The morning weather forecast was for mist, so was another PBC outdoor meeting going to be
affected by the conditions? The outlook on the way to the reservoir was not promising, heavy mis
over the hills as I entered Rutland. However, upon arrival the reservoir was clear! 14 members, a
good turnout, ventured to the location to be greeted with good views several Pintails, Golden Eye
and 3 male Smew with a red headed female diving and being pursued by the males on
resurfacing.

We headed along the shore towards the bridge over the Eye Brook. On the way, a snipe was
spotted by Mr. Eagleye, Stewart, as it flew over the reservoir. We could see a group of Lapwing
on the muddy area at the bridge end of the water which also contained a group of Golden Plover
and several Dunlin feeding. A group of Greylag Geese were feeding in the ploughed field on th
opposite hillside that also contained two Egyptian Geese and on the edge of the field were tw
Stock Doves feeding around a pheasant feeder.

At the bridge is a well stocked feeding station which attracted different tit species, including
Marsh Tits giving good views as they fed.

We headed back to to car parking area for lunch after which several members departed leaving a
small group to head off to the other side of the reservoir. Before departure, Coal Tits were spotte
in ivy growing up a tree with a Rook behind. Upon arrival at the farm gate which allows views over
the dam end of the reservoir, the Sun very kindly appeared and some of the mist was dissipated
and a Raven was spotted flying between the mist clouds. From here we returned to the ca
parking area which marked the end of an enjoyable time birding at Eyebrook Reservoir resulting in
a count of 50 species of birds being identified during our visit.

We look forward to welcoming you to one or more of this season’s indoor events.

All are at St Mark's Church Hall, Lincoln Road, Peterborough, PE1 2SN
 
 7.30 pm Wednesday 26 February The Best of Scotland
STEPHEN LOVELL
A condensed tour of the very best of Scotland with its birds, mammals, locations and folklore  Steve ran his own garden design and wildlife garden creation business for 30 yeas up to 2023. He is a qualified adult education tutor and teaches natural history related topics. He had short spell working for the RSPB as a community project officer. Since 2015 he has been leading his own bird/nature tours in the UK and is the only registered nature guide for his  home County of Lincolnshire.  

7.30 pm Wednesday 26 March Global Seabird Conservation
DR RICHARD PHILLIPS
Seabirds are amongst the most globally-threatened of all birds. This talk will provide an overview of the main threats to seabirds, including fisheries, invasive species and climate change, and how research on their demography can help us understand the drivers of population change and prioritise management effort to improve their conservation.   

Richard is the leader of the Higher Predators and Conservation group within the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Core Science Ecosystems programme, an Honorary Professor at the College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Dept. of Zoology, University of Cambridge. He also works closely with the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP), including as convenor of the ACAP Populations and Conservation Status working group, and is a member of Expert Group on Birds and Marine Mammals of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR).His research concentrates on the population, physiological and evolutionary ecology of seabirds, particularly albatrosses and petrels. His main field sites are Bird Island (South Georgia), Signy Island (South Orkneys) and Rothera (Adelaide Island).
 
7.30 pm Wednesday 30 April The Spanish Pyrenees – Birds, Butterflies and Orchids
BOB GILL  
A look at the flora and fauna of this spectacular region  Bob is a Northampton-born and bred naturalist with a keen interest in all things wildlife. A birdwatcher since his schooldays his interests have since developed to cover moths, butterflies, dragonflies and, more recently, bugs and beetles. For many years he has been Chair of Northamptonshire Bird Club and he has led many Club trips in Britain and overseas. Since the pandemic he has also co-led some tours for Naturetrek to Ardnamurchan in Scotland and to Iceland and Mallorca.

Our group met in the car park at Welney on what turned out to be a much warmer day, though the skies were cloudy. Walking towards the Visitor Centre, we were greeted by lively Tree Sparrows and House Sparrows fluttering around the feeders.

After purchasing our entrance tickets, we were delighted to receive complimentary passes for a future visit, as only one hide was open due to flooding.

From the Visitor Centre, we surveyed Lady Fen, which was alive with bird activity. Among the numerous species, we observed Geese, Lapwings, Ruff, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin, Shelduck, Wigeon, Shovelers, Teal, and a lone Whooper Swan. In the distance, a Marsh Harrier glided gracefully, while Roe Deer grazed   and more Whooper Swans arrived overhead.

We made our way to the main hide, enjoying its welcome warmth since the paths to the other hides were impassable due to flooding. Here, we saw a good number of Pochard, mostly males, along with a scattering of Whooper Swans and distant Pintails. On our way back across the bridge, we spotted six Cattle Egrets on the bank of the drain.

The sun broke through the clouds as we strolled along the grassy path at Lady Fen. A cameraman kindly pointed out a Short-eared Owl camouflaged in the grass. Other highlights included a Kestrel, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Curlew, with Whooper Swans, and  Geese flying overhead. At the far end of the fence, we spotted three Cranes in the distance. On our return, a Hare crossed our path, pausing briefly to be admired.

