Iceland - a destination for all seasons

So far this year I have visited Iceland in Februray, March, May and June, leading tours for Naturetrek. I am lucky that my brother, Simon, lives with his wife Lara near Reykjavik - I have a home from home when I need it!

It is an amazing country, close to the Arctic Circle and positioned mid-way between Europe and North America. It is geologically fascinating, with active volcanoes and a wealth of geothermal sites. Vatnajokull is Europe's largest glacier but there are several more dotted around the island. Ongoing volcanic activity, glaciation, extreme weather and the sea have combined to produce an incredible landscape. Black lava flows crunble into the raging Atlantic, tumultuous waterfalls cascade over towering cliffs and snow-topped, precipitous mountains give way to vast sand plains. I can honestly say that it is the most impressive scenery that I have seen anywhere in Europe.

Icerbergs on black sand beach, near Jokulsarlon

And Iceland has a unique atmosphere; the viking heritage lives on in a fiercely independent culture. With a total population under 300,000, there are vast wilderness areas where birds dominate. There are relatively few species compared to the UK but the sheer abundance of breeding birds in the short sumer is astonishing. There are several species that have their most important breeding grounds in Iceland, a few that breed nowhere else in Europe. Winter is the best time to look  for Gyrfalcon, the largest Falcon in the world.  Finally, Iceland is the premier whale watching location in Northern Europe, where sightings of Minke, Humpback and Sperm Whales are very likely.

Jokulsarlon

19th Century Church

Roadside waterfall

Winter

There are two different winter tours, one to the north-east around Lake Myvatn and the other to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in the west. We witnessed the Northern Lights in both places. The scenery is arguably better in the far north, where we had heavy snow. The lake itself is warmed in places by underwater thermal springs and some areas remain free of ice.

Godafoss

Lake Myvatn

Spring/Summer

This is the only time to visit Iceland for serious birders - there are breeding seabirds and waders everywhere! During back-to-back tours, I travelled all the way around Iceland along route 1, the main ring-road. Perhaps my favourite area is the east coast because it is so wild and relatively unknown. The most exciting birding was around Lake Myvatn and the whale watching from Husavik was superb. Snaefellnes has a unique atmosphere and taking the Laki Tours boat from Olafsvik, we had close encounters with huge male Sperm Whales. I appreciated having Mike Youdale as co-leader on the second tour, he's an excellent birder and good company! I am due to return to Iceland this autumn, when the Northern Lights should again be visible and flocks of migrating geese can turn up anywhere.

Red-necked Phalarope

Tail fluke of  Humpback Whale

Long-tailed Duck

Common Eider

Tanzania - January 2016

Northern Tanzania is a classic safari location where Lions, Leopards and Cheetahs hunt huge herds of Wildebeest, Zebra and Gazelle. I have made two trips to Ethiopia, which is an amazing country with a wealth of wildlife. However, it does not have large herds of game and big cats are very hard to find. So when I was asked to fill in as leader on the Naturetrek Tanzania Highlights tour, I didn't hesitate!

Lioness - Serengeti

We flew into Kilimanjaro and met up with our driver/guides, Yusef and Leakey. They were very experienced and it was real pleasure working with them throughout the tour. We spent our first full day in Arusha National Park before three nights in Tarangire. After a short visit to Manyara, we travelled farther west, left the tarmac road behind  and continued on to the vast plains of the Serengeti. Our tour finished with three nights in a lodge overlooking the incredible Ngorongoro Crater.

Tarangire is famous for its Elephants and we were able to approach very close in our landcruisers. We saw mainly females with young of varying sizes. We had great views of Banded and Dwarf Mongoose as well as many Rock Hyrax. One of the highlights was a majestic Martial Eagle, perched in a roadside tree.

Manyara is famous for its tree-climbing Lions but we saw only a frustrating silhouette in a tangle of branches - we were to get much better views at Serengeti. However, the wetland birds were superb, including a frenzied feeding flock of Black Herons.

Serengeti means "endless plains" in the Maasai language and it is a genuinely awe-inspiring sight. As we drove through Naabi Hill Gate, a vast panorama was revealed, where herds of game number in the thousands. Lions and Hyenas can be seen loping along or resting near the roadside. We saw a total of three Leopards, all in the same afternoon. However, the highlight of the whole trip was when we were able to photograph a pride of Lions, resting in a large acacia tree.

