Basingstoke Local Group

BBAASSIINNGGSSTTOOKKEE LLOOCCAALL GGRROOUUPP

OCTOBER 2016 NEWSLETTER

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

Contents:

 From The Group Leader

 Naturetrek’s 2017 Brochure

 Notices

 A Significant Birthday!

 What’s Happening?

 October’s Outdoor Meeting

 November’s Outdoor Meeting

 September’s Outdoor Meeting

 Sri Lanka: Polwattha to Kelani Valley

 Local Wildlife News

 Quiz ‘Page’

 And Finally!

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

Welcome to the October 2016 Newsletter and to what, for many, is the busiest and most exciting part of the birding year.

Every change in wind direction seems to drop in further birds at present, many from distant parts of the globe that we’ve yet to visit, others from the near continent, though the latter may not be as obvious to all.

Rarities aside, and there been a phenomenal amount of these since the last Newsletter including at least two 1st’s for Britain, birds of a less spectacular and more familiar nature have been noted reaching Britain in good numbers, these including Robin, Song Thrush and, definitely, Goldcrest. So, be aware that your local birds in the coming months might not be quite as familiar with you and your feeders as you first think!

With regard to the latter, even though the weather’s not been too inclement recently it’s definitely late enough to ensure that your feeders and other sources of sustenance in the garden are both well cleaned and stocked for future days of more Goldcrest Regulus regulus wintry weather. The regular cleaning of the feeders and The resident birds joined by feeding places hopefully helping to ensure that there’s less migrants from Scandinavia, chance of such distressing diseases as Trichomonosis being Poland, Russia etc. during spread. We can but hope! the autumn

As of today there’ve been no Waxwing sightings in Britain this late year period, just other species seemingly commencing irruptive migrations i.e. Siberian Accentor! More of those later, literally it would seem! However, there’s plenty of time yet for these exquisite birds to invade so whilst you’re out-and-about keep an eye on those local Rowan berries and listen out for the almost Teal-like call of the birds as they move overhead and try to locate others of their kind by their insistent calls.

It’s all very wintry talk above, but, as now seems more than usual for mid-October, there’s sunny and relatively warm weather, light south-westerlies drifting white clouds over and, surely, plenty to be found, even locally! So, if you’re not planning on being out there soon, do! It’ll change all too soon so make the most of it while you’re able to do so, even if only on Sunday when the Local Group will be visiting the wildlife-filled New Forest NP.

See you there!

Peter E. Hutchins Naturetrek’s 2017 Brochure

Naturetrek’s 2017 Brochure – Celebrating 31 Years Of Birdwatching, Botanical And Natural History Holidays.

Naturetrek’s new brochure for 2017 is packed with over 40 new wildlife holidays and over 400 tours to worldwide destinations. This Hampshire-based wildlife specialist continue to lead the way in providing exceptional Birdwatching, Botanical and Natural History holidays. Conveniently based just down the road from Basingstoke, in the picturesque village of Chawton, Naturetrek is always delighted to host visitors at the Mingledown Barn office.

Mingledown Barn The new HQ of Naturetrek – where you will always find a warm welcome

If you are in the process of planning your next wildlife holiday, please feel free to visit them for a cup of tea or coffee and a chat. Four of Naturetrek’s regular tour leaders, Andrew Cleave, Jim Andrews, Stewart Woolley and Lee Morgan are all well known to the RSPB Basingstoke Local Group, and although Lee has now moved to Canada and Stewart to Scotland, Andrew and Jim are still Basingstoke-based and great advocates of Naturetrek and in particular of the many tours they lead! Particularly popular at the moment are Brazil, Colombia, wildlife cruises and their extensive European programme which focuses on the special birds, plants and insects of the quieter corners of our varied continent.

To find out more please visit their website at www.naturetrek.co.uk or call Naturetrek on 01962 733051

Watch out for exciting news for the Group from Naturetrek in the near future!

Notices

Subscriptions

The annual subscription to the Local Group is now due.

Thank you to those that have already paid this, and thank you to those who will!

This is now £15, as was both proposed and agreed by the Membership at the Annual General Meeting on 18th May 2016.

The Treasurer, Gerry Gardner, will be available to help lighten the load that you need to carry home after any Indoor Meeting!

Winter Birding Weekend

The 2017 winter birding weekend for the RSPB Basingstoke Local Group will be in Devon, based, as before, at the Passage House Hotel on the banks of the Teign estuary.

When: A two night stay, arriving Friday 10th February and leaving on Sunday12th February 2017.

In addition to visiting a selection of the various birding sites and reserves (Topsham, Exminster Marshes, Dawlish Warren, Berry Head, Labrador Bay, Broadsands, Brixham Harbour etc.) a birding cruise on the Exe estuary will be organised on the Friday or Saturday for those who wish to join it.

Full details will be available at the September indoor meeting.

If you cannot attend the meeting and wish to at go on the weekend please contact me on 01189 700859 or 07779 026915 or [email protected] and I will forward full details.

Gerry Gardner

RSPB Annual Review

From inspiring the next generation to creating new habitat for nature, the RSPB’s work is diverse. Find out about the achievements and challenges of the last year. ww2.rspb.org.uk/whatwedo/annualreview

Time To Secure A Better Future For Our Countryside

The RSPB has joined forces with WWF-UK, the National Trust and The Wildlife Trusts to make the case for fundamental reform of farm policy in the UK so that it works better for nature, farming and rural communities. The future of food, farming and nature is inextricably linked. Our joint vision sets out five principles to inform the development of future policies, and calls for:

- A new policy for the countryside - UK Governments to work together to replace the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with policies that deliver high environmental standards for land management across the UK - The creation of an independent Policy Commission - to examine a future policy for the environment, farming and rural development and encourage an inclusive and engaging public debate - A joined-up approach between Government policies and plans for farming and the environment - any future environment, farming and rural development policy must work together with the Westminster Government's 25 Year Plan for the Environment - Continuation of agri-environment schemes - all existing agri-environment schemes should be kept open until a replacement policy is fully operational. http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/18109_farming___wildlife_policy___a4_leaflet_27_9_ 16_c.pdf

Birds Seen At Fleet Pond (1970 - 2016) / Fleet Pond Blog

A further something that may be of interest to those who’ve accompanied the Local Group to Fleet Pond in the past; there being several articles contributed by Local Group Members included on the blog. https://fleetpond.wordpress.com/2016/09/20/birds-seen-at-fleet-pond-1970-2016/

Poole Harbour Bird Boats

Hello all

My name’s George Hinton and I work down in Dorset as part of the RSPB team there. I’ve emailed your Group Leader to let you know about our upcoming bird boats around Poole harbour and our Dorset Discovery Winter Tour. Both of these fantastic events will hopefully be of great interest to you and some of you may have already experienced them and know what they entail, but for those who haven’t I’ll provide a brief introduction:

Poole Harbour Bird Boats – November 20th, December 11th (Brownsea Island landing), January 15th 2017, January 29th 2017 (Brownsea Island landing), February 12th 2017 (Brownsea Island landing), February 15th 2017.

Poole harbour is not only just a natural phenomenon, but a wildlife phenomenon also. These special boat tours provide you with a brilliant opportunity to experience the harbour in all its winter glory. The array of bird life is superb and world-renown, ranging from the largest wintering flock of avocet in the UK to record breaking numbers of spoonbill, the harbour has it all. Experience all there is to offer from the comfort of the Brownsea Island ferry and in the company of passionate and knowledgeable RSPB staff, ensuring it to be an unforgettable trip where you’ll miss nothing and see everything.

These tours are delivered through a partnership between Dorset Wildlife Trust, National Trust and RSPB. Please follow the link for more information and details on how you can book your place.

Harbour cruise - https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events/1ab5e144-132c-432b-aa78- 11e92fcecc19/pages/details

Harbour cruise and landing - https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events/dc48468b-3b69-44b8- a328-93830fa54bee/pages/details

Dorset Discovery Winter Tour – January 9th to 11th 2017.

This is an exclusive opportunity to experience Dorset wildlife like never before. Gain unprecedented access to some of the county’s most renowned wildlife locations and miss nothing with expert guide knowledge and information. Across three days you’ll explore Dorset extensively, searching for the best of winter residency and migration, such as all three diver species, merlin and hen harrier. A celebration of Dorset wildlife, the Dorset Discovery Winter Tour will finish with your camera reel full to capacity and binocular grips well worn. We will be visiting RSPB reserves that are not normally open to the public, led by the staff who manage them and all profit goes back to conservation, what could be better? Booking is limited to ensure an intimate and personal experience so book without delay to make certain you don’t miss out.

For more event information, including a full tour itinerary, please follow the link provided. http://www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk/dorset-discovery-winter-tour-–-january-9th-–11th- 2017#overlay-context=dorset-discovery-winter-tour-%25E2%2580%2593-january-9th- %25E2%2580%259311th-2017

If you have any further questions or queries regarding both events then please feel free to contact me and I’ll be happy to help.

Looking forward to potentially seeing some of you come winter time!

