HOC NEWSquarterly bulletin for herefordshire birdwatchers

Robins: snippet no.13 page 4

HOC week away - the full story page 10

Spot

ted

flyca

tche

r. Ph

oto:

Mic

k C

olqu

houn

November 2016

239

Bodenham Lake developments page 15

www.herefordshirebirds.org 2

Editorial!by Nicky Davies""Hello - and welcome to the November 2016 edition of the HOC newsletter. Once again, it’s jam-packed with features, reports and updates. Thank you to all contributors.!"Who would have thought it but we are now on snippet no.13 of our lovely robins. Thank you to Guy Woodford for contributing this fascinating and intimate insight to the lives and observations of these delightful birds."Gareth Morgan has reported on the annual trip away to Minsmere. It sounds like a lot of fun was had, despite the usual crew getting up to no good, all in good fun! Read the story on page 10. Thank you to Chris and Pam Bartlett for doing such a sterling job organising the trip and good luck with your future ventures, HOC group members will miss your input and dedication."On a survey note, Chris Robinson is requesting volunteers to help undertake BTO Breeding Bird Surveys across the County. Can you help? Further details are on page 5."Please continue to send in your records to the recorders (details in the contacts section) and keep checking the website for more news, sightings and photographs. If you are not a Facebook fan yet, please ‘Like’ us on our page for latest news and photographs."Remember that the closing date for submissions for the next edition of HOC news is 14th January. If you have any queries about submitting information to me, please contact me on (07855 126642) or email me at nickydavies71@hotmail.com""Happy birding!"Nicky"

Wanted!!Organiser for HOC away trips. Chris and Pam Bartlett are standing

down after this year's trip. Anyone interested could contact Una Morgan (HOC Secretary).!

Also, is anyone interested in becoming our indoor meetings secretary? If you feel as though you’re up for the job, please contact Una to discuss what the job entails."

Many thanks

Wellington Hide clearance by Jim Wilkinson!Last October, you may remember, we had a work party at Wellington Gravel Pits to clear the view from the HOC hide. As expected the willow has grown up again so we will be repeating the process early in November. Sophie Cowling of HWT, and now HOC as well, is going to be our leader as we will be using HWT equipment again. Our target date is Saturday 5th November, subject still to agreement with Tarmac, so be aware it may be a bit noisy at Wellington that morning.

www.herefordshirebirds.org

Contents

"Editorial! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 2!Notes from the Chair!! ! ! ! ! ! ! 3!Access to Wellington and Brockhall gravel pits! ! ! 4!Robins Snippet no.13! ! ! ! ! ! ! 5!Breeding Bird Survey - help wanted!! ! ! ! ! 5!Sightings of note! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 6 !HOC Indoor meetings programme! ! ! ! ! 7! ! !HOC field meetings ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 8!HOC Week away! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! 10!Field meeting reports! ! ! ! ! ! ! 12!‘The canary in the cage’ by Norma Forest! ! ! ! 14!Bodenham Lake developments! ! ! ! ! ! 15! ! !Advertising/Submissions/Contacts! ! ! ! ! 16!

3

Imag

e by

Mic

k C

olqu

houn

Notes from the Chair by Gerald Wells Remember we announced the launch of an online membership questionnaire in the last Newsletter? As planned this was opened at the beginning of September and will be available for completion until the end of October. I’m please to say we have had 102 responses to date – which, at close to 50 percent, is very good. Nevertheless, it would be very satisfying to achieve a reply from a few more members, so please have a look at it if you have not already done so. Preliminary results suggest, as we hoped, that you are providing clear guidance on what you would like the HOC to do for you and what you might be able to do for the Club.

Further progress has been made on our collaboration with HWT with regard to Bodenham Lake. HOC has offered to contribute £10,000 to the cost of the new hide. Further progress was made at a meeting held with Herefordshire Wildlife Trust officers on Monday 10th October and is reported separately in this Newsletter. The website sightings page has been filling with recent passage species, especially waders at Brockhall gravel pits, some summer stragglers departing and winter thrushes beginning to arrive, so please keep those records coming in – using BirdTrack if at all possible, as this means the data is entered directly onto a national database.

In the last newsletter I mentioned the cataloguing of a substantial body of past bird records in paper form; these have been archived with the Herefordshire Archive and Records Centre at Rotherwas, but the raw data records for the year 2000 are missing. We would very much like to hear from anyone who knows of the whereabouts of a copy of these.

I wish you all good winter birding.

