Herentals, Blegium

Monday 29 September

Leaving Marieke's home in Herentals just after 9am with its local Jackdaws and Collard Doves, we drove to the edge of the town to visit the nearby nature reserve within the forest, mainly of pine and Beech, and then took the kilometre walk along the forest track to the large pool known as Black Water before returning to the car and home.

Once in the wood an immediate Blackbird followed by a number of Robins as we made our way down the track. Chaffinches were moving about the tree tops and then a Jay quickly followed by a Green Woodpecker. Apart from the Robins, all then mostly quiet until we approached the pond, Black Water where we could already here and see both Blue and Great Tits.  Marieke was first to note the dozen Barn Swallows feeding over the water and in the trees next to the hide a number of Blue and Great Tits plus the first Chiffchaff of the morning. In the top of a bare tree off to the left a resting Woodpigeon.

Woodpigeon Columba palumbus

The low sun was casting a deep shadow over the back and right-hand side of the water which contained the water birds but a lone Greylag Goose at the back left was most conspicuous along with a handful of Mallard.  Meanwhile, over against the right-hand side in the shadow below the bank a number of Greylag Geese were seen.  To their right both a resting Heron and a fishing Cormorant.

Great White Egret Ardea alba

Then, away at far back right the arrival of a Great White Egret that remained for the rest of the visit. But swimming away from that corner not just another trio of Mallard but accompanied by a single Mandarin Duck.

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata

Looking back at the original single Greylag Goose we noticed that it had been joined by a Great Crested Grebe and about mid-water the dozen Barn Swallows had returned to once more drink.

Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus with Greylag Goose Anser anser behind

About  to start our return walk when I looked up to find a  on top of the tree next to the hide, which then moved away, but still giving a chance for Marieke to also observe the bird. An uneventful return to the car followed during which we recorded more Great Tits, Chaffinches and Robins plus a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Back at the house the Jackdaws, Woodpigeon and Collared Doves were still active and joined by the local Robin.

Birds seen:

Greylag Goose, Mandarin Duck, Mallard, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Great White Egret, Heron, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Collared Dove, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Barn Swallow, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jay, Jackdaw, Chaffinch.

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Exbomont in the Belgian Ardennes

Friday 26 September

At last a beautiful day with breaking cloud, a light breeze but much warmer than the past few days.  Once more back into the high Ardennes in search of the Nutcracker but getting much more difficult now as most of the hazelnuts seem to have already been collected and, once completed, the birds retreat to their natural habitat in the high, unmanaged pine plantations.  Making our way up to the steep hill to the small hamlet of Exbomont a Buzzard resting on a dead tree below us and, upon arrival, another high tin the sky above.  Just the single Nutcracker seen as it made its way back up to a plantation from the hazelnut trees below.

The high Ardennes

Time to walk up the steep, muddy path to the top of the hill giving glorious views over the surrounding area.  Jays moving about to our left and in front a few Chaffinches and Robins.  Then we came across an abandoned house which looked something like a relic from a Hansel and Gretel adventure!

Who will but this abandoned Hansel and Gretel cottage?

Continuing on up to the top, first a Blackbird then both Great Tit and a Goldcrest high in the pine trees to our left.  Meanwhile, both Magpies and and Carrion Crows seen in the fields below.  Making our way back down the path we found a Blue Tit and as we approached the car a Chiffchaff along with a couple of House Sparrows at the neighbouring house.

A joy to behold

Not many birds seen but the scenery, now in dappled sunshine, was beautiful and a joy to be out in the countryside.

High above Exbomont and overlooking Mulin du Ruy

Birds seen:

Buzzard, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Jay, Magpie, Nutcracker, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch.

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Sierra Maria with the Arboleas Birding Group

Thursday 25 September 

"Cooler weather" must be relative as I am in the Ardennes for a week with friend Marieke.  Today it is damp, cloudy and wet but apart from the maximum temperature of 7C what is there to complain about!  Sparrowhawk and many Black Redstarts but on Tuesday up close with both Nutcracker and Black Woodpecker.  See my blog plus photo attached at end.

But, of course, no Griffon Vultures nor Crested Tit, Rock Bunting and Pied Flycatcher, never mind the potential dark phase Booted Eagle!  Seems to me you and the Arboleas Birding Group had a very good day.

