Old news…
So, February ended up being my last month at RSPB Abernethy. I was offered a contract as a surveyor on the Native Woodland Survey of Scotland (NWSS), and I started training on the 28th. I trained for 4 weeks, then had an assessment with the Forestry Commission Scotland during the last week of March. Thankfully, that went well and I then spent 3 months walking some of Scotland’s woods. Quite a nice way to make a living, I thought. However, would you believe it, things then got even better as I was offered the opportunity to survey raptors, divers and waders off the North coast of Scotland. Days spent watching hen harriers, red throated divers, greenshanks, etc – my dream job as a 12 year old, my dream job now…
For my last full weekend at Abernethy I finally got round to walking up Bynack More, and then on to Loch A’an. I’ve already posted pictures of ptarmigan from the day – here’s another shot or two.
Almost at the top of Bynack More, Abernethy forest in the foreground, Moray firth in the background
Loch A’an (Avon)
During my last two weeks at Abernethy, I was lucky enough to be offered a contract measuring the progress of the restructuring work that has taken place in the plantations. This involved me walking through all the plantations on a grid pattern and measuring tree density, height and canopy cover. The data collected from this survey will be used to determine where more light could be let in to promote the ground flora favoured by the Caledonian forest’s species. It was a great opportunity to see some of the parts of the reserve that I might not have otherwise seen during my stay.
Mondhuie woods – plantation turned good
During this time I’ve also been studying (OU degree) and having to improve my id skills. This doesn’t leave much time for blogging. I’ll keep adding entries when I can, but that won’t be often.
A frozen morning near Loch Mallachie
Here are some final shots from my stay at Abernethy – hopefully I’ll get round to posting some pictures from my time surveying at some point.
Ian showing off his legendary argo skills up the ‘hill track’. We had planned to get some burning in, but the bitterly cold wind sent us back down the hill
If ant hills are like the tip of the iceberg then I want to see what’s going on under this one…
Aren’t Ptarmigan brilliant!?
So, a more complete round-up of February’s events so far will feature in a future post, but for now I wanted to show off some photos that I managed to get today. I’d planned an early start for a walk up into the Cairngorms and down to Loch A’an, and this meant that I caught the best of the clear morning as I climbed beyond 1000m. At this point I spotted Mr Ptarmigan tucked into the rocks. He called a couple of times while I sat watching him, and minutes later, as I headed further along the top, I realised that the reply must have come from a female that was sitting on top of a large boulder, in the sun.
As I say, I’ll post more information and news from this month when I get the time (hopefully later in the week)
-
- Those of you who have never heard a Ptarmigan call before look it up, it’s a fantastic noise
-
- Lagopus Muta – meaning hare(like)-foot mute. But they’re not mute, they croak! Who gives out these names?
-
- When I loaded this onto my computer, I realised you can see him blinking
-
- She was clearly not bothered as I walked within a few metres of her
-
- A shot from the sunny side – demonstrating how unfortunate their ‘camouflage’ can be without snow.
Stirling and storms
In the last couple of weeks the weather has been a bit changeable. At one point a wind speed of 165mph was recorded on the top of Cairngorm, and we have lost contact with the local radio mast a couple of times in strong winds. On occasions myself and Ross have been out doing late night and early morning tours of the local roads to clear fallen trees.
On the 10th/11th I spent the weekend in Stirling. Since then I’ve spent most of every day out on the reserve. I’ve been lucky enough to get good sightings of golden eagles, and to get reasonably close to a pine marten. There were a few days when we saw a grey heron nearly every day. With the lochs freezing over it’s got to be a tough time of year for a bird looking to find food in water. This might apply to the 14 mallard I saw on Loch a’ Chnuic a couple of days before it froze over, but not the dippers I’ve seen around, who will feed in fast flowing waters that are unlikely to freeze at current temperatures.
There seem to have been an influx of woodcock since the beginning of the month, perhaps late arrivals from Russia and Scandinavia. I’ve also seen one or two black-billed (adult) blackbirds, which are also likely to be of Scandinavian origin.
-
- The Wallace monument and a particularly attractive birch tree.
-
- Stirling, seen from the hills at Blairlogie
-
- Meanwhile, back at Abernethy, the colder weather sees more activity on the bird table
-
- I can count 143 birds in the picture, how many can you see?
