Any Explanations?
About the middle of June we were watching wading birds on a gravel bank on Mull we saw an oystercatcher tossing something about it appeared first to be light coloured then dark.
With binoculars we could see it was a chick, Sandpipers were mobbing the oystercatcher, so we assumed it was one of their chicks that had gone into its territory. It killed that chick and ran after another chick which tried to run away but was chased pecked and battered to death. The oystercatcher was joined by another and they performed the mating dance, where they strut around, heads down and beaks open. It seemed very strange behaviour.
The second killing took place nearer to us, and we managed to get photos, which although blurred because of the distance it is possible to see the sequence of events. We were also able to see that the chic was bigger than a sandpiper’s would be.
On going over to the gravel bank the chick was in fact an oystercatcher. The only conclusion we could come to was that the father of the chicks had died or been killed and this was a new male wanting to have chicks of his own, so killed the existing chicks.
Has any one any other ideas, or seen any similar behaviour?
Helen Grainge
Red kite found dead at wind farm near Dingwall
From the BBC News website on the 25 June: A red kite has been found dead at a wind farm which RSPB Scotland had objected to because of concerns the turbines were a threat to rare birds. The bird was one of three kites, adopted by primary schools, which the BBC Scotland news website reported last week as having gone missing.
The raptor was found at Fairburn wind farm, near Dingwall. Its injuries included fractures and bruising. Scottish and Southern Energy said it was also probing the death at its site.
Last Friday, BBC Scotland reported how three kites were missing from RSPB Scotland's Eyes to the Skies project. Pupils had nicknamed the satellite-tagged kites Tweety Pie - the one found at the wind farm - Sky and Ruby.
The RSPB was investigating the deaths of the other two birds - one which "perished in unusual circumstances" and the other in an accident. Scottish and Southern Energy said it had notified the authorities as soon as the kite was found.
www.news.bbc.co.uk
Jackie
Ben Wyvis Guided Walk
SNH hosted a guided walk round part of the Ben Wyvis National Nature Reserve on Sun May 23rd. Folk from local communities including the Garve area, Contin, Dingwall, Evanton and beyond joined SNH staff Peter Duncan, Eoghain Maclean, Kenny Nelson and Chris Wright for an interesting look at the natural history of the area, and Pete Gwatkin from Kingussie provided the health and safety cover. They also talked about deer management on the reserve and access issues. The new path (built by local contractors John Urquhart and Andrew Coleman) is already providing benefits - erosion caused by walkers has lessened considerably and the natural vegetation is regenerating on the bare bits.
Some recording work was done by the group and this resulted in a list of 57 species seen on the day - including red deer, skylarks, evidence of red grouse and some mountain - moorland plants such as cloudberry and lesser twayblade. Small daddy-long-legs, the main food of the dotterel, were seen in abundance although the dotterel itself eluded us.
While some of the fitter members of the group headed for An Cabar, the others wandered the lower slopes looking for interesting species to record. Following the walk we were treated to hot drinks and sausage rolls at Crannach Field Centre - thanks to all involved in organising this day out.
Sue Tarr
Combined push to tackle Rhoddie menace
A new initiative has been launched in the Highlands to combat the spread of a garden plant which is a serious threat to native species.
While rhododendrons are a mainstay of many gardens with their bright flowers and attractive foliages, one particular species, Rhododendron ponticum, has colonised large swathes of Highland roadsides, hillsides and woodlands.
Now the £54,000 Highland Rhododendron Project has been launched to support the battle against this bloom. Funded by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and The Highland Council, this project will identify key sites for control and offer support to land managers who want to stop the further spread of this rhododendron. Over two years, SNH will provide £30,000 with a further £20,000 being made available from FCS and £4,000 from The Highland Council.
Rhododendron ponticum and its hybrids, often referred to simply as rhododendron, has been identified as a priority under Scotland’s Species Action Framework (SAF) as an invasive non-native species which presents a great threat to biodiversity.
Julie Paton, the newly-appointed Highland Rhododendron Project Officer based at Highland Birchwoods on the Black Isle, stressed: “Love them or loathe them, rhododendron are rife but we still need to get to grips with the scale of the spread.”
“Funding is available through the Scottish Rural Development Programme for land managers concerned about the spread of the rhododendron and its effect on our native plants. We will be working to access these funds to remove this plant at key sites. We will also be looking at possible opportunities to offset removal costs. It is expensive and time-consuming to totally eradicate rhododendron and that effort can be at risk from wind-dispersed seeds from nearby plants so we are keen to encourage collaborative clearance operations to tackle local seed sources and prevent spread.”
Although hundreds of rhododendrons flourish throughout the Highlands, R. ponticum and its hybrids are the only ones to have jumped the fence and become a real menace in the countryside. The good news for gardeners and collectors is that they needn’t miss out on their own blooms with so many alternative rhoddie species and cultivars available which look great and grow well but don’t set seed like ponticum.
