tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-276351962024-03-13T10:58:19.716+00:00George Bristow's Secret FreezerMy adventures in the (drum roll)... World of Birds! Clash! As nobody has been asking, I'll explain. George Bristow was a taxidermist at the hub of the Hastings Rarities scandal. From 1896 to 1939, hundreds of rare birds passed through his shop in St Leonards-on-Sea which he claimed were locally killed. They were later shown to be fraudulent. I'd like to think that at the back of his shop was a time machine linked to a freezer in another dimension, full of dead birds. You read it here first.Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.comBlogger470125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-83519577401876620362010-12-28T15:16:00.002+00:002010-12-28T15:25:39.478+00:00BOURC 39th ReportI should point you at this <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1474-919X.2010.01081.x/pdf">BOURC 39th Report</a>.<br /><br />This sort of thing is what I've been doing recently. Three British firsts forYorkshire. Yorkshire rules.<br /><br />Includes the belated acceptance of of White-throated Sparrow from Hull, February 1893, shot in the grounds of Holderness House. <a href="http://www.holdernesshousetrust.co.uk/">Holderness House</a> is now a retirement home for Laydeees, which is about as 'Little Britain' as you can get.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TRoBUnsGChI/AAAAAAAABpI/oFCdzNUEauY/s1600/littlebritain3L_350x344.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 197px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TRoBUnsGChI/AAAAAAAABpI/oFCdzNUEauY/s200/littlebritain3L_350x344.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5555754544077867538" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Please be my facebook friend. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#%21/docmartin2mc">http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/docmartin2mc </a><br />I don't have any real ones... (*sobs*)Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-7253499991324032082010-10-10T20:09:00.004+01:002010-10-10T20:32:07.083+01:00Some noises.Another <span style="font-weight: bold;">Yellow-browed Warbler</span> in Newtonhill this morning, at the Mill Garden - it distracted my attention from a couple of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Blackcaps</span> by sneaking up behind me and calling from the tops of the sycamores, then performing like a tart for 20 minutes. Got a few calls thanks to the new improved <a href="http://www.remembird.com/">Remembird II</a> (much better gain). And here they are, just for fun, but showing some of the variation in YbW calls.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TLISnS4y5xI/AAAAAAAABo0/Xq4HY_Ew8m8/s1600/20101010_091911.bmp"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 98px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TLISnS4y5xI/AAAAAAAABo0/Xq4HY_Ew8m8/s200/20101010_091911.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526500159031273234" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.ziddu.com/download/12025840/20101010_091911.wav.html">Listen here.<br /></a></div><br /><br />And this one<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TLITwtqGqHI/AAAAAAAABo8/l0R1gbI9xBA/s1600/20101010_085745.bmp"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 98px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TLITwtqGqHI/AAAAAAAABo8/l0R1gbI9xBA/s200/20101010_085745.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526501420347861106" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.ziddu.com/download/12025841/20101010_085745.wav.html">Listen here, if you want :-)</a><a href="http://www.ziddu.com/download/12025841/20101010_085745.wav.html"><br /></a></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-79297840563942585722010-09-25T15:05:00.002+01:002010-09-25T15:07:13.946+01:00Approach with caution...From <a href="www.birdguides.com">Birdguides </a>today...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TJ4B7Ji4-kI/AAAAAAAABos/Phr9bwxZ1EA/s1600/empidonax.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 30px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TJ4B7Ji4-kI/AAAAAAAABos/Phr9bwxZ1EA/s200/empidonax.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5520852308888975938" border="0" /></a><br />Viscious little b*stards these <span style="font-style: italic;">Empidonax </span>flycatchers.<br /><br /><br />They go for your flies anyway.Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-26582382889686842502010-08-01T19:54:00.006+01:002010-08-01T22:09:42.972+01:00Flight identification of European dolphins<span style="font-size:85%;">Oh ho. A quick one hour trip down to the cliffs this evening to look for pirates and cows, 18:15 - 19:20. Immediately I got there, saw a lot of dolphin activity on calm seas. It was a flock of at least 12 <span style="font-weight: bold;">White-beaked Dolphins</span>. Some of them were breaching anthropomorphically happily, like these two.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TFXDvwOtuEI/AAAAAAAABoU/XCuYBFFg-FU/s1600/IMG_4069.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TFXDvwOtuEI/AAAAAAAABoU/XCuYBFFg-FU/s200/IMG_4069.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500517745070815298" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TFXDY0majNI/AAAAAAAABoM/qPRnfI6phNU/s1600/IMG_4068+copy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TFXDY0majNI/AAAAAAAABoM/qPRnfI6phNU/s200/IMG_4068+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500517351106972882" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">White-beaked Dolphins.</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />These fantastic photos will form the basis of my forthcoming book 'Flight Identification of European Dolphins'. In all good bookstores and quite a few rubbish ones by December 2027.<br /><br />A single <span style="font-weight: bold;">Harbour Porpoise</span> too.<br /><br />Birds quiet - 12 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Manx Shearwaters</span> north, 39 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Scoters</span>, 39 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sandwich Terns</span> south. Plenty <span style="font-weight: bold;">Atlantic Puffins</span> around still, and a few <span style="font-weight: bold;">Razorbills </span>feeding young on the water. Three <span style="font-weight: bold;">Great Skuas</span>, including a couple on the water, viz...<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TFXDRfF97VI/AAAAAAAABoE/NXFRiwi-0NA/s1600/IMG_4077+copy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 141px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TFXDRfF97VI/AAAAAAAABoE/NXFRiwi-0NA/s200/IMG_4077+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500517225074650450" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Great Skua</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />When I finished, I realised I'd been sitting with my foot on this dead vole. Or at least it was dead now. Either way, it made me hungry for tea.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TFXEPPLQ1QI/AAAAAAAABoc/LrjGtyn9Br8/s1600/IMG_4086+copy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/TFXEPPLQ1QI/AAAAAAAABoc/LrjGtyn9Br8/s200/IMG_4086+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500518285953783042" border="0" /></a>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-23550156081098428182010-05-17T18:56:00.004+01:002010-05-17T19:06:20.098+01:00Bird Photograph of the Year 2010<span style="font-size:85%;">The rest of you may as well throw in the towel now. Follpwing my triumphant effort with the 2008 Girdleness Bluethroat, <a href="http://proregulus.blogspot.com/2008/05/bird-photograph-of-year-2008.html">here</a>, I gave my competitors a chance last year. But inspired to regain my crown, I humbly submit this year's entry, a careful study of the </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >King Eider</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> at the Ythan today.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/S_GFWM4sgoI/AAAAAAAABns/ITZ7TCUwTfE/s1600/IMG_3315.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 158px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/S_GFWM4sgoI/AAAAAAAABns/ITZ7TCUwTfE/s200/IMG_3315.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472301638694503042" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Believe me, I have </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >a lot</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> more like this.</span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-39877696820812196482010-05-16T21:56:00.004+01:002010-05-16T22:05:53.076+01:00Not dead, only sleepingI'm alive, just busy, honest.<br /><br />Here's a colour-ringed Common Eider photo'd today at Newtonhill - he's defending that female to his right against the attentions of all the spotty specky geeky other males. Anyway, his white-over-green left leg identifies him as being ringed on the Ythan estuary as a chick in 1984. Hope I'm still alive and mated up when I'm 26.<br /><br />Excuse the cropped phone-cam thingy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/S_Bdlh0vKtI/AAAAAAAABnk/H67IsJCQNJA/s1600/IMAG0416+fb+crop.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/S_Bdlh0vKtI/AAAAAAAABnk/H67IsJCQNJA/s200/IMAG0416+fb+crop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471976446571260626" border="0" /></a>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-34778270060143193072009-09-21T00:04:00.005+01:002009-09-21T00:09:44.892+01:00title tbc<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sra2Gkmf1EI/AAAAAAAABm4/rFGLglHZuI0/s1600-h/IMG_2295+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 82px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sra2Gkmf1EI/AAAAAAAABm4/rFGLglHZuI0/s200/IMG_2295+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383690628588622914" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sra1YpuOIXI/AAAAAAAABmw/4MAjO9uoEDU/s1600-h/IMG_2269+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 118px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sra1YpuOIXI/AAAAAAAABmw/4MAjO9uoEDU/s200/IMG_2269+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383689839689212274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sra1TAKWc2I/AAAAAAAABmo/sSoRFS6KmKQ/s1600-h/IMG_2284+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 45px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sra1TAKWc2I/AAAAAAAABmo/sSoRFS6KmKQ/s200/IMG_2284+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383689742633562978" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sra1M8mzP4I/AAAAAAAABmg/NbvpVD0SmK4/s1600-h/IMG_2301+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 126px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sra1M8mzP4I/AAAAAAAABmg/NbvpVD0SmK4/s200/IMG_2301+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383689638599933826" border="0" /></a>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-83199421521866242302009-08-26T22:06:00.010+01:002009-08-27T08:53:15.861+01:00Cassette tapes, Persimmon woods, ink jet printers, telephone booths, Sony Walkmans, Kodak 110s, analog TVs, Betamaxes, and 120 SbCs<span style="font-size:85%;">Weekend... I was down at the British Birdwatching Fair, where no birdwatching was done, but an awful lot of gabbing. So much to report... first thanks to all you blogees who were concerned about my Diamond White intake. You'll be pleased to know that tonight I am drinking nothing but the purest detoxifying JD.