Jammy Clams - yellow-browed and Treecreepers

THE JAMMY CLAMS.

The Clams decided to head south again for days birding, year ticking and
life ticking for some mentioning no names! Only three clams today - Oily /
Chatty / Bearded. Our missing Clam - Captain Campervan Clam is on soup
kitchen duties in Wolverhampton feeding the homeless, think we should change
his name to Charitable Clam!

We had decided to go for the adult Rose Coloured Starling at was at Hordle
in Hampshire, I hadn't seen one for about 20 odd years and had only ever
seen juveniles' so the chance to see an adult male gave me the incentive to
get up at 0245 in the morning.

We got to Hordle a small village within the New Forest, there were no other
birders present so we starting walking around the housing estate were the
bird had been yesterday, scanning the starlings on the roof tops and oak
trees, no joy so we walked around by the War memorial where it was last
seen. Then right in front of us on the floor, there it was!! BANG, the bird
was about 20 ft away from us feeding on a worm. It then flew up on top of a
gutter about ten foot away so I tried took take some photos off my phone,
got a couple of pictures but I'm definitely not David Bailey!!

Right that was easy and it was now only 07.20am, so feeling liberated we set
off for Eastleigh Country Park for the Hawfinches that were there.

We arrived at Eastleigh at 8.15, no other birders about just a few dog
walkers and fishermen on the pools, looks like we will have to relocate
these as well.

We searched the woods to the left of the pools, no joy! Three Great Spotted
Woody's, 1 Green Woody, Greenfinches but no Hawfinches! We decided to walk
around the perimeter of the pools scanning the trees, we then came across
another birder who said that the birds had been seen in a small copse of
trees just to the left of us, so we gathered around, then a pinging call was
heard... Hawfinches!!! We rushed in between the trees into a small clearing
and there they were, flying between the trees, and one decided to be a show
off and sat in the top of a tree, WHAT A CRACKER!! . We saw a total of 4
birds UTB so where next?? Green Winged Teal.

The Clams decided to head for Faringhton Marshes for the Green Winged teal ,
we arrived at the marshes at about 12 noon after we had stuffed our gobs
with a massive Morrison's Breckie, There were a party of "Bird Spotters" on
the bank surrounding the marsh, we asked if the Teal had been seen, but the
group leader said that nit hadn't so we set up our scopes and scanned the
pools in front of us, Large numbers of Redshank was surprising and Black &
Barr Tailed Godwit's , Dunlin, shellduck, and Teal, but no Green winged !
There were also large numbers of Brent Geese so we scanned through them
hoping for maybe a RB Goose or a Black Brant, but no joy!

Now earlier in the day a Yellow Browed Warbler had been reported in
Worcester, and as two of the Clams NEEDED IT, I said that we can start
heading home and drop into Warnden for the Warbler.

We were nearly at the car when I checked the pager, MEGA ALERT! SHORT TOED
TREECREEPER - Dover!! LET'S GO!!

Punched the postcode in the Satnav - 200 miles!! Off we set, two hours later
and no nails left on our fingers we arrived at the site, we walked down 3oo
yards from the visitor centre too group of 8 birders, it hadn't been seen
for an hour! Scanning across the railway line into a small scrubby area at
the base of the cliffs, we then heard it call, similar to a Dunnocks call,
then one of the birders shouted " I'VE GOT IT ! " we ran to him and got onto
, SEEN IT BANG!! The birds call was the main I.D. Feature but we could also
pick up the browner flanks which emphasised its white throat and breast, we
had views totalling 45 seconds! But with the bird calling it gave us the ID,
so in the BAG!

We stayed for another 45 mins hoping for more views but as the sun was
starting to go down the bird didn't show again!!

What a great day!! CLAM ON!!

Plastic Duck? A Trip to Kent. Saturday 3rd March 2010

We love to go a-wandering ……..

Saturday, March 3^rd

An early morning drive down the motorways 6, 1 and 25; over the Dartford Bridge and into Kent.

Arrived at the village of  Whetstead  with it still dark and as it got light on a dry, misty, windless morning we – The Clams – made our way down the bridleway towards the gravel pits.

Having eventually found them, difficult though that was as the land was flat and paths led off in all directions, three Clams scanned the first pit but no bird.

Last Clam, arriving late due to having taken wrong path, scanned same pit. A phone call to Oily Clam – do you want to see a Hooded merganser?

Message to Birdguides :-

Hooded merganser     Whetstead  Gravel Pits, Kent, 7.15am

Now the merits of this bird will no doubt be discussed by the venerable gents of the BBRC but for insurance we saw it. A female with, through bins, a halo effect of a hood, seen to be as far away from people as possible, almost against the far bank. At least no bread required for this bird. On the list? We’ll wait and see. No 3 red exclamation marks. No escaped leg logo.

