App review: The Bird Songs of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East - Sunbird

After using the CD version of The Bird Songs of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East for the last year I was excited by the prospect of having the use of it in App format rather than a little MP3 player, although it’s a pretty hefty download; you've got to take into account it’s holding 2817 songs and calls, at least one picture of each species described (in most cases 2 photographs) and a sightings log to use on the move.

Once downloaded and installed you will be immediately struck by how quick and responsive the app is, there’s no waiting around for pages to load or songs/calls to start, you press the button and away you go. Navigating my way around was extremely simple, you've got three options of main screen and a search function, the default screen is split into taxonomic folders making it easy for you to search for that tacking Sylvia or whooeeting Phyllosc. The design is impressive too; it’s very easy on the eye and clear to see with white text on a green background. Each species has a description; a spectrogram (visual representation of the spectrum of frequencies in a sound) and sonogram are also included as is the option to loop the recording, which is a great function for those trying to memorise new calls.

Most species covered within the App have both a song and call attached, it was a little disappointing to find that some species such as Blyth’s Reed Warbler and Paddyfield Warbler didn’t have the calls attached and only the song was included, for the budding rarity finder that’s at least two classic autumn vagrant vocalizations missing. 

The wiki function doesn’t work unless you are connected to the internet in some way, it takes a while to load and being open content it’s possible for anyone to edit and include wrong information. In short this is a good App, condensing lots of CDs into one package and is great for anyone who doesn't own the set, however there is some very stiff completion out there now and at £54.99 it’s not the cheapest on offer either.

-Joe Stockwell

Joe is 23 and an ex Portland Bird Observatory Assistant Warden. He's a birder, ringer and now living by the sea but not in a lighthouse. He loves finding decent birds, and is currently looking more in depth at vocalisation and how to read bird sounds.

Mark Thomas - My 'NGB years'

I got off the train at Hull, the wind was cutting from the east, I quickly melted in to the crowd of commuters, I had a mission and it was the 10:20 train to Scarborough.

I made the connection; I sat tightly wedged in a corner, giving the best vantage point of everyone else on the train. The conductor came and checked my ticket, he stared at me but didn't say a word then walked away down the train. I was certain someone was going to discover what I was up to.

I should have been 100 miles away and most importantly at school!

There are certain days in your life that are momentous, days that you will never forget, days that make you what you are.

September 13^th 1989 was THAT day for me. I had flirted with the Yorkshire East Coast for a few years, plaguing my dad to take me for the occasional day out birding, once in freezing conditions to see Little Auks off Barmston and another with some ‘grown up men’ from Sheffield when we saw a summer plumaged White-billed Diver off Flamborough (I remember the Peregrine directly over-head just as fondly).

However as a young birder these trips were too infrequent and the ‘coast’ was the holy grail, it taunted me when most of my time was spent birding a wood. Don’t get me wrong Anston Stones Wood was my classroom and hunting down Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers was every moment as tense as a September Locustella at Spurn. I learnt the basics and, most importantly, shared in those experiences with a small band of other young birders, we were ‘openly birders’ at school, we suffered the consequences but wore the badge with pride. School reports were full of rather negative comments from teachers, particularly about period 5-6 on a Friday, this coincided with Geography and all 6 birders in the same class together – this became our ‘cobra meeting’, where we planning the weekends birding adventure, in the wood!

So September 13^th was the culmination of all of that, this was the biggest day of my birding life. Most of my ‘away from the wood’ activities had been at the hands of other people, today I was in control of my own destiny, and it felt just fabulous!

For several days a fall of epic proportions had been taking place on the coast, I had called Birdline each night, secretly from the upstairs telephone – remember that ? I had tried to quickly write everything down but had to call back to get the finer details, millionaires were being made on this habit!

I didn’t tell anyone, next I rang National Rail Enquiries and got all the train details. The adventure was on, I packed my bins and small spotting scope and set off the next morning in my school uniform. I kept telling myself it was a normal day, like hell! – it was Christmas and all my birthdays in one!

