Birds of South Downs National Park 

Sussex UK

 

South Downs National Park (SDNP) 

The chalk cliffs at Birling Gap provide excellent breeding cliffs for Peregrine Falcon. The high sheer vertical faces, with shallow ledges, also provide protected nest places for Raven to built nests. These are then commandeered by the falcons, providing a perfect aerie, secure from mammalian predators. 

April 19, 2024: Today the Peregrine tiercel was observed flying out to sea whilst many Barn Swallows could be seen migrating north over the English Channel and the breeding cliffs.

Could this be a trait evolving into Eleonora Falcon like behaviour, feeding their young on birds migrating?

Peregrine Falcon

The short grass and thick shrub with gorse provides an attractive habitat for heath dwelling birds and produce healthy populations of Whitethroat, Linnet and Skylark. Wild flowers such as the cowslip thrive on the downs amongst the grass on the sheep pasture.

Cowslip

The northern ridge of the English Channel forms the coastline of southern England. Migrating birds moving North in spring bring concentrations of night time migrants crossing the channel. They then stop, rest and refuel after their long journeys - the final stage of which is over water. The first landing opportunity is the Sussex coast. 

Early morning at this time of the year the cliff top pastures can be covered with feeding birds and birders. Occasionally, unexpected species like the Hoopoe can be observed amongst them.

Wild Poppy

Hoopoe 

Back in the 18th century bird catchers would exploit this once per year food source opportunity and span their nets to catch them and sell them at market. Biologists visiting these food stalls became increasingly aware of the diversity of species. Many were unusual or not breeding birds of the United Kingdom. Early ornithologists pursued the phenomenon, to discover that some had in fact overshot there breeding range, during their nocturnal migration.

Many enthusiasts were keen to collect data recording the numbers and species and this led to the modern pastime of birdwatching. An entire industry has developed around birding activities aided with identification books and equipment, software applications and smartphones. In addition, huge global databases have been established to support the science. With so many reporting systems from enthusiasts and biologists this has resulted in improved bird protection.

Rock Pipit

Sheep pastures with short grasses provide habitat for ground dwelling animals and birds, but the Rock Pipit will always be found on the seashore.

Stonechat

Whitethroat

Meadow Pipit

Kestrel

 

Wood Mouse 

An abundance of birds on the cliffs and top pastures, provide ample prey for raptors like the Peregrine. Kestrel are also well represented taking mammals and small birds. Seen below hovering in characteristic anchor position searching the ground for mice.

The European Skylark are in decline in most of Continental Europe. Here in the Park they

are well represented.

Skylark

Hoopoe

          

                          Hoopoe

SDNP - where spring migration occasionally brings Hoopoe.

The South Downs National Park is always a beautiful place to be with Peregrine Falcon breeding on the chalk cliffs in spring, and Skylark singing in the summer. In autumn the wild poppies bloom with the deep throaty caw of Raven drifting out over the cliff tops.

Brazil bird mystery

A Narrow-billed Woodcreeper 

The Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, a resident of Brazil's Pantanal region, has a distinct head pattern separating it from other woodcreepers. Although there are an additional eight subspecies, all on the South American continent, this Brazilian specie is a resident of cerrados.

Cerrados are the most biodiverse tropical savannas in the world, containing 5% of all plants and animals, only found in central Brazil and parts of Paraguay. Only the Amazon rainforest, surpasses the cerrados as home to 10% of the world's plants and animals. Despite the nation's agricultural prowess in producing tons of soya, there is a concerted effort led by Brazilian conservationists to preserve these unique habitats holding massive genetic reserves. 

The Narrow-billed Woodcreeper is one of South America's endemic bird species like the others of Genus Lepidocolaptes. This genus forage vertically, climbing up tree trunks, gleaning insects and small vertebrates from their bark. Although this woodcreeper is known to frequent areas of human development where it has be observed feeding on moths around street lights in the early hours, the individuals below were photographed in the remote region of Lago de Serra da Mesa, a location reached after many hours off-road at the eastern corner of Brazil's largest lake. 

Gnatcatchers

The family Polioptilidae or gnatcatchers is comprised of three genera with 21 species, the largest genus being Polioptila with 17 similar species.

Polioptila are represented in Brazil by the Masked Gnatcatcher, a delightful and tiny little bird constantly on the move, challenging to photograph, but so much more rewarding when you do! My experiences chasing its cousin on the North American continent the Black-tailed Gnatcatcher proved to be essential training. Both species weigh only 5 grams and must constantly glean - sometimes hover gleaning the abundance of tiny insect food found in the tropics.      

 

Male Masked Gnatcatcher

  Female Masked Gnatcatcher (note facial markings)

Other Brazilian ultralights

There are many birds, let's call them ultralights (drawing on a term from aviation for convenience), in the tropics. Both of these tiny birds, weighing only 5-6 grams, have evolved to exploit the abundance of food in a warm and wet environment. Insects sustain the Masked Gnatcatcher while nectar and insects sustain hummingbirds.

Many flowers provide high octane nectar for these remarkable birds. Continuing with the aeronautic mechanical analogy, hummingbirds are unique, with a high revving motor, hearts beating at 50 to 80 times a second, and a rigid wing design except at the shoulder joint which allows the bird to move in all directions - including flying backwards as demonstrated by the Glittering-throated Emerald below.

The gorgeous Swallow-tailed Hummingbird is fast - very fast - and to make life difficult for the photographer does not frequent a particular flower as a food source, but rather feeds largely on flying insects high in the canopy. After chasing the elusive hummingbird for months, the best I could deliver are these two inferior photos.   