Nutcracker (PHOTO: Bob Wright)

Sierra de Maria  -  Thursday 25th September

Another trip to our favourite birding destination...the Sierra de Maria.  Richard drove round to mine and I drove from there.  From Velez Blanco to Maria we only saw a Magpie and some Woodpigeon.  In the town we added House Sparrow and Spotless Starling.  En route to the La Piza forest cafe I spotted some Greenfinch.  We arrived at the cafe and commenced to refill the bird feeders with peanuts and mealworms.  We were joined by Nigel, Kevin, Trevor, Barrie and Beryl. 

Jay (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

After a slow start the birds began to take advantage of the free breakfast.  We saw Great, Coal, Long-tailed and Crested Tits, a couple of Jays, Chaffinches, a Robin, some thirsty Crossbill and a Serin. Barrie was first to see a Rock Bunting, but the most interesting bird was a Pied Flycatcher in transitional plumage taking a bath!

Rock Bunting (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

Having finished our coffees we began the loop.  Seeing the odd Jay, we then came across a plume of 12 Griffon Vultures.  Richard and I only added a Crested Lark, but Barrie behind us added Barn Swallow and Goldfinch.  The stop outside the village didn't add to the list so we carried on along the track seeing small flocks of Goldfinch.  Adding Collared Dove, we came across another Griffon Vulture plume.  Barrie noticed there were two smaller raptors above them.  A lot of discussions about the identification.  We plumped for dark phase Booted Eagles.  Collins seemed to agree!

Further along we came across a few Rock Sparrows on the trackside fence.  At the ruined building with the chimney stack I spotted a Little Owl.  Moving on we added a female Kestrel, Stonechat and a Raven.  Barrie saw a Carrion Crow.  The cliff face was devoid of bird life.  Barrie saw 2 Ravens and Nigel, a Magpie.  Carrying on we found our first Northern Wheatears of the autumn on the straight before the airstrip.  We added nothing else to the list till we parked up at the water trough. 

Little Owl (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

A White Wagtail, a flock of Linnet amongst the Rock Sparrows and Goldfinch.  Barrie then identified a female Common Redstart.  As some of us were getting hungry we adjourned to the La Piza cafe.  We saw the same as earlier but added Blue Tit and Nuthatch.  The Rock Bunting returned as well.

A great day birding in cooler weather, good company and ending with 34 species on the list.

Regards

Dave

Nuthatch (PHOTO: David Elliott-Binns)

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Nutcrackers in the Belgian Ardennes

Tuesday 23 September

Nutcracker Nucifraga caryocatactes

After arriving late and in the wet at my friend Marieke's summer cottage in the Belgian Ardennes late on Monday evening to join her and do some "Nutcracker searching," Tuesday started off dry and calm with broken cloud.  Time to enjoy a late breakfast and looking out through the very large picture window at the fields and hedgerow I was able to enjoy the many feeding Black Redstarts and Chiffchaffs which were later joined by Blue Tit, Robin and Blackcap.  Even a passing Carrion Crow and Magpies.

Breakfast over and the car loaded and we were off to one of Marieke's favourite sites in the hope that the Nutcrackers, member of the corvid family, would still be about and seeking out the necessary food to see them through the coming winter and spring.  Marieke has been visiting the area for the past thirty years and observing the behaviour of the Nutcrackers and since taking advantage of her new country property begun an intensive study of the life and times of the Nutcracker and must, surely, be the go-to expert on the Belgian Nutcrackers.  So what is special about the Belgian Nutcracker?

has been visiting the area for the past thirty years and observing the behaviour of the Nutcrackers and since taking advantage of her new country property begun an intensive study of the life and times of the Nutcracker.

There was always a very small population of Nutcrackers in the Ardennes as it offered an ideal feeding and breeding habitat but, just as visiting Waxwings in the UK and elsewhere, every so offer the food crop fails and we get an irruption of birds out of their natural habitat seeking alternative food sources.  In this case, such a large irruption took place in Siberia in 1968/69 with the main Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes macrorhynchos) flocks moving to Switzerland, which already held the European Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes) species feeding exclusively on the seeds of the stone pine and hazelnuts.  However, the Siberian sub-species with its slightly thinner and shorter beak apparently survived only on the pine seeds. Not only Switzerland as the Siberian Nutcrackers were also recorded in most western European countries including the UK. It is probably true to say that most of these immigrants either perished or tried to make their way back to their homeland but, at the same time, many of the Swiss birds also moved north and found their ideal habitats in the Ardennes; hilly mountains with abundant hazelnut trees and unmanaged pine forests.  These birds, therefore, expanded the existing small population and their descendants can still be found today, albeit in reducing numbers as the above pine forests are managed, both by tree felling and clearing of the undergrowth and lower branches of trees to increase growth before harvesting.

