Dusky Thrush, Beeley 29th December 2016

The thirteenth UK record of Dusky Thrush turned up in a small Derbyshire village at the beginning of December. This Siberian stray was found by Beeley resident Rachel Jones, who posted photos on the internet. Needless to say, news spread quickly after breaking on Sunday 4th December. I didn't fancy being in a throng of birders during that first week as hundreds descended on the village. I was planning to go the second weekend, but the bird wasn't seen for a few days & when it reappeared I couldn't go. The week before Christmas was very busy at work, so I hoped the bird would stay until after Christmas, when I was on holiday. Fortunately, the Dusky Thrush remained, so I popped over to Beeley this morning.

I arrived on site early afternoon. I did see a couple of birders whilst finding a parking space, but none once I'd exited the car. The reports recently referred to a field on the right along Pig Lane. I started walking along the lane wondering which field? Still no birders. I expected at least a small crowd! I noticed a couple of birders with 'scopes positioned in the middle of a field on the right, so made my way over to them.

They were indeed on the Dusky Thrush. Excellent views were obtained through the 'scope as the bird foraged, at first in the open further up the field, but then closer as it flew down the field to the fence line on the left with trees & bushes, probably about 50yds distance. One of the birders departed leaving just me & another birder enjoying prolonged, repeated views in bright sunshine. As a few more birders arrived, the crowd grew to about a dozen.

Video by Pete Hines

Cattle Egret, Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB 19th November 2016

There's been several Cattle Egrets at Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB for a while now, I think six is the maximum count. I visited the reserve this afternoon with old friend Mark Wotham.

The Cattle Egrets were on view from the Reception area, a few in the traditional pose of perching on top of cattle. One bird was a bit closer off to the left of the main scrape/lagoon. Good views of this bird until it flew back to area behind the lagoon where the other Egrets were with the cattle. We only managed to see four birds for certain & that was only because three were atop cattle & another flew up in the same area.

Lots of other birds about, mainly Teal with some Wigeon on the main pool as well as Black-tailed Godwits, Little Egrets of course, several Whooper Swans mixed in with Mute Swans in the distant fields towards Shotwick Lake, skeins of hundreds of Pink-footed Geese flying out to the estuary marshes. As we made our way along the boardwalk several flocks of mixed passerines including Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatch & Greater Spotted Woodpecker.

As we continued along the path towards Inner Marsh Farm Hide there were a couple of birders peering into the bushes where a roosting Long-eared Owl has been seen recently. After some hard looking I managed to pick out the bird deep in the bush, only really having a view of part of it through a small gap!

Just about in the centre of the photo. The light was going by this time, although the photo makes it looks lighter. Loads of Starlings were coming into roost in the reedbed as we made our way back along the boardwalk, to the sound of a screeching Water Rail, with the light rapidly failing.

Siberian Accentor, Easington 15th October 2016

The second record of Siberian Accentor in the UK was found by local birder Lance Degnan at Easington in East Yorkshire, not far from Spurn, last Thursday 13th October 2016. This followed hot on the heels of the first record on Shetland last Sunday 9th October 2016 found by local birders Judd Hunt & Hugh Harrop. The Shetland bird only stayed two days, so it was somewhat of a relief when the Easington bird was still present this morning. Incredibly, the third record appeared today, Saturday 15th October 2016, at Saltburn in Cleveland found by local birder Damian Money.

I arrived at Easington late morning & strolled along Vicars Lane to the vantage point. There was a steady stream of birders in both directions as I approached. A small crowd was looking over the fence into an open area where the Siberian Accentor was feeding intently. At times the bird came very close to the admiring onlookers, too close for me to focus my bins at one point.

This Siberian waif moved around the whole area, but was closest in the near left corner. The bird was on show just about the whole time I was present. The surrounding trees & bushes were dripping with Goldcrests.

A big thank you to the Spurn Observatory staff/volunteers for organising everything so well. Since most if not all birders would have visited Spurn after seeing the Siberian Accentor, including me, I doubt there's ever been so many birders at Spurn in one day.

