Beauty in Brittany

Before our recent family holiday in Brittany I had high hopes that we might see some different butterflies and moths on the continent compared to the species we are familiar with at home in Dorset. Although I took a portable moth trap, we found ourselves a bit too closely packed into the campsite to use it without it being considered anti-social behaviour by the neighbours! So it became more a case of waiting for the sun to come out and seeing what we could see.

Camberwell Beauty

A very obliging individual

The more subtle but equally beautiful underside of the Camberwell Beauty

When it eventually warmed up, we were in the middle of Le Parc naturel régional de Brière, the second largest area of marshland in France after the Camargue (technically in the Pays de la Loire Region, so you will have to forgive the poetic licence in the title of this post). Reminiscent of the Avalon Marshes in Somerset, this too is a vast former peat digging and reed harvesting area now restored and protected as a wetland paradise for its natural interest.

Male Marsh Harrier - one of over a dozen in the air at the same time

Two of the largest birds of the region gave only the most distant of views - this Sacred Ibis was at Pont de Paille. A non-native species which established having escaped from a zoo, the population is now being controlled to reduce predation in local heronries

I had read that White Storks bred on the pylons in the Briere - this one was about 2 miles away!

At about noon we had climbed the steps of a tower hide at a fantastic looking reserve called the Pierre Constant Site. There were reedbeds and Marsh Harriers as far as the eye can see, and I could hear Bluethroats and Savi's Warbler singing in the reedbeds ahead of us. But for reasons we couldn't quite fathom, the rest of the reserve was closed to visitors until 1 July. I later read that public spending cuts had something to do with it, a shame as we would willingly have paid good money to get onto the rest of the reserve.

Blue-headed Wagtail was another highlight at Pont de Paille

This continental race of Yellow Wagtail occasionally appears in the UK

White Wagtail in the salt pans at Geurande

To add to the frustration, I could see the unmistakable white petticoat of a Camberwell Beauty around a flowering bush in the distance which I assumed would also be out of bounds. In retracing our steps, however, we found that a canal towpath took us to that very bush, which was being frequented not by one but by two Camberwell Beauties, sparring with a couple of much smaller Peacocks. An undoubted highlight of the trip, and the first I had seen since a migrant at Pulborough Brooks in Sussex over a decade ago.

My third Camberwell Beauty of the month was sighted on a South London wall this week during a business trip.

Operation Daymark

The Easter Bank Holiday weekend provides a unique opportunity for the lover of rare birds: an uninterrupted four day window at a promising time of year to stress out with the added attraction of heavy traffic. Whilst I had idly clocked news of a Rufous-tailed Rock Thrush on the Isles of Scilly, I hadn't really considered going to see it until, not for the first time this decade, a text message from David Bradnum gave me the kick in the rear I needed to start thinking about it.

Rock Thrush, Bread and Cheese Cove, St Martin's

A red, white and blue riot of colour

Neither of us fancied day-tripping it, preferring an overnight stay to make the most of the islands and provide a second shot at seeing the bird if we were unsuccessful on the day of our arrival. Whilst not impossibly complicated, the logistics weren't straightforward: tickets for Scillonian III would be simple enough to procure, accommodation on Scilly during one of the busiest weekends of the year less so. But after just a few phone calls (Scilly's tourist industry has yet to get the hang of on-line booking), we managed to find a reasonably priced twin room.

The rufous tail seen clearly in flight

Note the white patch on the back of the Rock Thrush

That just left the small matter of getting from St Mary's to Daymark on St Martin's, where the Rock Thrush had spent the previous week. We were due to disembark the Scillonian at 1200 and an inter-island launch was due to leave for St Martin's at 1230, so that shouldn't be a problem either. All that remained was to secure permission to go from respective loved ones, and with that done, Operation Daymark was good to go.

Song Thrush: commoner than Rock Thrush on Scilly, and more confiding too

Daymark on St Martin's viewed from St Mary's

David arrived in Dorset from Essex for a few hours kip at our place and an 0400 start on Good Friday saw us arriving in Penzance in plenty of time to make the Scillonian. After possibly the smoothest crossing I have experienced, we made good time and shortly after midday were at the front of the queue on the quay for the boat to St Martin's. The latter island was hosting a music festival and we watched in dismay as suitcases, guitars and violin cases were unloaded carefully, and therefore excruciatingly slowly, from the Scillonian to a first, second, then third waiting boat - and all by hand. 1230 came and went, and when what appeared to be a drumkit appeared, it was too much for one enterprising birder who chartered a jetboat and offered us two seats on it. Once he had retrieved the hand we had bitten off, we were on our way.

Greenshank: the only wader present at Lower Moors on St Mary's

Wheatear: one of several on Peninnis

The advantage of the jetboat was not just the ability to jump the queue, but also to reduce the travel time and provide another half an hour on St Martin's before we needed to make the return journey. Unfortunately, the low tide meant that the disembarkation point was at the opposite end of the island to the cove where the bird was being seen.

White Wagtail on the quay at Hugh Town

Always a smart bird to see

The best part of half an hour later we arrived breathless and perspiring to catch up with more sprightly souls who had set a blistering pace across the island. Fortunately for all of us, islander Will Scott had the bird staked out in Bread and Cheese cove and shortly after arriving we were enjoying good views as the bird fed on the heather clad slopes and rocks around the cove.