Hazelnut selected and ready to add to crop

Why is this important?  Like both the Jay (which lives on acorns) and Red Squirrel, the Nutcracker survives by collecting hazelnuts and then creating caches to provide a food source once the crop is cleared.  But unlike the other species, the Nutcracker not only manages to store up to 15,000 hazelnuts a season but seems also to be able to remember the site of every single cache.  What sort of memory, organisational plan has this bird been able to develop?  This means very active work during August and September when the birds fly away from their home territory in the pine woods travelling up to 3 kilometres and able to store up to 15 nuts in their crop before returning home, crop bulging just as we often see with pigeons in our own localities.  Once back in the woods, the Nuthatch will excavate a small hole of up to three to five centimetres deep in the soft undergrowth in which the bird will stash up to three nuts. Every breeding couple needs to gather around 28,000 nuts!  This food stock has to feed both adults and then maybe as many as three young through the breeding season until the following July when other food stocks might become available. But, even more important, the food has to be available all winter and the Ardennes has regular heavy snow covering the ground.  The Nutcracker can excavate through a light covering of snow so, therefore, their home territory needs protection from heavy snow coverage, hence the use of pine forests which have not been cleared or managed.  

Unmanaged conifer plantation with ground cover

Managed conifer plantation, exposed and no ground cover and unsuitable for breeding Nutcrackers

Naturally, this means as pine enclosures are harvested/cleared the resident birds need to find alternative, untreated sites.  The more that are cleared the fewer opportunities for occupation, so controlling the extent to which the existing Nutcracker population can multiply.

Searching for a healthy hazelnut

As for the Nutcrackers' nests, they are usually at the top of a pine tree in the greenery and from a study undertaken in the 1990s suggesting the birds were more abundant and were found nesting in smaller trees and, therefore, much nearer the ground that the nest shown to me by Marieke.  

Nutcrackers' nest high in the pine tree

And so to our first visit a few kilometres away from Marieke’s home.  Upon arrival almost immediately a couple of overflying Nutcrackers were sighted and, maybe, this was to be the nearest we were to get to the birds.  But, no, Marieke had other ideas. She took me to a site near some hazelnut trees that had produced foraging Nutcrackers last week.  A site which has been kept "secret" to avoid mass interruption from photographers and unnecessary interference from visitors.

Arrival of the Nutcracker

Settling down quietly and under cover I then had the pleasure (privilege!) of seeing a Nutcracker arrive and pose at the top of a tall tree not 20 metres away.  The bird even patiently sat and preened which was, according to Marieke, a behaviour she had not seen before, given that once the bird had gathered its crop full of hazelnuts it then had to fly uphill to its breeding area which might be up to three kilometres away.

And then the Nutcracker started preening

However, not only did the bird remain for many minutes but then flew to the hazelnut tree immediately in front of us giving even better views, followed by a short stop on the grass below to pick up a nut that it had, presumably, dropped whilst foraging above.

Nutcracker retrieving a dropped nut

Whilst stating that the bird gathers up to 15 individual nuts on any foray down to the hazelnut trees, it does not simply pluck nuts off the branch.  It is very selective and carefully assesses each individual nut by weighing it in some form of way to establish that the shell contains a healthy, well-developed nut.  Too light and the bird instinctively knows that either the nut has not properly developed or has been infested in some way.  These nuts are immediately discarded.  Searching below the trees you will find a selection of shells including some halves, indicating that the bird is also feeding on healthy nuts, as well as smaller discarded nuts some of which will also show a small hole indicating that the nut has been infested.  Again, an amazing activity undertaken by these incredible corvids.

But that was not the end of our little adventure.  Making our way back from the thirty minute walk to the latest plantation we were regularly in contact with Jays giving their alarm call indicating that strangers are present and then, stepping off the track into the open pine plantation, I saw black shape near the base of a pine tree not twenty metres away.  I thought at first it was a Red Squirrel, given that the Spanish species always appeared black rather than red, and then the shaped moved slight up the trunk revealing its total blackness other than a bright red crown confirming that I was looking at my very first Black Woodpecker. What a sight; such a size and appearing almost twice the size of our native Green woodpecker.  How lucky and what a privilege and pleasure to see both Nutcracker and Black Woodpecker on my very first day with Marieke.

Just a thought; in addition to the birds seen today there was no shortage of a range of fungi in the damp  woods, and giant toadstools some of them appeared to be, including the Amanita Muscaria, commonly known as the fly Agaric or Fly Amanita as shown below.