Video by Pete Hines

Eastern Crowned Warbler, Bempton 5th October 2016

Photo courtesy Dave Carr @birdphotos007

The fourth record for the UK of Eastern Crowned Warbler was identified at Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve by Dave Aitken & Trevor Charlton, in a small copse close to the car park, yesterday Tuesday 4th October 2016.

News broke early yesterday evening, so this morning I made my way over there, arriving mid morning. There was a small crowd of birders staking out the copse & I gained very brief views almost immediately, but the bird disappeared. A couple of hours later & the Eastern Crowned Warbler reappeared in glorious sunshine in the exact part of the copse I'd been positioned at for nearly all of the two hour wait. It performed for several minutes only a few feet away, so close on a few occasions I was unable to focus my bins.

I spent a short time below the copse & had reasonable brief views at the right hand end, but looking right into the sun.

Crippling views were obtained of this striking east Asian passerine over several minutes from both the left & right ends above the copse. I was positioned primarily near the left hand end, looking down the bank & through a small gap in the foliage with the sun behind. Many other birds were repeatedly using this area including Yellow-browed Warblers (2+), Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests, Blackcap, Robins, Wrens, Tree Sparrows.

Photo courtesy Dave Carr @birdphotos007

A couple of great photos by John Pringle: Photo 1, Photo 2
More great photos by Steve Williams: Photo 1, Photo 2

Previous records:
2009 Durham, Trow Quarry, South Shields, first-winter, 22nd to 24th October (D. Holden, M. Newsome et al.).
2011 Hertfordshire, Hilfield Park Resr, first-winter, 30th October, trapped (J. Fearnside et al.)
2014 Cleveland, Hunley Golf Course, Brotton, first-winter, 30th October to 1st November (I. Kendall et al.).

Brünnich's Guillemot, Anstruther 27th September 2016

A Brünnich's Guillemot was found in Anstruther harbour by visiting birders Alan Lauder & Ken Shaw on their way to the Isle of May last Sunday 25th September 2006.

I made the long drive north yesterday morning after hearing the bird was still present, arriving on site late afternoon. Having parked at the eastern end of the harbour I checked the outer harbour with no joy & couldn't even see any other birders. As I made my way around to the inner harbour my attention was drawn towards a bird on the water close to some moored boats & upon lifting my bins proved to be the Brünnich's Guillemot. I continued around the harbour & onto the pier & obtained excellent views as the bird seemed to be gaining shelter from the wind between the moored boats whilst it preened.

Although I hadn't seen any other birders, very quickly the ranks swelled to about half a dozen. The Brünnich's Guillemot drifted out of view, but was relocated after a long wait very close into the pier a bit further along.

A very big thank you to the guy who saved my 'scope when it blew over in a gust of wind just as the bird surfaced underneath one of the double-hulled boats. Brilliant catch sir!

Lesser Grey Shrike, Plymouth 21st September 2016

An adult Lesser Grey Shrike was found at Plymouth by local birder Duncan Leitch on Monday 19th September. I set off for Plymouth early on Wednesday morning, arriving on site early afternoon.

Vagrant Shrikes often stick around for a while & this bird was no exception. Located along the coastal path between Mount Batten & Jennycliff, only half a dozen birders were on site when I arrived. The Lesser Grey Shrike was on view immediately & for the whole time I was there. It perched repeatedly on the same bush, sallying forth to hunt insects every so often, but always returning to the same spot.

Views were excellent, only spoiled by the slightly poor light conditions with the sun not right behind the bird, but just off to the left. A minor quibble. A lot of the habitat is not viewable from the path, so it was fortunate to be able to obtain such good, close views from along a small path/tunnel through the brambles. Unfortunately, only a few birders could fit in at one time, maybe four, but viewing from the main path through the brambles & birders was possible. The bird was viewable from further down the path looking back, but into the sun & further away.