<br /><br /><br />First, a big welcome to the new Editor of </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >British Birds</span><span style="font-size:85%;">*.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SpWnsDH_vCI/AAAAAAAABmQ/nARZXmv9tq4/s1600-h/Lee+Evans+at+BB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 142px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SpWnsDH_vCI/AAAAAAAABmQ/nARZXmv9tq4/s200/Lee+Evans+at+BB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374386105531481122" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">*disclaimer. Person shown is for illustrative purposes only and is not a new editor of British Birds</span><br /><br /><br />The very exciting news that a new and improved <a href="http://www.remembird.com/">Remembird </a>upgrade is but weeks away, that promises to sort out some of the glitches with memory, battery life, and usability that some readers will remember have occasionally caused me to comment.<br /><br />Look at my new t-shirt. The Ivory-billed Woodpecker reigns supreme as the flagship species for conservation of extinct birds. I wonder if some committee meeting at Birdlife International had an agenda item about '?' vs '!'<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SpWqLqRw67I/AAAAAAAABmY/YYQ6MDhMe3g/s1600-h/IMG_1956+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SpWqLqRw67I/AAAAAAAABmY/YYQ6MDhMe3g/s200/IMG_1956+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374388847640636338" border="0" /></a><br />btw, it cost me £15... so for that they'd better bloody conserve some IBWOs grrrr......<br /><br />'I've seen 120 Slender-billed Curlews' :-O<br /><br />For some reason, Anthony McGeehan turned up naked. See <a href="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2255220&id=611987980">here</a>. Fortunately Mark Constantine (who owns 'Lush', for those of you who doubted my A-list credentials) was there to cover up his privates with some filthy rag. I think the moral of the story is... 'Don't bail on the Sound Approach team.'<br /><br />I took my old Zeiss 7x42s (remember the scratched ones?) to the Zeiss stand to see if anything could be done to recondition them. They said not to bother. Cleaned 'em up, said the scratch was cosmetic. Could anything be done for the coating on the objectives, asked I, pointing out that it was heavily abraded. They said not to bother, it was just cosmetic, made no difference to the optical performance of the binocular. So next time some binocular salesman is trying to wax lyrical about the coating of some binoculars he's trying to sell you, tell him about this.<br /><br />The BB team of bird-crazy Hazel (would NOT stop talking about subspecific identification of <span style="font-style: italic;">Locustellas</span>), Roger and I were staying at a B&B with one other Birdfair couple. On Sunday morning she says to me that I was looking the worse for wear and had I drank too much last night? As you know, I drink in great moderation and has genuinely had 2 lager shandies the previous evening. 'Worse for wear' is how I normally look, thank you very much. She is from Glasgow, though hasn't lived there for many many years. When she met another couple from Glasgow at her stall in the Art tent, the first thing they asked her was 'what school did you go to?' Some things never change*.<br /><br />*For people who aren't familiar with the Weejie scum mindset... the question is a way of asking whether you are Protestant or Catholic.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SpWlkUMsXyI/AAAAAAAABmI/zYuyuieTGpU/s1600-h/IMAG0297.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SpWlkUMsXyI/AAAAAAAABmI/zYuyuieTGpU/s200/IMAG0297.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374383773652377378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">In Kazakhstan, we shoot all the bears.</span><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The t-shirt wasn't my major extravagance of the weekend. For nearly 20 years now I have owned and used a Slik D2. About 5 years ago, it was kinda funny that I was still keeping it going, but the joke has started to wear thin. So I bought myself a new tripod.<br /><br />Yes, you poor old SlikD2. You were my first love, but time has not been kind to you and you have been replaced by a younger sexier Italian model with fantastic legs, better lubrication and a smoother head action.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SpWlV8PFlyI/AAAAAAAABmA/Bf2YAaumwOw/s1600-h/IMG_1958.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SpWlV8PFlyI/AAAAAAAABmA/Bf2YAaumwOw/s200/IMG_1958.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374383526701799202" border="0" /></a>There's a lesson for us all there, though I can't quite put my finger on it. Unlike my new Italian model.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday 26th August 09</span>.<br />I took my new tripod for a 05:45-06:45 spin, worried that Xenospiza was sat at home worrying about how many <span style="font-weight: bold;">Northern Gannets</span> were passing Newtonhill. The answer... 109 north. Happy now? Actually it was still pretty dark when I started, only brightening up and a few Gannets starting to go through as I had to go. Tssk. Other things around... 2 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Arctic Skuas</span> N together, a few <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Scoters</span> scooting back and forth (36N 12S). 6 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Teals</span> S, 5 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Red-throated Divers</span> south, 119 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sandwich Terns</span> north, 16 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Terns</span>, and 6 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Redshanks</span>.<br /><br />A big hi to all the people I met for the first time and all those I only see once a year.<br /><br /></span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-52046395393618505582009-08-16T22:24:00.005+01:002009-08-16T22:55:57.832+01:00Loch Tay - home of the fabled Loch Tay Monster.<span style="font-size:85%;">We were meant to be away Friday and Saturday night at an idyllic campsite on the banks of Loch Tay, home of the fabled Loch Tay Monster that I just made up. A severe weather warning on Friday night, so we postponed our departure til Saturday morning, so we only had to enjoy the balmy midge-filled Saturday evening in a tent.<br /><br />So Saturday, we skidded and slid the car across the mud-slide of a camp site with difficulty, mostly because of the evacuation of soggy campers that went on throughout the day. We decided to pitch just off the road, and by evening, it was just us, a green tent up the hill, and a refugee camp of some extended family of geordies in three enormous tents, in the prime site beside the showers. Loch Tay... geographically, was not far away, but it was a 45 degree descent down a mudslide and operational forest cutting. I kept myself amused and Diane a little annoyed with my persistent Mel & Kim impression... 'Tay tay tay tay t-t-t-t-t tay tay, take or leave us but please believe us we are never going to be respectable' at high volume at regular intervals. It was pissing down all night, apart from a 10 minute spell in the evening when I flew the kite. Then cooked beans crouched down behind the shelter of the car like a gnome. In the morning when I slid across to dump the can, and wondering where the green tent had gone, I found (?)it, flysheet, guy ropes, poles, the whole bang sheboot, dumped in the bin, with the owners nowhere to be seen. I bet there's a story there that kept me giggling all day. Crannog Centre,<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Soh_oGF7KqI/AAAAAAAABlg/xPstjX9LX4Q/s1600-h/Stitched_001+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 52px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Soh_oGF7KqI/AAAAAAAABlg/xPstjX9LX4Q/s200/Stitched_001+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370682882446273186" border="0" /></a>where this spider turned up on the car<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Soh_jNQshCI/AAAAAAAABlY/mMJgWa2HdEM/s1600-h/IMG_1932+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 148px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Soh_jNQshCI/AAAAAAAABlY/mMJgWa2HdEM/s200/IMG_1932+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370682798471152674" border="0" /></a><br />and (this is the birdy bit), lunch on the banks of the river at Dunkeld where there were enormous numbers of </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Sand Martins</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> (Bank Swallows ) and </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Goosanders</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> (Common Mergansers).</span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-25536311975463563162009-08-14T23:35:00.007+01:002009-08-15T00:12:58.351+01:00It was nice being popular... and Emma Wray naked.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoXm1-2HEBI/AAAAAAAABlI/6E7rHbAw3XQ/s1600-h/stats.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 80px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoXm1-2HEBI/AAAAAAAABlI/6E7rHbAw3XQ/s200/stats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369951945786593298" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Normal number of hits per day ~30. At least 20 of which have googled 'Emma Wray naked' (Try it!). Post something about Slender-billed Curlew and the whole world (or about a thousand of them) come to your door.<br /><br />Alas I have no plans to maintain my new found popularity.