Stanwell Moor ringing site - 26 April 2011

A start to the evening ringing sessions at the site, always quiet at the start of the season, but with the usual large groups of hirundines collecting mud off the mounds always leaving us hopeful for the odd bird, and this year there are additionally a lot of Sand Martins over the site but a check to find any nests was unsuccessful. Five birds were caught tonight, all re-traps bar a Dunnock. Two were Reed Warblers from 2009 which had not been re-trapped in 2010.

A Hobby flew over and a fourth Cetti's terriroty was found with another singing male in a different spot.

RAF Brampton - 28 April 2011

Female Ring Ouzel on the football field - nice and easy to see for once, for a species that often is easily disturbed.

Aston Rowant (Bald Hill & Linkey Down) - 25 April 2011

A visit made mainly for butterflies, but always a pleasure to watch the many Red Kites in the area plus the odd Buzzard. Butterflies seen were Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Brimstone, Green Hairstreak, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood and Holly Blue.

Dingy Skipper

Grizzled Skipper

Green Hairstreak

Speckled Wood

Red Kite

Kansas, US 10 to 23 April 2011 - part 1

This was not primarily a birding visit, but one to see our son at Kansas University in Lawrence. We did spend a few days birding, but Kansas in mid April is not an ideal location for a birding trip, mainly as most of the more interesting winter visitors have gone or are scarce, and the summer visitors do not arrive until the first two weeks of May. Spring comes late in Douglas County, Kansas . There was a reasonable passage of waders whilst we were there which made up for the dire lack of passerines. There is a distinct difference between Eastern Kansas that has an eastern US bird influence, but as you travel west the prairies become a more dominant feature and by the time you are in Western Kansas it is pretty flat, arid and was the great dust ball of the 1930s. Western Kansas has a few Western passerine species beginning to creep in, to add a bit of a variety, but with a journey akin from London to North Scotland involved, albeit on relatively empty roads at an almost constant speed with the freeway limits being 70mph and the other roads outside cities being 65 (everywhere is known as a city since they seem to use the terms town and city interchangably!). Both Eastern and Western Meadowlarks are found in Kansas, emphasising the East/West mixing. There are some excellent wetlands in mid Kansas at Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. Passerine spring passage was a mere trickle as shown by the fact that we only saw four species of American Warblers and one Vireo, and further demonstrated because most of the birds we saw were to be found at the wetlands with 64 of the 155 species seen associated with wetlands with 24 of them being waders. One of the memorable things was the large flocks of migrating Franklin's Gulls and the large number of Red-tailed and Swainson's Hawks seen. We managed to see 21 new bird species during the trip. Sadly the mammal sightings were low with the only good list of mammals seen being our road side kill list, which accounted for the vast majority of the species we saw and even included species as large as White-tailed Deer. Rather than go through a complete list of what we did see, we have just set out the more interesting highlights and what we saw that was new for us.


11 April - 26 species for the trip.
Lawrence - Kansas River front, species seen included Pilated Woodpecker, Cliff Swallow, Chipping, Field and Lark Sparrows and Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler.

American Robin

River Kansas below the Bowerstock Dam, Lawrence

During the more cold parts of the winter the area below the dam is one of the few areas of the river not to freeze over and becomes an attraction for the winter Bald Eagles that gather below the dam and can build up to 30 birds or more.

12 April - 12 species for the trip.
Great Bend - Yellow-headed Blackbird was new species for us, feeding in a mixed flock of Red-winged Blackbirds and Grackles around the grain silos.

Camp Aldrich - near Cheyenne Bottoms, a county school camp in rolling sand dunes, which was very quiet during our visit although it did produce Swainson's Hawk and Harris' Sparrow, both new species for us, Eastern Phoebe and Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler.

Butterflies seen were Monarch, Olympia Marble, Grey Hairstreak and Common Checkered-skipper.

Monarch

Common Checkered-skipper

April 13 - 47 species for the trip.

Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife area (http://wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu/) - large wetland habitat in the middle of grasslands. We spent a fair chunk of the day in here. New species seen included Hooded Merganser, White-faced Ibis, Hudsonian Godwit, Wilson's Snipe and Large-tailed Grackle. Also of interest were American Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes, American White Pelican, White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Bufflehead, American Avocet, Marbled Godwit, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Pectoral, Baird's, Least and Western Sandpipers, Whimbrel, Wilson's Phalarope, Long-billed Dowitcher and Kentish Plover, Great Horned Owl, and Savannah, Lincoln's, White-crowned and Song Sparrows.

