Birds magazine uncovered

Posing peacocks at The Lodge

2013-05-21T15:47:24Z

Couldn't resist a quick snap with these colourful visitors that have been wandering around The Lodge in recent weeks. They've taken a real liking to hanging around outside the staff canteen and chilling out underneath the picnic tables.

Funny to watch the young males, with their scruffy, stubby tails, lacking the "eyes" of the adult males, posturing away to the distinctly unimpressed females. Reminds me of when I was a teenager...

A weekend with the members

2013-04-25T09:41:00Z

RSPB Members’ Weekend is always a great event in the calendar and once again, I was “on duty” at the 2013 extravaganza at University of York, attempting to make myself as useful as possible.

In case you have never been before, the weekend happens every April and is a packed three days of talks, presentations, stands, excursions and workshops – and more. It’s a great way to meet fellow RSPB members and to meet RSPB staff – like me! And I tell you something else, the food isn’t half bad either.

Early risers

As usual, I led the early morning bird walk around the campus along with my loyal band of co-leaders. I’m always amazed at the enthusiasm shown by people getting up for a 6 o’ clock kick off. We always get around 100 people turning up, so I feel the pressure to dig out something of interest to reward their efforts.

Following three weeks of bitter north-east winds, and having just done an interview for the RSPB podcast about the lack of migrant birds up until mid April, I wasn’t sure we’d even get any migrant birds. I needn’t have worried though as the ornithological gods smiled on me with the wind switching to the south at last on the Friday.

In fact, I’d already had a stroke of luck while on “meet and greet” duty for delegates on the Friday afternoon, while helping people with their bags with my colleague and birding chum Richard Bashford when I spotted a male hen harrier migrating north over the campus. Fab!

Once I’d finished my duties, a walk to the new lakes on campus produced some real goodies with an Arctic tern accompanying a common tern, several jack snipes, green sandpiper, little ringed plovers and more.

The auditorium by Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)

Anyway, the early morning walk did the business again and my stake outs from the day before paid off with most groups enjoying top views of treecreepers, siskins and redwings representing the winter visitors and a few chiffchaffs in on the migrant front.

I accompanied the excursion on the Saturday afternoon to RSPB Old Moor – a reserve I’d never been to before. There was some good birds to be seen here too with several bramblings, tree sparrows, Mediterranean and little gulls delighting my group.

Losing my grip

My other official duties were on the meet and greet front on auditorium duty for the evening presentations, which included a cracker from the lively Mike Dilger from the One Show. Swapping my outdoor gear for my bird walk duties for my eveing wear, including a brand new pair of leather shoes, I head over, practising my best welcoming smile whern suddenly, the world was turned upside down. They’d forgotten to put any grip on my new footwear and I was lying perilously close, on my back, the the hoardes of bird droppings from the various geese and ducks that frequent the campus.

With only 5 minutes to go before I was on duty, I hardly dare check for damage on my neatly pressed, pale blue, linen shirt, but it was the embarrassment of it all that was my first concern. Luckily, it was dark and I could only see three people in the vicinity. Hopefully, they’d keep quiet and save my blushes, was the consoling thought I had. Amazingly, there wasn’t a mark on me, so dusting off my pride, I scurried over to the auditorium.

There were some great talks at Members’ Weekend and it was nice to see bits of Mike Unwin’s turtle dove feature in the current issue of Birds being quoted and to hear from the Albatross Task Force (more on them next issue).

If you’ve never been to Members’ Weekend before, I really recommend you give it a go next year – from the chance of getting a good laugh at me falling on my backside to the chance to see some good birds (I saw 70- species round the campus this year - not abd at all...). Hopefully see you next year.

Win a “des res” home for your garden birds

2013-04-17T10:01:00Z

To be in with a chance of winning one of five RSPB nestboxes (as seen in Birds magazine Summer 2013, page 85) simply send an e-mail to birdsmagazine@rspb.org.uk

Make sure your email has the subject line “nestboxcomp” and that your entry gets to us by 20 May 2013.