-
- Looking South from Carn a’ Chnuic
-
- There are plenty of red deer on the reserve at the moment
-
- Looking West from the lower slopes of Carn Bheadhair
-
- The Hidden Loch
Mar Lodge with team Pine Marten
Laura Kubasiewicz and David Bavin are currently staying at Forest lodge while they research the habits of local pine martens for Laura’s PhD. Having collected data from Abernethy they are now collecting hair tube (a tube that the pine marten climbs up to get bait and in the process leaves hair on a strategically positioned sticky pad) and scat samples from Mar Lodge. I was lucky enough to tag along with Laura and Dave for the day to see Mar Lodge and get a bit more experience in collecting samples (with blue sterile gloves on)
Mar Lodge is a massive estate owned by the National Trust. At first sight it seems idyllic, with beautiful fast flowing burns and stately granny pines mixed with the odd colourful larch. However, a little more thought and I realised that all is not so well on the estate. There are a good number of snags (standing dead trees, in this case scots pines, likely to have died in the last 50 years), and some fallen dead wood, and there appears to be very little significantly sized regeneration. Having said that, it appears that the National Trust Scotland (NTS) are on the case. They have recently opened up their management plan for consultation and the reduction in deer numbers over the last 5 years has started to lead to significant changes in the ground flora, and an increase in seedlings.
As for the pine martens, we found lots of scat and some hair in one of Laura’s hair tubes. Pine martens have quite big territories, but Laura can find out how big by genetically testing the hair from the hair tubes. This allows her to determine individuals and their gender.
-
- This red sword grass (Xylena vetusta) was hiding in one of the hair tubes.
-
- A beetle larva, possibly ground (carabid) beetle.
-
- Laura at Mar
Time to head North for the winter
So, it’s time to begin my winter placement at RSPB Abernethy. While I’m in Scotland I’ll also be doing a couple of Trees for Life weeks, but for most of the next 6 months I’ll be based at Forest Lodge, near Nethy Bridge. I have stayed here before back in February 2010, when I was lucky enough to see fantastic amounts of snow. I’m hoping for similar weather this winter.
On my way North I stopped off in Cardiff for Tim’s 70s/80s themed birthday party (unfortunately my photos from this, some of which are hilarious, are temporarily unavailable due to the weather at Abernethy getting the better of my mobile – they are now posted here), before meeting up with Lee at John’s, and then driving the rest of the way here today. It (RSPB Abernethy) is every bit as big as I remember, but, unfortunately, a lot warmer.
-
- My last meal with the family before my trip North, but someone else is stealing all the attention
-
- Lee, c’mon, we’ve not seen each other for years…
-
- John’s bees
-
- John’s butterfly
-
- Lee gets up for an afternoon cycle in Delamere forest
-
- Nice bit of downhill, don’t ask me to ride back up it though
-
- Beautiful
Tim’s 70s and 80s night
Tim has finally hit the big 3 9 so Julie carefully arranged for him to have the birthday present he’s always wished for, a surprise birthday party. She also gave the party a 70s and 80s theme, which is why the event deserves a post all of its own on here. Check out these photos. Tim, by the way, is meant to be Jimmy Saville, not a Swedish Ozzie Osborne.
-
- We grace the streets of Cardiff
-
- Alison, Rama and Karn forgot to dress up
-
- Whereas Mike, Ju and Manoj…
-
- Manoj is clearly actually from the 70s
-
- Whilst it would take many years for me to grow this amount of facial hair, it would actually be this colour naturally
-
- Tim couldn’t make it, so the real Jimmy Saville came instead
-
- This is Tim in his pre-Jimmy Saville days. Mike and Tim once produced a song called Ford Escort. Tim, if you ever read this it would be great if you could leave the lyrics in a comment…
Shaldon and the Teign
Today, myself and (activity) Dave carried out a recce of a walk that he’s planning for his walking club, around Shaldon and through Labrador bay. Labrador bay is RSPB managed for farmland birds (especially Cirl bunting), and I helped plant some of the hedges earlier this year. Not much progress to report on that front yet, so here are some pictures of the river Teign.
-
- Looking Northeast over the Teign estuary
A day out on Aylesbeare
In order to catch up with Tom and Damian from RSPB Aylesbeare (who came out to Dartmoor to help out on the Red Backed Shrike project), I spent today with them as they went round the reserve sites feeding the stock. Putting (Galloway) cattle and local horse breeds out is an environmentally appropriate way to manage heathland. This reduces the need to remove scrub during the winter using powered machinery and burning, and therefore cuts down on emissions and the impact on the ground (contrary to some misinformed local opinions). Now, if you’re going to ask me about whether some of these areas should be heathland, well, that’s a debate for another day.
