When the bets are off, the birding's on!

Warwick Racecourse.  Possibly the second most famous landmark in Warwick (I suppose the castle has to take top spot..!)  But also an important landmark on the Warwick 100's map, too.

Warwick Racecourse at dawn

Hurdle racing, in particular the exciting annual Kingmaker Chase, brings excited race-goers and television crews from miles around. However, it is the centre of the track that keeps us visiting, our adrenalin surging, consistently providing us with new birds toward our target each year.  

For there is wildlife on our racecourse.  Lots of it.  We are so lucky to have diverse habitats and sympathetic support, aiming to balance the range of uses provided for the residents of Warwick.  In addition to the centre of the course, St Mary's Lands encompases the local football club, historic gardens, motorcycle track and several other buildings.   A rather grand-sounding 'Master Plan' for St Mary's Lands, ensures that any managment, enhancement and promotion of the landscape maintains the character of St Mary’s Land and its increasing biodiversity.  'The master plan represents a balanced response to the opportunities and threats posed at St. Mary’s Lands. It recognises there may be a need to invest in developments that support the wider economy, such as a hotel and expansion of the caravan park, but where any such need exists, it cannot be at the detriment to the greenspace.'  Music to our ears! 

So, what does the racecourse have that attracts so much wildlife?  

The central area contains a golf course and driving range, meaning lots of green space, trees and shrubs.  Redstarts have been recorded here as well as little owl and even a barn owl on occasion.  Next, there is a large area of meadow land where skylarks and meadow pipits breed each year.  A breeding programme is now in place, with protective fences erected during the breeding season.  The success of this project is being monitored closely and seems to have been a real success.  A further small, fenced wetland area boasts reed bunting, reed and sedge warblers.  Whinchat, stonechat and wheater pass through each year and it is a fantastic area to spot snipe (and even jack snipe) at roosting times.  Recently, a large area has been left for sunflowers, teasels and grasses to go to seed, with a finch flock building each year.  Lastly, a small resevoir always looks as though it has potential, but never seems to produce! We have named it 'the toxic pool' and the best we've seen is a green sandpiper and a couple of little grebe. Oh well, you can't win 'em all! 

 

one of this year's skylarks

this has all got me to wondering how Warwick compares to other racecourses around the country in terms of nature habitats, so had a bit of a Google.  It turns out that there's very few records of horse tracks and wildlife going hand-in-hand.  

I found Ripon City Wetlands, in Yorkshire, but that's cheating as the nature reserve is next to and not part of the racecourse.  

I found Bitts Park, in Carlisle, but that's also cheating as it is no longer a racecourse.  It is now a fantastic nature reserve in its own right.

Pontefract, in Yorkshire, apears to be the only other racecourse I could fine that promotes nature, with a lake and walk around the centre of their track.  Birdguides shows a number of recent sightings including reed and sedge warbler and tufted duck. 

And that seems to be it, so I think we're pretty lucky here in Warwick.  It may feel like a bit of a balancing act at times - nature against other users of the racecourse like model aircraft flyers, dog walkers, oh yes and of course there's the horse racing!  But we are lucky to have such diverse habitats and an acknowledged breeding site for ground-nesting birds.  

Now, I'm off to the 'Toxic Pool' to see if there's any sign of life...

Lizzy

Finding Comfort in Nature

I lost my mum last week.

She died very suddently and will have felt no pain herself, but it has left everyone reeling with shock and disbelief at losing such a wonderful, active, life-loving woman with no warning.

I was with her when she passed away and, even during such a traumatic and chaotic time, I found moments of peace as I looked out on her garden, while the paramedics worked.  It's astounding how my mind could focus on a tiny bee hovering over an allium, or a delicate seed-head dancing on the breeze; everything else moving in slow motion around me.

In the days following Mum's death, my world has been a whirlwind of telephone calls, appointments and paperwork.  I've been through a myriad of emotions, as anyone who has lost a dear loved one will know.  At times I feel such grief that I cannot bear it.  It is at these times where I walk.  I find somewhere that others aren't.  I immerse myself in the natural world, where things are heartwarming and simple instead of heartbreaking and complicated. 

So why is nature so good for the soul?  What is it that causes my breathing to calm and tension to ease?