Jeanette Hall, SNH Woodland Advisory Officer, said: “This programme will help tackle the spread of this invasive non-native plant and we will work with land managers, landowners and gardeners to protect the vulnerable native species and habitats at risk. If we don’t take this concerted action now, our native woodlands, wildflowers and the wildlife they support will be seriously threatened in the years ahead. The effective management of R. ponticum is one of the most valuable tools at our disposal to tackle this.”
Julie Paton
Highland Rhododendron Project
www.highlandbirchwoods.co.uk
Another mystery...
Last week we opened the wood burning stove to burn some papers and rubbish and found a dead
female Merganser. We have not used the stove for a long time, so do not know how long it had been there, but it was not decomposed, and did not smell bad.
The question is how did it get there, it could only have come down the lum, so what was it doing on the chimney, looking for a place to nest, or what?
David Raeburn
Osprey hitches a ride
May 2010. The crew of the tall ship, Lord Nelson, were very surprised to find an unusual passenger had joined them in the English Channel. A male osprey appeared perched on the ship and hitched a lift for a day or so as the ship sailed around the Channel Islands.
The osprey appears to have been en route from Africa on migration but just wasn't fit enough to complete the last leg of his journey. As the Lord Nelson approached Jersey, the osprey flew off and was later reported to have taken refuge on a fishing boat on its way into port.
The bird was taken to the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and is now recuperating at a bird sanctuary on Jersey, where it is being fed in an attempt to build up its reserves. It is hoped that it will be fit enough to release back into the wild.
Jackie
(Story courtesy of
www.wildlifeextra.com)
The ups and downs of wildlife in the field of storms...
Since the last newsletter we’ve had the pleasure of ‘Pete’ the pheasant in our garden, with, in the beginning, his harem of three hen birds. But this was not to last, such is nature…
Beginning of June: Pete and Mrs Pete (no.1) turned up with 13 chicks. By the end of June all chicks had either ‘disappeared’ or wandered onto the road and met their end - closely followed by two of the Mrs Pete’s!
One afternoon, before the numbers were totally depleted, whilst watching the family, and counting how many chicks were left (10), I noticed ‘something’ running towards them in the undergrowth - a stoat! Mrs P started jumping up and down, flapping wings, and chaos ensued - I ran to the fence clapping my hands (hoping). The next time I counted there were 7 chicks... finally, by the beginning of July there were no chicks, and only one Mrs P and Pete left.
Pete and Mrs P are still around - although, mostly, Pete tends to be on his own these days. He comes to our front door, shouts, and waits for his daily feed from Jim. He’s not tame (Pete, that is!) but he’s learnt quickly that he’ll get food if he shouts loud enough…
Towards the end of April ‘our’ stags continued to visit (that’s Stuart and Steven - yes, I know!) - I spotted them standing by our fence, one particular afternoon, watching me get into the car. I said ’hello boys’ and they did their usual ‘who’s she talking to - where’s the carrots!’ look - Steven (the bigger of the two) shook his head, and one of his antlers promptly fell off!
Not sure who was more surprised, him or me! I’ve read about this, but apparently it’s rare to see it actually happen - I felt privileged. Although Steven wasn’t as happy, as he was now totally off-balance and wobbly.
In the evening Jim retrieved the antler for us to examine. Later, the same evening, we looked out into the front garden and there stood Stuart looking back at us - with only one antler! He’d obviously decided to join Steven’s ‘club’!
Since then the ‘boys’ have hung around the village - Laura sees them regularly at Ledgowan, we’ve even seen them outside Dena and Ronnie’s front door! And they are regular visitors also in the garden at The Cottage!
Of course, they are now resplendent with their velvet antlers - looking majestic - and I’m pleased to say, very healthy (as you are aware, the winter took its toll on many of these beasts).
Last Saturday, they were across the road in Michael’s garden (opposite us), this time with a friend, a younger stag - just lazily grazing, sitting, and enjoying the sunshine (yes, I didn’t imagine it - it was one of those rare days of warmth and no rain!). They looked across at us, as if to say ‘yes, we’re still around’.
Somehow, I don’t think the attraction is our garden, or the promise of carrots (at the moment!) - as we’ve spotted half a dozen hinds in the back field in the last day or two - the rut is on the horizon, so I think the boys might be eyeing up the local ‘talent’… although I think they (the boys) might have some competition from the older, more mature, stags in the area.
Our other ‘spots’ these last few weeks have included a golden eagle (Applecross), dolphins, regularly, on the Moray Firth, gannets, divers, seals (the firth, Gairloch, Applecross), and ospreys (you know where!), plus the usual suspects in the garden and surrounds - sika, fallow, buzzards, greenfinches, sparrows, chaffies, etc.
On a sad note, David Willis reported another otter death on the road at Grudie Bridge. I’ve been liaising with the Highland Council about putting up reflectors. The International Otter Survival Fund, on Skye, have had a great deal of success on the island with these, and have offered to supply free of charge. Hopefully we’ll get them installed before the winter.
Jackie
(IOSF website:
www.otter.org)