Terms and conditions

1 Entries must be received by 20 May 2013, irrespective of the date of sending. Proof of sending will not be deemed to be proof of delivery.

2 Any entry which is incomplete, illegible or late will be deemed invalid in the sole discretion of the RSPB.

3 This competition is open to UK residents only over the age of 18.

4 There is no cash alternative to the competition prize.

5 Prize winners will be drawn at random on 21 May 2013.

6 Winners will be notified within two weeks of the draw by e-mail.

7 Prizes will be delivered within 28 days of the closing date.

8 The winners' names will be published on the Birds magazine blog.

9 The editor’s decision on all matters affecting this draw is final and legally binding. No correspondence regarding the results of the draw will be entered into.

10 Any RSPB employee or anyone directly connected with the organisation or their immediate family will be ineligible to enter.

11 Any winner who has not responded to notification by e-mail within 21 days will forfeit their prize; a replacement winner will be selected from other entrants

The best otters you will ever see

2013-04-03T10:35:00Z

Regular blog readers might be aware of my grumblings about my lack of luck with otters and with just one sighting all winter, at Minsmere, it hasn’t exactly been an otter bonanza for me - as per usual. Things were really looking up though when news of "the best otters you will ever see" began to emerge on internet forums, from birders who had been to enjoy a wintering black-bellied dipper (the continental subspecies of our dipper) on the river in Thetford in Norfolk and got more than they bargained for. You might have seen photos of them on the internet as they will probably be the most photographed otters ever.

Every man - and his dog

Within a week or two the full story emerged - basically otters were showing, literally, to every man and his dog, often in the town centre. Seeing some of the hundreds of photos on the internet really gave a clue as to just how well these animals were showing. I hoped this would really be the chance to "nail" otters once and for all and keep me happy (for a few months at least). Thanks to a helpful map from my colleague Ben, who works in the RSPB Wildlife Enquries team, and top gen from this ace photographer (check out his website - see below his otter pics below), I was confident of success and come a dull Saturday morning, and seeing the rain was holding off, I set off on the hour drive to Thetford with my wife-to-be, confident of success. Even Laura would be blown away by an otter sniffing her feet (yes, they have been doing this I was reliably informed).

One of the Thetford otters by Ben Andrew: www.benandrewphotography.co.uk/

Treasure hunters

Clutching Ben's map like a treasure map, we attempted to find the favoured stretches of the river where the otters could be seen. An hour later and no joy, I had that sinking feeling. Laura suggested we tried heading up towards the town centre and seeing a huddle of photographers, my pace quickened. Unfortunately, it soon became obvious that they weren't watching anything. So, we carried on and returned about 20 minutes later. It was then that I saw the famuilar figure of Ben in the gathering. Cue one of the most depressing conversations I've ever had:

Ben (incredulous): "You haven't just got here have you?!"

Me (embarrassed): "Er, no we've been here since 9 o' clock. Been checking out your other favoured area for sighings.

Ben (massive grin on his face): We’ve been here since 7 and had a couple of hours until about 9 o'clock watching them constantly, just there (points to a spot about three feet away in the river).

Me (queasy feeling in my stomach, fighting with building rage): “Wow...”. That’s...great...

Ben: “We last saw them swimming towards the holt and they’re probably going to be asleep now for a few hours.”

The shame

Laura reports that at that point, I wasn’t doing a very good job of hiding my annoyance. If only we'd left earlier from home and walked this way along the river. Anyway, we accepted Ben's offer of being taken upriver a hundred metres or so to see the holt. While staring at the big pile of logs where I imagined a smug otter, curled up laughing at me, a commotion back at the photographer gathering has us running back at the shout of “Otter!”.

The buzz

After scampering back along the riverbank, I was not prepared for the sight of a huge, water-slick otter propped up against a thick willow trunk by the river, like a bear searching for honey. After an initial outburst at the remarkable sight, I calmed down and we spent the next 10 minutes or so being entertained by an otter that had no concern whatsoever for humans. It really was just a few feet away, either watching us from the water, or scurrying around the tree. As you can see from Ben's shots, there is no exaggeration at how close they show.