Many thanks

George Hinton Community Engagement Officer

RSPB Arne, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5BJ Tel 01929 553360 Mobile 07872 116424

Pagham and Medmerry

There was an amazing response to a request for help with some management to help Little Terns, one of the South East Region’s priority species. More than 50 volunteer days were donated over three visits to Tern Island. Thanks are due for all the hard work carried out in the winter which in turn helped produce a very successful year on Tern Island; possibly the best ever. Here are the results:

• 13 pairs of Little Tern with 11 young • Three pairs of Sandwich Tern, which fledged three • 15 pairs of Common tern, delivering 15 young • 59 pairs of Black-headed Gull, 58 fledged.

Skylark, Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher also bred on the island.

Pulborough Brooks

The 2016 breeding season has been Pulborough’s most successful for several years for two of our important wading birds. 18 pairs of Lapwing raised 14 chicks, giving a productivity of 0.78, while three pairs of Redshank raised five chicks. As a comparison, Lapwing productivity at Pulborough has not been above 0.6 since 2007. To maintain a population, the productivity needs to be over 0.7, so this is a good first step. We installed two temporary electric fences around 14 hectares and this, combined with better vegetation management, has had a direct effect on productivity.

While Lapwing and Redshank numbers are better at Pulborough, getting waders to breed successfully at nearby Amberley Wildbrooks continues to be a challenge. Recovering the Snipe population is also a challenge; we recorded no drumming males at either site this year. This summer we have used a weed-wiper to reduce the rush cover in our main breeding fields. This has been very effective, although we will not be able to assess its’ effect for wading birds until next year.

British Birds

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

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

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

Brian’s Bees

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

Local Group Website

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

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

Newsletter Mailings

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

Bird Food

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

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

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

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

Peter & Alison

A Significant Birthday!

On 10th November, the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) celebrates its 70th anniversary, years during which the organisation has grown to be one of the world's largest conservation institutions.

The original body, the Severn Wildfowl Trust, was founded by Sir Peter Scott in 1946 for the scientific study and conservation of wildfowl. The Trust housed a collection of ducks, geese, swans and waders set in acres of wetland habitat, but what marked it out as something new was the focus on conservation, with its four stated 'pillars' of scientific research, conservation action, education and recreation. These core elements are still central to the organisation today.

Within its first year the Trust had over 1,000 members, with members of the public making the effort to the Gloucestershire site to walk among the birds themselves. At the time, most zoos and reserves were areas where people watched animals behind bars, so the novelty of being surrounded by wildfowl and being able to feed them was a major draw.

The birds were the obvious attraction but Sir Peter recognised that the wetland habitat in which they live was just as important. From the start, preserving and protecting these areas has been a key objective, and in 1989 the organisation's name was changed to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, reflecting the emphasis on this aspect of conservation. The work of managing wetland habitat continues today, with ground staff at all 10 WWT centres devoting their time to keeping the local environment in top condition, for wildlife, habitat and water resources.

Conservationist, ornithologist and founder of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Sir Peter Scott Photo: WWT

It's not just birds that benefit from such care: Water Voles and Otters, Grass Snakes, dragonflies and butterflies, flowers and trees are all part of the rich biodiversity which is a feature of each WWT centre.

Further afield, the WWT's regular expeditions, and its role in lobbying for protection of species and habitat, has given it a global reputation. Such work involves partnership with fellow scientists around the world, and today's expeditions are truly international — the current Flight of the Swans project, for example, involves WWT conservationist Sacha Dench flying a paramotor 4,350 miles alongside Bewick's Swans as they migrate from Arctic Russia to Britain. The project, which aims to find out the cause of the species' decline, involves collaboration with local people and researchers in 11 countries along the flyway. Work to save Critically-Endangered species is ongoing, with projects to save Spoon-billed Sandpiper and Madagascar Pochard also under way. It is hoped these will build on successful reintroduction programmes featuring White-winged Wood Duck in Thailand and Common Crane in Somerset.

As the Trust has grown, new centres have opened, and the organisation currently

oversees 10 venues throughout the British Isles from Caerlaverock, on the north Solway coast of Scotland, to Castle Espie in Northern Ireland, and Llanelli in Wales. These welcome around a million visitors each year, including 50,000 schoolchildren, for whom a visit may be their first encounter with the natural world. About 1,000 volunteers help to maintain the wetland centres and reserves. The Trust's work isn't confined to Britain. WWT's consulting arm is currently working on the development of a new wetland centre in the heart of Dubai, and has previously worked on the renovation of a wetland in Cambodia, providing sustainable fishing for local communities, while acting as advisor on a wetland designed to absorb coastal storm surges in New York.

As awareness of the environment has risen, so the Trust is investing in ecologically-sound practices at its sites. The London Wetland Centre, which opened in 2000, for example, features the transformation of four redundant water reservoirs into an urban oasis for wildlife and people. Meanwhile Steart Marshes, Somerset, features a newly-created saltmarsh which acts as a carbon store and protects nearby properties from flooding, while creating fish nurseries, grazing for cattle, a wetland reserve, and a volunteering and education facility.

Looking back on 70 years, Sir Peter Scott's fledgling organisation has taken wing and flown high, having grown from humble beginnings to encompass a nationwide network of 10 wetland centres, complemented by conservation and research work worldwide. As the world faces the threat of climate change, the role of wetlands is more important than ever, and WWT's scientists, researchers, staff and volunteers are committed to working together to make a difference for our natural world. Look out for announcements of special events to help celebrate the anniversary.

WWT

What’s Happening?

A few of the forthcoming local events that will hopefully help keep you entertained as the days continue to lengthen:

Basingstoke Natural History Society [email protected]

Indian Wildlife

Date 8th November

Time 20:00pm

An illustrated presentation by Keith Polwin

United Reformed Church, London Street, Basingstoke

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

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

Fungal Foray

Fungus in Leaf Litter

Bob Chapman

Date 22nd October

Time 10:30am to 1:00pm

An autumn Fungus Foray in Inham's Copse, a HIWWT reserve with local expert Mike Waterman.

Reserve may be wet after rain so please bring suitable footwear.

Park in car park adjacent to playing field off Pamber Road, Silchester, RG7 2PH

Grid reference SU 626 621

Basingstoke Wildlife Watch

Autumn Seed Collecting At The Vyne

Date 29th October

Time 2:00pm to 4:00pm

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

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

Find out more about Wildlife Watch club membership here.

For further details, please contact:

Clare Lloyd Williams 01256 782665

Birds On Basingstoke Canal And Tundry Pond

Great Crested Grebe

John Windust

Date 14th November

Time 10:30am to 1:00pm

Join us for a 3 mile circular walk along the Basingstoke Canal Towpath and to Tundry Pond to see birds.

Bring binoculars if available and suitable footwear for soft ground.

Meet at Basingstoke Canal Car Park, opposite the Barley Mow PH, The Hurst, Winchfield, Hampshire, RG27 8DE

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

The Oakley Gardening Club.

Growing My Portfolio

Date 7th November

Images from home and abroad - a slide presentation by Robin White.

St. Leonard's Centre, Rectory Road, Oakley.

For further information please contact: Mrs. Joan Crame on 01256 - 780137.

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

Kenyan Wildlife And Development Issues

Date 24th November

Time 07:30pm

A slide presentation by Richard Genn of the charity Kenya2020 followed by refreshments.

Admission £2.50 for members, £3.00 for non-members.

Overton Community Centre, Winchester Street, Overton.

For further information please contact:

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

Christmas Crafts

Date 26th November

For further details please contact:

Jane on 01256 – 771121 or email [email protected]

Local Opportunities for Conservation Volunteering

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

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

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

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

Somewhat further afield but quite possibly of interest to those of you that know neighbouring Dorset well.

A Joint Dorset Bird Club & BTO Conference: Saturday 26th November

Dear Peter

I am writing with details about an upcoming joint Dorset Bird Club & BTO Conference. The conference, organised by Dorset Bird Club representatives, and supported by Dorset Bird Club and the British Trust for Ornithology, will provide an opportunity for everyone to learn more about the changing methods of bird monitoring. The programme includes talks from local speakers, staff from the BTO and from other conservation organisations and the event represents an excellent opportunity to meet other birdwatchers. Tickets for the conference are £20 and include tea/coffee and lunch. You can view the full programme and find out how to book your tickets by clicking here.

For any queries please contact Trevor Buck, Treasurer, Dorset Bird Club: [email protected]

I hope this is of interest to you and hope you are able to join us.

With kind regards.

Sam

Membership & Volunteer Engagement Team Communications Department BTO The Nunnery Thetford

Norfolk IP24 2PU

Tel: (01842) 750050 Fax: (01842) 750030 E-mail: [email protected] BTO web site: http://www.bto.org

October’s Outdoor Meeting

Shatterford & Bishop’s Dyke: 23rd.

 For this outing please meet at the Shatterford Bottom car park for a 10.00am start (SU 348 063; OS Landranger Map 196); this being on the western side of the B3056 immediately north of the railway bridge at Beaulieu Road Station, midway between Lyndhurst and Beaulieu.

