Having got the weather forecast wrong, settled behind the PC and got embroiled in a variety of things, it was mid-afternoon before I got out!! The reward was nothing of importance , although the female Brambling is still visiting the garden from time to time.
I decided to use the opportunity to raise a few questions about this Blog, which I've done on an occasion before. I sincerely believe that personal Blogs ( as opposed to commercial sites promoting a service ) should serve some positive functions and not simply be a product of the rantings of their authors. They should be informative, educational and include variety , all of which is eventually reflected in the number of visits they receive. There should be an avoidance of repetition, ( how many Blogs could you actually write in advance ! ), and an avoidance, where possible, of the same old ,tired themes and mode of presentation that leads to a pedestrian outpouring that can be scan read and largely ignored. We have to remind ourselves that "subscribers" are now worldwide and obscure references and pursuing themes with too much local or subjective interest is gobbledygook to a far flung readership. Oh, and then there's style, even the ability to write in English which also comes into it.
So, comments please! I know I've failed on the provision of photographs on a regular basis, so a "Can do better" on that one. There must be many other things that can be added ,explored, comments that other people can read about and improve their own Blogs. I enjoy running a Blog as a product of the activity I love most of all and enjoy sharing with people.....birding! But I'm sure content etc can be taken to even further limits. Now it's your turn, particularly people in far flung places, or potential visitors to this wonderful island, or other Bloggers willing to give advice..........HAVE YOUR SAY!!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Gyr Falcon still present.
Overnight , a little snow but such disappeared fairly quickly. Given I'd a few other matters to attend to I kept to the southern end of the Rinns as far as birding was concerned. Small birds were few and far between , except around specific , and isolated, feeding spots, but a small number of Blackbirds and Song Thrushes are in evidence. Despite the still fairly low temperatures and conditions a good number of Lapwings were around together with the odd Golden Plover . A sea watch was quite interesting by contrast. Numbers of auks were moving south offshore, varying numbers of Fulmar were "at sea" ,but none were inshore or at the local colonies, a few Gannet were evident and increased activity levels were apparent by local Shags.
A little later the now "local" Gyr Falcon was found, in the same general location on McKenzie Island off Portnahaven, but in the lee of a rock outcrop giving some shelter from the northerly wind. A lone Chough was seen north of the village, normally a regular feature but, in fact, the first I've seen there this year. And finally, in the late afternoon, and at home, the single female Brambling put in a very brief appearance, and never even fed before heading off back towards the conifer blocks opposite.
A little later the now "local" Gyr Falcon was found, in the same general location on McKenzie Island off Portnahaven, but in the lee of a rock outcrop giving some shelter from the northerly wind. A lone Chough was seen north of the village, normally a regular feature but, in fact, the first I've seen there this year. And finally, in the late afternoon, and at home, the single female Brambling put in a very brief appearance, and never even fed before heading off back towards the conifer blocks opposite.
29th January,2010.
I took a deliberate decision yesterday to remain indoors!! The weather was pretty filthy and a stiff northerly wind made it very cold, plus I wanted to witness the Chilcott Enquiry's day long interview with out previous Prime Minister, Tony Blair, about the Iraqi War and the UK's involvement. OK, I did the couch potato bit! I'm not really any wiser, nor is my scepticism adequately quenched, but, if we're sensible, I think anyone would come out of the whole situation with a better appreciation of the circumstances surrounding practical government in times of stress, policies needing to react to rapidly updated circumstances and so on. A big canvas! Whilst anyone can understand the devastation of families whose loved ones never returned, this was never going to be a "trial", or an occasion of public retribution and will possibly be criticised due to such perceived , or required, shortcomings.
To counteract all this drama I also attempted to scrutinize the draft Biodiversity Plan produced for my local authority ( Argyll and Bute Council )by consultants. As with any policy document the formal language, paragraphs, and performance tables giving details of progress, are hardly digestible fodder the general public will feel disposed toward readily accepting and such needs to be altered accordingly, or have a public summary document produced. In many senses I feel much sympathy with Local Authorities, who are often charged with particular duties, but haven't a snowball in hells chance of really "delivering", as sufficient funds and staffing are never made available unto the task!! Nonetheless, they deserve support, although not within the timescale they've chosen, as such is unrealistic and , in a personal context, can't be met!! Research re the status of particular species needs to be undertaken, and fed back, and perhaps this is where a telling contribution can best be made.