One of the Thetford otters by Ben Andrew: www.benandrewphotography.co.uk/

The feeling of relief when you think you have blown your chance to see something and it then appears is one of my favourites in the world of wildlife watching. An intense low transforms into elation in a split second. You know the feeling I’m sure. Anyway, the otter finally swam off leaving a buzzing crowd of photographers, wildlife watchers and residents of the town. Ben mentioned that it would be worth trying back at his other spot and not long after our arrival there, a similar performance ensued from an otter before I watched it swim past me and away up the river. Truly remarkable. A great day.

88 pence well spent

2013-03-12T12:37:12Z

We're just wrapping up the April issue of the magazine and during the “challenging” last few days of production, which includes everything from ordering in all the images we need to the proofreaders taking a magnifying glass to the text resulting in all sorts of late amendments, it’s been great to get out to see spring getting its first airings. This is where I realise how lucky we are to work at The Lodge and be able to take a walk on the reserve at lunchtimes to clear our heads. There is ALWAYS something of excitement to temporarily take my mind off layouts and grids, corrections and last minute wobbles over "will the readers like this?!"

A trip to the city

My trip to Bristol a couple of weeks ago to meet the guys working on BBC Countryfile magazine and catch up with Ben Hoare from BBC Wildlife where I found myself in a very different working environment. They are based in a tower block above the busy streets of the city. I had to smile to myself, walking back to the train station though as a grey wagtail made an appearance. Remember the “Green on grey” urban feature in the current issue of Birds magazine? The grey wagtail is the “opening act” in that feature by Mike Unwin.

Male siskin by Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)

A furry torpedo

Here at The Lodge, last week bought only my second ever water shrew swimming around the ornamental pond in the garden. What is great to see, when something rare turns up, is the crowds of staff that come out once the e-mail alert goes out. The expected ecologists and scientists (plus big wildlife geeks like me) are usually first on the scene, but it's great to see the 'suits' and staff from all around the organisation and teams such as accounts, joining in the excitement too. The little furry torpedo showed suprbly powering around the pond, with air bubbles puruing out of its fur, and sticking its nout up above the water.

I saw my earliest ever comma butterflies last week on the warmest day of the year, but now that the wind has been a biting “no-eater” for a fourth day, the wintering bramblings, siskins, lesser and mealy redpolls are still showing very well at the feeders by the shop.

Nyjer, nyjer

Which brings me to nyjer seed. Do you put them out for your garden birds? I’ve resisted as I have a big range of foods on offer, attracting a good range of species at present. While I was at the shop the other day, I bought 88p’s worth of nyjer. If the birds didn’t go for it and I failed to attract goldfinches, siskins and redpolls, no matter. Blow me down, if within five minutes of putting it up, seven siskins appeared and spent the day munching away. They must have been migrants passing through and the timing was perfect. I haven’t seen them since, but that was the best 88p I have spent in a while.

Are you coming to Members' Weekend?

2013-03-01T17:09:35Z

Apologies for the lack of posts recently. It’s been a busy time, including a visit to Bristol to see how the BBC “do it” with their magazines – more about that next week on the blog - and lots of meetings amid getting the April issue finished off!

Anyway, it is nice to get out of the office and one RSPB event that I always look forward to is Members’ Weekend. Hopefully you read about it in your Spring issue of Birds (the booking form is on page 41), or you could sign up here

Up with the lark

I get to organise and lead the early morning bird walk on the Saturday and although it can be a struggle to drag myself out of bed, it is always a treat to see so many members waiting to go on the walk and be shown the birds around York University campus at the rendezvous point as it starts to get light.

See your first willow warbler of the year at RSPB Members' Weekend (John Bridges - rspb-images.com)

There are a lot more birds than you might think in York and April’s a good time for seeing several species displaying and singing, plus the first of the spring migrants such as willow warbler , blackcaps and chiffchaffs and residents like treecreepers, bullfinches and an array of wildfowl on the lakes.