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

The RAC Route Planner gives a distance of 42.64 miles between Basingstoke and the car park, the AA site 42.7; a travelling time of 52 and 59 minutes being quoted by these sites.

As always, it’s best to leave ample time to reach the site for the start time, so please do bear this in mind when deciding on when to leave.

 The area to be visited this month is one of heath, bog and mixed woodland towards the eastern extremities of The New Forest National Park.

Beaulieu Road Station The bog south-east of the station and some of the ‘locals’

The walk will take the group south from the car parking area, where the conifers may hold Crossbill among the more expected finches, and out on to the heath. Here Dartford Warbler and Stonechat are likely, the former however just as likely to be heard as seen, though a decent late autumn day might have them in song, as well as ‘growling’ at trespassers in to their territories. Both reptiles and amphibians may well be on the move, having already been warmed by the morning sun, so watch your step! The wetter areas of the heath may hold waders such as Snipe and also attract in late hirundines to feed low over the standing water where insects will also be on the wing; dragon and damselflies perhaps putting in their last appearance of the year for many.

Shatterford Bottom Showing the bog, heath and parts of the adjacent woodlands – all to be visited by those attending!

Denny Wood Hopefully as we shall see it, though presumably with less leaves!

Viewing from the railway bridge south of the station should also add raptors over the woodland that frames the more open areas of heath, Buzzard to be expected, Goshawk to be hoped for. The rise in height to reach the bridge allows far more of the heath to be seen at

any one time, perhaps allowing a returning Great Grey Shrike to be seen atop Gorse or Broom, before it heads off to prey on local insects, or other birds! Woodlark, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Linnet and Crossbill are just a few of the species possible on lingering here, both on the ground nearby and on the wing.

Moving in to the mainly deciduous woodland on the western side of the heath, Denny Wood, we will start to encounter many of the residents and perhaps just a few of the late migrants returning southwards. Chaffinch, up to five species of tit, Wren, Robin and Dunnock will make up much of the smaller avifauna while less vocal but hopefully as showy will be Nuthatch and Treecreeper, all three woodpeckers also a possibility here. Migrants such as Chiffchaff may again be in song and further searching may produce the far less common but even more appreciated Redstart, perhaps Whinchat being seen amongst the Stonechat on the adjacent heath. As well as both the resident songsters and migrant additions the woodland will hold a great variety of both plant and insect life, fungi also sure to be in evidence, just waiting for the photographers amongst those attending.

Artist’s Fungi Ganodema applanatum One of the brackets commonly associated with Beech

Moving back across the heath will allow us another opportunity to try and see, and hear, species not already come across, such as Dartford Warbler, Stonechat and Curlew, the latter however possibly all having returned to the coast prior to our visit, their territories empty for another season. The more open areas of heath-less ground near the car park often good for foraging finches, including Brambling amongst the more common Chaffinch; Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Crossbill again to be looked for before finishing the walk.

 There are no facilities on site, excepting the railway station close to the car park.

 The walk will take us through to early afternoon, allowing then ample time to visit other nearby New Forest NP or coastal sites before heading back inlands and northwards to Basingstoke.

More updated information on the site, the wildlife present and places to visit on the journey home, such as The Beaulieu Estuary, Matley Bog, Crockford Ridge / Bottom, Lower Test Marshes and Eling Great Marsh will be available closer to the day of the trip, and during the outing itself. If you have any queries, no matter what, please ensure that these are addressed as soon as is possible.

November’s Outdoor Meeting

Titchfield Haven NNR: 20th.

For this Outdoor Meeting please meet in the car park by the Hillhead Sailing Club for a 10.00am start; SU 535 023 (OS Landranger map 196), PO14 3JT (Google map). This is to be found just east of the reserve, on the coastal side of Cliff Road where the sharp hill corners take it in to Meon Road. If you're unable to find a space here continue westwards and further free parking is available on the seafront proper.

 For further details of the starting point, to offer or request a lift etc. please contact a Committee Member prior to the weekend of the outing, this so as to allow car-sharing to be organised where possible; it's economically and environmentally far more friendly!

The RAC Route Planner gives a distance of 15.61 miles between Basingstoke and the meeting point, the AA site 16.9; a travelling time of 34 and 29 minutes being quoted by these sites; the RAC route via Tadley. As always, it’s best to leave ample time to reach the site for the start, so please do bear this in mind when deciding on when to leave.

 This reserve, well visited by the Local Group, will start the ‘winter’ off with an appropriately firework-like birding bang, there sure to be many birds, both resident and migratory, to be found about the reserve and adjacent coastal areas that overlook The Solent and that bird blocker, the Isle of Wight.

Time will be spent looking out over the shore and waters east of the Sailing Club as the attendees group together, the former providing feeding places for waders such as Turnstone, Oystercatcher, Curlew and the ever depressed-looking Grey Plover and gulls, including hopefully Mediterranean, whilst the inshore waters could add grebes, lingering seaduck, Eider and Common Scoter, further gulls and waders moving by and perhaps terns feeding on shoaling fish; views out across to the island possible, depending on the weather!

Moving on to the reserve proper the Group will walk the boardwalk northwards on the eastern side, scrub, trees, reedbeds and other vegetation immediately offering both dramatic habitat changes and the birds likely to be associated with them - perhaps even more scrutiny of this needed than normal as an elusive Barred Warbler has been released here, after being trapped and ringed, in recent days. Other warblers are however more likely, Chiffchaff and Blackcap alongside the boardwalk and Cetti's in the reeds, where migrant Reed and Sedge may still be lingering before moving yet further south. These smaller passerines may well be in the company of tits, crests, Treecreeper and Nuthatch as mixed parties forage post- breeding season.

On entering the hides on the eastern side of the river the reserve opens up to us, the open waters attracting wildfowl, Cormorant and the like in to feed, bathe, rest and roost. Kingfisher may use the many 'sticks' set in to the riverbed, or may just flash by, whereas the weather at the time will be more instrumental in the chances of seeing both Bearded Tit and Water Rail in and about the reedbeds; a lack of wind and low water level the conditions to be hoped for.

Looking northwards to the 'Frying Pan' could add 'herons', Spoonbill the most notable of these recently, whilst the meadows should add both waders and chats, each fence line and hedgerow needing to be scoured for the latter; Fox a regular visitor to these areas.

Raptors are also regular here with Marsh Harrier, several, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel all possible, Osprey still being on the move south and so always something to be hoped for.

After making the most of the hides the Group will head to the Meon Shore, looking once again out towards the Isle of Wight and the shoreline which will have changed during the time 'inland', perhaps Dark-bellied Brent to be seen flighting by or further Mediterranean Gull joining that feeding on the exposed estuarine areas. The river by the Information Centre often holds Grey Mullet, the harbour waders and wildfowl, including Black Swan! Viewing points allow access to the lower reaches of the river where 'rafts' provide resting places for Turnstone, Redshank and gulls, the edges feeding places for waders and rails and

the reeds security and food for warbler, chat and tit species.

The walk to the Meon Shore Hide may provide further warbler and chat atop the scrub and Bearded Tit from the viewing platform in the reeds, these 'banjo birds' sure to be a highlight of the day if they're good enough to show well.

From the hide we will overlook the many islands out on the inland water, waders, gulls, wildfowl, rails and herons to be found feeding and roosting here whilst migrating hirundines could once again be obvious as they feed low over the water, raptors, more distantly, again to be looked for, especially on warmer days as they gain height over the reserve.

Avocet now breed here on an annual basis and so these can be hoped for, as is once again the case for Mediterranean Gull. Snipe feed along the edges where Water Rail skulk, Black- tailed Godwit feed about and roost on the islands, their plumage now more muted than in previous months, though still striking when they take to the air.

Continuing westwards the boardwalk may have basking Viviparous Lizard while reeds should again give up the overly chatty Cetti's Warbler, further migrants of this ilk possibly amongst the pathside willow carr.

A warmer day will allow late butterfly, dragon and damsels on to the wing, especially about the pools created for the latter where the thicker vegetation and the flowers and insects associate with this provide food for the winged 'predators'.

Further viewing from hides on the western side of the reserve will again ensure that all are busy with looking, finding, seeing and enjoying the varied birdlife that the management of this coastal site ensures will be present, wildfowl often a feature here with good numbers close to hand, perhaps inclusive of wintering species such as Pintail and Wigeon. The Teal need further scrutiny as there might just be a Garganey amongst them, by now not in their eclipse plumage!

After completing the 'tour' of the reserve the Group will return to the Information Centre where I'm sure a few will make the most of the displays and, more importantly, the tearoom! For those wishing to lengthen their stay a further walk can be taken after 'lunch' with members of both the Group and HOS.

 Please be aware that there is an entrance fee to the reserve, this being: £4.00 for adults, £3.75 for concessions and £2.00 for children.

 The walk will last to at least early afternoon. For those wishing to make the most of the day information will be available re. that to be seen, where to see it and sites of interest perhaps to take in on returning homewards; these to include that for Alresford Pond and adjacent areas, Winchester Sewage Farm, Lower Test Marshes, Fishlake Meadows, Stockbridge Down NT, Stockbridge Common and Magdalen Hill Down.

