7 September 08
Sparrowhawk In Wick Garden Marion
Sutherland spotted this Saprrowhawk on the hedge at the bottom of
her garden at Bayview in Wick.
16 May 08 Caithness 2008 Birds Spring Migration One Of The Best
2008 spring migration in Caithness has been one of the more exciting in
recent years. Although there hasn't been a 'fall' of commoner passerines
of any significance, following the steady decline over the past 10-20
years in the county, the arrival of a variety of unusual species from
March to May has been noteworthy. Some of the highlights included:
Common crane - the 3 remaining from the original flock of 14 in January
(Scottish record) were last recorded in April near Hastigrow. [photos
Martyn Elwell
A (Barn) swallow on 15 March seen in Reay was the earliest ever recorded
in the county by several weeks;
Bonaparte's gull - Thurso River/Bay - present intermittently through
March/April
Mediterranean gull - St. John's Pool from 24 April - 7 May with 2 on 15
May;
Little gull - St. John's Pool - 2 May
Spoonbill - Loch of Mey - 4 May was the 2nd county record - only
previous
one was at Loch Scarmclate in 1975
Bee eater - Loch Calder - 11 May. 4th county record
Lesser scaup - adult male on St. John's Pool on 13 and 15 May
Other migrants of note during May included:
Yellow wagtail of the race 'flavissima' at Gillock, with another of
unidentified race (flavissima/flava) at Loch of Mey;
Garganey up to 5 at Loch of Mey and singles at St. John's Pool
Wood sandpiper at St. John's Pool
5 May 08
Sandwich Tern May Have died Due To Oil At Sinclairs Bay The photo below shows a Sandwich Tern found at St John's Pool with
oil in its feathers. the other photo shows Sandwich Terns as they
should be. the dead Sandwich Tern arrived at St John's Pool on 30th
April and was dead by 1st May. Oil
Spillage At Sinclair's Bay, Wick
The public is being advised to keep off the beach at Sinclair's Bay,
near Wick, following the discovery of tar balls, which have been washed
up along the length of the shoreline. The Highland Council is working
with other agencies to clean up the beach. There is no evidence of
oiling of birds or other wildlife. A spokesman said: "This is not a
major incident. However, we have erected signs at either end of the
beach advising the public to keep off until we have completed the clean
up, which involves collecting the tar balls by hand. We will be working
with the Maritime Coastguard Agency to identify the origin of the oil,
which appears to have been at sea for some time. We are also checking
other nearby beaches for evidence of these balls of oil."
Bird Books From Whittles Publishing
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Circle - and back more
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£16.99
A Life of Ospreys Personal
stories from the man most closely associated with the osprey in Scotland
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21 March 08 Broubster Leans
Broubster Leans 7km south west of Thurso
features in the March issue of RSPB North of Scotland News. The
short article gives details of the new bird reserve in Caithness that
sits 7km south west of Thurso.
22 January 08
NORTHERN CONSTABULARY HOST INAUGURAL MULTI-AGENCY TRAINING DAY IN TO
COMBAT WILDLIFE CRIME
NORTHERN Constabulary yesterday (21st January 08) hosted
Scotland’s first ever multi-agency training day for all those
organisations responsible for investigating and combating wildlife
crime.
Around 40 delegates attended at the Force
Headquarters in Inverness to share their expertise and knowledge in
relation to the illegal use of pesticides against wildlife in Northern
Scotland.
Wildlife crime officers from Northern
Constabulary, Tayside and Grampian Police were joined by a host of
experts in the field including Bob Elliot, the lead investigator for the
RSPB in Scotland and representatives from the Scottish Government Rural
Payments Investigative Division (SGRPID).
Also attending to offer their expertise
were representatives from Scottish Natural Heritage and the SSPCA
(Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals).
Police Forces in the Highlands and Islands,
Grampian and Tayside are responsible for Policing some of the most rural
areas of Scotland and it made sense to Grampian Police’s Wildlife Crime
Co-ordinator, PC Dave MacKinnon, who came up with the concept of the
training day to start the ball rolling in one of those three areas.
