Lesser or greater? It just doesn't add up!

On Friday 17th November a greater scaup was discovered at Farmoor. Another greater scaup, in eclipse plumage, had been found there at the end of September but I had contrived to miss that bird by inches. So on Saturday morning Mrs Caley and I duly returned to the reservoir to pin down the duck. However despite an enjoyable walk around most of Farmoor, we failed to locate the scaup and left empty handed once again. Imagine my chagrin then when the duck was re-found later on Saturday afternoon! Interestingly though after local birders had viewed the photos posted online the consensus shifted to the opinion that this greater scaup was in fact a lesser scaup, a much rarer species from North America and a bird that I'd only encountered once before when I saw two males at Drift reservoir in Cornwall over ten years ago.

So on Sunday I waited until receiving the news that the duck had been seen that morning and then hot tailed it back up to Farmoor to see for myself. As is frequently the case the duck was showing well but right over the other side of the reservoir from the car park so we'd have to walk for a good mile to see it! Of course if I had been clued up I could have parked right next to the southern bank but hey, I wasn't! After a 20 minute slow trot, Mrs Caley and I joined the throng of half a dozen or so birders and settled in to enjoy the rare vagrant bird. The lesser scaup showed brilliantly well, often coming within 20 metres or so of the shore and allowing frame after frame filling shots. It appeared to have all the features of lesser scaup, lacking the crest of the tufted ducks that it associated with, having a grey vermiculated back and a small black nail to the bill. A small doubt that I had though was that it seemed larger than the tufted ducks and I had read that lesser scaup was supposed to be slightly smaller. Still the general opinion from the gathered watchers was that it was a lesser scaup and that views of the open wings underlined this, lesser scaups lacking the outer whitish primaries that greater scaup possess. I failed to capture the open wing pattern on the camera though so was unable to check this.

Some comparison shots with tufted ducks and coot.

And a few diving and preening shots.

We went back home very happy that we had added lesser scaup to our (non-existent) Oxfordshire lists (really must write that up one day). Then midway through the afternoon a post on Oxonbirdingblog suggested that the bird might actually be a hybrid. Horror! And indeed, after being seen on Monday by far more qualified judges than I, the bird was demoted to hybrid status, possibly tufted duck x greater scaup or lesser scaup x greater scaup. 

The analysis is excellently detailed on www. oxonbirding.blogspot.co.uk so please read there if interested in a more scientific description.

Still it was a fabulous duck and I managed to get some nice photos if nothing else!

Some of the other birds seen over the weekend while looking for and at the duck.

blue tit (pinkhill)

common scoter (female)

goldeneye (male & female)

goldeneye (male)

goldeneye (male & female)

grey wagtail

kestrel

little grebe (and fish breakfast)

little grebe

redshank

redshank

redwing

reed bunting

tufted duck (male)

tufted duck (female)

tufted duck (female)

The calm after the storm. Cornwall 17th October 2017

Mrs Caley and I come to West Cornwall for a week every October primarily to bird the sheltered valleys and when the opportunity arises, to twitch rarer birds. So far we'd had a quiet week bird wise but then the weather had been unkind. Not so much down to the ferocity of the wind particularly with ex-hurricane Ophelia passing through on Monday but more to do with the its direction with it all coming directly from the south. Southerly winds act as a block on migrating birds thwarting any arrivals from the west and North America and also most from the east and Siberia and Asia. Having said that there was a massive influx of hawfinches under way and some had been blown around the south coast by the southerlies and a few had ended up in the Kenidjack valley on Sunday.

The noticeable thing this morning was the lack of wind. Hardly a breeze in the tree tops. What a contrast from the preceding day! As we eagerly walked into the Kenidjack, wondering if ex-hurricane Ophelia had dumped anything rare into the valley, a familiar car pulled up alongside and our good friend Badger greeted us from within. After exchanging pleasantries and advising him of where to park we arranged to meet next to the sewage works (birding isn't all glamour you know) where hopefully the hawfinches would be feeding in the calmer conditions. As I watched the Toyota trundle down the lane I was intrigued as to where he stores his surfboards in such a compact car. Maybe they had been left behind since they would be redundant in such conditions today.