Science - apparently, bacteria in soils can activate neurons in our brains which, in turn, cause serotonin to be released.  This hormone then creates feelings of calmness and happiness - nature scientifically proven to help with grief and pain.  There has been research claiming even just a representaion of nature can make a positive difference to person's wellbeing.  Indeed, the vases of flowers and natural scenes on the cards I've received from my wonderful friends have certainly made me smile.

Escape - for me, this is a massive part of it.  To be solitary - away from all the professionals, services, well-meaning friends and family.  I can lose myself in the natural world, where the tranquility and permanency settles me...I don't have to show a brave face, I'm safe in the knowledge that nature will quietly get on with being nature, without a thought for the mad woman with mascara streaks down her cheeks.

Connection - walking in the countryside is a feast for the senses.  Seeing grass swaying in the sunlight, clouds gliding across the sky.  Hearing the babbling of water over rocks and chirruping birds in the willow trees.  Smelling the scent of early summer flowers and freshly cut meadow hay.  Feeling the rough bark of an old oak and a warm breeze on my face.  All of this connects me to the present, providing a sense of belonging and feeling of being at one with nature.  It doesn't erase the pain, but it helps me realise there's something greater and bigger than the loss I'm feeling right now.  

There'll be more tears, a few laughs and lots of memories shared over the next few weeks.  But one of the resounding things I'll remember throughout this painful time is something I heard on a children's film many years ago, that has always stayed with me...

'Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance.  As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.'

'But Dad, don't we eat the antelope?'

'Yes, Simba, but let me explain.  When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antelope eat the grass.  And so we are all connected in the great Circle of Life'  

Lizzy

The Biking Birder - a true hero!

I have nominated Gary Prescott for the ‘outstanding commitment’ award at the JustGiving awards.  Many of my friends know Gary personally, some know of him through me and a few will never have heard of him at all.

The following write-up is why I nominated him.  Please read and, if you feel he’s worthy, perhaps you could nominate him yourself, so he has a chance of picking up a richly deserved accolade...

 

If I had to think of four words to describe Gary Prescott, I would suggest ‘enthusiastic positive, selfless, hero’.  But here’s a few more about this remarkable man!

The History

I met Gary, by pure chance, on a train. 

My husband and I were having a chat with our seven year old lad, Jack, about green woodpeckers, when a voice from a nearby seat spoke up,

 “I’m sorry to interrupt, but it’s so wonderful to hear a youngster talking about nature.”  There started a fascinating conversation about birdwatching, travelling and feather collecting.  Within a few stops we had learned all about Gary and his passion for wildlife, charity and, in fact, life itself.  By the time we left the train, Gary and Jack had become firm friends and our contact details exchanged.  I’m certain that our chance encounter with Gary contributed hugely to Jack’s tireless enthusiasm for birdwatching throughout his childhood.   Jack is now 18 and still sees Gary as one of his great mentors and idols, even having only met him a handful of times.

For as long as I’ve known him and longer, Gary has been raising money and awareness to various charities close to his heart.  However, being the unique, creative and somewhat bonkers man that he is, he’s never content to raise money in a traditional way…

 The Biking Birder

A keen birdwatcher and even keener environmentalist, Gary uses his passions as the medium for his JustGiving fundraising.  His adventures as ‘The Biking Birder’ have seen him cycle around the UK, while ‘green’ birdwatching, over full 12 month periods.

Let’s think about this for a moment…Gary (a man who is undeniably in his bus pass years) takes his trusty bike and a backpack, his infamous tie and wellies, a camera, several cuddly mascots and a couple of charity collection boxes.  He sets off on a journey of up to 13,000 miles of pedalling, using no carbon fuels.  He has a target of recording as many species of bird as possible in a year and, more importantly to him, getting as many donations as possible into his JustGiving page for his charities.  He sleeps in hostels, friends’ houses, bird hides, church porches and under the stars, as he’d rather put money to charity than spend it on his own comfort.  And he hasn’t done this just once but four times, in 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2023.  As if that wasn't enough,  Gary holds a record as the only person to have cycled to every RSPB and W&WT nature reserve in a calender year (that's over 230 sites)...and he's done it twice! 

In 2018 Gary opted for an even more challenging Biking Birder adventure; travelling with his trusty metal steed to Peru.  He cycled and packrafted to the most remote areas, spending time with indigenous communities and raising funds and publicising  the Chaskawasi-Manu project, which provides vital protection, support and education for the village and surrounding forests.