To counteract all this drama I also attempted to scrutinize the draft Biodiversity Plan produced for my local authority ( Argyll and Bute Council )by consultants. As with any policy document the formal language, paragraphs, and performance tables giving details of progress, are hardly digestible fodder the general public will feel disposed toward readily accepting and such needs to be altered accordingly, or have a public summary document produced. In many senses I feel much sympathy with Local Authorities, who are often charged with particular duties, but haven't a snowball in hells chance of really "delivering", as sufficient funds and staffing are never made available unto the task!! Nonetheless, they deserve support, although not within the timescale they've chosen, as such is unrealistic and , in a personal context, can't be met!! Research re the status of particular species needs to be undertaken, and fed back, and perhaps this is where a telling contribution can best be made.
Malta.
I don't often spurn the democratic process as I've a firm belief in its ideals and intent. However, the continuing negative position adopted by the Maltese Government when it comes to bird protection and shooting causes me to feel anger, anguish and more than a little frustration resulting in a wish to retaliate!
It is known that around 170 bird species migrate through Malta. Many arrive tired, attempt to replenish their energy reserves and then move on to their more northern breeding grounds. Given it's on a major migratory pathway many raptors attempt to overfly the island , but are blasted from the skies by "hunters", as are birds resting up in woodland areas and elsewhere.
In 2004 Malta was allowed to join the European Community whose Birds Directive prohibits spring shooting. They have attempted to open the spring hunting season in every year since, but were prevented from doing so in 2008 and 2009 through interim measures brought in by the European Court of Justice. Even then Malta was found to be in breach of certain conditions. The Government is again considering a "limited spring hunting season". Such is not in its gift as far as I am concerned, confirms its arrogance and lack of willingness to abide by EU legislation and, therefore, invites counter measures to be brought in until such time as it adheres to the due requirements.
The amount of money and effort which has already gone into dealing with this ignorant, stupid Government is beyond belief and could have easily funded many conservation initiatives on the island several times over. Such, in time, would lead to a more buoyant tourism base. It is my belief that the EU now needs to get tough and issue a final "ultimatum", instead of continuing to pursue a policy of persuasion.
It is known that around 170 bird species migrate through Malta. Many arrive tired, attempt to replenish their energy reserves and then move on to their more northern breeding grounds. Given it's on a major migratory pathway many raptors attempt to overfly the island , but are blasted from the skies by "hunters", as are birds resting up in woodland areas and elsewhere.
In 2004 Malta was allowed to join the European Community whose Birds Directive prohibits spring shooting. They have attempted to open the spring hunting season in every year since, but were prevented from doing so in 2008 and 2009 through interim measures brought in by the European Court of Justice. Even then Malta was found to be in breach of certain conditions. The Government is again considering a "limited spring hunting season". Such is not in its gift as far as I am concerned, confirms its arrogance and lack of willingness to abide by EU legislation and, therefore, invites counter measures to be brought in until such time as it adheres to the due requirements.
The amount of money and effort which has already gone into dealing with this ignorant, stupid Government is beyond belief and could have easily funded many conservation initiatives on the island several times over. Such, in time, would lead to a more buoyant tourism base. It is my belief that the EU now needs to get tough and issue a final "ultimatum", instead of continuing to pursue a policy of persuasion.
- all grant monies to the Maltese Government should be suspended
- no further applications for support should be allowed
- fines relating to the non-adherence to the EU Birds Directive should be levied
- continuing membership of the EU should placed in jeopardy
At a personal level we too can apply "sanctions " of our own. If you're considering having a holiday in Malta......don't! Indeed write to holiday companies and urge them to withdraw their interests in the island until such time as matters tangibly improve. Above all, sign the petition, for which details are given below. Whilst you may not live in Europe, we still need your support ( as the title suggests " Birdlife International" is a global community ! ).
http://www.birdlifemalta.org/petition/
In recent times Birdlife Malta staff have suffered intimidation, criminal damage, arson attacks and violence. A Birdlife Ranger has been shot at and injured twice! We need to demonstrate our support for the work they are doing and, at the very least, indicate our condemnation of the Maltese Government's actions. In all twenty years of being involved with the RSPB I never ever expected to come out of a crucial meeting, where emotions had run high and public feeling was divided, and find my car had been set on fire!! It begs the question whether the Maltese Government have control of the situation or whether a majority of its members have a vested interest in the issue.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
27th January,2010.
