REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 15 July

Another day working on the Portuguese REGUA website. Spent a couple of hours in the lodge garden this morning where I managed some nice shots of a Rufous-tailed Jacamar that was taking out the moths leaving the moth wall, along with 2 Southern House Wren. 2 Giant Cowbirds perched in the eucalyptus on the edge of the lodge garden are my first record at the lodge, and 1m Purple-throated Euphonia visiting the feeders with 2 (1m, 1f) Blue Dacnis was the best of the other birds present.

Photographed some interesting moths at the moth wall, including some potential new additions to the REGUA moth list, but more on this is a later post.

Male Rufous-tailed Jacamar Galbula ruficauda, lodge garden, REGUA, 15 July 2016

Record of 1 of 2 Giant Cowbirds Molothrus oryzivorus together in the lodge garden, 15 July 2016

A few hours spotlighting around the wetland this evening produced an excellent but yet another frustrating avian find. While photographing tree frogs at the wetland (by post 650 of the Wetland Trail) a Stygian Owl started calling (approximately by post 850). I quickly moved towards it and got quite close before it moved across the lake to the roughly where the tapir pen is being built. Despite the bird calling for over 10 minutes it didn't respond to playback (although I didn't have speakers with me and so the playback was very quiet) and I didn't see it - the theme for this year it seems - finding good birds by sound only. This is only the 3rd record for Rio de Janeiro State and the 2nd for REGUA, following 1 seen well on 31 July 2011 at the REGUA wetland (just a few day after I flew home from a two week trip, grrrr).

Anyway, found 5 Hypsiboas semilineatus tree frogs in the vegetation around the edge of the water, showing an incredible diversity of colouration and size - check out the individuals below seen this evening and compare to the one in the lodge garden on 8 July.

Hypsiboas semilineatus, REGUA wetland, 15 July 2016

Hypsiboas semilineatus, REGUA wetland, 15 July 2016

Also noted while spot-lighting were 4 (2m, 1f, 1) Pauraque, 3H Tawny-browed Owl, 12 Broad-snouted Caiman, several Capybara, lots of Neotropical Cichlid Geophagus brasiliensis fishes, and 2 roosting Ghost Yellow Eurema albula sinoe butterflies (many thanks to Jorge Bizarro for the identification).

Ghost Yellow Eurema albula sinoe, REGUA wetland, 15 July 2016

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 11 July

Rachel and I put the camera trap out today, just off the trail leading to the São José Tower and baited the area with bananas - let's see what comes in? Walked to the site via the Forest Trail and had a nice winter mixed species bird flock that included 1 Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant (yet another forest interior species moving into the area), several Black-goggled Tanager, 1 Sepia-capped Flycatcher, 1m Crested Becard, 1 Yellow-backed Tanager, 2-3 Squirrel Cuckoo, and 1f White-bearded Manakin.

On the wetland, 2 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, 2 Anhinga, 8 White-faced Whistling-Duck, several Muscovy Duck, several Brazilian Teal and an adult Rufescent Tiger-Heron were logged, and over the lodge several Biscutate Swift were quite low mid afternoon.

A couple of hours walking the Wetland Trail after dark was unsurprisingly very quiet for nocturnal bird activity, producing just 1f Pauraque (down to 2 metres in torch light) and 2H Tropical Screech-Owl, along with a roosting Purple Gallinule, 2 Capybara and an incredible 41 Broad-snouted Caiman - by far my highest count here and only one short of the REGUA record!

Female Pauraque Hydropsalis albicollis, REGUA wetland, after dark 11 July 2016 (taken using a torch - no flash)

1 of 41 Broad-snouted Caiman Caiman latirostris at the REGUA wetland this evening. Amazing to think that just 11 years go the
wetland was farmland, and none of these reptiles have been introduced.

Roosting Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica, 11 July 2016

Several Neotropical Cichlid Geophagus brasiliensis were seen in the wetland by torch light - a common Atlantc Forest endemic of calm
water and species frequently kept in aquariums. Many thanks to Thiago Barros of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) for
the identification.