On my way home one morning while leaving Olhos D'agua Park in Brasilia through the dense jungle area, this little fellow, a Glittering-throated Emerald, performed his backward flying act right in front of me while collecting nest material.

Glittering-throated Emerald

Next post from my Brazil adventure

Brazil and the Tropics

Escaping the European energy crisis in paradise

A unique opportunity to escape to south of the equator and exchange a UK Winter for summertime in Brazil became just too good to resist. Back in 2012, our Brazilian colleagues came to Hove to study English staying with us for a couple of months. 

Blue and Green Macaw

Now cashing in on a decade old rain check, we were heading down to the Southern Hemisphere and a tropical paradise. In the Tropic of Capricorn the jungle is alive, the weather is warm and the daily heavy tropical cloud bursts only last a few minutes.

Tufted Capuchin Monkey

Parque Ecologico Olhos D'agua Brasilia 

Brasilia has many natural parks, and near to my abode in the ASA Norte or North Wing, is the gorgeous Olhos D'agua Brasilia ecological area which is about the size of Central Park. 

A ten minute walk away, made for an easy and enjoyable early morning start. Sunrise was beautiful and after 30 minutes the angle of the sun was just perfect for photography.

Elsewhere Brazil's capital city is surrounded by a large expanse of cerrado and tropical savannah which has been preserved in its natural state and designated Parque Nacional de Brasilia. Except for one side where the entrance is, this has been made into a water park, with sports education centers very popular with school children, the vast area of 42,000 ha. (163 square miles) has been skillfully left to remain pure cerrado. 

Established by Presidential Decree in 1961 as part of the original design of the city, Brasilia National Park is the largest park in an urban area in the world. A unique wilderness, it continues to provide habitat and refuge for the threatened Mane Wolf, Cougar,Tapir, Giant Anteater, Jaguar and over 200 bird species.

Excursions from my Brasilia base made into the interior of the country brought many additional interesting photographic opportunities. The wetland region of Brazil known as the Pantanal proved exceptional with many exotic birds and animals. Driving up over rough terrain (only negotiable with a 4 wheel drive vehicle) to Lago de Serra da Mesa became a real adventure where we lived on a diet of fish caught directly from the lake in a small boat.

On one occasion a Piranha, responsible for artfully eating the bait from our hooks all day was finally caught. The fish became my supper, served to me ceremoniously garnished with spices, an honor reserved for the only fisherman that did not catch a single fish.

 

Eternal thanks to our Brazilian hosts and capable companions Nilton and Claudia Campos Aaruna. What great sports they proved to be!

Red and Green Macaw

Rufous-Tailed Jacama

Toco Toucan

African Tulip tree an invasive species

Returning home
Equipped with a wealth of discoveries and photographs and a glowing sense of achievement, we fly north across the equator to the Northern Hemisphere and home to England. There is much more bird material to share and publish.

Heliconius erato, or red postmaan

   

    Stay tuned for future posts featuring: 

    Hummingbirds 

    South American Raptors 

    And what is this?

    

 

Rock Pipit 

A scarce European bird found in Eastbourne UK 

A bird of rocky, maritime shorelines

Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus (Strandpieper in german) previously considered a subspecies of the Water Pipit and the American Pipit. The individuals studied on the Sussex coastline proved to be delightful little characters allowing themselves to be observed and recorded photographically. Comparisons superficially (appearance) with the Water Pipit from Europe are visually obvious. Pipits, the Anthus group, globally have 42 species 3 of which are in Europe and featured here.

Left: American Pipit Anthus rubescens 

Distinct plumage simalarities with Rock Pipit photo by the author on the Rio Grand in New Mexico USA 

Below: Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta Switzerland courtesy of Christoph Meier-Zwicky (click link)

Birling Gap Eastbourne 

 

Groynes form part of Eastbourne's sea wall defences designed to prevent beach drift

Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus

Essentially a bird of a maritime environment. 
Weighing 30gr and 17cm in length, this bird is found on the coastal beaches of Northern Europe and along the shores of Scandanavia. The Anthus petrosus is capable of utilizing the abundance of insects and prey from terrestrial snails and slugs (Mollusca), worms (Annelida), small crabs and other crustaceans found on the shoreline. This unique bird is perfectly adapted to an environment where the ocean meets the shore exposing its prey as the the tides pound the rocks and sand. The study area here is Eastbourne in southeast England UK.

 

This individual sucessfully caught a cranefly while making its daily sortie from a seawall groyne post in Eastbourne.

  

The pretty seaside town of Eastbourne is subject to sea land erosion and is accustomed to sand and material being washed away from its beaches. Tidal movements steal sand away, from commercial sunbathing beaches depositing it elsewhere. Fortunately, for the civil engineeners, the material is relatively easily accessed and relocated from where it has been placed not too far away east of the town pier. Eastbourne's town council could solve the issue of land erosion by simply moving it back with heavy earth-moving equipment.

This bird species, instinctively drawn to movement of sand on the shoreline, is fully exploiting the disturbance caused by this modern earth-moving equipment.

The Rock Pipits are taking full advantage by quickly forming a symbiotic relationship with the giant mechanical earth-movers. They can be seen feeding around the great machines with dexterity and agility as they dodge the giant wheels.

Heavy trucks returning and depositing sand to the beach 

Rock Pipit on a groyne scanning for food 

Rock pipits take full advantage and enjoy the earth movement, feeding around the great machines with dexterity and agility as they dodge the giant wheels.

The pristine seascape of Holywell Eastbourne the natural habitat of the Rock Pipit

 
Tidal movement and the power of the ocean 

Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus, Eastbourne, East Sussex, England UK

More birds of Eastbourne