Gary’s Other Chosen Charities

Gary has supported many charities over the years.  National charities like the RSPB, WWT, Asthma UK and Birdlife International have all benefited from his travels around the country.  Boasting a significant presence on social media, Gary writes a blog and posts regularly on Facebook and Twitter, updating his followers and the general public on his progress throughout his many adventures, always with a link to his JustGiving page.  His heartfelt, humble and often very touching posts inspire people to donate and his endless positive enthusiasm for all things natural and all things green motivates people to keep giving.

But, the charity he feels most emotionally attached to is ACORNS children’s Hospice Trust.  Having been ‘privileged’ to have taught children of all ages and abilities for 35 years, Gary feels strongly that he wants to give back to young people, so he supports a wonderful charity that provides help for families coping with a life limiting or life threatening illness of a child.  The charity is local to Gary’s home town and is also supported by his other life-long love – the Aston Villa football team.  In fact, Gary has been spotted more than once in the official Acorn costume on the pitch at home matches!

What Now For Gary?

With his parents needing a bit more help these days, Gary is staying local this year.  Yet, even this hasn’t stopped him from using his boundless energy for good.  In March, Gary made his first ever skydive in aid of Acorns hospice.  He runs a worldwide green birding group on Facebook; where like-minded ornithologists share sightings, photographs and experiences.  He continues to support Acorns and is always looking for more ways to give back – who knows what else he’ll get up to this year?

Gary’s commitment is unending and, quite frankly, outstanding.  After so many years of supporting charities, he has absolutely no idea how much he’s raised - he’s stopped counting – but I know it runs into thousands.  Having made such a difference to so many, it would be wonderful for Gary himself to be acknowledged and celebrated. 

2023 GoCardless JustGiving Awards | JustGiving and choose GaryPrescott2022

West Midlands All Dayer May '23

We are very lucky here in Warwick, to bird as a community.  Each new sighting in the Warwick 100 area gets reported on our WhatsApp group, followed by a flurry of responses from other team members; celebrating both the individual finder and the team's success.  This is usually then followed by a barage of jokes and mild insults - all part of knowing each other pretty well by now!  When the opportunity arises to join the entire West Midlands area as a community for a day, we jump at the chance.  

The West Midlands All Dayer, run by West Midlands Bird Club, is a fantastic, twice-yearly event that started as a bit of fun between friends in the 1980s.  Now, a significant number of birding teams - from Shropshire to Warwickshire, Staffordshire to Herefordshire - race to find as many species of bird as possible in 24 hours.  With such a geographical range, there is a huge diversity of sites inlvolved - from megasites like Middleton Lakes, Ladywalk and Belvide to small 'unbirdy' patches like ours.  For us, it is not a 'race'...we know we can never compete with the wetlands, pools and migration paths of some of those birding hotspots.  For us, it's a chance to get involved and feel part of something bigger, along with making the excitement of a day list come to life.  When spotting a sparrow is a 'boom!' moment, it has to be a good day!

Our All Dayer started with my being woken at 4.20am by a blackbird.  Number one ticked!  I thought I might as well get out and about, so made my way on my bike to our local barn owl's haunt just before dawn.  No luck with Barny this time, but I managed to notch up several regulars and had a list of 30 by 6.30am.  A lesser whitethroat made me smile, as it was our 100th bird for the year (hitting our target one day earlier than last year).  While I was taking a sound recording, a cuckoo called in the distance - a great record for Warwick, for the day and the year!  Off to the golf course, adding a few more locals like great crested grebe and buzzard, then to the Saxon Mill fields to see if any migrants had dropped.  Nothing doing, but I did get to see a wonderful young stag by the river.

Stag at the Saxon Mill fields

At this point, the rest of the team started to stir, with Steve, David, Rick and Alec all contributing with bullfinch, goldcrest and sadly, a dead red kite reported (which we obviously didn't count). 

I had some chores to do and a lunch date with my Mum (watching Charlie get his new hat) as the team hit the 50 mark.  Top respect to a couple of the group, who braved the worst of the weather in the middle of the day, to pick up canada goose, treecreeper and raven.  

