In Victorian times, Purple Herons were trapped in Holland, later to be traded - still alive - in markets of London

Before flying off south, this Purple Heron spent most of last Sunday hidden among reeds or perched in trees at the country park in Cleethorpes, near Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire

TIME was when Purple Herons, though widespread in continental Europe, were rare sightings in Britain.

But, over the past decade, sightings have become more frequent, and this is is a wetland bird that no longer sets twitchers' pulses racing.

This is how the species is described by John Gould in his famous 1837  work, The Birds of Europe

"In this elegant species. we cannot fail to remark one of those beautiful gradations of form  which seem to take an intermediate station between the Common (Grey) Heron on the one hand and the Bittern on the other.

"To the former it assimilates in the length and slenderness of the neck, in the occipital plumes, and in the lengthened form of the bill.

"By its large spreading toes, straight long nails and shorter legs, it is closely connected with the Bittern to which it also bears a striking similarity in its habits and manners. 

"Unlike the Grey Heron, which prefers open countries and the exposed edges of large sheets of water, the Purple Heron haunts the dense coverts of reed-beds, morasses and swampy lands, abounding in luxuriant vegetation among which it is concealed from observation.

"Instead of building its nest on the topmost branches of the tallest trees, it incubates on the ground amongst that herbage which affords it an habitual asylum. 

"As is also the case with the Bittern, the eggs are three in number, and of an uniform pale bluish green."

Gould continues: "The range of this species is so great that we may say in few words it inhabits the whole of Europe, Asia and Africa. 

"It is especially abundant in Holland and in the low marshy districts of France.

"In the British Islands it must be considered as an accidental rather than a regular visitant, and we suspect that many of those killed in England had escaped from captivity since numbers are annually brought alive from Holland.

"In the London markets, we have frequently seen a dozen at one time - together with Spoonbills, Common Herons and Bitterns - all in the most beautiful state of plumage, having been captured during the breeding season  and often accompanied by hundreds of their eggs. 

"We fear that this wholesale traffic has much diminished the numbers of these species, for the supply has been much less abundant during the last two or three years than it was formerly."

                                                

Study of Purple Heron in Gould's The Birds of Europe

Strong market for Collins New Naturalist volumes at mid-May auction in Wiltshire

Above are some of the 73 volumes in the Collins New Naturalist series that were sold at the Dominic Winter auction house in Salisbury, Wiltshire, earlier this month. The hammer came down at £700. 

Bizarre antic of spaniel at East Coast nesting habitat favoured by Little Terns and other shoreline birds

Steve Rowland - expert on shorebird habitat creation

AN extraordinary act of vandalism has been reported from a shorebird nesting site in North Norfolk.

According to  long-time RSPB staffer Steve Rowland, an off-the-lead spaniel snatched into its jaws a monitoring camera from a beach favoured by Little Terns and Ringed Plovers.

The dog then took the device  to its owner who promptly threw the camera into the sea.

According to Steve, the dog may have been trained to make the seizure.

The bizarre and unwelcome incident was described when  Steve,  the RSPB's area manager for Norfolk and South Lincolnshire, gave a talk on Monday to the society's Grimsby Group.

He went on to describe some of the other issues encountered  by beach wardens, most of whom are voluntary.

On one occasion, a volunteer went to the aid of a distressed soul who seemed to have been contemplating suicide.

In a earlier, unrelated incident, a body was washed up on the beach.

The wider subject of Steve's talk was the importance of British coastal beaches as a feeding and resting migration corridor for Arctic-nesting shorebirds heading south, some -such as Sanderling - to the southern most part of South Africa.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the evening was his description of the project which, via barge, lead to Crossrail offloading millions of tonnes of spoil from their Queen Elizabeth underground line excavations to Wallasea island off the Essex coast for creation of a shorebird-rich wetland reserve.

Such has been the success of this initiative and others elsewhere on the British coast that Steve has regularly hosted fact-finding visits by  conservationists from South Korea, Belgium, Germany and elsewhere.                                       

Spoonbills are among the long-legged birds now regularly seen on Wallasea Island

     

 

Bygone birding: Red-backed Shrike - a species 'partial to downs and open pastures in southern districts'

                                                         

Gould's depiction of an adult male (top) and a first-year male 

Except occasionally on migration, the Red-backed Shrike has now been lost to  Great Britain. In his The Birds of Europe (1837) author-artist John Gould recalls a time when it was more widespread.

Among the shrikes which periodically visit our island, the Red-backed is the best known and most universally spread. 

Its arrival usually occurs from the middle of April to the beginning of May, the exact period being regulated by the forwardness of the spring, inasmuch as its food consists almost solely of insects, the appearance of which depends upon the temperature of the season. 

Though found occasionally in the northern counties of England, it is by no means so abundant there as in the middle, and more especially the southern districts. 

In Scotland it is, we believe, altogether unknown, nor are we aware of its having been discovered in Ireland. 