Northern Constabulary Wildlife Crime
Co-ordinator, Chief Inspector Paul Eddington, who hosted today’s
training day said: “What today is about is talking to like minded
professionals about issues they are dealing with in relation to wildlife
crime and how we can improve the way in which these incidents are
investigated.
“Wildlife crime, and particularly poisoning
which is the focus of today, is an extremely serious issue and I believe
the fact that so many people are willing to attend this event and
discuss the ways in which we can go forward is testament to how
seriously the Police service takes the issue of wildlife crime.
“Today we are looking at the prevalence of
offences, types of offences and a range of other issues including
evidence gathering. There has never been a forum at which to look into
these issues in such depth and it can only benefit officers across
Scotland in the future.”
PC Dave McKinnon added: “It’s difficult for
one agency, i.e. the Police, to deal with the issue of wildlife crime on
its own.
“We need the expert assistance of groups
such as the RSPB and SSPCA to tackle this issue and I believe the best
way to do this is through closer partnership working.”
The lead investigator for the RSPB in
Scotland, Bob Elliot, said: “In 2006 in Scotland there were 60
confirmed poisonings, which is the highest figure ever. 2007
figures are not yet available"
“In historical time we lost some species
due to poisoning such as the Sea Eagle and Red Kite, although they have
now been successfully re-introduced in a number of areas.
“It is crucial that we continue to get our
collective heads together to tackle the issues of wildlife crime. The
killing of Golden Eagles for instance has been rightly described as a
‘national disgrace.
“For us it’s crucial to educate people
about the seriousness of this type of crime and take the line right
through the enforcement stage. Although I do believe that sentences must
be tougher for those who commit wildlife crime to act as a greater
deterrent.”
Northern Constabulary and Grampian Police
have both had suspected cases of Golden Eagle poisoning in the past two
years, both involving the suspected use of the illegal poison –
carbofuran.
The Swift Box Day has been organised by the
Council's Rangers in the Planning and Development Service and after the
event, volunteers will be rewarded with coffee and baking at the local
hotel. The build is one of the local Biodiversity Projects taking place
around the county and features in the Caithness Countryside Volunteer
programme of events.
Funding for the event has been obtained
through the local Biodiversity Project as part of the Highland BAP
Implementation Programme, financed by the European Union under the North
and West Highland Leader+ 2000-2006 Programmes, Scottish Natural
Heritage and The Highland Council.
Marina Swanson, Highland Council's
Caithness East Ranger said: "Results from a Highland Swift survey
carried out in 2006 found that one of the factors affecting Swifts is a
loss of nest sites due to refurbishment and repair of old houses. By
building boxes we can help ensure that visiting Swifts will have a
better chance to locate in Caithness next summer."
The survey results of the Swift
Survey are available on the Highland Biodiversity website at:
www.highlandbiodiversity.com
The local Biodiversity Group is
working on a range of other exciting projects and the
Caithness Countryside Volunteers are always looking to recruit
additional members. If you wish to find out more about either of these
groups or wish to book a place for the swift box build, please contact
Marina Swanson on 01955 607758/01847821531 or e-mail
[email protected]
4 November 07
BIRD ATLAS
The Scottish Ornithologists Club and the British Trust for Ornithology
have launched the biggest bird survey in many years, the Bird Atlas
2007-11. The aim of the project is to record the species of birds seen,
and their distribution and abundance across the entire country, both in
summer and in winter.
Anyone who has an interest in birds can
record their sightings on the BTO website at
www.birdtrack.net , or by
recording the information on "Roving records" forms. This form, and more
information on the project can be found on
www.birdatlas.net
Those of you with a more in-depth knowledge
of birds can also help in the Tetrad Visits, which involve two visits to
a particular area of the county in winter and in summer. Information on
the Tetrad element of the survey can also be found on the birdatlas
website, or by contacting the Caithness Bird atlas organiser on
[email protected]
who will be happy to answer any queries on the Atlas generally
18 June 07
Highlanders Urged To Provide Homes For Migrating Birds People in
the Highlands are being urged to take up the offer of free nesting boxes
by The Highland Council to provide homes for visiting swifts. Results from a
Highland Swift survey carried out in 2006
found that one of the factors affecting Swifts is a loss of nest sites due
to refurbishment and repair of old houses. To try and minimise the effect of this, sixty Swift nest
boxes have been built for this year’s swift survey. Householders in key
Swift areas are being invited to install a box on their houses. In
Caithness boxes are available from the East Coast Ranger in Wick.