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 4 July

So exciting waking up at REGUA for the first time on a trip. This morning I awoke to the sound of Rufous-capped Motmots calling at dawn from the forest outside our window of the luxurious room 1 at the lodge! Highlights of a quick look at the lodge garden this morning were a Rusty-margined Guan on one of the feeders at dawn, 1 Blond-crested Woodpecker on the feeders, 1 Yellow-eared Woodpecker, 2 (1m, 1f) Chestnut-vented Conebill, 1 Rufous-breasted Hermit, 1 Palm Tanager and several Blue Dacnis.

Caught up with our good friend Adilei (REGUA's quite frankly bloody awesome bird guide) who drove us to see one of his friends in the nearby village of Estrieto who has built a huge and quite remarkable bird feeder from an old plastic crate, lots of branches and a thatched roof. Located at an elevation of 186 m, the feeder here was attracting a slightly different suite of bird species to the feeders in the lodge garden at REGUA (43 m), including a small flock on Olive-green Tanager (generally rare at feeders and certainly the best views of this species I've ever had), a few Azure-shouldered Tanager, several Blue-naped Chlorophonia, several Green-headed Tanager, 2+ (1m, 1f) Chestnut-bellied Euphonia, along with 1m Yellow-backed Tanager, several Violaceous Euphonia (both sexes), several Blue Dacnis (both sexes), a small flock of Maroon-bellied Parakeets, a Buff-throated Saltator and a Sayaca Tanager.

Olive-green Tanager Orthogonys chloricterus, Estrieto, 4 July 2016 - bonkers views of this Atlantic Forest endemic today

A couple of hours night-birding at dusk at an area of pasture and scrub near REGUA produced 2 Giant Snipe (1 in flight and superb views of another in torch-light on the ground down to about four metres (that I might add we didn't flush despite approaching so close), 1 Scissor-tailed Nightjar, 1 Common Potoo (with another probable, very distant), 1 Tropical Screech-Owl, 2 Burrowing Owl, 1H Spot-tailed Nightjar, 2 Chalk-browed Mockingbird, 1H Blackish Rail, a few H Ash-throated Crake, and 1H Striped Cuckoo. A magic end to the end complete with a dramatic backdrop of the Milky Way blazing across the night sky - fantastic!

Giant Snipe Gallinago undulata, near REGUA, 4 July 2016 (no flash) - this difficult nocturnal species is 20% larger than Eurasian
Woodcock Scolopax rusticola

Staines Moor: 25 February

Spent a few hours at the patch from mid afternoon, followed by some spotlighting after dark. Managed a reasonable haul despite things being very quiet.

Highlights were 1 Jack Snipe down to about 3 metres on the Colne, 3+ Water Pipit (1 on the bank of Colne, 1 seen poorly overhead and at least another heard), 2 Shelduck in from the west and landing on the east pool, 1 Water Rail (at south end of the Colne by the Reedmace), 1 Common Snipe (west side), 1+ Little Egret, 2 Stonechat (1m, 1f), 1 Coot (Colne), 2 Little Grebe (Colne), 13+ Meadow Pipit, 2 Skylark, 9 Mallard (6m, 3f), and 3m Tufted Duck (Moor Lane lake).

After dark, 1 Eurasian Woodcock (west pool), 3(2H) Common Snipe, 1 Red-legged Partridge, and 2 probable Jack Snipe were noted.

Jack Snipe along the Colne today thinking it's invisible

Staines Moor: 23 December

A couple of hours spotlighting this evening proved very productive with 2 Barn Owl (NE corner), 1 Little Owl (north end), 1-2 Jack Snipe (east pool and south end), 2 Eurasian Woodcock (1 south end, 1 north end), 5+(4+H) Common Snipe (including 1 on the ground in the torch light for a change), 2 Red-legged Partridge (NE corner, a Water Rail heard (Bonehead Ditch in NE corner) and 1 Red Fox. An almost full moon prevented getting close enough for photos though.

Spent some time searching for fungi in the afternoon when the following also noted: 1 Golden Plover (flew off NE from the west side calling), 3 Water Pipit (Colne), 6 Little Grebe (Colne), 5 Stonechat (3m, 2f), 3 Goldcrest and 1+ Kestrel.

Spelthorne Borough Council Staines Moor management meeting: 4 December

Met up with Steve Price, the Countryside and Commons Officer at Spelthorne Borough Council, local naturalist Nick Orson and ecologist Luke today on Staines Moor to discuss the management of the site.

