The newsletter of the RSPB Highland Local Group

Issue 82 September 2013

Editorial area with John and Doreen Manson on Thursday th rd Welcome back to another new season. It was 7 , and on Saturday 23 Ian and Gillian Wylie another successful spring/summer for many will be leading a trip around the Loch Fleet area. breeding birds both at home and in Applecross. On Sunday 15 December Doreen and John The cold spring meant that some of our migrant Manson will lead a coach trip around the Black birds hung on before departing. The waxwings at Isle, followed by a lunch of soup and sandwiches Burn Brae were still 50-70 strong throughout April, at the Station Hotel, Avoch. The booking form for but dwindled in May and the last 3 were seen on this event is on the back of this newsletter, with the 22 May. However, the cold didn’t seem to the coach costing £8 (lunch extra, payable on the deter the arrivals too much, with a ‘first’ chiffchaff day). Please note that in future we will be unable at Torvean on 05 April, first swallows at to refund payments for coach trips should you Duntelchaig on 17 April, and a willow warbler at wish to cancel. Loch Maree on 20 April. The garden has again been full of young blackbirds, house sparrows, Please also note that the starting time for the great tits, blue tits, robins, dunnock and Saturday trips has reverted to 09.30 am at the starlings. The young blackbirds had grown up Highland Council car park (unless stated and dispersed before they had a chance (as they otherwise in the Programme). The time and place usually do) of raiding the strawberries because for Thursday trips is 09.30 am at the Inverness they were so late in ripening this year. Retail Park. Thanks again to all contributors of articles (please keep them coming in) and to the NSRO for the continued use of the printing facilities, and for printing our Programme. Reminders Ed  Seating at Meetings: remember that the front row of seats are available to those of you with difficulties with walking, hearing, or seeing. Field Trips Please avail yourselves of this facility or ask any For September – December 2013 committee member if you need extra help. Any front row seats still vacant shortly before the start The new season of field trips starts on Saturday of the meeting can then be used by anyone else. 28 September with a trip to the Kyle of Lochalsh  Stamps: Rosie Barnes is still collecting the and Skye led by Keith and Rosie Barnes. We will used postage stamps on behalf of the RSPB be travelling through Glen Shiel starting earlier Albatross appeal. than usual; at 08.30 in Inverness, with a second pick-up at 09.00 at the car park in Drumnadrochit.  Bad weather contacts. If you are in doubt that a meeting will take place due to bad weather On Thursday 10 October we will be looking for conditions please contact any committee member autumn migrants at Tarbet Ness and Nigg Bay, for up to date information. In the case of field trips with Doreen and John Manson in charge. And on contact the leader for the day. Saturday 26 October RSPB staff member Cat  RSPB Sales. Maureen MacDonald will take Owen-Pam will be leading a walk across the orders throughout the year for goods from the saltmarsh onto Culbin Bar to look for waders. As RSPB catalogue. Remember that the group funds we will be away from our cars for most of the day benefit from your purchases and you do not pay lunch will have to be carried. Please bring post and package. suitable footwear and warm waterproof clothing,  Coach Trips. Remember to book early to bearing in mind that there is no shelter should the avoid disappointment. weather be inclement.  Field Trips. Please note that all Saturday field In November we will be touring the Inverness trips start at 09.30 am, unless otherwise stated.