12 June 07
Fulmar Photos From Duncansby Head Thanks
to Samuel De La Haye for these photos of Fulmars at
Duncansby
Head. Duncansby Head is renowned for the sea birds crowding
the cliffs at this time of year. It is so packed with nesting
sites it is often referred to as
Sea Bird City Due to the Geo formation there are excellent
vantage points on one side looking across to the cliffs on the other
side - great for looking with binoculars and taking photos of individual
nest, birds or whole colonies.
9 June 07
Local Bird Expert Julian Smith Says Its At Grasshopper Warbler
Bill has recorded the sound for all
to hear after local expert confirmed the bird is a Grassgopper Warbler
and not a Nightjar. The Bird was found at March Road, Wick. Listen to it
HERE
For more information about the Grasshopper
Warbler click
HERE
3 May 07 HERONS - The 2007 Census - Can You
Help?
As a predator at the top of the freshwater food chain, Grey Herons are
excellent indicators of environmental health in the countryside.
The British Trust for Ornithology's Heronries Census began in 1928 and
is the longest-running breeding-season monitoring scheme in the world.
The aim of this census is to collect annual nest counts of Grey Herons
Ardea cinerea from as many sites as possible in the United
Kingdom. Historically, there are records of 16 Heronries in Caithness,
but in 2005 only one colony was reported. If you know of any Heron
nesting sites in Caithness, please report this to
[email protected] ,
including the date you visited, the estimated/actual number of nests,
and where the colony is located. Ideally, give an Ordnance Survey grid
reference. Any records from previous years are very welcome. For more
information on the British Trust for Ornithology see
www.bto.org
Donald Omand
Caithness Regional representative
British Trust for Ornithology
7 January 07
Local Caithness Bird NamesBy Robert H Walker
This article from the 2002 Bulletin of Caithness Field Club gives some
interesting information on Caithness names for many birds.
12 September 06
Swallows Overflow The Nest In A Barn At Mill House, Stainland The
fine weather is encouraging birds to hang around the county and as can
be seen in this photo the swallows have done well this year in some
parts of Caithness. There is certainly not much room left in this
nest.
17 August 06
Highlands and Islands Swift Survey
Here at Caithness.org we have just discovered this survey going on this
summer. Although it is probably too late to take part some of you
out there may be interested in the material and information on the
Biodiversity web site.
18 June 06 Latest Birds Seen In Caithness Red-rumped
swallow This extreme rarity in Caithness (second record) was seen by
most of the patrons of the Castle of Mey Arms in Mey for a short time
around 2pm. It's finder was a visitor who also happens to be the Bird
Recorder for Tanzania where it's a regular garden bird for him!Latest photos include a Marsh Harrier, Wood Sandpiper and a Barn Owl
8 June 06
End Of May And Into June Sightings A
Whinchat and a Sanderling are among latest photos by Nigel Fairney
forwarded by Julian Smith in his latest report on bird sightings.
The last few days of May and into June are included in this update.
27 May 06 From Islay McLeod At Thrumster You had an
article about Scandinavian type rock pipits. Lance Nicolson, gamekeepr
at Thrumster, picked up a dead small bird about a year ago, ringed in
Stavanger. It turned out to be a rock pipit. Hugh Clark tells me it is
only the second to be recorded as that type of migrant in Scotland.
Also attached pictures from Iceland, newspaper dated 25th May, where
some of our winter migrants are having a fairly horrendous time of it,
with the following message: "The cold is terrible here. We have not had
such a spell in late May since the 19th century. Many small birds such
as plovers, snipe and thrushes have died on their nests in the
North-East where it is coldest and others have broken off their nesting.