I got off the train at Filey and physically skipped along the cobbles at the bottom of Church Ravine. I headed in to the Country Park and sought out the single tall sycamore next to the housing estate, I then began meeting birders. I was at one, in the community, they didn't want to know where I had come from or what I was doing on a school day! I had reached THE tree, I breathed a massive sigh of relief, almost forgetting why I was even there. My daydream burst back to life with the shout ‘showing top right’, there was the most sought after Greenish Warbler ever! I watched it gleaning insects from the underside of the big sycamore leafs, it was calling, it was the field guide and much, much more. 

I remained with the bird for over an hour and then filtered my way along various hedges, taking in a confiding juvenile Red-backed Shrike. I retraced my steps and reached Church Ravine, here I joined another group of birders and enjoyed a Firecrest, Yellow-browed Warbler and a Wood Warbler all together! This really was my best ever day, thoughts turned to getting home and timing that with the finish of school.

Then suddenly the day took a massive turn for the un-expected, only 9 miles away down the coast birders had just found a Booted Warbler at Bempton. I caught the whispers and excitement. Suddenly a tall young birder offered me a lift to the bird, he was going now. I had come this far! I got in the car, he told me what he was expecting the bird to look like and the fact it was a new bird for him, he even asked if I had seen one before – I replied by saying that I was bunking school!

We pulled up and both jumped out of the car, little things like that made my day – I had finally met birders who were adults but acted just like kids! The bird was showing at about 30ft distance clinging to grass stems in a small hollow (dell) in the car park. It was milky tea colour (check the next cuppa you have!) and was rare, very rare! I had connected with this amazing bird because I had actively taken control of my own life - that was far more educational than anything I could have learnt at school that day. I quickly drew the bird in my notebook, the equivalent of the modern day DSLR! The drawing was poor but it didn't matter, it was my proof. I really could not have been any happier, nor could the other 50 people now present, such a positive scene, birds have the power to do that.

The finale was ‘calling in’ at Flamborough where I added Red-breasted Flycatcher and Barred Warred to the day, place and life list ! Both birds in the same garden opposite the lighthouse.

Time had slipped by and suddenly I panicked I was going to be late home from school, no fear this day was not going to let me down in any aspect, my secret driver (Chris Mills) was going back to Nottingham and was happy to drop me at the bus stop in my village on the outskirts of Sheffield on the way past.

I mentally locked myself in my bedroom at home and wrote up the day in my notebook, then promptly hid it! The next day at school, I was on a high!

At a very local level we had a new approach to birding, it took us ALL beyond the wood, on trips with the local RSPB group to Spurn were we all added Isabelline Shrike and thousands of Goldcrests, to being filmed on a TV programme about birding with the late Yorkshire celeb Michael Clegg, to actually being passionate career conservationists.

I am massively in support of NGB and AFON and encourage everyone to help in any small way.

-Mark Thomas
Mark is a Senior Investigations Officer at the RSPB, setting up protection schemes for rare breeding birds like Bee-eaters and also investigating wildlife crime and catching raptor killers. Away from work, Mark spends most weekends on the Yorkshire coast at his birding and ringing site at Buckton. Mark is fascinated by weather and migration. 
https://twitter.com/Bucktonbirder
http://bucktonbirder.blogspot.co.uk/

This week in birding : 20 - 26th September

To see previous week's editions, visit https://twitter.com/NGBirders

"2013 in Birding" A3 poster is available to buy here

-Jonnie Fisk

Jonnie is an 18 year-old Yorkshire-based birder, invertebrate enthusiast and frustrated artist. When not being oblivious to every local rarity, he enjoys autumn vis-mig, the music of Hall & Oates and being distracted by bugs. 

https://twitter.com/jonnie_fisk
http://jonniefiskart.blogspot.co.uk/

This week in birding: 13th - 19th Sept 2014

Drift migs, winter visitors and GGShrikes a precursor of things to come #spoilers