<br /><br />BUT there hasn't been any Ivorybill activity for a while, so I thought I could add my bit. Remember when the <a href="http://www.ace-eco.org/vol1/iss3/art2/">paper by Hill et a</a>l published 'toot' noises and sonagrams from the Florida woods that they suggested could be IBWOs but I suggested were a better match for baby White-tailed Deer?<br /><br />Posts <a href="http://proregulus.blogspot.com/2006/10/ivory-billed-woodpecker.html">here </a>and <a href="http://proregulus.blogspot.com/2007/06/unqualified-praise.html">here</a>.<br /><br />My problem, at least one of them, is that I have never heard baby deers and a search of YouTube came up with nothing. Well now it doesn't come up with nothing. Check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm-TrQJS0KI&feature=related">this one</a>.<br /><br />I have no idea if these are White-tailed Deer or some other sort of deer (someone please advise), but made sonagrams anyway of the bleats from 1.37 to 1.42 and this is what you get.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoXs490DbRI/AAAAAAAABlQ/N9ZAbVGxPvs/s1600-h/bleat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 102px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoXs490DbRI/AAAAAAAABlQ/N9ZAbVGxPvs/s200/bleat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369958594118905106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Eyeballing them, they are a better match for the Florida 'toots' than they are for the archival IBWO recording (see the second of my postings above). But on the other hand, they don't sound the same as the 'putative kent' noises published by Hill et al <a href="http://www.ace-eco.org/vol1/iss3/art2/appendix8.html">here </a>and <a href="http://www.ace-eco.org/vol1/iss3/art2/appendix9.html">here</a>. Allwing for differences in microphones, equipment, etc. I have difficulty believing that the 'putative kents' came out of a deer. Not as much difficulty as I have believing they came from an IBWO, but all the same...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Birding too. Is there no limit to my talents? Teatime in the rain. I remember as a young boy birding round Flamborough and one of the older hands (we shall call him 'Andrew' to preserve his anonymity) told me that rare birds don't turn up in the rain, that I should go and have a cup of tea and he would let me know when it was easing off. Well, I learnt my lesson there. So at teatime, in pissing rain and an easterly breeze, I went out birding to hoover up the harvest of flycatchers and warblers that would be waiting for me. 2 hours and 1 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Willow Warbler</span> later, I was on the seawatching bench, still in the pissing rain and visibility down to, well, I could see my toes. In 30 minutes... 3<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Arctic Skuas</span> (Parasitic Jaegers), 1 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Great Skua</span> (Huge F*ckoff Jaegers), 12 (!) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Northern Gannets</span>, 7 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Manx Shearwaters</span>. However the birds were tanking past so fast in the tailwind, and in such haze and poor light I realised that if, for example, something good came past, I was never going to get enough on it to get a description through. Which is a shame, cos actually something did come through in the half-visibility that looked pretty good, but it got away and we never speak of it again. I mean it. </span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-11201874424157122242009-08-12T10:22:00.004+01:002009-08-13T21:13:08.902+01:00New Links<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >For those who thought the UK was a developed nation<br /><br /><a href="http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/">http://raptorpolitics.org.uk/</a><br /><br />and for those who thought westward vagrancy of Saker was unlikely (thanks to Chris Kehoe for pointing this out)<br /><br /></span><a href="http://rarebirdspain.blogspot.com/2009/08/satellite-tracked-hungarian-saker-falco.html"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:navy;" ><span style="color:navy;"> </span></span></a><a href="http://rarebirdspain.blogspot.com/2009/08/satellite-tracked-hungarian-saker-falco.html"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:navy;" ><span style="color:navy;"></span></span></a><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;color:navy;" ><span style="color:navy;"><a target="_blank">http://rarebirdspain.blogspot.com/2009/08/satellite-tracked-hungarian-saker-falco.html</a></span></span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-36925354652515981902009-08-10T22:57:00.007+01:002009-08-10T23:08:12.308+01:00Bit more SbC<span style="font-size:85%;">First, a comparison with the Minsmere Curlew (both montages, Moroccan bird left, Druridge Bird middle, the Minsmere 'Slender-billed' Eurasian Curlew at right. Not exact poses but I don't have as much to choose from for Minsmere. Allan Tate at right, I think the lower Minsmere bird is Dick Newell's.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCYKguuHgI/AAAAAAAABkc/5BMxWTYyxug/s1600-h/composite+5+with+minsmere.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 62px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCYKguuHgI/AAAAAAAABkc/5BMxWTYyxug/s200/composite+5+with+minsmere.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368458062177639938" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCYGI30rjI/AAAAAAAABkU/DJv0uJ0CYYc/s1600-h/composite+3+with+minsmere.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 57px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCYGI30rjI/AAAAAAAABkU/DJv0uJ0CYYc/s200/composite+3+with+minsmere.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368457987053891122" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Next, a poor but good enough grab from Trevor Charlton's video showing the Druridge bird in a more erect 'SbC-like' stance.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCZJSSmoaI/AAAAAAAABkk/4k5P9COKMG0/s1600-h/Q8+107+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 164px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCZJSSmoaI/AAAAAAAABkk/4k5P9COKMG0/s200/Q8+107+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368459140633371042" border="0" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Finally, an example of how too little resolution and too much contrast can start to turn a rather fine picture of a Eurasian Curlew (Dick Newell again, I think)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCZuHM3nwI/AAAAAAAABks/vWekjSuelA8/s1600-h/1008-DSCN9802W.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCZuHM3nwI/AAAAAAAABks/vWekjSuelA8/s200/1008-DSCN9802W.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368459773311688450" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">into a diamond-spotted putative SbC</span>.<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCaFRC9LcI/AAAAAAAABk8/RCjllU6BbvY/s1600-h/1008-DSCN9802Wcopy2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SoCaFRC9LcI/AAAAAAAABk8/RCjllU6BbvY/s200/1008-DSCN9802Wcopy2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368460171091455426" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-29954731583061188472009-08-09T22:37:00.008+01:002009-08-09T23:09:58.377+01:00Not many birds, quite a bit of mammal biomass.<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">First, note the update to yesterday's post</span>.</span>
<br />
<br /></span><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link style="font-family: arial;" rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CCOLLIN%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB">I had meant to get up early for a seawatch and a pound round the Mill gardens etc looking for any migrants.<span style=""> </span>However I unaccountably missed my 5.30 alarm call (perceptive readers might link that with yesterday’s Diamond White comment), and in the event I didn’t get out until teatime.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB">It was very very quiet – occasional <b style="">Willow Warbler</b> <i style="">houeet</i> from the bushes, but apart from a flyover <b style="">Eurasian Sparrowhawk</b>, nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB">However I did collect this impressive haul of dead shrews.<span style=""> </span>The Pygmy Shrew at left is so old it’s almost a fossil.<span style=""> </span>Common Shrew in middle is nice and fresh, and the Common Shrew at right is nicely middling.<span style="">
<br /></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn9CEw7VSmI/AAAAAAAABkM/L9r29zaViB4/s1600-h/shrew+selection+9+August.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 50px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn9CEw7VSmI/AAAAAAAABkM/L9r29zaViB4/s200/shrew+selection+9+August.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368081930469591650" border="0" /></a>
<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p>There was a <b style="">White-throated Dipper</b> on the beach, too. And this mess of a hybrid <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hooded x Carrion Crow</span> on the rocks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn9B3IP_S-I/AAAAAAAABj0/0fDQmOCwZUc/s1600-h/IMG_1881+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 174px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn9B3IP_S-I/AAAAAAAABj0/0fDQmOCwZUc/s200/IMG_1881+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368081696212077538" border="0" /></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB">Offshore, for a mere 30 min from 17:45-18:15, lots more <b style="">Black-legged Kittiwakes</b>, a pitiful 2 <b style="">Northern Gannets</b> and that was it.<span style=""> </span>EXCEPT a flock of 4 <b style="">White-beaked Dolphins</b> that started breaching.<span style=""> </span>I tried to get a photo, but the problem is that between pressing the shutter and getting the image, the beautiful sight of a dolphin arching gracefully through the air in delight becomes a rather embarrassing, 2.5-scoring and rather sore-looking bellyflop splash.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn9B7OqUPtI/AAAAAAAABj8/ZZbp2nHEvco/s1600-h/IMG_1882+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 125px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn9B7OqUPtI/AAAAAAAABj8/ZZbp2nHEvco/s200/IMG_1882+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368081766652591826" border="0" /></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Mystery photograph, anyone? Clue, the bird is flying off to the right.