Larger birds such as eider and geese try to stay on their nests, neck
deep in snow. Ravens and skua are of course having a feast on abandoned
eggs and dead birds." - Islay MacLeod
23 May 06
Baby Birds At Shinval Garden Centre, Glengolly Near Thurso
Baby Robins
Baby Blackbirds The
birds obviously like the Shinval Garden Centre and are happy to use
anything for nesting such as the baby robins in an old grobag or the
baby blackbirds in a small Christmas Tree in a pot tied up to fence to
stop it blowing over.
20 May 06
PROJECT PTARMIGAN The
British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is calling for anyone walking
Scotland's high tops before the end of August to look out for Ptarmigan
and report any sightings to them. The information will be fed into
Project Ptarmigan, BTO Scotland's monitoring study aimed at gathering
information on this charismatic bird.
The Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus mutus is Britain's only truly resident
montane bird and is at the altitudinal and latitudinal limits of its
global range in Scotland. As such, it may be particularly susceptible to
a number of influences, such as increases in generalist predators,
changes in grazing regimes and, of course, climate change. Since the
Ptarmigan is thought to be sensitive to these changes, it will be a key
indicator of the condition of Scottish mountains, habitats that are
recognised as a high priority under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.
The results of Project Ptarmigan will be
used by BTO Scotland to develop a strategy for long-term monitoring of
Ptarmigan and potentially other montane birds. This should give a
clearer picture of the condition of specific mountain areas as well as
helping to unravel the effects of changing conditions on Scotland's
mountains and its wildlife.
18 May 06
Osprey Spotted At Sandside Nigel
Fairney captured this image of an osprey being mobbed by gulls at
Sandside on Wednesday 17 May 2006. Larger Image
16 May 06
HERONS As
a predator at the top of the freshwater food chain, Grey Herons are
excellent indicators of environmental health in the countryside.
The British Trust for Ornithology¹s
Heronries Census began in 1928 and is the longest-running
breeding-season monitoring scheme in the world. The aim of this census
is to collect annual nest counts of Grey Herons Ardea cinerea
from as many sites as possible in the United Kingdom. Historically,
there are records of 16 Heronries in Caithness, but in 2005 only one
colony was reported.
If you know of any Heron nesting sites in
Caithness, please report this to
[email protected] ,
including the date you visited, the estimated/actual number of nests,
and where the colony is located. Ideally, give an Ordnance Survey grid
reference. Any records from previous years are very welcome.
For more information on the British Trust
for Ornithology see www.bto.org
Wildlife Encounters For two weeks at the
end of May (20th May- 4th June 2006), Highland Council Rangers and
RSPB staff will provide unique opportunities to observe Highland
Wildlife in Caithness and Sutherland. "Highland Wild
Encounters" will offer guided walks, minibus tours and boat trips to
enable people to get close to some of our rare, beautiful and unique
wildlife. This will be the fifth
year of the Highland Wild Encounters in Caithness and Sutherland and
the programme is as promising as ever. Andy Summers, Highland
Council's Senior Sutherland Ranger said: "Caithness and Sutherland
boasts some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities anywhere in the
United Kingdom: from the dazzling Black-throated Divers and soaring
Golden Eagles to the frantic Puffin colonies and the extraordinary
lekking Black grouse.
Competition - closing Date in
September 2006
Focus On Nature And Art - Introducing A New
Caithness Photographic Competition
£150 In Prizes To Be Won - Artsmith
Exhibition & Studio Now Open If
you have an interest in Nature and Art but
have no idea here or how to start bringing
them together then a series of opportunities
have been brought together by local Artist
Julian Smith and widely acclaimed local
natural history photographer Ken Crossan.
First a Caithness Natural History
Photographic Competition with the chance to
have some first hand instruction from Ken
Crossan. Julian Smith will also be
running a drawing class for beginners on
animals and birds or you can check out the
Artsmith exhibition at his studio which has
now started. Leave time when visiting
his studio and visit St John's pool there to
see the fantastic range of wild birds.
6 March 06
2006 sees the introduction of a much needed facility for Caithness
birdwatchers and visitors alike. A new web site
St John's Pool devoted to bird watching has been set up by
Julian Smith a well-known artist and graphic designer who has created a bird
sanctuary at the pool near St John's Loch.