Our Greater Scaup flock in Inner Loch Indaal appears to have taken a further reduction in numbers over this winter. The birds can usually be seen at the head of the loch in one or more large groups and afford good views. Compared to the maximum last winter (08/09 ) we now seem only to have around 50% of previously ,i.e. just under 500. It's possible that another large grouping is elsewhere, but searches have produced nothing.
My interest stemmed from consideration of the potential effects of the various works going on within and around Inner Loch Indaal , i.e. dredging and sewage disposal improvements. I managed to find the copy of a paper I'd photocopied previous to coming here in 1999 ( it just shows you should never throw anything away! ), which made interesting reading. It was written by D.G.Salmon and dealt with the numbers and distribution of Scaup in Britain and Ireland. As a species it favours shallow, sheltered bays and feeds on ragworms, round worms and blue mussels. On Islay it had been shown previously to have been attracted by spent barley disposed of from one of the distilleries. A study by Len Campbell on the reduction in numbers in the Firth of Forth linked this with the introduction of improved sewage treatment processes and one can perhaps see a parallel with the situation here, not just for Scaup but Goldeneye too.
Of particular interest were the figures quoted for Scaup on Islay during the period 1965-66 to 1980-81.
The maxima for the period 65/66 to 60/70 was 680, that for 70-71 to 74/75 was 1500, for 75/76 to 79/80 1300 and for 80/81 to 84-85 1200. I suppose the counts from, say, the last three years or so showing around 900 birds present are slightly reassuring given the fluctuations apparent within the above figures. However,this winter's figures might give cause for concern and suggest a closer look is taken both at the numbers and the distribution of birds in the future. Sadly with the remorseless march of progress and the incremental raising of environmental standards there is probably little we can do to influence matters!!
My interest stemmed from consideration of the potential effects of the various works going on within and around Inner Loch Indaal , i.e. dredging and sewage disposal improvements. I managed to find the copy of a paper I'd photocopied previous to coming here in 1999 ( it just shows you should never throw anything away! ), which made interesting reading. It was written by D.G.Salmon and dealt with the numbers and distribution of Scaup in Britain and Ireland. As a species it favours shallow, sheltered bays and feeds on ragworms, round worms and blue mussels. On Islay it had been shown previously to have been attracted by spent barley disposed of from one of the distilleries. A study by Len Campbell on the reduction in numbers in the Firth of Forth linked this with the introduction of improved sewage treatment processes and one can perhaps see a parallel with the situation here, not just for Scaup but Goldeneye too.
Of particular interest were the figures quoted for Scaup on Islay during the period 1965-66 to 1980-81.
The maxima for the period 65/66 to 60/70 was 680, that for 70-71 to 74/75 was 1500, for 75/76 to 79/80 1300 and for 80/81 to 84-85 1200. I suppose the counts from, say, the last three years or so showing around 900 birds present are slightly reassuring given the fluctuations apparent within the above figures. However,this winter's figures might give cause for concern and suggest a closer look is taken both at the numbers and the distribution of birds in the future. Sadly with the remorseless march of progress and the incremental raising of environmental standards there is probably little we can do to influence matters!!
26th January,2010.
Confirmation that , whilst I was on Jura yesterday , attempts to find the Gyr falcon had been unsuccessful despite the conditions being suitable for a search, good visibility etc. Every bird we've had on Islay seems to exhibit this pattern with, presumably, their feeding territory being quite large and them having different roosting/resting points in response to weather. Clearly perched on the top of McKenzie Island will be unsuitable with some of the strong winds we enjoy!!
Spent time , fruitlessly, attempting to get flight shots of the Iceland Gull to be available within the debate on it having features of "Kumliens". Certainly I don't believe there are two birds in that NE part of Islay and, as with the Gyr, the bird seems to disappear for periods out into the Sound.
Spent time , fruitlessly, attempting to get flight shots of the Iceland Gull to be available within the debate on it having features of "Kumliens". Certainly I don't believe there are two birds in that NE part of Islay and, as with the Gyr, the bird seems to disappear for periods out into the Sound.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Isle Of Jura 25th Jan., 2010.
