15 Mar 15 - My Head Hurts (Wagtail Confusion)

After publishing the photos of yesterday's putative White Wagtail at Studland, I had some feedback from Dorset Birder, Brett Spencer that it was a first Summer female Pied Wagtail. Brett is one of those Birders in Dorset that when he is talking about tricky identification, then it's worth listening to what he has so say. Having read some more up about White Wagtail/Pied Wagtail identification & followed up with calls then to a couple of other Dorset Birders, then I agree with the Pied Wagtail identification. I will have to wait until I find a nice adult White Wagtail, rather than try to figure out first Summer individuals. I'm still trying to work out in my mind exactly what a first Summer White Wagtail should look like, but think it would have been a bit paler on the mantle, with a less extensive bib & a general cleaner look. I haven't had chance to talk to Brett yet so will be interested to understand what was wrong for him with this individual. Here are the photos again along with another photo. I will be interested to hear any other thoughts on this individual, so feel free to leave a comment with the reasons why.

Pied Wagtail: First Summer (14 Mar 15)

Pied Wagtail: First Summer (14 Mar 15)

Pied Wagtail: Another photo showing a better view of the bib (14 Mar 15)

On an easier identification subject, Brands Bay still had good numbers of typical Wildfowl & Black-tailed Godwits today along with this first Summer Spoonbill. It's frustrating that despite having a Bird hide overlooking the bay, that the National Trust have made no attempt to request people do not walk along the shoreline. This was the result of some bloke taking his bicycle for a walk along the shoreline.

Spoonbill: First Summer

14 Mar 15 - More Migrants Arrive

With the first Wheatears arriving in Dorset during the week, it seemed likely that there would be some around the Studland/Ballard patch today. As a result, I decided to start at Greenlands Farm. It didn't take long to find the two Wheatears on the central path across the centre of the main field. Two males with a party of six Stonechats. Last week a Stonechat party were hosting my first Black Redstart at Old Harry. Today, a different party were welcoming the first Wheatears for Studland this year.

Wheatear: A record shot of number 128 for the patch Year List

Stonechat

Another sign of migration was the arrival of a large flock of Starlings. This Winter numbers around Studland only got into double figures for the first time at the start of the month & even that was a modest 18 Starlings on Greenlands. So a flock of around 130 Starlings by the barn on Greenlands Farm were clearly a migrant flock.

Starling: Just part of the flock (in case you are counting)

Starling: A new species for the Blog

Still good numbers of the Winter dabbling Ducks in Brands Bay along with 400 Black-tailed Godwits & a distant feeding Spoonbill. A quick final check of Middle Beach revealed that there were still five Black-necked Grebes in Studland Bay. But I wasn't hoping for them. Instead I was looking that a group of Eiders would have stopped off in the bay. Surprisingly, there doesn't seem to have been any around the Studland & Poole Harbour area this year. These days, they are more erratic visitors, but I generally expect to see them at some point over the Winter from Studland. I decided to have a quick scan of the field in front of The Pig hotel. This field doesn't get a lot, but it always look promising. I think an Autumn Pied Flycatcher is about the best I've seen in this field. But was rewarded with what I thought was my first White Wagtail for Studland. Note, I've had to rewrite this section following feedback from Brett Spencer that it is a first Summer Pied Wagtail. A chance to learn more about this tricky age & subspecies. More on the next Post.

Pied Wagtail: First Summer

Pied Wagtail: Note, the old greater coverts on this side, which have already been replaced on the right wing

16 Jan 14 - The Grey & Brown Of Gujarat

This is my homage to the classic Sawdoctors song 'The Green and Red of Mayo'. We headed out with our Indian jeep mates again this morning, but Bill & myself were dropped off for a few hours to look for Stoliczka's Bushchat. This scarce regional endemic species is only found in a small area in Afghanistan, Pakistan & the arid NW of India. To make life harder, there is nowhere in India where it's common & it could easily be overlooked as one of the much commoner Siberian Stonechats if not looked at carefully. The area we visited was a local lake with arable edges as Stoliczka's Bushchats like weedy edges to arable land as well as grasslands in arid areas. Bill had seen this species here in at least once during previous visits. Unfortunately, no joy after a couple of hours of searching. Initally, we were birding along the edge of these arable fields & grasslands.

