Wednesday, May 4, 2011

3 rd May,2011. More routine day.

Spent day locally or seeking out breeding evidence for a couple of species for the BTO Atlas survey. I still harbour thoughts of Long-eared Owl being present on Islay given there is a small population on Colonsay!

Northern Wheatear pairs now seem to have reached usual numbers locally, but Meadow Pipit numbers and Stonechat have taken a tumble! Feedback suggests that this species has not fared too well in other parts of the country either. A Cuckoo called throughout the day, presumably not yet having attracted a mate. I was intrigued by the behaviour of a lamb when confronted by two feeding Chough that had swooped down and commenced to probe the thin soil between an outcrop of rocks it was lying near. Clearly it had not been in the close proximity of such "large" birds before and its behaviour suggested it was utterly bewildered. It stood up, it laid down, it backed off, all the while watching the birds intently. When finally they flew it ran back to its mother! It does actually make you wonder what goes through the minds of animals as they serenely, at least usually, survey the landscape around them. A bit like me after my dinner I suspect!!

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