Wildlife October 2010

[Stan da Prato]

If anyone has not seen waxwings yet they seem to be turning  up everwhere though often move on. They are colourful once you see them in good light but you could miss them in other situations eg flying overhead.  They look like starlings in flight and often sit right in the tops of trees when they alight. A high pitched trilling sound often alerts you to their presence. Bushes with red berries eg hawthorn or cotoneaster, especially near water - even puddles - are good places to look. So far the biggest flock I have heard of is 2,000  in the  Aberdeen area.
SdP

[Anthony Darby]

They've certainly hit central Scotland, being seen in Grangemouth and Dunblane this week. I have been told the berry crop has failed in Scandinavia? We have a bumper crop this year.

[TC]

I was watching some at Dunoon, Argyllshire last Saturday.  They were directly opposite the ferry terminal. The surprising theme of this year's irruption is that they are all over the western seaboard of Scotland including the Outer Hebrides.

[Graham Catlow]

I have never seen any. Just one would be great

[mark smyth]

Graham my guess is you have seen them but didnt realise. Once seen never forgotten and I cant wait for the first reports from N Ireland
http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,26637,26871,27113,27219,27284,27357,27393&xhr=t&q=waxwing&cp=5&rlz=1R2ADFA_enGB368&wrapid=tljp128873723708408&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1276&bih=635[/size]]http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&expIds=17259,26637,26871,27113,27219,27284,27357,27393&xhr=t&q=waxwing&cp=5&rlz=1R2ADFA_enGB368&wrapid=tljp128873723708408&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1276&bih=635

[Anthony Darby]

They'll be around Graham. Grangemouth is not far from Embra.

[mark smyth]

Good news! After many deaths of sea eagles, golden eagle and red kites from poisoning the Irish government has banned putting out poisoned bait for foxes

[johnw]

Usually in my travels about the province I see a couple of blue jays darting across the road.  Today I drove from Halifax to Berwick in the Annapolis Valley and back, about 250km.  There were blue jays on the side of the road and then flying off into the woods.  I lost track at +/- 140.   I have never seen this event before. What on earth are they up to at this time of year and why so abundant?

johnw

[mark smyth]

gathering acorns and stashing them

[johnw]

gathering acorns and stashing them

Mark - So you are sayong they are hiding them in the gravel at the roadside's edge? Certainly no oaks within 100ft or more of the roads. 

In the city we often find peanuts in the shell and sunflowers seeds poked into the bristly covering on the trunks of the Fan Palms.

johnw

[Stan da Prato]

In answer to the request to see waxwings in the Edinburgh area  I hear there were 150 at Echline Avenue, South Queensferry, this morning
Stan

[mark smyth]

possibly, John

[Ragged Robin]

Mark, I saw this tiny bird in the park at the end of my new 35x zoom and was astonished it is recognisable but having thought it was a Dipper I'm not sure.... I always think of you when bird watching and it comes with a Happy birthday for greeting for yesterday 

[Martinr]

Looks like a Wagtail Robin

[mark smyth]

It's a grey wagtail but now that I look again it seems a bit pale

Thanks for the birthday greeting