ROBINS - A story of change. Snippet number 13 by Guy Woodford"

Robins are, for the most part, ground feeders: in vegetation they will choose a low perch and are frequently seen darting down to the ground to snatch an item of prey, returning to cover, just as quickly. Their lives are largely spent in what one might call the lower shrub layer.!"Sunday February 16 2014 was an unexpectedly spring-like day. As I walked down the garden towards the pond I became aware of a commotion overhead. Two male robins were engaged in a noisy territorial battle, the one from behind the pond challenging the owner of the area in front of it, a patch well-sprinkled with trees (walnut, wild service, filbert, yew etc.). The two were hell-bent on a full-scale chase-around in and above the canopy. This was accompanied by song, loud and insistent, delivered in call-and-response fashion, each new burst overlapping the other bird’s last. The song became wilder. In my notes I described it as ‘squeezed’ song. This added a dramatic soundtrack to an amazing aerial display. There were several glimpses of a third robin furtively moving about below.""After lunch I returned and the battle had been won. The far robin, Faraway, had gained the additional patch and had gained, or more probably retained, his mate whom I had first seen a few days earlier. Usually when I first come upon a robin there is no clue as to the gender and I give them a neutral name but in this case there was, so I named her Celandine.""Faraway and Celandine went on to have two successful broods. The first clutch hatched on May 13, the second on June 24.!"Faraway and Celandine fed their second batch of fledglings through most of the next month, finishing on July 22, by which time they were both into the moult, both were at the ‘no-tail’ stage four days later. They continued as a pair through most of August, showing signs of pulling apart only in the third week; it is usual for the hen to peel off and set up her autumn territory some weeks after the breeding bit has finished. In this case September 2 was a key date. Celandine was at the finishing stage of the moult, the new olive-brown of her crown thinning out but with a blemish in the new feathers: a pale streak towards the front of the crown.""Unfortunately I lost track of this robin for ten days, finally finding her down the lane on September 12: the streak in the crown now a distinctive white dot. Faraway disappeared late in January 2015, taken by one of the many predators which lie in wait for all small birds. So distinctive was the new white dot, that I renamed his erstwhile mate Sellandot; unknowingly I had paved the way for the next unexpected change. Sellandot acquired a mate early in March but the new bird was shy and silent and was seldom seen. If there was any song, it was some gentle phrases from Sellandot! I didn’t have to wait long for proof. ""On Thursday March 19 the pair were together in the lane-side hedge and yes, as I hoped, they had started courtship-feeding and as anticipated it was the ‘wrong way round’. Sellandot was feeding the shy one. Alerted to the possibility, I had already referred to the Book of British Birds (1969) page 347. This is quoted below, slightly abridged. This pair went on to attempt to breed: the first clutch was lost, the second brood hatched, fledged and gained independence."

www.herefordshirebirds.org 4

The possible weak link in the story was the ten days when I failed to find the one robin. Celandine was the only bird to move at the time and when found she was as tame as before, flying to the hand-held board, and other than the white dot its markings were much as before, especially the smudged markings on the wings (‘medals’ and tertial tips)."

It is interesting to note that when a bird changes sex the new set of hormones automatically changes its instinctive behaviour: thus the receiver in courtship-feeding seamlessly becomes the giver and so on and so on."

Change of Sex In nearly all birds only one of the female’s ovaries, the left one, plays a part in producing the egg; the right one remains small and undeveloped, but not as an ovary. It will become a testis, the male reproductive organ. It can happen that a hen mothers chicks, changes sex and becomes a father to a further set of chicks. Book of British Birds (1969) page 347 (abridged)"

Do you want to be a useful birdwatcher?!"The BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) has been running since 1994 and is the main scheme for monitoring the population changes of the UK’s common breeding birds. Coverage in Herefordshire has been slowly increasing but with people dropping out, moving away or just getting too old there is a constant need for replacements. As well as filling these gaps I still have a number of 1km squares which are not being covered at all so I am always looking for more volunteers. "Doing a BBS is what I call “useful birding” and gives participants an enjoyable excuse to go bird watching while contributing to an important national survey. You don’t need to be an expert birdwatcher to take part - all that’s required is a reasonable level of ID skill for our commoner birds (by sight or sound), a willingness to get up early twice a year in spring/early summer and walk maybe a couple of miles while recording all the birds you see or hear. Does this sound fun? Well, yes it is!"Full details of BBS may be found on the BTO website at www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/bbs but if you’d like to know more or have doubts about your ability I plan to run a “BBS taster workshop” early next year to give new participants or those not yet committed a feel for what’s involved. If you’d like to take part in BBS please get in touch.""Chris Robinson"herefordbtorep@btinternet.com"Tel: 01981 510360""

www.herefordshirebirds.org 5

Little grebe by Mick Colquhoun

6www.herefordshirebirds.org

SIGHTINGS OF NOTE July - September 2016!Compiled by John Tilby"BGP - Brockhall Gravel Pits" " WGP - Wellington Gravel Pits"