Book your place

I’d love to see you there on 12-14 April, so do have a look on the website and your Spring Birds to find out more about what’s on offer with all sorts of talks and excursions to choose from and the chance to meet all sorts of exciting and interesting RSPB people – and me...

Tell the PM to vote for nature

2013-02-06T10:51:00Z

I've just signed this petition on the RSPB website that calls for David Cameron to "vote for nature".

Every seven years the European Union decides what to spend our money on. A big chunk of that budget is for agriculture. And a tiny amount of that pays for nature-friendly farming schemes that help keep our countryside full of wildlife. It is also one of the only sources of funding that protects our precious nature conservation sites.

We're fighting to save those funds that support farmers who make space for nature alongside food production - and you can help.

You can help skylarks by signing our petition (image by Chris Gomersall, rspb-images.com)

All it takes is 20 seconds

Please sign the petition (from experience I can tell you that it takes about 20 seconds, a little longer if you watch the fantastic video on the page).

We're currently putting together a farming and wildlife feature for the summer issue of Birds, so look out for that coming to your doormat in April...

Editor's log - the Big Garden Birdwatch

2013-01-29T16:34:00Z

With snow covering everything and temperatures still low come Saturday morning, the scene was set for a great Birdwatch. I opted out of a morning session because I know that there is a good flurry of feeding activity in my garden mid afternoon - a wise decision.

When we went to view our house and I saw that we backed onto a big field which is managed sympathetically for wildlife, overlooked the local river and gravel pits (a major migration flyway) and had an old scrubby reservoir bank just one hundred yards away, any problems with the interior just weren't an issue anymore - I wanted that house (and luckily we got it).

The reason I mention this is because there is so much habitat for birds that it feels as if they don't really need my garden and the offerings in it - my birds are spoiled for choice which meant Big Garden Birdwatch might not be as good as I thought. On Friday night, I went all out, pulling out all my big guns of half a dozen different foodstuffs and putting them in every feeder and position possible. This really did the trick.

Long-tailed tit - on my fruity nibbles and on my Big Garden Birdwatch list (photo by Nigel Blake)

Early highlights were a sparrowhawk pausing briefly and a goldcrest making a fleeting visit. A song thrush was a top "in the garden" bird - again, I can hear three different males from my garden in spring, but because of that abundance of habitat, they rarely have to drop in. The usuals of one pair of blue tits, one of great tits, one of dunnock and one of robin showed up and three magpies paid a visit. The best was saved until late on when four long-tailed tits came in to my fruity suet pellets and the fat cake I'd hung up on Friday. and five starlings couldn't resist either Then a great spotted woodpecker came to have a look and while I was eating lunch, a slightly odd looking small bird at the fat cake kept catching my eye until I excused myself to get the binoculars on it - a female blackcap! It had a good nibble on the cake before disappearing (but returned the next day). This is another bird that can be heard easily in spring from the garden, but this was a first at the feeders. Interesting to think this is a German blackcap rather than part of our breeding population that migrates south in autumn.

I was really pleased with my watch and although not countable on the Birdwatch, a half an hour session watching from the garden at dusk produced a short-eared owl flying over the field, viewed from my bottom hedge (completeing my set of five owls seen from the garden), a little owl flying past, two woodcocks flying out at dusk (one flew right over my head) and a covey of seven grey partridges just over the hedge right next to a covey of nine red-legged partridges completed a great day literally on my doorstep. Finally, hundreds of wigeon flew up the river valley - a sure sign that the thaw was setting in (which it did - by Sunday all the snow had gone).

So that's how it was for me. Let me know how you got on and don't forget to send in your results please!

How's the snow affected your garden birds?

2013-01-21T16:20:00Z

Well the snow has arrived in good time for Big Garden Birdwatch next weekend. It's been driving good numbers of birds into people's gardens - and some unusual visitors too. Reed buntings, redwings and fieldfares, pheasants, bramblings and blackcaps have all been found by people I know in my home county of Cambridgeshire over the weekend.