If you have any queries, no matter what, please ensure that these are addressed as soon as is possible.

September’s Outdoor Meeting

Keyhaven Marshes: 25th.

I was unfortunately unable to attend this Outdoor Meeting due to being involved in Bird Trail 2016 and have as yet to receive a ‘report’ from any that did. However, Doug.’s been good enough to forward a summary of the walk he completed, leading for HOS, later in the day, as well as that noted on his lonely vigil on following the Local Group about the area; just to give an idea of what was happening in coastal Hampshire that day / afternoon.

I can only hope that those attending the Local Group Meeting earlier in the day saw as much, if not more!

HOS Walk; Pennington 25/09/2016.

We were pleased with the bright sunshine as we foregathered in the car park by Keyhaven Harbour but the fitful breeze we felt there was soon to become a far more significant, cap- lifting westerly blast when away from shelter.

The rushing wind made it difficult to hear bird calls; the normal susurrus of wind-stroked vegetation was transformed into bird-call concealing racket as the wind stampeded through; this I think reducing the number of passerines found during our walk.

There were compensations, though. On Avon Water, surrounded by flailing reeds, birds were few and far but, from the road-side Cedars, the calls of a Goldcrest penetrated the wind-noise, for a few, though no return of the Firecrest I'd found there earlier. A Green Sandpiper's call penetrated.

We walked the coast track, with a good view of the mud-flats to our right and Gorse scrub to our left. Beside the track, a clump of Goosefoot provided seed for what one of our group told me were 20 House Sparrows. They retreated to nearby gorse to watch us go by and return to their feeding spot after we'd passed by.

Out in the harbour, the tide was beginning to expose shingle for foraging waders and we watched Turnstones living up to their names; “doing what it says on the tin”, said one person, as he watched these delightful scurriers flicking shingle about. Most of them were in non-breeding plumage but some still showed a few ginger feathers yet to be moulted. Later, we were to see other Turnstones concentrating on flipping stranded seaweed over, in search of invertebrates. These adaptable birds can access a huge variety of food. They will take carrion, usually fish but they've been seen pecking at stranded dead cetaceans, even, famously, a human corpse. Discarded chips are acceptable and I've watched then pecking out the rain-softened grains from maize cobs. Turnstones will also resort to kleptoparasitism. They may distract and bother an Oystercatcher then nip in and snatch the just-extracted cockle-meat from under the orange beak of the bigger bird.

Turnstone Grey Plover Non-breeding plumage moulting from breeding plumage

Some of the Grey Plovers still retained varying amounts of breeding plumage.

A few Oystercatchers demonstrated their shell-opening prowess. The ones I saw were of the precision-snipping school of meat-extraction; none of the bashers and bludgeoners, banging away at shells (here, mostly winkles and cockles) instead, just deft nibbling; though deep-

probing, for ragworms was also a popular feeding technique.

Redshanks picked busily at the mud and gave their plaintive-piccolo “chew-chew chew” calls. A dear friend of mine so loved the sound that he asked for it to be played at his funeral, a request I was able to grant.

Black-headed Gulls standing amongst the waders were probably waiting for their chance to steal a worm from the taller waders, as they often do amongst Lapwings in pastures. A couple of Great Black-backed Gulls, squatting on moored boats stayed aloof.

The first of several Rock Pipits we were to see flew by close enough for us to hear its wheezy squeak above the noise of the wind as it descended to forage very near, in a patch of beach-top Samphire, showing its plainer, greyer back very well. Lapwings too can be very confiding in this place and a couple allowed very close approach and an opportunity to really appreciate their iridescent colours in the sunshine.

Trying to look, through binoculars or spotting 'scopes, at distant birds, out on the salt marsh was made difficult because of the constant wind-shake, which made it very difficult to hold the optics still enough for clear viewing. This meant that relatively close encounters with the birds were especially welcome. Grey Plovers, though (most of us still seem to prefer this name to “Black-bellied Plover”, which doesn't even distinguish it from the Golden Plover) seemed more nervous and stayed further out on the salt marsh.

We reached an area of wind-heaved Gorse and tried to find feathered things there but, apart from an occasional small party of Linnets, a couple of Dunnocks darting over the track to disappear under bushes, invisibly singing Robins and a couple of lone Goldfinches, saw little, until we rounded a corner and found ourselves slightly sheltered by a low headland and taller bushes. Bliss!

Stonechat Common Whitethroat

A Dartford Warbler churred briefly from somewhere deep in the Gorse but was not seen. I found a distant Stonechat and was trying to set the telescope up for people to view it on a wind-tossed twig when some of the party, who had moved a little further along the path, called out that they'd found another, much closer to the path, in a sheltered corner amongst Gorse and Bramble. While we were enjoying it, a Common Whitethroat appeared close to it; strong sunlight and contrasting shadow, momentarily making it appear to have Lesser Whitethroat features until it fully emerged from where it may have been picking individual berries from Blackberry fruits or finding fruit flies.

Those bramble mounds were the main attraction for a smoke of Starlings, flocking so densely that they appeared to cover the bushes like dark snow as they squabbled for fruit then flew, an airborne amoebic cloud, to rain on another patch of blackberries. In a couple of very sheltered nooks, warmed by the sunshine, gleamed two freshly-minted Small Copper butterflies. I counted three Red Admirals, an occasional Small White and a Painted Lady; all being whisked rapidly by in the wind.

The first large body of water we came to, the wide spaces of Lymington Lagoon, were largely devoid of wading birds. A couple of Grey Plovers kept their distance and an occasional Redshank was seen but a lone, grey bird, standing in the shallow water was a new one for the day; a Knot. Again, this is a species we are now supposed to call the Red Knot and it is truly striking in the rich russet of breeding plumage but we usually see them in winter grey. This is one of the species famous for forming dense flocks which perform amazing, eye-baffling aerial manoeuvres in response to Peregrine attack but such flocks are not often seen on the Hampshire coast. A modest flock of Mute Swans was obvious and, with them, the rich, warm browns of numerous non-breeding Wigeon were visible as they dabbled for food in the distant margins. Five Pintails flew down the wind to disappear into a channel. The few Shelducks seen were all juveniles of the year. Many adults are still to return from their moulting away-trips.

Turning attention from the lagoon brought the reward of finding four, freshly arrived, Dark- bellied Brent Geese, far out on a spit. A row of Cormorants stood upright on a shingle bank; from the rear, like Easter Island statues, staring out to sea. In the muddy channels there was the movement of Curlews plodding deliberately after their beaks. Smaller waders were hardly visible as their colours blended with the mud and vegetation, mostly too far off for easy viewing in the conditions.

We turned away from the eye-watering wind to the landward scene. The northern end of Lymington Lagoon, becomes a narrow tendril of water, eventually a few puddles and a rug of Glasswort plants, at this time of year, turning autumnal red. Here, we managed good views of Meadow Pipits feeding on the ground. A juvenile Kestrel appeared and hovered. Behind and above it, two piping Meadow Pipits hovered too, as they kept a close eye on a predator which would certainly take an unwary small bird or earlier in the year, its chicks.

The Skylark we had spotted kept its head down, though.

Meadow Pipit and Glasswort Curlew

We rounded a corner to find ourselves at the south western end of Fishtail Lagoon; probably the jewel-in-the-crown of Pennington Marshes, along with its neighbours, Butts Lagoon and Jetty Lagoon. In the recent past, such special birds as Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Pectoral Sandpiper, Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Male Golden Oriole, to name just a few, have all been recorded there. This time, the special guest star was to be a White- rumped Sandpiper, which had shown the day before and was reported the day after our visit but it resolutely refused to show during our visit.

There was, however, much of interest. Amongst the much-scrutinised small flock of Dunlins were two Little Stints, always a bird to warm a birder's heart. There was a gang of Spotted Redshanks clustered into a tight pack, rushing after small fish or shrimps. Sometimes as many as five of the six birds seemed to be hunting co-operatively, though it may be that they just happened to be clustered because of tightly-shoaling prey.

“Hunting pack” of Spotted Redshanks Little Grebe “attending” Mallard

While we watched, two Kingfishers chased by and disappeared in the direction of Lymington Lagoon, not stopping to allow study of their brilliant colour. Two Mallards were reaching down to the bottom of the lagoon to feed and a Little Grebe followed them closely, often diving towards them, evidently capitalising on the disturbance caused by the ducks to snap up fleeing shrimps. I've watched these diminutive grebes performing the same actions around feeding Swans.

Grey Plover “stalking” a Snipe Greenshank

It is more difficult, though, to explain the actions of the Grey Plover which closely followed the progress of a probing Snipe. I didn't see it try to steal prey from the smaller Snipe, though the latter was clearly able to access food beyond the reach of the short-billed Plover. A very active Greenshank also chased around, like the Spotted Redshanks, often ploughing through the water, running, with head submerged, as it chased underwater prey. The Redshanks fed in a more conservative manner, pecking and probing busily in the shallows.

It's taken me a long time to notice it but Greenshanks will often actually shout “tringa, tringa” as they fly off. I suppose that is likely to be the origin of the generic name, Tringa, for Greenshanks and their relatives, first given by Italian naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi (aka: “Aldrovandus”), in 1599.