Long-billed Dowitchers

 Great Horned Owl flushed from the path and landed in a small patch of reeds.

 Yellow-headed Blackbirds

One bird that did go over, whilst quiet, caused everything on the marsh to up! This was a first. We've never been buzzed by a stealth fighter before. It made three passes and then was gone. Butterflies seen were Monarch, Black Swallowtail and Clouded Sulphur.

Black Swallowtail

April 14 - 15 species for the trip.

We drove from Big Bend taking a few field side roads on the way to Quirvra and which produced new for us Brewer's Blackbird and Western Kingbird, we also had Shore Lark (I prefer thei name of Horned Lark), American Buff-bellied Pipit, Eastern Bluebird, Loggerhead Shrike and Vesper Sparrow.

Quvira National Wildlife refuge (http://www.fws.gov/quivira/Index.htm) produced pretty much the same sort of birds at Cheyenne Bottoms but the wind was beginning to pick up as the day went on. Waders here included Piping Plover, American Golden Plover, Willet and Semi-palmated Plover.

White-tailed Deer

Kansas, US 10 to 23 April 2011 - part 2

April 15 - 2 species for the trip.

New bird for the day was Lesser Prairie Chicken.

We were picked up at 5.15am and, after a swift detour to collect two other viewers, made the most of the central heating as we were driven towards the site. On arrival we left the warmth the vehicle and began to follow our guide, through the pitch black, with rain stinging our faces and the wind tearing at our clothes. We stumbled after the flashlight and missed the blind. It was quite nerve racking in such atrocious conditions, horizontal rain, intermittent hail and winds gusting to 50mph. Our guide found the hide at the second attempt to our relief. The box on wheels had been built by inmates from a local prison and rocked back and forth as the prevailing wind blew in the direction of the viewing flaps. As the hail accumulated around the glass pains we joked about the appalling weather and shared a visual image of our modest little shelter rolling across the field, decimating the local population of Lesser Prairie Chickens. We discovered that one of our co-occupants was a survivalist and strangely, the other worked in the conservation department with her post paid for by hunting permit fees. We also discovered that the chickens seem to be doing well and are on the permitted hunting list with each hunter allowed to take two per season. It seems that there is a twitchy element, even amongst hunters as it is not unknown for some to aspire to bag one of every North American Grouse species in their lifetime.

The increasing light levels revealed the sky to be completely blotted out with clouds scudding swiftly above us. Through the pouring rain dim shapes were seen moving some 25 feet away. We heard booming for a while and could see the lads making a half hearted effort with brief spells of bowing and fancy footwork but they soon hunkered down and took cover behind some grassy tufts. The girls had clearly failed to turn up and amorous efforts were to no avail. We left the blind just after 8am and confirmed seven birds present as they flew a short distance from the lek.

Viewing blind

There was no opportunity to bird for the rest of the day. The foul weather continued as we drove back to Lawrence. This storm system spawned a rash of tornadoes across the mid west that killed and injured people across several states including 45 in Oklahoma.

16 April - 5 species for the trip
Topeka - Museum of History nature trail produce a new bird in the form of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and also Northern Parula and White-throated Sparrow. We also saw our first Fox Squirrels here.

Butterflies seen were Eastern-tailed Blue, Spring Azure and Wild Indigo Dustywing.

Spring Azure

Wild Indigo Dustywing

As we drove to Manhattan we glimpsed a Coyote as we drove along I-70.

Kansas, US 10 to 23 April 2011 - part 3

17 April - 12 new species for the trip.New for us was Greater Prairie Chicken and Henslow's Sparrow. Also of interest was Upland Sandpiper and Grasshopper Sparrow.
Konza Prairie (http://keep.konza.ksu.edu/)

We left Manhattan for a short drive to the site and arrived at our agreed meeting point for 5.45am. The signpost had directed us to the outlook point but there was no prospect of a panoramic view across Konza reserve just yet, sun up wasn’t until 6.30am. The guide’s chevvie van was already full so we followed on. We were led along a gravel track road and as we progressed deeper into the reserve the acrid tang of burnt grass filled our nostrils and we knew that the tradition of burning to encourage new growth was also practised here, as in so much of the rest of the state.

