2 Sep 23 - St Aldhelms Code Red

I was up early as the weather conditions looked good on the weather forecast. However, it was very misty at dawn with visibility in the Swanage area around fifty metres. I knew it wouldn't be better at St Aldhelms, so decided to delay leaving the house until the visibility improved. Finally, around 09:30 the conditions looked a lot better & I was about to leave the house when Phil Saunders rang to say he had just found a Juv Red-backed Shrike in Pier Bottom Valley: this was definitely a major patch rarity with only six previous records for the St Aldhelms/Winspit/Seacombe Valley/Chapman's Pool area.

I made a few calls as I was getting ready to leave the house. A few minutes later, I arrived at the Renscombe Farm car park & walked fast to Pier Bottom Valley, with only a few quick scans of the fields as I passed them. As I walked down the valley, I could see Phil with his scope up & taking some photos with his mobile. The Red-backed Shrike was in the largest patch of scrub in the lower valley. Unfortunately, it had dropped out of view just before I arrived, but as Phil hadn't seen it leave that patch of scrub since he found it, then clearly it was just a case of waiting for it to pop up again. Within a few minutes, I saw it pop up in one of its favourite Elderberry bushes at the highest point of the scrub. It was good to have seen it so quickly as Phil had said it had been elusive while he was waiting for me to arrive.

Red-backed Shrike: Juv

Red-backed Shrike: Juv

Over the next few hours it settled into a pattern of perching in one of two Elderberry bushes, the original one & another one at the closest point in the scrub to the sea. It would then flycatch before returning to a perch. Sometimes it dropped onto the ground when it saw a large Beetle or Grasshopper. Despite showing well, we were hanging back at this stage from the scrub as we knew there would be other Birders who were on their way & we didn't want to disturb it.

Red-backed Shrike: Juv. This was the end for this Bumblebee

Red-backed Shrike: Juv. It went down in my estimation when I saw this photo of it dangling the Bumblebee by a back leg

I didn't think the day could get any better, until Phil shouted he was scoping a Vagrant Emperor. Having only seen one before, then this was suddenly even more interesting than the Red-backed Shrike. It was flying over the bushes at the very top of the valley. Unfortunately, Phil lost it before it stopped. We decided to leave the Red-backed Shrike & headed up the steep side of the valley to the top. We split up & I quickly bumped into it in flight & Phil very quickly picked it from my directions. We watched it in flight for the best part of a minute before it disappeared over the next field in the direction of the Marines Memorial. It was unclear if it was it was just moving through or was patrolling a regular route & we didn't stay to see if it would come back. Either way it will be a first record for the St Aldhelms patch.

Red-backed Shrike: Juv

Red-backed Shrike: Juv

Phil returned to the valley bottom to collect his scope & re-join the other locals. I stayed to check the bushes at the top of the valley which have always looked good for a Wryneck, but yet again, they failed me. I then moved down the slope to watch the scrub from above. This gave me better views of the higher Elderberry bush, whereas the others had the best views of the other Elderberry bush.

Red-backed Shrike: Juv

Red-backed Shrike: Juv

Red-backed Shrike: Juv

The previous St Aldhelms/Winspit/Seacombe Valley/Chapman's Pool records are:

• Chapman's Pool on 22 Aug 1962
• Chapel Field West at St Aldhelms on 15 Sep 1965
• Seacombe on 2 Oct 1968
• Winspit on 18 Sep 1972
• Seacombe on 26 Sep 2018
• Winspit on 12 Oct Sep 2021.

It's likely that there are much older records from the Seacombe/St Aldhelms/Winspit/Chapman's Pool area, especially during the period when Red-backed Shrikes bred in Dorset, but further investigation into the very early Bird Reports will be needed to uncover those records. However, this part of Dorset wasn't getting a lot of attention from Ornithologists around the start of the 20th Century. I need to acknowledge the help of my mate & St Aldhelms stalwart Steve Morrison in pulling together these records.

