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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Scottish Borders (1 Viewer)

26.2.11
Quite a good birding day today.

The regular pair of buzzards were over the street today being mobbed a group of rooks and jackdaws. Soon after, my first Long-tailed tits of 2011.

A brief drive in the Lammermoors rewarded me with my first 2011 lapwing. Also a couple of buzzards and a pair of herring gulls at the side of a stream. Another buzzard was seen later.

One of the peregrines was showing well on the church in Galashiels this afternoon, and in the evening a soaring grey heron was seen.
 
Lmc3598 said:
Oh, and Turkish Van, I forgot to mention that there are many Skylarks on the Eildons where you were. Next time you go make a climb up one of the hills there will be plenty.
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A couple of Skylarks in full sweet song in the fields just south of the Eildons today!
 
turkish van said:
I've been down your way the last few weeks though, and strangely the last 2 weeks right around Melrose. Badger surveying tends to involve eyes on the ground though rather than in the trees so I don't see too much!
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I was working in Gala this am and came down the A68 before crossing over past Melrose. At the foot of the Eildons there was a dead badger-roadkill :-( Would this be near to where you have been surveying, Laura? And another dead one on Soutra.

Hard luck with the ravens Lucas. I live next to Holyrood Park and see them about 1 visit in 3. Do you know their call? It's the best way of picking them up. I find corvids in general difficult to identify at distance. Did you see the Iceland gull in the park?
 
markgrubb said:
I was working in Gala this am and came down the A68 before crossing over past Melrose. At the foot of the Eildons there was a dead badger-roadkill :-( Would this be near to where you have been surveying, Laura? And another dead one on Soutra.

Hard luck with the ravens Lucas. I live next to Holyrood Park and see them about 1 visit in 3. Do you know their call? It's the best way of picking them up. I find corvids in general difficult to identify at distance. Did you see the Iceland gull in the park?
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There was an Iceland gull?! Darn! but probably wouldn't have identified it anyway. Did see plenty of carrion crows, trying to trick me;). The peregrine was good though. Is the ravens nest on a tree or a cliff? I would have imagined that at this time of the year the female would be incubating eggs, and If I had seen the nest I could have seen it. I have read somewhere that Short eared owls are on Arthurs seat, but sadly I didn't get a chance to climb it.

I think I saw the same dead badger on sutra as you did;)
 
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Does anyone know anywhere nearby thats good for short-eared owls? They appear to be so common and the fact that they're not on my list irritates me slightly. I have been through the Lammermuirs and not seem any, but they may well be in other areas of the hills.
 
Lmc3598 said:
Hi Markgrubb

Thanks for your reply

Whooper swans? Where exactly abouts? Never seen these before. And the black grouse-where exactly are they? I presume uplands around Peebles or Selkirk.

If any of you are down again, I would recommend Ettrick Valley, near Selkirk. When I was there I saw plenty of Buzzards, Kestrels and even a pair of Ravens, scarce birds down in the Borders. I have also heard of peregrines breeding here and the single pair of golden eagles left in the Borders hunts for prey here

Oh, and Turkish Van, I forgot to mention that there are many Skylarks on the Eildons where you were. Next time you go make a climb up one of the hills there will be plenty.
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whopper swans spend the winter at Alemoor reservoir every year near hawick:t:
 
Common being mobbed

Today in Melrose a buzzard flew down being hassled by two carrion crows. Why do buzzards never fight back? I have seen them mobbed by corvids, gulls and a kestrel, but they never do anything about it. My friend once told me that when he was on holiday in Argyll, he saw a crow chasing a buzzard, next to the crows nest. Then, the buzzard flew past the nest and actually kicked it out of the tree. When it fell, he said he heard eggs splatting. Usual behaviour?
 
Buzzards do fight back sometimes, as do other raptors when they have had enough 'mobbing'. Have managed a few photos showing the action.
 

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The first two are at Guardbridge in Fife, and the third one was at Craigmill Den, near Carnoustie, Angus.
 
Oystercatcher, sparrowhawk and peregrine today

At the school today an oystercatcher was on some of the front grass.

Later at the school a female sparrowhawk flew quite low over and flew alongside a group of feral pigeons. Never went for any though, instead landed in a distant tree.

Later on one of the peregrines was at the church in Galashiels
 
I went out first thing this am on the B road north of Innerleithen. I wondered if the hard winter might have hit black grouse hard. I found 5 lekking half heartedly on a hillside where there were 10 last year. However when I came back up the road half an hour later there were 2 still lekking but 11 black cocks feeding on the opposite hillside. No birds at 2 other hills where I've seen them before but 2 in a new area-so they seem to be doing OK.

Nice 2 to see waders starting to appear back on territory-lapwings doing their crazy flight and a few curlew bubbling away. Spring must be nearly here though it didn't feel like it!
 
Another sparrowhawk today

Today while on the a68 going to earlston a sparrowhawk flew in front of the car. Certainly are commoner than i first thought.

One of the peregrines were in galashiels as well.
 
Trip to hawick area today plenty of crossbills about. on the road eating grit at 3 places whooper swans on alemoor res still. We had a walk around craik forest for goshawk but failed
 

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will@bill said:
Trip to hawick area today plenty of crossbills about. on the road eating grit at 3 places whooper swans on alemoor res still. We had a walk around craik forest for goshawk but failed
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Hi will@bill
Thanks for your photos.
Could you define Hawick Area for me? I would quite like to visit this area sometime and add crossbill to my list.
Also, could you tell me a little more about craik forest. If im lucky i could tick goshawk as well
 
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