Garden Duck Update!!!
Good news - the 7 teenagers from the years first brood are still going strong
Bad news - the second set of ducklings is now down to two, we managed to lose three over the last three days.
Monday, 30 April 2012
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Day 3 of our whistle stop tour round some of the best birding sites in Scotland...no hyperbole included.
A farewell to the lumpy beds of Glenfarg and head off to Dairsie...about 20 miles away in Fife. We intended heading around the Eden estuary anyway but a report last night of a ring necked parakeet in the village meant we had to stop...justice was done when we didn't see it.
Just a mile or two down the road to the hide at the Eden estuary at Guardbridge...what a place...everything there ...apart from a decent variety of birds!
Tide wasn't too bad but little about shelduck, eider, redshank, sparrowhawk, buzzard.
Just across the road and a path towards Kincaple Den held singing blackcap and more willow warbler.
To get out of the biting wind we opted to head for some sites in Angus and in the afternoon we were rewarded with some great views of osprey, marsh harrier, otter, golden eagle...quite simply a phenomenal afternoon in terms of connecting with some great birds.
A farewell to the lumpy beds of Glenfarg and head off to Dairsie...about 20 miles away in Fife. We intended heading around the Eden estuary anyway but a report last night of a ring necked parakeet in the village meant we had to stop...justice was done when we didn't see it.
Just a mile or two down the road to the hide at the Eden estuary at Guardbridge...what a place...everything there ...apart from a decent variety of birds!
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| A great living room view! |
Just across the road and a path towards Kincaple Den held singing blackcap and more willow warbler.
To get out of the biting wind we opted to head for some sites in Angus and in the afternoon we were rewarded with some great views of osprey, marsh harrier, otter, golden eagle...quite simply a phenomenal afternoon in terms of connecting with some great birds.
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| Osprey photographed today! |
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| Another osprey...see the ring on this one!
Click on the picture to enlarge. Ring appears to be green 7B.
Read further: Osprey Green 7B
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| Shovelers having a bit of a territory dispute |
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| A smart male reed bunting |
Saturday, 28 April 2012
From Vane Farm we headed inland to Loch of the Lowes ...very busy.
The reporting of Lady back nesting for the 20 oddth year meant the place was mobbed. Despite that some good stuff about including a couple of male brambling, red squirrel and the supporting cast of finches and tits.
We managed to catch a change over at the osprey nest with the male leaving as the female..."lady" took over...worth being there for that alone.
Many grebes on loch...apparently 8 pairs and a snap attached of a single
Signing off for the night we head to Beinn Inn for a great meal, concluded with a drambuie...before heading back to hotel we go to Balvaird Castle...80+ fieldfare flying low over the rapeseed a welcome addition...pretty late in the year methinks. In the area a few linnet, kestrel and a very obliging yellowhammer!
A pair of kestrel appear to like the area so possibly nesting here and brings to mind lesser kestrels hanging out in monasteries in Portugal!
The reporting of Lady back nesting for the 20 oddth year meant the place was mobbed. Despite that some good stuff about including a couple of male brambling, red squirrel and the supporting cast of finches and tits.
We managed to catch a change over at the osprey nest with the male leaving as the female..."lady" took over...worth being there for that alone.
Many grebes on loch...apparently 8 pairs and a snap attached of a single
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| Great Crested Grebe - Loch of Lowes |
Signing off for the night we head to Beinn Inn for a great meal, concluded with a drambuie...before heading back to hotel we go to Balvaird Castle...80+ fieldfare flying low over the rapeseed a welcome addition...pretty late in the year methinks. In the area a few linnet, kestrel and a very obliging yellowhammer!
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| Yellowhammer - Balvaird Castle |
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| Balvaird Castle on A Beautiful Night |
A pair of kestrel appear to like the area so possibly nesting here and brings to mind lesser kestrels hanging out in monasteries in Portugal!
Saturday 28th April 2012
A fitful sleep...lumpy beds...but at 7am the sun is shining
It's been a frosty night and car windows need scraping.
On to Vane Farm RSPB Reserve (now known as RSPB Loch Leven)..car park full of chiffchaff, willows again...Di spots a distant osprey on a post from the centre and we decide to walk around the viewpoint walk...very tough on the knees...species as expected with a woodpecker low down then willows everywhere...a picture attached...never easy to photograph but pleased with this one:
Amazing views at the top..worth the knee pain.apologies for crap pics...via blackberry!
Pics dont do it justice!
The hides on the water side hold little apart from shoveler, gadwall and greylag geese with goslings but its still a pleasant 90 minutes. A few lapwing about...
