Yes Delia...you need to tell him to avoid the MotorPike and SideCarp as they'll be tearing round the lochan like it's the TT races
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Up the Hill (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter delia todd
- Start date
-
- Tags
- patch up the hill
Keith Dickinson said:
LOL Keith
You're the second one to point that out to me!
I seem to have got my fish mixed up - no surprise there then! Carp/Pike I wouldn't know them if they bit me on the nose!
Now I'm wondering if I meant Pike all along:-C
D
Having not been able to see the Dabchick or Moorhen for several days, I at last got brief views of them on Sunday, both juveniles, also 9 Mallards.
No sign of the Hen Harrier all the week, but a Buzzard returned today after an absence of a couple of weeks, also a Kestrel today.
Linnets and Chaffinches are beginning to flock round the Kale field, although keeping to their separate groups at the moment, 30+ in each group. Plenty of Meadow Pipits, dividing their time between the Kale field and the moor.
Four Partridge again today, but out of sight too quickly to be able to ID them properly. A single Mistle Thrush flew over.
Apart from 1 Meadow Pipit, about 20 Rooks and a few Wood Pigeons, the Pasture Field produced nothing at all today.
The last of the Swallows fledged at the weekend from the Shepherds barn and about half a dozen were flying around today.
D
No sign of the Hen Harrier all the week, but a Buzzard returned today after an absence of a couple of weeks, also a Kestrel today.
Linnets and Chaffinches are beginning to flock round the Kale field, although keeping to their separate groups at the moment, 30+ in each group. Plenty of Meadow Pipits, dividing their time between the Kale field and the moor.
Four Partridge again today, but out of sight too quickly to be able to ID them properly. A single Mistle Thrush flew over.
Apart from 1 Meadow Pipit, about 20 Rooks and a few Wood Pigeons, the Pasture Field produced nothing at all today.
The last of the Swallows fledged at the weekend from the Shepherds barn and about half a dozen were flying around today.
D
delia todd said:
mine too fledged just a while back, but all have already departed ...I guess you'll hold onto yours for a little longer than those here
The Swallows have all gone Jos, not a sign of one now.
So it's back to earth with a bump after the Aberdeenshire Bash last weekend. With the evenings drawing in there's not much light left by the time I've finished work, especially if it's cloudy.
Wednesday - hmm 2 Mallards, 1 Moorhen, 1 Wood Pigeon and heard 1 Chaffinch and 1 Meadow Pipit - I've certainly had better days!
Saturday showed an improvement with the re-appearance of the Little Grebe and there were around 30 Rooks. Again I heard a single Meadow Pipit. Just as I was leaving the male Hen Harrier flew over and was mobbed away by 2 Rooks, it would have been nice to have seen more of him.
Sunday I'd no sooner stopped the car beside the cattle grid when I caught sight of something on top of a gorse bush, I grabbed the scope and rested it on the car window and there was a beautiful male Reed Bunting. Then, on the other side of the road were three Stone Chats and a Robin. These have all been missing for many weeks and wonder if they are migrants passing through.
D
So it's back to earth with a bump after the Aberdeenshire Bash last weekend. With the evenings drawing in there's not much light left by the time I've finished work, especially if it's cloudy.
Wednesday - hmm 2 Mallards, 1 Moorhen, 1 Wood Pigeon and heard 1 Chaffinch and 1 Meadow Pipit - I've certainly had better days!
Saturday showed an improvement with the re-appearance of the Little Grebe and there were around 30 Rooks. Again I heard a single Meadow Pipit. Just as I was leaving the male Hen Harrier flew over and was mobbed away by 2 Rooks, it would have been nice to have seen more of him.
Sunday I'd no sooner stopped the car beside the cattle grid when I caught sight of something on top of a gorse bush, I grabbed the scope and rested it on the car window and there was a beautiful male Reed Bunting. Then, on the other side of the road were three Stone Chats and a Robin. These have all been missing for many weeks and wonder if they are migrants passing through.
D
delia todd said:
Always a good day when a Hen Harrier puts in an appearance
Managed a last three Swallows on Saturday, though they were the first for a couple of weeks
Jos Stratford said:Always a good day when a Hen Harrier puts in an appearance
Too true Jos, I must admit to doing a little jig when I saw him as I'd not seen him for weeks.
D
There's no sign of the Dabchick now but the Moorhen is still there. Mallards seem to come and go.
At least 3 Buzzards were enjoying yesterday's windy conditons, one of them got mobbed by around 50 Rooks.
There's a few Meadow Pipit and Linnets still, but I'm lucky to see or hear them. I am sure I heard some Goldfinch in the tree beside the loch but could I see even one of them!
A walk round the pasture field: heard a Chaffinch, and a Treecreeper. Rooks and Wood Pigeons aplenty though.
Chaffinches numbers are continuing to build up round the Kale field, but are not really in 'flock' mode yet.