Treecreeper - Alec Cuthbert

Full of coronation chicken sandwiches, I went out again, choosing Hopyards and the sewage works.  A huge flock of hirundines, including sand martin, and reed warbler on a local pool made it worth the trip, while records of willow warbler, nuthatch and sparrow hawk came in from elsewhere.  Meeting up with Steve, we took a stroll around the racecourse to see if the ellusive whinchat was about.  There was no sign of anything out of the ordinary, although the skylarks were showing well.

hoards of hirundines

skylark at the racecourse

Even some of the ordinary everyday birds were notably absent today - grey wagtail, greylag goose, black-headed gull, kestrel or peregrine never made it to the list. 

Eventually we all decided to call it a day with a total of 64 bird species.   A brilliant result, with lots of conversation (including jokes and mild insults) on the WhatsApp, as well as keeping up with the #westmidsalldayer posts on Twitter.  A HUGE thanks to Phil Andrews for coordinating the event, we are already looking forward to the September one!

Lizzy

Here is the list...

blackbird
blackcap
blue tit
bullfinch SV
buzzard
Canada goose SV
carrion crow
chaffinch
chiffchaff
coal tit
collared dove SV
coot AC
cuckoo
dunnock
ferel pigeon
gadwall AC
goldcrest RT
goldfinch
great crested grebe
great spotted woodpecker SV
great tit
green woodpecker
greenfinch
grey heron
herring gull
house martin
house sparrow
jackdaw
jay
kingfisher
lesser black-backed gull
lesser whitethroat
linnet
little egret AC
little grebe AC
long-tailed tit SV
magpie
mallard
meadow pipit DM
mistle thrush SV
moorhen
mute swan
nuthatch DM
pheasant
pied wagtail
raven AC
Reed bunting
Reed warbler
robin
rook
sand martin
sedge warbler
skylark
song thrush
sparrowhawk SV
starling
stock dove
swallow
swift SV
treecreeper AC
whitethroat
willow warbler DM
wood pigeon
wren

Smelly birding

Countless, cloud-like swarms of martins and swallows swoop, turn and dive and over dark waters.  The local sparrow hawk glides silently overhead, checking out her chances amongst the dancing flock.  corvids squabble and scuffle over the best perches, while pied and grey wagtails march at ground level, in a seemingly never-ending hunt for insects.  What an idyllic spot for a spot of bird watching...

...at our local sewage works!

prime spot!

Here in Warwick, there are very few sites for quality birding and even fewer with contained, still water to attract wildlife.  So, the water treatment plant on the Stratford Road has become one of the team's regular locations to visit, to attempt to spot potential additions to our list.  It appears we are not the only ones to hold our noses in hope. 

Bird species seen across UK sewage works make for impressive reading over the years - dipper, glossy ibis, breeding green sandpipers and Siberian chiffchaff to name a few.  Beckton Sewage treatment works, East London, has clocked up 148 species including curlew, dunlin and Caspian gull, along with records of grass snakes and bank voles.  Northumbrian Water have planted reed beds at Birtley water treatment plant, attracting bittern, gadwall and jack snipe.  A 'Waste to Warblers' tour of the site was even offered back in 2016.  Swindon, Salford and Bicester have all also turned their sites into mini nature reserves to balance human need with protecting biodiversity.  Brilliant!

So, why do these manmade and rather smelly locations draw so many birds?  Well, the percolating filter beds in sewage treatment works have high macroinvertebrate densities, don't you know... (in other words, the water is full of oxygen and nutrients, so has lots of bugs in it that are big enough to see with the naked eye).  Fly larvae hatches, providing aerial food for birds (and bats, according to other studies) and providing plenty of opportunity for a healthy food chain.  As Tom Stephenson, US birder and author, puts it so concisely,  'Water, heat and fertilizer...what more could you ask for?'

Breakfast for hirundines...? 

So, we will continue to visit our little sewage treatment works; holding our noses, enjoying the regulars, hoping for rarities.  You never know what might turn up...

Lizzy

A shameless plug for one of our team members...

Rick is a solid, long-term member of the Warwick 100 team; regularly found walking in the area, especially in his beloved St Nicholas' Park.    His contributions to our list so far this year have included Cetti's warbler, little egret and our first sand martins and willow warblers of Spring.  But, when not finding us new birds, Rick is busy writing - and publishing - his wonderful words.