A fitful sleep...lumpy beds...but at 7am the sun is shining
It's been a frosty night and car windows need scraping.
On to Vane Farm RSPB Reserve (now known as RSPB Loch Leven)..car park full of chiffchaff, willows again...Di spots a distant osprey on a post from the centre and we decide to walk around the viewpoint walk...very tough on the knees...species as expected with a woodpecker low down then willows everywhere...a picture attached...never easy to photograph but pleased with this one:
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| Willow Warbler - Vane Farm |
Amazing views at the top..worth the knee pain.apologies for crap pics...via blackberry!
Pics dont do it justice!
The hides on the water side hold little apart from shoveler, gadwall and greylag geese with goslings but its still a pleasant 90 minutes. A few lapwing about...
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| Lapwing (Vane Farm) |
Moving on from Flanders we eventually got to Aberfoyle.
A lunchtime pint was tempting but the wife dissuaded me (or gurned).
A few snaps of commoner birds...
A walk around the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park , particularly trails near the David Marshall Lodge area gleaned treecreeper, red squirrel,jay, woodpecker, siskin and many willow warbler, bullfinch but a bit too busy for our liking.
Had a doddle around Loch Katrine...again very busy with tourists so decided to take the route to Inversnaid and a new RSPB reserve for us.
En route we had three redstart...first of the year as well as an inmmaculate summer red throated diver. and three raven close over.
RSPB Inversnaid had many wheatear (again missing out on coastal migrants these were the first of the year for us)
Two cuckoo calling - one seen (needless to say...first of the year) as well as good numbers of meadow pipit. This looked to be a fantastic area for raptors but the snow and hail came on so we decided not to hang about
Moving on to Argaty for a couple of obliging red kite as well as some piglets...aww then found Doune Ponds which we had never heard of till Harry B mentioned them.
Not many wildfowl due to time of year but the woodland had singing chiffchaff and willow warbler almost competing with each other. we also saw and heard three singing blackcap, again first breeders of the year and a mute swan was on its nest.
Tired but happy and a great day casual birding.
A lunchtime pint was tempting but the wife dissuaded me (or gurned).
A few snaps of commoner birds...
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| One of the many Jackdaw |
A walk around the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park , particularly trails near the David Marshall Lodge area gleaned treecreeper, red squirrel,jay, woodpecker, siskin and many willow warbler, bullfinch but a bit too busy for our liking.
Had a doddle around Loch Katrine...again very busy with tourists so decided to take the route to Inversnaid and a new RSPB reserve for us.
En route we had three redstart...first of the year as well as an inmmaculate summer red throated diver. and three raven close over.
RSPB Inversnaid had many wheatear (again missing out on coastal migrants these were the first of the year for us)
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| Northern Wheatear (at RSPB Inversnaid) |
Two cuckoo calling - one seen (needless to say...first of the year) as well as good numbers of meadow pipit. This looked to be a fantastic area for raptors but the snow and hail came on so we decided not to hang about
Moving on to Argaty for a couple of obliging red kite as well as some piglets...aww then found Doune Ponds which we had never heard of till Harry B mentioned them.
Not many wildfowl due to time of year but the woodland had singing chiffchaff and willow warbler almost competing with each other. we also saw and heard three singing blackcap, again first breeders of the year and a mute swan was on its nest.
Tired but happy and a great day casual birding.
A Tour of Scotland!
A trip to Glasgow on Thursday night to see Ryan Adams for the 12th or 13th time gives us an opportunity to do some exploring in different areas for a change.(Thanks to HarryB for suggestions...)
Mercifully once we leave Grampian the weather becomes so much better and we set off early(ish) on Friday 27th towards Aberfoyle and the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. We are nearly there then discover access closed so a bit of a detour although we manage to inadvertently find:
Flanders Moss - Wonderful place, nobody there, nice viewing tower and a well set out pathway around part of the moss.
The trees around the car park hold singing willow warbler and at least two great spotted woodpecker. Some common gull on the pond and meadow pipit about.
The highlights though are the numerous peacock butterfly (most of them a bit tatty) that are emerging as a response to the sun that is currently out and these are later joined by at least 4 tortoiseshell, numerous honey and bumble bee varieties.
On the track back out, Diane spotted a hare which was pretty well camouflaged and a quick record shot taken before it scarpered
This was a great spot which will be revisited some time!
A trip to Glasgow on Thursday night to see Ryan Adams for the 12th or 13th time gives us an opportunity to do some exploring in different areas for a change.(Thanks to HarryB for suggestions...)
