Home and Away

14/04/09

Home and Away
14th April 2009.
We have one of those multi-branched bird feeders in the garden. It is very popular with the tits and the finches, but now it has also become an attraction for a small flock of pheasants. There is one handsome male, and his harem of four females. The male spends all his time chasing away any other males, and following his females around the garden. This would be all very nice but for one thing. Although he is a truly splendid handsome chap, he keeps announcing his presence with a strangulated falsetto squeak. Every five minutes or so, from dawn to dusk. It is becoming a wee bit tiresome. The females bless them pay no attention, and have lately taken to perching precariously on one of the branches of the feeder, whilst trying to reach the seed container hanging from another arm. They have discovered that by giving it a good wallop, some seeds will fall out, so that they can then jump down and peck away at them on the ground. And I thought pheasants were dumb.
We also have a pair of Magpies regularly, a pair of Pied Wagtails collecting nesting material, and last week a Red Kite circled right over the garden. Sometimes staying at home is more productive than going away.
But go away I did, yesterday. To Angus in fact, reckoning that by going south I would have a better chance of finding any northward heading summer migrants. I did. In the car park at the Montrose Basin Visitor Centre, there was a fine male Blackcap, and a singing Willow Warbler. Moving further on, I had lunch at Craigmill Den, just outside Carnoustie, as a Peregrine flew to and fro screaming blue murder at a poor innocent Buzzard. I don't know what was upsetting the Peregrine, but it kept up the attack for a good twenty minutes. The Buzzard seemed quite unfazed by it all.
A Dipper gave good views as I walked down the burn side.
The air was heavy with the smell of wild garlic, butterflies were out in good numbers, and the den was filled with birdsong. Ah, spring is sprung!
Next stop was at Forfar Loch. I was a little concerned to see only one Great Crested Grebe in the bay where the pair usually nest, and no sign of the nest that I had watched them re-building last time I was there. A lovely male Goosander provided an unusual photo as it stretched its wings.
To end the day, I went to Loch of Kinnordy. It was very peaceful. Both Ospreys put in an appearance, one of them managing to carry off a rather large pike. A Little Grebe crouched on its watery nest. There are still a few Whoopers around, but it won't be long before they are on their way back to Iceland for the summer. I wouldn't mind going with them.