Badgers surfboard collection (left back at the cottage)

I noticed some chunky finches fly in from the east and automatically fired off a few shots just in case. Having seen hawfinches on Sunday my eye was in and sure enough, even though the images were poor, they were indeed hawfinches! Just 3 and presumably the same ones that I'd seen on Sunday that must have weathered out the storm and remained in the area. Mrs Caley had now seen them which was welcome as she could now relax for a while. The hawfinches would attract many local birders to the Kenidjack over the next few days since they are a rare bird in this part of the world. Views were never great, always at distance, unless flying overhead which they did on occasion. Badger joined us and we set about finding the hawfinches in the hawthorn bushes and trees that surround the sewage works compound. "Somerset" Dave had also joined us and we all simultaneously noticed a hawfinch perched in a tree on the skyline. But, as they most often do, it flew out just as we managed to get our scopes on it. It wasn't long however before one was spotted in the favoured hawthorn bush feeding voraciously on the berries and we enjoyed prolonged views through the scopes.

hawfinch

Mrs Caley and I accompanied by Badger set off down the lane to see if anything was new in and to show our friend one of our favourite birding spots in the whole country. We came across a few firecrests mixed in with the goldcrests although none posed openly. 

firecrest

goldcrest

Choughs flew around usually heading towards a house up on the hills where they take food from garden feeders! They are always noisy birds, the "cheow" call telling of their impending arrival, and are always a joy to see. I guess it's the red bill and legs as well as that call which makes them so endearing. They are also very skilled flyers and give all other birds the run around!

chough

There had certainly been an influx of wood pigeons overnight and at least 50 were feeding on ivy berries from bushes that adorn the old mining buildings. The trees by the donkey paddocks held nothing but goldcrests and chiffchaffs so we carried on along the path to the cove at the bottom of the valley. A few gannets passed by Cape Cornwall at the end of the bay and a couple of oystercatchers fed amongst the rocks on the shore. Our hopes of finding something rare had pretty much dissipated by this point and we all just enjoyed the tranquility of the scene. The walk back brought us a semi-surprise in finding a great spotted woodpecker feeding among the trunks of some sallows by the stream. Although not unusual further up the valley we considered that this bird was probably a recently arrived migrant bird from elsewhere.

wood pigeons

great spotted woodpecker

A further check by the donkey paddocks yielded nothing different and the only birds to lift a disappointing morning (bird wise) was watching a buzzard at close quarters and a kestrel on the hunt. Oxfordshire's finest surfer dude left us at his car and we went in search of lunch before heading out again in the afternoon.

buzzard

kestrel

Now that we had nice sunshine and calm weather we decided to go for another look for the short-toed lark by Escalls chapel. The rough winds of the previous day had thwarted us but by allacounts the lark was still present and showing well. As we pulled into the lay-by the first person we saw was Badger who was glued to his scope and viewing the field that contained the lark. The now usual response, "it was here 5 minutes ago but has just flown out of view" followed our question as to its whereabouts so I set about trying to find it as well. It took about 10 minutes of careful searching when in unison we both said "there it is!". Short-toed larks are pretty distinctive even when seen from a fair distance away with their pale eye rings giving them a "panda eyed" expression. They are also very pale coloured which is striking against dark brown earth. They also feed in a very deliberate fashion pecking at anything within immediate reach rather than scuttling around searching for titbits. So at last, a decent bird for the day and only the third that I've seen in the UK. 

short-toed lark (St Agnes Oct 2016)

The field also held a ringed plover, lots of meadow pipits, just a few pied wagtails (compared to the hundred or so the previous day) and, amongst the gulls, at least 2 Mediterranean gulls which I always enjoy seeing. They were, in keeping with all the other birds, right at the far end of the field so good photos were impossible to obtain. 

Mediterranean gull

After a final farewell to the "Listless Twitcher", Mrs Caley and I returned to the Kenidjack for another look at the hawfinches. They were still feeding in the hawthorn bushes and were still as distant as before but still very alluring! We noted several stonechats now, a linnet on overhead wires and a gang of choughs were settled on the roof of a house waiting their turn at the feeders in the garden. 

stonechat

linnet

                          

chough

Finally a new bird for the week in the shape of a spotted flycatcher was seen capturing its prey above the sewage works compound.

spotted flycatcher

A pleasant day spent in pleasant company even though spending time with one of Oxfordshires most eminent birders didn't turn up anything really good. Maybe I should take up surfing?