The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home. The RSPB is a registered charity in England & Wales 207076, in SC037654 Committee Meeting Our kites have tricked us this year; they appeared at the usual site and seemed to be making all the right moves. At our first committee meeting of the season we They went quiet while brooding the eggs, one sitting high had to make a few important decisions; as with a on a nearby tree, then brought in food, (this was proved to smaller committee changes have had to be made. us by the dog appearing with bits of rabbit, remains, & In future we will be using the RSPB format for our even some feathers from a Jay!) When we thought that risk assessment which allows us to use the same they should have fledged we checked under the tree for form for the majority of our trips. tell- tale signs, but none at all, except from warning calls We have agreed that there will be no refunds for from the adult kites! However a week later we did spot places booked on coach trips. two young birds sitting in a tree waiting for food. We can Maureen will stock a small Christmas sales table only draw the conclusion that they had moved house - for our indoor evenings before Christmas and will still perhaps all will become clear when the leaves fall from take orders for sales goods throughout the year. the trees in the autumn. We are still looking for committee members to What do you all think about the RSPB’s changes due in augment our committee and particularly need a October 2013? Why, to create a world richer in nature - Secretary to organise our future indoor programme. by becoming bigger and better. What is changing - a new In the meantime l (Doreen) will take over meeting brand, new story, new RSPB. You can read about it in and greeting our speakers on the night. your Birds magazine and we can all help; the future of wildlife depends on all of us. Raffles and indoor meeting fees The question that is on most people’s lips is: will there In future the charge for indoor meetings will be: £3 be a change of name? The answer is an emphatic NO! for members and £4 for visitors. The RSPB will encompass all wildlife, but remain the We will only hold a raffle at our December meeting. RSPB. Doreen Manson Doreen Manson

From your Group Leader Indoor Meeting Red Squirrels and Woodland Birds Welcome back to the start of our new season. l hope that you all like the look of our programme of in the Highlands 28 March 2013 forth coming events. We have to thank Maureen Our speaker, Ian Collier, is a Woodland Officer with once again for producing a fine list of speakers - she Forestry Commission Scotland and the secretary of the has now taken on the job of treasurer, which in itself Red Squirrel Group. His talk focused on the ecology of can be onerous enough, so it was generous of her to red squirrels along with their relationship with woodland complete the speakers list for the season. We are birds in the highlands. Along with capercaillie and still looking for a secretary, (while Heidi has taken goshawk, red squirrel became extinct in Scotland in the on the job of minute secretary she is too busy to late 1700’s. Following reintroduction from England, commit to any more work for the group), so... we are populations had risen to the point where they were still in need of another committee member to considered a serious forest pest and over 100,000 were take on the other secretarial duties. Maureen has killed in the first half of the 20th century. a list of prospective speakers so the task would There are five main predators of red squirrels. not be to great. I know that you are all fed up with Goshawks are very efficient hunters but are scarce in the me asking but please consider volunteering; we are highlands and have little effect on populations. Buzzards concerned for the future of the group if there are no are not so efficient at catching red squirrels and are not a further offers. serious threat, although some birds have learned to wait The field trip programme looks good, thanks to by a rope bridge over the road near Foyers and pick off Keith. You will note that we have included two coach the squirrels as they cross. Pine Martens prefer to hunt trips. After the success of our trip to we on the ground and usually find easier prey than quick and decided to continue, but in future we will not refund agile squirrels. There’s some evidence that they can have cheques once the money is paid. This is a pity, but a significant effect on the population of grey squirrels the coaches have become more and more which feed on the ground much more than reds. Foxes expensive. I love the heron on the front of the and Cats also take some red squirrels. programme - thanks again to Steve for both the Red squirrels have a varied diet which includes pine picture and the programme production. cones, blossoms, buds, fruit and fungi. Acorns are also a We have had a good summer, a chance for life to recover from the long cold spell and