-Jonnie Fisk

Jonnie is an 18 year-old Yorkshire-based birder, invertebrate enthusiast and frustrated artist. When not being oblivious to every local rarity, he enjoys autumn vis-mig, the music of Hall & Oates and being distracted by bugs. 

https://twitter.com/jonnie_fisk
http://jonniefiskart.blogspot.co.uk/

Vanguard Endeavour ED II 8x42 Binocular Review No2

Vanguard optics kindly donated 2 pairs of binoculars to NGB in return for 2 reviews. We decided that the best way to decide who gets one of the pair of Vanguard Endeavour ED II 8x42s is to ask our members to send in reasons why they were the best choice to be given the binoculars. Jonathan Scragg was the overall winner of this poll and reviewed his pair here. The second pair were given to Taylor J Bate who'd had his own binoculars stolen. Here he reviews the Vanguard Endeavor ED II 8x42s.

• ED (Extra-low Dispersion) Glass Made in Japan 
• BaK-4 Roof Prisms with Phase Coatings 
• Fully Multi-Coated Optics 
• Magnesium Fog & Waterproof Body 
• FOV: 378ft @ 1000yds 
• Close Focus: 6.6ft 
• Eye-Relief: 19.5mm 
• Weight: 770g (27.2oz) 

After having my binoculars stolen on a recent trip to the Highlands, I was kindly offered one of a pair of Vanguard Endeavor ED II binoculars that NGB were given due to their new partnership with the company. I had previously heard good things about the model of the Vanguard Endeavor ED range so was very grateful to be given them.

Just as a heads up, I don’t have any prior experience with reviewing optics and will not go heavily into the specifications as frankly I don’t really know what I’m talking about! That being said I know the basics and I am confident that I can recognize a good pair of binoculars when I've seen them and taken them out for a whirl. 

The day they arrived I was overcome by excitement as I signed for and eagerly accepted the box that the postman had brought me, after bringing the box into the living room I set to my task and within a few minutes had it open. Taking the binoculars out of the packaging I was pleased to find that they came with premium lifetime warranty, extremely handy if they were ever to be damaged in the field! The first thing I noticed about the Vanguard Endeavor ED II’s were that they were a tad heavier than my previous pair coming in at 770g, by no means uncomfortable and definitely not the heaviest on the market. The binoculars incorporate what is called an open bridge configuration in their design which makes them comfortable and easy to hold on to, there are also two thumb indents which help you to grip them in a correctly balanced way. Looking closer, the body is covered in a black rubbery surface which is quite hard and I imagine pretty good for reducing impact of blows say the bins are ever dropped when out and about. 

IN THE FIELD
They also fully sealed and nitrogen purged, keeping any water from getting inside and preventing the lenses from misting up. I myself was caught out in the rain a couple of times while out testing the bins and there were no problems to note, although of course I didn’t go to extremes to get them wet - I would advise against doing that no matter how waterproof they are! Optically the binoculars are fantastic for the price range (a competitive 320 – 399 price range) and the retractable eye cups are solid but comfortable. At some point, I spent a little time just sat on a bench at my local patch watching some Wheatears do their thing and was astounded by the clarity and brightness of the image on such an overcast day. The sharpness was also very good and extends almost all the way to the edge of the image, with very little curvature of field that I could notice. The central focusing wheel is covered in a rubbery surface with small spikes attached whic feels great and increases your grip, it is very smooth to turn and it is easy to go from focusing on objects far away to very close in little to no time at all, I found this was very good for alternating between butterflies, moths and distant birds in an instant.