The two Little Stints didn't seem inclined to spend much time in each other's company and kept aloof from the Dunlins, except when those busy probers happened to engulf them in their small flock as it stitched past.

Dunlin with Little Stint Curlew Sandpiper

There were not many Black-tailed Godwits on view, though large numbers will be on the marshes very soon. It was noticeable, to me, at least, that they and other waders looked very different from when I'd walked the same route only a week before. The Godwits had become mostly greyish, as had the Dunlins which, like the Grey Plovers, had mostly lost the black on their bellies. Spotted Redshanks and even Common Redshanks were changed in just that short period as they moulted worn summer feathers for new winter ones.

Black-tailed Godwit and Wigeon Top: Knot Below: Feeding Snipe

There were Curlew Sandpipers about, the reports had said, but none appeared to be on Fishtail Lagoon while we were there. I did, however, find one on the mud just over the sea wall from Fishtail Lagoon, while walking back, alone, later.

The original intention had been to loop round to walk the Ancient Highway track back to the Lymington car park but the time spent waiting for the White-rumped Sandpiper and the chilling wind of late afternoon was persuading some people to take the shorter option and walk back the way we had come, some to try for the White-rumped Sandpiper again. A couple moved a little further, to check out Butt's Lagoon and Jetty Lagoon and to stand in the buffeting wind to scan the Solent. The week before, there had, as for most of the summer, been a group of Eider Ducks to be found just off-shore or resting on a distant spit but they were not to be found on this occasion.

Small groups of Barn Swallows were flung around by gusts as they hunted flies in the lea of bushes or, during lulls, low over water and marsh. Just one House Martin and two Sand Martins were recorded amongst them.

We did scan over the marshes to the new lake on the land-fill site just inland of Fishtail Lagoon. There, the large herd of Canada Geese was very visible, grazing the grass-covered mounds near equally obvious loafing Great Black-backs, Herring Gulls and Black-headed Gulls but it is likely that a walk along the Ancient Trackway, in the windy conditions and

late in the afternoon would not have been very productive so those who retraced their steps probably made the right choice.

The RSPB Local Group Walk

In the morning, I'd arrived, just a couple of minutes late, to find that the local RSPB “group” walk had left without me. Later, I was to see both of them a couple of hundred metres ahead but decided that, as I knew the way well, I would amble around the route at my own pace and see what I could find without knocking myself out to catch up. After all, I was to walk the same route again, later.

This morning walk was certainly more productive than the afternoon one for HOS. At the Avon Water sluice, I heard a squealing Water Rail and a brief burst of Cetti's Warbler song. IN the Cedars just before the sluice, a Goldcrest's squeak led me to a sighting of a Firecrest also making brief appearances in the thick foliage.

The tide had been higher, so the Turnstones and other wading birds had been pushed closer to the coastal path and were much easier to see, especially the tolerant Turnstones, which were so close that I could hear the rattle of disturbed shingle as they foraged.

At the tail-end of Lymington Water I found a group of people watching a small wader foraging in the red carpet of Glasswort. One of the group approached me to say that none of them could make out just what they were watching. Could I help? I looked. I could.

It was a female Ruff (Reeve) seemingly little bothered by the small crowd standing above her, on the coast path. Only a couple of weeks before, I'd been in a similar position at Sidlesham Ferry when someone was convinced that he'd found a Curlew Sandpiper; again, it was a Reeve, seen at close quarters. The female of the species id considerably smaller than the male, who needs to be big and strong enough to intimidate and, if needful, to beat- up other males at the lek. Even in non-breeding plumage, he usually shows evidence of the ruff-colour around his head and neck, making him easier to identify.

There is also a phenomenon that I've found applies especially to birds one usually sees at a distance, isolated from much of their environment by the limited view through the binoculars or telescope. Seen with the naked eye at close range, one is confronted with a bird which is a much smaller element of the landscape. One realises that they are, actually, much smaller than first imagined. Seeing stuffed examples in a museum case can also bring about this realisation.

Ruff, or Reeve, as the female is known

A bonus bird, there, was the White Wagtail, which stayed only briefly, perhaps first encouraged down by the Meadow Pipits and Skylark also in the area but more nervous of the human gallery.

As I approached Fishtail Lagoon, I paused by a huge thicket of Blackthorn and Bramble and tried “pishing”, to see what might appear. In the event, a Chiffchaff, a Robin and a Wren but a female Sparrowhawk swept by, harassed by a couple of Magpies which had also been foraging nearby.

My eye followed the Sparrowhawk towards the landfill site (now filled, contoured and grassed-over) beside the Ancient Highway track and I idly noted a Buzzard gaining height there. A minute or so later, something made me look up again to see the Buzzard, or another almost overhead and still relatively low, though using a thermal to go higher. It was plain, now, that it was a dark-phase Honey Buzzard. I tried to shout it out to a couple of birders, scanning the inland marshes some distance ahead of me but the noise of the wind made it impossible for them to hear me and I had the solo enjoyment of watching the bird gain height then make for the Isle of Wight then, probably over the Channel.

While I was searching for the White-rumped Sandpiper, at Fishtail Lagoon, a Spoonbill flew rapidly past, perhaps heading for Sturt Pond at the landward end of the Hurst Spit.

I saw the already mentioned collection of waders and ducks but, shortly before I had to leave, to meet the HOS members, a small party of Dunlin flew in and disappeared into cover. Amongst them and about the same size, I saw one bird with an obvious white rump but this bird did not come out of cover and feed with the Dunlin

I can't think of another bird it might have been (unless a Wheatear sp. had got in with the Dunlin!) other than the White-rumped Sandpiper. It wasn't reported in the media for that day, though it was for the next (the last time, I think).

For completeness, I suppose I should mention the cock Pheasant I saw and the two Greylag Geese amongst the Canadas on the landfill hill.

Doug. Kelson

Sri Lanka

Polwattha to Kelani Valley.

Pre-breakfast at Polwattha Eco-lodge; on with the leech socks. Yes, it was that kind of forest and, despite our precautions, everyone was afflicted with the pesky critters during the day. This was a steep, steamy forest and, after a little sweaty exertion, (and, in my case, carrying a considerable weight of years, equipment and belly about) climbing stifling, breathless slopes, I found it a constant problem to keep my spectacles clear of condensation in the very high humidity. A bird would be spotted but, as soon as I stopped to look at it and the current of air past my face slowed, the specs. fogged-over again. Very irksome! Much mopping and polishing required.

Birds were seen but, often, not as well as by others, especially as many of the birds were small, active and well-camouflaged amongst the canopy leaves; none more so, than the Chiffchaff-like Green Warbler, Large-billed Leaf-warbler or the endemic Sri Lanka White- eye. Others liked lurking in deep and shady cover; such as the Spot-winged Thrush, Common Tailorbird (plain and perky-tailed; the one which, famously, pierces and stitches leaves together with web and plant fibre to create a pouch for its nest). Many were of sober, even sombre hues, contrary to the popular conception of tropical birds. Black Bulbul, Black- capped Bulbul, Asian Brown Flycatcher or White-bellied Drongo, Brown Shrike, for example. Sometimes, though, expectations were fulfilled or even surpassed, when the bright yellow of an uncommon migrant from India, the Black-hooded Oriole gleamed through the foliage, Small Minivets scurried amongst the palm fronds or the vivid Red-backed Flame- back Woodpecker smouldered in the shadows of a tree overhanging our lodgings.

Indian Pitta Black Bulbul

One of the most hoped-for species was the Indian Pitta; a migrant, here, from the mountains of India. Typically, the one we saw was skulking, deep in cover, but it helped us by remaining still, for some time, allowing us to see it, through the gaps.

Speaking of gaps; through those, in the canopy, we could see the flying “T” shapes and long, swallow-tails of Asian Palm Swifts, hurrying, white-rumped Little Swifts, Indian Swifts and, usually at more rarefied altitudes, majestic Alpine Swifts scimitaring the air. Common Barn Swallows joined the collective harrying of insects rising from the forest in the warming thermals of the morning.

Pride of place, though, went to the Black Eagle, which swept through, low over the canopy.

The distinct profile of a White-bellied Drongo Bracket fungi

Mammals featured, too, during the morning, with Toque Macaques not far from the outskirts of the forest. We found several Chipmunk-like Palm Squirrels and their much larger relative, the Grizzled Indian/Malabar Giant Squirrel (imagine a Grey Squirrel, with a body the size of a rabbit and an excessively-long bushy tail. We re-traced our steps to our lodgings, trying not to miss anything; a basking Skink, colourful butterflies (of which more, later) interesting beetles and bugs, scarlet toadstools, luxurious lichen and interesting and attractive vegetation. Too much to take in; just photograph and hope to identify at a later date, like the post back at our lodgings, which sported a fascinating feathery flock of small bracket fungi.

After breakfast, we were on the road, again, through increasingly lumpy but beautiful scenery and fascinating, busy small towns, sporting intricately and sumptuously carved religious architecture. I'd love to have had the chance to examine it at length but this trip didn't allow for much of that.