-
- Tom and some cows
-
- Ponies on Aylesbeare common
-
- Southern hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea)
-
- Looking towards Sidmouth from Fire beacon hill
-
- More of Devon, looking West
Dartmouth and canoeing the Dart
I met up with Dave and JD yesterday and myself and John canoed down the Dart from Stoke Gabriel to Dartmouth, while Dave made the trip along side us on his (stand up) paddle board. Today myself and John hung about Dartmouth with Victoria and Pearl, and Dave joined us later for a swim and some food.
-
- The Kingswear Express
-
- Small harbour, big boat. The Ocean Princess can only turn around at high tide
-
- JD and latest activity weekend member, Pearl
Moths on Dartmoor 2
MOTHS ON DARTMOOR! Sounds a bit like it should be a horror movie, snakes on a plane style, with giant moths sucking up hapless walkers, and people having to lock themselves up in the prison to avoid a horrible death, and and…uh, sorry.
Actually these moths, although a tad pissed at being disturbed from their cosy egg box, are very cool. Perry’s second trapping catches 19 species (not all of which are here due to some just flying away), following 17 from the first trap – I think about 26 in total, given that there were some examples of the same species in both. Species without photos included dark arches, antlers, small phoenix, red twin spot and a nut-tree tussock.
-
- There were lot’s of true lover’s knots (Lycophotia porphyrea).
-
- A double line (Mythimna turca) is bigger than a true lover’s knot. It’s also rare outside Dartmoor.
-
- Buff footman (Eilema depressa). A gorgeous moth, as are all the other footmen
-
- Dark marbled carpet (Chloroclysta citrata)
-
- A rough looking male Mottled Beauty (Alcis repandata). Remember, the purpose of a moths wings is to deflect birds’ attention away from the moth’s head. And to fly.
-
- Common wainscot (Mythimna pallens). Maybe.
-
- Is this a wainscot? Why the dark patches on the wings? What are you trying to tell us little moth? There’s a small boy stuck down the well?
-
- Dotted clay (Xestia baja)
-
- Northern spinach (Eulithis populata). Nice one this, as they’re less common in the South
-
- This lil’ lady is very faded. We think she’s a wave, but is she common? cream? dwarf cream? …?
-
- Large yellow underwing (Noctua pronuba)
-
- Scalloped oak (Crocallis elinguaria)
Moths on Dartmoor 1
During the three days that Perry joined me on the moor this month he set up two moth traps. Here are some of the results of the first. I’ve used my encyclopaedic knowledge of all things nature to, no doubt, miss identify them. And a piece of paper which Perry had written the species list on.
-
- This caddis fly is closely related to a moth. The father doesn’t know though…
-
- Dotted Clay (Xestia baja)
-
- A fabulous female fox moth (Macrothylacia rubi)
-
- A faded carpet, possibly Purple bar (Cosmorhoe ocellata)?
-
- The brilliantly named July highflyer (Hydriomena furcata)
-
- Scalloped oak (Crocallis elinguaria)
-
- A fluffy but less colourful than usual male drinker (Euthrix potatoria)
-
- I’ve a few pictures of the drinker caterpillar from earlier in the year, so it’s interesting to see how he’s changed
Weston Super Mare
Every year I meet up with a bunch of my university friends in a UK seaside ‘resort’ and we party like its 1999. Well, we used to (especially in 1999). These days we have a few drinks, dance, eat and wonder how long it’ll be before more kids than adults turn up. This year we re-visited our 1997(?) venue of Weston Super Mare. The last time we were here I was able to drink, heavily, there were (I’m pretty sure) no kids, JD slept on the lawn of the hotel with a dog, and I jumped off the sea wall and landed on a concrete ramp, forcing beach patrol to come out and check up on me. Thankfully I was diagnosed as having no broken bones by Mike, a dentist.
This time the evening passed smoothly, I was introduced to baby Saffiyah, I ended up in Dave’s winning Sunday crazy golf matchplay team and I headed back to Dartmoor happy to have experienced some sunshine and laughter.