Red-backed Shrike: Juv

Normally, I'm happy to get some photos and then carry on Birding. However, today, it was a pleasant change to enjoy the social chat while we were waiting for Dorset's cycling Birder Pete Moore to arrive. Pete finally arrived as Phil & I were chasing the Vagrant Emperor. After that I spent a few hours sitting in the sun & waiting for the Red-backed Shrike to reappear back in the top Elderberry bush so I could try to get some better photos. These photos were the result of over five hours of effort.

30 Sep 15 - September: A Great Month On The Studland & Ballard Down Patch

The month started as August ended, with a good selection of common migrants, especially at Greenlands Farm, and smaller numbers on Old Harry & at South Haven. The first highlight was a skulky Pied Flycatcher at Greenlands Farm on 2 Sep.

Spotted Flycatcher: One of eight I saw on Greenlands Farm on 2 Sep 15

Wheatear: Greenlands Farm (7 Sep 15)

I visited Old Harry on 3 Sep. There were a few common migrants, but none of the hoped for Grasshopper Warblers: which I still needed for the patch Year List. As I was getting back to Studland village, Graham Armstrong rang me to say he was watching a Great White Egret at the South Haven Houseboats. It was quickly flushed by a fisherman & later appeared in Brands Bay. It has now settled down into a routine of being seen erratically around Littlesea, Brands Bay, Brownsea & may or may not be the GWE that has been seen in the Arne area. As such it is tempting to believe it is the long staying GWE that overwintered around Studland, but visited Middlebere & Brownsea on some days.

Great White Egret: Brands Bay (16 Sep 15)

The next highlight was on 8 Sep: a long overdue Grasshopper Warbler near the front wood at Old Harry. This took the patch Year List to 169.

Grasshopper Warbler: The first of two seen in September, with the other individual being in Brands Bay on 16 Sep. This is the Old Harry individual (8 Sep 15)

Grasshopper Warbler: Old Harry (8 Sep 15)

Rock Pipit: This showy individual was photographed after seeing the Grasshopper Warbler (8 Sep 15)

I managed to get out for a few hours on nearly a daily basis somewhere on the Studland/Ballard patch & this persistence was finally rewarded on the 11 Sep with finding a Studland Tick: a Red-backed Shrike from The Rare Gate at Greenlands Farm. Frustratingly, it didn't stick around for long. Within a few minutes, it flew across the field & out of sight behind a bush. Despite looking for a further five hours, I was unable to relocate it.

Red-backed Shrike: Year Tick no 170. Greenlands Farm (11 Sep 15)

The Rare Gate at Greenlands Farm: These private fields visible from this gate have had Rose-coloured Starling, Hoopoe, Wryneck & now Red-backed Shrike

Up to 3 Ospreys were appearing in the Brands Bay up to 12 Sep, although my last sighting was on 10 Sep.

Osprey: Adult. This was my last Osprey sighting. Brands Bay (10 Sep)

Kingfishers are a more regular species around Brands Bay & Studland at this time of year. There are usually one or two which appear to set up wintering territories, but they tend to be most obvious in the Autumn. This year is no exception with almost daily sightings in Brands Bay, especially in early September.

Kingfisher: Brands Bay (6 Sep 15)

The first of the Winter visitors appeared back in Brands Bay, including the first handful of Brent Goose, as well as, up to twenty Pintails & Wigeon.

Pintail: Brands Bay (6 Sep 15)

More interesting visitors to Brands Bay were a Black Tern on 18 Sep & a Little Tern on 21 Sep. Neither lingered for more than five to ten minutes. But as I only see each species about once every couple of years somewhere in the Studland/Ballard patch, even a few minutes of views were good to see: especially as I had already seen both species earlier in the year.