See http://thelistlesstwitcher.blogspot.co.uk for a far more entertaining take on the days proceedings.

The hawfinches hawthorn bush

Ophelia! In Cornwall 16th October 2017

Much of the night was spent listening to the ever strengthening winds. Ex-hurricane Ophelia had arrived in West Cornwall. It sounded pretty bad from inside the cottage and I dreaded to think what it must have been like in West Ireland which was taking the brunt of the storm! The predicted 60-70 mile an hour winds turned out to be true and I wondered just how much birding would be possible in such gales. Many a comment had been made by other birders yesterday that it would be "unbirdable" in such conditions. Still the only way to find out would be to get out in it, suck it and see!

So after a longer than usual breakfast we put our heads to the wind and braved it outside. A reasonably sized twig breezed across horizontally in front of me and I considered myself lucky that we weren't going for a walk in a wood! We were however venturing down the Kenidjack and there are some large trees along the road by the engine shed. They were becoming smaller though by the minute as Ophelia lopped branch after branch off. Now I've been in Cornwall during gale force winds before but they usually hit from the west and the valley offers some protection. Ophelia though was raging from the south and blowing straight down Kenidjack (it runs north-west to the sea) so there was no respite at all. We met another chap who was also birding here for the week and he was one of those who didn't think it would be a goer today. He had been out earlier and basically suggested that anybody staying out and trying to bird in such weather was an idiot and wasting their time. He was no mug either! But, like the mug that I am, I thought that Mrs Caley and I may as well have a bracing walk if nothing else. Blow those cobwebs away as they say. Blow the bloody spiders away more like!

Anyway we did give it a go and saw very little indeed as expected. Even the choughs didn't like these conditions and 12 of them were hunkered down in a grassy field pecking away at the ground and the cow pats in search of their own breakfasts.

one half of the chough flock

and the other half (minus 1)

ah there he goes!

carrion crow 

All small birds were keeping their heads down and there was no sign of the hawfinches that had been present the evening before much to Mrs Caley's chagrin. They could have been there but were probably being sensible and doing the bird equivalent of staying indoors. We did see a small group of siskin fly over but not much else. After an hour of being buffered around by the wind we gave up and decided to change tack for the rest of the day,

I drove to Pendeen and had a quick look off the lighthouse there. The sea was rough but because the wind was from the south there were no birds passing bar a couple of gannets. Nothing in the lighthouse gardens either (a couple of yellow-browed warblers had been there at first light). So the only thing to do was to drive to Hayle and have a look at the estuary there or rather sit in the relative shelter of the hide at Ryan's field and see what birds were sheltering there. We arrived shortly after midday and a couple of hours before high tide. But there were already a few wading birds on the scrapes. This is a good place to compare bar and black-tailed godwits and both were present. Considerably more barwits (around 50) than blackwits (only 1) and they kept well apart but the differences could be noted. 

bar-tailed godwit

black-tailed godwit

black-headed gull

One of the birds we were hoping to see was a spoonbill which had given us the slip the year before. Our friend Badger had seen one here yesterday but typically there was no sign today. We needn't have worried though since the spoonbill flew in with a flock of Canada geese within 10 minutes of us arriving. Always nice birds to see with that big spatula bill. 

spoonbill

The Canada geese flock also contained a "Canalag" goose, a hybrid between a Canada goose and a greylag goose which had very interesting head markings but you could see how it got them.