-
- Has the beach wall changed in recent years – I seem to remember it being bigger
-
- The crowds jostle for a view of the Godinson cup
-
- High tension on the golf course
Cornwall – the South West coastal path
During the last couple of months I’ve had the opportunity to spend a great deal of time walking the coastal path between Penberth and Land’s End. As well as all the wildlife that I’ve already documented I’ve been blessed with having to look out over the equivalent of landscape (and seascape) eye candy every day.
I’ve tried to capture some of the best moments, but this is all I have to offer…
-
- An evening shot of the church at St Levan
-
- This lovely undisturbed scrub is one of the reasons why so many species live here
-
- Wild flower meadows, managed by the National Trust, is another.
-
- Porthgwarra
-
- A popular spot for climbers
-
- Porth Curno and Treen beaches
-
- There were rare occasions when the sun didn’t shine (but I wished I could spend the day boarding)
-
- Seals on rocks near the watch point at Gwennap Head
-
- Porth Chapel
-
- The isles of Scilly
-
- Wolf Rock lighthouse
Unidentified goats, Dundreggan and my trip South
I’ve just remembered that on our way into the Kinloch Hourn, for the JMT work party, we passed some creatures that I’d never seen before. See the (goat?) photo below – if anyone is able to tell me what they are, and whether they should be roaming the wilds of Scotland, then I’d be very grateful.
So, after getting back to Findhorn, following the TFL week on Skye, I was invited over to Marcassie Farm to spend the evening with Paul, Maeve, Dan & Kristy, and Craig, Ruth & family. Many thanks to those guys for their hospitality. We had a great evening eating and acting out made up scenarios in various styles, to keep ourselves entertained. I’m still loving Craig and Paul’s ‘tenderly’ dancing. Check out the web site, and especially the Art of Mentoring.
In the morning it’s another lovely sunshiny day, so it’s time to say goodbye to Paul, and begin my trip South. On the way I have it on good authority that Steve and Jane will be at Dundreggan, so I make my way there. Obviously, I gave them too much warning as, by the time I get there, there’s no sign of them. It’s a glorious day so I stop by the river Moriston and I also take a look around the Dundreggan riparian planting site.
After a night in the van in the Lakes (snipe and red grouse calling next to me), I text Manoj to see how he’s getting on with his cycle round Scotland tour. He’s made it to Newcastle-upon-tyne, and has decided against getting on a ferry to Holland. I go and pick him up and we call in on Kath on the way back to his place. We’ve managed to squeeze in a fair bit since I picked him up on the way up, three weeks ago…
In other news, I’ve heard that the choughs I was monitoring have been carrying around eggshell in the last few days.
-
- Look very closely, it may be you. Ok, it’s not you, it’s some kind of a goat thing. Any opportunity to reel off some ELO lyrics…
-
- The river Moriston
-
- I’m pretty sure that this is a large stonefly. That’s also it’s common name, apparently (Perlodes microcephala).
-
- Looking across the Dundreggan riparian planting site towards the lodge
-
- Kath bravely hides her distaste at being hugged by two people who’ve been wearing the same clothes for weeks
TFL week on Skye 23rd April, sunshine included
So, my only TFL work week of this spring, and it felt like I must have picked the best week of the season, not least because of the sunny weather. I was Focalising with Paul Knights, someone who I’ve met a couple of times before at the 2010 conference and Saturday changeovers. He’s been coming on work weeks for 15 years and he’s still only half my age! Anyway, I think we did ok.
We were also lucky enough to have a fine group of volunteers, some of whom I knew, and some I was meeting for the first time. We planted 3020 trees on a fairly steep slope over the road from the plantation in Glen Kylerhea (down towards the Kylerhea ferry). During our three days there we heard, and occasionally saw, at least two grasshopper warblers, and twice a golden eagle, once soaring higher and higher and then twisting and feinting as it dropped into the next glen, and the next time flying low over us with a bunch of hoodies in tow. This was in addition to a fine array of other birds, caterpillars, bugs, etc.
We also spent a day felling Spruce at Balmacara and, on our last working day, clearing smaller spruce from a beautiful spot near Leitir Fura (look it up and pay it a visit). For my day off I walked to Gleann Meadhonach and Dalavil woods. There is an area of planted young woodland before the Glen opens up, and the whole walk was absolutely stunning. I’ll create another post to discuss my wildlife sightings.
