Wildlife - Summer, Autumn 2008

[ranunculus]

... and scotch was used as an anaesthetic.

Oops, Sorry ... whiskey!

[Anthony Darby]

Did no one tell you that history is a thing of the past Cliff? I did meet a Londoner in Callander once who asked where he could find pipers? I suggested  he head to Princes Street in Edinburgh as there was usually one playing near the Scott memorial. "No he said! Newspipers!"

... and scotch was used as an anaesthetic.

Oops, Sorry ... whiskey!

Wash your mouth out! It's WHISKY!

[ranunculus]

He probably meant the Daily Bugle, Anthony.

I suppose I meant that whisky with 'E' numbers added ... sends people loopy, I believe!   

[Stephenb]

I almost suggested that it was probably that haggis and nuthatches occupied the same ecological niche, but I decided not to lower the conversation to that level. Ah well, it's happened anyway....

[mark smyth]

Michael starlings are more than capable of hanging on nut feeders as are robins, chaffinches, jackdaws. For those out of the UK and Ireland I'll add botanical names later. I know it's not a botanical name I mean but what is the word?

[mark smyth]

I took this today. Anyone want one or ten?

The males are darkest and the females are 'brown' tinged.

[TC]

Actually, the brown birds are juveniles. Adult Starlings look the same.  Male Blackbirds are black and the females are brown.

The Nuthatch was first recorded as breeding in the Borders of Scotland in 1989.  From there they have colonised the South of Scotland and moved into Ayrshire in about 2000.  Birds have been seen as far as Argyll and Perthshire.  The increase in populations in England, probably due to bird feeders and mild winters, has meant a Northwards expansion.  The parent birds will not tolerate the juvenile birds in their territory and chase them out.  Any parent of teenage children can sympathise with this action!!

The Nutcracker has only turned up in Scotland 3 times.  The last time was in 1968 when there was an irruption westwards from the continent.  England has had about 400 records.  This would indicate that the birds do not like a long sea crossing and probably arrive over the channel 

[mark smyth]

Tom starlings when in full colour ie through the immature moult are easily sexed even when alone. In the winter the male is the blackest, yes I know they are iridescent, bird while she has brownish over tones. His spots are long and narrow while her's are round. In the summer he is almost spotless with a pink base to the bill while she retains spots and has a pink base to the bill

[TC]

Mark -My apologies.  I misread your posting.  I thought it said females are brown instead of " brown tinged".  I have developed a serious problem with my eyes recently which makes me frequently miss out words in sentences which obviously alters my perception of what was meant.  My reply was too simplistic.

[mark smyth]

I changed the wording after you replied for it to read better

[Lesley Cox]

Here in NZ at present, we have an invasion - probably short-term - of the Russian Nutcracker, courtesy the Bolshoi Ballet.

[Anthony Darby]

Michael starlings are more than capable of hanging on nut feeders as are robins, chaffinches, jackdaws. For those out of the UK and Ireland I'll add botanical names later. I know it's not a botanical name I mean but what is the word?

Scientific names? Specific names? Latin names? Take your pick.

[Anthony Darby]

Actually, the brown birds are juveniles. Adult Starlings look the same.  Male Blackbirds are black and the females are brown.

The Nuthatch was first recorded as breeding in the Borders of Scotland in 1989.  From there they have colonised the South of Scotland and moved into Ayrshire in about 2000.  Birds have been seen as far as Argyll and Perthshire.  The increase in populations in England, probably due to bird feeders and mild winters, has meant a Northwards expansion.  The parent birds will not tolerate the juvenile birds in their territory and chase them out.  Any parent of teenage children can sympathise with this action!!

The Nutcracker has only turned up in Scotland 3 times.  The last time was in 1968 when there was an irruption westwards from the continent.  England has had about 400 records.  This would indicate that the birds do not like a long sea crossing and probably arrive over the channel 

Tom. That is exactly what I was fishing for. Fantastic. Thanks. Global warming maybe a dark cloud, but it does have the occasional silver lining.

[mark smyth]

I forgot! I was going to say scientific names.

Tom here's a few more of our birds with identical sexes that can be sexed
Goldfinch - the male is larger and his red face extends to at least half way behind the eye. His beak is longer, narrower and in the summer 'clean'. Her beak remains dirty.
Magpie - the male is larger with a much longer tail
Rook - he's larger but best seen when the pair are side by side
Robin - One has a round head while the other has a flatter head. Cant remember just now which way round.

Next time you are out for a walk have a try. Maybe this is a good challenge for our forum bird photographers like John Forrest

[Tony Willis]

a few things I saw in Turkey.

I have identified the tortoise as a tortoise and two others as fungus,the limit of my knowledge in those areas. I think the parasite may be a dodder a guess thinking back to biology classes in 1964  and it was in fruit