raised by Wader Quest to date: £21,389.42 Contact details and sponsors 30 © Wader Quest 2018. All rights reserved. Page 2 Wader Quest the newsletter Curlews and the Dartmoor Upland Wader Summit — cont’d clutch of Curlew’s eggs, not what you’d typically think of in terms of nest robbers. She also recounted the tale of an accidental hand rearing of some chicks that hatched before suitable foster parents could be found under which the eggs could be placed. All these headstarted chicks fledged and were successfully released. Dr David Douglas of the RSPB reiterated the statistics surrounding the Curlew’s decline and summed them up by saying a pair needs to fledge a chick every two years for numbers to remain stable. With regard to predators he pointed out that the UK had the highest density of Carrion Crows Corvus corone in Europe and the second highest when it came to foxes. When considering why there are so Carrion Crow — Elis Simpson many and how they survive he suggested that looking at the impact that releasing some is that it is expensive, treats the symptoms admiration for the bird and mentioned that thirty-five million pheasants each year into and not the cause and there is a risk that when he visits Scotland it is the call of the the environment may have on providing released birds may introduce disease into an Curlew, sound he finds haunting and magical, sustenance for this excessive population of already small population in the wild. which lifts his spirits. top predators. Dr Andrew Hoodless, of the GCWT He suggested that since the then told us about predator control and that message about the mess plastics are creating this alone was not the silver bullet, declines in our seas was raised by a film, lamenting over the long term were caused by drainage, that people don’t want to learn by reading sward improvement, earlier mowing, any more, perhaps a series of films about the converting grass to arable, change in livestock decline of waders would be useful. Mary density and forestry plantation in addition to Colwell, in her capacity as a television predation. This combination of habitat loss producer, said that the subject was not ‘sexy’ and high predation meant reduced breeding enough to attract funding. To this the Prince success. replied ‘Well I think Curlews are sexy, hellish We then heard about the Dartmoor sexy!’ Wader Project, where five upland wader species were discussed by Jon Avon. European Golden Plovers, Pluvialis apricaria, ceased to breed on Dartmoor in 2008, Dunlins, Calidris alpina, on the other hand have increased to about fifteen to twenty pairs. Northern Lapwings have declined along with the Curlews with only one breeding site with five breeding females. Curlews are, as we have seen, doing badly, there is just one pair now breeding on Dartmoor although there are four territory holding males. The last successful fledging was in 2016. Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago are at least stable and may be His Royal Highness Prince Charles slightly increasing. Andrew Sells, the Chairman of Next to speak was Geoff Hilton of Natural England, spoke about his desire that the WWT who gave us the inside story on the organisation could do more to help and headstarting, when it works and when it does Kevin Cox the Chairman of the RSPB outlined not. He summed up the technique as being what they have already done and where the Eurasian Curlew — Elis Simpson very effective and cited the example of the organisation saw the problems, which was British Black-tailed Godwits in the joint RSPB/ pretty much in line with everyone else in the Continuing the theme of the WWT Project Godwit. Thirty-eight wild Black- room. trashing of the world by humanity he pointed tailed Godwits Limosa limosa fledged just Following input from the floor out that the plastics were not our only sin, twenty-five young while just eight clutches Prince Charles gave a summary of his and that a combination of the destructive removed for headstarting realised twenty- thoughts and opinions concerning the Curlew activities we are carrying out is disastrous. His five fledglings. The down side of this method and its demise. He also expressed his summary was warmly received. © Wader Quest 2018. All rights reserved. Volume 5 Issue 1 Page 3 Wader Quest News In other news; January was quiet with just a couple of talks, one in East Surrey and other in Bucks, both RSPB local groups, plus the first Trustee meeting of the year. February was a little livelier starting with an interesting event held by the The Parks Trust for its Junior Rangers at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve in Newport Pagnell. We were invited along to talk to the youngsters about the different bill shapes that waders posses and how this demonstrates the kind of feeding technique the bird uses. After a couple more talks at the Wokingham and Bracknell RSPB local group and the Marylebone Bird Club we held our, Rick Simpson discussing the various types of waders and their feeding mechanisms to Parks Trust Junior now annual, Quiz Night in Simpson Village Rangers using old-fashioned, low-tech, chalk illustrations on a blackboard — Elis Simpson Hall in Milton Keynes.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Download Bird Checklist(PDF)
