Having two Bank Holidays in May makes for extra birdwatching time plus the unexpected addition of time at RSPB Dungeness in gaps between dancing at Camber Sands meant my bird watching activities have seldom been so frequent.
A stunning male Hen Harrier was a lucky encounter amongst the many Marsh Harriers at RSPB Blacktoft, at least half a dozen Hobbies hunting over RSPB Dungeness, my rapid introduction to the subtleties of Scaup distinguishing features there too, and a Corn Bunting and three Quail calling on the local patch were star birds, Best of all were a flock of Dotterel on Gringley Carr (almost on May 10, predicted by folklore) after a three year absence.
Early May Bank Holiday weekend provided for a trip to RSPB Bempton Cliffs provided a boost to my bird list - confiding Gannets, Fulmar, auks and Kittiwakes provided photo-ops too. Distant views of Puffins might be improved later in the year. There was a Corn Bunting here too - sadly most people are here for the seabirds.
Later at Blacktoft my bird list was substantially improved with Black Tailed Godwits, Turnstone and Little Gull.
A dancing trip to Sussex also allowed for some Southern approaches - a diversion to meet two friends at Two Tree Island near Leigh on Sea, Essex was great. There's a formidable bird list for this former rubbish tip. There Nightingale, Cetti's Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat are all heard within 5 minutes walk of the car and a Peregrine over was a bonus.
Later that weekend seven Hobbies in the air at once was a major part of the bonanza at RSPB Dungeness mid month - along with two pairs of Scaup and an Osprey. It's a wonderful reserve, with a spooky alien feel to the shingle-banked landscape - very helpful and informed staff too.
With my bird list increasing and the opportunities of visiting local RSPB reserves pushed it further, Old Moor RSPB treated me to close views of a bird I've seen an awful lot of this month, the Little Gull.
This endlessly busy (and seemingly endless hungry) species is a joy to watch in it's tern-like flight. A bird closer to adulthood (with black head) appeared at Blacktoft Sands later in the month. The other black headed gull at Old Moor is the Mediterranean Gull - a cert there in the summer and despite the number of Black-Headed Gulls there the Med Gulls stick out like sore/black? thumbs.
A word about RSPB Old Moor too - its a great reserve but one of the things they do very well is using social media to keep it all together: their
Twitter account signals the release of a
blog post of daily sightings but can also be used during the day for real time reporting of events. Their
Facebook account sees it all come together and provides promotional space for the activities, a community feel and an opportunity for photographers to put up their pictures. Many RSPB reserves have the same active social media presence, but not all do and I think the one's that don't are missing a trick - yes a full complement of social media activity can take up valuable time. But over time I think Twitter will usurp the pager services for many people and is of wider local reach than most people know - that will be how they will draw in the serious birdwatchers and new members and their families. So I'd say they should all start with Twitter and see how it goes. But Twitter demands something new every other day or so...but I guess nature always has something new to offer...
May ended with some disappointments: Harwell Wood a mixed plantation was very quiet when I went, a few birds but not what I'd hoped for. Daneshill "nature reserve" (as featured in the Sunday Times) was an avian desert of Canada Geese and Tufted Duck. So we went to the Idle Valley Nature Reserve just down the road. Sadly IVNR was disappointing too - the walk road Bellmoor lake ends (or starts) with hundreds of yards of unremittingly lifeless farmed willow obscuring the view of the sky and holding very few birds. The site is over 3 miles long and though local has always been impenetrable to me. The
Lound Bird Club has a very long bird list and some dedicated members their daily sightings page reports a rich and diverse birdwatching environment. But the complex has no centre - it is a maze of pathways, lakes, access roads and forbidden places - parking is limited - but what you see is pot luck sometimes. The Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust volunteers trying to raise money at Bellmoor were consigned to a tent in the car park selling teas and cakes for this very good cause, whilst the kitchens in the North Nottinghamshire College Rural Learning Centre, next door, remained gleaming and empty. Not much community spirit there!
Heading west, Wharncliff Crags and the forest below provided the sounds if not teh views of redstarts and wood warbler that I sought, plenty of Tree Pipits on the crags and high above the valley a Raven made a magnifcent sight heading towards the Moors. In Langsett later I made the wrong choice - despite the people there was much action in the woods and valley - I took to the Moors - my reward was Red Grouse, great views and a biting wind, but this interloping Cuckoo annoying the Meadow Pipits was a bonus as was a lone Crossbill for my list.
And back closer to home this lonesome Corn Bunting tried his hardest to attract a mate - so much so he didn't notice my car parking up. Ordinarily such photos of such a rarity would be risky and ill-advised, but the farmer has ploughed up his favourite field and he's no longer anywhere to be seen. :-(
