MEGA RARITY: Brünnich's Guillemot in Portland Harbour!

While settling into a nice, calm Boxing Day morning, I decided to check Bird News Extra, just to make sure I wasn't missing anything special on this sunny day. I was missing something. A Brünnich's Guillemot (first for Dorset- actually first for Britain south of Lancashire and fourth for England) had been found off Osprey Quay. Within forty minutes, we were standing at Osprey Quay enjoying great (if rather distant) views of this mega rare Arctic vagrant as it swum among the boats:

Brünnich's Guillemot, Portland Harbour, 26/12/13

What a great first time to use my new camera that I got for Christmas. Nearby, the Black Guillemot was still off Portland Castle (but sadly still too distant for photography) and two Black-throated Divers and one Great Northern Diver were there too. Feeling very much content, we then headed to Hamm Beach, where two more Black-throated Divers and a Red-necked Grebe were present. What a winter Portland Harbour is having!

As if the day could get any better, we decided to stop off at the Weymouth Glossy Ibis, my second in the UK, showing very well in a flooded football field near Radipole Lake:

Glossy Ibis, Weymouth, 26/12/13

What a great day!

Black Guillemot, Portland Harbour

In atrocious weather, we headed to Portland Harbour yesterday morning in pursuit of a first-winter Black Guillemot that had spent the previous two days off Portland Castle. We arrived at first light, and I immediately found the bird distantly off the castle, only for it to disappear underwater and resurface several minutes later further away. This was a new species for me, a very rare one in Dorset, but a common breeder much further north in this country. While they are jet black in summer, with stunningly red feet, at this time of year, they take on a white plumage, with the small black speckles covering their body simply reminders of their more respledent summer coat. The bird was far too distant for any photography, and the violent wind howling into our faces made viewing difficult, but I was still very pleased with seeing this great species. Also in Portland Harbour, we found two Great Northern Divers and a Black-necked Grebe.

Meanwhile, I heard of the tragic and untimely death of Cameron Bespolka in a skiing accident in Austria. I was at school with Cameron for a brief period of time and we spent many hours talking to each other about birding. He was immensely passionate about birds, and had a great knowledge of them, particularly for someone so young. He died at the age of sixteen, having had a very bright future lying in front of him. Rest in peace Cameron, and sincere condolences to all of the Bespolka family.

Common Cranes at Cheselbourne

                                

Common Cranes, Cheselbourne, Dorset 7/12/13

These two magnificent birds were feeding in a roadside field, on the weeds and small plants they favour at this time of year (in summer, their diet changes to one of large insects, reptiles, rodents and small birds). The species is widespread across Europe and Asia, mainly wintering in north east Africa and Southern Asia, though many spend the winter in Europe and approximately 50 do so in England (all of which, other than these two, are in East Anglia). They became extinct as a breeding bird in Britain in the 17th Century due to persecution and habitat destruction, however a small population has now returned to the Norfolk Broads, and a reintroduction scheme is underway in Somerset. Hopefully this stately bird, standing at over one metre tall and with a remarakble two metre wingspan, will return as a regular breeding species in Britain again at some point in the future.

These two birds probably originated in Eastern Europe, though it is impossible to know for sure. We watched them for some time, before they disappeared over the brow of the hill, and then treated us to the resplendent sight of seeing their great wings carrying them into the distance. Watching this breathtaking bird fly over the English countryside felt like we had stepped back 500 years. What a privilege it is to have such a magical species gracing our countryside.

Two new ducks...

We started today at Brand's Bay in Poole, in search of the juvenile surf scoter which has been there for several days. This regular trans-Atlantic vagrant breeds in Alaksa and Northern Canada and normally winters off the coast of north USA and on the Great Lakes, but small numbers arrive in Western Europe every winter. Most are adult males, a magnificent black sea duck with a bright orange and white beak and a remarkably shiny white eye. Sadly this one was a juvenile, a far more drab, brown, bird, yet to develop the resplendent beak and eye of its father, and looking rather more similar to its even more drab mother. Well that was what I was expecting...

Juvenile Surf Scoter, Brand's Bay, 23/11/13

We found it almost as soon as we had arrived, swimming rather distantly out in the middle of the bay. Contrary to my expectations, the bird really was stunning, with its distinctive eider-like head and white spot behind the eye. It is amazing to think of it crossing the Atlantic alone in its first year of life. My photograph does not do this magnificent bird justice at all. It was a new species for me, and an excellent one at that to see this side of the Atlantic.

Brand's Bay was teeming with other waterfowl, particularly great crested grebes, brent geese, red-breasted mergansers, wigeon and shelducks, with several pintail and a female goldeneye very close in to the shore also present, along with three grey plovers. As we walked back up to our car, we came across a group of four (!) Dartford warblers flitting about the heather. What a great place!