    Checklist - Seabird migration, Finnmark, Varanger - May Finnmark, Varanger Velvet Scoter Hen Harrier Common Goldeneye Common Crane and Pasvik, May Smew Eurasian Oystercatcher The number of species will increase in the last part of May, while the seabird Red-breasted Merganser Common Ringed Plover migration peaks in the middle. Goosander Eurasian Golden Plover Whooper Swan Rock Ptarmigan Eurasian Dotterel Greylag Goose Willow Grouse Northern Lapwing Taiga Bean Goose Black Grouse Turnstone Tundra Bean Goose Capercaillie Red Knot Greater White-fronted Goose Red- throated Diver Dunlin Barnacle Goose Black-throated Diver Broad-billed Sandpiper Brent White-billed Diver Curlew Sandpiper Common Shelduck Great northern Diver Little Stint Eurasian Teal Northern Fulmar Temminck`s stint Eurasian Wigeon Gannet Purple Sandpiper Mallard European Shag Sanderling Northern Shoveler Great Cormorant Ruff Tufted Duck White-tailed Eagle Common Sandpiper Greater Scaup Golden Eagle Wood Sandpiper Common Eider Rough-legged Buzzard Redshank King Eider European Kestrel Spotted-Redshank Steller`s Eider Merlin Greenshank Long-tailed Duck Peregrine Falcon Red-necked Phalarope Common Scoter Gyr Falcon Common Snipe E-MAIL PHONE WEB [email protected] +47 976 87 472 www.birdwatchingnorway.net 2 Jack Snipe Wood Pigeon Bluethroat Eurasian Woodcock “Feral Dove” Common Redstart Eurasian Whimbrel Common Cuckoo Whinchat Curlew Northern Hawk Owl Northern Wheatear Bar-tailed Godwit Short-eared Owl Ring Ouzl Arctic Skua Great Spotted Woodpecker Mistle Thrush Long-tailed
    [Show full text]
  • OSNZ News Edited by PAUL SAGAR, 21362 Hereford Street, Christchurch, for the Members of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand (Inc.)
    Supplement to Notornis, Vol. 25, Part 3, September 1978 OSNZ news Edited by PAUL SAGAR, 21362 Hereford Street, Christchurch, for the members of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand (Inc.). No. 8 September 1978 NOTE: Next deadline is earlier to try to beat the Christmas and January shut- Deadline for the December issue will be down of printers and have NOTORNIS 20 November. and OSNZ NEWS out early in 1979. DACHICKS Rough estimates: northland 150-200; The 1978 inquiry into the NZ Dabchick has gone remarkably well, with North Island Volcanic Plateau 600-800; South Taranakii members putting in a lot of time, often with meagre results, in order to help form an overall Wanganui 30; ManawatulWairarapa 300; picture of the status and habits of this species. GisborneiHawkes Bay 50. Total 1 150-1400. We began with a series of questions, to which we now have much better answers. If We thus already have a fairly good base members can stand it, we need another year's effort to confirm and clarify these answers. line agalnst which to measure any major changes in the future. Another year's f~eld 1. Is the NZ Dabchick extinct in the South Island? Answer, apparently yes. Was it ever work should cons~derably Improve the strong there? Possibly not (see Oliver). accuracy of our knowledge. 2. Does the North Island population reach a total of 1000? Answer, yes. Est~matedtotal Regional activity (very rough, see below) 1 1 50-1400 birds. We have no up-tb-date report from Far 3. Are Australian grebelets taking over? Answer, in North Island, not yet.
    [Show full text]
  • Birds of Chile a Photo Guide
    © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be 88 distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical 89 means without prior written permission of the publisher. WALKING WATERBIRDS unmistakable, elegant wader; no similar species in Chile SHOREBIRDS For ID purposes there are 3 basic types of shorebirds: 6 ‘unmistakable’ species (avocet, stilt, oystercatchers, sheathbill; pp. 89–91); 13 plovers (mainly visual feeders with stop- start feeding actions; pp. 92–98); and 22 sandpipers (mainly tactile feeders, probing and pick- ing as they walk along; pp. 99–109). Most favor open habitats, typically near water. Different species readily associate together, which can help with ID—compare size, shape, and behavior of an unfamiliar species with other species you know (see below); voice can also be useful. 2 1 5 3 3 3 4 4 7 6 6 Andean Avocet Recurvirostra andina 45–48cm N Andes. Fairly common s. to Atacama (3700–4600m); rarely wanders to coast. Shallow saline lakes, At first glance, these shorebirds might seem impossible to ID, but it helps when different species as- adjacent bogs. Feeds by wading, sweeping its bill side to side in shallow water. Calls: ringing, slightly sociate together. The unmistakable White-backed Stilt left of center (1) is one reference point, and nasal wiek wiek…, and wehk. Ages/sexes similar, but female bill more strongly recurved. the large brown sandpiper with a decurved bill at far left is a Hudsonian Whimbrel (2), another reference for size. Thus, the 4 stocky, short-billed, standing shorebirds = Black-bellied Plovers (3).
