Whinchat Winter 2017 Winchester and District Local Group Newsletter

Welcome to the Winter edition of Whinchat:

In this issue:

● Group Leader Message / SE Regional round up

● Outdoor Field Trips

● Safaris

● Field trips overview / Your pictures

● Evening meetings

● Spain, Andalucia bird report

● Dates for your diary ImageImage -- RSPBRSPB resourcesresources -- Whinchatwhinchat

GROUP LEADERS MESSAGE We have nine new members this year! Welcome to the group and I hope you enjoy our programme of Most of you will remember Maurice who was our talks and walks. Do let me know if you have any leader for twelve years until he persuaded me to ideas to add to the group’s activities. take over when he was 83. He continued to attend We had stalls at the Bishop’s Waltham Countryside meetings until recently. Sadly he died in July at the Fayre in July and the Littleton Show in September. age of 91. I miss his cheerful smile and the twinkle We will be at the Chandlers Ford Charity Christmas in his eyes. Market in November and the Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market on 1 December. Thank you to all our volunteers, who make it possible for us to run the group. Finally I’d like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year and I look forward to our first meeting next year in February. (Don’t forget Big Garden Birdwatch on 27, 28 and 29 January!) Pam Symes

SE REGIONAL ROUND-UP FOR LOCAL GROUPS

Charles ‘Maurice’ Walker The winter edition of Nature's Home magazine 9 September 1925 to 12 July 2017 starts dropping through letterboxes this month ~1~ launching opt-in with our members. It is the start SAFARIS of one of the most important direct communication we will deliver to RSPB members Sunday 4 June 2017 and supporters. If they have not opted in by May, Martin Down and given their express permission for us to We had great views of turtle dove at Martin Down contact them, we will not be able to keep in touch with yellowhammer, corn bunting, linnet & cuckoo directly (except around their membership). being some of the highlights adding to the list of The new rules are designed to give people more nearly 30 species. control over their relationship with charities and Sue Fox business. This must be right and we want to do whatever we can to keep our supporters Wednesday 12 July 2017 connected to us so that together we can continue to do amazing things for nature – from hearing Leader Barbara Hillier. about local groups, taking part in our campaigns, There was only 5 of us on this walk around doing practical conservation work, raising money Titchfield Haven, we all had a great day with or even taking part in Big Garden Birdwatch. We highlights being green sandpiper, young avocet and have only until May 2018 to get our existing a number of swifts. Chris Hill members and supporters to make their opt-in choices, after which new regulations come into force. We have set up a webpage – rspb.org.uk/yes – to make it easy for people to tell us how they want to keep in touch on their terms. Alternatively anyone can call us on 0300 777 2610 (calls charged at standard rate, Mon-Fri, 9 am-8 pm).

OUTDOOR FIELD TRIPS

Wednesday 28 June 2017 Totton. Leader Barbara Hillier. Image - Green sandpiper - Chris Gomersall - rspb-images.com It looked like it was going to be a very wet day but stopped in time. We had lapwing attacking a heron Sunday 6 August 2017 which we think was due to having young nearby. Pagham Harbour Chichester. The August safari to Pagham Harbour & Church Barbara Hillier Norton was a beautiful day & we had very good Thursday 7 September 2017 views of lesser whitethroat & a flock of 20 -30 spotted redshank, some still in partial summer Leaders: Barbara Hillier, Sue Fox & Steve James. plumage, amongst about 50 other species. This was a walk to encourage new members who Sue Fox would like to know more about birdwatching. We had 11 people on this walk and the weather held Wednesday 13 September good. Highlights were sparrowhawk, great spotted Otmoor RSPB reserve woodpecker. Several greylag geese came in by the The trip to Otmoor was another good raptor day lakes as we walked round, and a lone roe deer with hobby, marsh harrier, sparrowhawk & red kite stopped to have a look at us before disappearing being highlights of the nearly 50 species seen. into the under growth. 30 species total for the morning. Sue Fox Steve James Wednesday 20 September 2017 Sunday 1 October Slimbridge Leader Derek Lister. We finally decided to brave the weather forecast & This was a great day, with highlights being yellow head for Slimbridge in October. What a good choice wagtail,bearded tit and with 14 species of wader with only a very light shower. Over 50 species including ,little stint, greenshank, knot and grey including crane & red-breasted goose, ruff, plover in summer plumage. Total of 53 species for wheatear & we were greeted on arrival by grey & the day. pied wagtail on the roof. A very good day. Barbara Hillier Sue fox