We then headed towards Portland. At Ferrybridge, there were several hundred brent geese present, as well as a very nice total of 130 Mediterranean gulls. Sadly there was no sign of either of the black brant which winter there each year. The highlight for me was the presence of three knots, my first in Dorset.

Knot with a Mediterranean Gull in the background, Ferrybridge, 23/11/13

Unfortunately a brief check of Portland Harbour resulted in nothing more than several red-breasted mergansers and great crested grebes, and a distant small grebe, most likely a black-necked, so we moved on to Abbotsbury. We hoped to find the wintering scaup there, and eventually a tedious search through a distant large tufted duck and pochard flock, as viewed from the World War II tank traps at the corner of the swannery, resulted in finding three scaup together. This scarce winter visitor to Britain from its breeding grounds in Siberia and north-eastern most Scandinavia was a new species for me, and particularly satisfying as we had missed them last year at the Swannery.

Scaup, Abbotsbury Swannery, 23/11/13

Sadly they were extremely distant (hence the rubbish record shot!) due to the difficulties of viewing birds in the swannery during the winter months when it is closed, and the lack of public access to the fleet side of Chesil Beach, but their clear pale backs stood out from the tufted ducks. It should be getting harder and harder for me to find two new species on one day, but I'm not having any difficulty yet. I hope that continues!

Red-breasted Goose!

On the 31st October, we headed down to Milford-on-sea in Hampshire. Our quarry was a red-breasted goose that had been present with a flock of brent geese in the fields around Sturt Pond for several weeks. This stunningly-colourful small goose breeds in Arctic Siberia and winters around the Black Sea and in Azerbaijan. They are threatened with extinction, following a large decrease in numbers in recent years and increased threats to their breeding and wintering grounds from increasing development. Very small numbers arrive in Britain each year, almost always with flocks of barnacle or brent geese in late Autumn. It has been a bit of a bogey bird for me, and I have tried (and failed!) to see it twice around the Exe Estuary in Devon and at Christchurch Harbour in Dorset, but I was hoping for a fourth time lucky.

We arrived at Milford-on-sea, only to be greeted by the sight of a complete lack of any geese in the fields surrounding Sturt Pond. We decided to continue, towards Hurst Point, hoping to come across a brent goose flock. Finally, we found several brents feeding on some of the grass islands in the Solent next to Hurst Point. Scanning them revealed several wigeon and shelduck, and finally the red-breasted goose! It was feeding with five brent geese about 400 metres away, occasionally showing well, but generally hiding in the long grass. We watched it for about half an hour, before it disappeared into even longer grass, in which we couldn't see. It was a superb new species for me, my fifth BBRC rarity, and certainly one of my favourite species that I have seen in Britain. Nearby were several rock pipits and turnstones, but nothing else of any note.

We then headed to Portland, hoping to find any of the scarcer species that had been seen around Ferrybridge and Chesil Cove in the previous few days. At Ferrybridge, there were several bar-tailed godwits, turnstones, ringed plovers, dunlins, two grey plovers and one sanderling, as well as a single Mediterranean gull. Sadly there was no sign of any brent geese, and thus of my hoped for black brant geese. Chesil Cove was almost completely empty, with just a single Mediterranean gull of any note. Portland Harbour was of far greater interest, with a new species for me found off Portland Castle. It was a winter plumage red-necked grebe, a scarce winter visitor to Britain from Eastern Europe. It would only show for about five seconds at a time, before diving back under, but it was a very pleasing bird to see. There was nothing else of any note in the harbour, so we headed back to Hilfield very content with a great day.

September and early October

The last seven weeks have been extremely hectic, but there has been some time for birdwatching as well.

On the 21st September, I visited Hengistbury Head on an extremely windy and rainy day. I failed to find the wryneck which had been present for several days, and migrants in general were very few and far between. The bird of the day was a late(ish) Arctic tern that flew past the Beach Huts there, my first in Dorset.

On the 27 September, I had a far more successful trip, this time to Normandy and Keyhaven Marshes in Hampshire. On Normandy Marsh, I found three ruff, five greenshanks, two bar-tailed godwits and three spotted redshanks among large numbers of the more common wader species, including several grey plovers. Nearby, a field was swarming with meadow pipits and yellow wagtails, the latter numbering at least seventy. This magnificent, but rapidly declining, summer visitor no longer breeds in Hampshire, but still passes through the county on their migration south back to Sub-Saharan Africa. Overhead, a bar-headed goose passed. This species is regularly recorded as an escape in Britain and is famous for being reportedly seen migrating over Mt Everest, as it makes its way from countries such as Kazakhstan and Mongolia, south to the Indian Peninsula for winter.

As we headed towards Pennington Marshes, a first calendar year little gull passed on the sea, and several wheatears were found. Sadly there was no sign of the long-billed dowitcher on Keyhaven Lagoon.