DATE RARITY SIGHTING NUMBER LOCATION OBSERVER

06.07.2016 WOOD SANDPIPER 3 BGP GP, GB, P & AE

07.07.2016 KITTIWAKE 1 WGP G.BILBAO

09.07.2016 GRASSHOPPER WARBLER 1 WGP G.BILBAO

09.07.2016 GOLDEN ORIOLE 1 PETERSTOW J,DIGAN

15.07.2016 MEDITERRANEAN GULL 1 BGP G.BILBAO

27.07.2016 RUFF 2 WGP G.BILBAO

06.08.2016 GARGANEY 1 WGP P.DOWNES

11.08.2016 RUFF 1 BGP G.BILBAO

13.08.2016 RUFF 2 WGP G.BILBAO

16.08.2016 RUFF 5 WGP G.BILBAO

16.08.2016 OSPREY 1 WGP E.Q-ASHMAN

16.08.2016 MARSH HARRIER 1 WGP E.Q-ASHMAN

19.08.2016 BLACK TERN 1 BGP N.C.PEGLER

24.08.2016 SANDERLING 2 WGP G.BILBAO

24.08.2016 OSPREY 1 WGP G.BILBAO

26.08.2016 LITTLE STINT 1 BGP G.BILBAO

26.08.2016 LITTLE STINT 4 BGP N.C.PEGLER & J.TILBY

27.08.2016 RUFF 2 BGP NCP, GB & JT

28.08.2016 WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN 1 BGP N.C.PEGLER & J.TILBY

03.09.2016 OSPREY 1 WGP P & T.DOWNES

03.09.2016 SPOTTED REDSHANK 1 WGP P & T.DOWNES

03.09.2016 SANDERLING 22 BGP G.BILBAO

04.09.2016 TURNSTONE 1 BGP N.C.PEGLER & J.TILBY

10.09.2016 SPOONBILL 7 BGP N.C.PEGLER

14.09.2016 KNOT 1 WGP K.LLOYD

17.09.2016 GARGANEY 1 BGP P.DOWNES

17.09.2016 MEDITERRANEAN GULL 1 BGP P.DOWNES

18.09.2016 RUFF 1 BGP P.DOWNES

18.09.2016 YELLOW-LEGGED GULL 1 BGP P.DOWNES

26.09.2016 WRYNECK 1 BISHOPSTONE M.H.DAVIES

26.09.2016 LITTLE GULL 1 BGP G.A.WELLS

27.09.2016 TURNSTONE 3 BGP G.BILBAO

An Excellent few months with lots of good birds. Of Special note were 7 Spoonbill at Brockhall Gravel Pits observed by N.C.Pegler, Unfortunately they circled and decided not to land and left to the South-west, But a County first and an impressive count.

www.herefordshirebirds.org 7

"HOC INDOOR MEETINGS PROGRAMME TO SPRING

2017!"Every 2nd Thursday in the month. Held at the Holmer Parish Centre (SO505:423) Holmer, Hereford. On the A49, Leominster Road, just

north of ‘The Starting Gate Inn’ roundabout and on left by Holmer Parish Church; car park and

other facilities. All meetings are on Thursdays at 7.30pm. A fee of £2 per member, £3 per non-

member, includes refreshments""Nov 10th - Oliver Smart from 60 degrees

North Dec 11th - Ashley Grove ‘Shetland to

Scilly’ Jan 12th - Graham Wren ’40 years birding

on the Farne Islands’ Feb 11th - Dave Leech (BTO staff) ‘Reed

warblers’

CAN YOU HELP? !Castle Green

Christmas Fair !27th November from

10am - 4pm!Any persons able to help on the HOC stall that day would be very

welcome.!Please contact Susanna at 01432

344837 if you are able, for however short a time you can join

us.

Redstart by Mick Colquhoun

HOC Field Meetings – October 2016 - April 2017 "Yarkhill Monkhide and Homend walk "October 27th Thursday "Meet at Yarkhill church (SO 608:427) at 9.30am for a walk through mixed farmland looking for late summer or early wintering birds, with a little local background of local history thrown in. The walk will be a steady uphill gradient to the halfway point at Newtown Cross where there is a pub and garage, both with toilets and refreshments. From here the walking is mainly downhill back to the beginning where lunch can be consumed. Afterwards we can visit Homend Park which is close by. No dogs please. "Leader:" Brian Willder (tel: 01568 709227) ""Wellington GP and Bodenham Lake "November 20th Sunday "Meet in the layby on the A49 near the Almshouses at Wellington (SO500:577) at 9.30am. (NOT THE MAIN ENTRANCE) Parking is fairly limited here so please contact the leader if intending to attend. We will then proceed along the footpath onto the site where we hope to find a good selection of winter birds on this premier location. Afterwards we will travel to Bodenham Lake (SO529:512) where lunch will be consumed followed by a walk around the lake culminating at the hide. Moderate walking gradients with the possibility of wet and muddy conditions in places. No dogs please. "Leader:" Gerald Parker (tel: 01432 760023)"

