BirdTrack app

Finally some great news for UK birders with Iphones - there is now a BirdTrack app!

It was released on itunes on Saturday 2nd Feb and finally catches up with everyone with an Android phone who had the app months ago.

So far it looks really easy and quick to add sightings from the field.  I took it for a test-drive round Broom yesterday and adding casual records was a doddle.  I've still got to give the species list function a run through, but that might be more attractive to use if it's as quick as entering casual records.

There are also two extra functions on the app - 'Local Species' and 'Local Hotspots'.  'Local Species' lists sightings that anyone has entered in to BirdTrack and you can their location on a Google map.  Local Hotspots does a similar thing but lists sightings by location first.  These might be the least used function of the app for me, but I guess others will find them interesting and useful.

The app can be found on the Apple store or on Google Play for Android users.

Some Owls

Little Owl

Tawny Owl

I've done a bit of 'Owling'  in the last few weeks.  These are the best of my efforts so far this winter.  Both were taken within 100 meters of each other on the same evening.  They were digiscoped with a Nikon V1, Swarovski ATS 80 HD, and 20-60x eyepiece.  They're not the sharpest shots ever, but were taken without flash on a windy night, so fairly pleasing.

Vismig calls

Here is a selection of calls I've found on the excellent xeno-canto website of the type of vocalisations I've heard species give while migrating.  If you've never given a vismig session a go before listening to these, and remembering them, should give you a great start.

Chaffinch

Brambling
Siskin
Redpoll
Greenfinch
Linnet
Reed Bunting (both call types)
Redwing
Fieldfare
Song Thrush (the first 'tik' call)
Blackbird
Dunnock
Yellowhammer
Yellow Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Pied Wagtail (actually White Wag, but essentially the same)
Meadow Pipit
Skylark
Goldfinch

Scarce:
Corn Bunting (the 'pip' call)
Tree Pipit
Crossbill

Rare:
Hawfinch (the call after 25 secs)
Lapland Bunting
Ring Ouzel
Snow Bunting
Woodlark

Pec

The first 'Pec' for Broom.  Just part of Broom gravel pits great run of birds this year. These include: Purple Heron, Glossy Ibis, Rough-legged Buzzard, Roseate Tern, Spoonbill.  Not bad for a dirty hole in the ground!

A golden pull-over

This view gave me a bit of a startle!  Very grey, white super, and seeminlgy smaller

I got a bit closer and it started to look less good.  There's a hint of gold in the underparts in this view.





It's still grey looking, but the super looks a bit dirtier, and its shape really isn't too disimilar to a normal Golden Plover

It has some old primaries - p10 and p9 certainly look old (I think) which probably best fits a Eurasian Golden Plover

So there you go.  It's a grey looking Eurasian Golden Plover.  Shame as I was really hoping it was an American Golden Plover when I first saw it.  Still, plenty of time this autumn to find one of those locally...

Eurasian Golden Plover, Southill, 29th September 2012.