~2~ The tables below show an overview of the location and species seen on our outdoor trips and safari’s

Outdoor field trips

Date Location Leader Highlights No Species white throat, yellow 21/07/2017 Old Winchester Hill Barbara Hillier 25+ hammer sand martin,great 28/07/2017 Testwood Lakes Barbara Hillier 30+ crested grebe Lakeside Country 07/09/2017 Barbara Hillier Sparrowhawk 30 Park

20/09/02017 Farlington Marshes Derek Lister bearded tit, little stint 50+

Safaris

Date Location Leader Highlights No Species turtle dove,corn 04/06/2017 Martin Down Sue Fox 30 bunting 12/07/2017 Titchfield Haven Barbara Hillier green sandpiper 30+

06/08/2017 Pagham Harbour Sue Fox lesser white throat 50

13/09/2017 RSPB Otmoor Sue Fox hobby , red kite 50

01/10/2017 Slimbridge Sue Fox crane, ruff 50+

Barn owl at and a heron seen at Testwood lakes.

Photograph by Dianne Watkins

Image - barn owl - Dianne Watkins Image - heron - Testwood Lakes - Dianne Watkins

Young tawny owl at Kingsworthy

Photograph by Dave Hill

Image - young tawny owl- Dave Hill

~3~ Evening Meetings Brooks Falls is a waterfall located within Katmai National Park and Reserve in Alaska. The bears all Wednesday 5 July 2017 have their own feeding area here where they like to RSPB evening: stand and catch the salmon. Nature must be approached slowly to win their trust, Presented by - RSPB Members after all these are wild animals. After a short AGM we moved onto birdwatching at Deer can be spooked so easily if you move too various locations with Pam & Barbara from 2014 – quickly, the chance to photograph them can be 2017 starting with, Titchwell reserve Norfolk with gone in an instant. some blacktailed godwit and then going on a boat We were shown photographs of Snowy owls, red trip from Morston Quay out to Blakeny Point with squirrel, mountain hair in winter coat and crested tit great views of sandwich and little terns, common in Scotland, several birds of prey such as buzzard seals and red breasted mergansers. and kestrel. Minsmere Reserve in May 2015 with much gorse The evening was finish with some of the owls which and bracken seen across the reserve, Walberswick Pete works with when doing photo shoots. and Hanningfield Reservoir with views of muntjac We all had close up views of a little owl, tawny owl deer,greylag geese. and barn owl, great to see and so relaxed, you can Rye & Dungeness in October 2015 with great white understand why we like to photograph wildlife. egrets, cormorants and tufted duck. Steve James The next trip took us to the in May 2016 somewhat closer to home with good views of oyster catchers, mediterranean gull and redshank. Wednesday 4 October 2017 Back to Norfolk in October 2016 calling in at Welney Barton Meadows Nature Reserve on the way where we had views of ruff and pochard. A presentation by Susan Simmonds from Onto Cley and Snettisham where we had excellent HIWWT views of marsh harrier and kestrel having a tussle in The new Barton Meadows nature reserve, which is flight. At Snettisham it is best to get there for high close to Winchester and the plans they have for this tide when all the wadding birds are pushed into the new nature reserve which is being created for the shore with hundreds of knots and oystercatchers displacement of wildlife due to the development at running back and forth away from the high tide Barton Farm. coming in. With some 2,000 dwellings being constructed May 2017 we visited Somerset levels calling at alongside this new reserve it will be a challenge for Greylake, Steart Marshes and Ham Wall with reed the wildlife trust. With some 33 hectares of buntings and glossy ibis and several hobby's. agriculture land that will be seeded with wild flowers The monarch butterfly migration .These butterflies to provide foraging and nesting material for birds like to migrate to Mexico because of the warmer such as skylark and grey partridge. Improve climate as they cannot withstand cold winters but commuting habitat for bats and setup shelter wood also like to return to the same oyamel fir trees piles for reptiles and will also hope to encourage where they can be seen in their hundreds. The pollinating species such as butterflies and bees. monarch butterfly only eats milkweed and this can The creation of the wildflower meadow being along be poisonous and some of the threats to these term project that in time British white cattle will be butterflies can be loss of forest and forest fires. brought in for grazing. We ended the evening with photos of birds and their An educational centre will also be built to bird song such as yellow hammer, red kite, jackdaw encourage children from nearby schools to learn and tree creeper to name a view. about the reserve and the wildlife in their area. Steve James Nature needs space, and by creating this new Wednesday 6 September 2017 reserve this will encourage the wildlife in time to Wildlife and Photography – Home and Away settle into this new home. A presentation by local naturalist, Steve James Peter Whieldon This month the talk was about wildlife photography and how to achieve great photographs of animals The Birds of my Garden – Part 1 and birds. On 25 March a red kite flew over my garden. It The photographs of bears, leopards, wolves, and started me thinking about the different birds seen in sea otters from Minnesota to Alaska, all looked the garden over the years. This is, in no way, a great, but remember that these animals can be scientific study; simply my reflections based on my dangerous. You need to understand nature and memories and the diaries which I have kept. what you are trying to achieve with the camera, I have lived in the same house in Chandler’s Ford getting the correct background and lighting will give all my life, and when I was a child in the 1940's and you the best photographs. 