Back at the Visitor Centre, flocks of Golden Plovers arrived in spectacular fashion, with a lone Grey Plover spotted among them. Chinese Water Deer grazed on the fen, adding to the afternoon’s wildlife sightings.

After indulging in a well-earned late lunch at the café, we returned to the main hide for the swan feeding session. As we waited, we found a single Bewick’s Swan among the Whoopers, along with more Marsh Harriers patrolling the area. The feeding began with Pochard diving energetically for food just below the hide’s windows..

As the day drew to a close, we crossed the bridge again to the evocative calls of Whooper Swans. On Lady Fen, a group of 13 Cranes had just arrived, providing a fitting finale. In the car park, a Water Rail called in the gathering dusk.

The day was memorable not only for the 54 species recorded but for the sheer abundance of birds, the stunning variety of wildlife, and the camaraderie of the group.  

Stewart

A surprising number of people brave the icy cold and windy weather at Eldernell on our latest trip. These were rewarded with the site of a peregrine tracking backwards and forwards in front the woods straight out in front of us on the washes. To add to the display good views of a sparrowhawk which flew around the trees behind the houses behind us. Unfortunately we weren’t able to locate any short eared owls and the tawny was not present in the usual tree, however we did manage to find two long eared owls in the bushes to the left. This did take some describing to ensure everyone could see them.

One surprise was the number of fieldfare occupying the odd trees and bushes close to us and the wooded edges, some 250 if not more. In a separate bushy hedge we found three redwing sat in the top of the bush clearly visible in the late sunshine. A bit later, two lots of whooper swans flew across the washes in front of us, five in first group followed shortly afterwards by four.

Other birds seen were a few marsh harriers, grey heron, carrion crow, cormorant, little egret, snipe, mute swan, a flock of linnets, tufted duck, coot, kestrel, red kite and great white egret. Due to the dropping temperature we cut short the outing. There were rumoured to be a short eared owl and some cattle egret, but we could not locate them. Thanks to all those who braved the weather conditions and we hope the birds more than made up for it. 

Look forward to seeing you on the next outdoor meeting at Welney on 30th November at 10:00 or the next indoor meeting on 27th November given by Dr Chris Hewson about the results and where next with the Cuckcoo Tracking Project. 

Peterborough Bird Club Outing Report – 27th September 2024
Location: Frampton Marsh
Weather: Wet and windy 
On the morning of the 27th of September, the Peterborough Bird Club gathered at Frampton Marsh for what turned out to be a memorable day of birdwatching. Despite the wet and windy conditions, the group's spirits were high as we began our outing in the car park with four Spoonbills flying relatively low over head before moving to the Visitor Centre. 
At the Visitor Centre, we were treated to views of several species of wildfowl. Notable sightings included a Bar-tailed Godwit and an escaped Bar-headed Goose, providing an interesting start to our day. The gusts of wind didn't deter us, and the group soon made its way to the 360 Hide. 
From the hide, we observed a large number of Wigeon, which are starting to gather in impressive numbers as the autumn migration progresses. Among them, a few striking Pintail added to the variety. A particularly exciting moment came when a group of eight Whooper Swans flew over the sea bank. It is likely they were en route to the Ouse Washes, marking the start of their winter migration. 
Our next stop was the Reedbed Hide, which provided both shelter and excellent views. Here, after a careful search, we were rewarded with good views of a Snipe nestled in the reeds. Just when we thought the morning couldn’t get any better, an Osprey made a surprise appearance, flying through the area, much to everyone’s delight! After such an eventful and rewarding morning of birdwatching, we gathered for a well-earned coffee break to reflect on the morning’s highlights. It was a great outing, despite the challenging weather, with some excellent sightings to mark the day. We look forward to our next adventure!

Following the success of the PBC out-of-area trips to East Yorkshire (May 24) and Rye/Dungeness (Sep 24), a further trip is being planned to Mid/North Wales in May 25. The idea is to car share with contributions to fuel and stay overnight in ‘Premier Inn’ type accommodation.

The aim is to see lots of birds – especially birds that we don’t tend to see locally – but also to enjoy the Welsh countryside and relax with friends over a cup of tea or glass of wine. Target birds include Arctic Tern, Black Grouse, Black Guillemot, Chough, Dipper, Manx Shearwater, Peregrine Falcon, Pied Flycatcher, Puffin, Raven, Redstart, Red-breasted Merganser, Red Grouse, Ring Ouzel, Rock Pipit, Roseate Tern, Shag, Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatear, Whinchat and Wood Warbler.

Inevitably there’s lots of driving, but once we get to Wales, the journeys will be broken up by the various birding stops. And some walking will be required. At RSPB Carngafallt it’s possible to see some fantastic birds without leaving the car park, but the other sites will require some exertion. The distances walked at each location will vary between 3 and 5 miles at worse case, across modest to rough terrain – people may choose to do less walking, but still see some great birds.

The aim is to visit

For more details or if you wish to join the trip, please email me on rfw1967@hotmail.co.uk or call on 07375 470335 letting me know your accommodation plans and your preferences re driving and car sharing.