Park Life: A Year in the Wildlife of an Urban Park

Rick's first book, published in 2020, diarises a year in his local park, where he spends time watching and listening for everything that nature has to give - from birds and insects to trees and flowers.  This is not just a collection of wildlife records, however.  Instead, each chapter is an endearing medley of musings,  nuggets of knowledge and some beautiful poetry and quotes from the past.  The icing on the cake is Rick's own hand-drawn illustrations, nicely dotted amongst the pages.  

Rick's book proves just how much nature there is around, even in an urban park in the Midlands, if we can just choose to slow down and really look at the world.

A River Avon Year

Recently, Rick published his second book.  Set a little further afield, he follows the Shakespeare's Avon Way from its source, in Naseby, to where is converges with the River Severn, in Tewkesbury.  An 88 mile journey, Rick walked it in sections over a twelve month period, enjoying the changing seasons and scenery as he makes his way through the towns and villages that line the river.

Reading the book, it feels as though I'm actually there, strolling with Rick.  His writing is much like the river itself - thoughts and wonderings meandering across the pages just as the Avon winds through the countryside with gentle, unrushed purpose.  Along with Rick's trademark cocktail of wildlife sightings, historical stories and anecdotes, reading the book makes for an enjoyable few hours' escape from a busy world.

So there we go - a published author in our team.  

If you'd like to get hold of one (or both) of his books, here are the links to Amazon.  

https://amzn.eu/d/h0FD3vm

https://amzn.eu/d/6F9rESq

Although, even better would be to shop local, as the books are stocked at Warwick Books, Warwick Visitor Centre, Kenilworth Books, Brandon Marsh and other local outlets along the Avon Valley.

Rick can also be found giving talks at Warwick Words, signing his books around the town and is an active member of the Warwick Natural History Society and the Town Council volunteers.  We do hope the fame and success of Rick's books doesn't go too much to his head...we still need him spotting new birds for the Warwick 100 list!

Sometimes even I find it hard to smile...

I like to think that I'm a pretty positive and upbeat person but, on a recent weekend walk, I couldn't help but feel increasingly upset...

I began my walk at Draycote water; a large reservoir with an impressive historical list of visiting regulars and rarities. It is an important site for numerous breeds of wildfowl and many varieties of gull use the evening roosts. However, as I walked the circumference, I couldn't help noticing the number of boats ready for use and fisherman on the water, with only a seemingly tiny section of the huge expanse of water set aside purely for wildlife. There was such an imbalance between the size of area for human use and that for wildlife to be undisturbed; it didn't make sense to me.

The first few kilometres of walking through fields on the way back to Warwick, I saw nobody. It was wonderfully peaceful, with beautiful countryside all around. Yet, while it was a joy to encounter no people, it was worrying that I encountered next to no wildlife either. A circling red kite and the odd rabbit were a joy to see, but where were the foxes? Where were the deer, the hares and mice? Where were the finch flocks?  

Beautiful but barren

Sadly, the majority of farmers seem to squeeze every penny from every inch of their land; leaving no room for biodiversity.  I walked through field upon field of crops - sown and grown right up to every square's edge - where pesticides, herbicides and fungicides ensure that any non-crop life doesn't stand a chance.  Even moles have no hope of pushing their way through the densely packed and nutrient deserted soil.  The perfectly trimmed hedges around me were silent, empty.  

A single skylark, singing his heart out, swelled my heart...until I remembered that the field he was hovering over would probably be harvested before he got a chance to rear his brood.  Then, the next crop will be sown, no time for the soil to restore, for worms to do their natural ploughing and not a leftover seed to provide for the wildlife.  It brings me to tears.

Perfectly clipped, silent hedges

What a wonderful surprise, then, when I came across a small section of a field left as stubble, and a corner with browning sunflowers, gone to seed.  In these areas there was a sudden wealth of life - finches flitting and feeding, a ground level scurrying of tiny feet and flying predators on the hunt.  But this was maybe half an acre across countless square kilometres of land.  It is that imbalance again.  A token piece of land given back to nature, while the rest is kept to ourselves.  How is it still ok to abuse our power in this way, when our eyes have been opened to the seriousness of the crisis our world is in?