<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <span style="font-size:85%;">
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn9B-mukltI/AAAAAAAABkE/BS42r842pEw/s1600-h/IMG_1889+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 152px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn9B-mukltI/AAAAAAAABkE/BS42r842pEw/s200/IMG_1889+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368081824652498642" border="0" /></a>
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<br /></span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-19328155169800627782009-08-08T22:14:00.016+01:002009-08-09T22:22:25.761+01:00The Druridge Curlew (and a seawatch so boring my heart stopped again).<span style="font-size:85%;">Back in time to the murky depths of the last century, May 1998, in a tiny uninhabited rump of England called Druridge Bay. Here, primitive man fashioned rudimentary binoculars out of flint chips and animal hides, and saw the bird that was subsequently accepted as Britain's first (and the Western Pal's last?<span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;">*** Update*** not true, see below</span>) Slender-billed Curlew. It came to BOURC just before my time, so I wasn't involved with the assessment. And I didn't see it either. Anyway, the identification has been doubted by people who didn't see it, and inspired by 660 posts of bickering in a BirdForum thread called <a href="http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=115215">Slender-billed Curlew - 10 years on</a>, I compared some images from a video produced by Justin Carr of the Druridge bird with stills from a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOXpHnZIq8o">video on YouTube taken at </a></span><span class="description" style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOXpHnZIq8o">Merja Zerga</a> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">in 1994 of the last Moroccan SbCs. The Moroccan video is by Andy Butler.<br /><br />In each of the following images,the left hand bird is an SBC from Merja Zerga (Andy Butler) and the right-hand bird if the Druridge bird (Justin Carr). I hope they don't mind me doing this. In some of the images I have horizontally flipped one or other bird so thety are looking the same way. Also bear in mind that the Moroccan birds are adults and the Druridge is a 1s hence the moult pattern.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30JdFl8HI/AAAAAAAABiU/uyfZHy9SoIE/s1600-h/composite+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 111px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30JdFl8HI/AAAAAAAABiU/uyfZHy9SoIE/s200/composite+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367714774159585394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30cczGdHI/AAAAAAAABi8/HLYQRlIaKQQ/s1600-h/composite+6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 100px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30cczGdHI/AAAAAAAABi8/HLYQRlIaKQQ/s200/composite+6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367715100499539058" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30YsaajaI/AAAAAAAABi0/Xk7JHtzubEM/s1600-h/composite+5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 93px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30YsaajaI/AAAAAAAABi0/Xk7JHtzubEM/s200/composite+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367715035971489186" border="0" /></a>Look at the bill shape and proportions above, and also the exact pattern of black spotting in the upper breast and flanks. Considering how individual feathers canbe displaced in the wind and due to brushing by vegetation, I am surprised how much match there is. The Druridge bird has head and body proportions similar to a real SbC too.<br /><br /><br />This one below is interesting cos it shows the narrow bill base of SbC and the Druridge bird (the Minsmere Eurasian Curlew by contrast had a broad bill base).</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30ODgLeEI/AAAAAAAABic/0VWMkaZhfUY/s1600-h/composite+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 147px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30ODgLeEI/AAAAAAAABic/0VWMkaZhfUY/s200/composite+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367714853191120962" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />This one below shows the wing length of the Druridge bird and it looks to be in the right ballpark for SbC<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30VbeT6uI/AAAAAAAABis/2jEO2UIyYNg/s1600-h/composite+4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 63px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30VbeT6uI/AAAAAAAABis/2jEO2UIyYNg/s200/composite+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367714979884821218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The two below are perhaps less informative, but the top one maybe puts the Druridge bird's primary projection as a tad shorter than the Moroccan bird. But it also shows the extent of flank spotting to be pretty much identical<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30SZtbivI/AAAAAAAABik/AJISw5pI4TY/s1600-h/composite+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 84px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30SZtbivI/AAAAAAAABik/AJISw5pI4TY/s200/composite+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367714927871757042" border="0" /></a></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30g0EaxcI/AAAAAAAABjE/hlodY-dQDro/s1600-h/composite+7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 81px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30g0EaxcI/AAAAAAAABjE/hlodY-dQDro/s200/composite+7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367715175465665986" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">As followers of the shenanigans surrounding the-woodpecker-we-shall-not-name will know, it's not enough to show that your image of a potentially extinct bird is consistent with that species, you also have to show it is not consistent with Pileated Woodpecker. I mean any other commoner species. Sorry. Frankly we now know that Eurasian Curlew can look superficially similar to SbC and the quality of the video images from the Bronze Age are not anywhere near as good as we would have got if the Druridge bird had shown up in these modern communist times. Fortunately, I have some Eurasian Curlews among the video grabs from Justin Carr's video. I should say that I took this videograbs when BBRC and BOURC were looking for photos to illustrate the paper in <a href="http://www.britishbirds.co.uk/"><span style="font-style: italic;">British Birds</span></a>, so I didn't keep many shots of the rest of the curlew flock. But I've got these two...<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30lK0JEZI/AAAAAAAABjM/oJW8Se0_HBY/s1600-h/Carr+Eurasian+1+sbc+back.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 164px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30lK0JEZI/AAAAAAAABjM/oJW8Se0_HBY/s200/Carr+Eurasian+1+sbc+back.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367715250290889106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30pD__-xI/AAAAAAAABjU/pji0f2WEDYc/s1600-h/Carr+Eurasian+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 164px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sn30pD__-xI/AAAAAAAABjU/pji0f2WEDYc/s200/Carr+Eurasian+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367715317181053714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">In the top one the Druridge bird is at back, with a Eurasian Curlew at front. The danger is that the apparent black 'diamond' spotting on the flanks of the 'boy' was a video artifact caused by poor resolution and high contrast of the video. That the chevron flanks of a Eurasian Curlew could look diamond spotty under these conditions. I think the grabs of Eurasian Curlew confirm that this is apossible concern, but in both shots the Eurasian flank markings appear less contrasty and more chevron shaped (as they should ) than the bird of interest. (especially top shot with the direct comparison). Not great evidence, but I think there's enough here to suggest that the apparent diamond spotting of the Druridge 'SbC' is real. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />I think the similarity between the Druridge bird and SbC is quite impressive. But do you know what the most impressive thing is... that I've been drinking Diamond White all night and can still spell shenanigans.</span><br /><br />________________________________________<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I also did a seawatch this evening after a barbecue at Newtonhill Church where Lizzie has been praising God for his creation of curlews, woodlice and sweets. It was so boring I only last an hour (the seawatch, not the barbecue). (The barbecue had chickens, which is more than the seawatch did). There were hundreds of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Black-legged Kittiwakes</span>, including many many fresh juveniles (at sea, not the barbecue). Now I don't want to disrespect Kittiwakes, they are most marvellous birds with an enterprising juvenile plumage that should win design awards, but frankly, I've seen enough Kittiwakes for this life (but I haven't eaten enough - I bet they'd be good in a bun with tartare sauce). Highlights were 2 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Black Guillemots</span> flying south towards Muchalls. They are just about annual here, and Muchalls represents pretty much their southern-most breeding point on the east coast. 9 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Northern Gannets</span> going north between 18:00 and 1900, 1 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Manx Shearwater</span> and 1 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Great Skua</span> were just enough to remind me that I was looking at the sea, but it was pretty desperate stuff. Is it any wonder I drink?<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Update - Hungary record 2001</span> - thanks to members of the WestPal birds email list that supplied me with details of the forthcoming publication of an accepted multiobserver record form Hungary in 2001. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Oláh, J. Jr. & Pigniczki, Cs. (2009): The first XXIst century record of Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) in Hungary. Aquila, 114, p. ???</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">A summer plumaged adult male Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris Vieill. 1817) was observed near Apaj in the Kiskunság National Park on the 15th of April in 2001. The observation was accepted by the MME NB (Hungarian Cheklist and Rarities Committee) as the first XXIst century observation of the species in Hungary. To our knowledge this record also represents the first documented and accepted observation anywhere in the World. The identification was made after a very thorough examination and was based mainly on the size, plumage details, colouration, bill, legs and body shape. The identification was also supplemented by a video recording made through the telescope. Detailed description of the this bird is given in this paper as well as describing the status of the species in Hungary. A copy of the documentary video was also deposited in the archive of the MME NB.</span><br /><br /></span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-10362506831785768532009-08-02T23:10:00.004+01:002009-08-02T23:48:27.046+01:00Sorry...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYPuh7KZBI/AAAAAAAABiE/jNM2bA7DyXk/s1600-h/IMG_1782.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYPuh7KZBI/AAAAAAAABiE/jNM2bA7DyXk/s200/IMG_1782.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365493298113438738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Many apologies. My guest blogger from the previous post appears to be a little confused about what is real and what is cult movie. You'll be glad to know that I am alive, though I did have a bit of a brush with a fat-arsed Shh-mutant Wicker man.<br /><br />After Skye, starting to think that maybe the seawatching season is starting. Soooo... ignoring the offshore winds and apparent absence of birds:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday 26th July 09. 18:36-19:40</span><br />6 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Manx Shearwaters</span> north<br />1 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Great Skua</span> south, attacking <span style="font-weight: bold;">Kittiwakes</span>, and then probably the same one, going back north for another go.<br />1 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Red-throated Diver</span> S<br />22 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Red Knots</span>, South.<br /><br />AND, my first kill of the autumn. It was me or him. Nasty vicious fangs in my toes. Wouldn't let go. </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYRC4qRLiI/AAAAAAAABiM/GI2SsLOMl94/s1600-h/IMAG0291.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYRC4qRLiI/AAAAAAAABiM/GI2SsLOMl94/s200/IMAG0291.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365494747325607458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Pygmy Shrew<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday 29th July 09<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Late morning... the house starts to fill up with kids, not all of them mine, so I head out for a bit of mid-day July birding</span><span style="font-size:85%;">. Unsurprisingly, very few birds (1 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Whitethroat</span>), but plenty of butterflies, including </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dark Green Fritillary </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">and </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ringlet </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">(both second patch records) up the cliff steps, with the usual </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Small Coppers, Common Blues, Meadow Brown </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">and </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Small Whites. <br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Offshore for 30 min from 12.00, just 1 </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Arctic Skua, </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">10 </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eurasian Teals</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">, and a few </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Atlantic Puffins </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">and</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Northern Gannets.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">As I walked back to the house, 4 </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Black-tailed Godwits </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">flew over, going south along the coast, itself unusual (have previously seen them once or twice on seawatches).</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">This was about 12.30. Interestingly, at 5.30 pm, 4 were on the lagoons at Musselburgh, according to Birdguides. Reckon it would take a Black-tailed Godwit about 4-5 hours to make the journey. Wonder if they were the same ones. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Sunday 2nd August 09<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Seawatch 07:10 - 08:40. S winds still.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Rather boring...</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />1 Great Skua N, 11 Common Scoters and 1 Velvet Scoter S. </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Also </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">3 Eurasian Teals </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">and </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Goldeneye. 25 Annoying Small Waders S, </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;">and a </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;">Guillemot</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> (Common Murre) on the water with a single chick.,. The first I've seen here this year.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span></div></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-91443233811930917112009-08-02T22:53:00.007+01:002009-08-02T23:09:09.264+01:00Guest Blogger<span style="font-size:85%;">Hi All<br /><br />After a bit of a delay, the blog today is being written by me, Edward Woodward (you may remember me from such long running TV hits series as 'The Equalizer'). Martin was called away to investigate the disappearance of a young girl on an island off the west coast of Scotland, and after </span><span style="font-size:85%;">a long and frankly rather implausible series of adventures, was burnt in a large Wicker effigy. I, in contrast, was on Skye from 18th-25th July, at a house on the Braes overlooking Raasay, from where it was possible to scope the Sound and see <span style="font-weight: bold;">Black Guillemots</span> at play. Or being played with by<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Great</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Arctic</span> (Parasitic) <span style="font-weight: bold;">Skuas</span>. I spent some time floating in the water in my dead fish outfit, until I saw this sight coming towards me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYMlSJq5oI/AAAAAAAABhU/CmiTuGu92EA/s1600-h/IMG_1636.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 129px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYMlSJq5oI/AAAAAAAABhU/CmiTuGu92EA/s200/IMG_1636.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365489840725616258" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />At which point I reached for my camera and got this single shot of </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >White-tailed Eagle</span><span style="font-size:85%;">, the male from the Portree nest.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYMsxPjcCI/AAAAAAAABhc/N2tHho2l5NU/s1600-h/IMG_1637.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 154px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYMsxPjcCI/AAAAAAAABhc/N2tHho2l5NU/s200/IMG_1637.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365489969330876450" border="0" /></a><br />In Portree harbour, this Glaucous Gull was savouring a fish head.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYNiu_8vBI/AAAAAAAABhk/-__gR6H1XFs/s1600-h/IMG_1650+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 175px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYNiu_8vBI/AAAAAAAABhk/-__gR6H1XFs/s200/IMG_1650+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365490896441490450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We saw dinosaur footprints fossilised on the beach at Staffin... here<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYN65mdXbI/AAAAAAAABhs/486PGsP2UKI/s1600-h/IMG_1568.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYN65mdXbI/AAAAAAAABhs/486PGsP2UKI/s200/IMG_1568.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365491311604227506" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />and enhanced here for the hard-of-seeing.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYN_WQfrTI/AAAAAAAABh0/geuS4Q5h9pM/s1600-h/IMG_1568+filled.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYN_WQfrTI/AAAAAAAABh0/geuS4Q5h9pM/s200/IMG_1568+filled.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365491388016209202" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Also, I need someone to identify my moth for me...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYObC4hg5I/AAAAAAAABh8/6j8zZkddJCg/s1600-h/IMG_1599.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SnYObC4hg5I/AAAAAAAABh8/6j8zZkddJCg/s200/IMG_1599.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365491863851729810" border="0" /></a>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-42146195879318112622009-07-12T23:58:00.004+01:002009-07-13T00:24:07.241+01:00Four seasons in one day, or more accurately 3, or more accurately, 1.