Essex Birding (1 Viewer)

[purple highflyer]

...could the 'milky-looking' eye be due to the protective clear eyelid? Maybe it has one that it wasn't retracting at times as thinking back I remember seeing it's eyes looking milky at times but at others were clear and red/black.

Yes that could be what someone saw,hope so..

PH

 

[Fozzybear]

Well the Red-throated Diver is still at Central Park, still drawing quite a few birdwatchers and photographers too although was looking slightly more active when I was there and giving the photographers a bit of a time as it moved around the lake. Whether it was just feeling a bit more active or it was getting the urge to move I couldn't say as I'm really not knowledgeable enough in such matters... pretty good that it's been here for a whole week though.

It could be that rather than being injured as some people thought it just wasn't quite up to strength when it started migration and is pit-stopping here, would explain why it was sleeping a fair bit during the week and if it's getting back into shape why it's looking a little more perky today. Can't really draw any conclusions from three short spells watching it though.

 

[Ukwildlifeo]

I thinking of popping up to Chelmsford tommorow (Tuesday) - anyone know of the bird is still there?

 

[purple highflyer]

I thinking of popping up to Chelmsford tommorow (Tuesday) - anyone know of the bird is still there?

Hi UKwildlfeo

No sign today,just checked birdguides and s/e essex rspb.

PH

 

[Fozzybear]

I went to the lake around 4pm and couldn't see the Diver so I think it has moved on. It looked unsettled on Saturday as though it was feeling the urge to get going so I wasn't entirely surprised not to see it today.

 

[Ragna]

I went on Sunday morning and the birdwas very active but did look very settled amazing views down to a few feet at times but was also feeding a lot, shame its gone as i dont think ill ever get such close views again. Well worth the trip.

 

[Ukwildlifeo]

Bah my first ever twitch and I've ducked before I've even left!

Oh well, I'll just have to go to Scotland sometime and see them breeding!

Thanks for the heads up, and I'm gald some of you got the chance to enjoy it

 

[Fozzybear]

I may go into town later today so will make a diversion to the lake for another look just in case but am pretty sure it's boogered off. Sorry Ukwildlifeo, I know someone else who'd been wanting to go this week to see it. We were lucky it hung around for as long as it did really!

Will try to keep an eye on the lake now as it's probably the season for interesting arrivals... will report back if i find anything unusual.

Ooh yeah, there were lots of Mallards, Black-headed Gulls and Canada Geese there yesterday and I did see a few Moorhens too... any good? ||

 

[Ukwildlifeo]

Theres a report from yesterday that it was by the weir in Chelmsford but getting harassed by gulls and disappeared again http://www.southendrspb.co.uk/sightings.htm

 

[Fozzybear]

Just been told by Dave on flickr that the Diver has been found dead at the weir. :-C It's on that RSPB sightings page.

 

[Ragna]

What a shame looked perfectly healthy on Sunday and was very active and feeding well.

 

[E.T.]

Just been told by Dave on flickr that the Diver has been found dead at the weir. :-C It's on that RSPB sightings page.

Hmmm not good. Is there any news on causation?

 

[Fozzybear]

None that I've heard. Someone had seen it being harassed by Black-headed Gulls but I'm not sure you can read anything into that.

 

[dbradnum]

Hmmm not good. Is there any news on causation?

Yes, it was reported as badly oiled as long ago as 17th, and had presumably ingested some of this as it attempted to clear its plumage. Although sad, this isn't surprising, since when maritime birds like this (e.g. Gannet, Manx Shear) turn up inland they tend to be ill or damaged in some way.

 

[Fozzybear]

It wasn't mentioned by anyone I talked to (just about the reported dodgy eye) and it didn't 'look' oiled but then it's the first one I've seen so I can't exactly comment. Other people I talked to at the lake who'd seen one before didn't comment about it looking oiled or sick though. Through the week it was looking more active and fit each time I saw it, was catching fish well too so if it was oil that killed it then it flew all the way here, cleaned itself really well, got better over the next week, flew off a little way and then just dropped dead.

Might turn out to be so but doesn't really ring true to me.

 

[dbradnum]

Fair enough, you're entitled to your opinion (which is obviously based on having seen the bird, unlike me), but given that the comment about the bird being oiled originated from one of the most experienced and knowledgeable birders in the county, I'm happy to take his word.

The fact that it turned up in an urban park in Chelmsford is, in itself, a strong suggestion that all was not well. (In my experience, Red-throated is the least likely of the three regular divers to turn up inland, despite the fact that they're the most abundant on the sea down south). It may have been catching fish well in your opinion, but I doubt what's available in Central Park is really a substitute for its natural habitat. I certainly don't think it 'just dropped dead' - I reckon it's likely that there was a problem of some description when it arrived, and the same problem led to its unfortunate demise.

 

[Fozzybear]

Maybe I am wrong. I don't know that I'd recognise an oiled Diver as opposed to a healthy Diver as I've not seen one before and I wasn't having a go at the experienced and knowledgeable birder as I didn't know from your post that was the source of the information. The condition of the bird wasn't mentioned by other people watching it when I was at the lake (some had seen one before too) other than questions about the previously reported 'iffy' eye, which is why I was a rather sceptical but there wasn't a need for me to be curt (I was slightly so in another post this morning, possibly because I'm feeling not too well and am rather sore and achy today... maybe I've got a touch of this damn swine flu thing). I apologise for that, it was unneeded.

I really don't know the answer but could the bird have cleaned itself enough to appear not oiled in a day or two, enough to pass muster? The photographs I took of the Diver on Tuesday and Thursday last week are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulforsdick/tags/redthroateddiver/

and there are a few in the gallery. I don't know if they're good enough to say though. If it does still look oiled and we've mistaken it for mid-moult that would explain all though.

I wonder if I'm better of keeping out of the more expert discussions and sticking to areas of the forum like ex-beeb - I am no way experienced enough in these kinds of things to have an opinion and if I'm going to wind up people because of it that's really not helpful!

 

[dbradnum]

No problem - hope you feel better soon! You should certainly post your opinions, regardless of experience - everyone here is learning at some level.

I think this pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulforsdick/4028436473/ suggests that the underwing is oiled, it certainly looks a lot less clean than the other side: http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulforsdick/4028436675/.

I think the problem with oiled birds is that they try to clean themselves up by preening (and can therefore gradually appear less badly affected over time), but take in all the toxic pollutants in doing so. These then take a while to cause internal damage. The published advice on handling an oiled bird (e.g. one found on a beach) is to actively try to prevent it from preening, for this reason.

PS - if you want to see more divers nearby (particularly Great Northerns), then the Blackwater Estuary is excellent around high tide in the winter. Perhaps best viewed from Rolls Farm west of Tollesbury - see this map: http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=to...ury|Tollesbury, Maldon, Essex, England, CM9 8

 

[Essex Tern]

Spent a few hours on the short walk at Old Hall today and managed to pick up my first ever Merlin.

Was a good day for birds of prey as it happened (which is very unusual for me as they are a bit of a bogey for me), but I managed to get Marsh Harrier, the Merlin, a Peregrine and also a Sparrowhawk as I was driving out - no Kestrel though!

I attach a couple of very dodgy pics.

 

[E.T.]

Nice clear views...glad you had a good day. I love watching Raptors...I was over on the sea wall near Old Hall last week and there was a pair of Marsh Harriers duelling above me, fantastic to watch...may well be the same one?