Hen Harrier Day 9th August 2015 - RSPB Arne

The 9th of August 2015 was national Hen Harrier Day. All over the UK at various sites, rallies were to be held to high-light the persecution of the endangered Hen Harrier.

 

My role today was to partake in the rally being held at RSPB Arne near Poole in Dorset, surprisingly the nearest one to us Londoners, 'us' being myself, Nathalie and Maggie.

 

I had ordered a t-shirt for the occasion but foolishly ordered it too late, so a last minute download of Chris Packhams 'dark' design by Nathalie, and an impromptu fixing of said design to my rucksack with the help of sticky backed Velcro on the car journey to Arne, meant at least I could walk around with customised kit......

 

 

 

 

So what was the purpose of this rally ? Well if we're not careful the Hen Harrier will soon be extinct. Down south we're not lucky enough to have them breed, but up north they are disappearing fast from the moors they call home. In 2013 no Hen Harriers fledged,  in 2014 just three pairs bred and all three required 24 hour protection, and in this year alone five adult birds have mysteriously disappeared from their breeding sites.

 This is wildlife crime on a huge scale, and there has been a lot of conflict in the press as to who's to blame, with some so-called celebrities and usually respected newspapers even blaming the RSPB.

 

This is the second year of Hen Harrier Day, and although it would be a nice thought that we wont need one next year, sadly we probably will.

 

The date August 9th was picked as it fell on the last weekend before the Red Grouse shooting season begins. Hen Harriers breed on the same moors that Red Grouse are raised to be shot for sport. Some misguided land owners believe the Harrier is responsible for low Grouse numbers. More and more needs to be done to raise the profile of the Hen Harrier. I've never seen one, and if this persecution continues, I never will.

 

At RSPB Arne we were greeted by a good crowd. There were three guest speakers and according to figures, the turn out was roughly 3-4 times greater than last year.

 

A lot of us agreed to have our photos taken with a 'selfie' board......

 

Maggie and me - photo by John Thurnell-Read

Maggie

Nathalie - photo by John Thurnell-Read

 

including 'Birdwatch' magazine's own Dominic Mitchell.....

 



Dominic Mitchell - photo by John Thurnell-Read

 

There was also a brief spell of excitement when the Black Stork that had been seen at Arne the previous day was seen flying. By the time I reached the view point, and the point where the guest speakers were to address the crowd, the stork was a dark flying dot on the horizon, and I'm still not sure now if it was a Cormorant I was inadvertently following or the stork itself.....

 



photo by John Thurnell-Read

photo by Luke Phillips

 

After the speeches, we had a group photo taken and made our way back to the Information Centre for a raffle and refreshments. As Nathalie, Maggie and I had travelled some miles to attend we had already decided the rest of our day was going to be spent exploring RSPB Arne.

 

Before we'd even left the car park Nathalie had found me an interesting horse fly species on the notice board....

 

 

 

a ringed Nuthatch landed just feet away from me..........

 

 

and we found critters galore in the ladies toilet, including this stunning Black Arches moth....

 

 

 

In fact we became a bit of a talking point at the toilet block with Maggie overhearing a lady in the queue querying our fascination at all the wildlife in there......!

 

Eventually we set off......

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The views along the Coombe Heath trail were beautiful.......

and although the bird life was relatively quiet as to be expected at this time of year, we did get distant views of Curlew.....

 

 

and from the same screen area we could see Shelduck families, a few Oystercatchers, and a distant Barn Owl quartering the fields opposite.

 

Walking on we heard a loudly calling juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker....

 

 

and a juvenile Stonechat.....

 

We searched in vain for a Dartford Warbler but after speaking to a couple of Arne regulars we did find an area they frequent, and heard one calling in the distinctive almost Whitethroat alarm call kind of way. Maggie done her utmost best to call back to the bird to try to encourage it to top a scrubby bush and inquire as to what was challenging it, but the bird didn't take the bait, and after listening to Maggie for some time, I'm not really surprised.......

 

We spent quite some time at a pond that was attracting some very nice critters including this female Common Darter.....

 

 

 

A huge Emperor Dragonfly was also at the pond, and although it occasionally hovered just feet away from us it didn't settle and we couldn't get a photograph. Black Darters were also reported in the same area but we didn't see them, but we did see several other Hawker species, including I think a Migrant Hawker but none of my photos were clear enough to id it.

 

At the edge of the pond several Raft Spiders were lurking, though this one was the only one that was showing really well.....

 

and there were at least three Wasp Spiders, my first of the year.

 Two very obliging beauties were positioned on the same scrubby hillock, so for the very very first time ever, I not only got a shot of the top view of one of them......

 

but also the underside of the other one.......

 

We also had a 'lifer' on the Coombe Hill trail, our very first Grayling butterfly, which really made my day.......

