Iceland part 2

Hi all sorry about the delay in typing up the second part of my cruise to Iceland.
The boat docked in Reykjavik and I didn't have anyone to meet but was told to visit Seltjarnarnes, lake Tjomin and the nature reserve near the airport.

Reykjavik is the most northern capital in the world. Its largest building is the cathedral Hallgrimskirkja and it dominates the skyline. In other words its a great central point to help with getting around. Our ship had docked opposite the island of Vioey and you can get a ferry across to see the oldest house in Reykjavik. That was the sight seeing over and done with now for the land birds.

The western tip of the peninsula is known as Seltjarnarnes and is the easiest place for birders to search. Although its looks a good day it was blowing a gale.
In the UK we get excited when the first cuckoo is seen well in Iceland its the golden plover.



On my way down to the lighthouse waders such as ringed plover, turnstone and purple sandpiper were looking for any tasty bits. Arctic terns and puffins were tazzing past the end of the spit.




This id board helped give you an idea of what might be around at any time of the year but it was bitterly cold and I headed up towards the golf course and the small lake.

As I walked the path I noticed a skua flying toward me and I wondered if I would need to worry about being attacked. It didn't happen and the dark phase arctic went on its merry way. I was a bit disappointed cos I thought the scar would be a good story!










Looking over the lake one of the first birds was a family of whooper swans. The parents only had 2 juveniles but where very protective. Greylag geese, mallard, teal,white wagtail, meadow pipits. My only rodent of the trip ran across the path and a caterpillar was also on the path. Large numbers of arctic terns produced some nice pictures. The surprise bird here was a long tailed duck.


I walked around the lake i found a group of glaucous gulls with a possible iceland gull. This area is really nice and if you only have a day to bird watch in the capital then I cant complain about the quality.


I kept scanning the lake looking for red necked phalaropes but no sign. So I started the long walk back towards the ship and the family. It was a long trudge interspersed with more arctic skuas and terns.

Walking back I came through a very nice modern housing estate with a mixture of European and American cars/trucks. Its not the poor country who can't pay back the loans some councils would make you believe.
The gale forces winds and 10C made it feel a lot worse. I scanned the sea and started to find red necks where playing about in the waves, I think the eider really helps give an idea of size.

I have a great sense of direction and before I knew it I was in the local graveyard listening to redpolls, redwings and blackbirds. To think that some of these redwings will be flying to the UK in a couple of weeks after they had stripped the island of all its berries.

Next stop was lake Tjornin. Whooper swans use the island as well as black headed gulls to breed. I found my first wigeon here along with scaup and tufted ducks. The lake and the open fields and hedgerows make this in interesting area but I headed down to the newish nature reserve.
I wont spell it as you can see it from the picture. It seemed very new and small but it was trying to be an environmental centre as well so I wish it luck. A redshank was added to the day list which was creeping up to 40.

Heading back to the ship we enjoyed a wonderful sunset.







The next day was spent relaxing at the fabulous Blue Lagoon. The only bird seen here was gull beer.






The people of Iceland just love puffins and they can be advertised in many different ways but this is the biggest one I found.

A Merry Christmas From RSPB Liverpool

Dear members and blog followers,

I would like to say that 2013 has been an interesting year.

Our group continues to grow. The speakers have been excellent and thought provoking. The outdoor field trips have seen us enjoy some great spectacles, wonderful birds and nature but even better great camaraderie. The idea of hiring community transport has helped us cut down on our carbon footprint and made us a greener group. There are a few new ideas for 2014 which I hope you will all enjoy and I look forward to leading you in 2014.

The groups committee has seen a few changes but we need to continue to adapt. New technologies have given us a great way to communicate with people and help to raise the profile of RSPB Liverpool and the RSPB and our ethos.   We have developed some wonderful partnerships with Mersey Ferries, Liverpool Palm House, the National Wildflower centre and others.

I'm sure you would all like to thank the committee and our helpers who support us throughout the year.

As I look forward to 2014 I wish to see the group numbers grow to over 200. On a sad note birds and nature are still struggling in our area and we must continue to support and raise fund which can be used by RSPB to create new nature reserves or build better sea defences.

I wish you all a happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Keep Birding.
Chris

Chris Tynan
Leader
RSPB Liverpool Local group
email: christtynan@aol.com

Liverpool RSPB Field trip report

RSPB Leighton Moss Sunday 22/04/12.

16 determined birders ignored the weather forecast and headed out to RSPB Leighton moss. We were not disappointed. 

Our first highlight of the day came with a chance sighting of 3 frolicking Otters, splashing about in the sunshine, observed from the roadside on the way into the reserve the first tick of the day and it wasn't a bird!

Once inside the reserve we were only confined to quarters on  2 occasions - when it really was raining stair-rods, but this proved to be no hardship tucked away  in the reserves  cosy hides observing -  smart spring migrant Garganey. A pair of Great Crested Grebes performing their ‘running on water’ courting ritual, pond weed offerings clenched in beaks. The barbarism of 2 male Moorhens locked in a fighting frenzy, furiously kicking out with their feet.  And the ‘Ahh’ moment? Watching the wobbly antics of 2 clutches of Greylag goslings finding their feet.

Without doubt one of the major events of the trip was the Osprey that flew in from the estuary ahead of a squally band of rain, you’ve never seen so many people move so fast, jostling to get a better view as the bird flew over the Eric Morecambe hide on the look out for its fish dinner. Other diners on the pools, alongside the many Godwits and Redshank were impressive Spotted Redshank, Avocets and Egrets. After lunch the group had a lucky break with a tip off of where to find the lonely, lingering Glossy Ibis, another tick for the day.