We were heading for Kelani Forest Reserve but, of course, stopped to look at things on the way. At one place we spent some time looking for and finding a party of the endemic, but not endangered Orange-billed Babblers, a species with a very restricted range but of decidedly underwhelming appearance, a more russet form of the Common Babbler we'd seen earlier. A tethered cow had company in the form of its personal Cattle Egret and a Common Mynah. Like the Babblers, a single Emerald Dove kept well within the gloom of a thick bush but a pair of its larger relatives, Sri Lanka Green Pigeons, were much easier to see, though

silhouetted against a bright but leaden sky.

Sri Lanka Green Pigeons

I should mention that older sources, giving accounts of Sri Lanka's birds and other wildlife, will often refer to “Ceylon” rather than “Sri Lanka” as part of an endemic's name; thus “Ceylon Green Pigeon”. Sri Lanka is a name adopted since independence.

Closely related to the Turtle Dove and about the same size, Spotted Doves were also relatively easy to see and often, as can be seen, commensal with humans. An Indian Giant Squirrel took little notice of us watching from below. This species is of similar size to the Badger-coloured Grizzled Giant Squirrel, mentioned earlier.

Spotted Dove Indian Giant Squirrel

I took the opportunity to chat with a group of young men in track suits who, it turned out, were from the Sri Lankan Police Rugby Football squad, about to start training. Having played the game, for many years, usually in temperatures that would cause any spectators to swaddle themselves in thick layers of clothing and keep stamping the feeling back into

frozen toes, I didn't fancy the game so much in the kind of tropical temperatures and humidity these guys would have to cope with.

Four-clawed Gecko, on reception desk, Sisira's River Lounge

In the forecourt of our next stop, Sisira's River Lounge, on the banks of the Kelani River, in front of clumps of tall bamboos, a man “played” with his captive snake, a Russel's Viper. Though it was one of few snakes we saw, I refused his invitation to photograph him and it, for a fee, because I hate that kind of wildlife exploitation. I was much more interested in the serried ranks of a large sp. of snail, sleeping on a tree trunk. I made a mental note to go outside, in the dark to photograph them when emerged and active but forgot all about it. There was always something happening, to distract; like the Oriental Honey Buzzard seen through the weft of wires strung to and from the buildings. The same wires provided perches for White-bellied Drongo to sally after large insects and a highway for a Palm Squirrel.

The usual early start, next morning, after a very pleasant breakfast of omelette, sausage, bacon, fresh fruits and “Wood-apple” jam for our toast. Later, I found out that this is a forest fruit, nothing to do with apples (but for a certain visual similarity) which has a multiplicity of uses. All we could taste though was a very sugary pulp. Good energy for the day, though.

We made the usual early start, next morning and had to peer carefully, at first, to make out anything in the dimly lit trees, made even dimmer because of the early morning mist alternately veiling and unexpectedly revealing the forested slopes on the far side of the Kelani River. We were to cross this turbulent water-course, foaming over mid-stream boulders, but not via the flimsy-looking rope bridge we could see swinging high over the water, a few hundred metres upstream of us. No, it was thought we'd much rather enjoy the excitement of being paddled over the river, in a dug-out outrigger canoe. The interior of this tree trunk was hollowed only to a narrow trough along its length, in which we had to balance, standing up. An idea of the turbulence was impressed upon us when a party of thrill-seekers, in an inflatable dinghy, paddled strenuously by, flushing a couple of Little

Cormorants from a boulder, as they headed for the rapids.

Indian Pond Herons waking in the misty morning

Through the mist we watched a roost of Indian Pond Herons wake in their tree on the far side of the river. On a cobble of river stones laid just below the breakfast room, yet another Palm Squirrel came to partake of free offerings and, nearby, a small flock of White-rumped Munias searched river-side grasses for seeds.

A little more unexpected, though, was the turban, we noticed, drifting downstream. Under it, we made out a man's head. He was buoyed by a bundle of bamboos he had cut and was using to help float him over the river before using them for other purposes. Fortunately, no crocodiles up here, in the hills.

The Pond Herons were finishing their morning preening activities and beginning to trickle away to wherever they foraged. As their name suggests, that would most likely be in still or slow-moving, shallow water; rice paddies and drainage ditches, rather than fast-flowing hill streams.

Against those hills, the mist was billowing, though fast dissipating as the sun rose and the heat encouraged small flying insects into the air, perhaps ants or termites, and a flock of Indian Swiftlets sliced through the fog to catch breakfast.

White-rumped Munias Swimming turban & male White-rumped Munia

Boots off and paddle to the ferry. Well, we did. Pete kept his sandals on.

Indian Swiftlets These are closely related to the ones which make the “edible” nests, collected in large quantities for the Chinese to eat. Like those birds, these make nests of saliva, stuck, in sheltered places, to vertical cliffs or in caves; often in buildings.

Our outrigger dug-out ferry-canoe, finally arrived and we joined the queue of travellers to paddle through the cool water, while watching “minnows” flicker about our naked feet.

Actually, the trip across the river was pleasant and we were soon struggling up steep, slippery, stone steps on the other side and, immediately, into thick forest. This is not pristine forest, having been extensively logged in the past and within it, there are small-holdings where local villagers grow food and cultivate small-scale tea plantations. Few of the trees are on the grand scale of virgin tropical forest, but there was a great variety of them and plenty of tall, mature ones; the kind that make your neck ache when trying to find birds in

the canopy. That kind of birding was best done while standing still; walking whilst staring upward isn't a good idea on steep, slippery, stony tracks.

Our first business was to visit the offices of the forest administrators where Hetty obtained passes while we admired some of the fish in the little pool and the tropical flowers planted nearby.

Waiting for Hetty

We did manage to find a few birds, though, while avoiding the many looping leeches (well, some of them were avoided). We had been welcomed ashore, by a perky male Magpie Robin on the stone steps leading up from the landing place. A Green Imperial Pigeon, (bulkier than our Woodpigeon) had posed almost perfectly, while we put our boots back on, after our paddle ashore.

Green Imperial Pigeon Magpie Robin

There was a pair of Scarlet Minivets (male black and scarlet; female, black and yellow) in a tree crown, a pair of endemic Sri Lanka Hill Mynahs (these, or their closely-related Indian populations are the glossy, black-purple plumaged birds, with yellow wattles reaching around the backs of their necks, popular as cage birds, with an aptitude for mimicking human speech). There was a pair of Black-capped Bulbul, the commoner Red-vented Bulbuls and a Brown Shrike watched for prey from a tea-leaf shoot.

We were on the hunt for the fabled Serendib Owl. This small owl has only recently been identified as a “new” species. First detected by its unique call and finally tracked down, to become “real”, just a few years ago. A must-be target for visitors to Serendib (an old name for Ceylon, which we now call Sri Lanka).

We failed in that quest, though a call was heard which Hetty thought was the bird. A pity, but there was plenty more to intrigue and delight.

More of those, later, but, first, a jump ahead, in time, to, one owl we did see, when we returned to Sirusa’s River Lodge, later. This Chestnut-backed Owlet, a little charmer, hardly bigger than a Starling, kept deep in the gloom but stayed still; very helpful for photography. Of restricted range in the hilly forested areas of southern Sri Lanka; this one was some compensation for our failure to see the Serendib Scops Owl. But only some.

Chestnut-backed Owlet

I will write more of our visit to the Kelani Valley Forest Reserve, next time.

If you want to hear, many of the species mentioned in this account, I recommend typing “Xeno-canto”, into whatever search engine you use, followed by the name of the species you are interested in. It is very likely that you will be able to hear the bird of your choice, wherever in the world it might be. Of course, there are many rare and little-known species still to be added but there will be no problem with British birds and I've found every one of the Sri Lankan birds I've tried for, so far. Most of the time, contributors have entered multiple examples of the bird's vocalisations, so one can listen to song, contact calls, alarm calls etc.

Doug. Kelson

Local Wildlife News

The following ‘highlights’ reports received since the September Indoor Meeting. If you’ve anything further to add, please feel free to let us know at any time. All reports will be appreciated, whether they relate to birds or any other form of local wildlife. Also, as they say, this is “Just the tip of the iceberg” – there’s a great deal more out there to be found, especially as the autumnal passage is now truly under way.

Brambling – the first of the late year were reported from The Mill Field LNR on 17th, two, with a further bird / one of the same on 18th. Chiffchaff – numbers continued to be seen about the riverine scrub and woodland locally, The Mill Field LNR and Filtration Pools, Overton holding the greatest concentrations. Clouded Yellow – several were seen about farmland and gardens, though no obvious influx was commented upon.

Clouded Yellow Colias croceus Isles of Scilly Mike. Duffy

Crossbill – the middle of the month saw a number moving over locally, the largest group to date being four. Glossy Ibis – a party of three moved north over Old Basing one evening but could not be relocated; a further 1st for the Borough. Grey Wagtail – local birds were becoming ever more mobile and therefore noticeable, the one below being seen to visit a garden waterfall.