 

 

The wind was too high and the clouds too plentiful for many butterflies to be seen, so to have a Grayling land on the path in front of us was a big 'smiley face' tick.

 

There were several of these ichneumon wasp species flying around too, but I know from experience what a nightmare it is trying to get one identified....

 

Back in the car park we found a cricket...

 

and moving on through the woodland area there was this beautiful macro moth, Nettle Tap.....

 

Another high-light of my day were the two Sika deer that Nathalie spotted.....

 

and over the same field we caught a glimpse of a Peregrine as it flushed up and then barrelled through a mini murmuration of Starlings and Goldfinches. The low lying branches of the woodland meant we didn't see if the Peregrine caught anything, but after it's appearance the field and woods were naturally quiet.

 

Further along we passed a mixed conifer plantation where a mixed flock of Goldcrests, Coal, Blue and Great Tits were moving through the higher branches.

 

Patches of ragwort were home to several Cinnabar caterpillars...

 

and back at the Information Centre, the wildlife pond had attracted a number of birds having a late afternoon bathe.....

 

Chaffinch, Blue Tit and Blackcap

Blue Tit

Nuthatch

 

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a sucker for cats. This beautiful one is a resident, and to be fair to all those that blame cats for a decline in garden birds, this one just let them fly all around him/her......

 

 

 

It was a long day but certainly an enjoyable one. Huge thanks to Maggie and Nathalie for their brilliant witty company, and special thanks to Nathalie for taking the time to drive us there and back. We had a great day, and even though the journey home was a bit tedious I will never look at a Kingsmill lorry in the same way again......(just an 'in joke').

 

The cause was good, the speakers were great, the organisational skills were brilliant. A well worthy day out in honour of the Hen Harrier and all other wildlife affected by needless crimes.

If you are interested in learning more, here are a few links.....

 

Hen Harrier Day - south - Facebook page

 

Mark Avery's blog

 

Birders Against Wildlife Crime webpage

 

Wildlife Crime Aware website

 

RSPB guide to the Hen Harrier

A new juvenile bird family and a Hoverfly lesson at Cranford Park

The forecast was going to be hot and muggy so I knew I wouldn't be at Cranford Park for long today. I'm not a hot sun lover.

 

Walking down Roseville Road to the park this morning I could clearly hear the Hobbys calling, but despite hanging around the area their nest tree is in, I didn't see them today.

 

First thing I checked on was the Swallows nest. It's still there and an adult is still sitting on it. I had to be a bit careful today. The homeless guy that sleeps here had fortunately decided to sleep out in the open, but he'd left all of his belongings under the nest, so I had to tread very carefully and very quietly. One quick snap of the bird and I left both of them in peace.

 

 

Even the Kestrels were feeling the heat. Only saw one flying but spotted two more perched in trees on the outskirts of the meadow, and one perched on one of the tree guards.....

 

So we still have all four juveniles at the moment.

 

I checked the area around the oaks for any signs of Little Owls and found nothing, but I did notice that the owl box looks like it's been recently used. There's fresh bird poop on both the box and the branch. We know the Little Owls never nest in this box but in previous years they have used the box for roosting and a place to hide when they've spotted my camera lens on them. So maybe, just maybe, we do have some Little Owls around after all......

 

 

In Cranford Woods it was much cooler, but it was strangely quiet. Not many birds were singing or calling. Then I heard a familiar noise. Familiar because it was only last Friday I had heard the same noise when I was at Maple Lodge NR. A juvenile Sparrowhawk. And not just one, there were three individual birds calling. No wonder the rest of the woods were quiet !

 Today I lost two hours of my life that I wont get back, by trying to follow the calling youngsters and get a photo. They flew to one tree, I followed, they split up and flew to different trees, I followed the noisiest one, they all sat high in the tree tops, I loitered below trying to get the best angle for a view. Three times I saw them flying to a tree and failed to photograph them. Then one landed just above my head. I nearly fell over backwards trying to first get a view through my bins, then trying to get a photo. And this was the best I could manage......

 

A juvenile Sparrowhawks bottom !!!!

 

So it looks like Cranford Park resident birds of prey have done rather well this year. I expect to see the juvenile Hobbys out in about two weeks if they follow last years schedule.

. Shame the Little Owls haven't been so obliging so far.

 

Up by the river I didn't linger long, it was hot, I was carrying way too much as always, and I was surprisingly approached by a group of seven young lads who asked if I was selling cannabis !!!! I had to laugh, and they laughed back, apologised and went off to play football. Polite young druggies ?

Do I look like a drug dealer, with my sweaty hair pulled back, no make up, bins around my neck, a camera in my hand and a heavy black rucksack on my back, AND old enough to be their Mother ?!?!?