A welcome patch of thoughtful farming

Thankfully, all is not lost.  Schemes like the Government's Countryside Stewardship provides funding to encourage farmers and land managers to work their land more sustainably, keeping the environment and biodiversity in mind.  The managers of Goodrest Farm in Kenilworth is a great example; growing winter bird feed and lining their fields with a gratifyingly wide wildflower border - wonderful to see.  

We need to remember that this land used to belong to the skylarks, the pipits, the foxes and the hares years ago, before we claimed it all for our own.  We need to give some of it back.

I have just finished reading the superb book 'The Running Hare: The Secret Life of Farmland', by John Lewis-Stempel.  An account of his experiment in traditional farming hand in hand with wildlife on a small piece of land, it proves that previously over-farmed land can recover very quickly.  One year is all it took to see the return of nature and to see it flourish.  It can be done.

So, while I can't help but feel sad as I walk around the fields, perhaps soon there will be more widespread ecologically responsible farming, allowing the foxes, hares, hedgehogs and finches to return.

Here's hoping...

beautiful but barren

Perfectly clipped, silent hedges

A welcome patch of thoughtful farming

Dancing in the Sky

During the dark months of the year in the UK, when the excitement of Christmas is done and everything is cold and grey, there is something that can lighten up any dull mood and brighten the end of the day...

A starling murmuration.

Thousands of sternus vulgaris collecting in groups, sometimes over the most unlikely of locations, then joining together as one for a spectacular aerial display of turning, twisting and dancing.  Works of art in the sky, the birds make amazing shapes as they ball and fold, sometimes for a few moments, sometimes for up to an hour.

Suddenly, the starlings descend in black funnels, into a seemingly TARDIS-like space, to roost in reeds or trees.  The sky may have emptied, but the air is still full of chattering as families squabble, swap places and find their spot for the night.

To witness this performance, often silhouetted against a backdrop of a sunset or the moon, is an ethereal and humbling experience.

We've come a long way from the likes of Aristotle and Morton, with their beliefs that birds hibernate in the bottom of lakes or migrate to the moon, but we still don't really know for sure why starlings murmur.

The ancient Romans thought they were messages from the Gods.  An oracle would be sent to stand on the top of Avantine Hill, to watch and interpret how the Gods were feeling that day.  It's incredible to think that vital political decisions in Rome might have been made this way!  The city still sees spectacular murmurations of up to 10 million birds each winter, although I think the residents are more worried about seven tonnes of bird splat than the moods of the Gods these days...

Recent scientific research proposes more down-to-earth theories, such as the birds protecting themselves from predators, keeping warm, socialising and organising hierarchies for the roost.  Whatever the reason is, these magical, mesmerising murmurations will certainly keep me smiling until Spring.  

And maybe booking a trip to Rome next year...

Sillhouette in Tewkesbury - Lizzy

Murmuration in Rome - Soren Solkaer

Poo in Rome - Chris Helgren

Green birding in its purest form...

Since Boxing Day, my 'patch' has shrunk from around 2 miles to about 20 metres...and not through choice!

I've been floored, like many of the population, with a nasty bacterial infection and virus that has kept me housebound for the last two weeks.  The Warwick 100 team have totally stepped up, bagging over half of our annual target in the first week of 2023 - with greylag goose being our 50th bird.  A brilliant team effort, it's been great to watch our WhatsApp feed buzzing with everyone's sightings while they are out and about.

I, on the other hand, have been staring absently through my lounge window from under a blanket (think old lady in nursing home).  

I am lucky to have a good garden.  built on three levels on a steep bank, our top level is given over to a little wild woodland area with ferns, trees, shrubs, a tiny wildlife pond and a huge old sycamore right at the back (it sounds way posher than it is).  This brings in a fair bit of wildlife considering we live in the middle of a housing estate in Warwick.  Hanging seed dispensers, ivy left to roam and and ignored apples entice the winter birds to feed.  My absent staring for the last couple of weeks has produced a list of 20 species so far, without stepping foot outside!  None of these species are rare, or even of note really, compared to some of the garden lists I see on social media.  One of my Twitter friends has recently moved to a new house, with views of a mill pond and the potential for some amazing sightings.  Another, relocated to a remote island in Scotland, will have garden list entries I can only dream of!  But, I'm happy with my little urban collection of wildlife to keep me company while I rest up.