    [Show full text]
  • A Black Kite Milvus Migrans on the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, Brazil
    Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 23(1), 31-35 March 2015 A Black Kite Milvus migrans on the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, Brazil Guilherme T. Nunes1,2,6, Lilian S. Hoffmann3, Bruno C. L. Macena4,5, Glayson A. Bencke3 and Leandro Bugoni1 1 Laboratório de Aves Aquáticas e Tartarugas Marinhas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG, CP 474, CEP 96203-900, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. 2 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande – FURG, CP 474, CEP 96203-900, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. 3 Museu de Ciências Naturais, Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90690-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. 4 Laboratório de Oceanografia Pesqueira, Departamento de Pesca e Aquicultura, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco – UFRPE, CEP 52171- 900, Recife, PE, Brazil. 5 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia, Centro de Tecnologia e Geociências, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco – UFPE, CEP 50740-550, Recife, PE, Brazil. 6 Corresponding author: [email protected] Received on 17 November 2014. Accepted on 16 March 2015. ABSTRACT: The lB ack Kite Milvus migrans is a widespread migratory raptor found over much of the Old World. Vagrants have been widely recorded far from its main migratory routes. Here, we report the occurrence of a Black Kite in the Brazilian Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago (SPSPA) in April/May 2014. The bird remained for 32 days in the SPSPA, disappearing at the end of the rainy season. It looked healthy for most of this period and was once seen preying on a seabird chick.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecological Landscape Analysis of Clare Ecodistrict 730 40
    Ecological Landscape Analysis of Clare Ecodistrict 730 40 © Crown Copyright, Province of Nova Scotia, 2014. Ecological Landscape Analysis, Ecodistrict 730: Clare Prepared by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Authors: Western Region DNR staff ISBN 978-1-55457-598-5 This report, one of 38 for the province, provides descriptions, maps, analysis, photos and resources of the Clare Ecodistrict that can help landowners and planners understand important characteristics of the landscape. The report details the main elements in the ecodistrict and, of particular interest to woodland owners, vegetation types within forest stands. Ecological Landscape Analysis (ELA) is a first step in developing an ecosystem approach to managing resource values at a landscape level. It supports planning by landowners wanting to understand how their land fits into the landscape ecosystem. Additional direction will be provided by a landscape planning guide, and internet-based inventory update system, both of which are currently under development. The ELAs were analyzed and written from 2005 – 2009. They provide baseline information for this period in a standardized framework of ecosystem mapping and data summary designed to support future data updates, forecasts and trends. This document includes Part 1 – Learning about what makes this ecodistrict distinctive – and Part 2 – How woodland owners can apply landscape concepts to their woodland. Part 3 – Greater detail for forest planners and analysts – will be available on request by contacting DNR officials
    [Show full text]
  • Nocturnal Roost on South Carolina Coast Supports Nearly Half of Atlantic Coast Population of Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius Hudsonicus During Northward Migration
    research paper Wader Study 128(2): xxx–xxx. doi:10.18194/ws.00228 Nocturnal roost on South Carolina coast supports nearly half of Atlantic coast population of Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus during northward migration Felicia J. Sanders1, Maina C. Handmaker2, Andrew S. Johnson3 & Nathan R. Senner2 1South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, 220 Santee Gun Club Road, McClellanville, SC 29458, USA. [email protected] 2Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, 715 Sumter Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA 3Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA Sanders, F.J., M.C. Handmaker, A.S. Johnson & N.R. Senner. Nocturnal roost on South Carolina coast supports nearly half of Atlantic coast population of Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus during northward migration. Wader Study 128(2): xxx–xxx. Hudsonian Whimbrel Numenius hudsonicus are rapidly declining and understanding Keywords their use of migratory staging sites is a top research priority. Nocturnal roosts are site fidelity an essential, yet often overlooked component of staging sites due to their apparent rarity, inaccessibility, and inconspicuousness. The coast of Georgia and stopover South Carolina is one of two known important staging areas for Atlantic coast staging area Whimbrel during spring migration. Within this critical staging area, we discovered the largest known Whimbrel nocturnal roost in the Western Hemisphere at population estimate Deveaux Bank, South Carolina. Surveys in 2019 and 2020 during peak spring management migration revealed that Deveaux Bank supports at least 19,485 roosting Whimbrel, conservation which represents approximately 49% of the estimated eastern population of Whimbrel and 24% of the entire North American population.