Mercifully once we leave Grampian the weather becomes so much better and we set off early(ish) on Friday 27th towards Aberfoyle and the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park. We are nearly there then discover access closed so a bit of a detour although we manage to inadvertently find:
Flanders Moss - Wonderful place, nobody there, nice viewing tower and a well set out pathway around part of the moss.
The trees around the car park hold singing willow warbler and at least two great spotted woodpecker. Some common gull on the pond and meadow pipit about.
The highlights though are the numerous peacock butterfly (most of them a bit tatty) that are emerging as a response to the sun that is currently out and these are later joined by at least 4 tortoiseshell, numerous honey and bumble bee varieties.
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| Peacock |
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| Brown Hare |
This was a great spot which will be revisited some time!
After an initial walloping of posts, things have predictably calmed down.
Of note we had a stoat running past the car last Sunday 22.4.12 near Barras.
Garden Highlights - as before with siskin and goldfinch prominent.
Teenage mallard doing well and still numbering seven.
The junior mallard faring less well and as of Thursday 26.4.12 were down to five ducklings
Of note we had a stoat running past the car last Sunday 22.4.12 near Barras.
Garden Highlights - as before with siskin and goldfinch prominent.
Teenage mallard doing well and still numbering seven.
The junior mallard faring less well and as of Thursday 26.4.12 were down to five ducklings
Saturday, 21 April 2012
Friday, 20 April 2012
A side benefit of working in Westhill means it is possible to have a quick check of Loch of Skene or Carnie woods at lunchtime.
Today's 25 minute diversion is well worthwhile as the Loch of Skene seems to be holding all the regions recently arrived willow warbler and they seem to be singing everywhere.
A scaup and an osprey flying over make it a rewarding lunchtime!
Today's 25 minute diversion is well worthwhile as the Loch of Skene seems to be holding all the regions recently arrived willow warbler and they seem to be singing everywhere.
A scaup and an osprey flying over make it a rewarding lunchtime!
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Some Migrants
Weather being a bit wet and foggy means an after work foray South to sites up to Kinneff Old Church.
A few bits and pieces at KOC include male blackcap, 4 song thrush, 2 chiffchaff, 6+ robins.
Residents include plenty goldfinch, some siskin and 4 puffin close inshore at end of the track.
A run to Todhead lighthouse and minor roads back home yield nothing else of note.
Garden activity sees the largest count this winter/spring of at least 60 siskin including a few youngsters.
Allied to yesterdays tally of 12 goldfinch and two broods of ducklings the bird food is disappearing at a helluva rate.
A few bits and pieces at KOC include male blackcap, 4 song thrush, 2 chiffchaff, 6+ robins.
Residents include plenty goldfinch, some siskin and 4 puffin close inshore at end of the track.
A run to Todhead lighthouse and minor roads back home yield nothing else of note.
Garden activity sees the largest count this winter/spring of at least 60 siskin including a few youngsters.
Allied to yesterdays tally of 12 goldfinch and two broods of ducklings the bird food is disappearing at a helluva rate.
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
The garden has had its share of breeding success. Second group of mallard this year now visiting the feeders, initially 9 ducklings a week ago, now down to 7 but mother still accompanying them.This the same female that successfully reared 9 young from 10.
We still have 7 teenage ducklings visiting on their own now from the early March brood although the experienced female is very aggressive towards them.
Year's first hedgehog in the garden, hoovering up the bird food scraps left by the siskin ( a few young siskin fully fledged). Nice to see a 3D one as opposed to the pancake 500 yards down the road.
We still have 7 teenage ducklings visiting on their own now from the early March brood although the experienced female is very aggressive towards them.
Year's first hedgehog in the garden, hoovering up the bird food scraps left by the siskin ( a few young siskin fully fledged). Nice to see a 3D one as opposed to the pancake 500 yards down the road.
Monday, 16 April 2012
Sunday, 15 April 2012
The cold weather continues although still plenty to see in this neck of the woods.
Today we visited Montreathmont Forest and although relatively quiet had 2 crossbill near car park end quickly followed up by singing chiffchaff - a fair few about.
Great spotted and green woodpecker very vocal and jay by the hide delighted the couple we took out with us. A yellowhammer at a feeder was unusual although tit numbers very low.
The wintering great grey shrike seen relatively well (albeit through a scope), perched on a small pine/spruce.
Today we visited Montreathmont Forest and although relatively quiet had 2 crossbill near car park end quickly followed up by singing chiffchaff - a fair few about.
Great spotted and green woodpecker very vocal and jay by the hide delighted the couple we took out with us. A yellowhammer at a feeder was unusual although tit numbers very low.
The wintering great grey shrike seen relatively well (albeit through a scope), perched on a small pine/spruce.
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