Scottish Borders (1 Viewer)

[Lmc3598]

Hi
Just thought I'd start a thread about my area the Scottish Borders so if there's any other Borderers out there feel free to post your bird sightings here.

 

[Lmc3598]

Well it looks like I'm the only Borderer here

 

[Lmc3598]

19.2.11
In Galashiels, just up the road, there is pair of peregrine falcons nesting on a church (one of them is my avatar)
However, these [eregrines are not nearly as famous as the ones in Manchester, Worcester or Derby.
Last year they raised young successfully and I was lucky to see one of the juvenile on two occasions.
Both were at the church yestreday.

 

[turkish van]

I don't think there are many Borderers on here!

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! 4 Goosander on the Tweed was the highlight today, and a surprise Nuthatch in the woodland just on the south side of the Eildon (?) hills last week - are they regular there?

 

[Lmc3598]

I don't think there are many Borderers on here!

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! 4 Goosander on the Tweed was the highlight today, and a surprise Nuthatch in the woodland just on the south side of the Eildon (?) hills last week - are they regular there?

Thanks for your reply turkish van

I have also seen Goosanders on the Tweed, although the only badger i've seen around here was mashed up on the road:eek!:

As for your Nuthatch question, I have only seen one, and it was in Melrose, but not anywhere close to the Eildons.

Thanks

 

[markgrubb]

! 4 Goosander on the Tweed was the highlight today, and a surprise Nuthatch in the woodland just on the south side of the Eildon (?) hills last week - are they regular there?

Nuthatches are becoming increasingly common in the Borders. Here is the winter distribution map for the SE of Scotland. Melrose is NT53L so you will see there are quite a few records in the area.

And Lucas, keep plugging away with your sightings. I started the Lothian thread a few years ago and it took a while to get going. I guess too that winter is the quiet time and there are less sightings to report

I was in the Borders today with a friend doing 3 tetrads each for the Bird Atlas-surveys of 2km squared spending 1-2 hours in each. It was in fairly uninspiring countryside to the north and south of Kelso, mainly flat farmland. However a few decent records. A flock of 75 yellowhammer and another of 50 tree sparrows. Plenty of grey partridges, 40 whoopers and the surprise of a couple of treecreepers in a mixed flock in a hedgerow. Found a weird duck that I'd not seen before in a flooded area in a plantation. Looked it up when I got home and it was a muscovy duck so presumably from some nearby farm.

I always look forward to the Borders in the spring-black grouse lekking and then the upland birds returning to the hills from the coast and abroad

 

[Lmc3598]

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.

 

[markgrubb]

Lucas-I've just seen your profile and see you are just 12 so well done on starting the thread-and a list of over 100 is pretty good. The whoopers were in fields adjacent to the B6350 about 2 miles to the east of Sprouston. I see black grouse most commonly off the B road that runs north from Innerleithen

 

[turkish van]

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.

I might just do that. The woodland there was really lovely - mossy, trees dripping with lichen, little trickles of water everywhere. Full of life and lots of birds, and I flushed a hare about 2m away from me.

Plenty of alive badgers too by the way We went to check an old record of a sett from the 1960s today - don't know how big it was 50 years ago but it's huge now!

 

[Lmc3598]

Lucas-I've just seen your profile and see you are just 12 so well done on starting the thread-and a list of over 100 is pretty good. The whoopers were in fields adjacent to the B6350 about 2 miles to the east of Sprouston. I see black grouse most commonly off the B road that runs north from Innerleithen

Thanks for your reply

Will be sure to check it out some time

This is irrelevant to the Borders, but, unless any problems, could you tell me where the ravens in Edinburgh are? I noticed you hadn't replied to my other thread. I don't want to sound like I'm pressurizing you for info, I would just quite like to know where they are nesting. Unless of course, it is a sensitive site and would put the birds safety at risk if revealed.

Thanks

 

[Lmc3598]

I might just do that. The woodland there was really lovely - mossy, trees dripping with lichen, little trickles of water everywhere. Full of life and lots of birds, and I flushed a hare about 2m away from me.

Plenty of alive badgers too by the way We went to check an old record of a sett from the 1960s today - don't know how big it was 50 years ago but it's huge now!

Thanks Laura. Are the badgers only active at night? Do they attack? I know it sounds silly:-O but the dead one I saw looked massive much bigger than a fox.

 

[markgrubb]

Thanks for your reply

Will be sure to check it out some time

This is irrelevant to the Borders, but, unless any problems, could you tell me where the ravens in Edinburgh are? I noticed you hadn't replied to my other thread. I don't want to sound like I'm pressurizing you for info, I would just quite like to know where they are nesting. Unless of course, it is a sensitive site and would put the birds safety at risk if revealed.

Thanks

The record is in the public domain-they nested in Holyrood Park. They are quite common in the Borders though and you should be able to see them much nearer home. Here is a map of winter border sightings

 

[turkish van]

Thanks Laura. Are the badgers only active at night? Do they attack? I know it sounds silly:-O but the dead one I saw looked massive much bigger than a fox.

Generally they are nocturnal so only active at night - depending on where they are though, it's quite possible especially in the summer to see them at dusk, almost daylight. Different badgers have different habits. Last year someone was surveying a remote area of Aberdeenshire and saw badgers out and about mid-afternoon!

They won't attack unless trapped and threatened, and the average person won't be able to do either of those! You're right though - they're big, strong animals, much more powerful than a fox. Usually very wary of humans though.

 

[Lmc3598]

Markgrubb

Thanks for your reply. I have looked up holyrood park and was expecting it to be like princess street gardens. Have found out that it is a lot more upland than that

Turkish van
Thanks. I'll be sure to check it out.

 

[Lmc3598]

21.2.11
Only exciting sighting today was a pair of buzzards over the street being mobbed by a massive group of rooks and jackdaws. This pair breeds nearby and are regularly seen flying overhead. Otherwise usual sightings, crows, pigeons, gulls etc

 

[markgrubb]

Lucas-do you ever look at Bordersbirdnews-it gives sightings from your region

groups.yahoo.com/group/bordersbirdnews/

 

[Lmc3598]

Lucas-do you ever look at Bordersbirdnews-it gives sightings from your region

groups.yahoo.com/group/bordersbirdnews/

Thanks Markgrubb, never heard of it til now.

I do sometimes look at the monthly Borders report from the birdwatching magazine.

 

[Lmc3598]

Just had a look at it just now didn't really like the look of it.

 

[Capercaillie71]

Just had a look at it just now didn't really like the look of it.

I thought this was a strange comment until I followed the link myself! You can't actually see any bird news unless you join the group. I'm sure that sightings on the equivalent NE Scotland site are visible to members and non-members alike (although only members can post). No harm in joining though.

 

[david kelly]

Thanks Markgrubb, never heard of it til now.

I do sometimes look at the monthly Borders report from the birdwatching magazine.

There is also Lothian Bird News which often has Borders news too.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lothianbirdnews/

David