If you have any questions please email or call.

The second PBC out-of-area trip, this time to Rye Harbour (East Sussex) and Dungeness (Kent) was accompanied by glorious weather – 20 degrees C, no rain and a gentle breeze.

We started at Rye Harbour where we were given a guided tour by James, a local volunteer warden. James was a larger-than-life character and a very enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. The highlights included a Kingfisher flying over the sea, an Osprey fishing out at sea, some Wheatear and some Yellow Wagtails, and a little group of a Dunlin, a Knot and a Redshank (really useful for honing ID skills). James also introduced us to Least Lettuce which is very rare apparently. See pic.

Our next destination was the ARC Pit at Dungeness RSPB. But at James’s suggestion we stopped off en route at Scotney Sandpit (this isn’t a reserve and it’s not marked on the map; it’s literally just a sandpit at the side of the road between Camber and Lydd). As we got out of the car, we disturbed a large flock of Golden Plover – some in summer plumage, some in winter plumage and some in transition. After a short flying display, they forgave our intrusion and settled back on the ground in search for food. At the pit itself, we stood at the top and looked down. This gave us excellent views of whatever was inside. And on Saturday afternoon, this included a Red-necked Phalarope, 3 x Green Sandpiper, 2 x Common Sandpiper, 3 x Avocet, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Hobby. 

We then headed to the ARC Pit where we had clear views of a Pectoral Sandpiper and a less good view of a Glossy Ibis which was just leaving as we arrived. The light was fantastic and it afforded us the opportunity to study a drake Gadwall in detail. Gadwall are lovely birds which mustn’t be overlooked.

At 5pm we called it a day and headed off to the local Premier Inn (Ashford) which was uncannily similar to the Premier Inn that we stayed at in Bridlington with the only exception that the menu didn’t include fish pie. 

On Sunday we headed back to Dungeness where we spent the morning exploring the area around the Old Lighthouse, the Bird Observatory and the Nuclear Power Station. On Dungeness Beach, Owen, Reserve Manager, gave us a fascinating talk on the area, its history and its wildlife. We watched a number of Arctic Skua pass by heading west, a few Common Scoter headed east and some very noisy Sandwich Tern fishing just offshore. Owen spotted a Balearic Shearwater, but it was too far out at sea for him to guide any of us on to it. However, we all saw lots of Porpoises enjoying themselves in the sun.

Black Redstart, Peregrine and Raven nest around the power station and we saw all three. The Peregrines and the Ravens were very vocal which gave us the opportunity to learn their calls. Not far from the power station is the observatory where we saw lots of Wheatear and Stonechat and one Whinchat.

We then moved a couple of miles to Dungeness RSPB where an American Golden Plover had been seen the day before. We found a plover and along with a hide full of birders, tried very hard to convince ourselves that we were looking at a US vagrant, but the collective conclusion was that our bird was a Eurasian Golden Plover. However, we did find a couple of juvenile Black Terns.

It's interesting to reflect on what birds weren’t seen. We didn’t see a single thrush, not even a Blackbird, and apart from ubiquitous Linnets, no finches either. That is, until we were loading the car before heading home, when a single Chaffinch appeared, to thank us for our visit.  

Summer finally arrived for the 19 members and guests who attended the Club's trip to Lakenheath Fen and Weeting Heath.

We started out at Lakenheath Fen and were rewarded with 39 species, the highlights being a single Crane (amazingly spotted at some distance in tall vegetation), Bittern in flight, a good number of Marsh Harriers, slightly less good numbers of Hobbys, and a pleasing number of Swifts. The "aaah" moment was the sight of a Great Crested Grebe carrying it's young (or "humbug" as someone called it) on it's back.

The full list of birds seen at Lakenheath Fen can be found here.

A picnic lunch was had at Lakenheath Fen before we all drove to NWT Weeting Heath for the Stone Curlews. Good sightings of the adults and their young were had from the West Hide. A visit to the East Hide revealed little else of note apart from a distant Buzzard.

A coach party of RSPB members from Lincoln were also at Weeting Heath, and earlier in the day they'd seen a male and female Nightjar in the woodland adjacent to the Heath. Stewart Short and Ian Gordon went to investigate and found the male on a low branch in bracken.

Thanks to Ian Wilson for leading this trip.

A few of us braved the weather in Norfolk, but on arrival at Kelling Heath we were rewarded
with the “purring” of a Turtle Dove. We walked onto the Heath and after a while we found a
Dartford Warbler. We had excellent views of the male feeding its young. We then heard the calls of
Woodlark with at least two landing on the fence next to us.

We moved onto Cley for lunch at the visitor’s centre. With the rain continuing we decided to go
to the hides first, listening to Sedge and Reed Warblers on the way. As the weather eased we walked
along the East Bank and , with a Spoonbill in the distance, we could hear the “pinging” of Bearded
Tits. A male duly perched on the reeds for all to see.

With the rain getting heavier and the forecast for more, we decided to abandon the trip and
retreat to the visitor’s centre for more tea.

The list of birds seen at both sites can be found here.