The edge of this patch is above and not far from a N-S glen and seems to be funnelling migrants through it. I occasionally get glimpses of small flocks in the distance, and think that a few spill over here for a break. There were 4 Mistle Thrush in the tree the other day. Anyone know if Rooks migrate? - there's not a Rookery very close.
A couple out for a walk said they had seen a Stone Chat and also (which I find surprising) 2 Grouse sitting on a stone! Now this is not a shooting estate and I've never seen or heard one, so a bit puzzled by this report.
D
At least 3 Buzzards were enjoying yesterday's windy conditons, one of them got mobbed by around 50 Rooks.
There's a few Meadow Pipit and Linnets still, but I'm lucky to see or hear them. I am sure I heard some Goldfinch in the tree beside the loch but could I see even one of them!
A walk round the pasture field: heard a Chaffinch, and a Treecreeper. Rooks and Wood Pigeons aplenty though.
Chaffinches numbers are continuing to build up round the Kale field, but are not really in 'flock' mode yet.
The edge of this patch is above and not far from a N-S glen and seems to be funnelling migrants through it. I occasionally get glimpses of small flocks in the distance, and think that a few spill over here for a break. There were 4 Mistle Thrush in the tree the other day. Anyone know if Rooks migrate? - there's not a Rookery very close.
A couple out for a walk said they had seen a Stone Chat and also (which I find surprising) 2 Grouse sitting on a stone! Now this is not a shooting estate and I've never seen or heard one, so a bit puzzled by this report.
D
delia todd said:
Northern populations do ...out here, the majority of Rooks migrate, either out of the country completely or, for a smaller number, into the relative warmth of the city. From about now, but more particularly late October/early November, I can see rather large overhead movements, birds returning again in March. I would guess there is limited movement in Scottish populations too.
Jos Stratford said:
Ah! thanks for that Jos. I wonder if Kas has any left in Thurso?
D
The loch appears to be devoid of any birds now, 2 hours searching today revealed nothing, so the Dabchick has been missing for 2 weeks; there were, however, 2 Moorhens on Thursday.
Thursday was a good day actually, with a total of 4 Buzzards in the air, three over to the North side and 1 searching the forest area. Then the female Hen Harrier appeared and I watched her for some minutes hunting over the Kale field before she was chased away across the forest by some Rooks.
I took myself for a little walk over the moor today and found a grand total of 4 Meadow Pipit!
Sitting on top of the kale were 3 lovely Stonechat, also around there were some Linnets flying over and I could hear Chaffinch in the forest.
Rook numbers have fallen to 12.
Rather a wintery feel up there now
D
Thursday was a good day actually, with a total of 4 Buzzards in the air, three over to the North side and 1 searching the forest area. Then the female Hen Harrier appeared and I watched her for some minutes hunting over the Kale field before she was chased away across the forest by some Rooks.
I took myself for a little walk over the moor today and found a grand total of 4 Meadow Pipit!
Sitting on top of the kale were 3 lovely Stonechat, also around there were some Linnets flying over and I could hear Chaffinch in the forest.
Rook numbers have fallen to 12.
Rather a wintery feel up there now
D
This'll be my last report for a couple of weeks, as I'm off to Sussex early on Friday morning.
I've been up twice this week desperately searching for Brambling in amongst the Chaffinch but they've not arrived yet.
However, really enjoyed the sun today, nice and warm again.
The Stonechats greeted me as soon as I arrived, having moved from the Kale field back to the gorse, a nice Robin with them too.
Surprise, surprise, a Moorhen showed its face again today. I got all excited when I saw something white and fairly big in the middle of the loch, but further investigation showed it to be a reflection of a ewe that was up on the hillside!
I spent most of my time today searching the kale and the forest edge, Apart from the rather numerous Chaffinch, there were some Linnets and Goldfinch eating the last of the thistle seeds. I also picked out a single Coal Tit. At least 3 Wrens heard in the rough grass/gorse area and a few Meadow Pipits too.
Walking back up the hill to my car 2 Red Grouse suddenly shot across the road and disappeared into the Kale. So it looks like that couple the other week were right.
Now, then, can I count flyovers? Two large skeins of Pinkfeet (must have been at least 500 in each) flew over about an hour apart, both lots heading east, towards Linthrathen, I presume.
Well I'm counting them so count is now 65.
D
I've been up twice this week desperately searching for Brambling in amongst the Chaffinch but they've not arrived yet.
However, really enjoyed the sun today, nice and warm again.
The Stonechats greeted me as soon as I arrived, having moved from the Kale field back to the gorse, a nice Robin with them too.
Surprise, surprise, a Moorhen showed its face again today. I got all excited when I saw something white and fairly big in the middle of the loch, but further investigation showed it to be a reflection of a ewe that was up on the hillside!