A group of us spent the day on Jura completing some more BTO Atlas work ( thanks Louise, Stuart, Mark and Ewan ). Our efforts resulted in a further eleven tetrads being completed! The moorland areas, somewhat predictably, had few birds to offer and most records emanated from areas of scrub, a couple of coastal areas and some small bits of woodland. Having said that , the aggregated list of species seen by all of us was quite impressive ( Light bellied Brent Geese, no.s of Red-breasted Merganser and Wigeon, Black-throated Diver, Merlin, Kestrel and a variety of passerines ). I was struck by the absence of Lapwing and Golden Plover compared to Islay, but noted two groups of Grey lag Geese.
As ever Jura presented a mixture of being forbidding and inviting at the same time, wild, majestic and, north of Craighouse, largely devoid of people!! George Orwell wrote his famous book "Nineteen Eighty-Four" whilst in temporary residence in a cottage way up towards the north of the island. A place in which to let the imagination soar and as able to provide solitude today as it was then , other than for passing walkers intent on listening to the phenomenon of the Corrieveckan "whirlpool" offshore of the north coast and a couple of residents at the very tip of the island. Yesterday neither walkers nor any sinister men from the Thought Police were in sight!!
As we waited for the return ferry three Whooper Swans flew rapidly north at height , with eight having been seen earlier in the day north of Newton on Islay. Were these returning birds after their previous enforced move due to bad weather? We had sufficient time to gain a fleeting glimpse of the Iceland Gull at Bunnahabhain, but the light was fading and we could add nothing to the debate which has emerged relating to it possibly showing features of "kumlien's " .
As ever Jura presented a mixture of being forbidding and inviting at the same time, wild, majestic and, north of Craighouse, largely devoid of people!! George Orwell wrote his famous book "Nineteen Eighty-Four" whilst in temporary residence in a cottage way up towards the north of the island. A place in which to let the imagination soar and as able to provide solitude today as it was then , other than for passing walkers intent on listening to the phenomenon of the Corrieveckan "whirlpool" offshore of the north coast and a couple of residents at the very tip of the island. Yesterday neither walkers nor any sinister men from the Thought Police were in sight!!
As we waited for the return ferry three Whooper Swans flew rapidly north at height , with eight having been seen earlier in the day north of Newton on Islay. Were these returning birds after their previous enforced move due to bad weather? We had sufficient time to gain a fleeting glimpse of the Iceland Gull at Bunnahabhain, but the light was fading and we could add nothing to the debate which has emerged relating to it possibly showing features of "kumlien's " .
Monday, January 25, 2010
23/24th January,2010.
A weekend exclusively given over to BTO Atlas matters, either completing local tetrad surveys or organizing our impending trip to Jura. The weather on Saturday was problematical with thick mist until around lunchtime and then a wonderfully sunny afternoon. By Sunday we were back to normal with grey skies, occasional light drizzle and colder conditions by comparison.
The two abiding observations of note over the two days was of an aerial battle between a Peregrine and two Buzzards and a female Brambling turning up at home.. Increasing numbers of Chaffinches have been visiting the feeders too and , pleasingly, up to 10 Reed Bunting , one male in resplendent breeding plumage already. A party of thrushes turned out to be a single Redwing and 8 Song Thrush, with two of the latter looking decidedly dull, grey-brown specimens ( hebridensis? ).
The two abiding observations of note over the two days was of an aerial battle between a Peregrine and two Buzzards and a female Brambling turning up at home.. Increasing numbers of Chaffinches have been visiting the feeders too and , pleasingly, up to 10 Reed Bunting , one male in resplendent breeding plumage already. A party of thrushes turned out to be a single Redwing and 8 Song Thrush, with two of the latter looking decidedly dull, grey-brown specimens ( hebridensis? ).
Friday, January 22, 2010
Are there two Gyr falcons on Islay?
A report that the Gyr Falcon I located Saturday was in precisely the same location saw several of us descending on Portnahaven, my local village, to gain what proved to be better views than previously. The light was good and the bird showed well. Many of the questions arising in my own mind re provenance were answered and will assist the task of completing the now necessary form linked to the sighting of rare birds. Eventually it moved off and it's evident an additional nearby location is being used by the bird.