As usual big thanks must go to Peter and Julie MacDonald for being great hosts at the Flora MacDonald lodge.
Also worthy of mention was the food, especially the cakes (I may, at last, get some sleep tonight after Kevin and Rob’s chocolate brownie hit!), a snipe with a strangely high pitched tail near the lodge, some fine philosophical debate with the legendary Mr Knights (mostly not serious!), and the late night conversations around the fireside.
-
- Everyone takes an immediate liking to Paul
-
- Apparently the week before had the sunniest Skye week in (Peter’s) living memory…
-
- There was even sun in the kitchen
-
- Glen Kylerhea, looking East
-
- Everyone’s laughing now, but soon we’ll all want a Gary’s Sunhat
-
- Glen Kylerhea, looking West
-
- Dalavil woods (Coille Dalavil)
-
- Gleann Meadhonach with Rum in the distance
-
- This ancient stand of oaks, along with the rest of Coille Dalavil, has now been fenced off to allow regeneration
-
- Our merry bunch of volunteers. Apart from Mark, who seems to be leading the mutiny
-
- Sorry Alice.
-
- Hope this one makes up for it. No, wait, who’s that idiot on the end…
-
- Freddie models Leitir Fura
-
- Would you spend a week with these people?
A meeting with RSPB Abernethy
I’ve been trying to set myself up with a winter residential voluntary placement at RSPB Abernethy, somewhere I’ve worked before. In order to discuss this I had a meeting with Alice and Ian at Forest Lodge today. After spending a few weeks near the sea I was beginning to wonder if I’d appreciate being back inland again, but as soon as I found myself in the woods I started to feel pretty excited about the prospect of coming back here for a long term stay.
Last night, around late dusk time, I heard the most amazing noise and it took me a few moments to work out what it was. It sounded a little bit like the drunk old guy from The Fast Show, followed by a mini screech. Anyway, it was a Scolopax rusticola. I recommend clicking the link and then listening to the call on the RSPBs web site.
-
- No osprey for me on Loch Garton this morning, instead pairs of mallard and widgeon
-
- And a pair of crested tits. Excellent! The other was keeping watch in a tree just out of shot
-
- A tree pipit.
Grasshopper warblers and the Point of Ardnamurchan
So, the point of Ardnamurchan appears to be to provide solid ground for a lighthouse. I’m not sure that it’s the most interesting of lighthouses (my recent lighthouse experience consists of looking out to sea to Long Ships and Wolf Rock lighthouses), and, in general, there’s not much vegetation around. I took a picture of the lighthouse, but I don’t think it’s exciting enough to include.
What is exciting though is that yesterday, following a night in a B&B after our walk out from the JMT weekend (entirely Manoj’s idea – you can take the man out of the city, but…), we saw an otter near Kinlochmoidart. We drove through Glenuig, which seems to have a great woodland regeneration scheme. And last night we saw ringed plovers and listened to oystercatchers and snipe as we fell asleep (well, I did anyway, from inside the roof of my van. Manoj probably couldn’t hear anything tucked up in bed downstairs).
Today we also saw what I’m fairly sure were a golden eagle and a merlin, and my first ever grasshopper warbler, c’mon! Not being entirely familiar with my little warbler friend, I’d been hearing it for a few minutes before I realised that it was a bird. Then it was just a matter of tracking it down, which I managed to do even though it was giving it’s ‘song’ deep in the middle of a willow bush. I’m afraid it was a little too illusive for a photo.
A little while ago I dropped Manoj off in Fort William. He plans to cycle from there up to Inverness, and then around the North East. I’m making my way to Abernethy for a meeting with the RSPB.
-
- This cute little fella is an American mink. It causes considerable problems for local species.
-
- There is now a co-ordinated effort in Scotland to remove it
-
- A pair of ringed plover
John Muir Trust work party at Li and Coire Dhorrcail, 15th to 19th April.
Woaw, so this was a fabulous introduction to a John Muir Trust (JMT) work party, and the JMT ethos. The JMT is all about protecting, or enhancing the fabulous wild parts of our country. The work, and end goal is similar to that of Trees for Life (TFL), but the two organisations’ approach is very different. Whereas TFL can appear to come across as a very tree focused organisation (something it really isn’t), the JMT presents itself as an organisation protecting the wilderness experience.
However, TFL state that they are restoring a wild forest, for it’s own sake. And JMT plant trees, manage the deer population to encourage regeneration and see trees as part of a healthy ecosystem.