Being a popular footpath, many people passed by & were interested to find out what all the fuss was about. After managing to see the bird they were intrigued with photos & a little background information.

Western Swamphen, Alkborough 4th September 2016

Last Tuesday, 30th August 2016, a Western Purple Swamphen appeared at Alkborough Flats NR in Lincolnshire. It turns out this is the same bird which graced Minsmere RSPB in Suffolk for a few days a couple of weeks back. I was unable to get time off work to go for that bird & then it did a Friday bunk anyway, so fortunate to have a second chance & a lot nearer home. If accepted as a wild bird, the Minsmere record would be a first for the UK.

Having decided against going yesterday because of what looked like a shedload of rain expected, I set off early this morning & arrived at the Whitton Road car park about 9.30am. As I walked along the path towards the reserve there were a few birders not far ahead of me who had all stopped to look over the reserve & could see the Western Swamphen as it moved to and fro along the edge of the very distant reedbed to the right of the main lagoon in front of a smaller square lagoon behind.

On the left you can see the hide & a small crowd of birders behind on the track. I made my over to their location & joined about 20/30 birders (numbers fluctuated constantly). The Western Swamphen appeared sporadically as it wandered about on the far edge of the lagoon, giving very good, repeated views if rather distant.

Just as I was leaving the site a small film crew arrived & asked everyone if they minded being filmed, which they didn't, but quite a few hastily departed. I spoke with one of the crew & he told me they were from "The One Show" with Mike Dilger & that the film would be broadcast sometime in the next two weeks.

Video by Pete Hines of the bird at Minsmere

Nature Series 9 - 3. The Rainforest Canopy

NATURE SERIES 9 - 3. THE RAINFOREST CANOPY (320kbs-m4a/64mb/28mins)

BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 6th July 2016

With a two metre wingspan, strong hooked beak and four inch talons, harpy eagles are one of the most powerful birds of prey in the world and have been known to attack people who get too close to their nests, so when wildlife cameraman John Aitchison agreed to spend a month on a tiny platform high up in rainforest canopy in Venezuela to try and film a young eagle chick hunting for the first time, it was with some trepidation at what might lie ahead.

John abseiled down from his platform each night to grab a meal and a few hours of sleep, but before dawn he climbed back up onto his tiny platform, just big enough for him and his camera. High up in the rainforest canopy, his neighbours included bellowing howler monkeys, flocks of squawking parrots and colourful butterflies as well as highly venomous snakes and stinging ants. He also had to endure some torrential storms and powerful winds. But his perseverance was rewarded with stunning views across the forest, magical misty mornings, very close encounters with the harpy chick and a most unexpected meeting between the young eagle and a very brave sloth!

Producer Sarah Blunt.

Nature Series 9 - 2. James And The Peregrines

NATURE SERIES 9 - 2. JAMES AND THE PEREGRINES (320kbs-m4a/64mb/28mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 29th June 2016

James Aldred will be familiar to many Radio 4 listeners as 'the tree climber'. As a tree canopy access expert, James spends much of his life travelling across the world and climbing up into tree canopies to film the wildlife there. His accounts have been broadcast in several BBC Radio 4 programmes, most recently James and the Giant Atlas Cedars. But in his spare time when he's home, James loves to head through the woods behind his house and up to the disused quarry to watch the Peregrines that have bred here. In 2015 he decided to keep an audio diary and follow the lives of these birds in his spare time. Historically Peregrines were prized for falconry and it's from here that we get the names falcon for the female bird and tiercel for the male.

On a freezing cold day in early February, James set off for the quarry with his recorder and microphones for the first time, and watched the adult birds patrolling back and forth marking their territory, prior to courtship. Over the coming weeks, James returned to his ringside seat as often as he could to watch these magnificent birds and determine which ledge they would choose to nest on. He followed the birds from winter through spring and summer as they bred and raised their young, as you can hear in this intimate audio diary about one of the world's most iconic birds of prey.