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Dave. Levy

Hawfinch – a singleton at The Mill Field LNR was the only local report of this increasingly hard to see bird in the north of the county. Hummingbird Hawk-moth – sporadic sightings were reported with none of those seen lingering for long. Lesser Redpoll – as for Crossbill, movements of these were picked up from mid-month. Little Egret – the largest gathering during the last month was of five on The Test at Ashe. No obvious pre-roost movements or counts from roost sites were received over the period. Merlin – a male through Old Basing was the only late year report taken to date. Painted Lady – as for the hawk-moth, small numbers were to be seen, though often on the same food source over a period of days. Peregrine – a male over Old Down, Kempshott was the first to be noted over this conservation area.

Peregrine Falco peregrinus Old Down Accompanied by a Buzzard Buteo buteo Dave. Levy “Didn’t get a chance to get any good pics, a couple of iffy ones”

Pied Flycatcher – one was seen at The Mill Field LNR on the day of the last Indoor Meeting, as were two Lesser Whitethroat, four Blackcap, three Chiffchaff and ten+ Meadow Pipit. Raven – these continued to be seen, and heard, sporadically with the farmland and downs about Ashley Warren and Overton seemingly the most regular sites for birds. Red Kite – the largest gathering reported was of just six. Have you noticed any pre-roost movements or gatherings yet? Redwing – the first of the late year birds were reported early in October, so later than might normally be anticipated. Ring Ouzel – one was seen being chased from a Basingstoke Rowan by one of the resident Blackbird on 9th. Rusty-dot Pearl – one of the smaller of the migrant moths recorded, primarily at roost on buildings during the day.

Rusty-dot Pearl Udea ferrugalis Mike. Wall http://www.hantsmoths.org.uk/species/1395.php

Sandwich Tern – a singleton over Old Basing was a further indication as to birds perhaps following local rivers on their southbound migration. Small Teasel – further new sites for this relative botanical rarity were found about Overton, though most of the flowers had by now gone over. Steatoda grossa – the ‘False Widow! These continued to be found in at least one garage that was being tidied; a total of eight to date! Wheatear – small numbers of migrants continued to be seen until at least the middle of the month, though lessening as might be expected. Wryneck – the near-annual bird appeared at The Mill Field LNR but as is so often the case, proved more than elusive! Yellow-browed Warbler – two found at The Mill Field LNR became the 3rd and 4th records for the site, taking the total recorded in the Borough to perhaps six.

Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus The Mill Field LNR, Old Basing James Andrews The brighter, more vocal and showier of the two; being found on the same day

And from further afield, just a few of the birds recently seen by Local Group Members on their autumnal wanderings:

White’s Thrush Zoothera aurea Skaw, Shetland Richard Gilham A stunning bird that was the highlight of a frustrating week on the islands

Siberian Accentor Prunella montanella Easington, East Riding of Yorkshire Kelvin Pearce & Stewart Woolley Just the 2nd for Britain with the 1st, on Shetland, already having been dipped earlier in the week by one local! These two were swiftly followed by the 3rd to 5th records, all on the north-east coast, with at the time 35+ having already been recorded on the Continent

Shorelark Eromophila alpestris Spurn Point, East Riding of Yorkshire Kelvin Pearce One of the many ‘bonus birds’ seen after the nearby Siberian Accentor had been watched

Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus Eoligarry, Barra Steve Nuttall The 1st for Britain with two other recent records in Ireland; both ‘dipped’ by the same local!

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

Quiz ‘Page’

Just for a change, a little something from Geoff. Some of you may remember this, but do you recall the answers I wonder, all of which are bird names?

1) Chess piece ______2) Flinch, cower or tremble ______3) 1970’s children’s TV show ______4) Tchaikovsky Christmas ballet ______5) ______Hood and his Merry Men 6) Greedy eater ______7) Children’s flying toy ______8) As proud as a ______9) renamed local radio station ______10) ahh – it’s that ______moment 11) Robert ______Scott – Antarctic explorer and father of Sir Peter Scott 12) as dead as a ______13) ______fly or Daddy Long-legs 14) Chinese noblemen ______15) Pastime: ______16) The ______of Rheims 17) As bald as a ______18) Fairground ride: the Big ______19) once ______twice shy 20) john ______Snooker player and commentator 21) James Bond fil (starring Pierce Brosnan) ______22) “and a ______in a pear tree” 23) ______Wharf: office area in east London 24) “On hearing the first ______in spring”; by Delius 25) War film: Where ______Dare 26) “pretty ______”; by Manfred Mann 27) What the Ugly Duckling turned in to? ______28) “I, said the ______, with my bow and arrow! 29) Does its beak hold more that its belly can? ______30) “The ______Ascending”; by Vaughan Williams 31) Florence ______; a Crimean nurse 32) “To kill a ______”; by harper Lee 33) It buries its head in the sand ______34) Hit record by Fleetwood Mac ______35) All aboard the ______

And don’t forget this was Geoff’s ‘Easy Peasy’ bird quiz!

And from September!

The bird was towards the left-hand of the image, a little above the middle, and was a Pied Flycatcher.

You hopefully found 17 individual birds: three Ringed Plover (an adult and two juveniles), two Turnstone, a Sanderling and 11 Dunlin.

The answer here was tucked away to the bottom right-hand side of the image:

An adult and juvenile Yellow Wagtail.

The clues given last month hopefully led you to the identification of the birds below:

Kentish Plover.

Common Buzzard.

Finally, did you manage to identify the bits of birds and did you see them in the last month?

1) Cormorant

2) Sparrowhawk

3) Mallard

4) Little Egret

5) Long-tailed Tit

6) Great Crested Grebe

7) Willow Tit

8) Kingfisher

Red Kite

And Finally!

Though some of the images earlier in the Newsletter highlight that a few Local Group Members wander further afield than usual in the normal, they’re not the only ones that do so! I hope that the below is of interest, as the birds noted may well be ones that you’ve seen on your recent visits to the Hampshire coast.

If you do come across any colour-ringed / ringed birds do please feel free to pass on any information you can about them at any stage to the Group Leader who will endeavor to find out more about them for you.

From: Doug Kelson [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 15 September 2016 13:18 To: Potts, Pete Subject: Colour-ringed waders.

Hello, Pete.

Peter Hutchins, leader of Basingstoke RSPB Local Group, pointed me in your direction, saying that you are "the local co-ordinator for such things".

I've attached some images of Black-tailed Godwits, which I took (in the driving rain) at Farlington Marshes, on 10'09/2016. The birds were feeding on the mud-flats just south west of the west-side lagoon, near the sea wall.

Perhaps you'll find the records useful or could forward them to someone who could make use of them.

I also found 3 colour-ringed Greenshanks just east of the south end of Hayling Bridge, on 12/09/2016. My efforts to photograph them were frustrated by poor evening light and distance but, perhaps, enough can be seen to make the record useful. There were three Greenshanks but the third, though also ringed and associating with the others, refused to reveal much of its legs.

Best wishes,

Doug Kelson.

On Friday, 7 October 2016, 16:34, Peter Potts wrote:

Hi Doug Many thanks for the colour-ring sightings much appreciated - histories of the godwits are below the Greenshanks will follow. Any further such sightings will be much appreciated many thanks best wishes Pete.

EY76558 N B+LN 15-Oct-13 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Farlington RG - Pete Potts etal 4 EY76558 S B+LN 30-Apr-14 Álftafjörður, S-Múlasýsla, E Iceland Tomas Gunnarsson & Lilja Jóhannesdóttir EY76558 S B+LN 23-Aug-14 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76558 S B+LN 26-Oct-14 Langstone Harbour, Havant, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76558 S B+LN 02-Nov-14 Langstone Harbour, Havant, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76558 S B+LN 14-Nov-14 Langstone Harbour, Havant, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76558 S B+LN 06-Feb-15 Northney, Hayling Island, Chichester Harbour, Havant, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76558 S B+LN 10-Apr-15 Northney, Hayling Island, Chichester Harbour, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts, Anne de Potier & Kathryn Eustace EY76558 S B+LN 11-Apr-15 Northney, Hayling Island, Chichester Harbour, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts, Ruth Croger & Dave Ball EY76558 S B+LN 16-Apr-15 Langstone, Chichester Harbour, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts & Dave Ball EY76558 S B+LN 18-Apr-15 North Hayling Island, Havant, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts

EY76558 S B+LN 01-May-15 Álftafjörður, S-Múlasýsla, E Iceland Tomas Gunnarsson & Lilja Jóhannesdóttir & RL EY76558 S B+LN 20-Oct-15 Langstone Harbour, Havant, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76558 S B+LN 16-Jan-16 Greylake RSPB reserve, Somerset Levels, W England Alan Ashman EY76558 S B+LN 03-Feb-16 Avon Tyrrell, Avon Valley, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76558 S B+LN 10-Feb-16 Avon Causeway, Sopley, Avon valley, Dorset, S England Pete Potts & Ruth Croger EY76558 S B+LN 25-Feb-16 Thorney Channel, Thorney Island, Chichester Harbour, W Sussex, England Anne de Potier EY76558 S B+LN 10-Sep-16 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Doug Kelson