My only other trip out of school since then was to a site in the New Forest on the 14th October. There, I heard a crossbill fly over, saw a hawfinch over and what seems set to become my final swallow of the year passing through.

On the 6th October, I had my first day at home since the beginning of September. There was a clear passage of meadow pipits passing over, and with them was a single yellow wagtail, my first at Hilfield. I have also seen my first redwings of winter at Hilfield, but no fieldfares yet- it's only a matter of time!

Portland 7th September

This morning we visited Portland on the last morning before I go back to school.

Just as we arrived, we were told of three ortolans in Suckthumb Quarry. Needless to say, they were no longer there, but I did see a first for me in Britain- an all-too-brief view of a nightingale which we flushed from a bush, allowing us to notice its distinct rufous tail. The only other birds of note around the area were several wheatears and a spotted flycatcher.

After that, we headed down to the Bill, where we came upon a nice little passage of Balearic shearwaters passing to the west. Pelagic seabirds are, along with owls, my favourite family of birds, and this was a new species for me. This slightly more chunky and duskier cousin of the Manx shearwater is very sadly now considered to be critically endangered, due to a range of threats, including predation from cats and rats, increasing development of holiday resorts around their breeding areas and being killed as fishing by-catch. 3000 pairs are believed to remain in the wild, though other figures suggest that up to 30 000 birds may remain, and remarkably it is believed to only be the females which travel to Britain, with the males travelling south, so to see 40 or so passing Portland today was a real treat, but nothing compared to the 382 which passed the Bill last Saturday! It is predicted that the species will become extinct within 40 or so years and it is a great privilege to have seen this highly threatened and increasingly rare visitor to Britain.

The day was not done yet, when a wryneck was reported in the top fields, we headed up there. On the way, we passed the strange and very intriguing sight of about 30 people trudging through the field next to the obs! Normally this is an almost empty field, so we knew something great must have been seen. It turned out to be a corncrake that had been flushed by a person waking through the field earlier. Sadly our attempts to flush the bird failed- it had clearly hidden itself away in the long grass so a potential new British bird for me was missed- not that I particularly minded after the unforgettable views I had of this species in Kenya two years ago.

We then heard of a wryneck found in the top fields, so raced up there. It had been flushed and had flown out of sight by the time we arrived, so unfortunately we missed it. Compensation came very soon however, when an ortolan bunting was find nearby and we arrived just in time to see it fly off calling towards the observatory. This was a new species in Britain for me, a really rather scarce passage migrant here that is bizarrely trapped for food in France during the autumn. My only previous sightings of the species came in Jordan last year. Around the area we also found up to 20 whinchats, 50 wheatears and 3 yellow and one white wagtails, alongside good numbers of commoner migrants like whitethroats and meadow pipits, as well as a garden warbler and a fly over tree pipit (my first at Portland).

It was also a good week at Hilfield, with two new species for the area seen by me. The first was a stunning lesser whitethroat calling from its perch in the area of our garden I call the 'warbler patch' ( because it is always swarming with blackcaps, willows and chiffs). I have been looking in this area regularly, knowing that it would be the most likely place for a scarcer bird to appear in the garden due to its abundance of berries, so to get this reward was very satisfying! The second was, like I saw at Portland, a flyover tree pipit. I first heard its distinctive, higher pitched version of a pied wagtail's call, and soon managed to find its silhouette in undulating flight right over the house. The only other bird of note seen was a peregrine that went over chasing someone's racing pigeons!

A largely non-birding trip to Brownsea Island gave me my first mainland Britain red squirrel and a flock of 8 spoonbills on the lagoon was a nice bonus.

South of France- 10th August-30 September

On the 10th August, we drove from Dorset to a small house near Uzes in the south of France. It took close to 20 hours, but it certainly felt worth it once we had arrived!

I shall cover the trip site by site, as three weeks of day by day coverage would be rather tedious!

We stayed in a converted farm building in a minute hamlet called Mas de l'Aveugle (Hamlet of the Blind Man). The birding around the area was exceptional, with a great mix of farmland, vineyards and forest. Colourful southern European specialties such as bee-eaters and hoopoes were very common around the area, as was the globally threatened European roller (a group of 14 was seen on one day) and golden orioles. The latter two species are shot in large numbers as they migrate over the Mediterranean- rollers for food and golden orioles rather disturbingly to be used as an aphrodisiac, but thankfully both seemed to be thriving here (for now).

European Bee-eaters, Mas de l'Aveugle

Smaller southern European specialties around the area included melodious, subalpine (a lifer for me) and Dartford warblers, as well as cirl bunting (now sadly restricted to a small stretch of south Devon coast in Britain), pied flycatcher (another first for me), tawny pipit (also a lifer) and black redstarts, the flycatcher and black redstart being particularly abundant. Shrikes were common, particularly woodchat, but two red-backed shrikes and an Iberian grey shrike were also seen.