Steve is producing a three year management plan that includes re-wetting the moor, management of invasive vegetation to encourage breeding and wintering waders and maintain the moor's important flora, and controlling non-native invasive species, while protecting the grazing rights of the Moormasters. However, there is a lot of red tape to deal with, especially for the re-wetting work.

Some clearance of bramble and younger hawthorn patches has already resumed, but birders will be pleased to learn that most of the larger hawthorns in the NW corner and along the west side will be left in place for breeding Linnet and Lesser Whitethtroat, passage migrants and winter thrushes.

More on the management to follow but suffice to say I am feeling very positive about the plans, and like his predicesor David Hicks, Steve is very open to advice, questions and offers of help. If you have any questions please contact me at lee.dingain@gmail.com or Steve Price at S.Price@spelthorne.gov.uk.

Birds noted today include 1 Treecreeper with Long-tailed Tits along the River Wraysbury beside the M25, 2+ Water Pipit, 1 Northern Lapwing, 2+ Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret and 1+ Grey Wagtail along the Colne, 1 Common Snipe (swamp), 6 (4m, 2f) Stonechat, 4 Red Kite, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Stock Dove 1 Common Buzzard (the regular pale bird), 1m Tufted Duck off from the lake at Moor Lane, 7(1H) Meadow Pipit, several Skylark, 1+ Kestrel, 1 Pied Wagtail E, 25+ Carrion Crow (numbers are now increasing for the winter) and 4 Egyptian Goose W. Also a Song Thrush in the grass on the east side is unusual here - an exhausted migrant? 1 Reed Bunting SSW, 2 Goldfinch SW, 1 Stock Dove SW, and 23 Woodpigeon SW were the only migrants noted moving overhead.

A couple of hours spotlighting after dark produced 1 flighty Eurasian Woodcock (south end), 1+H Tawny Owl (Bonehead Woodland), 2H Common Snipe, 3H Redwing, 1 Red Fox, and best of all, 1 superb Barn Owl hunting at close range over the rough grass on the east side of Moor Lane (by the closed railway crossing near the old Swan pub).

Woodcock return: 20 November

A couple of hours spotlighting this evening at Staines Moor found at least 2 (perhaps as many as 6) Eurasian Woodcock at the north end - the first birds of the winter. However, a waxing gibbous moon was throwing out a heck of a lot of light and so the birds could not be approached close enough for photos. I'll try again in a week or so. Also noted after dark were a possible Jack Snipe (east pool), 5(4H) Common Snipe, a Short-eared Owl, 3f Eurasian Teal (east pool) and 3(H) Redwing over, as well as c15 Rabbits (including a couple of black animals) - a much higher site count than usual.

A walk along the old railway this afternoon logged 2-3 Coal Tit (2 at the feeders and 1 in a tit flock), 3 Blackcap (2m, 1f), 1 Common Chiffchaff, 15 Goldcrest, 7 Chaffinch (2m, 5f - feeders). The open moor produced 2+ Water Pipit, 3 Little Grebe, 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, and 1 Pied Wagtail all along the Colne, and 9 Stonechat (6m, 3f), 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 Redwing, 36 Fieldfare, 1 Reed Bunting, 2+ Kestrel and 2 Egyptian Goose W.

1 of 15 Goldcrest along the old railway alone today

Passage overhead amounted to just 1 redpoll sp. SSW, 1 Grey Wagtail W, 1 Greenfinch SW, 3 Chaffinch (SW-S), several Linnet SW, 1 Red Kite W, 1 Common Buzzard and a Grey Wagtail W. A steady eastward movement of gulls off to roost near dusk consisted of mainly Lesser Black-backed, Black-headed and a few Common Gulls.

Staines Moor today, looking north-east towards King George VI Reservoir

Jack Snipe encounters and patch ticks: 14 February

The highlight of an afternoon and evening session at the patch today was 7 Jack Snipe on Staines Moor, one bird in particular giving incredibly close views! Fascinating to watch their behaviour and take in the detail.

