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LOCH GARTEN - END FEBRUARY 2024

Korky
31/07/2023 21:57

Link to July 2023 thread

July proved to be a less nail-biting month than June. Brodie re-appeared early on the 1st and delivered fish (including flounder) to the nest every day bar 1 thereafter, with a record count of 7 on the 21st. Asha also fished and delivered a salmon on the 3rd, as well as quite a few sticks, not least one to replace the sticky-up stick on the nest that got removed on ringing day - 12th July. We have 2 boys, as only 7% of those surveyed had predicted. 2C5 (oldest) became Sid (Vicious) and 2C4 (youngest) is Harry (Nilsson). We had some cracking snaps particularly from the PTZ camera, a 2am fish, self-feeding started, and wing-flapping and helicoptering. Bets are on for a fledge or two very early in August. Sid is 58 days and Harry 56 days on the 1st of August

  • 25/08/2023 19:19 in reply to scylla
    scylla said:
    I'm off for a long break

    Well I was, but then when the cams went down I thought I should do a catchup until that time...

    I'm sure one of us was anxious to see Greenfinches - I'm hoping this is one, even tho it's not green ;)

    EDIT - I hope it's healthy, maybe a youngster?

    EDIT 2 - See the cruel corrections below - the even awfuller thing is that they're correct corrections - this isn't the first time I've failed on Crossbills cos I can't see the bills.  Title amended.

    IMAGICAT

  • 25/08/2023 20:37 in reply to scylla
    scylla said:
    I'm sure one of us was anxious to see Greenfinches - I'm hoping this is one, even tho it's not green ;)

    I think this is a crossbill, a rare capture indeed!?? Anyone else agree?

  • 25/08/2023 20:45
    I'm pretty sure that's not a greenfinch.

    Our herring gulls are red listed birds.  Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.

  • 25/08/2023 21:15 in reply to Korky
    I am with you on this one Korky, I copied the following.

    The crossbill’s distinctive feature is its thick, powerful beak that crosses at the tips. Males have a bright red head, while females are a yellowish-green with hints of grey. Males have bright red plumage, whereas females are a yellowish-green. Common crossbills are heavy-set birds, weighing roughly twice as much as a robin.


    Not to be confused with: the Scottish crossbill and parrot crossbill. These species are very difficult to tell apart by sight alone, but the Scottish crossbill is only found in northern Scotland. It is the UK’s only endemic bird species, meaning it is found nowhere else in the world. The parrot crossbill is very rare in the UK, with only a handful of breeding pairs in Scotland and occasional visitors from Europe.

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

  • 25/08/2023 21:23 in reply to Catlady
    So could we stick our collective necks out and say it's a Scottish crossbill?
    This from Forestry and Land Scotland;

    'Where might you see Scottish Crossbills? There are crossbills in the pinewoods and conifer forests of Sutherland, Moray, Banff and down into lower Deeside. You probably won't know if you've seen a Scottish crossbill unless you are very expert at identification or can record their calls – all three species look alike and a sonogram is the only reliable way to tell them apart.'
  • 25/08/2023 21:56 in reply to Korky
    Unknown said:
    I think this is a crossbill, a rare capture indeed

    It's very kind of you to put it that way, KORKY - but we had them on the nest a lot at the start of the season, and (1) I'd forgotten all about them, (2) I can't see the bills.

    (I'm supposed to be making arrangements for Specsavers to call round Eyeglasses )

    IMAGICAT

  • 25/08/2023 23:13

    Eyeglasses  Same here  my close vision changes day to day hence onscreen keyboard

         Scylla,  not much fun Learning to use what I have at hand good luck,

  • 26/08/2023 08:35

    It's a female Crossbill, the curved beak can be seen quite clearly

    Richard B