Commonly Spotted Orchids

We are fortunate in the UK in that the commonest orchids are also amongst the most beautiful. I spent a morning photographing some on the local roadside verges; not something I'd have done for Common Twayblade. 

First up was Bee Orchid, which occurs in a number of places near me but these were on a verge near the local cemetery. There is something deeply satisfying and joyous about seeing an area of slightly bare grassland, wondering if that will be the bee-orchid site, and on walking over finding these jewels of nature seemingly hanging in mid-air. 

Orchid-ophiles get very excited about variations in flower colour. In Jon Dunn's excellent Orchid Summer he describes driving all over the place looking at these variations and ending up at Radipole to see an all brown one. We were in Weymouth a lot that summer I thought to myself 'why didn't I go and see it?" and then I realised that I had seen it, there being some noise about it at that time, and thought 'oh ... interesting.'

Anyway here's one with a slightly different flower marking.

Then onto the local bypass. The verges of this recently-created road pass through a cutting, and the sides are festooned with orchids in late clusters. Parking at a suitable spot I managed to get some photos of Common Spotted including a white one.

Then on the corner a collection of 50+ spikes of what I can only assume are Southern Marsh Orchid. This is a most unlikely spot for them, not being a marsh or in anyway wet, and I assume they were brought in with whatever soil was used to build up this bank. 

That just leaves Pyramidal which are common but not out yet. I will return.

Bird's Nesting in the North Downs.

Ever since I got keen on orchids one species in particular has provoked particular interest; Bird's Nest Orchid. It's not particularly photogenic, but it is a particularly interesting one by virtue of it being saprophytic, hence having no leaves or chlorophyll. 

I've tried a few places, but north of the Thames its a hard species to find. Typical is the ever-excellent Orchid-Hunter, who, even with directions, had a hard time finding just three specimens in Bedford Purlieus woods and was very pleased with them.

South of the Thames it's a different story. At one location in particular, thanks to the work done by the National Treasure that is Steve Gale in finding, counting, and publicising, they are so common they are basically a weed. That place is the Mickleham Downs near Dorking. It's a bit of a trek from here but I go further on a regular basis so why not? Hence Mrs D, myself and Derek the dog set off on a day out.

We pulled into the small car park at Cockshott Wood, and started to scale the steep bridleway from the east end of the car park. After a few yards there was a small clearing on my left; a quick scan and boom, twenty spikes. I scrambled over for the obligatory photos, very pleased. Mrs D was slightly bemused we had come all that way for a desiccated ghost of a plant, but I explained its parasitic lifestyle and she was suitably impressed. 

We didn't go any further. I had seen what we came for, and not having packed crampons, ropes, axes and helmets progressing further up the slope seemed foolhardy. 

After that we had a wander round Denbies Hillside (White Helleborine) and then Dorking for a coffee and panini. Mrs D was impressed, as was Derek, so we will no doubt be back.

I picked up a couple of other first-for year orchids in a traditional place; motorway verges. Common Spotted from a queue in Kent where you have to turn off the M25 to stay on the M25, and Pyramidal from the M25 onto the M11 in Essex. 

Not visible on this but this one was under a cloud of tiny insects. Not sure what their interest was.

Obviously I completely screwed this White Helleborine photo up. It was dark in the wood and I just tried a few things and then did a lot of editing. But I quite like it.

Rarity chasing in Cambridgeshire part 2.

Last post left you on the edge of your seats as your intrepid birders ticked off the first of three potential rarities and headed off in search of the second. We left Ouse Fen and drove down to Fen Drayton for the first-summer male Red-Footed Falcon.

We arrived and on consulting birdguides realised we were at the wrong end so set off on the old gravel lorry path to the southern-most pit. It was for exactly this scenario I bought a 4x4 several years ago and it worked out fine. It wasn't just that the path had many pot holes, its that they were very deep. Fortunately we navigated the path without incident, found a few parked cars and fellow birders soon had us at the viewpoint watching the target bird in the distance. The bird slowly came nearer and flew over our heads. The heavy grey sky meant we couldn't get great visibility on it but the underside was clearly finely barred, quite dark, and had red feet. Slightly longer tailed than a Hobby (there was one around too) and without the scythe wings. Very nice. There were a couple of Cuckoos including a hepatic bird, a few terns and plenty of warblers too. 

Two down. We headed off to Berry Fen following instructions we had been given by a helpful local for a sighting of the Black-Winged Stilt, our final target bird. We were unable to find any sign of it, so decided to call it a day and arrived at the A14 services for a relaxing coffee just as the forecast rain started. We were very happy with two out of three.