On arrival we found ourselves parking alongside a barbed wire fence, (there’s an awful lot across the state and they even have a barbed wire museum in LaCrosse, but we resisted the temptation to visit.) Just ahead was a blind, low and flat roofed positioned to view along a firebreak next to the fence. This was a linear lek and the males usually stake their claim along the short grass at intervals of 15 feet or so. We took out seats, and slightly disturbed the leader who was bemused that some of the English party preferred not to use the spongy seat pads provided. We were warned that we would have to keep still once the chickens arrived and needless to say we had no problems with that.

It was not long before birds began to emerge from the long grass on either side of the mowed strip to take up their positions, and perform. To those who are not Greater Prairie Chicken kind there seemed little between performers, but a study has shown that most dominant and successful birds occupy the central spots. The individuals are identifiable as they have been colour ringed and some had colour markings on the under tail coverts. It’s debatable whether pink or blue dye on feathers that are usually brilliant white may affect the success of an individual and skew study results but one thing’s for sure, the first guy down from the blind really gave it 100%. His display was continuous. He barely stopped for rest and continued until well after everyone else was flagging as the sun rose higher in the sky. It seems you have to try really hard when you’re the bottom of the stack. Another highlight was a short visit from a male who, although we barely saw him, displayed briefly on the blind roof, his stomping feet and booming calls reverberated around the enclosed space, from which we watched, drove the little guy that we were all rooting for frantic. Three females came to visit the lek but showed a distinct lack of enthusiasm as the seven males present appeared to fail to impress.

It is usual for the one or two most dominant males to do about 90% of the mating.

These birds are believed to live for two to three years and despite being on the decline are considered fair game during hunting season. The species are sensitive to drought and human activity. A study conducted by Kansas State University found that "most prairie-chicken hens avoided nesting or rearing their broods within a quarter-mile of power lines and within a third-mile of improved roads." (Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks) It was also found that the prairie-chickens avoided communication towers and rural farms.

Greater Prairie Chicken

Viewing blind

Wild Turkey

Henry's Elfin

On the journey down on interstate 70 we had a female Merlin on a fence post and as we drove though the fields around Monument Rock saw a Pronghorn and stumbled across two Lesser Priaire Chickens, a male and female, plus the area was littered with Horned larks.

Monument rock

Horned Lark

Kansas, US 10 to 23 April 2011 - part 4

18 April - 8 new species for the trip.
Cimarron National Grasslands produced five new birds for us, Rock Wren, Western Meadowlark, Sage Thrasher, Say's Phoebe and Chihuanhuan Raven. Sadly a number of other species we wished to see were not in evidence, some probably had not arrived for the summer, others were possibly just missed, including the recently split Black-billed Magpie. Elkhart before heading to Cimarron National Grasslands had produced the only Broad-winged Hawk of the trip.

Cimarron National Grasslands

19 April - nothing new

The day was spent doing touristy type things at Dodge City and Fort Larned.

Fort Larned

20 April - 9 new species for the trip.
Visit to Lake Clinton produced Spotted Sandpiper, Osprey and Eastern Kingbird

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Eastern Bluebird

Canada Geese

21 April - 8 new species for the trip
A visit to Baker Wetlands to the south the of Lawrence give us a new bird in the form of an Orange-crowned Warbler, and birds of interest were Green and Little Blue Heron and Swamp Sparrow.

Baker Wetlands

22 April - 11 new birds for the trip
A morning visit to the river front at Lawrence produced another new warbler for us in the form of a Lousianna Waterthrush, with support from Swainson's Thrush, Tennessee Warbler and Warbling Vireo. We also managed a brief view of a Bald Eagle, one of the nesting pairs further down river. An afternoon visit back to Baker Wetlands produced another new bird for us in the form of a Cinnamon Teal. We also added another couple of waders for the trip, Semi-palmated and Grey Plover, and Dunlin. A Shorted-eared Owl was also on the marsh.

Red Admiral (the same species as the ones in the UK!)

We retuned home the next day.