Trending Redpolls

Seen as this winter there seems to be a lot of new/old ID features of Redpoll being put into various different articles on how to tell the various lessers/mealies/arctics apart, I thought I would also jump on this band wagon...


But seen as I'm not a Redpoll expert in anyway at all thought I would just put links to all the articles on here just in case you haven't seen them all before.


Why would I do this? Well I suppose coming from inland birding its kinda hard to get excited at the thought of trying to find a Northern Harrier when a Hen Harrier that stuck would cause a twitch in Worcs! But Redpolls are a group of birds where the prospect, for an inland birder, of finding something a bit different and maybe even a BB are greatly increased! Also apparently York Uni gets a flock over the winter and they have held Mealies in recent years and apparently an Arctic not too many years ago, so there's always potential, although I've only had a single fly over so far!


Very in depth guide covering most species/subspecies to be found in the UK good comparisons between types and ages. http://www.worcesterbirding.co.uk/redpolls_58.html


Martin Garners Article, not as much detail but good encouragement for getting out there and finding your own birds! http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2405


Just to show that not all Redpolls are Identifiiable and some have to be left as a best guess http://birdingfrontiers.com/2010/11/30/intermediate-arctic-redpoll/


http://sibleyguides.blogspot.com/2008/01/urging-caution-when-identifying-common.html


Good article focusing on Lessers and Mealies http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/File-Store/The-Separation-Of-Lesser-&-Mealy-Redpolls.pdf


Good tips on splitting the Arctics. Anyone know if the BOU/BOURC/BBRC are considering a split of exilipes and hornemanni?   http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/File-Store/Arctic-Redpoll-ID-revisited.pdf


Also wise words to remember from one of the Crows Jonathan Lethbridge ''that not everything can be identified'' but give it a try!


If you haven't seen the crowcouncil blog yet check it out here http://thecrowcouncil.co.uk/blog/

Comments on BBRC WIP

So thought I'd share some comments on the latest BBRC work in progress file, avalible here- http://www.bbrc.org.uk/The%20Records-for%20WIP%20on%20web.xls


So all previously accepted Redhead records are under review, does this mean that a new piece of information has come about regarding the acceptability of wild Redheads in the UK? Doubt identification is under assesment, all but one of the records involve males, maybe someone has studied hybrids and found that these birds are no longer acceptable?


Only one of the many possible/probable/definite Yelkouan's from Cornwall/Devon this year submitted so far, suppose a submission for a species like this may take a while to compose and consult all literature possible. See the Berry Head bird has made it to the BOURC.


Little Shearwaters, anyone know what held means?


Fregetta sp from Severn Beach at BOURC, likely hood of being accepted? Shame it wasn't nailed to species.


Masked Booby from Norfolk, could be one to keep an eye on, I heard it was seen by an experienced birder.


Egyptian Vulture, Norfolk??? 


At least the Lesser Kestrel sightings stop on the 31st March (I was there on 1st April when it was reported and was lead on a merry dance around the heath!)


Sakers on Shetland another potential first for Britain, at BOURC.


SBC I won't even go there....


Elegant Tern, earlier Devon records from '02 rejected but later records from Devon and Wales at BOURC. Any coincidence that the later two, at BOURC records, have names next to them and the other two don't?


Alder Flycatcher from Cornwall gone back to BOURC, interesting, anything more come out of this after it was returned to BBRC or has it just been bounced around a bit?


Lesser Grey Shrike from earlier in the year moved from Norfolk to IOS, interesting movement never noticed that at the time. Infact comparing photos http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?t=656558&v=0&q=0 
and
http://www.birdguides.com/iris/pictures.asp?t=650124&v=0&q=0
Looks spot on! Cool movement.


Iberian Chiffchaff, interesting to note that from the 5 submitted from 2010 the first to be accepted, the Titchwell bird, has a name next to it. Trend emerging?


Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler, Outer Skerries 8th October 2010. Go on Mike!!!


Blue Rock Thrush from Lundy this year, was only reported as a probable/possible, anyone got any more gen? Anyone twitch it?


Desert Finch from Kent '01 at BOURC!!!! Maybe I'm missing something but why was this wrote off as an escape (on Birdguides) Trumpeter Finch can make it then Desert could? And Citril has as well! Or are Desert Finch known for not moving at all, any WP records away from breeding ranges?


Oriental Greenfinch from Surrey, well what to make of that! Have stranger things happened, surely escaped bird will be to hard to rule out.


Sooty Albatross, Mull this October! Well these mega seabirds just keep coming don't they!


So in total that's a potential 11 firsts for Britain being considered, not including sub species, so what will be the 600th species for Britain to be added to the list?