Producer Sarah Blunt.

Nature Series 8 - 2. Arctic Terns at 66 Degrees North

NATURE SERIES 8 - 2. ARCTIC TERNS AT 66 DEGREES NORTH (128kbs-m4a/26mb/28mins)

BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 17th February 2014

In the second of three programmes recorded in Iceland, wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson goes in search of Arctic Terns, which travel here from Antarctica to breed; the longest regular migration of any animal. Some birds travel even further to the Arctic Circle, and so on the summer solstice, Chris takes a 3 hour ferry journey from the mainland to the island of Grimsey which lies on the Arctic Circle to record some of these remarkable migrants.

Scientists are becoming increasingly concerned about the number of breeding colonies which have failed in Iceland in the past decade and Chris hears about the reasons why and what steps need to be taken to help the situation. Often called Sea Swallows because of their overall shape long tail feathers, Arctic Terns are very protective of their eggs and young and aggressive as Chris discovers when he tries to record in their colony. He also comes across Arctic Terns inland at Lake Myvatn, the 'Lake of Flies' "and it’s very aptly named. I had to wear a head net in June as tens of thousands of flies swarmed around me the moment I set foot outdoors".

After recording the haunting songs of Red-throated Divers, Long-tailed Ducks and Black-tailed Godwits, Chris watches Arctic Terns swooping down to pick off flies along the road which the adults can feed on. The programme also reveals how with the latest technology scientists have gained a fascinating insight into the exact migration routes of these birds; "We discovered new stopover areas, we discovered a new southern route but overall the sheer scale of this migration was what was most impressive to us " says Iain Stenhouse, one the scientists working on this project. "These birds are not just Olympic athletes they are spatial geniuses as well".

Producer Sarah Blunt.

Nature Series 7 - 1. Bird Wars On Malta

NATURE SERIES 7 - 1. BIRD WARS ON MALTA (128kbs-m4a/26mb/28mins)

BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 31st July 2012

Twice each year the skies above the Mediterranean island of Malta are filled with the spectacle of thousands of migrating birds. Kestrels, Bee-eaters, Honey Buzzards, Turtle Dove and Quail, among other species fly first north, in the Spring, to the breeding grounds of Europe.

They return south in the Autumn to their wintering grounds in sub Saharan Africa. If their migration takes them over Malta, twice each year they must run the gauntlet of hunters' guns. Many of the migrant bird species are protected, only two species are legal quarry for Maltese hunters.

Investigative journalist Matthew Hill travels to Malta to talk to the hunters about the age-long culture of hunting birds on Malta and to investigate allegations of widespread illegal hunting.

Presented by Matthew Hill
Produced by Lizz Pearson.

Nature Series 6 - 1. Drumming Down

NATURE SERIES 6 - 1. DRUMMING DOWN (128kbs-m4a/26mb/28mins)

BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 5th April 2012

Spring woodlands are loud now with the drumming of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and their familiar head-banging territorial sounds are everywhere in the UK . Numbers of Great Spotted Woodpeckers have increased 250% over the last few decades and they have taken to feeding in garden bird-tables along with Tits and Robins. However, their much smaller cousin, the tiny sparrow-sized Lesser Spotted Woodpecker has declined by as much as 90% in the same period and from 2011 is one of the species monitored by the Rare Birds Breeding Panel.

To find out why our Woodpeckers have experienced very different fortunes, Brett Westwood visits the Wyre Forest on the Worcestershire/Shropshire border. This ancient oak wood is one of the study plots for a 3-year RSPB research project on the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, and one of the best sites to see them in the UK. They are one of the most difficult birds to study because of their size, their attraction to feeding high in the canopy and their huge winter range. A single bird may range over 700 hectares of forest habitat in winter and so is very hard to locate. In Spring they call and drum, making February, March and April the best months to see them, before the leaves are fully expanded. For Nature, Brett Westwood visits Wyre with Ken Smith and Elisabeth Charman, woodland ecologists from the RSPB, to search for the birds and to learn about the results of the survey. Although the decline of the Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers is still shrouded in mystery, some interesting facts have emerged. A third of the broods are deserted by one of the parents, leaving the other, usually the male, to bring up the young. Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers glean insects from leaves and there are indications that climate change may be affecting their prey supplies.