Scilly Wren

This bird was singing on St Mary's

A few late-comers who had not joined us on the jetboat arrived even more breathless and sweaty, but they too enjoyed views of the bird before it headed to the other side of the cove. The walk back to the boat was altogether more relaxed and there was even time for a bit of birding back on St Mary's after the all the yomping around St Martin's.

Rock Pipit at Porthloo

Another songster

After the excitement of Good Friday, Saturday was uneventful but enjoyable on St Mary's. A few dozen Manx Shearwater and a single Common Dolphin provided interest on the way home. A fairly epic twitch then, with thanks to David for driving and providing the motivation to make the effort.

Manx Shearwater from Scillonian III

Rock Thrush - ordinarily at this time of year this bird would be breeding in southern European mountain range above the 1500m line - incredible to see it on a Scilly beach

And still they come...

As April turns into May, more migrant birds are returning from their wintering grounds. I caught up with some special ones over the long weekend, taking in a couple of sites on the southern shore of Poole Harbour, and sneaking in an early morning trip to Portland between some weekend work commitments - so not much time for text!

Hobby over Stoborough Heath - our only falcon to spend winter south of the Sahara. This one was engaged in a fruitless search for odonata on a bright but chilly day

A Nightingale returning to a traditional site on the Corfe Ridge - easily heard before it was seen. Geolocators are providing more accurate accounts of the migration route to Africa taken by the UK's Nightingales - see here

This Cuckoo was seen before it was heard on Stoborough Heath - a combination of satellite tracking and Springwatch has made minor celebrities out of several of these long distance migrants - see here

A male Kentish Plover at Ferrybridge was a bonus on returning from a relatively birdless Portland - sadly, no longer a breeding bird in the UK. Western European breeders winter in South West Europe

A continental White Wagtail at Portland Bill was the highlight of a twirl around the south of the island

Back at home, a 1st summer Little Gull brightened up a visit to Swineham on a dull Bank Holiday Monday

The first Swifts of the year had also arrived and were screaming over the gravel pits. This species wins the prize for the most epic migration featured in this post - see BTO website for details here. One bird fitted with a geolocator completed the final 5,000km leg of the journey back to the UK from West Africa in 5 days. Swift indeed.

 

Also on Scilly...

The Great Blue Heron eclipsed most other news from Scilly this weekend, and while we missed what looked and sounded like a fantastic day on Sunday, there were still a few scarce species and migrants to catch up with after we left the Heron on Bryher on Saturday lunchtime. Best of these was probably a Jack Snipe which bobbed comically outside the ISBG hide at Lower Moors - on the pool which has had the privilege of playing host to both of Britain's Great Blue Herons.

Jack Snipe, Lower Moors (152nd species photographed in Britain this year)

Jack Snipe

Common Snipe for comparison - bill length and size the most obvious differences

As well as being on the first boat over to Bryher on Saturday morning, we were also on the first boat off at 1330, having spent several hours admiring the Heron. Although tempted by Tresco's Black Duck, it would have complicated the logistics and involved travelling back in an open boat as opposed to the covered luxury of the Falcon, so we headed straight back to St Mary's for a few hours leisurely birding before our return flight. If there were Scilly Shrews on Porthloo Beach they were keeping their heads down, though Wheatear, Whimbrel and White Wagtail provided an alliterative trio of birds to admire.

Wheatear, Porthloo

Whimbrel (#153), Porthloo

White Wagtail, Porthloo

Moving on to Lower Moors I saw my first Sedge Warbler of the year, hopping around the reed stems of Shooters Pool. I heard one on the way to work on Friday but didn't have time to stick around to look for it. A Heron dropped in out of nowhere but sadly it was not the Great Blue returning, just a regular Grey Heron. But it did give some idea of how awesome the views must have been for those fortunate enough to see the GBH from this spot.

Sedge Warbler (#154), Lower Moors

An obliging bird

The sound of the camera caught its attention

I have travelled to the islands many times in autumn, but it was the first time I had been there early enough in the year to see Bluebells. There was a good display of these and wild garlic in several places, the Old Town churchyard, where we failed to find a Wryneck, providing one of the best, along with close views of Song Thrushes, which are famously tame on Scilly, and the local Blackbirds.

Blackbird, Old Town Churchyard

Bluebells

Song Thrush, Old Town Churchyard

All too soon it was time to head back to the airport for our return flight. Sitting in the departure lounge tired, wind-blasted but happy, it was quite a contrast to the emotions of doing the same on the mainland 10 hours earlier. We approached Lands End in glorious sunshine, a fitting end to a successful and very enjoyable day.

Grey Heron, Lower Moors

Compare to the Great Blue Heron in the previous post

Swallows at Porthloo found rich pickings over a smelly bit of seaweed (#155)

Their flight speed dropped as they approached enabling a few shots to be taken

Pastures new

My parents moved to North Devon last year, a place that must have potential for good birds but from where not much seems to get reported. Being where it is there is always a chance of something good, as the Trumpeter Finch which relocated from Lundy to this stretch of coast in 2011 suggests. Yesterday's was a family visit rather than a birding trip but we managed to get out to Baggy Point and see a few birds between tea shops, beaches and car parks.



This Rock Pipit on Croyde beach looks a bit littoralis - very grey above, pretty white below, prominent supercilium with a hint of pinky wash about the face (but not so much on the breast) - but the more I read the more confused I get. Any help?

Same bird from a wider angle.

Different bird, even greyer and a bit more pink on the underparts

A smart male Wheatear near the Baggy Point car park

House Sparrow

White Wagtail in the same field as the Wheatear