Well on reflection that might actually be a rather boring blog post so well done if your still reading. Any answers to the millions of questions above, greatly appreciated on the back of a postcard (or as a comment/email)


Also you know you wanna click follow>>>>>

So got back into Birmingham yesterday and then at 10 o'clock last night me and Dad decided to go down to Devon with the potential for lifers in the shape of American Robin, Glossy Ibis, Water Pipit and Cirl Bunting also several potential year ticks on offer.

Probably down to planning this late at night we only managed to connect with the American Robin, but what a bird it was! Managed to get pretty close views of it and even managed to pick out its eye ring up in the middle of a hawthorn. Also bit of drama whilst trying to gain views of it when a farmer drove past leading a heard of 20 cows, once they reached the group of birders they all stopped so we headed up the bank out of the way, save for one poor old bloke that nearly got ran over by them despite moving as fast as he could!

Speedy Gonzales in action!

Dad trying not to laugh!

All in all, nice place to visit even if we did drive past the flooded fields that a Cattle Egret was found in today! I blame Dad, it was on his side of the car! Now up to 209 for the year and 263 for life.

Amusment

Bit of a laugh if you haven't seen it already.

PBG

Managed to get a lift from James Spencer of http://idiocybirding.blogspot.com/ to the Pied-billed Grebe on Saturday, to say it showed really well is an understatement!

Taken without zoom on compact digital camera, its just dived in the middle of the pic!

Suppose you can just about tell what it is!

Then today managed to get a lift from Oli Metcalf and went to Flambrough fairly early highlights being

1 brief flyover Waxwing over the Old Fall hedge.
3 Pink footed geese in field near Old Fall.
1 Barn Owl.
1 Woodcock on the road on way there early this morning.
2 Roe Deer that walked along just ahead of us for quite a while.
1 Male Blackcap in Dane's Dyke and several Chiffchaff.

Unfourtunatly no sign of the Pallas's Warbler in Dane's Dyke.

So seen as I haven't posted in over a month now thought I'd share some this with you all.


 http://fair-isle.blogspot.com/2010/11/waxwings-oct-25th-2010-day-well-always.html


Yes yet again Tommy makes every other birder in Britain Jealous, first finding Citril Finch now this....


In other news I moved to York to go to Uni, loving it and managed 3 lifers since I've been here trip with Local RSPB group to Spurn = Pallas's Warbler, Bike ride to Wheldrake = American Wigeon (and met up with the Biking Birder aka Gary Prescott http://bikingbirder2010.blogspot.com/ ) and a field trip to near Langsett Reservoir = Red Grouse! 


Also got this book, right up my street definatley recommend it 
http://10000birds.com/review-bird-migration-by-ian-newton.htm


Sweet

Buntings and Finches

Quick post to say about decent numbers of Yellowhammer and Reed Buntings near to Bittel. Around the side of Cofton Hacket Farm I counted 50+ Yellowhammer and good numbers of Chaffinch, Reed Bunting and Greenfinch. Also heard what sounded good for Tree Sparrow, 5 Brambling were also reported from here a couple of days ago so this area could be well worth checking out.

Finding Rosefinch

So my 3rd day on Fair Isle came about 24th August. It started like most other days waking up at 6:50am to go on the early morning trap round, wishing Jack a happy birthday we headed out to see if anything would turn up in the heligolands. Walking along the top of the Gully I noticed Jack started running and flew up the little ladder and into the back of the trap, a task that I struggled to do at a snail pace! Definitely an AW trick! Jack then pulled out a lovely Wood Warbler out of the catching box, nice little birthday treat. We took it back to the Obs for Becki to ring. Then we had breakfast, after this I went and got ready for north census and while waiting for Jack to come down I wondered into the Library and looked out the window where there was a flock of Twite and I thought, O I'll check them out for Rosefinch. First bird Twite, 2nd Bird Twite, 3rd Bird hang on that's not a Twite and there it was one Juv Rosefinch!!! Big black eye huge beak and streaky back, quick look round and theres no one around another look at the bird and it definitely is a Rosefinch so a quick jog round to the Interpretive room where Rob was but there was no sign of the bird!


Now having never seen one before, even though I was 100% sure that it was a Rosefinch I still wanted someone else to see it just to confirm it. It was playing on my mind all census and it was kind of odd being 100% confident that it was one but then at the same time worrying that it wasn't one! But my mind was put at rest when Rob saw it later on, phew. It then continued to show amazingly well from the Obs lounge window for the next several nights. And yer it was only finding a Rosefinch on Fair Isle but I loved it and couldn't wait to find my next good bird, of course this wouldn't be hard on Fair Isle another mental thing that I never quite got my head round how easily it could have been to find a BB!

Digibinning at its best!

Simon later caught it in the Plantation

Where it showed from in the following evenings feeding with Twite