Among woodland birds, "Lesser Spots" aren't the only species whose numbers are falling. Nightingales, Willow Tits and Wood Warblers are also declining sharply which raises questions about the suitability of our woods for many species. But with the rise of the Greater Spotted Woodpecker, also a woodland bird, teasing out the reasons is a challenge for scientists. Brett talks to Rob Fuller, of the British Trust for Ornithology who's studied woodlands for over 30 years, and hears about the complexities of monitoring woods and the birds which live in them.

Producer: Brett Westwood
Editor: Julian Hector.

Discovery - Carl Zeiss: A State Within A State

DISCOVERY - CARL ZEISS: A STATE WITHIN A STATE (64kbs-m4a/12mb/26mins)

BBC World Service broadcast: 15th November 2009

This edition of Discovery examines German partition and reunification as seen through the lens of one of the country’s most prestigious companies, Carl Zeiss. Like Germany itself, Carl Zeiss was divided after 1945 and the history of the two Zeiss factories, both specialising in optical technologies, mirrors post-war political, social and technological separation and subsequent re-unification.

Reporter Tim Whewell charts the history of the company, founded in 1846, which built a global reputation for producing high quality microscopes, scientific instruments, cameras and lenses. Originally based in Jena in eastern Germany, the company was split at the end of the Second World War, with the Americans taking top Zeiss scientists west, to Oberkocken and the peoples' enterprise, V.E.B Carl Zeiss Jena, continuing in the GDR.

Like Germany itself, where early post war hopes lingered that the country wouldn't be divided, both parts of the Carl Zeiss company initially struggled to maintain contact. But the bitterness and mistrust of the Cold War soon created deep political, economic and social divisions and the two parts of the company became bitter international rivals, arguing about who owned the Carl Zeiss trademark on the world market.

But in November 1989, 20 years ago, the Berlin Wall came down and while Germany reunified, Carl Zeiss in Oberkocken was determined that it too, should be reunited with Carl Zeiss in the East. For this Discovery, Tim Whewell, speaks to the key figures who negotiated the subsequent unification of Carl Zeiss, to workers in Jena, many of whom lost their jobs and to current staff and the company's leadership about the impact of this merger.

This edition of Discovery is part of BBC World Service’s 1989: Europe’s Revolution coverage, marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Nature Series 2 - 7. Seabirds - Canaries On The Cliffs

NATURE SERIES 2 - 7. SEABIRDS - CANARIES ON THE CLIFFS (128kbs-m4a/26mb/28mins)

BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 3rd June 2009

Chris Sperring explores declining seabird numbers and asks if it represents a crisis or just a blip.

Visit any windy, spray laden seabird colony in the spring and early summer and every sense is fired by the sound, sight and smell of thousands upon thousand of birds flying to and fro with fish to feed their young that are perched precariously on every ledge.

Or that is how it should be. In many seabird colonies it is now much quieter and many traditional nesting ledges are empty. Seabird ecologists are increasingly concerned about how many species are fledging young, and in some areas none are successful in raising chicks at all.

These worrying signs are increased by looking at the number of birds that are washed up dead on beaches during the winter months. Once the seabirds have left the cliffs in the summer they spend the rest of the year out at sea. But many are now succumbing to starvation and end up washed ashore. There are definitely signs that the North Sea is changing and that seabirds are finding it harder to cope.

Nature Series 2 - 6. Decline In Migrants

NATURE SERIES 2 - 6. DECLINE IN MIGRANTS (128kbs-m4a/26mb/28mins)

BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 27th May 2009

Brett Westwood searches for the reasons behind the declining numbers of many of our migrant songbirds - including the Cuckoo, Turtle Dove and Spotted Flycatcher - and where the birds are most vulnerable.

