Bedford RSPB Local Group Quarterly Newsletter

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1 Bedford RSPB Local Group Quarterly Newsletter MARCH 2016 ==================================================== Charismatic Birds Whilst all birds are interesting there are some that have a special charisma and give me a huge WOW! I always get a special sense of delight and excitement when I see a Kingfisher (however briefly) and have considered which other birds always surprise and delight. My list has to include: Dipper - the way it catches its food but yet can sit so still and merge into the environment makes this a bird I always hope to see when I visit its habitat. Terns - wonderful to watch them diving for food Red Kite - I love the way it uses the tail as a rudder to change direction Barn Owl - such a treat when caught in the headlights of my car! Avocet - perhaps it was finally seeing this elegant bird after looking at it so long on the RSPB logo which makes it so special, though I am fascinated by the way it feeds (and I do love black and white birds!) Hobby - memorable at all times but especially when observed catching and eating on the wing Swifts - screaming that the summer has arrived Keeping this item to a manageable length is an impossible challenge as the list could fill the newsletter. I am sure your list would be significantly different. Perhaps you would like to include it in a future newsletter. Marion Hession FORTHCOMING EVENTS: April Thurs 21 st April: Steve Cham on Birds & Dragonflies. Sun 24 th April: A visit to Old Moor & Potteric Carr for spring migrants. May Thurs 12 th May: Evening walk Harrold & Odell CP. Sun 15 th May: A visit to Minsmere, Suffolk. Thurs 19 th May: AGM plus Richard Pople presents Birdwatching Bug. June Thurs 16 th June: Evening walk Stockgrove /Rushmere Sun 26 th June: A visit to Northward Hill, RSPB & other North Kent reserves. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no , Scotland no. SC037654

2 Bedford RSPB group Field trip to Fingringhoe Wick and Abberton Reservoir - 22 nd November With the first real icy blasts of the winter reaching Bedfordshire from the North, eleven hardy club members met at Sandy for our minibus outing to the Essex Wildlife Trust Reserves at Fingringhoe Wick and Abberton Reservoir. After scraping the ice from the vehicle windows we got off to a prompt 7:30 am start and arrived safely at Fingringhoe, 3 miles south-east of Colchester, just before 9:30. (for more reserve details try this web site). Once suitably dressed for the below freezing temperature we called into the visitor s centre and paid our donation entrance fee to the Essex WT, the temptation to stay in front of their roaring log burner outweighed by the distant view of the River Colne with tide quite high and lots of birds feeding very close to the edge on the muddy banks. Having decided to meet back at the mini bus for a 12:30 lunch the party split into small groups and made their own plans to explore the reserve. After a short woodland walk, during which we had good views of Bullfinches, a group of us arrived at Geedon Hide. By now the tide was dropping fast and the birds were becoming a little more distant, however large numbers of waders were identified including, Dunlin, Redshank, Knot, Curlew, Grey Plover, Oystercatchers, Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit, and excellent numbers of Avocets. From the side of the hide overlooking the salt marsh Little View of the River Colne and part of the Egret, Brent Geese, Grey Heron, Marsh extensive salt marshes from Geedon Hide. Harrier, Lapwing, Kestrel and a distant but obvious Peregrine Falcon were spotted. Another short walk north, again through wooded parts of the reserve, stopping briefly at an elevated viewpoint, and we were at Robbie s Hide. Here we saw Kingfisher (sitting unusually high in a Hawthorn bush well away from any visible water maybe making the most of the bright Sunshine), Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Shelduck and Red-breasted Merganser (a nice male in partial breading plumage). With time rapidly moving on we made our way back towards the car park adding Long-tailed Tit to our trip list. Once back inside the visitor s centre we made the most of their excellent facilities and warmed ourselves externally The wreck of Fly a Ballast Barge (built in Devon) on the River Colne between Geedon & Robbie s Hide.

3 sitting around the log burner and internally with tasty hot drinks. Whilst there the bird feeders had visits from Dunnock, Robin, Greenfinch, Blue Tit and Chaffinch. A Goldcrest feeding in the tree near the mini bus, a Common Buzzard over, and a Green Sandpiper seen from the vehicle as we drove from the reserve adding to the day s tally. By around 1:30 we were back on the road, after having lunch, and on our way to Abberton Reservoir approximately 20 minutes away where a Little Auk had been reported earlier. Fingers crossed it was still there as for some it would be a nice year tick but for others a lifer. Abberton reservoir was reached just before 2:00pm but unfortunately the Little Auk had been seen flying away mid-morning and had not been seen since. For reserve details try this web site: Not being too disappointed we enjoyed our visit by seeing Pied Wagtail, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Teal, Shoveler, Mallard, Cormorant, Goldeneye, a pair male and redhead Goosanders, at least 3 unexpected Ruff possibly, until now, caught out by the recent unseasonal weather delaying their southward migration, and a distant but readily identified winter plumaged Slavonian Grebe. Abberton Reservoir Visitor s Centre Abberton Reservoir is now vast and has recently been extensively increased in size, so much so that there are various places to view the birds from. Daylight hours were now at a premium and with one more location to visit we were back on the bus for a short ride to the old causeway about 2 to 3 miles away. From our roadside viewpoint our first Gadwall of the day were spotted and a superb Grey Wagtail feeding in the shallow overflow outfall was for me the Bird of the Day. As a group, over 70 birds were recorded including a small group of Siskin feeding in a Fingringhoe Alder trees and for a few lucky birders a brief view of a Bittern at the edge of a Fingringhoe reed bed. A selection of our more common Gulls were also recorded. Many thanks to all who braved the seasonal but rather sudden change in the weather, our trip organisers Malcolm & Carolyn Hawkes and our drivers Rex Beckett and Robert Norris. John Tomlin 23/11/15 [For more details of these two excellent reserves and to compliment this article I thoroughly recommend you visit the web sites shown above.]

4 Cheap (almost free) simple birdseed scoop Empty 1 pint milk container - with top. Remove contents sleeve. Mark cut line some containers have stiffening features which are ideal to follow. 4 Carefully make an incision into the base of the container. This will allow access for final trimming with scissors. 5 Using scissors roughly cut off the excess base portion of the container. 7 6 Time to try it out and top up the Finally tidy up the cut edge to the bird feeder. previously marked line job done. Larger scoops can be made using this principle with larger containers. John Tomlin

5 MILK BOTTLE TOPS COLLECTION KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK Edited extract from Westoning Parish Church Magazine: Please keep those plastic milk bottle tops coming. They help to raise funds for hospice care for children and to take them out on special day trips Many thanks for all of you who collect them for me, John Tomlin. CONFUSING SPECIES Common Redshank All year round in UK. versus Spotted Redshank Passage visitor to UK. Summer plumage Summer plumage Straight, somewhat stout bill. Streaked breast & flanks. Orange to red legs. Black legs (May to June). As a non-uk breeder rarely seen in full breeding colours in UK. Winter plumage. Prominent white eye stripe. Defused mottled chest, generally much plainer in winter. Thin longer bill with slight droop near tip. Winter plumage Substantial white trailing edges to wings in flight often raised vertically on landing. Autumn & Winter passage birds likely to cause most confusion longer bill & legs and obvious eye stripe being important ID features to look for.

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