WWT Slimbridge !December 10th Saturday "Meet at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust car park (SO722:048) (GL2 7BT) at 10.00am for a visit to this prestigious location. It is about 1.25 hours travel time from Hereford traffic permitting. There is a charge for non members, members have free access on production of membership card. Late arrivals should enquire at reception. Easy walking and access to the many hides. Warm clothing essential. Lunch can be carried and eaten en route or bought and consumed at the restaurant. There is a shop and toilets on site. No dogs please. Leader:" John Pullen (tel: 01600 750266) ""Hill Farm nr Castle Frome !January 21st Saturday !Meet at Hill Farm (SO 674:454) at 9.30 am. By kind permission of Mrs L Manning. There is good habitat for wintering birds comprising seed plots, hedgerows and mature woodland providing cover for a good variety of farmland birds. Directions: Take the A4103 Hereford to Worcester road, turn right for Ledbury at the foot of Fromes Hill onto the B4214 and take the second left, (a sharp turn at the top of the hill) then it is the entrance on the right, signed ‘THE HILL’. This is a fairly strenuous walk due to the nature of the terrain, lunch to be eaten back at the cars. Afterwards we could re-assemble at Stretton Grandison church (SO633:441) and visit Homend Park ponds and the wood on Homend bank. Moderate with some hills, no dogs please. "Leader:" Brian Willder (tel: 01568 709227) !"Devereux Farm, Norton Canon!February 16th Thursday !Meet at Devereux Farm (SO386:485) at 9.30am. By kind permission of Mr Patrick Wrixon. It is located on the left side of the B4230 road, running from Norton Canon to Weobley about half a mile

www.herefordshirebirds.org 8

from the junction. The farm is mixed arable and pasture, has had higher level stewardship which is now undergoing a period of change. The farm provides cover and habitat for a good variety of farmland birds. Moderate to easy gradients. This will be a morning only visit with a possibility of a further visit to a nearby location for anyone who is interested. Lunch in cars, moderate gradients, no dogs please. Leader:" Gerald Parker (tel: 01432 760023) ""Ashleworth and Coombe Hill !March 8th Wednesday !Meet at Ashleworth Ham (SO827:262) at 10.00am. (in order to avoid Hereford traffic) Turn south off the B4213 at the crossroads at Tirley for approximately 1¼ miles Park on roadside adjacent to hide. Followed by a move to GWT nature reserve at Coombe Hill (SO 886:272) for an early picnic lunch and post-lunch walk. Bring gum boots. Please contact the leader a couple of days before the event which will be dependent upon the state of winter flooding. No dogs please. "Leader:" Chris Bartlett (tel: 01989 721080) !"A date to be advised between April 1st and 15th. The purpose of this meeting is to find ring ouzels on passage at a location where they have noted during the last two years (2015/16). The meeting date will be between April 1st and 15 depending on the ring ouzels appearance and will be posted on the HOC website, alternatively ring JRP on 01600 750266. Meet at 09.30am on Sun Lane (SO 444: 247), other possible birds likely to be seen are; tree pipit, redstart, wheatear, skylark and yellowhammer. Moderate gradients, no dogs please. Leader:" John Pullen (tel: 01600 750266) ""Pengethley and Sellack!April 27th Thursday!Meet at Kynaston House, Hentland (SO543:272) satnav - HR9 6LP at 10.00am where adequate parking will be provided for a leisurely walk around Pengethley Park. This is National Trust land and contains many mature trees hosting a good cross section of farmland birds and hopefully spring migrants. Lunch will be consumed back at the cars. Afterwards we will travel a short distance by car to Sellack and park adjacent to the church (SO565:276) for a walk along the side of a valley and back through woodland, or alternatively along the side of the river Wye. Easy to moderate gradients, no dogs please. Leader:" Robert Taylor (tel: 07713 412063)

www.herefordshirebirds.org 9

FOR SALE…. !Olivon T-80 Spotting Scope complete with end caps and soft cover £60"Opticron Hide clamp with 21/22, 23/24 & 25/26 reducer sleeves £20"Panasonic Lumix FZ200 excellent condition, complete with charger & Sandisk 16GB Extreme SD card £250"

Please contact John Tilby on jtilby69@btinternet.com!