Juvenile Red-backed Shrike (top) and House Sparrow, Mas de l'Aveugle

Another feature of the area was the remarkable abundance of raptors. Besides sightings of more common British species such as common buzzard, sparrowhawk and kestrel, were scarcer ones such as hobbies, peregrines and a red kite. Honey-buzzards were seen regularly, presumably migrating south, including a group of 14. Short-toed eagles were seen daily, their enormous size apparent when one was being mobbed by a honey-buzzard (something one can only dream of seeing in England!). Much more unexpected was a goshawk that headed low over the house, but my personal favourite was a male hen harrier seen gliding over the nearby fields. On the edge of extinction in England, due to persecution from gamekeepers, this bird made a magnificent sight, one that has become exceedingly rare back home. Other species facing a similarly bleak future in Britain that were regularly seen included quail and turtle dove.

One of the benefits of travelling in August was to have the chance to witness the passerine migration. Around the area, regular British migrants such as willow warblers, chiffchaffs, several common and one lesser whitethroat and one garden warbler were all seen, as were northern wheatears and a single (flyover) yellow wagtail. Many of the pied flycatchers seen would have been migrants, as presumably was a single female common redstart (a male was seen in a nearby village) seen on two days. A nightingale seen in the same tree also provided a great treat.

Female Common Redstart, Mas de l'Aveugle

Unsurprisingly, hirundines (barn swallows and house martins) were abundant, but a single crag martin seen on one day was more of a surprise. Swifts were more scarce, with only four seen. Far more unexpected were two scarcer passage migrants, both seen in the garden, and both generally choosing a more easterly route to their wintering grounds. The first was a female red-breasted flycatcher, which at first I thought to be a pied flycatcher, before it revealed a wing lacking in any white. A rather strange mix of flycatcher and warbler, choosing to winter in India, this was a new species for me, and certainly not one I could have predicted seeing. Nor was an icterine warbler seen a few days later. This species, the more easterly counterpart of the melodious warbler probably passes through this region in decent numbers, however it is extremely difficult to separate from the melodious. I thought the bird was worth inspecting after I caught sight of its black legs- usually a melodious has pink legs, but they can be much darker, so this is not a reliable source of identification! More key an identification feature were its long primary feathers extending far beyond the base of the tail, as well as its overall sense of appearing less plump and kindly-looking. This was another lifer for me.

Just about a record shot of the Icterine Warbler, Mas de l'Aveugle. Note the long primary feathers.

Very pleasingly, on my last day there, I found another lifer, possibly present as a passage migrant, though in potentially decent breeding habitat. It was a marsh warbler, almost inseparable by sight from a reed warbler, and barely separable by voice, though with the help of my Collins guide, I successfully managed to identify it, based on its less rufous back and extremely skulking nature. Five of them were present together in a roadside ditch. 

More exciting, for me, was the presence of calling European scops owls in the garden. On one night, I finally managed to see them, with two birds seen on four occasions. A tawny owl was heard calling on one night, but unfortunately not seen.

Sound recording of calling Scops Owl, Mas de l'Aveugle

Other birds seen around the area included red-legged partridge, stonechat, corn bunting, jay, raven and both green and great spotted woodpecker and in a nearby village, tree sparrows, a species on the edge of extinction in Britain, and seemingly rather scarce here as well.

Sun setting over Mas de l'Aveugle

The Camargue

Unfortunately we were only able to visit the Camargue on only one occasion on this trip, though it was a superb day. It started as well as it possibly could have done, with a magnificent adult male red-footed falcon seen extremely close, perched on a roadside wire near Le Sambuc in the Camargue. My visions of taking a photograph of this bird were sadly denied when a van of fireman shot past, forcing the bird to fly off. It was an extremely luck encounter, not only because the bird is a scarce passage migrant to region from its breeding grounds in eastern Europe on its way to sub-Saharan Africa, but because we were only travelling down that part of the road because we had missed our turning five minutes earlier! It was a new species for me, and undoubtedly the bird of the trip, one that I shall never forget. Nearby were several crested larks and green sandpipers.

Still trying to get over our excitement, we traveled to the Etang du Fangassier, home to the Camargue's main breeding population of flamingoes. On the way, we stopped off at a platform raised above some reedbeds, where I saw my first zitting cisticola since I saw one in South Africa in 2006! At the Etang, waders were plentiful, particularly ringed, little ringed and plovers, dunlin and little stints. Also present were several common, green and curlew sandpipers, curlews and avocets, and another new species for me- a single Temminck's stint. The bizarre yet truly resplendent greater flamingoes were abundant on the Etang, with at least 100 seen. Mediterranean and yellow-legged gulls were seemingly everywhere, however I failed to find one of my target species- the slender-billed gull, despite much searching. Other birds seen included yellow wagtail and a shelduck, but most exciting was a ringtail Montagu's harrier hunting in the distance.