1 of at least 7 Jack Snipe seen today - I watched this bird for 45 minutes at a range of about a metre

Typical crouching behaviour

Views were ridiculous today - I even managed to photobomb this pic (check out the reflection in the eye - click to enlarge)

Also noted on Staines Moor: 2 (1m, 1f) Goosander over NW before dropping onto Wraysbury Reservoir, 2(1H) Water Pipit along the Colne, 3(1+m, 2f) Stonechat, 1 Cetti's Warbler (seen very poorly along Bonehead Ditch), 1 Little Egret, 5 Fieldfare, 3 Little Grebe, 7 Meadow Pipit, 1 Sparrowhawk, 11 Linnet, 10 Pied Wagtail over N at dusk going to roost, and 2 Common Teal.

A few hours night-birding finally produced 1-2 very vocal Tawny Owl along Bonehead Ditch (sadly heard only) - a patch tick and just the 4th record for Staines Moor, 3+ Eurasian Woodcock (NE corner and east side), 1 Little Owl around the anthills in the NE corner, 11(9H) Common Snipe, 1 Jack Snipe (probably one the same birds as earlier), and a surprise Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus in the NE corner (patch tick).

Stanwell Moor added another Tawny Owl (heard) at night and a Water Rail heard from Bonehead Ditch.

Lamping by moonlight at the patch: 3 February

A visit to the patch this afternoon/evening produced the following at Staines Moor: 2+ Water Pipit, 1+ Little Egret, 1 Grey Wagtail and 4 Little Grebe all along the Colne, 2 Water Rail showing fairly well along Bonehead Ditch, 1 Cetti's Warbler along Bonehead Ditch, 5 (3m, 2f) Stonechat, 3 Common Snipe (including 1 along Bonehead Ditch), 9 Pied Wagtail (including 8 over N at dusk presumably heading to roost), 16 Meadow Pipit, 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk failing to catch a Song Thrush, 2+ Kestrel, 1 Common Buzzard (landing on the moor), 6 Song Thrush, 8 Fieldfare, 2 (1 ad., 1 imm.) Grey Heron and 3 Common Teal that flew onto the moor at dusk.

A full moon after dark made night-birding very difficult with birds taking flight before any could be approached, but 2 Eurasian Woodcock were seen at the north end and 1 Little Owl was on the anthills in the NE corner.

Stanwell Moor added a Kingfisher in Stanwell Moor Village perched along the stream, 18 Song Thrush, 10 Blackbird, 1 Little Egret over N, 3+ Pied Wagtail, 21 Goldfinch, 5 (2m, 3f) Gadwall, 4 Common Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Coot, and 2 Mallard.

A full moon in the east shortly after dark did nothing to help the night-birding, although it made those hazardous anthills easier to see.
The night sky was made more spectacular this evening with Jupiter situated very close the moon, though with all the light pollution
from Heathrow and the M25, Staines Moor really isn't that good for astronomy.

Weather: Cloudy with sunny periods, becoming clearer after dark, light but cold northerly wind, moon phase: full.

Half Snipes at Staines Moor: 27 January

A very long but worthwhile day at the patch today. The undoubted highlight was an extremely close encounter with a Jack Snipe on Staines Moor - watched for about half an hour at a range of approximately two metres. Frozen to the spot, the bird did its best pretending to be a part of the vegetation by crouching low to the ground, allowing a rare opportunity to study the plumage pattern and colours. The green and purple on the scapulars and mantle contrasting with the bright yellow stripes are really beautiful at such close range. Another 2 Jack Snipe were also seen around the Moor (sorry but the precise locations will remain undisclosed).

Staines Moor is a traditional wintering site for Jack Snipe. The first record was of 2 on 26 September 1937, and the highest site count is 8 on 20 March 2003. The earliest returning date is 1 in July 2002 and the latest departing record is 1 on 11 April 1951.

One of three Jack Snipe today - this bird was just two metres from me!

Spot the Jack Snipe (click to enlarge)!

Feather detail on Jack Snipe - stunning!

Other notables seen today were the Dartford Warbler glimpsed associating with a pair of Stonechat west of the Colne, 5+ Water Pipit (mainly along the Colne), 10 Little Grebe along the Colne (another new site record), a single Eurasian Woodcock in the NE corner an hour before dawn, 1 Water Rail swimming in the Colne (at the reeds by the northern footbridge), 9 (5m, 4f) Stonechat, 1 Peregrine and 4 Tufted Duck that flew off from the Colne at dawn.