It is partial to downs and open pastures, particularly such as are intersected or bordered by thick stunted hedges, where it may be commonly met with singly or in pairs, but never in flocks. 

Like the rest of the shrikes, its manners and note are very peculiar and serve at once to distinguish it from the small birds of other groups.

Its chief food consists of insects, such as grasshoppers, beetles and the larger kinds of flies, which it often takes on the wing. 

It may be generally noticed quietly perched in some commanding situation awaiting the approach of its prey upon which it darts not unlike a flycatcher, generally returning to the same perch. 

Besides insects, it is known to attack young and feeble birds, mice, lizards and slugs  which, as is the case with most of its congeners, it impales on a sharp thorn or spike previously to tearing them to pieces.

Though small in size, the Red-backed Shrike is extremely fierce and courageous, defending itself with great obstinacy when wounded or assailed. 

On the Continent it is widely distributed, being spread throughout every province of Europe, from the south as far as Russia and Sweden; and we may add that it is also a native of North  Africa.

The Red-backed Shrike builds its nest in sharp thorny bushes, often at a considerable distance from the ground, constructing it of dried grasses and wool, with a lining of hair. 

The eggs are five or six in number, of a pinkish white, with spots of wood-brown disposed in zones chiefly at the larger end.

The population rise and rise of a chunkily-built duck formerly not common on British waters

                                                                      

                                                             

Shoveler - increasingly common duck at freshwater sites 

THE extraordinary increase in Britain's Shoveler numbers shows no signs of abating.

According to the latest survey, as recorded in the authoritative Waterbirds in the UK 2024/25 survey, its population has soared by 82 per cent over the past 25 years.

More and more birds are turning up at sites which they previously shunned - for instance, ornamental and recreational waters in urban locations.

Gadwall have also increased over the same period while another species, Pintail, has halted its 25-year decline, rising by 39 per cent over the past 10 years.

However, most winter-seen duck species are being seen less frequently in British waters during winter than in previous years

These include Scaup, Eider and Goldeneye.

Pochard numbers have plummeted by 33 per cent over the past  10 years and by 72 per cent over the past 25 years.

It is thought some of these species are spending winter in countries such Germany and Netherlands which, as a result of climate change, have become warmer and  are closer to their Northern Europe breeding haunts than the UK.

Remembering Keith Shackleton - bird artist's fine work will catch the eye at forthcoming Salisbury auction

                                                        

EXPLORER and artist Keith Shackleton MBE (1923-2015) established a reputation for his superb studies of birdlife in Antarctica.

Prior to committing himself full-time to art, he spent five years in the RAF before joining the family aviation business as a salesman and pilot.

In childhood, Shackleton attended Oundle School - the same as Sir Peter Scott with whom he was to share travels and whom he helped set up the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust  of which he became vice-president.

Like Sir Peter, he also became a TV presenter, co-presenting Animal Magic with Johnny Morris in the 1960s before hosting his own series, Animals in Action, in the late 1970s.

On June 2, a copy of his book, Keith Shackleton - An Autobiography in Paintings is due to go under the hammer at an auction to be held by Woolley and Wallis at their saleroom in Salisbury, Wiltshire.

Included in the same Lot (and likely to be its  main attraction) is one of his non-polar works - his handsome oil on canvas board study, A Rural Landscape with Geese.

The pre-sale guide price for the Lot - the two items - is £400-£600. 

                                                            

Anyone care to identify the species of the geese?

Set back for Orkney stoat eradication campaign as species spreads to outlying island

                                                                  

The campaign to eliminate Orkney's stoats has faltered

THERE has been a setback in the campaign to eradicate stoats from The Orkneys.

It emerged last week that  one has been sighted on the island Rousay whereas previously they had been confined to the Orkney mainland and linked isles.

A statement issued by Orkney Native Wildlife Project reads:  "We have some bad news to share.

"Evidence of the Rousay individual came from one of the trail cameras we have on the island.

"This is really concerning news for the community, nature and the whole of Orkney. 

"Even by Orkney’s high standards, Rousay is an important place for nature - from breeding seabirds to birds of moorland, peatland and lochans such as  Curlews, Red-throated Divers, Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls.

"It is also one of the nine islands in Orkney that is home to the Orkney vole, found nowhere else on earth."

The statement continues: "As part of the response, we have additional traps, cameras including AI cameras and dog searches happening as we work to remove the stoat and get a better understanding of the situation.

"We were able to act quickly thanks to the diligence of visitors, who reported they may have seen a stoat, and because of the landowners that had already granted access as part of biosecurity measures. 

"We are also incredibly fortunate to have trained incursion volunteers on the island who are now part of the response.

"We are now asking all visitors and residents to be extra vigilant and report any potential stoat sightings on Rousay immediately."

Because stoats are strong swimmers, it is thought the Rousay individual may have made its incursion under its own steam.

The invasive Rousay stoat - as captured on trail camera