1950's only the front garden had grass and flower ~4~ beds. The large back garden was entirely given than great-spotted, and most winters a lesser- over to fruit and vegetables, like a very large spotted woodpecker would put in an appearance on allotment. At the side of the house we grew rhubarb the oak trees. in one plot and potatoes in another. We also kept The 1960's brought the beginning of many changes chickens for a few years during and just after the in the garden and the surrounding area, so this is to Second World War. The only food which was put be Continued … out for the birds was kitchen scraps and leftovers, Barbara Hillier breadcrumbs and a “bird cake”, which my mother made with fat, currants and a few other “goodies”. Spain - Bird Report At the end of the garden is a brook, and on the Andalucia 29 September -13 October 2017 other side (until it was drained and built on in the Hotel Location: TUI :Riu Chiclana Sancti Petri 1960's) was a wet meadow surrounded by scrub, small trees and hedgerows. Our garden was also This our fourth visit to the area ,but the first for surrounded by hedges. Opposite the house were Autumn, the weather was exceptionally warm and trees and farmer’s fields. Across the whole of the dry, daily temperatures averaged 32c,some days up Chandler’s Ford area there was a lot of woodland, to 38c! However the Levante wind blew strongly farmland, wet meadow land and some heathland. most days, this being a major factor finding Much of this has now disappeared under housing passerines. Used a hired car for one week development, although some woodland and wet achieving 600 miles to visit the below sites. meadows remain. During the 1940's and 1950's the most common Hotel: birds in the garden were robin, blackbird, song Birds around hotel house sparrow (numerous), thrush, chaffinch, wren, house sparrow, starling and spotless starling ,(numerous), sardinan warbler dunnock (which we called hedge sparrow). One (numerous). Autumn passage of lesser kestrel in year, one of the regular Chandler’s Ford cuckoos ones and twos,noted also flying over were 5 bald obviously used a dunnock’s nest in one of our ibis. Towards the end of the Second week there hedges, as a young cuckoo (many times bigger was a steady passage of red rumped swallows, and than it’s “parent”) was being fed by a pair of crag martins moving east. Three tawny pipit briefly dunnocks while sitting on one of the posts south was a welcome extra . Occasional raptors like supporting our clothes line. Spotted flycatchers red kite and buzzard passed over the hotel heading nested in the gardens at this time and used these south. posts for fly catching. In summer we had up to six house martins’ nests on the side of the house, and Local Golf Course: swallows and swifts were a common sight over the The highlight being a close up view of bald ibis garden. Snipe nested on the wet meadow and were along with the ever present cattle egrets ,on a regularly seen “drumming” over the garden in green,on the lake a male ferruginous duck spring and early summer. Lapwing and redshank Coastal scrub and watch Point : Between the hotel were also wet meadow nesters, and the scrub and and the extensive beach was a wide area of scrub hedgerows produced lesser whitethroat, common and natural vegetation a selection of passerines whitethroat, blackcap and garden warbler. included pied flycatcher (max 4), Chiffchaffs and willow warblers were sometimes willow warbler,resident fan tailed warbler,white heard but although Chandler’s Ford was famous for wagtail,serin,wheatear, black eared wheatear, its nightingales, I don’t remember ever hearing one whinchat, cirl bunting. from the garden. We did, however, have a turtle dove sitting in our lilac tree one day. They were Torre de Puerto : common summer visitors around the farms and Located about 800 metres east of the hotel close to woods. the beach,this view point provided excellent sea There were usually a few blue tits and great tits watching opportunities, daily passage included around the garden, but were mainly thought to be gannets ,one and twos of cory shearwater, large birds of the woodland, as were other members of counts of sandwich terns ,gulls including two little the tit family. Of the finches, only chaffinches, gulls with 2 caspian terns. greenfinches and bullfinches were seen in the gardens, the latter visiting the numerous fruit trees La Janda(off N340 ) in spring. Corvids and wood pigeons were much Access of the main road,this great area was less common than now, as gamekeepers and effected by a dominate Levente wind,however a farmers controlled their numbers. Apart from the large water patch provided many waders including occasional sparrowhawk there were no birds of green sandpiper, snipe, ruff,greenshank etc,Over prey, but we did have tawny owls. In winter there 120 glossy ibis ,and black stork , in the fields 250+ was flocks of redwings, fieldfare's and a few mistle white stork were huddled together. Hunting raptors thrushes. Green woodpeckers were more common

