ACE Visitor 31/3/23

A welcome visit from Mr Andy Carroll was a tad thin on the decent bird front, but more importantly it was great to catch up - long overdue and most welcome.

We made two attempts for the intermittent Alpine Swift at Elton Reservoir in Bury. I managed ok views of it at height but hardly what was hoped for. Andy was less keen on the locale, so stayed in the car. My first Sand Martins of the year (30th March) were the only other notable bird. 

Weather, willpower and poor fortune hampered us on Saturday 1st, but on Sunday 2nd the RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands reserve delivered some Disneyland birding, with excellent views of the long-staying Long-billed Dowitcher amongst 30 or so Knot, a single moulting Spotted Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits, Avocets, Dunlin and so on. A male Garganey was a welcome sign of spring and the usual Great and Little Egrets. Four Whooper Swans had dropped in and multiple Cetti’s sang in the spring like conditions.

Springing

Took the dogs along the River Weaver near home today. It was mild, almost warm, and pleasantly spring like. My first Chiffchaffs of the year sung, two Cetti’s Warblers showed uncharacteristically well, skylarks and great spotted woodpeckers did their thing and frogs and toads croaked. Fab. 

Baikal Beauty 17/3/2023

A drake BAIKAL TEAL was found in Foryd Bay, near Caernarfon, whilst we’d been in Anglesey in January, presumably the same bird seen in southern Wales in late 2022 (and possibly the same bird wintered in Somerset in 2021/2022). 

The only other one I'd seen was an immature drake at Minsmere in 2001; the first record in modern times but seen by most (including me) at the time as an insurance job. I was keen to see this bird, but being short on time and with dogs and Karen in tow, I opted to pass it by and hope it lingered until later in the winter. Luckily it has.

Ducks of course are always tainted with a whiff of uncertainty, but records of this fabulous species have been on the up in the last two decades. Are they commoner in captivity, or does the increase in records mirror the wild population? Or both. Wild populations come from a long way east of Europe, but with a the invention of stable isotope analysis it has been proven to be a genuine vagrant to the region; a first-winter bird mistakenly shot as a Common Teal in southeast Denmark in November 2005 was shown to have originated from within the species' natural rage. So natural vagrancy certainly occurs. Some of the recent records have made the BBRC grade, whilst others have evidently been escapees. Luckily for me, having seen the 2001 bird, I could simply enjoy this one without any concerns over acceptance. 

Since being found in January it had often disappeared for long periods, or been viewable only at long range, both of which had dampened my enthusiasm. It was occasionally being seen on a farm track pond with Common Teal, but not reliably so until the last few days. Given it was now regularly showing well I made time today (instead of working) and am glad I did. 

Thanks to an earlier report whilst I was travelling, I knew the approximate area I quickly located it on a roadside pond, although not its regular spot. The views were initially obscured by reed but after a short while it showed superbly. An absolute dazzler of a dabbler that the photos don't give justice to. I spent a couple of hours watching and photographing this bird with (mostly) no-one else there, bliss.

I’ve not been to Foryd Bay before. It’s a lovely spot and packed with waders and waterfowl. It must be massively underwatched.

On the way home I called in at Llandullas and immediately picked up the two drake Surf Scoters, still with a group of five Velvet Scoter.  They were much closer and the sea calm, so the views were exceptional- certainly the best I’ve had in North Wales.  Large numbers of Common Scoter were scattered across the millpond sea, with many Red-throated Divers, a few Shags and Red-breasted Mergansers thrown in. 

Antigua, March 2023

Ten days on the Caribbean island of Antigua with Karen, mostly chilled on the many beaches and exploring, but naturally there was some time for birds.

Some photos in no particular order...

Tropical Mockingbird

Green Heron

Green-throated Carib

Black-faced Grassquit

Northern Waterthrush

Yellow Warbler

Blue-winged Teal

Antillean Crested Hummingbird 

Purple-throated Carib

Black-necked Stilt

Purple-throated Carib

Masked Duck - unexpected bonus

Lesser Yellowlege

White-crowned Pigeon

American Kestrel (through windscreen unfortunately)

Lesser Antillean Bullfinch

Prairie Warbler

Royal Tern

Northern Parula

Magnificent Frigatebird

Black-whiskered Vireo

Banaquit

Brown Pelican

Lesser Antillean Elania

Purple-throated Carib

White-cheeked Pintail

Broad-winged Hawk

I managed 62 species in all, ok for modest effort put in.

West Indian Whistling Duck* 

Masked Duck* A complete surprise was two lovely drakes. To the best of my knowledge the first record on the island for at least 15 years. 