Next we traveled to La Capeliere on the Etang du Vaccares, the largest etang of the Camargue. There were huge numbers of black-necked grebes floating on this vast, yet very shallow, inland sea, with at least 200 birds present. A female garganey was also seen, as were dozens of black-winged stilts, wandering around the shallows on their absurdly long red legs. Here, more flamingos were present, but far too distantly so for photography. A flock of white storks was seen feeding in a roadside field nearby.

We then went to Salin des Badons, a reserve that one has to pay for the privilege to enter. It was certainly worth it, with the first hide being remarkably productive. Spoonbills; great white, cattle and little egrets and grey, black-crowned night, squacco and purple herons fed on the lagoon, alongside dozens of waders, including up to 30 wood sandpipers, several green and common sandpipers, greenshanks, redshanks, snipe and black-winged stilts. It was my first sighting of squacco herons since seeing dozens in Botswana's Okavango Delta, the best place imaginable for herons!

Squacco Heron, Salin des Badons

Great White Egret, Salin des Badons

Heavily cropped image of Spoonbill, Salin des Badons

More exciting was the presence of five black storks, two of which were relatively close (but sleeping) and the other three were too far away for photography, but predictably awake, so showing off their brilliantly bright red bill. Again, this is a scarce passage migrant in the Camargue, and a truly stunning bird. Continuing the trend of first birds seen since Africa in 2006, these were my first of this species since a single bird at Lamu in Kenya in the same year.

Black Storks, Salin des Badons

Aggravatingly, I was unable to continue that trend as I failed to spot a collared pratincole hawking for insects that my father saw (my only sighting of this bizarre mix between a wader and a swallow was a single bird at Tanzania's Lake Tarangire in 2006). Smaller birds included Cetti's, reed and Sardinian warblers and zitting cisticola and a single red-crested pochard was also present. Unfortunately I could not find any great reed, spectacled or Savi's warblers which inhabit the area and would have all been lifers. 

We then traveled to the paddyfields at Mas d'Agon, reputedly a superb area for herons and terns. On the way, we passed this roadside squacco heron.

Squacco Heron, near Salin des Badons

At Mas d'Agon, we quickly found both gull-billed and whiskered terns (again species not seen since 2006 in Africa!), as well as sandwich and common terns. Sadly no black terns were present, so I missed the chance of another lifer. The number of herons present was outstanding, with glossy ibis present in great numbers alongside large numbers of the three egret species; squacco, black-crowned night, grey and purple herons (whose numbers were particularly remarkable). A marsh harrier was seen very well, gliding over the paddyfields, and a tree sparrow was a nice addition, alongside reed warblers and dozens of black-winged stilts.

Our next destination was supposed to Etang du Scamandre, in the Petit Camargue, home of a large heron roost that would have guaranteed little and great bitterns among the species already seen that day, but much to our surprise it turned out to be closed on weekends (surely when everyone would be visiting a nature reserve?). The reeds around that area are supposed to hold good numbers of moustached and Savi's warblers, though sadly we saw none. We decided to continue to Pont des Tourradons, home of the purple gallinule. On the way, we saw a roadside roller and a stunning male Montagu's harrier. Predictably, on a day of missing specialties, but finding superb scarcities, we failed to find the far larger and more colourful cousin of our coots and moorhens, though good numbers of glossy ibises and the other heron species, as well as wood sandpipers and black-winged stilts was some compensation. Five road-killed coypu created a stench, but also a strong suspicion that some locals weren't too keen on this invasive South American species, the largest rodent in the world.

On another day we visited the Parc Ornothologique du Pont de Gau, and were impressed by the range of birds present. Here, they care for injured birds and their offspring, including Egyptian vultures and eagle owls. Something about the Parc gave a sense that the birds were not genuinely wild (they were wild, but extremely tame and seemingly uncaring about human presence), and huge crowds of visitors swarmed the area. Not all was bad though, with black-crowned night herons and flamingos seen superbly well, as well as a new mammal for me, two beavers.