<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday 11th July 09</span><br /><br />The lure of a potential lifer, Stilt Sandpiper, at Loch of Strathbeg, was too much to ignore. So I stopped only at Stonehaven Kwik Fit to have my bald tyres retreaded with a hot scalpel (it was cheaper) before heading off north. I had missed the main rush on Thursday night, so it was nice n' quiet when I got there. The <span style="font-weight: bold;">Stilt Sandpiper</span> was showing nicely, if at scope range, and initally, asleep, the git. So while I was waiting for it to wake up, a scan to the left revealed the adult <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pectoral Sandpiper</span> feeding sewing machine fashion in the mud among the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Black-headed Gulls</span> and resting <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Terns</span>. The Pec was pretty sweet, with a nicely defined breeding-type breast. Then the Stilt Sand woke up and that was pretty spectacliar too. I honoured its memory by whipping off one of my world-renowned biro sketches. <br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Slptd1c4jfI/AAAAAAAABhM/Tr3nfLoLD0E/s1600-h/scan0067+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 140px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Slptd1c4jfI/AAAAAAAABhM/Tr3nfLoLD0E/s200/scan0067+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357715066042486258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Once again the usual apology, but this is a genuine field (well, visitor centre tbh) drawing done at the time without revision. There were one or two other people trickling through, including those who need the reserve centre staff to get it in the scope for them. I don't like to be uncharitable, I really don't, but if you discount the 100+ <span style="font-weight: bold;">Northern Lapwings</span>, which tend not to represent an identification challenge, the only shorebirds on that pool were the Stilt Sand, the Pec and a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ringed Plover</span>, so we weren't exactly pushing the boundaries of birding here. Was a nice bird though. 3 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Little Gulls</span> among the Black-headed Gulls too, and a distant Western <span style="font-weight: bold;">Marsh Harrier</span>.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday 12th July 09.<br /><br /></span>Wader passage... autumn is here! Back to the 'pleasures' of Newtonhill seawatching. 06:40 - 08:40, pissing down with in-your-face rain and bloody freezing. My poor teeth were actually chattering. And for.... poor visibility. Between showers, a few birds came through. A single <span style="font-weight: bold;">Little Gull</span> was the scarcest. 31 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Manx Sheawaters</span>, 4 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Great Skuas</span>. 6 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Velvet Scoters</span> south, 4 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Terns</span> north, 2 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sandwich Terns</span> south. 292 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Northern Gannets </span>north, 100s of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Black-legged Kittiwakes</span> and plenty of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Northern Fulmars</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Atlantic Puffins</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Razorbills </span>and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Guillemots </span>(Common Murres). Although everything from terns down is local breeding stuff, there were actually more things out there than I had any right to expect, so crap is my valley. <br /><br />So when the April showers took a break mid-morning, spring gave way to a dense foggy autumn (the season of 'Season of Mists' quotes) and burnt off to a sweltering summer teatime. I was praying for a hailstorm before bed, but all I got was <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pipistrelle Bats</span>.</span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-33390614383328556592009-06-28T22:33:00.003+01:002009-06-28T22:55:22.310+01:00Northern Brown Argus<span style="font-size:85%;">Lovely day.<br /><br />It was also a lovely day on Tuesday morning. Had car, driving over flyover onto A90 (better than crashing thru central reservation - police get cross again). Big cloudless blue sky. Perfection in firmament etc bollox. Hold! Flaw in firmament.... bird flying . <span style="font-weight: bold;">Barnacle Goose</span>! Weird. not exactly overrun with feral breeding barnies.<br /><br />Back to Sunday. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Reed Bunting</span> singing at St Anne's track. Used to say 'Nul points to Norway'. But brutally unfair to triumphant Norway. Juvvy <span style="font-weight: bold;">Song Thrush</span>, barely flying. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sedge Warbler</span> carrying food into bracken. Juvvy Sedgies no doubt enjoying whatever muck. World's scruffiest male <span style="font-weight: bold;">Grey Wagtail</span> decided to moult in full view of children and tramps. Beach... covered in happy families enjoying sun, avoiding pervert grey wags. Cliff steps. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Blue</span> butterflies, hundreds of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Painted Ladies</span> kicking about, lots of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Magpie Moths</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> Silver-Ys</span>. Not a great butterfly expert. But though a couple of the female Common Blues looked a bit weird. No blue, very dark. Are they meant to have those little white dots on the wings? Checked when get home... <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Northern Brown Argus</span>! bugger me. And there are a few records from this bit of coast. Aha. Patch tick.<br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SkfmWmT8KoI/AAAAAAAABhE/ZrJveJ1q74k/s1600-h/Northern+Brown+Argus+-+BC+-+cropped_421.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 188px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SkfmWmT8KoI/AAAAAAAABhE/ZrJveJ1q74k/s200/Northern+Brown+Argus+-+BC+-+cropped_421.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352499958068816514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Northern Brown Argus very similar to those on the wing today at N/hill.</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Offshore. Auks very busy. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Guillemots</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Razorbills </span>in all directions. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Atlantic Puffin </span>heading to burrows with fish.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span> 8 </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Manx Shearwaters</span> all heading north, a few <span style="font-weight: bold;">Northern Gannets</span> too. And the<br />first autumn migrant of the year... a<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Common Sandpiper </span>on the rocks. Roll on autumn. </span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-58637273125557806412009-06-15T00:04:00.002+01:002009-06-15T00:31:23.242+01:00Back from BOUBack from the BOURC meeting in our secret underground bunker somewhere in, or maybe near (don't want to be too specific) Petrograd. We invented a new word (also see <a href="http://toadsnatcher.blogspot.com/2009/06/craptic.html">here</a>!). Remember a few years ago, maybe about 10 tbh, when <span style="font-style: italic;">Viz </span>magazine (even back then, it wasn't as funny as it used to be), promised it was going to print the rudest word inthe English language on the front page of the comic and still get into the newsstands at WH Smiths. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span>I'm pretty sure I know what the rudest word in the English language is<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>... </span> in fact it's so rude the only place I ever see it in print is on Tom McKinney's deceased blog. When the big day came, <span style="font-style: italic;">Viz </span>in fact had cheated and invented a <span style="font-style: italic;">new </span>official rudest word in the English language. The word the came up with was 'fitbin'. Maybe they were hoping it would take off and become a new dictionary rudest word. Anyway, it totally failed to take off and in my entire adult life I have not heard anyone use the word fitbin, even in jest.<br /><br />Still, not learning from the Viz's triumph, BOURC invented a new word, for those pesky annoying crossbills, petrels of all sorts, and any barcoded species that you might end up having to see but doing so only spoils your birding day - the <span style="font-weight: bold;">craptic </span>species.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span style="font-size:85%;">We consider two or more species to be ‘craptic’ if they are, or have been, classified as a single nominal species because they are at least superficially morphologically indistinguishable. Some authors further stipulate that species designated as ‘craptic’ should be recently diverged, separable only with molecular data, occur in sympatry, or be reproductively isolated; however, we do not regard these as essential features of craptic species. We acknowledge that there is no single best species concept and therefore exclude the latter qualification of reproductive isolation to disentangle definition of craptic species from the quagmire surrounding species concepts.