I spent most of my time today searching the kale and the forest edge, Apart from the rather numerous Chaffinch, there were some Linnets and Goldfinch eating the last of the thistle seeds. I also picked out a single Coal Tit. At least 3 Wrens heard in the rough grass/gorse area and a few Meadow Pipits too.
Walking back up the hill to my car 2 Red Grouse suddenly shot across the road and disappeared into the Kale. So it looks like that couple the other week were right.
Now, then, can I count flyovers? Two large skeins of Pinkfeet (must have been at least 500 in each) flew over about an hour apart, both lots heading east, towards Linthrathen, I presume.
Well I'm counting them so count is now 65.
D
As I'm hardly seeing any birds to photograph at the moment, I've been looking at the ground and here's an assortment of fungi around.
No idea what they are, of course, so I'll propbably put them up for ID when I get back. The last 2 may be the same but they look a bit different to me.
D
No idea what they are, of course, so I'll propbably put them up for ID when I get back. The last 2 may be the same but they look a bit different to me.
D
Attachments
Time to check out my Patch I thought, as it was a lovely sunny day. Even so it was woolly hat and gloves weather.
The drive up was not promising, heard 1 then saw 2 Chaffinch but a bit further along I stopped to investigate a 'funny colour' at the top of a Scots Pine in the middle of a field. A Jay - which flew off as soon as I opened the car door. The tree was at least 50 yards into the field!
Two Herons squawked their way past some sheep, a solitary Jackdaw on a barn roof, and a single Starling sitting in a tree at the Shepherd's house.
So onto the Hill. The early part, where the Gorse is had absolutely nothing, apart from a male Pheasant, after I cleared it and could see a bit further afield I counted 22 Rooks over the moor - I'm sure there were more though.
I was very disappointed to find that the Chaffinches had all disappeared, when I was hoping to see some Brambling with them.
Approaching the loch I could see a single male Mallard asleep on the island that had been home to the Common Gulls through the summer. He woke up and swam off up the loch to be joined by a female. Then there were 3 males and 2 females. When I left there were 16 of them swimming around!
Driving up the track a Rook chased a Buzzard into the forest. I decided to walk into the long grass to see if I could put anything up - 1 Meadow Pipit.
So that was it really - seem to be in winter mode up there now.
D
The drive up was not promising, heard 1 then saw 2 Chaffinch but a bit further along I stopped to investigate a 'funny colour' at the top of a Scots Pine in the middle of a field. A Jay - which flew off as soon as I opened the car door. The tree was at least 50 yards into the field!
Two Herons squawked their way past some sheep, a solitary Jackdaw on a barn roof, and a single Starling sitting in a tree at the Shepherd's house.
So onto the Hill. The early part, where the Gorse is had absolutely nothing, apart from a male Pheasant, after I cleared it and could see a bit further afield I counted 22 Rooks over the moor - I'm sure there were more though.
I was very disappointed to find that the Chaffinches had all disappeared, when I was hoping to see some Brambling with them.
Approaching the loch I could see a single male Mallard asleep on the island that had been home to the Common Gulls through the summer. He woke up and swam off up the loch to be joined by a female. Then there were 3 males and 2 females. When I left there were 16 of them swimming around!
Driving up the track a Rook chased a Buzzard into the forest. I decided to walk into the long grass to see if I could put anything up - 1 Meadow Pipit.
So that was it really - seem to be in winter mode up there now.
D
Thought I'd better brave the cold wind straight from the Baltic to check what was going on.
Drove along the road and just the odd Corvid flying over. Stopped to look down over the loch - nothing.
Oh well, nice and sunny go for a walk round the field and see if there's anything in the trees. I didn't risk my car down the track as the ground is very wet, so on with the boots and walked down past the loch and there...... would you believe a Whooper Swan, then another appeared and another - 7 of them! :bounce: All started chatting to each other as I passed.
There were about 100 Rooks up on the moor and returning by the loch with the setting sun in my eyes a flock of about 20 finch-type thingies.
D
Drove along the road and just the odd Corvid flying over. Stopped to look down over the loch - nothing.
Oh well, nice and sunny go for a walk round the field and see if there's anything in the trees. I didn't risk my car down the track as the ground is very wet, so on with the boots and walked down past the loch and there...... would you believe a Whooper Swan, then another appeared and another - 7 of them! :bounce: All started chatting to each other as I passed.
There were about 100 Rooks up on the moor and returning by the loch with the setting sun in my eyes a flock of about 20 finch-type thingies.
D
Are you going to post a description of the finch type thingies in the ID thread Delia?LOL
Wish I had whoopers down by me.
Wish I had whoopers down by me.
delia todd said:
Having probably flown from the Baltic, they were having a quiet chuckle that this lady observing was comparing the climate on a par with their Baltic homeland
Henry B said:
Who's that tramp - probably LOL
The 'finch-type thingies' were dark blobs, 2 second view - I'm sure the ID experts would love that
It would be lovely if the Whoopers stayed till the loch froze over.
D