Eurasian Woodcock shortly before dawn this morning

Still nine Stonechat on Staines Moor

More common species noted through the day include 1+ Common Buzzard, 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk, 1 Common Snipe, 2 Little Egret, 1+ Grey Wagtail (Colne), 3 Kestrel, 7 Fieldfare, 3 Mistle Thrush, 5 Song Thrush, 1 Reed Bunting, 4+ Skylark, 24+ Meadow Pipit, 2+ Grey Heron, 8 Common Moorhen, 1m Common Pheasant (swamp), Overhead, 2 Egyptian Goose SE and 25 Woodpigeon NW were logged.

Stanwell Moor added a pair of Northern Shoveler and 1m Gadwall.

Nocturnal waders at Staines Moor: 25 January

Another few hours night-birding at Staines Moor this evening revealed 7 Eurasian Woodcock (another site record - beating the record set just two nights ago), 3 Jack Snipe (1 West Pool, 1 Colne and 1 east side), 23(18H) Common Snipe and a Little Owl (NW corner). The birds didn't allow close approach this evening but I did manage a record shot of a Woodcock.

Spent much of the day at the London Wetland Centre for my third Wader Quest Trustees' meeting. Friends Rick and Elis Simpson have an excellent vision to raise funds and support small conservation groups and individuals that are working in the field to conserve and conduct research on the worlds waders. We've got an excellent team with a wide range of expertise and experience and today's meeting was the best yet. Please support us by donating £5 - 100% of all donations goes directly towards our various wader conservation projects.

Eurasian Woodcock on the West Pool this evening - one of seven birds seen and a new site record!

Weather: Weather: Mainly cloudy (7 oktas), moon phase: first quarter, light south-westerly wind, mild.

Night-birding at Staines Moor: 23 January

A couple of hours birding in a brisk south-easterly wind around the north end of Staines Moor with Steve Minhinnick produced 5-6 Eurasian Woodcock (a new site record), 2 Jack Snipe (1 NW corner, 1 East Pool), 5 Common Snipe, a Little Owl (NE corner), a Skylark, 2 Tufted Duck, 2 Common Teal and brief Little Grebe on the Colne. Great views this evening but nothing cooperated for photos.

Staines Moor: 17 January

An afternoon/evening session at the patch produced 2-3 Water Pipit along the Colne, 6 Stonechat (4m, 2f), 1 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Grey Heron, 1 Common Buzzard, 2+ Kestrel, 8 Little Grebe (a new site record), 16 Skylark, 6 Moorhen, 3 Mute Swan, and overhead 2 Gadwall E. 46+ Carrion Crow roosting along the Bonehead woodland is a high count and c20 Meadow Pipit and 9 Linnet came into roost at the Swamp at dusk.

A few hours night-birding after dark revealed 2 Little Owl hunting around the anthills at the north end, 2-4 Eurasian Woodcock also around the anthills, 4 Common Snipe (2H), and a Red Fox.

Review: Cluson ML8 Pro Spotter torch

With an advertised beam range of 350 m, a white CREE LED light and a good run time on high beam, the Cluson ML8 Pro Spotter torch looks ideal for night-birding. I could find no information on the luminous flux of the ML8, but being around half the price of many other LED torches on the market with a similar specification I decided to try it out and see how it compared to the LED Lenser M7R reviewed back in March?

Clockwise from top: the Cluson ML8 Pro Spotter; mains charger; vehicle charger

The build quality of the ML8 is just as good - constructed from aircraft grade aluminium with a black anodised finish, and sealed against the elements with rubber "O" rings. The torch is compact, at 160 mm in length and with a maximum diameter of 55 mm, and easily fits into a pocket, and at just 236 g is also light. Power comes from a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and the two modes (high or low beam) are controlled by a single large button on the end of the barrel that also functions as the power switch.

The ML8 comes supplied with a lithium-ion battery, a mains charger, a vehicle charger and wrist strap. A filter set (including red, amber and yellow filters) are also available - useful for some wildlife observation. For recharging, the battery must be removed from the torch by unscrewing the tail cap, and charging takes about four hours from empty. Surprisingly, there is no charge indicator light on the charger (the red light is displayed simply when the battery is inserted), but charging stops automatically when the battery is fully charged.