www.herefordshirebirds.org

HOC Week Away October 2016 by Gareth Morgan!"Monday 3rd October!Fine, dry, sunny. In ones and twos and quartets we made our way to the Angel Hotel in Wangford in Suffolk for an exciting four days non-stop birding. In the unavoidable absence of the Chairman, who was in Stamford taking a small party of ageing veterinary contemporaries to Rutland Water, the President assumed the duty of maintaining the highest standards of behaviour, especially as the President's Lady was present.""Our Glorious leader Chris and Leaderene Pam, to celebrate that this was to be the eighth and final week/end which they had organised, all of which have been total successes, had booked the room with the four poster bed and also a sunken bath. The rest of us, bar two, had very comfortable rooms, although not of the same magnificence. The two, who shall be known as "J" and "S", were accommodated in a B&B a short distance away, but joined us for all meals. If approached nicely they will tell you a funny story about the cushions and curtains.""As the weather was so good, many of us went for an exploratory walk around the village finding an excellent village shop, and a church which is worth a further visit when time permits.""Promptly at some unspecified time before seven o'clock we all assembled in the hotel bar to select our meal from an enterprising menu, and enjoy the first of four convivial evenings, with lots of banter and rehydration.""The following morning we woke to a dry, sunny and breezy day, which demanded a good breakfast. Some, but not all, of us learned how to use the electric toaster. By the end of our stay we had all worked it out from first principles, except for the time the power was switched off.""Then, action stations. We leapt into our vehicles and formed a convoy. The phrase "Rubber Duck" came to mind, but in reality we were hoping for a stone curlew. The stone curlew was hoping to be left in peace and refused to show. Concealing our disappointment, we continued our journey to Minsmere, which the RSPB has continuously improved over the years. The hides are well maintained, and offer good views of the most useful sites. The sea-watching is most exhilarating and produced a succession of worthwhile species, including scoter, gannet and pintail. We walked and spotted for the best part of the day, lunching by the Minsmere sluice and finishing in the Bittern Hide, before having a hot drink in the cafe.""A number of us made a detour via Walberswick on the journey back to the Angel, disturbing hundreds of recently released pheasant and red legged partridge. Others of the group made their way to the Island Mere Hide and brought back a good list.""The staff at the Angel, realising that they had a hotel full of highly intelligent and well educated guests, had kindly organised a Quiz Evening for us. Naturally, we gave it all we had, and lo and behold the first prize went to the President's team, with the runners-up being the Vice Presidents' team. Sometimes, life just isn't fair.""Wednesday, like Tuesday, dawned dry, sunny and breezy. After a fortifying breakfast we went to Dunwich Heath, which is known to be good for Dartford warbler. They had all gone on holiday with the stone curlew, so we contented ourselves with numerous sightings of stonechat and other species. By this time lunch was calling. A brief break, then on to Dingle Marshes for marsh harriers, which were most obliging. A good visit. On again, this time back to

10

Minsmere for a walk through the temporary Northern Bushes trail. Good sightings of butterflies, caterpillars and flowering plants, all surprising this time of year. "S" was busy with her camera, recording these for posterity. Woodland avian species, of course. A pleasant and useful walk. Still no stone curlew. Throughout the week we remarked on the number of large, healthy rabbits which were evident on any suitable piece of ground. Muntjac and red deer were to be seen occasionally, although they were adept at concealment. However, we failed to see hide or hair of ponies at any time. An unusual sighting was of three large aerial objects, which were identified as kites for wind surfers, off Southwold beach. None of our group expressed a strong desire to participate in such activities. Another time, or another group, perhaps.""The Leaderene and the President's Lady made the most of the fine weather by taking a trip to the cultural area around Aldeburgh, and gave a good account of themselves at dinner, which added to our enjoyment of the day.""Thursday, 6th October, dawned dry and breezy, but less sunny than previous days, and became overcast later on. Not that this deterred us from making the most of our final full day. We drove to Minsmere via a possible location for bearded tits, but alas there was not enough space for our vehicles, so we continued directly to our destination. Here, the Canopy Hide, the Island Mere Hide and the Wildlife Lookout all produced good results - bearded tit, bittern (flying), marsh harrier, kingfisher, wheatear and a pectoral sandpiper (a lifer for one well travelled member) were showing well. One member, whom we will call "H", known for displaying an independent attitude, later reported a definite sighting of a ring ouzel in the Northern Bushes temporary trail, which was accepted. We walked to the sluice for our lunch break, then continued our observations from one or more hides before adjourning to the cafe for a hot drink, after which we returned to the Angel for our end-of-term dinner. As is customary at this stage, Chris gave us the definitive list of species seen or convincingly heard, which gave a total of eighty nine. In return the President thanked Chris and Pam for their eight successful years' as organisers and leaders. These sentiments were applauded by all of us. We wish Chris and Pam a well deserved break.""All of which leaves us saying our farewells after breakfast on Friday morning, the majority of us making our way back to Herefordshire, with the sound of the sea a very pleasant memory, among many others.!