A walk round to the public hide rewarded us with some great views of a pair of Marsh Harriers flying low along the tree line and woodland slopes. A comical moment was a peckish Cormorant struggling to swallow a rather large eel, believe me that eel wasn’t going out without a fight; you could see it wriggling all the way down.

The day finished with the group taking a diversion from the road home. Stopping off on the A6 to a riverside spot, where we were told a kingfisher hung out; the bird was there but sadly only a few of us got a fleeting turquoise glimpse of it as it swooped along the riverbank. A dippy Grey Wagtail was a welcome bonus to our tick list.

The tickmasters list recorded 70 species seen and a few that got away, being heard but not observed, Reed warbler, and most frustratingly Cetti's warbler and Bearded Tit...Ping.  

Bar headed goose-Greylag goose-Pheasant-Collared dove-Robin-Woodpigeon-Jackdaw-Mallard-Great tit-Blue tit-Chaffinch-Buzzard-Black headed gull-Coot-Great crested grebe-Pochard-Gadwall-Tufted duck-Garganey-Canada goose-Greenfinch-Lapwing-Teal-Moorhen-Shoveler-Reed bunting-Great spotted woodpecker-Wigeon-Lesser black backed gull-Wren-Blackcap-Bullfinch-Coal tit-Magpie-Marsh tit-Dunnock-Grey heron-Chiff-chaff-Swallow-Spotted redshank-Pied wagtail-Shelduck-Avocet-Redshank-Oystercatcher-Little egret-Black tailed godwit-Carrion crow-Osprey-Meadow pipit-Long tailed tit-Goldfinch-House sparrow-Glossy ibis-Mute swan-Feral pigeon-Kestrel-Sparrowhawk-Marsh harrier-Cormorant-Great black backed gull-Little grebe-House martin-Sand martin-Willow warbler-Grey wagtail-Kingfisher-Skylark -Song Thrush.

A mix of heavy down pours and sunshine, but we didn’t get wet, and a great day out was had by all even if we did leave behind the sea odyssey spectacular.

Cheers

Stores & Laura.

Liverpool RSPB's BIG New year birdwatch

After getting up nice and early with a scrapping of ice from the windscreen, it was up to the Speke/Garston LNR for Liverpool RSPB's BIG New Year Birdwatch and the start of many peoples New Year birdlists. Sunday compared to the previous days total washout, dawned cold, dry, sunny, with a slight breeze with little wind chill. 35 intrepid birders joined the throng eager to start the walk, ears pricked binos at the ready.

A great start even before the last boot was laced and the car park left we had seen Blackbird, Woodpigeon, L.B.B.Gull, Goldfinch, Flocks of Starling, a Grey Heron in flight and hunting Kestrel. Walking the path toward Garston shore we spotted Redwing perched in the trees, soon joined by 2 more of the Turdus species Mistle thrush and singing Song thrush. The Kestrel we had seen hunting earlier came to perch in the trees close to the path giving us great views of her sunlit plumage, she didn't seem to be bothered by the gawping humans 20 0dd feet away! Shortly after it was joined by the tercel, male and female together.

A Greenfinch was the last to be ticked off before we moved onto the river birds. Along the shoreline probing the mud ( MERSEY MUD MATTERS -website article) we found Redshank, Cormorant, Herring gull, Black Headed Gull, Curlew, Teal, Mallard, Lapwing, and a magnificent yet menacing Gt.Black Backed Gull. Overhead being mobbed by crows an unconcerned Buzzard scanned the reserve blow. In the breeze swept reeds between the mudbanks and the path Reed Buntings flitted between the stalks, a Wren called out and was duly ticked. Back on the river we had 3 Shelduck bobbed along, quickly out done by a flock of Dunlin, twisting and turning in flight along the shore looking for the best bit of mud to alight on. A Turnstone was observed, doing what it does best, turning stones, piping Oystercatcher completed the picture.

Turning away from the shore scanning the fields around the warehouses, we ticked off Magpie, Collared Dove, and Carrion Crow. And a then at mega for the day the strange distant bird acting like a kestrel turned out to be a Peregrine perched onto the corner of the B&M building, then swooping through the buildings and onto Speke Hall Woods. Spreading out for walk through the marshy grassy area, our stealthy band of 'beaters'! Flushed out a marvellous Brown Hare, a covey of 5 Grey Partridge, a Skylark, a Snipe and a Meadow Pipit.

Moving on to our second stop of the day we re -grouped by Sefton Park Lake (Along with a large proportion of Sunday strolling Liverpudlian families enjoying the sunny weather- the swans, geese and ducks were all well fed that day) The tick list grew, as we added feral Pigeon, Mute swan, Common gull, Coot, Canada goose, Moorhen, 4 gorgeous Little Grebes, and a sprightly lakeside Grey Wagtail. Leaving the lake and into the trees we espied, along with the resident Grey Squirrels and Rats, Blue tit, a good view of a Ring neck parakeet (a first for many of our group), Long tailed tits, Great tits, hunting Sparrowhawk, Robin, Chaffinch, and a posing Jay perched on a branch probably keenly watching where the resident Grey’s were burying their monkey nuts. A Pied Wagtail and 4 Mistle thrush's were on the playing fields avoiding the footballers.

A short walk over to nearby Greenbank Park gave us a Tufted duck, a Jackdaw, another sighting of the Ring necked Parakeet and a handsome male Goldeneye on the lake.

Back to our cars for a quick drive to the Black Woods in Childwall gave us Nuthatch, Coal tit, female Great spotted Woodpecker and male Great spotted woodpecker as "Ged" our Woodpecker expert pointed out at the last indoor meeting 'Red on the crown'! Stock dove and to finish off as the sun was going down we got lovely Brambling.

60 birds in total, not bad for a day in local parks.

BIRD REPORT COMPILED BY CHRIS STOREY THE TICKMASTER!

And a little bit from me!

Laura