We visited at the end of the short rains and many of the Zebras and Gazelles had small young. Near Lake Ndutu, we watched a Cheetah stalk down a baby Grant's Gazelle, as its helpless parent looked on. At the lake shore, we came across a herd of Wildebeest trying to cross; we followed them for some time as they repeatedly charged into the shallows, only to give up and return again to the shore. More relaxed were the Maasai Giraffes, who fed in the woodland around our tented camp; they are so impressive when seen close up!

Ngorongoro Crater was a fitting finale and here we saw our  only Black Rhino of the trip. We drove down each morning into the huge caldera and spent hours driving around the crater floor. We were lucky to witness the birth of a Wildebeest, which was on its feet and following its mother within five minutes of being born!

Ngorongoro Crater - view from rim

The Gambia - January and March 2016

January and March - The Gambia

I flew out of London Gatwick on the morning of January 1st, leaving winter behind to land in the warm sunshine of Banjul, capital of The Gambia. The smallest country on mainland Africa, it was established around the mighty Gambia River and played a key role in the slave trade. The people are very warm and welcoming, despite the fact that many struggle with poverty. The culture is fascinating, with the Muslim faith being combined with many aspects of  older, traditional beliefs and rituals. Tourism is central to the economy, along with fishing and agriculture.

Mandina

We stayed at the Mandina Lodges, an exemplary eco-tourism project that sits on the shores of a mangrove-lined tributary of the Gambia River and in the middle of the Makasutu Cultural Forest. Canoe trips along the Mandina Bolon enabled us to get very close to herons, egrets, waders and kingfishers. The forest held a fantastic variety of birds, including several species of both bee-eaters and rollers. All of our local guides were superb; as well as paddling the canoes, they took us on many walks through the forest and surrounding agricultural areas.

White-throated Bee-eaters

African Darter

In March, I was lucky enough to return to Mandina with a group that included John Barnett, an old friend with whom I had lost touch for over twenty years! We broke the Naturetrek record for this tour, seeing a total of 194 bird species during the week. Mammals are less in evidence but it is possible to get very close to the troop of Guinea Baboons that frequent the forest. 

Big thanks to Lamin Jarju and Alagie Bojang, who worked with me on both tours.

Guinea Baboon

Pilgrimage to Skomer

Common Guillemot

Pembrokeshire offers fantastic wildlife watching amidst atmospheric coastal scenery and the islands off the western Marloes peninsular are the jewel in the crown. The three islands are home to huge breeding colonies of seabirds.  Grassholm is the farthest out and home to 78,000 Gannets. Next is Skokholm, which hosts 20% of the European Storm Petrel population. Closest and easiest to visit is Skomer, which has a regular boat service throughout the spring and summer.

The boys and I visit Skomer every couple of years. On the short crossing, the water is alive with feeding auks and the cliffs echo to their raucous calls. Thousands of Guillemots and Razorbills are constantly flying in and out to feed their young. At the Wick, hundreds of Puffins visit their burrows and will sometimes walk around your feet. Added to this are breeding Raven and Chough, the latter usually sweeping around the eastern cliffs.

Puffin

Skomer is best known as home to about half of the entire world population of Manx Shearwaters but as they only come to land under cover of darkness, they are seldom seen on a day trip. This year, though, we found one dangling by its leg from a wire fence,  with several gulls in close attendance. I managed to free it and after an abortive flight it struggled into a burrow and relative safety. Conor stayed overnight with a friend who is carrying out research on the island so he was able to witness the nocturnal visits of literally thousands of Manx Shearwaters to their breeding burrows.

Common Guillemot

Photos from Spring Birding in Sicily with Naturetrek

In early May, Dave Nevitt  and I led a very successful Naturetrek tour to the south east of Sicily. We greatly enjoyed the company of our enthusiastic group, staying in a big farmstead near Syracuse which was set amidst beautiful countryside.  During a busy week, we visited several coastal sites as well as Mount Etna. Common species around the farm and its vineyards included Turtle Dove, Nightingale, Sardinian Warbler and Tree Sparrow. Of course, we also found many more breeding birds and passage migrants along the coast. Highlights included Slender-billed Gull,  Audouin's Gull, Rufous-tailed Bush Robin and Great Spotted Cuckoo. Equally memorable were the incredibly close views of breeding waders! 