Speaking to researchers from the RSPB and British Trust for Ornithology, he explores the dual world of our migrants, like the Pied Flycatcher which spends its summers in the lush oak woods in the British Isles but winters in west African savannah woods. For some species, such as the Cuckoo which evolved in Africa, northern Europe is a treasure trove of habitats and food supplies to be exploited, and many of our successful migrants are birds which originated in Africa but then moved north to cooler areas to breed.

Do the reasons for them now being under threat lie here in the UK or south of the Sahara in their winter homes, and will they be able to evolve new wintering or summering areas to compensate for losses?

Nature - A Country Fit For Cranes

NATURE - A COUNTRY FIT FOR CRANES (128kbs-m4a/26mb/28mins)

BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 26th June 2007

Last month a pair of Cranes bred in the East Anglian fens, a remarkable event since their chosen habitat was only created seven years ago. Michael Scott visits Lakenheath Fen to see the birds for himself and talk to the RSPB about the arrival of the Cranes and its effect on plans for future wetlands.

Nature - Spring Songbird Special

NATURE - SPRING SONGBIRD SPECIAL (128kbs-m4a/26mb/28mins)

BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 5th June 2007

As part of the BBC's Springwatch event, Grant Sonnex presents the programme from the RSPB's reserve at Minsmere in Suffolk. Among the reed beds and woodlands, he revels in the voices of some of Britain's finest songbirds and hears about the lives that they lead before their chorus fills the spring air.

Nature - A Hundred Years Of British Birds

NATURE - A HUNDRED YEARS OF BRITISH BIRDS (128kbs-m4a/26mb/27mins)

BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 8th May 2007

Arguably the most influential journal of its genre, British Birds reaches its 100th birthday in June. With the help of leading ornithologists, Brett Westwood looks back at a history which mirrors the growth of birdwatching in the UK. He uncovers the scandal of the Hastings Rarities, the first arrival of the Collared Dove, and the unique legacy of observations in the magazine.

Discovery - Life On The East Asian Flyway - Part Four: The Arctic

DISCOVERY - LIFE ON THE EAST ASIAN FLYWAY - PART FOUR: THE ARCTIC (96kbs-m4a/18mb/26mins)

BBC World Service broadcast: 27th June 2016

After flying thousands of kilometres from faraway Bangladesh and New Zealand via the Yellow Sea, the shorebirds of the East Asian Flyway complete their northward migration. They touch down in the Arctic Russia and Alaska to breed

In May and June, birds such as the endangered spoon-billed sandpiper and red knot fill the air of the Russian tundras with their mating calls and display flights. But why travel so far to raise the next generation

Presenter Ann Jones also discovers why Russian and British conservationists are taking eggs from the nests of the spoon-billed sandpiper, the most endangered shorebirds in the world, in a last ditch effort to save the species from extinction.

Finally, with the mating season finished and a new generation ready to migrate for the first time, we follow the incredible non-stop flight of nine days by the bar-tailed godwit, as it migrates south from Alaska all the way to New Zealand. The record-breaking species is helped by somehow being able to sense the weather patterns across the entire Pacific Ocean.

The series is a co-production from the BBC World Service and Australian ABC Radio National. The sound recordings from Russia and Alaska were provided by the Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Image: Spoon-billed sandpiper chick in Chukotka, NE Russia. Credit: Nicky Hiscock.

Discovery - Life On The East Asian Flyway - Part Three: Yellow Sea North

DISCOVERY - LIFE ON THE EAST ASIAN FLYWAY - PART THREE: YELLOW SEA NORTH (96kbs-m4a/18mb/26mins)

BBC World Service broadcast: 20th June 2016

Can China’s new generation of birdwatchers and North Korea’s weak economy save migratory birds from extinction?