there have been plenty of young in the garden. We feed our birds throughout the year but usually put out less in Red squirrel the summer months. It doesn’t seem to drive the © Steve Austin birds from the garden, but puts them to work tidying up seeds of all kinds. The siskins are particularly fond of the thousands of seeds which fall from the Witch elm, and this year there have been some redpolls in amongst them. Some mornings l can walk out and about 100 birds will fly up from the driveway; ditto when a sparrowhawk pays a visit! favourite, which means that oak woodland is a good detailing twelve hotspots to see red squirrels in the habitat. Monoculture conifer woodland is not so good highlands were made available for the audience to because large cone crops only occur every three to take away with them. four years and there is little else to eat in intervening Keith Barnes years. Native Caledonian pine forest with its good mix of species is excellent habitat and holds most of the red squirrels in the highlands. Ian then went on to describe measures taken to West in search of White-billed Divers conserve red squirrels. Efforts in the highlands are Saturday 30 March concentrated on nineteen ‘stronghold woodlands’ which are isolated from possible intrusion by greys. Despite the low temperature, 15 group members These sites are in many cases also good habitat for gathered at Conon Bridge to set off for our day in the capercaillie, crested tit, siskin and crossbill. west and, no wonder, it was a brilliant, clear and Recreational disturbance is discouraged at these sites cloudless day. On our way to our first stop at the and forestry operations are carefully planned. It is Dundonnell hotel, we were treated to superb views of illegal to fell a tree with a squirrel’s drey in it and as An Teallach covered in pristine snow. We stopped to each individual can have eight or more, this can lead exclaim on the beauty of the day and here we spotted to management problems. Surveying is done by a Slavonian grebe, grey heron, ringed plover and walking transects through the forest, counting eaten various gulls (none white-winged unfortunately). We cones and also by counting dreys. travelled on to Gruinard bay and spent some time at a The first half of the talk ended with Ian passing lay-by looking for divers. There was no shortage, for round some samples of eaten cones from several dotted all over Gruinard bay were great northern conifer species. During the interval another of Ian’s divers and, to add to the atmosphere, a pair close by props, an opened drey, was available for inspection. set up an eerie wolf-like wail and vibrating tremolo Ian started the second half by talking about forestry call. We also spotted guillemot and razorbills plus problems, specifically tree diseases. While not as various ducks. We were all so busy looking out to great a problem in the highlands as in other parts of sea that it took Lynda to point out to us the 80 or so Britain there are a few issues. There is some larch barnacle geese grazing in the field not so very far needle disease which could have an impact on red from where we stood! Moving on to the car park at squirrels. Dutch elm disease is now being found in the beach, we saw a greenshank at the mouth of the some wych elms. Pine needle blight is found in river. lodgepole pine and there is now a ban on planting this Ever since our coach trip stopped in the lay-by on species near native Caledonian pine forest. There the north side of the bay and we were treated to an have been few incidences of ash dieback in the impromptu fly-pass by a pair of white-tailed eagles l highlands. To help control tree diseases, after felling have expected a repeat performance, but needless to most forestry sites are now left fallow for five years stay l was disappointed once again! In fact in the before replanting. entire day the only raptors we saw were red kite and The next topic discussed was the problem of grey buzzard. l can only surmise that the other raptor squirrels. An influx of this species into a red squirrel species were flying too high for us to even see them! area will lead to the displacement of reds in about We stopped once again to see the grey seals on the fifteen years. If the greys are carrying squirrel rocks below, and Aultbea to use the facilities and poxvirus, which reds have no immunity to, this clocked several small birds on a feeder and a few happens about twenty times faster. Efforts are being lapwings amongst the curlew. made to keep greys out of the highlands. A control On now to Poolewe, pausing at Gairloch, where we programme is in place in Aberdeenshire and it is saw a red-throated diver. Lunch was enjoyed at the hoped to eradicate greys from the county shortly. In hide at Poolewe and we enjoyed brilliant sunshine – the last six years there have been three or four even a little warm, and our patience was rewarded by instances of greys being found in the high-lands. All the sight of a little grebe. were