Black Tern: Record shot from Brands Bay (18 Sep)

One of the most exciting Bird spectacles on the Studland/Ballard patch are the Vis Mig movements. This is best watched at South Haven, when Hirundines, Finches, Thrushes, Wagtails & Pipits & other species move North on light North based winds. Even after a few years of Vis Mig watching at South Haven, it isn't always certain whether the next day will have a good movement until the Birds start moving. But generally, Oct & early Nov are the main months for Finch movements. Therefore, I was a little bit surprised to find Siskins moving on 9 Sep & 16 Sep. Not only were they moving, but they were moving in stunning numbers. On 9 Sep I saw 888 Siskins moving North by 09:50. The following week produced a new UK total of moving Siskins with 2423 moving North, with 2071 Siskins moving in a two hour period from 09:20. This record didn't last long, as the following day over 5000 Siskins were seen flying over that morning. My first Redpolls for the patch Year List (number 171) passed over South Haven on 16 Sep. Their numbers as migrants will build up in Oct & Nov, but they are never guaranteed on any reasonable Vis Mig day.

Siskin: Just 24 of the 2423 Siskins seen on 16 Sep

The second half of Sep turned into a fairly similar pattern. Common migrants & the same species on most visits to Brands Bay, with a few days with reasonable Vis Mig movements. A call from Paul Morton who is the main man running the Birds of Poole Harbour charity, sounded interesting. He had been up at Ballard Down from pre-dawn, recording calls of Vis Mig migrants & had a Woodlark. Woodlarks are barely annual at South Haven, but Ballard Down seems to get a few more records. Presumably they don't move North or perhaps they pass high overhead at South Haven & we miss them. But more intriguing Paul said the Woodlark was in one of the fields to the East of the Glebelands estate & was occasionally singing. I decided to leave South Haven as it was too still for any Vis Mig & quickly walk up from Studland village. Paul had heard it several times, but not seen it. As I might not get to see one later in the year, I hung around on the down & finally heard it singing. It wasn't easy to pin the field down, as it didn't sing for long. After an hour, I had worked out the field & was scanning it with bins & scope, when I finally picked up a couple of Larks. Just as I got the scope on one, it flew up & started climbing & I confirmed it was a Woodlark (species number 172). Even better it started singing & was joined by a second individual. I had only given myself a 50-50 chance of seeing Woodlark for the Year List, so this was a nice bonus.

Woodlark: No photos from Ballard Down, so a recent photo from the Hartland Moor part of Poole Harbour (3 Sep 15)

The last noteworthy Bird was a Cetti's Warbler found by Graham Armstrong on 28 Sep at South Haven. Cetti's Warblers are a common breeding species around the top of Poole Harbour especially the Swineham & Wareham Valley areas and Lytchett Bay. But they rarely seem to wander from the traditional haunts & they are a major rarity at Studland. Up to about 2000, there were three records of four Cetti's Warblers & there has probably only been one or two records since. Therefore, I was keen to look for this as it wasn't just a patch Year Tick, but a Studland Tick. A couple of hours were spent at lunchtime, but I failed to even heard it. Plan B was to return in late pm to the South Haven boardwalk where I immediately heard it singing. Only a few metres into the reeds, but not visible. It moved around & sang occasionally, but finally ended up singing more from the Northerly most end of the South Haven pool. Finally, I saw a movement at the base of some reeds. Raising the bins, I was surprised to find it was a Water Vole. I had heard there had been recent sightings of droppings here, but this was a Studland Mammal Tick. I watched it for a couple of minutes before it swam off. Great to see this sadly uncommon Mammal which have declined a lot since my teenage Birding days. Finally, the Cetti's sang again & I could see it sitting in one of the trees by the waters edge. Species number 173 & more importantly, it took the Studland/Ballard patch list to 219, excluding Crap (Feral) Pigeon & Nightingale (which I've only heard). It would be great if I could make this 220 before the end of the year.

Grey Squirrel: South Haven boardwalk. The habitat isn't great for Grey Squirrels so I am guessing that fairly quickly it headed back to where it came from (6 Sep 15)

Another unusual Mammal sighting in early Sep on the patch was a Grey Squirrel at South Haven. Grey Squirrels are resident in the woods around Littlesea, Studland Village, the edges of Greenlands Farm & Old Harry. However, the appearance of one on the South Haven boardwalk was noteworthy as this is only my second sighting in the South Haven area. The previous record was of one running along the road to South Haven. But it's that time of year when young Grey Squirrels get kicked out of their family territory & wander around looking to find a new home. So they have a habit ofappearing  in unusual locations.