Habitat loss for shorebirds in the Yellow Sea is rapid as the mudflats on which they depend are converted to farmland, factories, ports, oil refineries and golf courses. But all is not lost on the East Asian Australasian Flyway.

Ann Jones travels around the northern end of the Yellow Sea, talking to the world’s leading shorebird researchers and Chinese nature lovers about their concerns for the Flyway’s future. They discuss their feelings for the long distance migration champions of the natural world, like the Eastern curlew and bar-tailed godwit. Ann also meets the New Zealand conservationists who have just emerged from North Korea with good news about the birds.

The series is a co-production from the BBC World Service and Australian ABC Radio National. Additional recordings were provided by the Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Produced by Andrew Luck-Baker and Ann Jones.

The series is a co-production from the BBC World Service and Australian ABC Radio National.

Additional recordings were provided by the Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Image: Curlew sandpipers coming to one of the few feeding sites left for them along the coast of Bohai Bay in northern China. Credit: Ann Jones

Discovery - Life On The East Asian Flyway - Part Two: Yellow Sea South

DISCOVERY - LIFE ON THE EAST ASIAN FLYWAY - PART TWO: YELLOW SEA SOUTH (96kbs-m4a/18mb/26mins)

BBC World Service broadcast: 13th June 2016

Ann Jones flies north to Shanghai as shorebirds from as far away as Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and Bangladesh arrive on the coast of the Yellow Sea.

Here she meets a traditional whistling bird hunter who used to catch shorebirds for the pot but now does it for science. Bird mimic Mr Jin Weiguo demonstrates his centuries-old technique of bird trapping - luring them into nets by copying the different calls of the many different species. Scientists can then attach ID rings and GPS transmitters to follow their migration and estimate their declining numbers. In ten years as a conservation trapper, Mr Jin has caught more than 10,000 birds.

In Jiangsu province to the north of Shanghai, Ann also spots the world’s smallest and most endangered shorebird – the remarkable spoon-billed sandpiper. This species is regarded as the Panda of migratory shorebirds – a charismatic flagship species for the protection of the rapidly disappearing mudflats on which all the migratory shorebirds and local fisher folk depend.

Ann meets the Shanghai birders who set up an NGO to save the most important surviving locations for this bird’s crucial spring and autumn breaks in the Yellow Sea. One 7km stretch of coast, known as Tiaozini, hosts at least 50% of the world’s spoon-billed sandpiper population, which after a precipitous decline now numbers about 200 breeding pairs. Tiaozini is now recognised worldwide as a critical place for the species’ survival. The provincial government has advanced plans to convert Tiaozini into dry land within five years.

Additional recordings in this programme were provided by the Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Producer: Andrew Luck-Baker

The series is a co-production from the BBC World Service and Australian ABC Radio National.

Discovery - Life On The East Asian Flyway - Part One

DISCOVERY - LIFE ON THE EAST ASIAN FLYWAY - PART ONE (96kbs-m4a/19mb/26mins)

BBC World Service broadcast: 6th June 2016

One of the great wonders of the natural world is in deep trouble.

Millions of shorebirds fly from Australia and Southeast Asia to the Arctic every year. They follow the planet’s most gruelling migratory route – the East Asian Australasian Flyway.

Join Ann Jones as she watches wading birds such as curlews, godwits and sandpipers prepare for their epic journey. They fatten up on clams to the point of obesity, to fuel the flight. They grow bigger hearts and flight muscles. Just before departure, they shrink their digestive organs to become the most efficient flying machines for their first 7 day non-stop flight.

The birds’ lives are full of danger and the most serious threats are man-made. The flyway is in peril with many species plummeting towards extinction. As you’ll hear, it’s enough to make a grown man cry.

The series is a co-production from the BBC World Service and Australian ABC Radio National.