www.herefordshirebirds.org 11

Taking a break! Picture by Una Morgan

HOC Field Meeting Reports!"Cotswold Water Park ! ! 20th May 2016!Leader: Nick Smith !"A small group of 10 hardy HOC members arrived at the Gateway Visitor Centre off the A419, for a 9.30am start around this fascinating area of old and new gravel working pits. Gravel companies, clubs and individuals, privately own many of the lakes, but a large number of lakes are open for public access and water activities including areas as wildlife sanctuaries. ""The weather was cloudy and breezy at first, but turning to steady rain later in the day, so we were set with a challenge against the weather to discover the birdlife around several pits designated as good birding spots! We headed in convoy to Pit 74 and Twitchers Gate! We quickly spotted many of the waterbirds like moorhen, coots, tufted ducks, greylag family and plenty of swallows, house & sand martins, with swifts feeding across the water. A few common terns flew by fishing, along with plenty of cormorants and LBB gulls, BH gulls on the rafts. Oystercatchers were on the shoreline around this pit. The scrubby margins around the pits were busy with warblers like garden warblers, blackcaps, chiffchaffs and willow warblers. ""Moving on to our next area, we parked in the Waterhay car park for Pits 59, 68, 74 & 82. There had been reports of a red-footed falcon in the area for the last few days, but our luck was out, after a long walk around these pits. We did have plenty of Cettis warblers, reed buntings, reed & sedge warblers singing in the reedbeds and red crested pochard on the water. Other species present were buzzard, sparrowhawk, curlew, lapwing, and mute swan families. After having lunch in the car park, we moved to our final pits of the day 37, 38, 41 to 44, 57, 65. It was now beginning to rain and the rest of the walk would be wet and less birdlife present, but still we heard lesser whitethroats, goldcrest and a fox walking along the edge of the pits.""By the end of this walk we were all feeling very wet and tired, so I would like to thank all of those for making it an interesting day out and away from our own county. We had a total of 63 species seen or heard by most of the group and the area lived up too its reputation of a leading birding location on Gloucestershire/Wiltshire boundary."

Mary Knoll Valley and High Vinnals ! ! 21st July 2016!Leader: Gerald Parker""Located in the far north of our county near the Shropshire border the Forestry Commissions High Vinnals woods are well worth a visit at any time of the year, so on a very warm morning eight HOC members assembled in the car park suitably attired with binoculars, sun hats and packed lunch. A nearby meadow just recently mown produced our first birds comprising carrion crow, mistle thrush, blackbird and song thrush. Having decided to take the circular walk shown as the Vinnals Loop we set off along the forestry road and soon we found a stock dove calling nearby, a buzzard was first heard then seen as it cruised overhead and some blue and great tits were active in nearby goat willows. A tiny goldcrest was spotted in one of the conifers and gave us good views scampering around the branches as it looked for insects. ""A grey heron was found near a small pond and a few chiffchaffs were around, some coal tits were spotted high up in some branches and a pair of ravens flew over, one clearly in pursuit of the other. "Further on we came to a small flock of siskins, they were very mobile and gradually more appeared until there were well over 30 no doubt there were many juveniles in the group. Here the majority of the trees were conifers and having been planted very close together made a dense environment with very little light penetration. A high pitched chattering call was heard nearby which we thought belonged to a sparrowhawk, unfortunately we didn't get a view. One person spotted a treecreeper for a brief moment however it didn't show up again, several bullfinches were heard in the vicinity.

www.herefordshirebirds.org 12

www.herefordshirebirds.org 13

As we neared the summit we were given an excellent view of a male yellowhammer, the bird quite unperturbed by us carried on singing its song for several minutes until it decided to move a little way off to settle in a nearby rowan. The summit gave splendid views of the surrounding countryside so made an ideal stop for lunch, afterwards we noticed five young swallows on a rowan sapling being fed regularly by their parents, as there was no human habitation for several miles we assumed the young had been brought to where the food source was, very clever these swallow parents. Walking down the track through woodland some of the group noticed a very large insect about 4cm long which flew in and settled on a bracken frond, having consulted my insect book on return I identified it as a horntail or wood wasp, quite fierce looking but completely harmless to humans. Many butterflies were seen, of note were ringlet, meadow brown, gatekeeper, comma, large white, red admiral and silver washed fritillary. A disappointing small list of birds was found which was not unexpected given the time of year however I think everyone enjoyed the walk and the pleasant surroundings. Many thanks to all who attended."

