Dotterels at Therfield

28th April 2017

The Dotterel is a member of the plover family and breeds in the highlands of Scotland, having spent the winter in the Atlas Mountains in north-west Africa. During its migration north, small groups or "trips" spend some time at traditional stop-over points. During the 1960s and 1970s the local stop-over point was the fields around Dotterel Hall by the A505, just east of Flint Cross, with an arrival time of on or around the 12th May. It is recorded that James the First used to shoot Dotterel at Royston each year. Dotterel are no longer regular on passage through the local area, but this year four birds spent a few days at Therfield, not a million miles from Dotterel Hall.

Dotterel are different from most other birds in that the females are brighter than the males, which reflects the role reversal whereby the male incubates the eggs and raises the chicks. On their breeding grounds they are notoriously tame, but on migration they are often just specks in the distance on the other side of a ploughed field in heat haze. However, for some reason the Therfield birds were very tame and it was possible to photograph them down to 15 yards.

Of the four birds present, two were females and two were males. Here is a selection of shots of the females.

..............and now some of the duller males.............

Well, how superb. That saves me a trip to the highlands to get some close-ups of Dotterel!!!!

An Early Summer Visit to North Fambridge

25th April 2017

North Fambridge is a reserve on the north bank of the River Crouch, based at Blue House Farm. The main attraction at this time of year is the large lagoon, so we headed straight there and settled down in the hide. Right outside the window some Black-headed Gulls were setting up territory and were a little noisy to say the least. This small island is also attractive to the Avocets so some interaction was inevitable.

Avocets were driven to extinction in the UK in 1842 following years of both eggs and birds being taken for food, and it was over a 100 years later that the Second World War brought about their return. A stray bomb from a nearby firing range blew a hole in the sea wall at Havergate Island and allowed the sea to pour in creating ideal habitat for Avocets, and in 1947 four pairs arrived and the rest is history.

A lone Redshank also visited our little island, but was clearly on a feeding mission rather than staking a territory.

Just as we were about to leave four Mediterranean Gulls dropped in for what appeared to be no more than a chill-out seesion on the lagoon. These are another species that are increasing in numbers and, although occasionally seen inland, tend to stick to the coast.

But the star of the show today was this rather tame female Wheatear that followed us along the fence-line. I know I have said it before and I will say it again, if only all birds were this cooperative!!

So what have Cuckoos and Brown-tail Moths got in common?

25th April 2017

So what exactly do Cuckoos and Brown-tail Moths have in common? The answer is APRIL!!!

In April the caterpillars of the Brown-tail Moth emerge from their nest which they spun last Autumn and start to feed on the vegetation, which coincides with the arrival of the Cuckoos from their wintering grounds. It also just happens that Cuckoos absolutely love the caterpillars and therefore, when they arrive on the coast where the caterpillars nests can occur in their hundreds, there is an absolute catterpillar fest.

I found this out last year at Heybridge Basin so set off this year at about the same time to see if it was a regular occurrence or just a one-off. A bit quiet to begin with, but then 3-4 Cuckoos appeared and eventually offered some photo opportunities along the sea wall. The first shot is a group of caterpillars that have left their nest and have gathered on the bough of a tree waiting to be eaten.

In the next two shots you can see some caterpillars on the branch just to the left of the Cuckoo, with their nest in the background.

Cuckoos are now getting scarce, sometimes difficult to hear, and even harder to see, but this annual event makes it a whole lot easier.

A Grasshopper Warbler at Rainham Marshes

23rd April 2017

A Grasshopper Warbler appears most years at Rainham Marshes and this year was no different, so off we go to try our luck. The Purfleet Hide was even quieter now that summer is round the corner with the only interest being this lone Grey Heron. Along the streams the Marsh Frogs were starting to become more vocal, and the first young Coot had hatched and were showing off their multi-coloured heads.

Sedge Warblers have now arrived in numbers and were shouting out their scratchy song from every vantage point.

But today the main action was on the river wall, which is the domain of the Whitethroats with several birds singing between the visitor's centre and Coldharbour Lane, but the main quest today was the Grasshopper Warbler.

It normally sings by the "high chair" but no sight or sound today. I did however hear that there was one singing inside the enclosure close to the Coldharbour Lane car park. While we were waiting for the reeling to commence a male Wheatear flew along the wall and perched in an Elder next to us to get its bearings. And at that point the Grasshopper Warbler started singing.

As with all Grasshopper Warblers it was nigh on impossible to tell how far away it was, and it was only after a spot of triangulation that I worked out what bush it was in. Now the challenge was to find it. By scouring every inch of the bush I did mange to see it sitting just inside, partially obscured by some twigs. However, that was as good as it was going to get so I clicked away and hoped for the best. Reasonably happy with that.