EY76592 N Y+YB 15-Oct-13 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Farlington RG - Pete Potts etal 3 EY76592 S Y+YB 26-Nov-13 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Ken & Romney Turner EY76592 S Y+YB 30-Nov-13 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Caroline French EY76592 S Y+YB 06-Dec-13 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Ken & Romney Turner EY76592 S Y+YB 06-Dec-13 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Trevor Carpenter EY76592 S Y+YB 05-Jan-14 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Caroline French EY76592 S Y+YB 02-Feb-14 North Wall, Pagham Harbour, W Sussex, S England Anne de Potier EY76592 S Y+YB 03-Mar-14 Halsey's Farm, Pagham Harbour, Sidlesham, W Sussex, S England Anne de Potier EY76592 S Y+YB 17-Mar-14 Fishbourne, Chichester Harbour, W Sussex, S England Anne de Potier EY76592 S Y+YB 21-Mar-14 Fishbourne, Chichester Harbour, W Sussex, S England Anne de Potier EY76592 S Y+YB 24-Mar-14 Fishbourne, Chichester Harbour, W Sussex, S England Anne de Potier EY76592 S Y+YB 25-Apr-14 Sidlesham Ferry, Pagham Harbour, Chichester, W Sussex, S England Sarah Russell EY76592 S Y+YB 16-Jul-14 River Hamble, Warsash, Hampshire, S England Chris Bollen EY76592 S Y+YB 20-Sep-14 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts & Richard du Feu EY76592 S Y+YB 20-Sep-14 Texaco Bay, North Hayling, Chichester Harbour, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76592 S Y+YB 29-Dec-14 Texaco Bay, North Hayling, Chichester Harbour, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76592 S Y+YB 29-Dec-14 Langstone Bridge, Northney, Hayling Island, Chichester Harbour, Havant, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76592 S Y+YB 26-Jan-15 Langstone Bridge, Hayling Island, Chichester Harbour, Havant, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76592 S Y+YB 09-Aug-15 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts EY76592 S Y+YB 08-Sep-15 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Michael Hunt EY76592 S Y+YB 28-Jan-16 Pulborough Brooks RSPB reserve, Pulborough, West Sussex, England Anne de Potier EY76592 S Y+YB 20-Jul-16 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts & Dudley Hird EY76592 S Y+YB 10-Sep-16 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Doug Kelson

ET08568 N G+RY 14-Sep-05 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Farlington Ringing Group (Pete Potts, Ruth Croger et al) 4 M ET08568 S G+RY 15-Sep-05 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 15-Sep-05 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 18-Sep-05 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 20-Sep-05 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 23-Sep-05 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 27-Sep-05 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 01-Oct-05 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 23-Dec-05 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 25-Dec-05 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 10-Mar-06 Cheffes, Maine-et-Loire, France Alain Fosse & F Cauet ET08568 S G+RY 12-Aug-06 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Martin Gillingham ET08568 S G+RY 19-Aug-06 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 20-Aug-06 Langstone Harbour Martin Gillingham ET08568 S G+RY 29-Aug-06 Langstone Harbour, Shut Lake/Broom Channel Pete Potts ET08568 S G+RY 06-Sep-06 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 07-Sep-06 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 13-Sep-06 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 22-Sep-06 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 24-Sep-06 Langstone Harbour, Shut Lake Pete Potts ET08568 S G+RY 24-Sep-06 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 25-Sep-06 Langstone Harbour, Shut Lake Pete Potts & Ruth Croger ET08568 S G+RY 28-Sep-06 Langstone Harbour, Shut Lake Ray Gleason ET08568 S G+RY 29-Sep-06 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Ruth Croger, Jason Crook & Martin Gillingham ET08568 S G+RY 29-Sep-06 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 30-Sep-06 Langstone Harbour Pete Gammage ET08568 S G+RY 30-Sep-06 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 08-Oct-06 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 09-Oct-06 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 17-Jan-07 Le Pré Cornu, Charron, France ET08568 S G+RY 30-Jul-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 31-Jul-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 10-Aug-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Martin Gillingham

ET08568 S G+RY 19-Aug-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Martin Gillingham ET08568 S G+RY 20-Aug-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 24-Aug-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Devalez Jelle ET08568 S G+RY 25-Aug-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Martin Gillingham ET08568 S G+RY 29-Aug-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Martin Gillingham ET08568 S G+RY 30-Aug-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 31-Aug-07 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 7-Sep-07 Langstone Harbour Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 10-Sep-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 12-Sep-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 12-Sep-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 18-Sep-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 19-Sep-07 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Jason Crook ET08568 S G+RY 01-Aug-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Brian Fellows ET08568 S G+RY 04-Aug-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 5-Aug-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Richard Bishop ET08568 S G+RY 07-Aug-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 12-Aug-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 23-Aug-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 24-Aug-08 Shut Lake, Langstone Harbour Pete Potts ET08568 S G+RY 25-Aug-08 Port Creek, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 25-Aug-08 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 26-Aug-08 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 30-Aug-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 04-Sep-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Simon Feys and Davy Bosman ET08568 S G+RY 16-Sep-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Richard Bishop

ET08568 S G+RY 16-Sep-08 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 18-Nov-08 Ars-en-re, Fier d'Ars, France Frederic Robin ET08568 S G+RY 05-Jan-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England John Goodspeed ET08568 S G+RY 16-May-09 Vallakot, Reykjadalur, north of Myvatn, N Iceland Thorgils Sigurdsson ET08568 S G+RY 27-May-09 Road 845, Hanrar farm, N Iceland Frederic Robin ET08568 S G+RY 09-Jul-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Brian Fellows ET08568 S G+RY 13-Jul-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 14-Jul-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 30-Jul-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 8-Aug-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 08-Aug-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England John Birkett ET08568 S G+RY 12-Aug-09 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 13-Aug-09 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 15-Aug-09 Shut Lake, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts, Robin Ward et al ET08568 S G+RY 21-Aug-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Simon Feys ET08568 S G+RY 25-Aug-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 15-Sep-09 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 24-Sep-09 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Nick Humphrys ET08568 S G+RY 23-Mar-10 Réserve de Chanteloup, L'lle d'Olonne, Vendee, W France Michel Fouquet ET08568 S G+RY 24-Mar-10 Réserve de Chanteloup, L'lle d'Olonne, Vendee, W France Michel Fouquet ET08568 S G+RY 25-Mar-10 Réserve de Chanteloup, L'lle d'Olonne, Vendee, W France Michel Fouquet ET08568 S G+RY 5-Apr-10 Langstone, Chichester Harbour, Havant, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts F ET08568 S G+RY 9-Aug-11 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Heather Mills ET08568 S G+RY 11-Aug-11 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Richard Somerscocks ET08568 S G+RY 22-Aug-11 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Andrew Colenutt ET08568 S G+RY 01-Sep-11 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Dan Hoare ET08568 S G+RY 07-Sep-11 Langstone Harbour, Shut Lake/Broom Channel Dan Hoare ET08568 S G+RY 13-Sep-12 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England David Potter ET08568 S G+RY 18-Sep-12 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Mark Painter ET08568 S G+RY 29-Sep-12 Fier D-Ars, Ars-En-Re, Charente-Maritime, France Pierrick Bocher ET08568 S G+RY 8-Dec-12 Pulborough Brooks RSPB reserve, Arun Valley, West Sussex, S England David Sneller

ET08568 S ? G+RY 9-Mar-13 Titchfield Haven NNR, Fareham, Hampshire, S England Justin Walker ET08568 S G+RY 25-Apr-13 North Bull causeway, Dublin, E Ireland Christer Persson ET08568 S ? G+RY 9-Jul-13 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Richard Bishop ET08568 S G+RY 22-Aug-13 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts ET08568 S G+RY 16-Sep-13 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts ET08568 S G+RY 24-Mar-14 Hondschoote, Dunkirk, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France Julien Piette ET08568 S G+RY 28-Mar-14 Hondschoote, Dunkirk, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France Julien Piette ET08568 S G+RY 23-Aug-14 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts ET08568 S G+RY 23-Aug-14 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Robert Titman ET08568 S G+RY 20-Sep-14 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts & Richard du Feu ET08568 S G+RY 22-Sep-14 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England John & Margaret Swallow ET08568 S G+RY 30-Apr-15 Álftafjörður, S-Múlasýsla, E Iceland Jose Alves/VMA/PMA ET08568 S G+RY 02-May-15 Álftafjörður, S-Múlasýsla, E Iceland Jose Alves, VeronicaMA & PMA ET08568 S G+RY 02-May-15 Álftafjörður, S-Múlasýsla, E Iceland Jose Alves, VeronicaMA & PMA ET08568 S G+RY 09-Aug-15 Farlington Marshes LNR, Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Pete Potts ET08568 S G+RY 12-Aug-15 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Paul Bolt ET08568 S G+RY 10-Sep-16 Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth, Hampshire, S England Doug Kelson

And don’t forget, it’s not just us that are watching!

Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus Stewart Woolley ‘Up North!” 77