I checked Birdguides again just before we left and the Stilt was at Ouse Fen! Seemingly on the huge pit we had casually looked over. What to do? Were we really going to drive back just to pull up at the gate and tick it in the rain? Well why not? It's not as though we were just going to turn up, pile out of the car and ask someone to set my scope up on it. Surely there would be some birding skill involved.

We arrived, pulled up at the gate, piled out of the car and found a helpful RSPB ranger. It was raining, there was a lot of water to look over, so why waste time? "Would it be possible for you to just put my scope on the Stilt?"  And there, in the far distance, was a Black-Winged Stilt picking its way through some distant vegetation. Even at that range it had that distinctive jazz ion the bird, and a nice clean white head. Fantastic. Three out of three - how often does that happen? We set off home, wet but happy.

Great Reed Warbler at RSPB Ouse Fen

We had pencilled in Tuesday for Minsmere, but with cloud and then rain on the schedule and a trio of notable birds the other side of Cambridge we had a change of plan, so just before 9 we pulled into the car park at RSPB Ouse Fen for our first visit with Great Reed Warbler the target.

It wasn't long before we were at the mound listening to what sounded like an old diesel car slowly getting started. Finding it was another matter, but David got us onto it near the top of a reed and we had a good half hour or so of fantastic views. I'd seen one many years ago, but not like this. I even managed some photos down my scope. The views were so good this wasn't just a matter of getting it on a list, it also crossed it off a list. I'm not going to get views like that again unless someone puts a bird in my hand. It's unlikely I'd go for another one unless it was very near or there was something else on the day. What would be the point?

We carried on round the reserve. It's an excellent place and we resolved to come back, not imagining that our second trip would be the same day. Nevertheless we got great views of Cuckoo, Bearded Tit, Marsh Harrier, Great White and Little Egrets, heard several Bitterns booming, and lots of other fenland stuff too. We gave a large pit by the entrance a quick going over but saw only Redshanks and Oystercatchers.

Odonata started to come out and Mike identified many of the blue damselflies as Variable Damselflies. Mike explained the key is the segment just behind the head S2. On a Variable it has a U shape with a couple of blue spots each side but it is variable. You can see that on the photo below;  also shown is an Azure from a later visit on the day with a very different S2 with a narrow black line.

But back to that Great Reed Warbler. Two things strike me.

Firstly, hands up everyone who has seen a male GRW in the UK? That's both most of you I would think. Now hands up who has seen a female GRW in the UK? That's none of you I would guess. There's an obvious reason - most GRWs are picked up on song. But does that mean that at this moment there's a few females going unseen in reed beds? How do we know they aren't breeding somewhere? That a singing male doesn't manage to attract a female and breed? Or can females give a song too when they need to?

Secondly, why is there a GRW at all? Birds in reedbeds all seem to be the same size; the many varieties of acrocephalus warbler, bearded tits, reed buntings, all the same size. I assumed because reeds can only sustain birds or bird nests of a certain size. But then there's a bird the size of a song thrush that lives in reeds. So why aren't there lots of birds the size of song thrushes that live in reeds? Or is that why they don't breed in Britain - because we don't have the right reeds to support a nest?

GRW was only the first item on our list. Would we be as fortunate with the others? You'll have to wait for the next instalment.

Lindisfarne and Musselburgh

Lindisfarne: Circumstance gave me a couple of days based in Edinburgh. Lindisfarne was just an hour and a half away. As a teenager I had a few holidays around and on here, and remember it as one of the first places I got into birdwatching, so I've always wanted to return. Would it live up to my memories?

In short, it did up to a point. After looking on Birdguides I'd guess local birdies don't generally go there unless there is some specific wind and weather combination that makes it a magical migration point. I didn't get those winds so I got what is on the island on a usual April day. I didn't see any other birders either.

Briefly, the island consists of a village in the SW, which I didn't look round but does get rarities, a rough un 'improved' farmland in the south and a massive dune system in the north. 

There wasn't much on the island. Lots of local stuff like Lapwings, Curlews, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, but c30 Golden Plover flying around in summer plumage was a welcome sight, and then distant falcons chasing a bird. It was Merlin-like behaviour but then one broke off and behaved like a Kestrel. Could I tick the other one as a Merlin as it continued to twist and turn? Fortunately that conundrum was solved a few minutes later a a female Merlin headed determinedly across the field. 

Then the sea. Gannets galore, Kittiwakes, Eider Ducks, Auks, lots of Fulmars and a lone Common Scoter. Finally on the SE corner of the island a male Wheatear. I walked the coast road and looked over the flats as the tide came in; Red-Breasted Merganser, a lone Pale-Bellied Brent Goose, a Red-Throated Diver, many Bar-Tailed Godwits, a couple of Knot, and a bird which looked like a Slavonian Grebe, but long distance, only my old scope, light against me etc etc. 

