Good-bye August, I received’t be sorry to look you pass. Until you occur to are living close to the coast, wherein case there are many migrant waders to look, August is just about a duff month for birds in England. There’s no longer a lot tune, many spring migrants have already departed south for his or her iciness quarters, whilst nearly all of citizens are moulting, so change into shy and hard to look. August is arguably the least thrilling chook month of the 12 months.
I stay a per month tally what number of species I’ve noticed, and on the time of writing my August ranking is 97, my 2d lowest per month overall in England this 12 months. My easiest month used to be June, with 130 species, however I even controlled a tight 115 in July. (Those totals are considering England, and don’t come with birds noticed out of the country). This month’s checklist is disappointing, as I’ve put some effort into discovering birds, and feature visited each the Norfolk and Suffolk coasts.
Livestock Egrets in North Norfolk – Twenty first-century colonists of England
Cley is considered one of England’s most renowned chook reserves, in addition to considered one of its oldest. (It used to be purchased through the Norfolk Naturalists’ Accept as true with, now Norfolk Flora and fauna Accept as true with, in 1926). It’s at all times a competent website online for seeing one thing just right, and it didn’t disappoint on my fresh consult with at first of the month. In all probability maximum notable used to be a flock of 16 Livestock Egrets. This used to be the largest flock that I’ve ever noticed in England. Those egrets are new colonists in England, first breeding in 2008. Surely they are going to change into a lot commoner within the years yet to come, as they’re a chook that, as soon as established, has a tendency to extend hastily.
I’m at all times desirous about the truth that this Outdated International chook didn’t achieve the Americas till the overdue Nineteen Thirties, having flown the 2850km from the African coast to the Guianas. They first bred in North The usa, in Florida, in 1953, and through 1962 had began nesting in Canada. They’re additionally reasonably fresh colonists of China, South Korea and Japan, arriving in Australia by the use of New Guinea within the early 1900s. They first bred in New Zealand in 1963. Whilst you believe this astonishing fee of enlargement it sort of feels unexpected that they have got taken see you later to achieve Britain.
The black-tipped flight feathers how that that is an immature Spoonbill
Any other fresh colonist of England is the Spoonbill. The primary recorded nest used to be in North Norfolk in 2010, and numbers have higher right here annually since, whilst this 12 months nesting used to be recorded at a number of new websites in Jap England. I at all times experience seeing Spoonbills, regardless that they’ve now change into a well-known sight on coastal reserves in japanese England. There used to be only one at Cley, an immature with black wing pointers.
This consult with to Cley did upload a few sandpipers to my English 12 months checklist: Inexperienced and Curlew. I’d noticed each previous within the 12 months in Cyprus and Greece. Of their purple breeding plumage Curlew Sandpipers are good-looking birds. This person used to be moulting, however nonetheless predominately in summer time plumage. It used to be elusive and difficult to seek out, and not got here nearer than a few hundred yards.
Later the similar day I known as in at Titchwell, a well-liked RSPB reserve at the North Norfolk coast. Right here a lot the most productive sighting used to be an surprising Osprey (above). Ospreys are common migrants thru Norfolk and Suffolk within the overdue summer time and early autumn however seeing one is at all times a question of success. This used to be my first in England for a couple of years, regardless that it’s a chook I’d already noticed this 12 months in southern Spain.
A few weeks later I visited Minsmere, the RSPB’s flagship reserve at the Suffolk coast. I used to be hoping for a just right crop of passage waders: I noticed 10 other species, no longer a super overall, however it did come with my first Noticed Redshanks of the 12 months in England, along side each Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers, Black-tailed Godwits and Inexperienced and Commonplace Sandpipers. There have been no actual surprises a few of the birds I noticed, however some large flocks of Commonplace Scoters offshore had been fascinating. Possibly those had been non-breeding birds: only a few (an insignificant 50 pairs) nest in Scotland, and none in England. Maximum of our wintering birds come from northern Europe and Siberia.
Nice White Egrets (with a Gray Heron, Mute Swans and Coots) at Lakenheath
Later within the month I visited any other Suffolk RSPB reserve – Lakenheath, an intensive reedbed reserve, created out of what had been previously carrot fields. It’s an excellent instance of habitat introduction, and holds breeding Bitterns, Marsh Harriers and Cranes. Of those 3, the one person who confirmed all through my consult with used to be Marsh Harrier. The Cranes had it sounds as if bred effectively, however they saved their heads down so I failed to look, and even listen, them. My {photograph} (under) used to be taken at Lakenheath, however on a prior consult with. Worthy of observe used to be seeing 24 Nice Egrets unexpectedly – that is any other former uncommon chook this is colonising southern England at a outstanding tempo.
My ultimate notable chook of the month, and my 97th species, used to be a unmarried Wooden Sandpiper (under) on a small Norfolk wetland reserve, Dickleburgh Moor. Those dainty sandpipers are scarce migrants in East Anglia within the autumn, however a chook you must see in the event you take a look at arduous sufficient. I’d noticed lots previous within the 12 months in Cyprus and Greece, however this used to be my first in England. It used to be a far off view on a sunny day, however one when a powerful wind made the use of the telescope difficult.
September is a a lot more promising month for birds. I’ve were given any other go back and forth to the Mediterranean bobbing up, this time to the Peloponnese within the south-west of Greece. It’s no longer a vacation spot this is well-liked by birders, so It’s not that i am certain what I may to find, at all times an exhilarating prospect. I can record right here sooner or later.