"Canalag" goose

A fine little egret fished much closer to the hide than the spoonbill, affording excellent views and a couple of black-headed gulls joined it.

little egret

An email alert informed me that an American golden plover had been seen at Copperhouse Creek in the centre of town and where we saw our second lesser yellowlegs two years previously, so we jumped in the car and sped the short distance. We pulled up alongside the creek next to the only other car there, the purpose of the occupants belied by a scope just nudging out of the window. I tried to open my door. I say "tried" because it was almost impossible owing to the strength of the wind. If it was strong in the Kenidjack then it was doubly strong here. Using all my might I managed to get the door open and then almost had to crawl to the other car. I inquired as to the whereabouts of the plover and the chap (who had called it incidentally) pointed it out. It was extremely difficult to hold the binoculars steady on the bird but I already had doubts about the bird so I struggled around to the back of my car and grabbed the scope. Using the car as a (pretty useless) windbreak I managed a better view of the plover which as I suspected was in fact a grey plover! Nice bird but nothing rare. I had seen an AGP at Davidstow two years ago so I was confident that I was right. The bill was much too robust and there was a dark smudge around the eye. I returned to the other car and informed the occupant of my opinion and he agreed and had in fact reached the same decision after getting better views. The ID was clinched beyond all doubt when the plover flew a few feet and exhibited the diagnostic black "armpits". There were other waders too, all battling to stay put in the wind, we noted redshank, curlew and ringed plover. 

grey plover

black-tailed godwit, redshank & grey plover

After the excitement of the "almost" plover we returned to Ryan's field. During our absence the tide had come in and the local birders had arrived to enjoy the bounty of birds that had abandoned the main estuary which was now flooded. The number of bar-tailed godwits had increased to nearly a 100 and there were around 50 curlew too. A few lapwing had settled in along with some redshanks and a grey plover! I wondered if it was the same one? The best bird on offer though and instantly noticeable owing to it being much smaller than all other birds present was a curlew sandpiper. Interestingly (for us anyway) the first we'd seen this year having missed them all summer! Curlew sandpipers are reasonably rare in the south west so it was creating a lot of interest amongst the local birders. Imagine my surprise then when a call goes up "there's a buff-breasted sand out there"! Now, buff-breasted sandpiper is my bogey bird. I've yet to see one despite them being pretty common migrants to the UK. I have dipped out on them more than once when trying to twitch one and have always mistimed my visits to likely spots in order to find one. I frantically searched through the waders and there was nothing like a buff-breasted out there, not even a ruff which looks a bit similar. I was about to ask "where is it?" when a birder leant into the chap who called it and, on showing him an image on the back of his camera, exclaimed "surely a curlew sandpiper, isn't it?!" Of course it was, panic over. I felt a bit sorry for the guy who mis-ID'd the bird but then thought just how many of the birds we see reported each and every day that are not what they are called. I mean that was two such mis-ID's in just half an hour!

curlew sandpiper (right) with bar-tailed godwits & black-headed gulls

curlew sandpiper & redshank

bar-tailed godwit

spoonbill

Another emailed pinged informing of a purple heron that was (had been) stood in a field close to St Leven church! This was plausible since a purple heron had been present in Cornwall until just a few days before we arrived (naturally!) so it could have relocated. Apparently this bird had been flushed from a small stream and had flopped down rather confusedly into an adjacent weedy field. So, what's to lose?, we headed back down there. Our first challenge was to locate the field which took a while. Then after getting there and with no other birders around, it didn't look promising at all. The weedy field ran alongside a very overgrown stream where viewing would be extremely difficult. A footpath ran through the field but wasn't close to the stream. We gave it a go but it was impossible and the only bird we saw was a pheasant which flew up and out of the tangle of grasses. We had heard of a short- toed lark that was present close to Sennen so decided to head there instead. The lark was favouring a recently tilled field which until last week had housed (yep, just our luck) a buff-breasted sandpiper, a dotterel and an American golden plover! I think we need to move our week in Cornwall forward by a week or so! One other birder stood (just) at the edge of the field and I joined him, Mrs Caley preferring to (sensibly) stay in the car. On the higher ground and totally exposed it was blowing a proper hoolie and getting any sort of views of anything was extremely difficult. The other birder informed me that he'd seen the lark just 10 minutes ago (that old chestnut!) but that it had flown a short distance and he hadn't managed to relocate it. I couldn't either. I did find a ringed plover and a couple of white wagtails in amongst lots of pied wagtails but there was no sign of the short-toed lark. Never mind since we had had crippling views of one at St Agnes last year so I wasn't too bothered despite it being a "nearly" day what with the false alarms and failed twitches.

short-toed lark (St Agnes Oct 2016)

In fact it was definitely time to go in and relax before the anticipated extravaganza tomorrow. Ophelia must bring some presents surely?