    [Show full text]
  • In the Cape Verde Islands
    ZOOLOGIA CABOVERDIANA REVISTA DA SOCIEDADE CABOVERDIANA DE ZOOLOGIA VOLUME 5 | NÚMERO 1 Abril de 2014 ZOOLOGIA CABOVERDIANA REVISTA DA SOCIEDADE CABOVERDIANA DE ZOOLOGIA Zoologia Caboverdiana is a peer-reviewed open-access journal that publishes original research articles as well as review articles and short notes in all areas of zoology and paleontology of the Cape Verde Islands. Articles may be written in English (with Portuguese summary) or Portuguese (with English summary). Zoologia Caboverdiana is published biannually, with issues in spring and autumn. For further information, contact the Editor. Instructions for authors can be downloaded at www.scvz.org Zoologia Caboverdiana é uma revista científica com arbitragem científica (peer-review) e de acesso livre. Nela são publicados artigos de investigação original, artigos de síntese e notas breves sobre zoologia e paleontologia das Ilhas de Cabo Verde. Os artigos podem ser submetidos em inglês (com um resumo em português) ou em português (com um resumo em inglês). Zoologia Caboverdiana tem periodicidade bianual, com edições na primavera e no outono. Para mais informações, deve contactar o Editor. Normas para os autores podem ser obtidas em www.scvz.org Chief Editor | Editor principal Dr Cornelis J. Hazevoet (Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, Portugal); [email protected] Editorial Board | Conselho editorial Dr Joana Alves (Instituto Nacional de Saúde Pública, Praia, Cape Verde) Prof. Dr G.J. Boekschoten (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands) Dr Eduardo Ferreira (Universidade de Aveiro, Portugal) Rui M. Freitas (Universidade de Cabo Verde, Mindelo, Cape Verde) Dr Javier Juste (Estación Biológica de Doñana, Spain) Evandro Lopes (Universidade de Cabo Verde, Mindelo, Cape Verde) Dr Adolfo Marco (Estación Biológica de Doñana, Spain) Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • Species Included in Categories A, B & C Scientific
    Species included in categories A, B & C Scientific name Race Category 1 Mute Swan Cygnus olor -- A / C1 2 Bewick’s Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii A >> Tundra Swan columbianus -- 3 Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus -- A 4 Bean Goose Anser fabalis fabilis A >> Tundra Bean Goose rossicus -- 5 Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus -- A 6 White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons flavirostris A >> Russian White-fronted Goose albifrons -- 7 Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus -- A 8 Greylag Goose Anser anser anser A / C1 9 Snow Goose Anser caerulescens caerulescens A / D1 >> Greater Snow Goose atlanticus -- 10 Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii A 11 Canada Goose Branta canadensis canadensis A / C1 >> Todd's Canada Goose interior -- 12 Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis -- A / C1 13 Brent Goose Branta bernicla hrota A >> Dark-bellied Brent Goose bernicla -- >> Black Brant nigricans -- 14 Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea -- B / D1 15 Shelduck Tadorna tadorna -- A 16 Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata -- C1 17 Wigeon Anas penelope -- A 18 American Wigeon Anas americana -- A 19 Gadwall Anas strepera -- A 20 Baikal Teal Anas formosa -- A / D1 21 Teal Anas crecca crecca A 22 Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis -- A 23 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos A / C1 24 American Black Duck Anas rubripes -- A 25 Pintail Anas acuta acuta A 26 Garganey Anas querquedula -- A 27 Blue-winged Teal Anas discors -- A 28 Shoveler Anas clypeata -- A 29 Red-crested Pochard Netta rufina -- A 30 Pochard Aythya ferina -- A 31 Redhead Aythya americana -- A 32 Ring-necked
    [Show full text]
  • British Birds |
    VOL. LU JULY No. 7 1959 BRITISH BIRDS WADER MIGRATION IN NORTH AMERICA AND ITS RELATION TO TRANSATLANTIC CROSSINGS By I. C. T. NISBET IT IS NOW generally accepted that the American waders which occur each autumn in western Europe have crossed the Atlantic unaided, in many (if not most) cases without stopping on the way. Yet we are far from being able to answer all the questions which are posed by these remarkable long-distance flights. Why, for example, do some species cross the Atlantic much more frequently than others? Why are a few birds recorded each year, and not many more, or many less? What factors determine the dates on which they cross? Why are most of the occurrences in the autumn? Why, despite the great advantage given to them by the prevail­ ing winds, are American waders only a little more numerous in Europe than European waders in North America? To dismiss the birds as "accidental vagrants", or to relate their occurrence to weather patterns, as have been attempted in the past, may answer some of these questions, but render the others still more acute. One fruitful approach to these problems is to compare the frequency of the various species in Europe with their abundance, migratory behaviour and ecology in North America. If the likelihood of occurrence in Europe should prove to be correlated with some particular type of migration pattern in North America this would offer an important clue as to the causes of trans­ atlantic vagrancy. In this paper some aspects of wader migration in North America will be discussed from this viewpoint.