Greater Flamingos at extremely close range, Parc Ornothologique du Pont de Gau

Record shot of beaver, Parc Ornothologique du Pont de Gau

Mont Ventoux

Having read reports of previous trips to the area, I felt that a visit to Mont Ventoux was a necessity. This mountain, the most westerly outcrop of the Alps, reaches over 6000 feet in altitude, and as a result attracts some different species. Again, the outing started well, with the first birds seen being a lifer- a pair of crested tits feeding in the pines near a layby. Further up the mountain, we came to a beautiful alpine meadow. Here, we found black redstarts and white wagtails to be abundant, alongside wheatears (bizarrely described as being a passerine fort gouteur- strongly tasty- on a sign in the area!). Pied flycatchers and tree pipits were (quite literally) everywhere, and a robin turned out to be the only one of the trip! Mistle thrushes, spotted flycatchers, coal tits and chaffinches gave a reminder of Dorset (not necessarily a reminder I needed!). A single serin and a common redstart were seen there, and overhead dozens of alpine swifts and crag martins circled. A pair of honey-buzzards made a magnificent sight, as they called to each other at eye-level to us. A goshawk passing over was a great surprise. Best of all, however, was another new bird for me. While looking at a wheatear perched on a rock, I caught sight of a falcon gliding behind it in the distance. It struck me as having a particularly long tail and thin wings, and having managed to get my telescope onto it, I managed to confirm its identity as an Eleonora's falcon, yet another scarce passage migrant seen on this trip. It is one of the most desired species to see in Europe, breeding on the Mediterranean islands, and migrating to Madagascar in the winter. Seeing it here was most unexpected, but nevertheless exceedingly pleasing. It was, of course, yet another new species for me. We then continued to the summit, passing literally hundreds of cyclists, challenging themselves on what is famously the most tough stage of the Tour de France.

The bizarre, lunar-like landscape at the summit of Mont Ventoux

The breathtaking view from the summit.

On the way down, we stopped for lunch at Le Chalet Reynard (it was a delicious lunch by the way!). The surrounding area is famously good for citril finches and snowfinches, though we found neither, and I think winter may be a far better time for finding them. We did, however, find some great birds, particularly a pair of rufous-tailed rock thrushes (only my second sighting of this species) and a rock bunting (again my second sighting, after seeing it in Morocco in January). The supporting cast consisted of good numbers of serin, several redstarts (of both varieties), and both species of whitethroat. Overhead, a flock of alpine choughs passed.

What was shaping up to be a great afternoon was rudely interrupted when the black smoke began pouring out the the brakes halfway down Mont Ventoux. We stopped, and after eventually getting through to our insurance, a mechanic was sent to come and help us. A three hour wait ensued, during which time, the only birds seen were a pair of firecrests. Eventually the mechanic came, and having inspected our brakes with a torch, told us that it was 'ok' and that it happened to people with automatic cars everyday due to excessive braking. We continued home, eventually arriving six and a half hours after we left (it had taken a little over an hour to get there!).

La Crau

Possibly my favourite destination of the trip, this threatened area of steppe-like habitat, France's only desert, contains several specialities, particularly the little bustard, but also pin-tailed sandgrouse and four shrike species among many others. 

Having read many reports about where to find species (most over ten years old!) we felt prepared to explore this barren area, threatened by industrialiasation and an increasing military presence in highly suitable habitat for training. We started at Eyguieres Airstrip at the eastern end of La Crau, easily accessed just south of the town bearing the same name. The site was recommended as a little bustard hotspot, so we were very keen to visit. For anyone visiting, continue past the main airport hangars and other buildings, until you reach a sign saying no entry. At this point, turn left and continue until another no entry sign, right next to the airstrip itself. It was from here that I spotted our target species for the entire trip- not one, not two, but five little bustards! This fantastic pheasant-sized bird was a great lifer, one that I have always wanted to see. The birds were too skulking for a photo, but gave great (if rather brief) views as they fed on the grass runway itself. This site also contained several wheatears, whinchat and tawny pipits. I would recommend it to anyone visiting the area h

oping to find the bustards, and sandgrouse are reportedly regular here as well, though we didn't see any.

We then continued, very much content, towards Terme Blanc, a notorious site for passage migrant dotterel, and with a habit of attracting vagrants such as creme-coloured courser. On the way, five black swans were seen on a roadside lake near Saint Martin de Crau, presumably escapes that have started breeding. Further on, a ringtail Montagu's harrier was seen superbly from a roadside layby, hunting over the vast fields.

Based on recommendations, we stopped on the right of the southbound road, the N568, which cuts across the Reserve Naturelle des Coussoulls de Crau, near a sign for the Retour des Aires and an old private property sign. We parked in front of the gate which enters the area, next to some abandoned farm houses. It was on the rather spooky abandoned edifices that several lesser kestrels had taken up residence, allowing superb views from the car. Their style of flight differed hugely from that of the common kestrel, in fact more like that of a hobby catching insects. This species was another one of our targets, and a superb species to see. We then had to cross the N568, as directly opposite it was Terme Blanc. Passing what is seemingly the only inhabited house in La Crau, you pass up a dirt track for several kilometres, heading towards the abandoned farmhouse in the centre of this enormous plain.

The barren plain at Terme Blanc, La Crau

Much of the area consists of grass that is slightly too long for many of the desert species, but wheatears and tawny pipits were seen everywhere. 

