Friday, May 14, 2010

13th May,2010.

A fairly routine couple of days as far as weather goes, although a major change is that we have now light NW winds with an appreciable improvement in temperatures!

With the young dog recovered from his operation, No.2 daughter returning towards the end of the day from her camping in the Cairngorms in sub-zero conditions, things almost seemed back to normal until the dogs had the most tremendous stand-off with the dogs down the lane on the final walk out. Making me late , they actually did me a favour in that I then had a singing Grasshopper Warbler and a Corncrake called in the gathering darkness. The latter is possibly a passage bird (?) but I recollect at least one record from here previously. Nonetheless a worthwhile record for the area.

News has come of around 1000 Twite having been ringed/colour ringed in past months in Scotland with some indication, from recoveries, that they might constitute part of the population in the western part of the country. An appeal has been launched for any details to be forwarded to try and cast some light on the movements and distribution of what is an intriguing species. In the Pennines Twite always appeared , at least, to be a late breeder with a even a further brood being reared in some years. Whilst they are likely to be on territory now it will be fascinating to see if Islay carries any of the ringed individuals within its breeding birds.

Reports of a plethora of "good" spring migrants being at various places farther south of here, both in Scotland and England, conveniently links with my transfer of the car tomorrow in that direction for its final "sort out". Hey ho, here we go!!

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