I went to town keeping my birds well fed over the weekend, with a whole range of food from the RSPB birdfood range (sorry for the shameless plug, but 100% of profits go to our conservation work), including Buggy Nibbles, fat balls, feeder mix, suet pellets with raisins and bugs and more all helping out the birds. Many people have been reporting fieldfares in their gardens with fallen apples doing the job (I spiked mine on a branch and the blackbirds loved them). Redwings and fieldfares (below) have been suffering that's for sure and I've come across several redwings that allowed approach to a few inches - clearly exhausted and very hungry and tired.

I went for a long walk out from home on saturday and found a superb flock of 600 skylarks in the field next to my garden - I was surprised they'd stuck around with snow covering the ground, but a row of stubble left by the farmer had provided them with plenty of food. I'm not sure I've ever seen such a big flock actually.

So this week I'd recommend stocking up your feeders and getting the birds warmed up for Big Garden Birdwatch next weekend. It could be a great birdwatch with some good counts, so please make sure that you take part and tell the RSPB about your garden birds. There are some more tips for the Birdwatch in the current issue of Birds

Thanks for all your positive comments about the latest issue of the magazine by the way. Glad so many of you are enjoying it. We're on course for the most e-mails ever received in a single month for Birds magazine, so keep them coming. It was good to have a few complaints about me not posting a blog as usual on Friday - glad some of you are reading and sorry!

Waxwing lyrical

2013-01-11T16:07:00Z

Thanks for all your comments so far on the latest issue of Birds, plus all your photos letters and e-mails. I'd love to have the space to feature more of them in the mag, but the good news is that I can share more of your stories and photos on this blog.

I was hoping to feature some readers' waxwing photographs in the Big Garden Birdwatch feature on page 14, but we had to go without because we didn't have any. Today, I've received some absolute stunners from three different readers - thank you so much! I knew you wouldn't let me down after what has been another cracking waxwing winter.

This lovely composition above is from Geoff Howard in Staffs who wrote: "Attached photo of a waxwing which graced our garden for two days over christmas.This is the first ever sighting of this bird in our area or garden."

The above is one of a superb set from Peter Last. "Thought you might be interested in photos of 4 Waxwings that visited my garden in Cumbria on the afternoon of New Year 2012. They spent about an hour feeding on Hawthorn berries and generally loafing and preening, also coming down to my pond to drink. They also took water from a gutter at the back of my garage. Easy to approach with a little care I was able to take many photos. There had been as many as c200 taking mostly local Yew berries but most had departed when the weather became mild. This remnant group seemed to be visiting gardens. Although they seemed relaxed and happy to have me nearby, a sudden squeal and a rapid departure showed alertness as a sparrowhawk flew in over my head and through the bushes into the wood. All survived."

This one came in from John Schluter in Guildford who reports:

"Just recently there was a flock of Waxwings that visited the area. I took the attached at Northcamp railway station near Farnborough, Hampshire. Apparently these Scandinavian visitors are venturing further south in search of their preferred diet, berries. They were approximately 40 to 50 in number and made regular raids on the berry laden bushes. After a few hours they flew off, presumably of to their next dinner appointment. All in all a stunning sight."

Have you caught up with waxwings this winter?

They're still here in their thousands, so let us know if you have scored. It's about time I saw a few more, so with my girlfriend away for the weekend, I may well be on the hunt myself tomorrow. I'm very envious of those of you who are getting garden sightings though. My berries have all gone!

Win a copy of Mike Dilger's new book

2013-01-07T09:35:00Z

I hope you liked our new "Things you might like" page in the Spring 2013 issue of Birds. We'll be running competitions - and reader offers - on this page as well as recommending some of our favourite wildlife-themed products, so make sure you check in each issue!

Just e-mail us to enter the draw

To be in with a chance of winning one of three signed copies of the fab new book, Wild Town by The One Show’s Mike Dilger (as seen in Birds Spring 2013, page 87) simply send an e-mail to birdsmagazine@rspb.org.uk

Make sure your email has the subject line “Competition” and that your e-mail gets to us by 6 February 2013.

Terms and conditions

1 Entries must be received by 6 February 2013, irrespective of the date of sending. Proof of sending will not be deemed to be proof of delivery.