Nice to see though and one to compare with the Radipole bird. Now wasn’t that thought to be ‘real’ when it arrived?

Off to Dungeness to seawatch but few birds on the sea. 3 red-throated divers swimming east into the glare being the best. Otherwise a few great-crested grebes, guillemot, kittiwakes and gannets. The ‘boil’ was only sparsely attended by a few gulls.

To the RSPB reserve as the drizzle became rain. How quickly the sun from the seawatch changed to such damp, miserable weather.

At least the centre had friendly staff, coffee and comfort.

A walk around the reserve as the rain receded. Marsh harriers, including a superb close male and at least 6 others, seen well and enjoyed by all. Also seen was the female long-tailed duck – good one for the year list. Tree sparrows too.

Oily Clam, Captain Clam, Talkative Clam and Bearded Clam

Off to Emley, yet another RSPB reserve and by now the sun was back but with a strong wind to accompany it. More marsh harriers, a peregrine, kestrels and a young rough-legged buzzard not too far away sitting on a fence post. It occasionally flew down to the ground to pick up a morsel before landing back on the same post.

Sun going down so homeward bound with lively conversation on the way about the merits of a certain duck……..

Clam on!!!

A Wet Day in Wales - Never!! Yellowthroat UTB for 5 Clams

We were the first car to arrive at Rhiwderin and the first to attempt to negotiate the muddy access to the field adjacent to where the bird had been seen. Four Clams [Clear Lunacy and Madness Society] members, with another Clam in his own car, were in South Wales to look of the reported Mega, a common Yellowthroat.

Still dark, we made our way down the hill to an amphitheatre valley with well grown hedgerows and scrubby margins to await the call of ‘over here’, ‘got it’ or even just ‘oi’!

Other birders arrived in numbers and soon there were two long lines with scopes and bins scouring the bushes, bracken, long grass and bramble patches. Away from the chatting lines, individuals searched away from this area and walked the edges, all hoping to be the one to find the bird. A group gathered by a dung heap. Others by a wet ditch and as time went by and still no bird the search extended to nearby fields and hedges.

Cloudy from the start, with drizzle occasionally, rain started to fall around 10 o’ clock and the Clams decided that breakfast was in order. Brave lads we!

Soon monched up, we headed off for the nearby drake lesser scaup on offer at Cosmeston Lakes. An easy bird to find once the slippery broadwalk and wet mud had been negotiated in the rain. Yet the rain stopped as soon as we saw the drake amongst a group of 40 odd tufties. “Here’s the bird boys. I’ll just turn the tap off.”

Now one of the Clams {Stand up Oilly – Scabby Clam – Jason Oliver} had been one of the young schoolboys who had found the first ever lesser scaup for the Western Palearctic, when he and Alex Barter [The Bear] pointed out a strange duck to two local birders at Chasewater, Staffordshire way back when. A major twitch then ensued and yet now it’s a bird that, whilst still rare, is regularly seen.

Pager alert! Yellowthroat found. I texted a friend, Dave Walker one of the Upton Warren birders, who was still on site. He, more brave than we, had stayed on in the heavy rain and soon texted back to say he’d scored; the bird was on his list.

A dash back to the car, past a tame (countable for the year list?) whooper swan and a quick drive back to soggy fields. A sedate leisurely walk down the hill. Who are you kidding? A mad run down the hill, skidding to a halt in order to join the throng and the bird was soon seen by all Clams, except one who’d had to go back home to get to work. {He returned the next day and saw it.}

2.00pm – over seven hours since we’d arrived and at last the bird was secured, UTB and seen well as it emerged from brambles into a small dryish ditch to give brief views again and again. Like Monty Python’s brontosaurus sketch, this wonderful American warbler was bright yellow at one end, fatter and duller in the middle and bright yellow again at the other end. Birders almost broke out into spontaneous applause when the bird popped up facing everyone on a bramble bridge. Its bandit’s mask and pale pinkish feet standing out, small bill above the bright yellow throat. Happy faces and smiles, even laughter all round as the bird disappeared into the undergrowth, appearing again to jump up and catch a fly.

Off again to try for a Bonaparte’s gull in Cardiff but despite searching through the railings of the perimeter fence to the inaccessible water works and hundreds of black heads no bird was seen.

Down to the path adjacent to the muddy waters of the Severn Estuary – Bristol Channel with more gulls to scour. With the sun going down on our chances of yet another Yankie, three in a day was to be too much and we headed back home with two.