thought to have been accidentally carried here We started to head towards home and a stop at by car/ van and were quickly dealt with. Loch Tollaidh gave us a sighting of a black-throated There are one or two reintroduction schemes in the diver. Then on to Kinlochewe where a stop by the highlands. In 2009 forty four animals from Speyside toilets gave us time to add a few passerines to our were released at Dundonnell on the west coast. This list and, unexpectedly, a has proved very successful and their numbers have pipistrelle bat! now increased to 250 – 260. One pioneering We decided to call it a individual from Dundonnell managed to cross several day here. Our total for the miles of open moorland to Lochmelm and a partner day was 54 and everyone was imported to possibly start a small population thanked Keith and Rosie there. Another release scheme has been started in for a great days birding. Alladale near Bonar Bridge where there is some good But I secretly wondered woodland, but this may prove to be too far north to where was the white- produce sufficient good cone crops to maintain a large billed diver that Keith had population. promised us? Ian finished a very informative and enjoyable talk Doreen Manson with some cute pictures of what is one of the top five animal species to see in Scotland. Some leaflets Greenshank Corrimony and Glen Strathfarrar Indoor Meeting Thursday 11 April 2013 The History of Bird Conservation in Scotland 25 April 2013 At the ridiculously early time of six o’clock 12 group members met Corrimony reserve warden, After the AGM on 25th April we were given a Simon McLaughlin, by the village hall in Cannich. most interesting and comprehensive talk on the The occupants of two cars had already seen a History of Bird Conservation in Scotland, by Paul tawny owl, which was very close to being a road Walton, Head of Habitats and Species, RSPB traffic accident victim, as they drove towards Scotland headquarters. Here is the gist of the Cannich. Eight of the group joined Simon in a talk. minibus for the journey into Corrimony reserve, the It was thought that people in the past did not remaining 4 following in another vehicle. The appreciate wildlife, but in Iron Age Pictish main focus of the visit to Corrimony is of course symbols of a sea eagle were found and also a the reserves black grouse leks, two of which chambered cairn containing the remains of 300- were visited. We arrived just as the sun was rising 400 people plus the skulls of 14 sea eagles. So, and at the first lek we saw 4 blackcocks there is a history of aesthetic appreciation. A accompanied by 4 greyhens. Opening the vehicle study in 2009 found that the most important factor windows we were able to hear the extraordinary for the safe operation of human life is biodiversity, bubbling calls of the cocks as they fanned out their and Paul gave the example of the necessity of the lyre-shaped tails, displaying to their neighbours. dung beetle in Africa. However, some species Along the road at the second lek we counted 12 such as our own scotica are purely blackcocks, most of which seemed to be more precious in their own right. After the loss of the interested in feeding than in displaying to each great auk, which last bred in Scotland in 1813, a other. Also in the fields were several recently list of threatened species was made. Later, a returned curlews and meadow pipits, both of group of women in Manchester protested against which seemed to excite Simon more than did the the use of plumes in millinery. Subsequently the grouse. After driving further into the reserve, away RSPB began in Scotland in 1904, watching from the lek site, we were able to get out of the peregrine nests; as 5 species of birds of prey vehicle where we listened to the calls of the had been driven to extinction. Then the idea curlews as Simon told us about the reserve. Red followed to have legal protection for all birds in grouse were heard calling in the distance. On the Britain. The first to be tackled were seabirds at way out of the reserve we stopped for a short walk Flamborough Head, then those at St. Kilda. In through the woodland alongside a beautiful steep 1922 came the Oil in Navigable Waters Act. Then, gorge, one of the areas hidden gems. in the 1930s some of the civil servants were bird- As we returned to Cannich a buzzard and two watchers and this brought about the idea of a great-spotted woodpeckers were seen. After network of protected areas, with the government enjoying an excellent breakfast at the Bog Cotton responsible for the conservation of native wildlife. Café (highly recommended), we all thanked Simon The following decade, in the midst of war, the for showing us the reserve and then drove to Glen Nature Reserves Investigations Committee was Strathfarrar to look for eagles. established, when people began asking what they Several stops were made along the length of the were fighting for, and links to wildlife were glen. Among the species seen were whooper