Wildlife Blog May 2012

Sunday 13th May

After Saturday’s bright, warm and sunny conditions, this morning was cool, windy, very overcast and threatening rain – indeed it has been raining since I got in, so I was fortunate to get this completed in time.   The weather may have kept a few birds out of sight and not inclined to sing, but the star of the morning was the sound and sight of a male blackcap, one of three today, that was singing in the trees at the site of the old house.   Sometimes known as the “Northern Nightingale” (Nightingales do not occur this far north), this particular Blackcap was singing quite superbly, and well-deserved comparison with the real thing (though in truth a Nightingale singing in a southern oak wood at night is a captivating and impressive sound).

Three Chiffchaffs were also singing and so were a couple of Dunnocks.   Dunnocks will have completed raising their first broods, as the presence of juvenile birds on the hill proves, but the males are now beginning to sing again, in preparation for a second nesting attempt this summer.   I noticed a couple more Rook nests, begun since the last count, but with the leaves on the trees now mainly out, it’s difficult to see more: but that’s 74 in total now.

The very first flowers of Pignut are just coming out on the slope above the Perth Road, so that will soon become decked in their delicate white flowers.   The other common white flowers at the moment are the last remaining Wood Anemones in shady areas under the trees, now being replaced by drifts of bluebells.

A solitary Roe deer female watched me wander past from the depths of one of the bramble patches, while a small group of Starlings were making the most of the recently cut grass on the Bogside area, feeding on the short turf until a Magpie chased them off.

Elsewhere in Dunblane, the last of our summer migrants, the Swifts, have returned – for me, the real sound of true summer returning being their “screaming” calls they make as groups of them race across high up overhead.   All we need now is some real heat and sunshine to go with them!

Click here to see the bird report for May 2012.

Chris Spray

Wildlife Blog 21st Apr 2012

Saturday 21st April

Having heard my first Willow warblers and Blackcaps of the year in Dunblane earlier this week, and seen Swallows, Sand martins and an Osprey all very close nearby, I wandered up on to the hill between the April showers this morning to see if any other summer migrants had yet arrived, and to re-count the nests in the rookery before they are hidden by the leaves.   I wasn’t disappointed as the Chiffchaffs that had arrived last month have now been joined by at least two male Blackcaps singing away from the trees.   Interestingly, the two Blackcaps were in the same area of the hill as last year, so probably returing birds from last season.

The other singing star this morning was a Mistle thrush, which was high up on one of the Lime trees calling loudly.   Known as the “Storm cock”, Mistle thrushes often sing just after rain and equally often when it is actually raining still.   It gave me the opportunity to listen to the three thrush species almost together – the flutey sound of Blackbirds; the strident, repeated phrases of Song thrushes; and the short clear calls of the Mistle thrush.   If you want to know the difference, come join us for the Dawn Chorus walk on Sunday May 6th.

The rooks were as active as ever and I counted 72 nests in all (only one new from earlier this month).   Whilst this is lower than some of the counts here in years from a decade ago, we have seen new rookeries develop elsewhere in Dunblane in the meanwhile so the overall total is probably still rising.

The other bird that was very evident this morning was a Treecreeper, which I watched for some time very close to me, working meticulously up the main trunk of a beech tree.   With their thin curved bill, they pick away at insects hidden beneath the moss and crevices of the bark.   Unlike Nuthatches, Treecreepers always work “up” the tree, whereas Nuthtaches often work down as well as up trunks and main branches.

Click here to see the bird report for 21st April 2012.

Chris Spray

Wildlife Blog 11th Apr 2012

Wednesday 11th April

I managed to find a dry period in which to walk the hill this morning during what has so far been a rather wet Easter, especially after the recent glorious weather.   A reminder that winter isn’t far gone (has it yet?) was the sight and sound of three large skeins of Pinkfeet geese, as they flew over, heading north towards their breeding grounds in Iceland.   Probably about 600 birds in the three skeins, cutting an impressive picture in their characteristic ‘V’ shape formation, each bird flying just behind the off wing tip of the one in front, a strategy that enables all (except the leader) to gain lift and save energy on their long migration.

Back on the ground, or at least in the trees, the arrival of the first of the summer migrants was very noticeable – the sound of chiffchaffs singing (‘chiff chaff chiff chaff’) was the dominant voice of the morning.   It was difficult to tell how many there actually were, as they were moving around a lot, but three, possibly four males were calling.   No other sign or sound of summer migrants on the hill yet, though I’ve seen Wheatears and an Osprey locally during March, and our returning Swallows and Blackcaps should be here any day.