So, what about the rules of garden listing?  I keep mine like Patchwork Challenge.  Any sighting of a wild bird counts - whether it lands in my garden, on my neighbours' land, in the sycamore or simply flying over.

The RSPB's infamous Big Garden Birdwatch has more stringent rules, only wanting birds that land to be counted, I guess so the word 'garden' birdwatch is kept true, along with creating an easy process for families and occasional birdwatchers to follow.   The BTO has also been running garden birdwatches since 1995 and have a similar rule.  They state they are 'interested in birds that are using the resources that your garden provides', which seems fair enough, so high flyovers are not of interest.   They do give an example of a low-flying swift or swallow taking advantage of insects within gardens, however, so these should be counted, providing valuable information for research.  

However we decide to run our own lists, it is amazing what taking the time to watch one tiny area can produce (even if it isn't through choice).  I've learned that maybe, when I do finally end up in that nursing home, I can still keep a little birdwatching list!

Jenny wren

GSW in the sycamore

  

grumpy greenfinch

A wreath I made being put to good use!

End of Year Roundup for 2022

Well, just like that, there goes another year and everything is reset once more.  But, just before we get under way with our 2023 listing, the Warwick 100 would like to reflect on the past year.

An interesting 12 months, with several challenges thrown at us... our most prolific birder still unable to give as much time to the team,  Lizzy out for 6 weeks with an injured knee, Steve out for a few weeks with a new knee and a drought that evaporated every tiny bit of water that Warwick scrapes together.

But, in spite of all this, it has been another awesome year for the Warwick 100 team, showing that patch birding in an unlikely urban spot is fun and fulfilling in equal measure.

So, on to the stats for 2022... 

Our final tally was 113 species, down three on 2021 with a glaring omission in golden plover.  Pintail, jack snipe, white fronted goose and brambling have all been seen before but were not to be this year.  Still a pretty impressive haul, though, we are all pretty proud of ourselves!

Birds of note this year were tufted duck, whimbrel, whinchat, juvenile cuckoo and of course our ring ouzel.  The almost ticked white stork and Saker falcon would have been amazing, but our consciences wouldn't allow it!  Our hundredth bird was a garden warbler, seen on the 7th May.  We hit the 100 in April in the previous two years, but this was still a good result.

                                        

 

Other highlights include Rick's huge flock of sand martins at Kingfisher Pool in mid April.  He remembers dozens of them hawking close by, almost touching his head as they zoomed around.  Cheering, sprightly and beautiful little birds.  David loved seeing a water rail in St Nick's Park, while the teenagers from the local school chattered by in their convoy, totally unaware.  Steve V. always gets a thrill from seeing the first swift of the year over the town, happily reporting that there were a few more about this year, too.  We really enjoyed our social, getting to know each other a little better outside of the WhatsApp group.  More recently, it's great to see the Warwick starling murmuration starting to build.  While they roost on private land, a group of around 2000 can often be seen dancing over the trees near Warwick School - a joy to watch.

So the new year takes us back to zero and an exciting first few days, when seeing a nuthatch is a boooom moment.  Let's see what 2023 brings - hopefully more socials, less knee problems and lots and lots of birds!

If anyone would like to join the Warwick 100 team, do get in touch with Lizzy who can add you to the WhatsApp.

  

Ring Ouzel Fabulousness

Sometimes the stars just align...

I was in a coffee shop a few days ago, when I spotted a friend I hadn't seen for over a year.  Popping over to her table, we had a lovely natter.  Then she commented that it was very odd - she had only thought of me this morning when a strange bird had turned up in her garden.  I asked her about the bird...

"It was the size of a blackbird, just like a blackbird really, but had a big white patch on its chest.  I had a look in the bird books and I think it's a ringed ouzlett." She said.

Of course, up my heart-rate went, but I tried to keep calm and consider that it could just be one of our local leucistic blackbirds. "I have a dodgy picture that I can send to you, I took it on my phone."  She continued.  Heart rate a little higher.  The picture arrived an hour later.  Heart rate through the roof!

taken by my friend with her phone

She gave me her address and I hastily checked the boundary of the 100 area to see if it was tickable for the Warwick 100 list.  Ack!  about 100 yards outside.  Frustrating not to be able to get it on our list, but still a great record for Warwickshire (only the fifth ever winter rouzel, apparently).