The Weir Garden & Kenchester Pools!! 15th September 2016!Leader: Mervyn Davies ""A group of 22 met in the National Trust car park on this glorious September morning. While we waited for everyone to arrive, we were treated to the near continuous trumpet-like calls from numerous flocks of 20-40 Canada geese flying overhead in a north-east direction towards Brockhall Gravel Pits, a typical sight at the Weir Garden during late August and September mornings. In addition, nearby jackdaws and a green woodpecker made their presence known, a cormorant was spotted in the river and a lesser black-backed gull flew overhead. "As we made our way into the woodland garden, robins sang and chaffinch, greenfinch, magpie and nuthatch were heard, along with a chiffchaff singing as if it was spring. An expert among us pointed out a Boletus ‘penny bun’ fungus growing on the path side. A pied wagtail was spotted by an eager observer on the Weir Nursing Home roof and two mute swans were seen on the river below. The group paused to admire the spectacular ‘bridge’ view of rural Herefordshire and a coal tit was heard nearby. Proceeding further along the woodland path, the group was treated to the sight of the three resident thrush species feeding and squabbling over the sparse supply of yew berries this year, as well as the fleeting sight of a jay and a great spotted woodpecker perched high up in one of the large magnificent beech trees that grow in the garden."At the west end of the woodland, the bees ‘buzzed’ as we listened to goldcrest in the conifers and saw the other three tit species, including a family of long-tailed tits.This end of the woodland comes alive in late February/March each year as ‘rookery’ building takes place (88 nests in spring 2016) and a few rooks were hanging around keeping a watchful eye on us! Down by the riverside, birds were sparse but it was lovely to spot a grey wagtail on the water’s edge that provided a good view for all. A buzzard hovered overhead and a sparrowhawk was spotted in the distance being chased by carrion crows. When we moved on to the walled garden, there were painted lady butterflies in the flower borders, a pheasant crowed nearby, a blackcap was seen and goldfinch and bullfinch were heard in the overgrown shrub habitat nearby. "After lunch we walked across the main road to some of the nearby Kenchester Pools that cannot be seen from the road or footpath, and our botanist/ecology expert pointed out golden spindle fungus Clavulinopsis fusiformis as we walked through an old organic pasture. At the first pond, six goosander redheads and a grey heron flew off, and on another pond, little grebe, teal, wigeon, tufted duck, coot and mallard were present. Both swallow and house martin were feeding off the water surfaces, Black-headed and lesser black-backed gulls flew overhead and buzzard and raven were seen in the distance. A few ‘long-stayers’ amongst us enjoyed a relaxing stroll around Old Weir estate afterwards, where the pair of ravens were ‘in residence’ in their usual nest tree, a cedar of Lebanon near Old Weir farm and a group of 12 goldfinch were flitting along a hawthorn hedge near the Yazor Brook outflow area. "Altogether a total of 48 species were seen or heard during the day. A big “Thank you” to everyone who joined us and to the National Trust for allowing access to this special garden and supporting the visit.

www.herefordshirebirds.org 14

THE CANARY IN THE CAGE by Norma Forest !Well, our swallow’s mate eventually arrived and in the months that followed the two could be seen teaching their young to fly. But as for the rest of the hirundells, they must have got lost on their route to our little hamlet. How I missed the black swooping swifts looking so deadly on the wing almost being mistaken for the powerful hobby in full flight. June arrived and with it unusually cold and wet weather. Vegetables in the garden refused to put on any growth and flowers and trees held back their blooms and thus their pollen. My beekeeper friends pronounced that their bees were dying from lack of food and butterflies were rarely seen. My sentiments fell to an all time low. My wait for the call of the hoopoe was finally answered but sightings of a golden orioles either escaped us or they did not arrive."July swept in with scorchingly hot days, suffocating nights and desiccating winds that burnt and dried up the full blown greenery. We replenished the birds’ baths throughout the day so that our resident Sparrow colony could bathe and drink their fill and the occasional goldfinch and blackbird could also partake, making the sparrows give way, the greedy little lot. From time to time a friend of ours would hang on the gate post one of these blue feathered beauties. But worse was to come for the single, red-combed cock pheasant that roamed our top land fell to the same fate and my husband had the joy of feathering him and me the pleasure of turning him into a dainty Sunday dinner. No point in wasting good meat eh! "The amazingly beautiful hen harriers never arrived flying like ghost-like seagulls over our meadow. Had they been poisoned by the slug poisoned fields or dead moles having been killed in their turn by poisoned pellets."My mind goes back to Herefordshire and my childhood when my father used to really enjoy a lovely roasted pigeon and the occasional haunch of ‘poached’ venison. These used to lie on a plate in the pantry for his mid-day meals. It was an accepted fact that it was ours and his right to eat such food. But as children we never partook in the meals, such delicacies were only for the men folk. My days growing up seeing life through rose tinted glasses does pluck at my heart strings."Autumns would arrive and my sister and I would sit in amongst the golden stubble-filled fields at Fields End and Fenhampton and scrump on bumpy sweet perry pears and striped pitted cider apples. Hedgerows would overflow with wild fruits and honeysuckled flowers, fields would smell of mushrooms and our woods would be ivy flowered. All creatures were able to take their fill for the long dark days ahead."We were no different and my mother would prepare for the winter months, filling the pantry with our freshly killed and cured pig, salted beans, pickles and hedgerowed jams. Each evening the fire would be lit and the hearth would be swept clear of dust and ashes by the newly arrived wings of a buzzard, given to us on a regular basis throughout the year by our neighbour gamekeepers Mr W B or Mr W. I used to flex open these wings, using them as a fan, and see no wrong in what he had done to give us this very useful household object. They were accepted without questioning and I never did see one of these magnificent birds flying on high and never hung on the gibbet in the wood. Perhaps the carcasses were given to their dogs?"Now here, October’s chilly evenings have arrived and within 24 hours thousands of common cranes have flown over our house. What will await them at the end of their migration? Their amazing calls to one another on high plucking the very heart strings of my husband, him saying “the most beautiful and incredible bird sounds ever”. Groups of red kites soar over our land curving this way and that way looking for any little morsel to eat on their long and ardous journey. Have they come from Radnorshire I wonder and Mr Powell’s farm? We have seen one single wasp and the hornets number dozens on our rotting fruit, not in hundreds like other autumns. "For autumn it is. This is my last letter from La Belle France. Happy to have written what I have seen and which brought back happy childhood memories of Herefordshire. But too sad to write what I do not see any more. The honey harvest has been very poor. The whole insect population has plummeted. The dried up woods have yet to give their harvest of penny buns and of course the black diamond (truffle). They lie waiting for the morning mists and the rains to arrive. I feel a sad loss at not seeing any tortoiseshell, peacock, red admiral, fritillary or painted lady. I could go on and on. Thinking all these species are our canaries in a cage. Warning us all in this pretty wild part of France that things cannot continue like this for in the end it will be our own demise as well. !I wish all my friends at HOC good birding days and I too hope to see the fluttering wallcreepers on the rocks at St Christophe and the pair of peregrines guarding the Maison Forte. Then perhaps my morale might be restored a little. "