The Vanguard Endeavor ED II’s also has a dioptre adjustment ring built into the right ocular, a feature which I wasn’t aware of in my previous binoculars, this allows you to correctly calibrate the binoculars in case there is any difference in vision between your eyes. You are then able to lock the ring in place preventing it from moving out of place which differs from many other binoculars that are currently on the market. There is also the option to attach the binoculars to a tripod via a tripod adapter if you wanted to, the thread is located by unscrewing the vanguard logo between the two front lenses. The neck strap that comes with the binoculars is very comfortable and the carrying case that is also included is useful as it provides a bit of protection when travelling overseas as it fits perfectly into hand luggage.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I have now had the Vanguard Endeavor ED II binoculars for couple of weeks and can say I am extremely happy with them, I have had no problems and am still astounded by the quality of the image they produce, for the price range they are one of the best choices on the market and I’ve recommended them to several people already, a couple of who had a go with mine and were very impressed. They’ve also come with me to Spain where I’ve used them to watch Raptors and Storks migrating over Tarifa and the Straits of Gibraltar where they have continued to perform brilliantly in the hot and humid climate.

I can say the Endeavor ED II’s are without a doubt the best binoculars I’ve ever owned, from now I will be travelling a lot more from Spain back to the UK and to other countries on occasion and look forward to bringing this excellent pair of binoculars with me.

My Rating: 9/10

-Taylor J Bate
Taylor is a 19 year old tennis player, birder and budding photographer. He spends much of the year flitting between Spain and the UK and dreams of travelling the world.

Tracking the Fea's Petrel

On Sunday 21st September, while OPBs, RBFs & YBWs arrived in Britain, a Masked Shrike munched craneflies at Spurn and Ben MacDui's Snowy Owl sat atop a rock; birders on the North-East coast of Britain managed a huge feat of communication and observation. Andrew Kinghorn takes up the story:

My day started off with dropping my Dad off at the airport to fly back to Qatar (where he is currently working), it was only 5:00AM and I decided I had enough time to drive up to Holy Island and take in the joys it had to offer before heading back to the Durham coastline. I arrived on the island early, had a 30min rest in the car and then headed for “The Lough”, on arrive I was treated to brief, but satisfactory views of the Firecrest, I then located the Siberian Stonechat showing down to around 10m, and finally the Barred Warbler in some nettles by the hide. 

I had enjoyed the morning but found little else on the island, a smattering of Wheatear and a single Redstart were the highlights. As I walked down the Straight Lonnen with high hopes of a stress free morning I got the BirdGuides report through of a Fea’s Petrel flying north past Flamborough, about a minute later I got a report from fellow NGB James Shergold to say that I should go to the headland (Hartlepool, of course!). I rang Mark Newsome (Durham Bird Club recorder, and seabird guru) and asked “how long I had” if the bird was going to go past Whitburn, somewhere in the region of 5-6 hours was the answer, but Mark suggests to wait and see if it went past Long Nab first before getting overly excited. I was calm, but hurried back to the car. My logic was that if I started heading south and there was no further news I could abandon that plan and go elsewhere on the mainland to look for migrants. 

As I started going south the bird then went past Filey, I was not too surprised, its quite close after all...then it went past Long Nab. I was starting to get hopeful now!

Jamie Duffie announced on Twitter he was off to Cowbar to look for it, a good choice of location perhaps? I called in to see Beadnell Birder, a quick coffee and a phone call from Stef McElwee revealed that it was not just the Durham birders getting excited. As I got in the car and headed for Durham I had a decision once I got through the Tyne Tunnel, I was greeted with news the bird had just gone past Cowbar! 

I had a choice, I could either go to Hartlepool or Whitburn, Harry Murphy (fellow NGB) had already been on the phone to tell me not to bother with the Headland, he rightly reminded me that the previous three Fea’s that went past Whitburn all evaded the Headland. For once I was swift and decisive, I was going to Whitburn. 

I rocked up at 12:15 and the Obs was absolutely packed to the brim (with fellow NGB member Kieran Lawrence already inside)! I ran back to the car got my vantage point chair (use it for work) and set up outside the obs with fellow keen Durham lads to start the big sit out. One hour passed and still nothing…then two hours. I was still hopeful, then Stephen Howats phone rang, it was Paul Anderson (DBC chairman), turned out he was at Ryhope watching. He had picked the bird up! Panic stations. Not only was it coming north, but it was coming north fairly close in. 

