Happy New Year, 2012 has offically started.
Despite the cold wind it has been a bright sunny day, not that it will last for long according to the forecast.
First task of the year was to enter the final few weeks of garden bird observations for 2011 into the online reporting system of the BTO's Garden Bird Watch survey. Then find a new notebook for 2012 as by pure coincidence I managed to finish 2011 on the last page of the previous one. Strangely my pocket notebook for my birding activities also finished on the last page on my last outing for 2011. How spooky is that?
I have decided that instead of making New Year resolutions this year, as they are never kept, I'm going to set myself some Aims instead.
The first Aim is to get my leg back to normal service. After breaking it back in August the swelling just doesn't want to go away in a hurry. I'm hoping that by going out and doing more birding and ringing I might be able to get the old muscles pumping again and get rid of the fluid build up causing the swelling.
To that end I went out for a walk to my local loch, the Loch of Ayre, and out round the headland of Skaildaquoy Point. Not much out on the sea, a few female Eiders, a couple of Great Black-backed Gulls, a pair of Mallard and a couple of Cormorants. Along the beach there were a small flock of Turnstones, a couple of Redshank and a solitary Rock Pipit. Flying overhead were a Common Gull and a Raven. There seemed to be a distinct lack of gulls about today and I didn't see any Mergansers either.
On the loch were a pair of Mute Swans with a youngster, five Goldeneye, six Tufted Duck and two male Long Tailed Ducks which took flight and headed out to sea. Around the loch edge, sheltering from the wind, were a couple of Grey Herons, twenty Mallards, 100+ Wigeon, 80+ Lapwings and 40+ Oystercatchers. In a field on the Northern edge of the loch was a mixed flock of 80+ Starlings, 50+ Curlew and a dozen Oystercatchers.
The highlight of the afternoon was watching a female Hen Harrier hunting along the Northern edge of the loch.
The second Aim is to update this blog on a more regular basis and tinker around with the layout/format. All feedback greatly received. At least I'm starting with good intent by posting this entry.
The third Aim is to get my C permit and starting ringing on my own. I had some plans in place last year to help me achieve this aim but the busted leg stopped any hope of that. So a concerted effort this year to those plans back on track so watch this blog for progress.
As I take a break from entering all my birding efforts from last year into the spreadsheet for submission to the county recorder for inclusion in the 2011 Orkney Bird Report my final Aim for the year is not to leave this task until the end of the year. Instead the aim will be to submit my input every quarter, so if you don't spot me commenting on this in early April then give me a prompt.
On which note I shall close this blog entry and get back to the spreadsheet.
1 January 2012
31 December 2011
End of the year
With the end of the year just under two and a half hours away it is time to reflect on the past 12 months.
The aim was to get my C permit by the end of this year but like all great plans there was a big spanner in the works when I broke my leg. Not content with that, it then got infected and then three months down the line just when I thought things were heading in the right direction I then went and got DVT!! So ringing activites were seriously curtailed for the best part of five months.
The weather for the last couple of months has done nothing to assist ringing activities either as there has been one gale after another.
There was a good end to the year this afternoon when I got a call from my trainer to say he had just had a catch in his garden, so I popped down to ring a Blackbird and a few House Sparrows, Greenfinches and Starlings. I also got there in time to take a few birds out of the whoosh net too.
Hopefully my leg and the weather will improve early in the new year and ringing activites can get back to normal.
It just remains for me to wish all my blog followers a very happy new year and I hope you will continue to follow the blog next year.
Cheers.
The aim was to get my C permit by the end of this year but like all great plans there was a big spanner in the works when I broke my leg. Not content with that, it then got infected and then three months down the line just when I thought things were heading in the right direction I then went and got DVT!! So ringing activites were seriously curtailed for the best part of five months.
The weather for the last couple of months has done nothing to assist ringing activities either as there has been one gale after another.
There was a good end to the year this afternoon when I got a call from my trainer to say he had just had a catch in his garden, so I popped down to ring a Blackbird and a few House Sparrows, Greenfinches and Starlings. I also got there in time to take a few birds out of the whoosh net too.
Hopefully my leg and the weather will improve early in the new year and ringing activites can get back to normal.
It just remains for me to wish all my blog followers a very happy new year and I hope you will continue to follow the blog next year.
Cheers.
25 November 2011
When the wind blows
Well the hatches are battened down here as the high winds battering the West and North coasts of Scotland this weekend blow outside, it was gusting 40 knots here at breakfast this morning!! Along with the wind there have been several hail showers and the odd rumble of thunder.
Definitely a weekend for staying indoors and catching up with all the birding mags that have arrived in the post over the last couple of weeks. Coupled with the latest twist in the broken leg saga - DVT - a weekend of rest sounds good to me.
This weekend should have seen the local ringing group heading off to the Northern isle of Sanday with the primary aim to ring Sanderling and Purple Sandpipers as part of two ongoing projects (See: http://www.orkneyrg.co.uk/wader.html).
However due to the forecast winds it was decided to postponed the trip for a couple of weeks.