</span></span><br /><br />(See <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VJ1-4MFK3XJ-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=af3176afd8393b4cfd5162a4253d1b2a">here </a>for a less sophisticated earlier argument)<br /><br />I have a good feeling that this is going to take off. They should go into their own Category of the Britsh List, in my opinion. Something like Category K.<br /><br />And also, didn't <span style="font-style: italic;">Springwatch </span>go all moody and serious last week?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SjWIFYkBQ4I/AAAAAAAABg8/1E5063JsSJk/s1600-h/IMG_1128.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SjWIFYkBQ4I/AAAAAAAABg8/1E5063JsSJk/s200/IMG_1128.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347329758646584194" border="0" /></a>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-36535532966125596802009-05-31T15:11:00.008+01:002009-06-11T00:20:15.442+01:00Criminal negligence.<span style="font-size:85%;">Before senility and death take me... I shall try and remember what's been going on recently. Took the family to Loch of the Lowes to see the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ospreys </span>that they've been watching hatch and grow up <a href="http://www.thewebbroadcastingcorporation.com/swt/swt.php">here</a>. When we got there it was a bit wet and mum was keeping her head down on the nest, so not a lot to see. Peter and Lizzie kept themselves amused by looking at baby ducks. The dad Osprey came in, circled round and caught a fish in front of the hide. The kiddies nearly wet themselves and peter declared it was his 'best day ever'. Bless. I spoilt the beauty of the moment by doing an impression of Spongebob singing the 'Best Day Ever' song. Quietly of course. But Lo! Why be quiet? Diane texted Wendy to say she was in the hide at LotL watching the Ospreys, and Wendy phoned her back! The atmosphere of hushed awe was shattered by a ringtone version 'Sweet Child of Mine' at no little volume and Diane going 'Ah, I don't know how to turn this off.' It was a brilliant moment. I celebrated by taking my entry for this year's Bird Photograph of the Year competition.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQs9BKYvI/AAAAAAAABg0/_KV1xkQQb9c/s1600-h/IMG_1042+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 144px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQs9BKYvI/AAAAAAAABg0/_KV1xkQQb9c/s200/IMG_1042+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341991209982911218" border="0" /></a><br />What else... I snapped a couple of juvenile <span style="font-weight: bold;">White-throated Dippers </span>along the Elsick Burn. They were almost under the bridge, and I was almost over the bridge, hence the funny angle, but at about 3 m away I could really have done with them stepping back a bit.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQlwhwuMI/AAAAAAAABgs/JyjUAOXShN0/s1600-h/IMG_1076+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 170px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQlwhwuMI/AAAAAAAABgs/JyjUAOXShN0/s200/IMG_1076+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341991086370896066" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQgb0FqzI/AAAAAAAABgk/dTf4NhgYPPo/s1600-h/IMG_1085+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 190px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQgb0FqzI/AAAAAAAABgk/dTf4NhgYPPo/s200/IMG_1085+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341990994911275826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />And a singing <span style="font-weight: bold;">Garden Warbler</span> in the bushes down the track to the sea - been there for two weeks now. Exactly where one turned up a couple of years ago. Never quite sure if it's likely to be the same bird, or whether the habitat is just good enough to haul 'em in.<br /><br />Rather nice <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Whitethroat</span> singing on a twig overhanging the cliff overhanging the sea. <span style="font-style: italic;">Extreme </span>territory. Full of blurry flies too, if you believe the photos.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQaKjMy-I/AAAAAAAABgc/TQkvX1eVT20/s1600-h/IMG_1088+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQaKjMy-I/AAAAAAAABgc/TQkvX1eVT20/s200/IMG_1088+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341990887197821922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQUBmOZLI/AAAAAAAABgU/R4dhMoGM3sU/s1600-h/IMG_1093+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 118px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/SiKQUBmOZLI/AAAAAAAABgU/R4dhMoGM3sU/s200/IMG_1093+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341990781715375282" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I've had my fair share of these 10s of millions of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Painted Ladies</span> that have been making their way into the county, viz. I had 1 on the last day of may, and then 2 on 7th June. Read it and weep. Maybe that <span style="font-style: italic;">was </span>my share, but I've just been very bad. A <span style="font-weight: bold;">Small Copper</span> on 7th June too.<br /><br />I've been running around the place. It's not natural and it's against the laws of nature, but I entered the Stonehaven Half Marathon, and was alarmed to find out the first six miles is uphill. So I've beentrotting up the local hills. The only interestng bird I bumped into was a dead mole. AND a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Grasshopper Warbler</span>, singing in the marsh near the logpile farm, whatever it is called (readers who don't actually live in Newtonhill might not be able to place it).<br /><br />Thanks to <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/10879532278303837175">Katie </a>for pointing <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8092921.stm">this </a>out. Blows my small mammal finding activity out of the water. <br /></span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-10892008409834280312009-05-19T23:27:00.007+01:002010-04-26T15:03:09.533+01:00Retreat! Retreat!<span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Monday 18th May 09.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />A </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Common Chiffchaff</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> singing at the top of Newtonhill Road this morning. Bet it's gone by tomorrow.<br /><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Tuesday 19th May 09</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />.. it's gone.<br /><br />I was on a retreat... don't ask. In Old Aberdeen, next to this.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShM0Ii0SwiI/AAAAAAAABfw/3PwKHr6Ddcg/s1600-h/IMAG0261+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShM0Ii0SwiI/AAAAAAAABfw/3PwKHr6Ddcg/s200/IMAG0261+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337667304753906210" border="0" /></a><br />Little known fact... the great ornithologist William Macgillivray (see <a href="http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/science-of-natural-history/biographies/william-macgillivray/index.html">here</a>), contemporary and friend of Audubon, author of a great 5 volume <span style="font-style: italic;">History of British Birds</span> (Vol I, 1837), lover of long walks through the countryside accompanied by young boys, lived in the University of Aberdeen Conference and Events Office.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShMz-j_cizI/AAAAAAAABfg/4HCCgjZIdeg/s1600-h/IMAG0259+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShMz-j_cizI/AAAAAAAABfg/4HCCgjZIdeg/s200/IMAG0259+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337667133270428466" border="0" /></a><br />MacGillivray has got a poor deal from history - the first person to be really describing birds in detail as they were, on this side of the World. But he was eventually scooped, at least in popular imagination, by the better connected, toned and tanned, William Yarrell, who also published the first volume of his <span style="font-style: italic;">History of British Birds</span> in 1837. Yarrell's book was an easier read, but not as good on the descriptions, of birds.<br /><br />William Macgillivray - sorrowful loser in the Battle of the Bills, we salute you.<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShM0DYFZAAI/AAAAAAAABfo/Bp2FN12l19A/s1600-h/IMAG0260+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShM0DYFZAAI/AAAAAAAABfo/Bp2FN12l19A/s200/IMAG0260+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337667215973482498" border="0" /></a>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-19428055540955568912009-05-17T22:32:00.008+01:002009-05-17T23:36:56.981+01:00More tales from the Crypt - now with added weather.<span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Saturday 16th May 09</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />Very strong easterlies and torrential duck rain overnight. The morning dawned bright with very strong easterlies and more torrential duck rain, brightening to very strong easterlies and torrential duck rain asthe day wore on. I had to run around the patch quickly before the criminal elements in the house woke up. Bit wet, tbf. Not a total washout - a </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Lesser Whitethroat</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> at the Mill is a one-per-spring bird for me. But that was pretty much it. A White-throated </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Dipper </span><span style="font-size:85%;">was carrying food.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShCFq6PGVKI/AAAAAAAABfA/Rj0e787vsWw/s1600-h/IMG_1008+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShCFq6PGVKI/AAAAAAAABfA/Rj0e787vsWw/s200/IMG_1008+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336912530667623586" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Let the cruel North Sea yield Her bounty of migrant birds...</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Sunday 17th May 09</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br />Nicer than Saturday...