Conference clt::wild_birds

I went to Dungeness RSPB reserve yesterday. Dungeness is a pretty unique sort
of place. It sticks out into the English Channel to the west of Dover at the
narrow bit of the Channel. It is made up of Shingle. This is deposited by
Longshore Drift deposits from chalk cliffs farther to the west.

Dungeness has 2 Nuclear Power Stations and is the terminal for the Romney
Hythe & Dymchurch 15" Gauge Railway. The RSPB reserve encompasses a lot of
old mineral workings. The Shingle beds are 17m thick in places. Is is a
place full of wildlife (when you can see it). 

Yesterday the place was covered in thick Sea Fog. At time visibilty was less
than 50m. You could hear lots of Geese, Ducks, Gulls but they were totally
invisible !

What I did see was a Firecrest in a bush near Hide No 5, A Little Owl sitting
on top of a collapsed barn and a flock of Corn Buntings in an old corn field.

I gave up the reserve at about 1.00pm at it did not seem like it was going to
clear and went for a ride on the RH&D LR instead. There were lots of frustrated
birders there including a group from the Reading RSPB Local Group.

Stephen Davies

    There is a Chiffchaff singing outside DECpark, Reading this morning. I
    wouldn't like to guess whether it is a returning migrant or an
    overwintering bird.
    
    Mike
    

    Re last. Judging by the numbers I have heard in various places since
    2nd March, I would guess the former, Mike.
    
    Chris

Around this neck of the woods we have had singing Chiffchaffs for about 2 
weeks, Blackcaps for about a week, Stonechats for about 1-2 weeks and Black 
Kites for 2 weeks with large numbers now passing through. Red Kites which did 
not winter in Switzerland are also re-occupying their breeding grounds. I guess 
that the Crag Martins are also back by now and I'll see what can be found this 
next weekend, probably the chance of an odd Barn Swallow as they and House 
Martins are being reported in southern France.

Mike

I was on the Southern side of the Isle of Purbeck yesterday and the numbers of 
Passerines making landfall suggests that migration is in full swing. The Rooks
in the wood near wher I live are building 'HIGH'. This suggests that it is going
to be a good year. I spoke with an RSPB warden yesterday an he said that the
numbers of Dartford Warblers who have survived the winter in Hampshire 
was at an all time high. He also said that the Sand Martins were also back
from Africa is three places locally. Another couple of birders I spoke to 
yesterday had already seen some Artic Terns off the south coast of the Isle 
of Wight. The Chiff-Chafs near me have been calling to two weeks now and nest
building is underway. The Starlings that live in the roof of my house have
three eggs already.

On a slightly different topic, The group of Geologists I was with yesterday
found a fossil never previoulsly recorded at Swannage before. The curator
from the local museum removed it for further investigation. The fossil was of
a fern frond.

The Isle of Purbeck is on thr South Coast of England to the west of Bournemouth
/Poole, on the other side of Poole Harbour. It is very beautiful area with
limestone cliffs as well as lots of interesting bird habitat. Brownsea Island,
in Poole Harbour is an RSPB reserve. The area is also home to the largest 
oil field in Western Europe. 

Stephen Davies

    Just a nitpick, Steve, but Brownsea Island belongs to the National
    Trust not the RSPB.
    
    Robbo
    
    P.S: When's the slideshow then?

    
    I live in north Nashua and this morning, while putting out my garbage,
    I noticed a good size hawk having breakfast.  He/she was about 50 ft.
    from me in my neighbors yard eating something.
    
    The hawk was dark brown from top of head to beginning of the tail,
    feathers and an offwhite color on its breast.  The tail had horizontal 
    stripes and was flat across the bottom, not points. It was larger than 
    a crow.  It appeared to have white speckled spots across its wings
    (back)
    
    This is the closest I have ever been to a hawk.. it was neat!
    
     
    
    

    Well, last Friday we had 6 blue herons back in
    their rookery next to Kimball's Ice Cream Farm
    within a mile from LKG on route 110.  They stood
    in pairs of two on each of the 3 existing nest.
    
    As of today the three nests from last year have
    three more nests in the process of being built
    (two in one tree).  I imagine the siblings are
    coming back to this site.  
    
    We had a very bad snow storm in late November
    (early December?) where we lost our electricity
    for four days.  Lots of the tall dead trees 
    were uprooted by the weight of the snow.  I was
    very happy to see enough of the trees remain
    and that the rookery remains.

    I heard a Willow Warbler singing on 30th March, near my home in
    Winterbourne, Newbury, UK. As far as I can recall it is the first time
    I've ever found one in March - they usually arrive in early April.
    
    Mike
    

Mike,

They are here too, yesterday there were masses while earlier during the Easter 
weekend I did not see/hear a single one. Also a little early I think.

We have a fair numbers of Barn Swallows migrating through although no signs of 
locals in the villages. Crag Martins also about but neither House Martins nor 
Sand Martins seen by me. First Alpine Swifts were reported as well.

Mike

    The Purple and house finches are back at my feeders.
    There are a lot of Doves, Grackles, Starlings, Crows, Sparrows (house,
    tree & chipping) and Robins.
    A few Blue Jays, Cardinals, Redwing Blackbirds and on Easter sunday a
    flock of Cedar Waxwings landed in one of our maples for a short while.
    The only unusual thing for me is the Slate coloured Junco that has been
    hanging around with the sparrows in the snowball bush, I don't know if
    it wintered here or not.
    
    
    joan