2 Any entry which is incomplete, illegible or late will be deemed invalid in the sole discretion of the RSPB.

3 This competition is open to UK residents only over the age of 18.

4 There is no cash alternative to the competition prize.

5 Prize winners will be drawn at random on 8 February 2013.

6 Winners will be notified within two weeks of the draw by e-mail.

7 Prizes will be delivered within 28 days of the closing date.

8 The winners' names will be published on the Birds magazine blog.

9 The editor’s decision on all matters affecting this draw is final and legally binding. No correspondence regarding the results of the draw will be entered into.

10 Any RSPB employee or anyone directly connected with the organisation or their immediate family will be ineligible to enter.

11 Any winner who has not responded to notification by e-mail within 21 days will forfeit their prize; a replacement winner will be selected from other entrants.

Sneak preview of the next Birds magazine

2013-01-04T12:01:56Z

Your February-April Birds magazine is on its way to you - the first copies start mailing today, so, if you are a member, look out for your copy over the next 10 days or so. In the meantime, here's a little sneak preview of what you'll be seeing in the mag.

Do let us know what you think, which bits of the magazine you liked and what got you thinking - and inspired to get out and enjoy wildlife, or to step up for nature - as we look forward to the arrival of spring. Judging by the bulbs coming up in my garden and the singing song thrush and coal tit I heard this morning before coming to work, nature thinks that spring is here already.

A lotta otter

2012-12-19T12:04:00Z

We've all got our 'bogey' species of wildlife. The bird, animal, or insect that you just can't seem to connect with, no matter how hard you try. Hours spent waiting in silence, patiently and visiting sites recommended by the experts, adopting all the tricks of the trade, resulting in nothing but a sore bum and disappointment. You know the feeling.

I'm a man who spends a lot of time in wet places. Marshes, rivers (I live very close to the River Ouse), lakes and lagoons are places I spend a lot of time. I've even had a long trip to Shetland, the stronghold of my bogey, but came back with nothing. Scotland's west and north coast has provided a few glimpses (even a poor photo), but the otter remains something of an enigma to me.

I know they live on my local river; I know they're seen, often the day before, on RSPB reserves I visit with Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk and Minsmere in Suffolk places where I've heard the "You should have been here yesterday" comments. It was even slightly painful writing and working with Joel on commissioning illustrations by Robin Carter (including the one below) for our otter piece in Wildabout feature in the current (Winter 2012) issue of Birds magazine.

However, last Saturday the tide turned, the lights went green and the planets aligned. Last Saturday, on my first visit to the new Island Mere Hide at Minsmere, the otter was not a rotter - one showed and it showed well, right in front of the hide, clambering up onto land just a few yards away. It spent the rest of the late afternoon fishing in Island Mere, looking a little like "Nessie" as its head emerged in the water: a slinky, oil slick-like shape wriggling through the water before submerging with a roll and a flick of its tail. With bitterns and Bewick's swans, water rail, a murmuration of roosting starlings, barn owls, plenty of marsh harriers and bearded tits also logged from the comfort of the new padded seats in Island Mere hide, plus a surprise pipistrelle bat (considering it's mid-December) it was a great couple of hours.

So thank you Minsmere and I love the new look visitor centre, hides and play area (just for the record, I didn't actually play on it myself). I am now officially not completely rubbish at seeing otters. If you'd like to try for otters yourself, have a look at our Minsmere web pages and I hear that otters are also showing well at Strumpshaw at present so check in there too.

if you have more luck than otters than me, do feel free to rub it in by posting a comment below and letting us know about your sightings!

Scorpions, antswarms and spiders as big as your hand

2012-12-14T12:14:00Z

As promised on last Friday's blog (part one of my jungle adventure), a few more shots below from my trip to Ghana - the winter home of many of the UK's migrant birds. While researching our turtle dove feature for the April issue of Birds, it has really hit home just how many hazards our migrant birds, like this swallow, face.