The format of the JMT work party was a little different to what I’m used to. JMT don’t provide accommodation or food and transport to site. But the work parties are free. This one was the most hardcore one I could see on the list. A 9 mile (yes, that’s nine miles) walk in to the spot where we would wild camp, with all our kit, would ensure that I would be sure to meet some fantastically experienced, or foolhardy fellow volunteers.
I’d somehow roped Manoj into accompanying me, and on the 12th we began our road trip, stopping at John Garrett’s over night. We then drove to Fort William so that I could introduce him to Heather and Stuart, whilst wishing them well on their forthcoming cycle ride to NZ (cycling to NZ, hmm, now that’s an idea, more about that in a future entry…). The next morning we picked up a few last minute supplies and drove to Kinloch Hourn. It took slightly longer than expected thanks to the 22 mile single track road. We then walked the 9 miles in.
Bizarrely, even though the path to Barrisdale was totally unsuitable for it, one of the work party attendees, Doug, decided that he would cycle from the Kinloch hourn car park. The more we walked the more I realised that Doug must be completely mental. Perhaps not surprisingly, we caught up with Doug as we were approaching Barrisdale, three hours into the walk/cycle. He looked like he might not make it, and commented that he was ‘running on empty’. He seemed like a nice guy and I wasn’t looking forward to carrying him , and his bike, back to the car park. But, just then, the path descended its final slope and turned into a vehicle track. Doug was away, and we marched on, relieved.
Thankfully we made it the wild camp spot just before dark, pitched our tent, and then spent the next four days shitting in holes. Oh, and we also removed some fencing materials and threw together a new footpath with a few stones that were lying around.
Many thanks to JMT’s Sandy Maxwell for putting the weekend together, and providing a brief history of JMT and John Muir one night around the camp fire. And to Lester Standen for giving a great insight into his work for JMT out in the field, and indulging my thirst for knowledge and search for the mystery bird (which turned out to be a cheeky Reed Bunting, with a fairly strong Northern accent).
Coire Dhorrcail is amazing. I’ve seen some magnificent landscapes whilst travelling this beautiful country, but I think this is probably the most geographically fascinating. I love wild camping, and our little group had some great conversation around the camp fire. If this is what JMT is all about then you can count me in…
-
- Four yards from the car park and I suspect Manoj may already be wondering why I suggested this
-
- Wow.
-
- Caterpillar of the Drinker moth, I believe.
-
- Hmm, I’m such a regen geek
-
- Niall and Sandy kick stone
-
- A bunch of happy campers
-
- Now Lester and Manoj get involved for the final adjustments. Hugh, unlike the rest of the weekend, watches on
-
- I had a chance to take a brief hike to the top end of the Coire…
-
- Camp fire stories under the full moon
-
- Sandy applies the finishing touches to one of the path revisions
-
- An amazing day to walk out
-
- Loch Hourn moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita hournicus)
Off to Cornwall again then…
So, my next role brings me back to Cornwall, just two weeks after I was last here. I call by the Marazion office again, but this time to meet up with the RSPB’s Claire Mucklow and the Cornish chough project. I get a little bit of time to look around the Eastern part of the reserve, and see the usual array of passerines. It still makes me smile hearing how loud the Cetti’s warblers are.
Once our hire van has turned up we head out to a place called Botallack, where I’ll be staying. The Botallack Vean is a National trust property – they are also involved in the project – as is a lot of the land on Cornwalls South Westerly tip. Nic, the project co-ordinator and I, go out to see if we can see one of our chough pairs, and they duly oblige with a fly-by as we are out walking. Good start.
Day 2, and I’m shown another pair, who are apparently young but enthusiastic, and then an assortment of other choughs, including a couple of males who seem to be quite close. So close in fact, that they seem to be ignoring the attention seeking actions of a local female. They become known as the ‘boys’. They like flying along cliffs in formation, especially with ravens and occasionally kestrels.
There is also one unringed chough about, which we are really hoping will hang around. All the locally born choughs were ringed in the nest, hence we know what sex they are. As with any small colony, it would be great to get some new blood involved to prevent the potential for issues arising from a small gene pool.
At the end of my second day, the sun is going down over the sea, the pipits are flying around me as I sit on my rocky outcrop, watching 4 choughs. It’s a lovely evening, hello Cornwall, hello choughs.