We were held up by the local rush hour before we got to the lake

Indian Grey Francolin: A fairly common bird in arid scrubland

Ashy-crowned Finchlark: Male. This is the common Finchlark in Gujarat & good numbers were seen each day

Ashy-crowned Finchlark: Female

Pied Wagtail: Trying to sort out the subspecies on wintering grounds is probably not possible, but dukhunensis or personata are the expected subspecies in this part of India

White-eared Bulbul

Pied Bushchat: Male

Eastern Pied Wheatear: Female (or immature male)

Desert Wheatear: The commonest Wheatear in the Little Rann of Kutch

Daurian Shrike

Bill: Checking the finer separation features of Grey Bird from Brown Bird in the Inskipp guide

One of the local cattle: They are pretty impressive animals when seen close up. Fortunately, they were also fairly docile

There was a good opportunity to have a good look at & get some photos of a couple of confusing Pipit species, Tawny Pipit & Paddyfield Pipit, which were in the same field.

Tawny Pipit: This photo shows the long legged, long appearance & upright stance as well as the overall pale, relatively unstreaked appearance of Tawny Pipit

Tawny Pipit: Showing the fine dark lores, malar & moustachial stripes

Tawny Pipit: Another view of the pale bill, facial pattern & general appearance 

Tawny Pipit: Showing the well marked median coverts

Tawny Pipit: This is a winter visitor to India & is the nominate campestris subspecies (the same as the European subspecies) 

Tawny Pipit: A different individual to the above Tawny Pipit photos

Paddyfield Pipit: Although the same size as Tawny Pipit, it looks smaller, more compact, shorter tailed & shorter-legged than Tawny Pipit

Paddyfield Pipit: This is the waitei subspecies which is paler than the rufulus & malayensis races in the rest of the Subcontinent

Paddyfield Pipit: Showing the more uniformly patterned converts, streaky crown, weaker bill compared to Tawny Pipit

Paddyfield Pipit: The whitish throat & belly help separate this species from the buffier Blyth's Pipit. This photo also shows the weak eyestripe, malar & Moustachial stripes

Eventually, we moved across to look at the lake edge & nearby scattered bushes. There were a good selection of species on the lake and around the lake edge. Unfortunately, there was a lot of glare as we were looking into the light.

White Pelican: As far as I can see they are all White Pelicans in this flock

White Pelican: This party flew over as it warmed up

Glossy Ibis

Crane: Adult

Crane: Immature

Red-wattled Plover

Black-tailed Godwit

Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse: Two females enjoying a drink

Sykes's Warbler: The main features of this species to my eyes is it is a cross between a small Acrocephalus and Phylloscopus Warbler. The pale colouration, pale supercilium mainly up to the eye, but fading out behind the eye, lack of a dark eye line & pale lower mandible

After a long day in the field yesterday, it was an early return for lunch today. On the way back, there was a Black-winged Kite on the wires. Checking it, it turned out to be a sub-adult bird which was even better looking than the adults.

Black-winged Kite: Sub-adult

A local farmer's field on the way back to Desert Coursers

It's a pretty basic way of live 

20 Dec 13 - Salt Lake City

Less famous than its American namesake, this is a part of Calcutta that has expanded up to the edge of a set of large fish ponds. I'm sure in time more will continue to disappear as the city grows.

Contrasting old & new India on another hazy day: I can't see this fish pond still being around when the relatively up market technology park behind wants to expand

Locals collecting the Water Hyacinths

First stop was a small park adjacent to the technology park. Photography was banned here: a rule that I obviously ignored.

Cattle Egrets: I follow the Clements World Checklist which hasn't split this off as Eastern Cattle Egret as some authorities have done (which seems a reasonable viewpoint as far as I can see)

Cattle Egret: Feeding near some cows

Indian Cormorant: This looked superficially similar to the Shags in the UK

Indian Pond Heron: A surprisingly large amount of white in flight

Indian Pond Heron: Coming into land

Indian Pond Heron: Well camouflaged & ready to feed

Kingfisher: The local bengalensis race doesn't look or sound dissimilar to the UK race, but looks a bit darker on the underparts

Pied Wagtail: There are potentially several races in Calcutta in Winter, but I can't figure out which one this is. This bird seemed longer tailed than UK Pied Wagtails & with a call more reminiscent of a Grey Wagtail

Indian House Crow: Probably the most successful city bird in Calcutta as they seem to be around most streets

Asian Pied Myna: They really are a cracking Starling

This local decorating business might need to have a rethink about the company name before going international

It's an early flight tomorrow to the Andamans for the next section of the trip.