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Norfolk birding (19 Viewers)
- Thread starter Edward woodwood
- Start date
Stratton Birder
Well-known member
That is a shame for the the poor little Guillie but whether we like it or not, Great Black-backed Gulls are top predators and an out of place seabird on a marsh although it may look ok will almost certainly not be and the GBB is instinctively on the lookout for such birds. Even on the sea they instinctively know the weak birds and on several occassions I have witnessed them following these about, waiting patiently for the moment to attack. I did put a post on here a while back where a Guillemot successfully although probably only temporarily, bravely fended off an attack from one of these gulls. Nature is cruel and some things are hard to watch but it does add a dramatic un-cosy dimension to our hobby.
Typing this reminded me of a situation I encountered a few weeks back. There was a weak Snow Bunting on the shingle ridge at Salthouse and I suggested to another birder that it might be a good idea to try to help the bird out by giving it its own personal supply of feed but his response went something like "Whats the point? There's a Kestrel working this bank every couple of hours and as soon as it gets quiet of people here, that Kestrel will spot the Snow Bunting no problem, so its as good as dead. The Snow Bunting may die but its food for that Kestrel." His words were harsh as he admitted himself but he was right.
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firstreesjohn
Well-known member
With apologies to Max Bygraves
“On a tiny marsh (on a tiny marsh)
By a tiny hide (by a tiny hide)
Where the lovely bird (where the lovely bird)
Had a lovely preen (had a lovely preen)
And the last it heard (and the last it heard)
It lived gullibly
Was Guillie Guillie Aukgonefeather Greater Black Back Cley Marsh Next The Sea
Was Guillie Guillie Aukgonefeather Greater Black Back Cley Marsh Next The Sea”
“On a tiny marsh (on a tiny marsh)
By a tiny hide (by a tiny hide)
Where the lovely bird (where the lovely bird)
Had a lovely preen (had a lovely preen)
And the last it heard (and the last it heard)
It lived gullibly
Was Guillie Guillie Aukgonefeather Greater Black Back Cley Marsh Next The Sea
Was Guillie Guillie Aukgonefeather Greater Black Back Cley Marsh Next The Sea”
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Not as thoroughly as our wretched Guillemot, young Paul.
My pome was a collector's item, for those of us (of a certain vintage) who fondly remember watching black-&-white TV live.
Stratton Birder
Well-known member
You've just given me some serious 70s retro there John. My mum had that record and played it a lot when I was a nipper. Must say, your version is pretty much word perfect and I think you are in the wrong profession mate
Locostella
Guest
Whilst on one of my daily visits to Pentney GP in 2011, I watched an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull swallow two Egyptian Goose goslings, pretty much one after another.
Predation really is an awesome spectacle, even at this lowly level of the food chain, but I must agree it is slightly upsetting to watch. I guess our modern lives have distanced us from the act of killing for sustenance and such images are always going to be quite sobering.
Regards, Kieran
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Enjoying the variety of discussion folks.
Nice to see another birder down Surlingham, FastRicky! I have not seen a Marsh Harrier on the site for a month or so, I hope this immature bird finds the reedbed to her liking.
Full moon, clear skies, and small groups of Pink-feet are passing over the city this evening. Such an evocative sound.
For wildfowl fans, I cannot recommend this book highly enough:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Observation...0415/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354135451&sr=8-1
Gorgeous illustrations, and an insight into bird behaviour by one of the masters.
Cheers,
Jim.
Nice to see another birder down Surlingham, FastRicky! I have not seen a Marsh Harrier on the site for a month or so, I hope this immature bird finds the reedbed to her liking.
Full moon, clear skies, and small groups of Pink-feet are passing over the city this evening. Such an evocative sound.
For wildfowl fans, I cannot recommend this book highly enough:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Observation...0415/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354135451&sr=8-1
Gorgeous illustrations, and an insight into bird behaviour by one of the masters.
Cheers,
Jim.
Paul Woolnough
Well-known member
I think you are in the wrong profession mate
Btw John is to replace Bruce on Strictly
scary-canary
Canaries forever... and i'm not always scary, some
Genius
MJB
Well-known member
John,
Contra earlier responses, I think you've found it! And to the hypnotic tune of the late 1950s, too; (Max Bygraves I believe...) but if only you had managed to include the cat's elbows reference!:t:
MJB
Archie Opteryx
Well-known member
sacha
Well-known member
It was my thought when I was put onto it by some Kelling regulars ... I have not heard of any escapes in the county but I would say the escape likelyhood is much higher than wild origins. Especially as it is consorting with Canadas rather than arriving with Pink Feet. But as always .. Who knows!
I put it on my blog and on twitter (and on Cley birds website) as I don't think anyone had bothered to put the news out. I hope someone will submit the record formally as it is worth submitting.
S
MJB
Well-known member
Is this to the tune of 'By the light of the silvery moon'? (But what the last two lines are about I join the lost category.
Gilly-gilly ossenfeffer katzenellenbogen by the sea, as the song went.
MJB
PS Easy, eh? Google translation from German...:eek!:
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Not late 50s, but 1954.
For the younger and clueless, a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilly,_Gilly,_Ossenfeffer,_Katzenellen_Bogen_by_the_Sea.
With any luck, partial explanations will be had. The last two lines are the fictitious place where the happy couple settled; rather as the Guillemot settled on Pat’s Pool, before being untimely ripped . . .
Someone will need to explain this, as I hope it’s a reference to television. I now only switch this on for footie. Bruce Willis ? Bruce Lee ? Robert the ?
ben_lewis
Well-known member
The implications are worse....far worse; Bruce Forsyth!
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
Thanks, Ben.
Oh, crikey ! I remember him on black-&-white TV, on something like ‘Sunday Night at the London Pallas’s Tedium’.
He can’t still be going, can he ?
TwoDipsfromAmsterdam
Anything About?
John, given my user name I accept your apology to Max Bygraves on his behalf.
When it's spring again........
David