Autumn Lady's Tresses: Old Harry (8 Sep 15)

All good slide shows seem to end on sunset. Instead here is a dawn photo of the Isle of Wight from South Haven.

Island of Wight from South Haven: Dawn on 27 Sep 15

Looking forward to October which is traditionally a great month of Birding on the patch.

11 Sep 15 - The Rare Gate At Greenlands Farm

Just under two weeks ago, we had a fun Bird Race around Poole Harbour. The rules were similar to the Jan Dorset Bird Race, but with an added rule that teams should actively pass on news of good Birds, so it is a friendly & great day of local Birding. I teamed up with Peter Moore & we ended up with a day total of 114. But well behind the team of Nick Hopper & Paul Morton, who ended up with a record breaking 130. I won't go into the full details of the day as Peter had already provided a great write up of the day along with photos in his usual humourous style. But why did we end up with an average total for the day. A few factors including no planning or stakeout of sites (away from my current obsession with the Studland patch) & Peter getting side-tracked with photos for his photo year list. Peter would also be right in saying we spent too long looking for a Wryneck that had been found by Mike Gould & Tom Carley on Greenlands Farm: in my defence it is likely to be the only one I see on the Studland/Ballard patch this year. After unsuccessfully looking for the Wryneck for too long after we arrived at Greenlands Farm, we had a second look as we were leaving. Fortunately, as I was checking a party of Spotted Flycatchers, it popped up nearby. I had just enough time to get another team (the other Steve Smith & Terry Elborn) onto it, while Peter was photographing it, before it flew over our heads & disappeared into a large patch of Gorse. The Wryneck appeared in one of the fields visible from what I was beginning to suspect should be called The Rare Gate. I've just realised I don't have a photo of The Rare Gate, but I do have the views into the private fields visible from it.

Looking right from The Rare Gate: The Wryneck appeared in this line of trees. In April 14, I found a Hoopoe in this field

Looking left from The Rate Gate: This is the field where Mike & Tom found the Wryneck. Going back to 3 Oct 2010, I found a distant, but good looking candidate for a Rose-coloured Starling from the Brands Bay hide. It disappeared before any of the Harbour Listers arrived, but we relocated it & had cracking views, an hour later in this field. There are great photos of the Rose-coloured Starling on Nick Hopper's Blog

After the Wryneck, I was starting to feel this is a key gate to lean on whilst scanning these private fields. So after a morning of Birding around South Haven & Brands Bay, I decided I couldn't neglect the Easterly winds & should give Greenlands Farm a go. Arriving at the gate, I scanned the field edges. It looked fairly quiet, then a pale fronted Bird caught my eye. It looked interesting, but was just at the range that the bins were struggling & I hadn't got the scope with me. Half obscured it looked like it might just be a Shrike, but more realistically a Spotted Flycatcher or Song Thrush could have fitted the bill & were much more likely. I just couldn't see much on it as it was partly obscured & too far away. I turned to the SX60 to grab some photos, but that failed. Next plan was the Canon 7D & 400mm lens. It didn't have the same magnification, but it is so much easier to find distant Birds with it.

Red-backed Shrike: Now you know how I was struggling with the bins & no scope

Zooming into maximum crop, it was now looking like a Shrike. Moving left a little & it was a much better view. Some more photos & zooming & result, a Red-backed Shrike.

Red-backed Shrike: Juvenile. I had thought it was a female from the back of the camera views, but looking at it on the laptop I guess the pale mandible makes it a Juvenile

This was a Studland patch Tick & only my second in Poole Harbour. I think this is only the third record for Poole Harbour since the start of the millennium. Life isn't easy when your patch isn't on the East Coast. I started ringing around as it was still a Harbour Tick for several of the locals. While I was on the phone, I saw it fly across the field & disappear behind a tree. I assumed it had just gone up into the tree & would reappear a few minutes later. When it didn't, I moved to check the next field along the track, but still couldn't relocate it. Over the next nearly five hours, I spent a lot of time checking the adjacent fields, some of the time with assistance from Neil Gartshore & Jol Mitchell. In addition, we scanned the back of these private fields from the Brands Bay hide, as they all back onto the bay. Sadly, it wasn't relocated. I now have a really good excuse to spend even more time in future visits leaning on The Rare Gate.