~5~ included many marsh harriers, montegues and hen harrier.

La Janda: (Benelup end) south Close to the village. Large numbers of hirundines including many red rumped swallows ,7 species of bird of prey in the air at one time including black shoulder kite and long legged buzzard.

Bonanza Saltpans: Very disappointing due to disturbance,ringed,little ringed and kentish plovers ever present ,red kite and black kite, overhead 42 spoonbill flying Image - griffin vulture- Derek Lister south,on the river were a few slenderbill gulls. Summary Laguna Tarelo was equally disappointing however Although not a dedicated birding holiday, we the presence of 5 marbled teal made up for the lack achieved 127 species (list available with sites if of herons. needed), we missed most of the migration, but caught some of the stragglers. Salinas de Tapa: Derek and Lynne Lister Very easy access via the green bridge E5,Excellent Walk Leaders area for a short visit, a multitude of waders,large New walk leaders required, if you think that you flocks of black tailed godwit 100 CA, whiskered and would be interested and could spare some time to little tern were active. Small passerine were also lead a local group bird walk then please contact present,with woodchat shrike close to the railway Roger Clark on: line. Also at least one osprey were present on visits. Tel: 01962 862977 San Fernando Tres Amigos Salt Pans Very quiet Email: [email protected] apart from a flock of 80 black winged stilt, 50+ avocet,and 40 audouins gull. Dates for your diary 2018 RSPB walk: Wednesday 10 January 2018 Barbate:El Canillo/Las Albinas: Winter Geese with Derek Lister Impressive area of pools and islands held 60 ca Farlington Marshes 10 am to 1.30 pm audouins gulls, spoonbill,and waders including sanderling,greenshank,spotted redshank and little Next indoor meeting will be on Wednesday stint,osprey and black kite were also present, 7 February 2018 however the highlight here was good views of stone Family Quest -in search of all the world's bird curlew. families. A presentation by:John Eyres Bolonia Sierra de la Plata: Resident here were blue rock thrush, griffon vulture, RSPB walk: Thursday 8 February 2018 migrating black kite were moving south. Two Introduction to Birdwatching walk 2. peregrines were also present. At the beach 2 Titchfield Haven 9.30 am to 1.30 pm Spanish sparrows were present alongside short Barbara Hillier, Sue Fox & Steve James toed lark. See web site for more details www.rspb.org.uk/groups/winchester Puerto de Bolonia Raptor Watchpoint: Editor: Steve James Email:[email protected] On an unusually hot day for October (37c) this watchpoint was highlight of the holiday,as the Next edition due July 2018 ground heated up and the Levante wind dropped the migrant raptors appeared. Short toed eagles (9) bonelli’ eagle , honey buzzard (15) lesser kestrel (3) booted eagle (5) egyptian vulture , black kite (20) and griffon vulture 140,including flocks over 40. All these in the space of one hour!

The RSPB is the country's largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home. Together with our partners,we protect threatened birds and wildlife so our towns,coast and countryside will teem with life once again. We also play a leading role in a worldwide partnership of nature conservation organisations. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654 rspb.org.uk ~6~