    [Show full text]
  • England Birds and Gardens 2013 Trip
    Eagle-Eye England Birds and Gardens 2013 Trip May 7th – 18th 2013 Bird List Graylag Goose (Anser anser) Dark-bellied Brent Goose (Branta bernicla bernicla)] Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata) Gadwall (Anas strepera) Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) Green-winged Teal (Eurasian) (Anas crecca crecca/nimia) Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina) Common Pochard (Aythya ferina) Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) Common/Northern Eider (Somateria mollissima mollissima) Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Gray Heron (Ardea cinerea) Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) Western Marsh-Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) Eurasian Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra) Common Crane (Grus grus) Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) Grey/Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) Common Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta)
    [Show full text]
  • HUDSONIAN WHIMBREL at FAIR ISLE by KENNETH WILLIAMSON and VALERIE M
    HUDSONIAN WHIMBREL AT FAIR ISLE BY KENNETH WILLIAMSON and VALERIE M. THOM (Fair Isle Bird Observatory) WHILST bird-watching over an area of close-cropped grassland at the south end of Fair Isle on 27th May 1955 the writers, together with visitors to the Bird Observatory, disturbed a party of half-a- dozen Whimbrels (Numenius phmopus). As they flew off, V.M.T. remarked that one of the birds was without a white rump. During the remainder of the day, and on the 28th, we kept this party under observation, often at very close quarters from the cover of dry-stone dykes, and were able to satisfy ourselves that the odd bird was an example of the American race, the Hudson- ian Whimbrel (Numenius ph. hudsonicus)—called Hudsonian Curlew in the A.O.U. Checklist. The bird was distinctly smaller than its companions (some of the observers estimated from one-third to one-quarter smaller) and of slenderer build and sleeker appearance. The disparity in size was most obvious when the birds were in flight. The head- markings were similar to those of the European Whimbrel but were more pronounced, due to the paler colour of the cheeks and more complete eye-stripe. In flight, the bird offered a distinctive pattern of dark brown primaries contrasting with paler brown, buff-mottled secondaries and coverts, and a warmer brown mantle, rump and tail. The last, in fact, appeared in some lights to have a russet tinge. The bill was similar in length to the Whirnbrel's, blackish in colour, and strongly decurved over the distal half.
    [Show full text]
  • New Caledonia, Fiji & Vanuatu
    Field Guides Tour Report Part I: New Caledonia Sep 5, 2011 to Sep 15, 2011 Phil Gregory The revamped tour was a little later this year and it seemed to make some things a bit easier, note how well we did with the rare Crow Honeyeater, and Kagu was as ever a standout. One first-year bird was rewarded with a nice juicy scorpion that our guide found, and this really is a fabulous bird to see, another down on Harlan's famiy quest, too, as an added bonus to what is a quite unique bird. Cloven-feathered Dove was also truly memorable, and watching one give that strange, constipated hooting call was fantastic and this really is one of the world's best pigeons. Air Calin did their best to make life hard with a somewhat late flight to Lifou, and I have to say the contrast with the Aussie pilots in Vanuatu was remarkable -- these French guys must still be learning as they landed the ATR 42's so hard and had to brake so fiercely! Still, it all worked out and the day trip for the Ouvea Parakeet worked nicely, whilst the 2 endemic white-eyes on Lifou were got really early for once. Nice food, an interesting Kanak culture, with a trip to the amazing Renzo Piano-designed Tjibaou Cultural Center also feasible this The fantastic Kagu, star of the tour! (Photo by guide Phil year, and a relaxed pace make this a fun birding tour with some Gregory) terrific endemic birds as a bonus. My thanks to Karen at the Field Guides office for hard work on the complex logistics for this South Pacific tour, to the very helpful Armstrong at Arc en Ciel, Jean-Marc at Riviere Bleue, and to Harlan and Bart for helping me with my bags when I had a back problem.
    [Show full text]