In fact, don't answer that.....

 

Anyway the only sightings worthy of noting on the river was a splendid Brown Hawker that wouldn't settle for a photo, an equally splendid Southern Hawker that also wouldn't settle for a photo and some Ruddy Darters that surprisingly not, also wouldn't settle for a photo.

 

From the stone bridge looking towards the M4, the water levels have dropped enough for the underwater weed to lay across it and the birds were taking full advantage of this floating weed to have a bathe......

This arty farty photo is actually a Blue Tit having a wash......

 

 

By the burnt out Information Centre (which has now been cordoned off by big metal panels - which MIGHT mean work will commence soon on rebuilding) a Magpie had found a bare bit of earth and was doing what it is commonly known as 'anting' or 'sunning'. Whatever it was doing it was certainly working, and the Magpie every now and then stood up for a scratch and a preen. 'Anting' is when a bird purposely lays across an ants nest and lets them crawl all over their feathers. By preening off the ants, the bird can self anoint any secretions the ants have, therefore cleaning up its feathers. 'Sunning' is a similar thing, but by sunning any mites in the birds feathers are drawn to the sunlight and the bird can pick them off........

 

Since acquiring my new macro lens, I have become quite fascinated with hoverflies. I still like bees, butterflies etc, but hoverflies are special and there are so many over looked different species.

 I photographed the commonest ones today, just to show how different each species looks under a macro lens. Some are tiny, just the width of my little finger nail, some are quite large, or to quote my Mum when I showed her her first Volucella last week, are 'big buggers'.....

 

This one is my favourite. It's Volucella zonaria. The largest British Hoverfly and also known as a wasp mimic. Completely harmless as are all hoverflies. We also get its close but slightly smaller relative, Volucella inanis, at Cranford Park and it was that species that Mum called the 'big bugger' at Maple Lodge NR last week.....

 

 

The next one below is Syrphus ribesii. The males form small groups in the woods and are part of that 'summer' humming sound we hear.

 

The next one below is possibly the cutest. The Marmalade Fly, Episyrphus balteatus. It's tiny and I tend to see these everywhere at the moment, not just buddleia or thistle patches, but in manicured gardens too.....

 

The next one below is Eristalis pertinax, one of the first hoverfly species to emerge in spring.....

 

The last one below had me stumped, and I had to call on the knowledge of the excellent UK Hoverflies Facebook page. Graham Watkeys and Ian Andrews confirmed this was a female Sphaerophoria. Exact id not possible unless it goes under a microscope but it could be any of these three, rueppellii, scripta or, interrupta  Females are much harder to id than males. The males all have narrower straighter bodies......

 

Thanks Graham and Ian.

 

Not a bad few hours on the patch. Glad to see the Swallows have kept this nest after their last one was mysteriously destroyed, great to hear and sometimes see the newly fledged Sparrowhawks, and odd to see the Little Owl box is showing signs of use yet there have been no sightings. I also briefly bumped into Edwina and her two greyhounds. With hindsight I should have taken their photo, but they were distracted by an attractive Staffie that wanted to say 'hi'.

 

 

 

Weekly visit to Cranford Park

My weekly visit started at the stable blocks today. From the back of them I walked along the back of the woods towards the orchard. The many brambles, nettles and buddleia bushes along that M4 wall are alive with critters at this time of year.....

 

Peacock butterflies

Red Admiral

Speckled Wood

Comma

Forest Bug aka Red-legged Shield Bug

Crab Spider

Helophilus pendulus - species of hoverfly

Marmalade Fly - Episyrphus balteatus

Wasp mimic hoverfly  - Volucella zonaria

Southern Hawker

side view Southern Hawker

Common Darter

Walking through the woods towards the Headland, I could hear a Hobby calling and emerged from the woods just in time to see two flying overhead......

 

 

Continuing my stroll around the back of the Ice House copse, a Red Kite then soared over.....

 

 

In the meadows itself it was all about our resident Kestrels. I saw four today.....

 

One juvenile female gave me some lovely views as she hunted crickets on the grass paths.....

 

From the meadows I walked over to the river and followed it's path down to the stone bridge. I had two fleeting glimpses of a Kingfisher as it flew past, and this young Song Thrush was looking for critters along the paths edge......

 

 

I scanned the river in both directions from the stone bridge but couldn't find the Kingfisher again.

 

Back at the stable blocks where my walk had begun, I quickly checked on the Swallows nest. It's still there. You can just see from my quickly taken photo below, one of the adults sitting on the nest. I waited patiently away from the nest, and when the adult flew off, I quickly checked the nest again to listen for any chicks cheeping, but there was nothing but silence. Either we have eggs, or they have only just hatched. Great news.

 

It was a fairly quick visit for me today, only three hours, but there was plenty for me to observe and photograph.