About 15 minutes later and Mark Harper (world birder – see Twitter) who was sitting beside me shouted “I've got it!”, his directions were sufficient to get almost everyone on the bird pretty quickly, a quick call to Dave Foster who was just north of the obs was made and then the bird put on a superb show in front of Whitburn Observatory for about 20 minutes before flying off north to Tynemouth and St Mary’s Island. A quick call to Alan Curry and Stef McElwee to let them know it was on its way; they were both delighted with the news and connected within 1.5 hours. 

During all of this Dan Pointon and James Shergold were making their way up from Spurn, after it went past the Obs they headed for St Mary’s and missed it by minutes, but thankfully they were still in the car and myself and Dan McGibbon advised they go straight to Newbiggin and head it off there. They did and they were successful. The next stop for the bird was Snab Point in Cresswell village, then it was seen off Druridge Bay, and then Beadnell birder connected at Beadnell Bay (could have stayed for loads more coffee!), then David Steel on the Farnes had the bird go through Staple Sound, and then finally those on Holy Island had the bird flying north past the Crooked Lonnen. This site marked the end of the bird being tracked up the coast, however, during this period a second Fea’s Petrel went north past Whitburn Observatory! Found my Mark Harper, who initially picked up the first bird past Whitburn earlier in the day.

It was not all good news, the bird seemingly avoided going past Hartlepool Headland. This was a great shame, especially considering friends were there looking.

In order of reported sightings:

Flamborough Head

Filey

Long Nab

Cowbar

Ryhope

Whitburn

Tynemouth

St Mary’s Island

Newbiggin

Snab Point

Druridge Bay

Beadnell Bay

Farne Islands

Holy Island



An incredibly exciting experience and a one I won’t be forgetting for a long time, the only downside was that some friends looking and not looking (other commitments/not able to move in time) did not get the bird.

-Andrew Kinghorn

Andrew is 22 years of age, and has been a birder for about 8 years. He is an ornithological surveyor living in County Durham. He has a vested interest in all things birding, however twitching is a passion of his and he loves to see new birds.

https://twitter.com/AndrewFoghorn

http://www.andrewkinghorn.blogspot.co.uk/

'A Sparrowhawk’s Lament' book review by Zac Hinchcliffe

Birds of Prey are like the premiership footballers of the bird world. Whilst anyone who doesn't even like football knows who David Beckham is, non-birdwatchers know of and have some form of interest in birds of prey. I know of countless people who say, "I don’t really like birds, but I like owls". This could be because of their predatory persona being associated with the more exciting things in human existence, for example fighter jets and sports teams (granted both of these primarily feature in America). I do believe however it is because there is a certain awe-inspiring emotion a person is overtaken by when seeing a bird of prey, whether that be a hunting falcon or a soaring eagle.

A migrating Osprey for example is something I have witnessed many times during spring and unlike many other migrants, every single time I get that first confirming glimpse of the shallow ‘M’ wings and pied plumage, I get a surge of adrenaline and am overtaken with excitement. As a bird ringer, I have been lucky enough to handle several species of raptor, including Osprey, and witness their predatory adaptations and complex plumage up close. These birds are truly majestic and incredibly beautiful. Even when holding a seemingly placid chick, you can feel the power lurking within like a coiled snake. I believe this ‘va va voom’ surrounding birds of prey is why David Cobham has spent a lifetime filming and observing this group of birds.
When I was first made aware of ‘A Sparrowhawk’s Lament’, I both didn’t really know what that title meant and also assumed it was a fictional novel or a true story about Sparrowhawks. What I hadn’t realised is that the title was in fact borrowed. Cobham was made aware of a poem written in the fifteenth century of which this book shares its name. The poem’s premise was the thoughts running through a Sparrowhawk’s head and the fear of dying. Cobham was intrigued by the poem as it made him wonder how such an accomplished predator at the top of its food chain would need to fear death.
The book itself was not what I was expecting. Throughout Cobham’s years as an ornithologist and filmmaker saw him document all of the fifteen breeding species of Birds of Prey (not including owls) and in this book, allows a whole chapter for each species.