It is difficult to take photos when leading a tour so I am very grateful to Peter Spillet for the excellent photographs included in this post. 

Summer Solstice in Hampshire

A great day yesterday in the New Forest (and Salisbury Plain) featured butterflies as much as birds - it really felt like summer on a hot, sunny day in two of my favourite areas of England.

We spent several hours watching raptors: 5 Goshawks, 3 Red Kites and a juvenile Peregrine were the highlights (sadly no Honey Buzzards). Redstarts and Woodlarks in the New Forest were beautiful but the butterflies stole the show! Amongst the commoner species we found Silver-studded Blue in the Forest then White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary and White letter Hairstreak  in Bentley Wood.

Great catching up with Paul and taking my son Conor with us too.

Naturetrek in Abruzzo Week 2 - Apennine Wolf!

Typical scenery in Abruzzo

Our second group thoroughly enjoyed another excellent week in the stunning mountain scenery around Pescasseroli, in the heart of the Abruzzo National Park, Italy. The hospitality provided by Marco, Geraldine and all the staff at the Albergo Paradiso was much appreciated. The weather remained largely dry and sunny with occasional heavy showers that did not dampen our enthusiasm!

Those who rose at 5am to join Jessica and me on the early morning mammal watches from Gioia Vecchio were finally rewarded (on Day 5) with exceptional views of two wolves. Having had brief views of a Marsican Brown Bear walking across a clearing, I was scanning hard when two Apennine Wolves walked out of the forest and stopped for about 3 minutes, interacting in a playful manner that belied their undeserved negative reputation. We watched them through the 'scope until they sauntered along a path across a clearing and back into the trees. It was one of those special wildlife moments when time seems to stand still; prolonged views of Apennine Wolf are very unusual and those present felt very privileged.

Sunset at Gioia Vecchio

The Apennine Wolf (Canis lupus italicus) is also known as the Italian Wolf. It is a sub-species of Grey Wolf, differing both morphologically and genetically from other races (like the more widespread Eurasian Wolf). It inhabits mountainous areas across the Appenines and western Alps, though it is undergoing a process of expansion towards the north and east. Recent estimates put the total population at 500 individuals. It has been strictly protected in Italy since the 1970s, when the population reached a low of 70-100 individuals. The population in the Abruzzo National Park is estimated at just 50 individuals.

The spectacular scenery of the Val di Rose was considered by most of the group to be another highlight of a memorable week. The local Apennine Chamois (like the Apennine Wolf, a separate race unique to Italy) were very confiding and birds included Goshawk, Alpine Accentor, Black-eared Wheatear and Alpine Chough.

View from the top of the Val di Rose

Apennine Chamois

A lot of our time was devoted to seeking out unusual flowers in the different valleys around Pescasseroli; once again Jessica was able to locate a stunning array of over 30 Orchids in various locations.

Lady's Slipper Orchid

Bertoloni's Bee Orchid

The Abruzzo National Park is an amazing location for wildlife and one to which I could happily return again and again!

Naturetrek in Abruzzo Week 1

Near the top of Val di Rose

The first week in Abruzzo is over and we have now returned to our hotel in Pescaserolli from Rome with the second group. 

The weather was generally good - lots of warm sunshine interspersed with occasional thunderstorms! Our lovely group were enthusiastic about every aspect of Abruzzo's special flora and fauna which made the week hugely enjoyable. We were usually out by 5:30am to look for mammals before breakfast then out walking all day finding an exciting range of  flowers, insects and birds. Just three of us were lucky enough to see a Marsican Brown Bear but everyone enjoyed extended views of large groups of Red Deer and Wild Boar throughout the week, along with ridiculous numbers of voles and mice! The variety and abundance of orchids was stunning and a total of 32 butterfly species were seen.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Mammals
Marsican Brown Bear
Abruzzo Chamois
Wild Boar
Snow Vole

Plus lots of Red Deer, Roe Deer,  Brown Hare etc.