A discussion with Andy Schofield ( RSPB Warden on the Oa ) , and whilst he was on an outbound ferry, revealed that two visitors to the Oa earlier in the week had seen a very large, white falcon sitting on a fence post, which they had identified as Gyr, but which had very few and small spots on the mantle and wings. Such would certainly not apply to this bird and, therefore, the intriguing , but unlikely possibility remains, that there might be two birds on the island !!
Despite searches for the original bird at lunchtime it wasn't located but was certainly around the same general area, but a little further north, towards dusk. Reasonable confirmation it's likely to be present over the weekend for anyone visiting and wishing to look for it.
A lunchtime seawatch showed a Gannet moving south and several Fulmar active in Lossit Bay and off Claddach Bay. The Gannet is very early as I don't normally expect to pick up the first birds until early February.
A discussion with Andy Schofield ( RSPB Warden on the Oa ) , and whilst he was on an outbound ferry, revealed that two visitors to the Oa earlier in the week had seen a very large, white falcon sitting on a fence post, which they had identified as Gyr, but which had very few and small spots on the mantle and wings. Such would certainly not apply to this bird and, therefore, the intriguing , but unlikely possibility remains, that there might be two birds on the island !!
Despite searches for the original bird at lunchtime it wasn't located but was certainly around the same general area, but a little further north, towards dusk. Reasonable confirmation it's likely to be present over the weekend for anyone visiting and wishing to look for it.
A lunchtime seawatch showed a Gannet moving south and several Fulmar active in Lossit Bay and off Claddach Bay. The Gannet is very early as I don't normally expect to pick up the first birds until early February.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
21st January,2010.
Not a good day. As I write this the rain is lashing against the window , as it's done for the past few hours , and the wind is moaning and whining outside whilst buffeting the house all the while.
Tomorrow looks better! Living in such circumstances makes you very philosophical about many things! On good days you get out and "do", without regard to inside things, on bad days you catch up on what you've set aside!
A query from a good friend in South Wales about the Gyr ( I could do with some Israeli weather , Dave), and a suggestion to compare it against the Gower bird that was present earlier prompts the following information. I suspect this bird has been present on Islay since before Christmas. Some volunteers at the RSPB Reserve at Gruinart had a bird in the north of the island in December they strongly felt may have been Gyr at that time , but it then disappeared( not unusual given the distances they can traverse ). My colleague, Andy Schofield, on the Oa Reserve thought he had a glimpse of a bird in early January. This appears to have been "translated" into it being on the Oa at the end of last week and immediately moving across to Portnahaven, but not according to Andy! So the bird may have been on the north or west of Islay for around a month, but moving around too. Given the weather that's now locked in , it's likely it will be holed up somewhere and sitting out the conditions. It's a fairly distinctive looking bird and, hopefully, it will stick around so more people can see it. Following such poor weather conditions it's always a good time to get out and look for raptors, as they'll have doubtless struggled to feed easily and then take advantage of any good conditions which emerge.
Tomorrow looks better! Living in such circumstances makes you very philosophical about many things! On good days you get out and "do", without regard to inside things, on bad days you catch up on what you've set aside!
A query from a good friend in South Wales about the Gyr ( I could do with some Israeli weather , Dave), and a suggestion to compare it against the Gower bird that was present earlier prompts the following information. I suspect this bird has been present on Islay since before Christmas. Some volunteers at the RSPB Reserve at Gruinart had a bird in the north of the island in December they strongly felt may have been Gyr at that time , but it then disappeared( not unusual given the distances they can traverse ). My colleague, Andy Schofield, on the Oa Reserve thought he had a glimpse of a bird in early January. This appears to have been "translated" into it being on the Oa at the end of last week and immediately moving across to Portnahaven, but not according to Andy! So the bird may have been on the north or west of Islay for around a month, but moving around too. Given the weather that's now locked in , it's likely it will be holed up somewhere and sitting out the conditions. It's a fairly distinctive looking bird and, hopefully, it will stick around so more people can see it. Following such poor weather conditions it's always a good time to get out and look for raptors, as they'll have doubtless struggled to feed easily and then take advantage of any good conditions which emerge.
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