reinforced by the Department of Post-war swan, goosander, teal, tufted duck, heron, Reconstruction. lapwing, oystercatcher, mistle and song While National Parks were being established in thrush, skylark, pied and grey wagtail, raven, England, the subject of conservation in Scotland reed bunting and linnet. However, the highlight led to the setting up of local nature reserves, the of the drive up the glen had to be the two male first being Aberlady Bay. After this SSSI’s were wheatears, the first of the year for most and a identified and the Nature Conservation Council, new bird for one member of the group. On the the first in the world, was established. return journey seeing a pair of red-legged In the 1950’s the Svalbard barnacle geese partridges near the dam was a surprise. The population had fallen to 300, due to hunting on the highlight of the return was a small flock of golden Solway Firth and disturbance by the Nazis in plovers in breeding plumage. Svalbard. Also, grebes had been hunted and A total of 43 species were seen on the trip which, seabirds persecuted. All this prompted Baroness despite the fact Tweedsmuir, the wife of John Buchan, to put that we were forward the Protection of Birds Bill in 1953. This unable to find a led to the Wild Birds Act (a pioneering piece of golden eagle, legislation) the following year, and the culmination was enjoyed by of 50 years effort. all. Keith Barnes

Black grouse Later came the huge controversy of tax breaks Down in the Glen for planting conifers in blanket peat bogs, just as their importance became realised. This led to the It was certainly one of the longest and perhaps splitting-up of the NCC, and SNH being formed. strangest non-spring type weather for many a year Then there was a change in forestry policy and with us. The early morning singing soon grants were given to landowners for the plummeted to almost zero as temperatures preservation of important forests. This led to dropped over several nights to well below fragmented areas of forest. However, the good freezing. However, these early songsters like the news is that the total area of Caledonian pine song thrush survived and were seen around the forest is now increasing for the first time in 4,000 garden later. Everything was about a month years. behind in garden terms but young blackbirds and Paul decided that to leave time for questions he blue tits were seen around the usual time. An should conclude his talk with 2 more facts: that the albino chaffinch visited on a few occasions and EU Birds Directive of 1979 has been critical to bird remained mainly perched away from the main conservation; and this was subsequently extended group of feeding birds eventually feeding and then to the Habitats Directive in 1992. flying off on his own. An indication perhaps of the Our thanks go to Paul for his most informative prolonged cold weather was the appearance of and beautifully-delivered presentation. two bramblings in the garden on 19 March. Gillian Wylie On 10 April we had an unseemly happening when one of the carrion/hooded hybrid gang pounced on a ground feeding siskin and carried it Bonar Bridge & Falls of Shin. off to a nearby tree where it proceeded to pluck 27 April 2013 and eat its ill gotten gains. Never seen anything quite like to that before. It was served with an

immediate ASBO and I am pleased to say the It was another fine day when we set out for our whole lot moved up river and annoyed other trip to the Falls of Shin. Our first stop at the gravel residents with their constant cackling for the rest of pit on the way to the Struie made us realise that the summer. spring was here at last, as we were greeted by a A pair of pied wagtails arrived early April and it singing willow warbler. Next we set off in search was a delight to have them flitting around the back of the hen harrier which had given us such a garden during the summer. Had a good look for good performance on our reconnaissance trip the their nest without success but in the process found week before, but alas the skies had clouded over the wren that duly produced some young; as did and we were treated to near blizzard conditions as the robin. The oystercatchers bred on the river we drove towards the summit of the Struie. We bank, producing one young one this time. It was did see a wheatear, but the hen harrier was not late April before willow warblers were heard and impressed and did not put in an appearance! early May before a blackcap appeared, and very By the time we reached the viewpoint the late in that month before swallows and house weather had made a miraculous recovery and we martins were in the village with numbers well enjoyed the fine view over the Dornoch Firth, down and usual breeding places lying vacant. A enhanced by a male stonechat in the foreground. cuckoo called on 09 May, while the first swifts We paused for coffee at Bonar Bridge, and a few flew over the house on 20 May; gathering for ducks, mallard, shelduck & wigeon were