Two of Three juvenile Ospreys with their piercing orange eyes

The book begins with Sparrowhawk, but then explores the life history of the following fourteen: Osprey, Honey Buzzard, Red Kite, White-tailed Eagle, Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Goshawk, Common Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Kestrel, Merlin, Hobby and Peregrine.
Each chapter goes into real depth about the history of the species beginning with Cobham’s first experience with the species, and then going back in time to the first occurrence of the species in literature. The name of each species if also explored and the meaning behind it including a few confusing names such as ‘Honey Buzzard’ which is the name of a species that isn’t a buzzard and doesn’t eat honey! Following this, the population status throughout the past centuries is explored and sadly, there is a hideous monotony of each species almost being persecuted to extinction in the early part of the 20th century. Of course, this negative is not a comment on Cobham, but the intolerance to birds of prey from our previous generations. Cobham is clearly a fan of literature as he regularly references past poets and writers such as William Shakespeare and his reference of falconry during the goshawk chapter.
With each species, Cobhams includes extracts from his own journals to describe the breeding ecology and life history of each bird of prey. The in depth notes which are taken throughout the time chicks spend in the nest is a fantastically intimate look at this very secretive part of a raptor’s life. Cobham’s descriptive writing ability is fantastic and really paints a picture of what he observes. After visiting a red kite nest myself this year, I was instantly transported back there when I read his description of a Sparrowhawk’s nest at the end of the season: ‘The empty nest with relics of kills. It’s like a battlefield, bones picked clean, bleaching in the sun.’

Juvenile Red Kite just prior to being placed back into the 'battlefield' on a nest

As with almost all of the 15 species, they have all suffered extensive population crashes, with persecution being the main cause. Several reintroduction schemes have been put into operation and Cobham shares a great deal of anecdotes about all of these which proves to be very educational. He interviewed a lot of people for this book and prolonged quotes, again, open up lots of insights into these extremely successful reintroductions.
There is a keen message throughout the book that birds of prey have always had a strong relationship with humans. The chapters featuring Golden Eagle and Goshawk take you through the experiences Cobham has had whilst training and working with falconers birds. Particularly with the Goshawk sections, the process of training shows a very detailed insight into this intriguing past time. Of course, prosecution is a major part of the history of the human-raptor relationship through game keepers attempting to look after their game. Given the recent increased press at the time of writing of 'Hen Harrier Day' marking the start of the 2014 grouse shooting season, it is quite refreshing to read an unbiased chapter on Hen Harriers and looking into the ecology of red grouse and the reasoning behind the illegal hen harrier persecution. Whilst I am completely pro-harrier, I did learn an awful lot about 'the other side' from this book.

Juvenile Kestrel just starting to get some proper feathers

After reading countless scientific papers and reference books, the style in which this book is written took me a long time to get used to as it was written very lovingly and passionately. That being said, there was a huge amount of information in the 272 pages and I learnt an awful lot from it.
The book is illustrated throughout by monochrome impressionistic artwork by Bruce Pearson. The style of these images is very free and really helps to bring the text, in which the illustrations are in reference to, alive.
It is a very well written book and really didn't take me very long to read at all as I was so eager to keep reading. I would certainly recommend this book as both a reference of information and also a book to read for enjoyment. Even if you are somewhat of an expert on certain species of birds of prey, you will almost certainly learn a lot from this book and if not, you will still enjoy it greatly.

-Zac Hinchcliffe
When Zac's not counting birds on patch, he's usually ringing birds on his regular Bangor site or is depressed that he does't have the money or time to twitch the latest big thing. Zac is 22 and currently studying a Research Masters at Bangor University and investigating Welsh Twite; adding a touch of science to his birding.
https://twitter.com/Zac_Hinchcliffe
http://www.zacswildlifeblog.blogspot.co.uk/