Blue-winged Teal

White-cheeked Pintail* 

Pied-billed Grebe

Eurasian Collared Dove

White-crowned Pigeon*

Scaly-naped Pigeon*

Bridled Quail Dove* My first quail-dove. Was surprised how large they are! 

White-winged Dove

Zenaida Dove

Common Ground Dove

Red-billed Tropicbird* Fab to finally see this species properly- 25 years after a distant spec from a pelagic in North Carolina. 

Green-throated Carib*

Purple-throated Carib*

Antillean Crested Hummingbird*

Mangrove Cuckoo (h)

Clapper Rail (h)

Common Gallinule

Brown Pelican

Black-crowned Night Heron

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Green Heron

Cattle Egret

Great Egret

Great Blue Heron

Little Blue Heron

Snowy Egret

Magnificent Frigatebird

Black-winged Stilt

American Golden Plover

Whimbrel (h)

Ruddy Turnstone

Stilt Sandpiper

Spotted Sandpiper

Willet

Lesser Yellowlegs

Greater Yellowlegs

Royal Tern

Osprey

Broad-winged Hawk

Belted Kingfisher 

American Kestrel

Peregrine 

Caribbean Elaenia*

Gray Kingbird

Black-whiskered Vireo*

Scaly-breasted Munia

Northern Waterthrush

Black and White Warbler

American Redstart 

Northern Parula

Yellow Warbler

Prairie Warbler

Carib Grackle*

Bananaquit

Black-faced Grassquit*

Lesser Antillean Bullfinch*

Caribbean Martin*

Scaly-breasted Thrasher*

Tropical Mockingbird*

North Wales 19/02/2023

The more or less annual trip to World’s End. For once I arrived pre dawn and awaited the light. Despite being still dark, the hisses and bubbling noises meant the show had begun. Slowly the gloom eased and the shapes of lekking Black Grouse emerged. What may have been a couple of hens appeared briefly; but it was still too far do to tell. Twice therrr was a sudden ‘dread’ as nearly all birds suddenly departed. Whether that was a predator or a reaction to the females who knows, but they soon returned and resumed the combination of bubbling calls, hissing leaps and all out scrapping. A few Red Grouse appeared, with the odd one even entering the arena. The light remained doggedly poor for photos, but an  enjoyable experience.

Onwards to Clocaenog and this time I’d resolved to head to the modest peak of Craig-Bron-Banog mast, the best vantage point in the forest and reportedly the best place for good views of Goshawk. It was colder than expected and presumably this kept raptor activity low. Eventually three Goshawks appeared, but disappointingly distant. There were plenty of Crossbills and the odd Raven, but that was it. A return visit required.

Bittern, 12/02 2023

Exceptional views of this years’ wintering Bittern at Marbury this evening.

Anglesey Feb 2023

A long weekend in Anglesey with the missus in largely beautiful weather was welcome. Much of the time was spent waking the wonderful beaches at Newburhh Warren (where I saw my first Anglesey Red Squirrel), Rhosneiger and Benllach, but there was time for a few birds. We stayed in a lovely newly built cottage near Llanfachraeth at the base of the Alaw Estuary. The creek by the cottage held multiple Greenshanks, 2 Green Sandpipers and Little Egrets.

I walked the footpath along the southern shore of the estuary and also birders Beddmanarch Bay from 

Penhros. Highlights were c100 Pale-bellied and 1 Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Mediterranean Gull, Slavonian Grebe and good numbers of commoner waders. 

At South Stack I was surprised to see the cliffs already stacked with Guillemots and a good number of Razorbills on the sea, whilst 4 Chough flew through cheerfully calling away.

A trip over to Benllach Bay failed to result in the Surf Scoter, but plenty of Common Scoter, 3 Long-tailed Ducks, lots of rafting Great-crested Grebes and Red-throated Divers were nice to see.

Finally a quick visit to Holyhead Fish Harbour yielded four Black Guillemots, before we set off for home. We broke the journey up with lunch then a quick stop of Llandullas yielded 2 drake Surf Scoters. They were quite distant but in excellent light and calm conditions the views were decent enough. At least 2 Velvet Scoters were amongst the Common Scoters and there seemed to be at least 30 Red-throated Divers.

Not a bad return for a chilling weekend, and a reminder how good the birding on Anglesey is. 

Back home there was still a couple of hours daylight, so I headed back to Kingsmead again for the impossible White-throated Sparrow. The score is now Sparrow 6. Me 0. Ah well.