Cluson ML8 Pro Spotter key technical details

Lumens	Unknown
Run time	3.5 hrs high beam/20 hrs low beam
Beam range	250 m
Focus	Fixed spot
Weight	236 g
Battery	Lithium-ion
Body material	Aluminium

For more technical details see the Cluson website.

On delivery I found the packaging stated a beam range of 250 m - 100 m less than advertised on the Cluson website. Cluson claim the maximum beam range is actually 350 m and that the 250 m beam range relates to maximum shooting distance achievable with ML8 when used with a rifle scope (although they are changing the packing to state a 300 m beam range for shooting). In the field, I estimated the maximum usable range to be around 200-250 m - comparable to the LED Lenser MR7 and was a little disappointed.

The single CREE LED produced a bright and fairly neutral white light, with very little of the blue hue traditionally associated with older LED torches. The beam range is similar to the LED Lenser MR7, however, the focus is fixed as a spot light, and although much more homogeneous than the light produced by a Maglite, the beam is not as uniform as the LED Lenser MR7 with some slightly darker circles noticeable. The light weight and compact size made it easy to use for long periods, and even allowed use of binoculars while scanning.

To conclude, the Cluson ML8 Pro Spotter is a good torch for looking for birds, mammals, insects and other animals at night. A beam range between 300-400 m as well as the ability to focus from spot to flood would make this an excellent torch, but at £66 it is very good value for money for the specification and so highly recommended.

Woodcock back on the patch: 12 December

Met up with fellow patcher Keith Kerr for a few hours this evening to look for wintering Eurasian Woodcock. After searching for about an hour we found a very obliging bird by the Iris Channels in the NW corner of Staines Moor that showed extremely well. A look around the NE corner found at least another 2 birds running around the anthills.

Also noted on Staines Moor were a roosting Redwing in a tiny clump of sedge, a roosting Meadow Pipit in one of the Iris Channels, a Common Snipe (H) and 1 Red Fox. No sign of the Tawny Owl heard by Rob Innes on 29 November along Bonehead Ditch. On Stanwell Moor a couple of male Winter Moth Operophtera brumata were noted along the Colne Valley Way along with 9 other moths possible this species or Northern Winter Moth Operophtera fagata.

One of three Eurasian Woodcock seen this evening at Staines Moor

Review: LED Lenser M7R rechargeable torch

I've been looking for the ideal torch for watching nocturnal wildlife for quite some time. For the past six years I've been using a Nightsearcher Puma - an rechargeable incandescent bulb torch providing a very bright 750 lumens and lasting 1.5 hours on high beam (175 lumens and 48 hours on low beam). Other key advantages of this torch over the others is it's clear neutral white light, 500 m beam range, water-resistance, and the ability to fit an infra-red filter to reduce disturbance to wildlife. However, at 2 kg it is heavy as well as bulky, and not at all practical for carrying on long hikes or for taking abroad. A 220v socket is required for charging (not always possible abroad) and the torch is not the most durable, with charging problems frequently encountered.

Over the last few years, much smaller, lighter, and robust LED (light-emitting diode) torches have flooded the market. My experience of night-birding with LED torches is limited to just the Fenix P3D CE (215 lumens) and the Nightsearcher Trigger (210 lumens), both of which are much less powerful than the Puma, omit an obvious bluish light (blue diodes are most commonly used in LED torches as they transmit most light) that couldn't compete with the more neutral incandescent light of a halogen or xenon bulb (especially where photography was concerned), and had have a very narrow beam. I persisted with the Puma, however, recently the torch has stopped charging fully and so the time had come for a replacement.

Looking online at the latest LED torches available, the LED Lenser MR7 caught my eye. Although having a much lower output, the beam is focusable, and crucially Lenser claim their torches have a neutral light. The Puma's 750 lumen output was always too powerful and I liked the idea of the small size and low weight. It wasn't cheap, but neither is the Puma, so I took the plunge and bought one.

Clockwise from top left: the LED Lenser MR7; hard carry case with charger, wall mount, belt clip and battery; the magnetic Floating
Charge System.

The high build quality is immediately apparent with a beautifully machined durable aluminium body that seems well sealed against the elements - the Swarovski of torches! The torch is well designed - the metal surface is knurled for grip, the on/off/mode button is located at the head of the torch (the torch defaults to the high constant beam setting when switched on, no mater which setting was used last), and the push-pull beam focusing can be operated with one hand and is lockable with a twist of the barrel.