So nothing to get excited about but very enjoyable. 

Musselburgh and Seaton. Musselburgh could become a place I visit a few timers a year so I thought I should get acquainted. Just working out where to park, where the lagoons are etc. So imagine my surprise when walking over a bit of landscaped ash tip I detected a slightly familiar call amongst a flock of Linnets and there on a barbed wire fence were two Twite! All buff-orange throat and pink rump. I found the hides over the old lagoon and proudly announced my exciting find to a couple of locals who were in there. "Yes there's usually twenty or so up on the old Ash heap." Oh well.

Completing the tour I had about 10 White Wagtails, and off the sea wall a pair of Long-Tailed Ducks including a male in transition plumage with the full length tail. Quite a place!

On local advice I headed east to Seaton and set up my scope. What a sight! The Forth was millpond flat and there were birds as far as the eye could see. Eider Duck everywhere, about 50 Red Breasted Mergansers close in, and amongst them all a few more Long-Tailed Duck, a couple of Velvets Scoters, some Razorbills, a Guillemot, a Red-Throated Diver and a Shag. There were many more ducks further out and some small flocks were clearly Velvet Scoter. With my old scope I couldn't manage any id's further out but the array of birdlife in scope view was quite fantastic. 

I will definitely be coming back. 

Great Grey Shrike

Nine years ago when I gave up working I went to see a Great Grey Shrike at Grimes Graves. It was easy to find, showed well, all round very nice. This, I thought, would be my new work-free life. Every winter I would pop up to the Brecks and get an easy-to -see long staying Shrike. Needless to say that was the last time I had a decent view of this species. 

Until Friday when I went with Mike and Dave to see the one north of Weeting. As is always the case now for such sightings, we parked where the cars were parked, followed the path and lined up with everyone else. It was easy to see on a tree, not too distant, with the 60x scope giving eye-piece filling views. As we watched, a Woodlark sang. Very nice.

Buoyed by our early success we headed for the Rustic Bunting near Swaffham. On arrival at this extremely popular twitch it soon became clear we were on a hiding to nothing. The bunting flock was deep in a Sunflower-filled corner of the field. Occasionally birds popped up into a hedge, and once a load of birds, maybe thirty, took to the air and then went back down into deep obscurity. We departed.

I think Birdguides should give a 'twitchability score'. Lesser Scaup at Abberton gets 5 - if you follow the instructions almost impossible to miss. But this bird should get a 1. Don't bother unless you are prepared to spend all day for a couple of minutes view in a hedge.

We went back to Lynford Arboretum. Such a nice easy site. Cappuccinos at the Shepherds Baa, Brambling at the tunnel, then unexpectedly at the bridge Crossbills. Great views as they came to drink. Such a wonderful thing to have these birds back. 

Further on we had Hawfinch in the big tree in the paddock, but could't connect with Firecrest. A bit cold, possibly. Just not a Firecrest sort of day. 

Apart from Firecrest the only Brecks speciality we haven't got recently is Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. And on that front we have excellent news! We no longer have to drive fifty miles and walk half a mile to spend hours not seeing them; thanks to some excellent work by a patch birder we have a site nearer to home where we can spend hours not seeing them. Progress indeed. 

Hello Old Friend

What a year its been for notable birds. It started off with Canvasback at Abberton, then Northern Waterthrush at Maldon, then Surf Scoter at Holkham. There was a decent supporting cast too - Snow Bunting at Mersea Island, and Snow Bunts and Shore Lark at Holkham. Then a bit of local action - Smew and Red Crested Pochard at Amwell, and Bittern at Fishers Green. Finally White-Billed Diver off Southend Pier.

Yes reader, I missed them all. Some just weren't there when I was, and that Surf-Scoter; well, it became clear when, as we drove down the road to the Coastguards at Cley and saw the brick shelter repeatedly dwarfed by crashing towering spray, that we had miscalculated and there was zero chance of seeing it. Zero. As for the Diver, I never even got out of my chair.

So when it was mooted that we take a family outing to St Albans I leapt at it. Yes, sure, lets visit the Cathedral. A wonderful building. And just a couple of hours later I was stood in the Cathedral grounds with a lady with binoculars pointing out the long-staying Black Redstart in a tree. A decent sighting at last!

It was a female so lacks the showy pizazz of the males. But it was all Redstart. Non-stop flicking, constantly busy, occasionally adopting a jaunty pose. 

Every bird species DNA seems to extend to all aspects of its habits and behaviour. This bird, when seen, instantly summed up the essence of all the previous  Black Redstarts I've seen. An instant memory of encounters past. Hello old friend!