PAULINE WILSON WRITES AS FOLLOWS:
Hi Everybody
Well, the days are lengthening and the new season of RSPB Local Group Events is almost upon us.
Ian Cunningham has been out with his camera and captured the attached photo of a Green-winged Teal which was in a small pool near Graemshall Loch on March 24th.
To help us identify this bird Ian has also sent another photo of our Common Teal and writes:
I have attached two photos so folks can see the difference between our "common" teal and the green-winged one which is a N American vagrant. The biggest distinguishing feature is the white stripe which is horizontal in our "common" teal but vertical on the green-winged bird.
Ian then goes one step further and has sent another photo as he explains below:
This photo shows, by comparison with Wigeon, just how tiny this teal is.
Many thanks Ian – we’re all delighted to be seeing your photos once again after the long winter!
Local Group Spring Meeting – “North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory” - Thursday 27th March
We consider it a scoop that Alison Duncan has kindly agreed to come along and tell us all about the work of the North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory –,and a fascinating talk it promises to be. I hope a lot of our members will attend the meeting at The St. Magnus Centre, Kirkwall starting at 7.30 pm. Details as follows:
North Ronaldsay is on the migration route of many common – and sometimes incredibly rare – birds. Alison Duncan describes the observatory’s vital function in the monitoring of bird movement through the island. Alison has played a key role in the running and development of the observatory almost since it was founded in 1987 and this illustrated talk is an opportunity to hear first-hand about the important role it plays. I know some of our members have stayed at the Observatory – in fact our local group organised an outing there a few years ago.
Members and non-members are welcome. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free but there will be a door collection towards the cost of room hire. I hope to see a lot of you there.
Money Raised by our Local Group
Our Treasurer Graham Brown has contacted me with the following information to pass on to members:
"The RSPB Orkney Local Group has just given a cheque for £460 towards the work of the RSPB in Orkney. This money was raised by raffles and collections at various events; thank you to everyone - members and non-members - who donated.
This money is in addition to the £1672.33 that the Local Group raised bag collecting last year at Tesco and Co-op in Kirkwall. The Local Group has also sent RSPB Sales Ltd a cheque for £470-95 which is the proceeds (not profit) from goods sold at the Charities Christmas Bazaar and in the Stromness office."
I think we can all be proud of our fund-raising efforts for last year. Let’s hope we do well in 2014 also. We will be bag-packing again at the Co-op in July but I am not sure whether Tesco has room for us this year which is a great pity. Any more fund-raising ideas from our members will be very welcome so please email me atp.wilson410@btinterenet.com.
Nature Festival bookings open
A reminder that the programme for the 2014 Orkney Nature Festival is out now and bookings are being taken by Visit Orkney on 01856 872856. To download a copy of the programme and find out more go to www.orkneynaturefestival.org or pick one up from Visit Orkney or the RSPB office. It is also on the RSPB Facebook page and information is available from the Visit Orkney Information Centre in Kirkwall. The Festival runs from 10th to 18th May and includes a fantastic array of outings and activities. Highland Park Distillery kicks off the week then there is a picnic on Hunda; boat trips to Auskerry and Switha; a day of events on both Rousay and on Stronsay. Our local group is involved this year, running our popular boat trips into the Gloup in Deerness although these are now just about full as are many of the more popular events.
If you missed out on the Gloup trips, our local group will be running more in June, also a couple of puffin-viewing trips with Sidney Foubister. This is a new idea which I hope will be popular. Details of this, and all the local group events, will be arriving with you very soon.
Meanwhile, here are a couple of imminent events:
Bag the Bruck – Saturday 12th/Sunday 13th April
This is a joint event with Orkney Field Club and, as usual, I am appealing for members to lend a hand on either day. Marine debris can seriously harm our wildlife so the more hands the better to come along and help remove plastic rope, netting and other rubbish from our beaches. RSPB Local Group will tackle Waulkmill Bay on the Saturday and OFC will be at Marwick Bay on the Sunday. Come along anytime between 10 am and 2 pm. Contacts: RSPB office on 01856 850176 or Brian Ribbands (OFC) on 01856 751439.
Harrier Sky Dancing – Saturday 19th April
This is a joint event with Orkney Field Club. Take a guided walk in the Birsay Moors to watch the spectacular courtship display of the Hen Harrier. Other birds of prey should also be on view. Families and non-members are welcome. Bring a picnic and binoculars if available. Meet at the Rendall Community Centre at 9.30 am. To book:Dick Matson on 01856 751426.
Spring is in the Air!
Thank goodness the lighter nights are just around the corner! Signs of spring are everywhere – I was delighted to see Celandine and Coltsfoot flowering nicely and our fishpond has taken on a new lease of life as frogs made their presence felt, leaving us a with a gift, ie masses of frogspawn! Perhaps the tadpoles will survive this year seeing as there is a serious depletion in fish, thanks to the visiting Heron during the winter!
The Greenfinches are sporting bright coats and singing from the bushes – I look forward to seeing young from these birds in due course. The other day we had visits fromSong thrush and Robin – how nice if these birds chose nest sites at Sunnybank? No sign of a Wren though this year which is unusual but there’s time yet I am sure. A few years ago Peter put up nest boxes for the Starlings (to dissuade them from nesting under the garage canopy) and two pairs have already claimed them and are busy carrying nesting material into the boxes – fascinating to watch and it’s great to have a fairly close-up view of the youngsters when they pop their heads out and demand food.
That’s all for now but I’ll be pleased to hear from any of our members who have interesting items for my next email. My address is: p.wilson410@btinternet.com.
Best wishes
Pauline W/RSPB Local Group Sec.