1 Jul 15 - Turkey - More Birds At Demirkazik

We started the day with a successful dawn visit to the top of one of the mountains near Demirkazik. After seeing all the hoped for goodies, including a singing Radde's Accentor, we returned to the hotel.

Looking at the mountains from the hotel: I think we spent the morning at the top of the slope on the photo's left hand side

After a late breakfast or early lunch, we tried some nearby woodland.

Turkish Orchid sp.: I've not tried to figure this species out

Unfortunately, it quickly became very wet in the woodland area and we abandoned that option, in favour of a long dry valley at the base of the mountains near to the start of the Emli Valley. We spent some time here scanning the area.

The first stop in the long dry valley

A closer view of the large rocky cliff within the valley

Yet another large Sheep flock: I wonder how much damage they do to the environment

Little Owl: This is the indigena subspecies which occurs from the Balkans to Turkey, South Russia, Transcaucasia & South West Siberia

Chough: A red-billed Adult at the top with two yellow-billed youngsters. This is the docilis subspecies which occurs from Crete & South East Europe to North Arabia, North Iraq, Iran & Afghanistan

White Wagtail: This is the nominate alba subspecies which occurs from South East Greenland, Iceland to Faeroes, Europe, Turkey & the South Urals

White Wagtail

Rock Bunting: This is the nominate cia subspecies which occurs in Morocco to Tunisia, the Iberian Peninsula & Southern Europe East to Turkey & Lebanon

Rock Bunting

Red-fronted Serin: Male

Red-fronted Serin: Female

Red-fronted Serin: Male

Red-fronted Serin: Male

Red-fronted Serin: Male

Taurus Souslik: There was a colony of these adorable Taurus Sousliks to entertain us

Taurus Souslik: If you sat quietly they would happily pose for you

Taurus Souslik: They have a vegetarian diet

Taurus Souslik: Every now and then, they stand up to look for danger

Taurus Souslik: Head and shoulders

Taurus Souslik: Nigel showing how approachable the Taurus Souslik were

The previous close up photos were taken with my Canon SX60. Many Birders raved about this camera and initially I liked it. However, after a few years of using it, I grew to dislike the photos it produced, as they were always over-saturated and there wasn't a setting in the camera to set it to realistic colours. I guess if I knew more about Lightroom, I might be able to correct the colour imbalance within the camera. In comparison, the Canon 7D and R7 cameras I've owned, have been good at providing a realistic colour balance, so it's frustrating that Canon just sell this poor quality camera. In the end, I just stopped using the SX60 and was pleased to be able to sell in on at a reasonable second hand price.

Taurus Souslik: A final photo with my Canon 7D Mark II with realistic colours

Lesser Spotted Fritillary

Next, we carried on into a better vegetated part of the Emli Valley, where there was a campground at the base of the mountains. Another Finsch's Wheatear was the highlight here.

An entrance hut close to the campground

Finsch's Wheatear: Male

Red-backed Shrike: Male. This monotypic species occurs from Europe & Turkey to West Siberia, West Kazakhstan & North West Iran

Red-backed Shrike: Male

Red-backed Shrike: Female

Wheatear

Taurus Souslik: A quick photo of another Taurus Souslik near the campground

Chamois: A couple of distant Chamois on the top of one of the valley's crags. Chamois are native to the mountains in the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Apennines, the Dinarides, the Tatra to the Carpathian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains, the Rila–Rhodope massif, Pindus, mountains in Turkey, & the Caucasus. Additionally, it is yet another environmentally-damaging introduced Mammal on New Zealand's South Island

We returned to our hotel in Demirkazik for a second night.