The recharging system is ingenious - no more annoying pins (and points where water could potentially get into the torch) and no need to remove the battery either. Instead the battery is charged via a magnetic connection on the end of the torch, and the torch can be hung from a wall mount while charging, held in place by the same magnets.

LED Lenser MR7 key technical details

Lumens	220
Run time	20.5 hrs (on low beam)
Beam range	255 m
Focus	Spot to flood
Weight	210 g
Battery	Lithium-ion
Body material	Aluminium

For more technical details see here.

The torch is delightful to use. It is small and fits comfortably into a pocket, is very light and easily held while also holding binoculars, the beam focusing is very smooth and the power/mode button is just the right sensitivity. But is it any good for wildlife watching? I've been using the MR7 for night-birding as well as night-photography for five months now, in a range of habitats, in Britain and abroad, including open grassland, wetlands, gardens and dense tropical rainforest.

200 lumens is about the minimum for watching wildlife at night, and then only when the beam is focused to spot to maximise the beam range. Scanning open grassland at Staines Moor in Surrey for Eurasian Woodcock, the MR7's maximum 255 m beam range would generate eye-shine on larger animals such as Red Fox at quite some distance (although no outline or colour on the animal would be discernible), however, eye-shine on smaller animals such as the Woodcock was much more difficult to see. An outline and colour would only become visible at fairly close range - about 20 m. Photography is only possible at very close range - 15 m or closer.

For watching wildlife over large distances, 400 lumens or more would significantly increase the usable beam range. At closer distances such as in Brazil's tropical rainforest, the MR7 proved excellent for searching for mammals, frogs, and invertebrates, however, the torch struggled a little with birds such as Tawny-browed Owl perched high in tall trees.

Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola, Staines Moor, Surrey, December 2013 -
Canon EOS 7D + EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens; tripod; LED Lenser MR7; no flash.

The MR7 creates a very uniform light with no dark spots or circles appearing anywhere in the beam whether on the flood or spot setting. The blue hue of the diodes is noticeable, but the light from the MR7 is much whiter than other LED torches I have used, producing good colours, and so is great for wildlife watching, although I still prefer the incandescent bulb of the Nightsearcher Puma (although a little on the warm side) for night-photography. Another advantage the Nightsearcher Puma retains over the MR7 is a much wider beam on high power (spot focus on the MR7), allowing birds in flight to be picked up much easier.

Tawny-browed Owl Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana, REGUA, Brazil, October 2013 -
Canon EOS 7D + EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM; LED Lenser MR7; no flash.
Note the blue hue emitted by the LED Lenser MR7 and compare to the light from the Nightsearcher Puma (see pic below).

Tawny-browed Owl Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana, REGUA, Brazil, May 2010 -
Canon EOS 7D + EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM; Nightsearcher Puma; no flash.
Compared to the LED Lenser MR7, the incandescent bulb of the Nightsearcher Puma has a much whiter light.

In summary, the 220 lumen output of the MR7 falls a little short of the ideal torch for wildlife watching at night. However, the small size, light weight, and ease of use more than make up for these shortcomings, and the whiter light it provides means that, for me, there is no going back to the large and heavy incandescent lights. An LED torch with an output between 400 and 500 lumens, a slightly whiter light, and not too much bigger, would be perfect. There are a few more powerful LED torches on the market, including other models from Lenser, but the price tags need to fall a lot more for them to compete with the MR7.

Moor night-birding

A mid afternoon/early evening visit to the patch proved quite productive. Highlights were 2m Goosander over W, 2+ Water Pipit around the southern floods, 11 Common Snipe, 45+ Meadow Pipit, 50 Fieldfare at the north end, 1f Stonechat and 3-4 Little Egret. Also logged were 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2+ Grey Heron, 1f Kestrel, 1+ Pied Wagtail H, and 47+ Carrion Crow was a noteworthy count.

Two drake Goosander over west just before dusk

A couple of hours night-birding until 20:00 produced good views of 2+ Eurasian Woodcock around the anthills at the north end, 3 Common Snipe H, and a Red Fox.