So it was very fortuitous that I decided to make a brew just after 10 this morning. As I walked into the kitchen I glanced out of the window to see a Sparrowhawk sitting on one of the handrails for the steps from the patio up to the lawn.
It was studying the two bushes either side of the steps very carefully and on several occassions disappeared into the bushes after the sheltering House Sparrows. Fortunately for the House Sparrows it left after about 10 minutes without a catch.
Definitely a weekend for staying indoors and catching up with all the birding mags that have arrived in the post over the last couple of weeks. Coupled with the latest twist in the broken leg saga - DVT - a weekend of rest sounds good to me.
This weekend should have seen the local ringing group heading off to the Northern isle of Sanday with the primary aim to ring Sanderling and Purple Sandpipers as part of two ongoing projects (See: http://www.orkneyrg.co.uk/wader.html).
However due to the forecast winds it was decided to postponed the trip for a couple of weeks.
So it was very fortuitous that I decided to make a brew just after 10 this morning. As I walked into the kitchen I glanced out of the window to see a Sparrowhawk sitting on one of the handrails for the steps from the patio up to the lawn.
It was studying the two bushes either side of the steps very carefully and on several occassions disappeared into the bushes after the sheltering House Sparrows. Fortunately for the House Sparrows it left after about 10 minutes without a catch.
5 November 2011
Jackdaw behaviour
While in town this afternoon spotted this Jackdaw on one of the car parks. Not sure what it was up to but it looked like if was pulling a small stone out of the tarmac!!
Having got the small stone out of the tarmac it then flew off leaving the stone lying on the tarmac.
Having got the small stone out of the tarmac it then flew off leaving the stone lying on the tarmac.
Blackcap
There have been at least two male Blackcaps in the garden for the last week now. A couple of them were enjoying some apples out on the lawn this morning.
The Big 50
Yesterday saw me mark the Big 50 milestone. No, nothing to do with birds it was my 50th birthday.
The day started off dull, damp and misty, although the wind had dropped from the previous day. The drop in wind allowed me the opportunity to put my new weather station up on the pole where my previous one was. This new station allows me to monitor a few additional weather parameters as well as analysing the data better.
The only birding present this year was a book entitled 'Scotland - Birds of Prey' which has some stunning photographs in it.
In the afternoon 3 of us, plus my good lady were back on Deerness for another session at the same site we were at last week. Three mist nets were set and in the region of 20 birds were caught. 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Redwing, 2 Robins, 1 Song Thrush and the rest Blackbirds.
For me, I got to ring 6 Blackbirds, the Blackcap (a female this time), the Dunnock, the Goldcrest, the Redwing, the Song Thrush and a new species a Robin. Another first for me was extracting the Goldcrest from the net.
This session also saw me ring my 1000th bird.
So all in all not a bad day.
Typically today is blue sky and sunshine, at least it's the weekend :)
The day started off dull, damp and misty, although the wind had dropped from the previous day. The drop in wind allowed me the opportunity to put my new weather station up on the pole where my previous one was. This new station allows me to monitor a few additional weather parameters as well as analysing the data better.
The only birding present this year was a book entitled 'Scotland - Birds of Prey' which has some stunning photographs in it.
In the afternoon 3 of us, plus my good lady were back on Deerness for another session at the same site we were at last week. Three mist nets were set and in the region of 20 birds were caught. 1 Blackcap, 1 Dunnock, 1 Goldcrest, 1 Redwing, 2 Robins, 1 Song Thrush and the rest Blackbirds.
For me, I got to ring 6 Blackbirds, the Blackcap (a female this time), the Dunnock, the Goldcrest, the Redwing, the Song Thrush and a new species a Robin. Another first for me was extracting the Goldcrest from the net.
This session also saw me ring my 1000th bird.
So all in all not a bad day.
Typically today is blue sky and sunshine, at least it's the weekend :)
30 October 2011
More Blackies
After ringing my first Blackcap yesterday it was a pleasant surprise this morning, when I came out of the garage, to spot a movement on the far side of the garden which turned out to be a male Blackcap.
Moving as quickly as I could into the house, hobble permitting, I grabbed the binoculars to get a closer look and found not one but two males skulking around the base of one of the trees and the surrounding undergrowth. It was a pleasure to watch them flitting around.
Whilst watching them foraging other movement through the field of view kept distracting me so I scanned around to see what else was around. A female Chaffinch and a male Brambling were quickly spotted.
By now the two Blackcaps had moved further down the garden and were joined by a third. There could have been more as they were in and out of the undergrowth and bushes, but three was the most seen in one go. They seemed to like feeding on the various red berries we have in the garden. Hope they leave some for the Waxwings.
This was about as good as I could get.
Moving as quickly as I could into the house, hobble permitting, I grabbed the binoculars to get a closer look and found not one but two males skulking around the base of one of the trees and the surrounding undergrowth. It was a pleasure to watch them flitting around.
Whilst watching them foraging other movement through the field of view kept distracting me so I scanned around to see what else was around. A female Chaffinch and a male Brambling were quickly spotted.