Amanita Muscaria or Fly Agaric

Birds seen:

Red Kite, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Robin, Black Redstart, Blackbird, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Jay, Magpie, Nutcracker, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch.

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Hamble River, Warsash

Sunday 21 September

No sooner back from our cruise and out just after 7.30 in the clear and calm sunny weather and time to take a quick walk up the Hamble River to the conservation area and back before the high tide arrives.  Not that many species about but, as yet, no sign of any Brent Geese arriving back for the winter,  Lots of Black-tailed Godwits along with both Redshank and Greenshank plus the usual Turnstones, Oystercatchers and a good number of Ringed Plover plus a couple of Dunlin.  Also present a trio of young Curlew.  Making my outward journey I also came a cross a singe Pied Wagtail.

Curlew Numenius arquata

Two score or more Black-headed plus a trio of Herring and a singe Common Gull.  Good to see at least seven Little Egret and at the conservation area two Cormorant and a quartet of Teal. 

Little Egret Egretta garzetta with Greenshank Tringa nebularia in the background

Also noted on the return journey a single Roe Deer feeding in a garden at the back of Bunny Meadow.

Early morning feeding Row Deer Capreolus capreolus

Now time to complete the above and own records before getting ready to head off on the next birding adventure to meet  up with my Belgian birding friend in the Ardennes in search of a Nutcracker or two.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa with a couple of Redshank Tringa totanus

Birds seen:

Teal, Cormorant, Little Egret, Heron, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Pied Wagtail, Magpie.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa

Dunlin Calidris alpina

Greenshank Tringa nebularia

Greenshank Tringa nebularia

Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba

Redshank Tringa totanus with 2 Black-tailed Godwits L.limosa

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula

Turnstone Arenaria interpres

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St.Mary's, Isles of Scilly

Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica

Thursday 18 September

Our last port of call, Hugh Town on St Mary's in the Scilly Isles.  Dry and relatively calm albeit on the dull side so local tender ashore. Long ride on this occasion as we were anchored well away from the town in calm, deep waters.  But having wandered through the town we eventually took the local community bus for a grand circuit of the island and whilst Jenny took full advantage, I hopped off at Telegraph Hill to visit the local Neolithic barrow then walk the beach below as far as Bar Point.

Having already noted many Barn Swallows and House Sparrows whilst in Hugh Town along with the local Rock Doves (Feral Pigeons), finally a number of Starlings as I made my way to the barrow and there, immediately in front of me, a couple of Wheatear to add to the Robins seen on the path as I made my way from the bus stop. Continuing on down to the beach path I noted a couple of Carrion Crow and, resting on a distant small island, both Great Black-backed Gull and a handful of Shags. However, closer inspection of the photograph also revealed resting Black-headed Gulls and a few Sandwich Terns.

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus and company

Closer inspection revealed both Black-headed Gulls L.ridibundus and a Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus at the far right

Plus also a few Sandwich Terns Sterna sandvicensis

Time to peruse the beach in general which revealed more Great Black-backs plus many Black-headed and a few Herring Gulls.  No shortage of Oystercatchers plus both a Heron and Little Egret but also a Whimbrel accompanied by three Bar-tailed Godwits.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta with Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

Moving on and more gulls and Oystercatchers but also a pair of Pied Wagtails.  A sight of our anchored cruise ship as I found a small path leading up and through the woods until I finally found myself near the flower shop at Trenoweth.  What to do next?  Wait for the bus which was due any minute, always assuming I was on the right road!

Oystercatchers Haematopus ostralegus

Instead, a couple of fellow cruise passengers stopped in their hired golf cart and offered me a lift via a coffee stop at the Carn Vean Cafe having just passed flooded edge pf the road where a small group of Mallards and a couple of Moorhen were feeding on something near the road.  Whilst at the cafe plenty of feeding House Sparrows but also at least one Tree Sparrow.

Shags Leucocarbo aristotelis with Great Black-backed L.marinus

Back in Hugh Town I said my goodbyes and made my way up the Star Castle for a short clifftop walk where I found many feeding Starlings along with a Blackbird.  Then, making my way back down to the port to catch the return tender to the ship, first a passing Woodpigeon as I approached the Gate and, on the other side, a Collared Dove resting on the wires above, so raising my final tally of the day to 25.

Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

Birds seen:

Mallard, Cormorant, Shag, Little Egret, Heron, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Oystercatcher, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Rock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Barn Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Wheatear, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Starling, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow.

Herring Gull Larus argentatus

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus

Belladonna Lily all over the island

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