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Wild in Aberdeen - City and Shire (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter Ken Hall
- Start date
Female, got some good photos of it, any pointers on how I post ?
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
Under the quick reply box there is a button that says 'Go Advanced'. That takes you to the advanced reply box, under which there are additional options, including a 'Manage Attachments' button. That allows you to browse for images to upload. Note that there are size limits for jpg files (1600x1200 and less than 493kB).
Welcome to birdforum by the way!
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
I had a productive visit to Strathbeg today. A good selection of the usual species were on display along with 5 White Wagtails in front of the visitor centre and another 6 on the low ground, visible from the Tower Pool Hide. Shortly after arriving at the hide, four Cranes dropped into the low ground and stood there for a couple of minutes, calling loudly. They then took off again, did a couple of circuits of the reserve (including a flypast about 100 metres in front of the hide), before heading inland to the west. Great stuff!
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
Apparently there has been a hen capercaillie wandering around the middle of Ballater today too, although sadly it looks not very healthy at all.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.10151561010316380.1073741830.511736379&type=1
It has been taken back up into the forest in Glen Muick, although I doubt it will last long.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/media/set/?set=a.10151561010316380.1073741830.511736379&type=1
It has been taken back up into the forest in Glen Muick, although I doubt it will last long.
markhammonds
Well-known member
2 Black-tailed Godwits on Rigifa Pool this morning.
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
I have since been told that this type of behaviour is indicative of a hen caper that can't find a mate, rather than it being ill. From a conservation viewpoint, I suppose that is almost as bad as it being on its last legs.
RecoveringScot
Well-known member
Forgot to mention a Great Crested Grebe flying not too high over Union Grove, Aberdeen yesterday morning at about 08:10. First time that's happened.
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
I heard my first cuckoo of the year this afternoon, near Aboyne.
Thanks for the welcome!
I am such a dummy, I can see the post reply and quote boxes but no quick reply !
HEEEELP
Got a pic ready to post...Thanks for the welcome!
I am such a dummy, I can see the post reply and quote boxes but no quick reply !
HEEEELP
Found it
Attachments
richardblackburn
Active member
Can you tell me when and where that photo was taken please Colshandy? Never seen a wild Caper!
edenwatcher
Well-known member
Had a similar experience on Sunday with this bird. Extraordinary and unforgettable (and great for the boys) but also rather sad that she is unable to find a lek and seeks out human company instead.
Location is given earlier in the thread.
We met Docmartin's wife and daughter - a small world since the birding friend we were with had worked with Docmartin in Cambridge when he was a PhD student and Docmartin was an undergraduate project student ...
Rob
Location is given earlier in the thread.
We met Docmartin's wife and daughter - a small world since the birding friend we were with had worked with Docmartin in Cambridge when he was a PhD student and Docmartin was an undergraduate project student ...
Rob
richardblackburn
Active member
Thanks Edenwatcher - just me being dumb! I wonder if it is still there! I may have to give them a call.
Capercaillie71
Well-known member
It is a very sad state of affairs. Apart from this bird at Bennachie, there was the one at Ballater I referred to a few posts ago and also one at Linn of Dee: all females showing the same behaviour. This suggests they are now finding it very difficult to find lekking males. The lek on Deeside that I have monitored since 2004 had 8 males in 2006, but this year there was only one male, which wasn't even displaying but flew out of a tree.
The only glimmer of hope is that this year's April warming index (a key determinant of capercaillie productivity) was the best we have seen since the 1980s. If there is reasonably dry and warmish weather towards the end of this month and through the first half of June, there is the potential for very good breeding productivity, but only if the hens have been mated. It may be that the population has already dropped to the critically low level that means extinction is inevitable in Aberdeenshire. I'll have to change my usename
It is a very sad state of affairs. Apart from this bird at Bennachie, there was the one at Ballater I referred to a few posts ago and also one at Linn of Dee: all females showing the same behaviour. This suggests they are now finding it very difficult to find lekking males. The lek on Deeside that I have monitored since 2004 had 8 males in 2006, but this year there was only one male, which wasn't even displaying but flew out of a tree.
The only glimmer of hope is that this year's April warming index (a key determinant of capercaillie productivity) was the best we have seen since the 1980s. If there is reasonably dry and warmish weather towards the end of this month and through the first half of June, there is the potential for very good breeding productivity, but only if the hens have been mated. It may be that the population has already dropped to the critically low level that means extinction is inevitable in Aberdeenshire. I'll have to change my usename
Very sad news Paul.
markhammonds
Well-known member
gus guthrie
gus guthrie
went up to Cruden Bay after work and saw the Subalpine Warbler in the same place it was reported from at lunchtime....lovely bird, very mobile though.
then stopped off at the Ythan Estuary and had superb views of the King Eider, Little Gull and Little Tern before heading back down the road to home.
then stopped off at the Ythan Estuary and had superb views of the King Eider, Little Gull and Little Tern before heading back down the road to home.
Attachments
Had a quick walk down the Loch of Skene last night, light not great but there was two Whooper Swan on the water, West end, being quite vocal and of course when I got the lens on them both one went in to sleep mode. The 'resident' Whooper with the damaged wing I got on the way back, in the same area so it may be one of them but the damaged wing doesn't stand out so much in the first two photos. Also a flock of 60+ Swift over the East end along with Sedge Warbler, 2 Tern, unidentified, Sand Martins, and the usual Tits etc.
Jim.
Jim.