Having been to the African wintering grounds, I've seen birds like wood warblers, swallows and swifts at both ends of their epic journeys. There's no doubt that looking after birds when they're in the UK, and ensuring they're able to raise young every summer, is vital but what happens on their journey south across the Sahara and subsequently on their wintering grounds is equally important. Our Malta feature in the magazine set the scene for one particularly awful hazard they face - illegal hunting - but how they cross the desert and fly from the UK to West Africa is beyond me.

"Mark, you're getting a bit close to it, Mark it's raising its tail, you're going to get stung, MARK!!!" Even potentially life-saving comments from your companions can fall on deaf ears when it comes to getting "the shot" of amazing creatures like this jungle-dwelling scorpion that I'd actually walked right over. No idea how nasty a sting from it would be; probably best if I don't know.

Now THAT is what I call an antswarm.

One of the wackiest fungi I have ever seen.

A spider that is almost as big as your face. Sorry, I should have got my head in there to give you a comparison.

A bit of reportage photography from the bus - amazing egg-balancing skills from the lady in pink.

Our visit to a white-necked picathartes colony helped to fund the building of a school for these incredibly smiley kinds who were deperate to get their hands on our empty water bottles! A 45 minute hike took us to the birds' cave-colony where we waited in silence for three hours. Fantastic views of four of these plasticine-like birds hopping around the rocks was one of my all-time wildlife highlights!

So that's it for the holiday snaps, but hopefully my reports from our migrant birds' wintering grounds will set the scene for our migrant-themed issue of Birds next April. we'll be giving you lots of tips of where to see migrant birds and revealing some of the mysteries of migration thanks to the work of people like the RSPB's amazing scientists..

Want to know where your swallows are now?

2012-12-07T11:27:00Z

You’ll be reading (and hopefully learning!) lots about migrant birds in the next issue of Birds. We’ll be bringing you the story of how the RSPB is trying to find out about turtle doves by tracking them on their perilous migration, plus showing you how you where you can watch migration, and fabulous migrants, near you.

We read a lot about ‘our’ migrants flying to Africa for winter, but Africa is a very big place with a lot of different habitats from desert and savannah to rainforest and wetland! Ever wondered exactly where they go in Africa and what they get up to in winter rather than just disappearing into some unimaginable place a few thousand miles away? I know I have, but that might just be the sceience geek in me wanting to know everything about every bird!

In the jungle

I had an eye-opening trip to West Africa a couple of weeks ago and admittedly it was the star birds of Ghana’s Upper Gunea Rainforest that were my top targets – the bizarre white-necked picatartes (remember that one from RSPB communications around Gola Rainforest in Sierra Leone and our work there?), a host of hornbills, the grebe-like Africa Finfoot, the reall difficult to see nkulengu rail (but yes we did see it!) and some eye-popping forest kingfishers, including the Chocolate-backed kingfisher (shame it isn’t chocolate-barred...) and another 160 or so species that I’d never seen before on my world travels.

I was surprised to see so many familiar birds from home though while craning my neck for canopy dwellers. Our own swallows among flocks of square-tailed saw-wings, wood warblers sharing the treetops with bizarre African residents such as naked-faced and bristle-nosed barbets and flocks of swifts in lots of places.

You might remember our “In and Out of Africa” feature by Mike Unwin on the work on birds such as wood warblers in Africa. When I was putting that feature together, little did I know that I’d be balancing on the 60 metre high canopy walkway (health and safety officers look away...) at Kakum that featured in it and seeing for myself the wood warblers swapping their oakwood summer homes for lush, and incredibly humid, rainforest. It was so hot in Ghana and the two night's camping with an ice cold jungle shower had me longing for some home comforts!

So, I’m happy to report that ‘our’ birds are doing ok – and one thing is for sure, they’re an awful lot warmer than we are at the moment!

I might look cool, calm and collected, but this is what I'm standing on, 60 metres above the forest floor...

Kakum's famous canopy walkway gives views of migrants like wood warblers and swallows among the Africa residents.

The view below the walkway.

In Africa, everything is bigger, from millipedes...

To earthworms!

More shots from Ghana, and a bit more about what our migrants are up to at the moment, next Friday.