Abandoned farm at Terme Blanc, La Crau

That all changes around the abandoned farm, where the terrain becomes more pebbly and steppe-like. Around here we found large numbers of tawny pipits, wheatears, short-toed larks and a new species for me- a calandra lark. Kestrels of both species were abundant, and a single peregrine was seen. Sensing this was our best opportunity to find dotterels as the terrain was far more suitable for them, we waited. It did feel like searching for some tiny needles in a vast haystack. Our patience was, remarkably rewarded, as a group of dotterels appeared suddenly behind the car. It was another new species for me, one that breeds in the Arctic and winters mainly in North Africa. About 25 were present, most still in summer plumage. Unfortunately heat haze made photography extremely difficult, despite how close they were to our car.We watched them scurrying about the ground for about an hour, before heading home having had an excellent day.

Dotterel, Terme Blanc, La Crau

Other sites

Pont du Gard and Gardon River- an excellent site for alpine swifts and crag martins, as well as raptors. Single ospreys were seen on two occasions gliding over the river, as a was a booted eagle. Sadly I could not find any of the rock sparrows which breed on the Roman Aqueduct itself, but black redstarts were numerous. In the forest surrounding the Pont du Gard, spotted and pied flycatchers were numerous, as were common redstarts and firecrests. Western Bonelli's warblers were also present, and this species was a new one for me, though it is completely identical to the eastern variety I saw at Petra in Jordan last year in all ways, other than its call. On one day, we kayaked down the Gard, and under the Pont du Gard itself. It was a great experience, and while doing so, I saw six kingfishers, a very close turtle dove and a common sandpiper, along with dozens of crag martins. Also near the Pont du Gard was an extremely ugly escaped muscovy duck that remained in almost exactly the same location during our stay, and was approached very closely while we were kayaking.

The Circque de Navacelles, Cevennes- sadly visited all too briefly for the purpose of swimming in the superb natural rock pools near the small village. As soon as we arrived, a flock of vultures passed over, and having got out the binoculars, one turned out to be a black vulture- a great new bird for me, which has recently been reintroduced into the area, but can be extremely difficult to find. It was travelling with 12 griffon vultures and a short-toed eagles, and they quickly moved on, not to be seen again. Also seen there was a group of 20 red-billed choughs. 

Les Baux- sadly no birding done here, but the hillside village was worth a visit. My hopes of finding Bonelli's eagles as others have in the trip reports I have read, were proven to be forlorn as no raptors were seen. We didn't search for the eagle owls that nest in the area as we knew it would be virtually impossible to find them without inside knowledge of their nest sites. Crag martins and black redstarts were very common, and three jays were seen.

Total species seen: 159

Lifers: 15

Mammals: just three- rabbit, hare and beaver

Click here for a list of birds seen

Norfolk 26th July-5th August

We traveled up to Norfolk on the 26th of July for a week's trip to the north Norfolk coast.

The trip's first new bird of the year for me came in the form of a ring-necked parakeet, which shot over our car as we were stuck in truly horrendous traffic on the M25. About two hours later, we arrived at Lakenheath Fen, where my target was the common crane, a species which has become a bit of a bogey bird for me, but that we hoped to find there, with nine (!) of them seen there the day before. Needless to say I had another horrible dip, following one on Ham Wall's breeding little bitterns on the 21st, when we waited at the viewing platform for over three hours without any luck. On the 21st, I added green sandpiper, garganey and Cetti's warbler to the year list, and at Lakenheath, bearded tit and sedge warbler were additions to the same list. Best of all, I got my first new mammal species since my Jordan trip two years ago, when a mink appeared on the path right next to the viewing platform at Ham Wall. Not that any of them even nearly made up for missing little bitterns and cranes! The highlight at Lakenheath were the bearded tits, with a group of about eight appearing right next to me as I searched for cranes. Five marsh harriers made a superb sight as well. After two nights staying just south of Norwich, we headed north, first to Holkham, where I hoped to chance upon the two-barred crossbill seen earlier in the week there, but all I found was two grey partridges, a very scarce species in Dorset, and my first since I visited Suffolk three years ago. We then traveled to our campsite at Burnham Thorpe. Though not overly stunning as a campsite, the birdwatching there was breathtaking. Soon after our arrival, two red kites flew low over, followed by a hobby, and then, best of all, a cracking little owl barely twenty yards away!

Little Owl, Burnham Thorpe

The kites and little owls turned out to be a regular sight at the campsite, both seemingly very used to human presence.

The next day, I visited one of the reserves I have most wanted to go to, Titchwell. There, I hoped to find some of the scarcer passage waders that are very difficult to see in Dorset, and maybe even find something rarer. My first wader was a green sandpiper, soon followed by a world lifer (my only one of the trip), the spotted redshank. Nearby were 14 spoonbills, but greater wader numbers seemed to be found in front of the other hide, so I headed there. In front of it were at least 20 spredshanks, two green sandpipers, 60 bar-tailed godwits, a little stint (new for me in Britain), two curlew sandpipers (my second sighting in Britain), about 60 ruff, a single curlew and a single golden plover among hundreds (if not thousands) of black-tailed godwits, knot, avocet, dunlin and other common wader species. All together, I saw 16 species of wader there. Other notable species in front of the hide were two little gulls and a yellow-legged gull.