The early nesters meanwhile are well ahead – so, whilst I counted eight Blackbirds today, many singing, every one I saw was a male, and no doubt their partners are already on eggs, whilst the earliest of nesters, the Dunnocks, are virtually silent now.   Not so the Robins, at least six of which were vigorously singing.

Up in the rookery, a few more nests have been completed, with some 62 now in the main area and at least nine in the south western group.   I’ll try to get a detailed count before the leaves close in, and also check the other rookeries in Dunblane.

There was a solitary buzzard on the hill (I suspect there is a nest nearby), but no sound of any woodpeckers today, or of the Nuthatch that has been calling of late – indeed I had a pair visiting the peanut feeder in our garden this week, and watched the female collecting mud for nest building.

Otherwise, there are the first signs of more Spring flowers, with a few Forget-me-knots and Bluebells out on the southern facing slopes, and the first Foxgloves showing their foliage.

At least three, possibly five Roe deer were present, three at least feeding along the edge of the Braeport meadow, before heading up in to the wood – and I suspect these were the same three deer that I later saw crossing the road by Randolph Hill.

Click here to see the bird report for 11th April 2012.

Chris Spray

Wildlife Blog Mar 2012

Saturday 10th March

Hopes for a bright sunny Spring day were not borne out this morning; instead it was dark, dull, overcast and cool.   However, despite the wintery feel, at least the Rooks have decided Spring can’t be far off.   The main rookery above Ramoyle is a buzz of activity, even if there seems to be as much thieving from half-built nests as actual creative building going on! I counted some 51 nests under construction here, and another 10 in the rookery above Holmehill Court.   There is another, third, much smaller rookery on Bogside as well and, just to be confusing, there are also several Carrion Crow nests under construction on the hill.

The Snowdrops are over now, and the Daffodils haven’t really yet come out, but what is very clear is just how important the few evergreen trees and bushes are at this end of winter.   Holmehill has a lot of Holly bushes and these, along with the Ivy on the Braeport wall and some of the old trees are havens for insects during winter.   Not surprisingly, they are also where you will often see the flocks of tits, Wrens, Dunnocks and Robins feeding.   Later on, the Ivy will provide good nest sites for Robins and Dunnocks as well, especially the Dunnocks which are already nest building.

A pair of Mistle thrushes by the Braeport meadow was a welcome sighting, and, with both Blackbirds and a single Song Thursh near by, it enabled a clear comparison between these three closely related resident members of the thrush family.   The two other winter thrushes, Redwings and Fieldfares are still evident in flocks on farmland nearby, but none were on the hill today.   Other winter visitors such as Siskins are still regular in gardens, but March is always the month when the first Spring migrants appear – Wheatear, Sand Martin and Chiffchaff usually the first.   These, along with Ospreys, Swallows and passing Ring Ouzels have all been recorded in southern Britain in very small numbers, but it will be a while yet before we see them.

Click here to see the bird report for March 2012.

Chris Spray

Wildlife blog Jan 2012

Saturday 14th January

A very dull, cool day – dreich almost – with overcast conditions and the threat of rain. The path is very muddy after all the winter’s rain, and the many fallen branches and small (ands not so small) trees that have been blown over are now lying on their side, root balls exposed, and the regular walkers and wildlife have made new paths around those that are blocking the way.

Not surprisingly, there was little to be heard, and although some 40 odd rooks were back at the main rookery, all of last year’s nests have blown down and as yet no new ones have been started. A solitary Dunnock and a couple of Robins made a half-hearted atempt at some song, with the occasional calls from Great tits as well. The tits though are still in their winter flocks and it will be a while yet before they split away and start setting up territories. A Great spotted woodpecker called briefly, but no drumming yet.

A fox had obviously been up near the ruins of the old house, as the smell was very noticeable, whilst down on the Braeport meadows three Roe deer females were lying up undisturbed. The mild winter has meant that the Grey squirrels have been active all the time, and at least 16 were counted today. If anyone sees any Red squirrels in and around Dunblane, do let us know – there are still a very few hanging on in Dunblane, though I’ve yet to see a Red squirrel on Holmehill itself.

The snowdrops are out, though not too many, except in the south west corner under the trees along the edge of Braeport meadow.

Away from the hill, there are plenty of wild geese still about, often flying overhead in large skeins and some big flocks on the Carse west of Stilring and upstream of Dunblane along the Allan Water. In amongst the usual thousands of wintering Icelandic Pinkfeet and Greylags are small numbers of other geese – Barnacles, White-fronts, Bean and a single Snow goose.

Click here to see the bird report for January 2012.

Chris Spray