A rather showy Eurasian Woodcock in the north-east corner tonight

Although not ideal for night-birding in Britain, the moon provided beautiful celestial lighting for this evening's lamping session, with the
Copernicus, Plato and Tycho craters now clearly visible (I used to do a lot of astronomy as a kid, I should do more).

Woodcock at the patch

Another successful night-birding session at Staines Moor this evening. Quieter than last night but then it was quite windy and it started raining at 18:15, but 1 Woodcock showed very well in the north-east corner, and 7(1H) Common Snipe and 5 Mallard dropping into one of the pools were seen.

Highlights from the Moor during the day were 1 Common Chiffchaff along the mainline railway embankment, 1 Red Kite NW, 1 Common Buzzard W mobbed by Carrion Crows, 1 Little Egret, 110+ Fieldfare still at the north end, 5+ Redwing, 2(1m, 1f) Stonechat along the Colne, 1 Egyptian Goose E, 1 Little Grebe, 3 Mute Swan, 6 Green Woodpecker, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 6+ Linnet, 2 Skylark S, 7 Meadow Pipit (mainly N), 1 Common Snipe, 1+ Kestrel and 15 Magpie (a high site count). The pools on the Moor are filling up nicely with all this rain.

Woodcock this evening at Staines Moor

Part of the large Fieldfare flock currently present at the north end

REGUA, Atlantic Forest, Brazil: 7 October

Spent the day organising signs around the Wetland and Forest Trails that we marked out and mapped back in 2011. Little birding done, but birds seen at the wetland include 1 Common Potoo roosting/nesting by post 300 of the Wetland Trail, 1 Lemon-chested Greenlet, 1m Brazilian Tanager, 1 White-necked Heron, 11 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (my highest site count), 1 Blond-crested Woodpecker, 1 singing Chestnut-capped Blackbird (most seen here are roosting birds), and a Streaked Flycatcher (one of my favourites). A Rufous-tailed Jacamar was also noted along the Forest Trail.

This evening 2 Tawny-browed Owls showed very well in Nicholas and Raquel's garden.

One of this evening's Tawny-browed Owls

Migrant Woodcock

With clear signs over the last week or so of an arrival of Woodcock into the UK from the Continent, Jaffa and I decided to search the south-east Devon heaths this evening to see if we could find any. Jaffa had some some success last Thursday evening with a couple of birds on one of the heathland tracks, and with the weather remaining settled we set off with high hopes, but nothing could have prepared us for what happened. In just 15 minutes we had a total of 6 birds on the deck (including 2 flushed), all along a single 100 metre stretch of trail passing through an area of wet grass. Four showed well but only one hung around long enough to grab a couple of record shots (well, at least it did for those of us with camera at the ready!!!).

Eurasian Woodcock, 1 of 5 seen (6 recorded in total) this evening

These birds are almost certainly Continental migrants. Over 90% of Woodcock breed in Fennoscandia and Russia and move south and west for the winter, arriving in force in the UK from October to December. The Birds of Devon Bird (Tyler 2010) describes Woodcock as a "locally common winter visitor and passage migrant, has bred", and the 2010 Devon Bird Report shows the mean average number of birds recorded in the county between 2005 and 2009 being just <1 or 0 between May and September, rising to 5 in October, and then increasing sharply to 25 in November. By midwinter, the Migration Atlas (2002) estimates that Continental Woodcocks outnumber local residents by 13:1.

Also this evening, 3 Roe Deer were seen and 1+ Tawny Owl and a few Redwing were heard.

1st year male Blackbird. One of 30-40 Blackbirds seen in just a small area around
the Otter Estuary today

This morning, a large number of Blackbirds (30-40), presumably also mainly continental birds, were evident around the Otter Estuary, with several groups feeding on berries. Also logged were 3 Kingfishers, 2m Bullfinch, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Chiffchaff (H), 1 Cetti's Warbler (H), 1+ Water Rail (H). The scrapes are looking brilliant and held 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Curlew, 1 Redshank, 2 Lapwing, 95 Wigeon, c40 Teal, 1 Shelduck and 20 Pied Wagtail. On the estuary itself, 5 more Wigeon, 1 Redshank, 3 Little Grebe, several Rock Pipit and 2 Little Egret were noted, and 5 Ringed Plover dropped onto Budleigh Salterton beach.

Kingfisher, Otter Estuary. At least 3 were seen today.