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShCFyEgEa1I/AAAAAAAABfI/1C1vk7OjnHU/s1600-h/IMG_1033+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShCFyEgEa1I/AAAAAAAABfI/1C1vk7OjnHU/s200/IMG_1033+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336912653682240338" border="0" /></a><br />Still wet early on but it did genuinely stop raining. A</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" > Grey Wagtail</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> was feeding two fresh juvvies in a puddle near the railway viaduct. AND there were 2 (count 'em, two) migrant birds in the sycamores at the Mill. A </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Spotted Flycatcher</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> and a</span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" > Garden Warbler</span><span style="font-size:85%;">. Early promise not fulfilled though.... there was nothing in Honeypoy Lane, or down the burn, unless you want me to note that we are crawling with </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Common Whitethroats</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> so far this year. 6 </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Sedge Warblers</span> singing down the burn and in fact 30+ today, all over the shop, even in people's gardens in St Michae;l's Road, so there probably were quite a few migrants around. <span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Dipper </span><span style="font-size:85%;">carrying food again on the burn, and a couple of </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Red-throated Divers</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> offshore.<br /><br />A total 4 hours birding failed to produce a single observation I could be bothered writing down. Except I did see two <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dunnocks </span>enjoying congress in the Allotments. 3 minutes of cloacal felching and girlie soliciting, followed by a 2 femtasecond shag. And quite possibly back in the pub by opening time.<br /></span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-59811106091310448282009-05-17T22:11:00.003+01:002009-05-17T22:56:47.357+01:00Tales from the Crypt.<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday 6th May 09</span><br /><br />Nocturnal mischief produces good birds... a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Grasshopper Warlber</span> singing from rape fields just west of the A90 this evening, and a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Tawny Owl</span> calling at Porthlethen.<br /><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday 9th May 09</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sedge Warblers</span> must have turned up during the week - by this morning they were in the rough vegetation around Cookney and Portlethen.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday 10th May 09</span><br /><br />... and this morning the<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Sedge Warblers</span> were singing along the Elsick Burn at Newtonhill. Also a small passage of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sand Martins</span> (Bank Swallows) with 2 going up the burn and singles dribbling north along the coast during the morning. I noticed this late passage in previous years too.<br /><br />Not a whole lot of other movement going on. A <span style="font-weight: bold;">Blackcap</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>sang briefly along Honeypot Lane, but I bet he's not planning on hanging around long. A Common <span style="font-weight: bold;">Chaffinch </span>was carrying a fecal sac out of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Leylandii </span>here, and my Sherlock Holmes-esque nest finding abilities produced a pair of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Coal Tits</span> in a wall at East Cammachmore. Some <span style="font-weight: bold;">Eurasian Siskins</span> at the Retreat are likely breeding around here too.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">10 male <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Eiders</span> in the bay, one of which had a dark olive bill with no trace of yellow - very much in the minority here, and probably on his way somewhere less radical than emo/alt Newtonhill.<br /><br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShCHeeCLRRI/AAAAAAAABfQ/u25g680f_gM/s1600-h/IMG_0944+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShCHeeCLRRI/AAAAAAAABfQ/u25g680f_gM/s200/IMG_0944+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336914515962053906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Girl Eider sees something interesting.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShCHrqKWv_I/AAAAAAAABfY/0hYYmU5idYI/s1600-h/IMG_0971+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/ShCHrqKWv_I/AAAAAAAABfY/0hYYmU5idYI/s200/IMG_0971+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5336914742555885554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Brown-headed Cow. So near, yet so far.</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-72694316818320809722009-05-04T19:21:00.003+01:002009-05-04T23:44:27.029+01:00Common Yellowthroats >>>> Common Whitethroats.<span style="font-size:85%;">...sorry Whitethroats, but it's true. I wonder if I can set up a poll or something. Rate these 4 birds in order....<br /><br />Yellowthroat<br />Whitethroat<br />Bluethroat<br />Rubythroat.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Anyway, catch up time. On my last day in Nawlins... the only new birds were <span style="font-weight: bold;">Monk Parakeet</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span> (they really do get everywhere) and 2 </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cliff Swallows</span> hanging about over the I10.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday 3rd May.</span><br /><br />Back on the patch in Newtonhill, ready to hoover up all the incoming migrants. But although the place was crawling with <span style="font-weight: bold;">Willow Warblers</span>, there were no Sedge Warblers to be found anywhere down the Elsick Burn, or on the allotments or down to Muchalls etc. They're late! Lazy lazy sods.<br /><br />A <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Chiffchaff</span> singing briefly at the top ofthe St Annes track, <span style="font-weight: bold;">House Martins</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Barn Swallows</span> overhead, also a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Redpoll </span>(sp, but Lesser!) calling over. Down to the burn, and a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Song Thrush</span> gathering food, & a<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Common Whitethroat </span>down by the dead willow. It was then that I had the heretical thought about throat ratings. <br /><br />3 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Eurasian Siskins</span> in the garden at the Retreat, but nothing except a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Grey Wagtail </span>at the Mill Garden, and down the track just another couple of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Song Thrushes</span>.<br /><br />35 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Eiders</span> in the bay, and while looking at them, 3 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Bottle-nosed Dolphins</span> popped up and swam south. Better.<br /><br />off the breeding cliffs, the water was full of auks and I got some photos of distant <span style="font-weight: bold;">Atlantic Puffins</span>, and a few of the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Guillemots</span> (Common Murres) on ledges. I know Newtonhill isn't the greatest migrant trap in the world, but I'm kinda happy that I managed to organise a job somewhere where I could have Puffins as a patch breeder.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sf8y4LZKaSI/AAAAAAAABew/8PTYHuHrwhw/s1600-h/IMG_0897+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 72px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sf8y4LZKaSI/AAAAAAAABew/8PTYHuHrwhw/s200/IMG_0897+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332036424542349602" border="0" /></a></span> <span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sf8y9nGOnFI/AAAAAAAABe4/pCArZS4Vb0M/s1600-h/IMG_0905+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 70px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Sf8y9nGOnFI/AAAAAAAABe4/pCArZS4Vb0M/s200/IMG_0905+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332036517878471762" border="0" /></a><br /><br />3 <span style="font-weight: bold;">Whimbrels </span>flew over as I was lounging around the clifftops in the sunshine.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Allotments and Muchalls track were uneventful, if you ignore the piles of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Greenfinches</span>. A <span style="font-weight: bold;">Common Reed Bunting</span> was singing at the top of Water Valley, and a few <span style="font-weight: bold;">Yellowhammers</span> around in the gorse. Coastal fields were disappointingly devoid of Crested Larks. Same way they were disappointingly devoid of Black Larks... was it last year, or two years ago? All the years are merging into one big long downhill slide to the grave. Spooky.</span>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27635196.post-74045244830415149472009-04-23T01:48:00.002+01:002009-04-23T01:49:55.569+01:00I find a better class of dead thing out here.<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Se-7CZT4XwI/AAAAAAAABeo/7iHGmXHvrfU/s1600-h/IMG_0807+copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xYVv76rV2Hk/Se-7CZT4XwI/AAAAAAAABeo/7iHGmXHvrfU/s200/IMG_0807+copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327682534030991106" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coypu (Nutrea). Proper dead.</span><br /></div>Martinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05618863147387955196noreply@blogger.com1