Bodenham Lake Developments by Jim Wilkinson!""

Many of you will know that Herefordshire Wildlife Trust has taken over management of Queenswood Country Park and Bodenham Lake from the council. Various changes have already happened at Queenswood and attention is now shifting to Bodenham. HOC has been invited to become involved in this project as the improvements hopefully will make the site even more attractive to birds. !"In outline the plan is to make some changes to the shoreline of the lake so that there are scrapes and reed beds which will attract more birds and be used by a wider variety of species. This would involve re-grading the edge in three places to reduce the lake depth and make shelved areas of exposed shoreline. There may also be a “floating bio-matrix” island on the deeper (far-end) of the lake which would give a predator-proof habitat."

The plan also allows for a new hide to be erected on the south side of the lake which would give another perspective and not face into the sun which is a significant issue with the existing hide. HOC has offered to contribute £10,000 to the cost of the new hide subject to successful funding of the overall project."

We will keep you informed as this exciting project evolves."

Map credit: Herefordshire Wildlife Trust

www.herefordshirebirds.org 15

ADVERTISING IN HOC NEWS:!

Small ads for members wishing to sell or obtain bird-watching sundries such as books or binoculars are free of charge. Please enquire with the editor."

Commercial advertising rates are: 1⁄2 page £15 & full page £30 per issue, four consecutive issues for the price of three. Supplied single page loose insert £20 per issue."

Position of advert at editor’s discretion. HOC does not necessarily endorse products or services advertised in its publications. Please mention this publication when replying to advertisements."

Printed by Flying Colours, Croft Court, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 7AB: 01989 566443 "

SUBMISSIONS!

Contributions to HOC NEWS should be received by the Editor by the 14th of January, April, July or October for the February, May, August or November issues respectively. "

Email: nickydavies71@hotmail.com"

Due to space and/or postal charges, contributions may be edited, shortened or divided into instalments at the Editor’s discretion. Illustrations will be printed in black & white only. Photographs will also be used at the Editor’s discretion but please note the printing process limits the quality of photocopying reproduction."

Leaders of Club Meetings are invited to send, or to arrange for another member attending to send, a report of the meeting for publication. These are best when written and sent in as soon as possible after the event."

Support the work of the Herefordshire Ornithological Club by advertising in this Newsletter. Revenue raised helps conservation of habitat for wild birds (which includes other forms of wildlife), the study of wild birds and the promotion of their welfare through the publishing of data and survey reports, active co-operation with other bodies having similar aims and the education of the public in all related matters. All the officers of HOC give their services voluntarily.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES!

Adult £12: Joint members (same address) £18: Junior (up to 18 years) £5: Life Member £300: Senior Life Member £180: Joint Senior Life Members £270: Corporate Membership £25.00

16

Chair: Gerald Wells, The Wain House, Bridge End, Much Cowarne, Herefordshire, HR7 4JL (01531 640124) geraldwells5@btinternet.com

Secretary: Una Morgan, 5, Abercrombie Close, Ledbury, Herefordshire. HR8 2UR (01531 631347) unarmorgan@gmail.com

Treasurer: Jim Wilkinson, Coughton Forge, Coughton, Ross-on-Wye HR9 5SF (01989 763182) m.jim.wilkinson@googlemail.com

Recorder: Mick Colquhoun (01989 780580) Mobile: 07587 151627 mcc@mcolquhoun.plus.com Data Manager: Chris Robinson, Rock Cottage, Newton St. Margarets HR2 0QW

(01981 510360 herefordbtorep@btinternet.com) Indoor Meetings Organiser: Andrew Ramsay (01981 500726) manxshearwater76@gmail.com