-
- A blackbird (poss juvenile) at Marazion
-
- This picture of a chiffchaff is one of my best
-
- Deep and narrow inlets down here are called Zawns. This one doesn’t quite qualify
-
- Caves down here are called caves. Oooh, what’s in there?
-
- One of three male Wheatears about near Gwennap head today
-
- Let me introduce you to the ‘boys’
-
- From it’s call I’d say this was a Rock Pipit. Pipits all look the same to me…
-
- The mist round here is a bit unpredictable…
Spring at Marazion
The RSPB Aylesbeare warden, Toby Taylor, very kindly offered out the services of myself and Tia to RPSB Cornwall reserves. As a result we’ve been removing willow stumps at a place called Marazion for the last couple of days. The weather has been glorious, the reserve is beautiful, and we’ve been eating lunch on the beach looking out at St Michaels Mount. If Dave, the warden down there, offered residential placements I’d be jolly well signing up.
What’s more, whilst there, I saw my first bittern, flying for a good few hundred metres across the marshes this morning, fantastic! No, more than fantastic. Both myself and Tia became very excited and probably embarrassed poor Dave by gushing thank yous to him, when he isn’t, after all, able to control what the birds get up to. There are also Cetti’s warblers on the marshes, and chiff chaffs that hang around all year round. With chiff chaffs joining in the plentiful bird song there was a proper feel of spring in the air, probably something that part of the world feels before most places in the country. Oh, and it’s hard to describe how loud the Cetti’s are – they manage to make their call sound like it’s being produced in an amphitheatre. Incredible.
-
- We set up base amongst the willow
-
- Some of the stumps to be removed – looking South, the sea is the other side of the road
-
- Our lunchtime view
-
- Larus argentatus
-
- Finishing the day with only one boot full of water was a result.
Stihl open day at Arne
I get a chance to pop along to RSPB Arne for a Stihl open day, with Richard and Tia. The weather is pretty bright, and Arne is looking good, as usual. I get a chance to give the new Stihl MS261 a go. I’m hoping to get a chainsaw at some point (probably the, not yet released, MS241), and this is as smooth as a babies bottom. Ok, maybe not the correct analogy for a chainsaw, but you get my point, don’t you? So, if anyone out there lovin’ my work, wants to sponsor my chainsaw purchase, let me know. Anyone? Hello?
Thanks, as usual, to Toby and Craig, for making us feel welcome. Following the spiel from the Stihl guys, we took a walk about the reserve. Great to see a few brent geese about, possibly (as far as I can remember) another first for me.
-
- No one explained to us what the giant cork screw was for
-
- Brent geese and a dust bin (exotic)
-
- Hmm, is this the same little egret I saw at Bowling Green (see post 20/2)?
A charm of goldfinches
I popped along to the Bowling Green hide again today. This time John and Jane were manning the hide, and enthusing about the birds to the visitors. During my conversation with one knowledgeable visitor the topic of collective nouns for birds cropped up, and I learnt that the collective noun for goldfinches is a charm. As the lady said, that’s sweet.
-
- Widgeons
-
- A pair of pintail
-
- This is a Greenshank. I couldn’t get any closer without sinking.
-
- A little egret
Bowling Green Marsh bird hide
Today I popped along to the hide at Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, to meet the legendary John Allan, and brush up on my wader identification skills. A female Smew has been hanging around the marsh for a few days and I was lucky enough to spot it, on numerous occasions, diving away in front of the hide. This was probably my first sighting of Smew, although I find it difficult to remember which birds I used to see when I went out with the YOC many years ago.
Also in attendance were most of the other duck species I’d expect to see, Mallard, Teal, Widgeon, Gadwall, Shoveller, Pochard, Pintail, Tufted ducks and Shelducks. There were also large numbers of Avocets, Godwits (black tailed), Curlew and Redshank.
John attends the hide at some point during most weekends, and today he and Margaret were helping inexperienced visitors to identify birds with a scope.
-
- Redshank and Godwits try to find some shelter from the chilly breeze
-
- Avocets
-
- A Goldfinch
-
- Goat walk, Topsham
-
- Curlew
A couple more Edinburgh shots…
…from my weekend up North, just because I like them.
-
- Colin and this view were at Edinburgh to greet me
-
- The window in the roof of Edinburgh station
Life since the office 
Major endorsements