By now the two Blackcaps had moved further down the garden and were joined by a third. There could have been more as they were in and out of the undergrowth and bushes, but three was the most seen in one go. They seemed to like feeding on the various red berries we have in the garden. Hope they leave some for the Waxwings.
This was about as good as I could get.
29 October 2011
Blackie's Galore
Late on this afternoon saw 3 of us over on Deerness at one of our ringing sites to see what was about in the way of migrants. After days of South/South-Easterly winds it would be interesting to see what was about.
Three mist nets were set and after just over two hours 36 birds had been caught. 28 of them Blackbirds, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Housesparrows, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Wren and a Blackcap.
For me, I got to ring two new species a Goldcrest and the Blackcap as well as the Song Thrush and around a dozen of the Blackbirds.
Compared to the Wren the Goldcrest was a very docile little bird. So much so that when we walked back to inspect the nets one sat on a tree branch just feet from us and didn't seem bothered by our presence at all.
The rain held of until just as we were packing away the last net so all in all a good afternoon.
Three mist nets were set and after just over two hours 36 birds had been caught. 28 of them Blackbirds, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Housesparrows, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Wren and a Blackcap.
For me, I got to ring two new species a Goldcrest and the Blackcap as well as the Song Thrush and around a dozen of the Blackbirds.
Compared to the Wren the Goldcrest was a very docile little bird. So much so that when we walked back to inspect the nets one sat on a tree branch just feet from us and didn't seem bothered by our presence at all.
The rain held of until just as we were packing away the last net so all in all a good afternoon.
24 October 2011
A flash of 'Blue' inspiration
As I sit here listening to the Force 6 gusting 7 wind which the locals refer to as a gentle breeze it was interesting to read on the BBC News pages about a Kingfisher that has recently been retrapped at Orford Ness in Suffolk.
The Kingfisher is a rare sight up here, but I have seen a few on the Scottish Mainland and in England. Most people are amazed at the bright Blue of the plumage which is usually the first thing they see as it whizzes past as it flies along a river. When they perch on a branch over hanging a river or on a post next to a stream the Orange of the body also stands out well. These birds are often considered a local resident just patrolling their patch of river bank.
So it was interesting to read that the Kingfisher caught at Orford Ness was wearing a Polish ring making this particular bird a record breaker. The actual part of Poland it was ringed in is yet to be confirmed but it is thought to have flown at least 620 miles (1000km) breaking the current record of 603 miles (970km).
For the full story go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-15429197
The Kingfisher is a rare sight up here, but I have seen a few on the Scottish Mainland and in England. Most people are amazed at the bright Blue of the plumage which is usually the first thing they see as it whizzes past as it flies along a river. When they perch on a branch over hanging a river or on a post next to a stream the Orange of the body also stands out well. These birds are often considered a local resident just patrolling their patch of river bank.
So it was interesting to read that the Kingfisher caught at Orford Ness was wearing a Polish ring making this particular bird a record breaker. The actual part of Poland it was ringed in is yet to be confirmed but it is thought to have flown at least 620 miles (1000km) breaking the current record of 603 miles (970km).
For the full story go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-15429197
9 October 2011
The first week of October
It's been a while since my last post and I've not had the opportunity to get out and doing any ringing since then so I thought I would just add some other bird activity.
After a fairly quiet end to September in terms of garden visitors the first day of October bought a sudden influx of visitors. As well as the usual House Sparrows, Starlings, Colloard Doves, Blackbirds, Greenfinches and Pied Wagtails we also had visits from a Robin, Song Thrush, Redwing, a pair of Chaffinch and three Linnets.
Then it all went quiet on the 2nd and back to the usual visitors. Oh well it was good while it lasted.
Out the front of the house, overlooking St Mary's and Ayre Bay's there where the usual Eiders, Red Breasted Mergansers, Redshanks, Oystercatchers, Common, Black-headed and Great Black-backed Gulls and a couples of Grey Heron. Towards the end of the week Turnstones also started appearing after their summer absence.
The big news of the week was the appearance of a Bonaparte's Gull between Graemeshall and Churchill Barrier 1. I've not managed to see it yet but I keep looking.
After a fairly quiet end to September in terms of garden visitors the first day of October bought a sudden influx of visitors. As well as the usual House Sparrows, Starlings, Colloard Doves, Blackbirds, Greenfinches and Pied Wagtails we also had visits from a Robin, Song Thrush, Redwing, a pair of Chaffinch and three Linnets.
Then it all went quiet on the 2nd and back to the usual visitors. Oh well it was good while it lasted.
Out the front of the house, overlooking St Mary's and Ayre Bay's there where the usual Eiders, Red Breasted Mergansers, Redshanks, Oystercatchers, Common, Black-headed and Great Black-backed Gulls and a couples of Grey Heron. Towards the end of the week Turnstones also started appearing after their summer absence.
The big news of the week was the appearance of a Bonaparte's Gull between Graemeshall and Churchill Barrier 1. I've not managed to see it yet but I keep looking.
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