Ruff, Titchwell

Little Gull, Titchwell

Curlew Sandpiper, Titchwell

Spoonbills, Titchwell

Spotted Redshank, Titchwell

Green Sandpiper, Titchwell

As I headed back to the entrance, I was pleasantly surprised to come across this distant female mandarin duck as I had a final scan of the lake on which the red-crested pochards breed (sadly I didn't see them).

Appalling record shot of female mandarin, Titchwell

The next day, I visited another of Norfolk's great reserves, Cley Marshes. At the first hide, I found generally similar species to those seen the day before, but ringed plover and common sandpipers took the trip's wader tally to 18, along with 30 ruff, 12 green sandpipers and large numbers of black-tailed godwits. As I headed to the North Scrape, I came across these three spoonbills close to the path. Sadly, they didn't wake up to show off their magnificent bill!

Spoonbills, Cley Marshes

Close to the spoonbills were two greenshanks, another new wader for the trip. On the North Scrape itself, wader numbers were very high, again similar to those at Titchwell, but with only one ruff, along with several common snipe and a single little ringed plover, both new for the trip. Best of all, however, were the wood sandpipers, a new species for me in Britain, and four of them showed stunningly well just in front of the hide.

Green Sandpiper, Cley Marshes

Wood Sandpipers, Cley Marshes

Wood Sandpiper, Cley Marshes

Also present was a little gull, and another year tick in the form of at least twelve yellow wagtails feeding on the marsh. The only notable bird seen from the beach was a first year yellow-legged gull, and there was no sign of the possible black scoter seen a few days before.

After that, birding took a backseat, other than another attempt at finding the cranes, this time at Hickling Broad, and then at Horsey and Waxham. Predictably, I failed to find the cranes, but eight marsh harriers at Stubb Mill at Hickling, along with a hobby, made for a great sight. One surprise was to find an unseasonable pink-footed goose associating with greylags at Baconsthorpe Castle. Presumably it was a victim of the wildfowling season, and is carrying an injury that hasn't allowed it to return to Siberia?

Pink-footed Goose, Baconsthorpe Castle

Interesting species kept coming though, with several Arctic and one roseate (new for me in Britain) terns present along with large numbers of common, little and Sandwich terns on Scolt Head Island. Other birds seen there included two whimbrels (my 21st wader species of the trip!), two green and one common sandpipers, and three spoonbills flying over. It was certainly a very enjoyable trip, with four new species for me in Britain seen, though missing the cranes (admittedly at a bad time of year) was really rather frustrating....

White-rumped Sandpiper

We made a small detour to Lodmoor this morning to find the white-rumped sandpiper that was found there yesterday. It was associating with a small group of dunlins and was rather flighty,and became number 1413 on my life list. Also at Lodmoor were 8 greenshanks and about 30 Mediterranean gulls, along with large numbers of dunlins and common terns. It is the third species of American wader I have seen at Lodmoor now, after both species of dowitcher, and a pleasing, if a little drab, addition to my life list. White-rumped Sandpipers breed in northern Canada and Alaska and winter in South America, particularly Brazil, but are regular in Britain every autumn, and actually rather common in the Azores, with flocks of over 100 turning up in most years!

Cornwall and a great new garden bird

It has been a long time since I last posted, and since then I have finished my GCSEs, had my sixteenth birthday and enjoyed two weeks in Cornwall. Unlike last year, this year's trip to Cornwall brought no new birds, but I saw large numbers of choughs and literally tens of thousands of Manx shearwaters. The highlight was definitely the bottlenose dolphins, pods of which I saw four times during the trip, including one group of 30 at Pendeen Watch. 

Then, this morning, I had an incredible surprise. I first spotted what I thought to simply be a common buzzard, but decided to look at it through my binoculars any way, hoping that somehow it would turn out be something more rare, but certainly expecting nothing. Then, to my shock, I realised that the bird was no common buzzard, but a honey-buzzard! It is my first new British species seen from our garden in Hilfield ever, and certainly the rarest. Presumably it is the high pressure which caused it to drift over from wherever its breeding grounds are. What a bird to see from the garden!

Honey-buzzard, Hilfield, 14th July 2013

On top of that, I realised I had not made a blog post about my visit to Acres Down on the 17th June. Almost as soon as we arrived, a goshawk- my first in Britain and a strikingly large and broad species- flew over our heads and a short time later, we discovered a male redstart feeding its youngster, allowing superb views of this magnificent bird, combining to create a superb half an hour detour on the way back to Hilfield.