The Clams Head South Again!

Paddyfield Warbler

And we're off again - Scabby JAson Oliver]/Chatty [Tom Cattell] and Bearded [Anthony Barter] yet no Campervan as he was on work party duties at Upton Warren.

After a 3.30am start and a cautious drive down through the snow, we arrived at Pagham Harbour. It was minus 3 degrees, with a wind chill making it more like minus 10! There were about 30 birders gathered [flocked together for warmth] on the North wall of this fantastic tidal reserve. Later we found out that the RSPB has taken over management duties as from the 3rd of February. [Brilliant - I hope it counts as another RSPB reserve - Biking Birder 2010 aka Campervan Clam]

There had been no sign of the paddyfield warbler yet this morning so everyone gathered around the small reedbed where it had last been day the previous day. We dug our heals in and prepared ourselves for a long wait. Luckily the reedbed habitat gave us bearded tit performing for our pleasure right in front of us, with 100s of brent geese wheeling overhead and large numbers of wildfowl, [wigeon, teal, pintain and shelduck] and waders feeding right behind us. Great close views of bar-tailed godwits, dunlin, redshank, ringed and grey plovers.

A shout from someone 100 yards to our right. Someone had the bird. 'Scopes carried we ran to the spot but as we approached the bird flew up from a nearby hedge over to a small reedbed and Chatty and I [Scabby] had no views. Bearded only saw it in flight. At least we all knew it was here and time would give us the prize.

Time - well two hours went by and our hands were dropping off from the cold. [Memories of the American Bittern dip at Marton Mere so many years ago]. Another shout! 200 yards off in the other direction and another mad rush to get there. Greeted by Garry Bagnell who was on the bird, we settled down to watch it ourselves. UTB!

The warbler performed for us down to 20 fett for about 5 minutes. Excellent views and all salient features duly noted.

Breakie and plans for the rest of the day. Faces stuffed and off to Black Down for the possible parrot crossbill. There hadn't been any news of the bird on the pager and we soon found out why. As we tried to get up the Downs the roads were getting more and more treacherous with snow and driving up Scotland lane we had to turn around as the Clam-mobile couldn't get through. So we decided to head on for the cattle egret at Warblington as we  all needed it for the year [Do You NEEEEEEED it?]

We arrived at Warblington at around 13.00 with no other birders present and no reports of the bird either, so we checked out the fields surrounding the church. Just black-headed gulls with a few cows. Behind the church another unchecked field and there it was. Cattle egret on the list.

Just a short ride away was Hayling Island and shore lark and snow buntings on offer. We arrived there and was greeted by the RSPB warden who was looking at the lark. Smashing looking bird, one we hadn't seen for years and 12 black-necked grebes just off shore. Another cracking clamtastic place with turnstone, curlew, dunlin and oystercatchers feeding along the shoreline.

Low cloud and low light, Bearded Clam was desperate to try for a water pipit, his bogey bird lacking from his life list. There had been some reported at Test marches so off we headed for Southampton.

40 minutes later we arrived there and a local birder told us that the bird[s] would be pretty impossible due to the bad weather. Instead we dashed down to Southampton Docks for the reported glaucous gull. Dodging the traffic we arrived at Royal Dock and started looking through the large gull flock. Another birder picked up a superb black-throated diver so yet another year tick for us all. 10 more minutes and there it was, glaucous gull - BANG!

Another clamtastic day for The Birding Clams!

Lonely Clam!

Campervan Clam here. I didn't get to go with the mega hungry clams this Sunday. They clammed their way to see a host of avian goodies; paddyfield, cattle egret, shore larks etc.
I was at Upton Warren with the dedicated few, bemoaning the new Flashes hide come shed. Now these lads and possibly myself deserve praise and a decent hide for being out in 4" s of snow carrying out a work party. Clearing some overhanging branches from the pathway before unfortunately finding 2 large holes in the fox proof fencing around the Flashes. Mind you compared to the awful fencing placed by our new hide.....
Clam on lads!

Hello there fellow birders.

We are The Clams. A group of 5 dedicated birders who want to tell of the fun that's had by birders across the World, especially by us!

We'll be adding birding tales as we charge across these wonderful isles in search of its gems.

Already this year [2012] we've had over 125 bird species including Lesser whitefront, ring-necked duck, western sand, arctic redpoll, spanish sparrow, dark-eyed junco, fudge duck, richard's pip and ring-billed gull.

We'll be adding photos as well as trip reports. generally I hope we all have a great time. As good as the vibes in the car as we move from bird to bird.

Great people - great CLAMS [Clear Lunacy And Madness!!!]