Image: Waders readying to migrate north at Roebuck Bay, Western Australia, Copyright: Ann Jones

Iberian Chiffchaff, Telford 17th April 2016

A singing Iberian Chiffchaff turned up near Telford at Donnington Wood last Sunday 10th April. Since these singing birds often stay around for a few weeks, I was hopeful of of this one sticking around until the following weekend. It did! I made my way over to Telford earlier today, arriving mid-morning with the Iberian Chiffchaff on view only a few minutes after my arrival.

Iberian Chiffchaff twitch at Telford

There were about a dozen birders on site, the bird obligingly singing very loudly & frequently as it moved through a wooded area. Several views were obtained, each time seeing the bird singing, which is really the only sure fire way of identifying an Iberian Chiffchaff.

Yes, in there!

My first new bird of 2016 & the first since the Crag Martin at Chesterfield last November. Some good photos have been posted online during the last week, including this one by Andrew Jordan taken today.

Jim Fassett - Symphony Of The Birds

JIM FASSETT - SYMPHONY OF THE BIRDS (wav/324mb/30mins)

UK, CD Trunk Records (PD227): September 2013. Originally released 1960 by Ficker Records

"Jim Fassett teamed up with CBS technician Mortimer Goldberg to create "Symphony of the Birds", which painstakingly assembled bird call recordings compiled by ornithologists Jerry and Norma Stilwell -- the two men re-recorded the bird calls on tapes at varying speeds, then superimposed multiple playbacks on one tape reel to create the album's dense, swirling sound, which Fassett organized into three separate movements in adherence to symphonic traditions. He premiered "Symphony of the Birds" on the "Strange to Your Ears" radio series." - Allmusic

01. Explanatory Comments by Jim Fassett (6:20)
02. First Movement (Andante E Lirico) (6:49)
03. Second Movement (Buffo) (3:08)
04. Third Movement (Misterioso) (4:16)
A Revelation In Birdsong Patterns
05. Cardinal, Mockingbird, Catbird, Robin, Summer Tanager (8:05)
06. Yellow Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Song Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow (4:10)
07. Carolina Wren, Goldfinch, Indigo Bunting, Purple Finch (4:11)

Twitchers: A Very British Obsession

TWITCHERS: A VERY BRITISH OBSESSION (mkv/697mb/1hr)

BBC Four broadcast: 1st November 2010

"Every year, a secret tribe take to the roads of Britain. In the space of a few months they will drive thousands of miles and spend thousands of pounds in pursuit of their prey. Their aim is to see as many birds as possible, wherever that bird may be.

"Welcome to the very competitive world of the twitcher - obsessives who'll stop at nothing to get their bird."

Pallas's Warbler, Heswall 3rd January 2016

Local birder Steve Hinde discovered Cheshire & Wirral's seventh Pallas's Warbler Saturday afternoon at Target Lane next to the Sewage Works in Heswall.

This morning found me standing around in the cold & rain waiting for brief glimpses of the Pallas's Warbler at a distance of about 70yds through a wire mesh fence, looking around other birders. It did come closer to about half that as the mixed flock of Blackcap, Chiffchaffs, Goldcrests & Long-tailed Tits moved along the hedge towards the gate, but they were all very mobile. Hopefully, it'll stick around long enough for better views on a repeat visit when the weather's nicer!

Pallas's Warbler twitch in Heswall

There were about the same number of birders to the left looking over a smaller gate down the lane. Although views from this position were better, they were more infrequent. One of those little portable steps would have been very handy!

My first Pallas's Warbler in Cheshire & Wirral. A very long way from its normal wintering area in Southeast Asia.

The previous six records are:

1980 Bidston Hill, 25th to 26th November, trapped 25th (A. Ormond).

1988 Lingham Lane, Moreton, 28th October (M. R. Gough).

1997 Hilbre, 31st October (H. I. B. O.). Hoylake, 9th to 12th November (M. G. Turner, J. E. Turner).

2005 Congleton, 29th January to 9th February (R. M. Blindell, A. Booth, C. Lythgoe, C. Palmer, M. R. Miles).
2010 Bidston, first-winter, trapped, 7th November (Merseyside Ringing Group).