Birds
Golden Eagle
Long-eared Owls (2 Owlets with adult)
Middle Spotted Woodpecker
Wryneck
Crag Martin
Water Pipit
Alpine Accentor
Black-eared Wheatear
Bonelli's Warbler
Red-backed Shrike

Plus lots of Redstart, Black Redstart, Firecrest, Chough, Tree Sparrow and Cirl Bunting.

Long-eared Owlets

Butterflies

Southern Scarce Swallowtail
Swallowtail
Wood White
Berger's Clouded Yellow
Mazarine Blue
Adonis Blue
Spotted Fritillary
Lesser Spotted Fritillary
Heath Fritillary
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Large Wall Brown
Clouded Apollo

Southern Scarce Swallowtail

Flowers
Lady's Slipper Orchid
Adriatic Lizard Orchid
Bird's Nest Orchid
Berteloni's Bee Orchid
Late Spider Orchid
Military Orchid
Green-winged Orchid
Lady Orchid
Toothed Orchid
Burnt Orchid

Lady's Slipper Orchid

Best bird in March

Maybe surprisingly, March was not as productive as February. The best bird was without doubt the Great Spotted Cuckoo at Penally in Pembrokeshire. I have missed out on this species several times over the years and had not seen one since a trip to Spain in the Spring of 2004. By the time I had a chance to start digiscoping, the light was fading fast so I was restricted to a few "grab" shots just before it flew to roost...

The only other unusual species during March was a Spoonbill that I found whilst carrying out my WeBS count at Goldcliff, Newport Wetlands NNR. The year list at the end of March stands at 140...a long way to go!

Walking in the Black Mountains - Grwyne Fawr

I am trying to keep up with my preparation for the Wye Valley Walk by getting up into the Black Mountains near Abergavenny. 

Today I set off along the Grwyne Fawr River, then up past the reservoir of the same name and into the hills above. The uplands were alive with displaying Meadow Pipits and Sky Larks, with constant song throughout the walk. Best birds were a pair of Dippers on the lower river and a Red Grouse near Twyn Talycefn. 

This walk is 10 miles in total with a height gain of 450 metres. 

Best birds in February

Despite the wet and windy weather, my year list has moved onto 132. Highlights this month:

Humes Leaf Warbler
Parrot Crossbill
Red-flanked Bluetail
American Wigeon
Ross's Gull

The Ross's Gull is my pick of the month - only the second I've seen. Paul, Carolyn and I had to make two trips but eventually had great views of a proper arctic species.

Red-flanked Bluetail

Having driven through Warwickshire to Nottinghamshire on Sunday to see Hume's Leaf Warbler and Parrot Crossbills (with Paul and Pete), early this morning I joined many other birders to see the Red-flanked Bluetail that was found yesterday near Marshfield in South Glos. This is the first ever winter record of this beautiful species, which breeds on  the Russian taiga. I may well return at the weekend for more photos, having failed to capture the blue tail! Total species for the year stands at 126.

Butcher Bird in the Forest

This is what remains of a Wren that has been impaled on a twig by one of the two Great Grey Shrikes that are wintering in the Forest of Dean. A bit grisly but fascinating to see this classic behaviour from a "butcher bird", the old English name for shrikes. Other recent prey species have included Blue Tit and Goldcrest but this species also feeds on small mammals and insects. Despite its ruthless behaviour, it is a beautiful bird when seen perching prominently in winter sunshine.

Conor, Paul, and I were in the Forest before dawn this morning. Paul quickly found a distant Goshawk silhouetted against the rising sun. The cold, calm morning provided a classic range of winter forest birds; a large finch flock included over 50 Bramblings and at least 30 Hawfinches. Siskin flocks were joined by a few Common Crossbills but we saw no Two-barred Crossbills...though annoyingly, 4 were reported after we left!

Arguably the best bird we found was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker; it's an indication of how scarce this species has become that we were seriously excited when we heard drumming followed by the shrill, repeated call of this diminutive woodpecker. We struggled to find it among the tangled branches but eventually we saw one bird, though we thought there was probably a pair.

As we walked back to the car, it was good to see 10 Buzzards soaring together, taking advantage of  the first calm and sunny day of 2014. My year list stands at 105 species; not bad after just 11 days.