I couldn't get away from work/life for a couple of days but, yesterday, I received a message to say he was in the garden again.  Having broken up from school for a mere ten minutes, I hotfooted it to the address and hid, shivering, in my kind friend's garden for an hour.   I'd only ever seen one ring ouzel before; on a birding trip to Dungeness some years ago, with Jack.  That one was flighty and a long distance away.  But here this one was, right above me in a rowan tree, an absolute beauty of a bird. He'd eat for a couple of minutes, fly off and return almost exactly eight minutes later.  

Hmmmm, I thought.  I wonder which direction he's flying in... 

A bit of following the flight path and peering down the road and my mood lifted even more - he was flying straight into the Warwick 100 area as part of his circuit!  Bird number 112 for the year and an amazing, if chilly hour spent.

Thanks so much to my non-birding friend for taking an interest and telling me about the 'strange' bird.  She doesn't want her address given out, so apologies to people who I know would want to have seen him.  But it just shows that some brilliant birds can turn up in the most unlikely of places!

  

taken by Lizzy

West Midlands All Dayer

Having been birding for some years now, I've learned that it can be a bit of an isolated hobby at times.  

For many birders (myself included) this is usually no bad thing, as we are a strange bunch - perhaps not as social as some, generally happy in our own company and pretty understanding of the fact that our passion is really rather boring to most.  But everyone needs some sort of social interaction and to feel part of a group/pack/clan at times.  The Warwick 100 team provides this for me on a local level.  While I still mostly bird alone, I know the team is there, only a WhatsApp message away.  Other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter allow me to keep in touch with birding friends across Warwickshire, the West Midlands and the whole of the UK - giving me a wider sense of belonging.  

The West Midlands All Dayer is a twice-yearly event, organised by the brilliant Phil Andrews, where some 27 birding sites across the region come together to record all birds seen in one day.  It is a competition, with the big guns like Branston GPs, Belvide and Ladywalk recording numbers that we in Warwick can only dream of.   But taking part is lots of fun and it's great to have a day where even a blackbird or robin can be exciting!

I set my alarm for 5am on Saturday, hoping to get barn and little owl before sunrise.  Nothing doing, sadly, but there were lots of the usuals, with the beautiful skies over the golf course making the early start worthwhile.

Once the sun had risen and I'd collected as many new entries as I could around the golf course, I went to photograph the starlings on the wires before moving to the Saxon Mill fields.  Suddenly, a noise I hadn't heard since my last trip to Bardsey Island came out of nowhere.  I knew immediately what I thought it was so, starlings forgotten, I started to look up and around.  There it was, in the distance, but definitely heading toward me.  I grabbed the camera to get the record shot, then straight to the binoculars to enjoy my first ever whimbrel on the patch.  My day was made before 7am!

Onwards to the Saxon Mill and a stroll up to the sheep fields to see if I could bag wheatear or yellow wagtail.  More of the usuals added to the list, I arrived at the fields to find several marquees and a crowd of villagers setting up a horticultural show.  Ah well, never mind!  A very late swift was a surprise overhead as I walked back to the river.

At this stage, others in the Warwick 100 were starting to contribute from their respective patches - bullfinch, peregrine, collared dove, jay, blackcap and greenfinch all added to the list from various members of the team.  

I stopped for lunch (and to watch a very entertaining Everton v Liverpool match) while sparrowhawk and grey wagtail joined our growing list.  

Back out late afternoon, with just a couple more birds added along the river, including gadwall and Cetti's, there were still some major omissions; no sign of Canada or Greylag goose (and no chance whatsoever of a Tundra Bean!) Ravens are usually a daily sight over my house, but not today, and others like treecreeper and mistle thrush were staying firmly hidden.  As I started to flag and think about going home, a message came out over the WhatsApp from Chris...whinchat on the racecourse...

This I had to see for myself - I hadn't seen one for years.  I hotfooted over to the racecourse to see this little beauty and have a natter with Chris, who pointed it out to me.  Another super bird on the list for the day and I think a great one to finish on. 

It was so nice to have been involved in the event, with the Warwick 100 now having a total (59) we can try to beat at the next All Dayer.  We are also very pleased to be the only site to record whimbrel in the region - Warwick ain't so bad after all!

Well done to all the sites that took part and a huge thank you to Phil for keeping all the records.

See you in Spring!

Lizzy