departure in the village on 12 July. For the spotted along with the usual gulls, curlew, second time recently there was a male pied redshank, oystercatcher and lapwing. flycatcher in the trees at the foot of the garden for Our next stop was at Ravens rock where we about a week, but no sign of him visiting nest walked and were rewarded with close views of boxes. goldcrest and tree creepers and a grey wagtail In early April I had plus several other small birds. We ate alfresco in the unusual sighting of the sunshine and were serenaded by a robin. a pair of goshawks Onward to the falls of shin where we watched a flying together against pair of dippers flying back a forth to feed their the hillside behind the young in a nest by the falls. There were several house. There is a pair swallows, sand martin and that frequents a house martin. Wheatear wooded wider area We ended the day at and while I have seen Meikleferry. It had been a them singly and on good trip, with a count of 48 one occasion young birds spotted, and was a flying, it was my first change from our usual routes. clear sighting of the Doreen Manson

Goshawk adult pair particularly in the open like that. Two Notes from Chanonry Point days later two local friends who had been walking in the woods reported a sighting of them both so January to June 2013 they were back indeed at their usual spot. The year began with a short-eared owl giving At the request of the RSPB I carried on the several daily spectacular flying displays over the Ullapool near shore survey and will finish it in golf course until early April. A male kestrel was September giving a full year of data of monthly noted on several occasions giving chase to the visits. In April Loch Broom was showing large owl, but both appeared to feed fairly well. numbers of guillemots and razorbills as far as Up to four juvenile great northern divers were the eye could see. It was a remarkable sight and present off-shore from early January until mid took some counting but many remained too far February - these divers are not common winter away to clearly identify so went under the generic visitors to the Firth. A major element of their diet term of gull/razor on the form. Did not make out appeared to be small crabs, often taken in shallow any puffins but that was remedied later on water below the lighthouse wall. Sadly two were another trip. In June by the shore I came across a subsequently found dead on the shoreline. pair of breeding whitethroats carrying beak full’s of Throughout January and February, during the first insects into the dense bramble bush area. Used hour of daylight, there were incoming movements normally to just seeing a white throat peering out of eiders, long-tailed duck, cormorants, shags, from the bushes it was a great opportunity to divers and goldeneye. Sadly there was very little appreciate their full plumage. Already into July wader presence at the Point. some of the waders like ringed plover were on The first kittiwakes, all adults, were noted at the the shore in groups. beginning of March and fair numbers of this After a year’s absence I made my way back to species were present intermittently until the end of North to be met with a fortnight of sunny June. Early March also saw up to 50 adult weather – displayed raft after raft of herring gulls gorging on starfish taken on or near puffin. Jamie Boyle, the RSPB warden, who has the tide line. By mid March a fair number of auks enhanced our Group trips over there in years gone were present, mostly razorbills with one sighting by, was asking kindly for all of us. He is now the of a little auk on 25 March. Up to 50 eiders proud custodian of nine pairs of sea eagles as continued their daily early morning movements opposed to just three pairs two years ago. It was into the Firth. truly a magnificent time with everything in place as April began well with a juvenile white-tailed it should be including the phalaropes. The eagle flighting from Rosemarkie shore out past snowy owl however, after being resident at a Fort George. One had been seen 2 days earlier given location for some time, eventually made off above woodland on the Black Isle, and there were one day after it had been pursued by a man who two subsequent sightings, presumably of the wanted a picture of it with his son nearby. Such same bird, in the Whiteness Head area. The first fools still walk among us!! A nice surprise was the sandwich terns, evidenced first by their discovery of two displaying male ruffs seen near unmistakable call, appeared on 5 April and to the visitor centre at the RSPB reserve as well unusually several have remained in the area until as on a nearby loch. There was a sighting of a the end of June. Did they breed, and if so, where? female also at that loch so just maybe they met Their numbers peaked at 65 in strong winds on 17 up. April; the winds also bringing in good numbers of With the publication of the Bird Atlas 2007-2011 gannets, razorbills and kittiwakes. The due in the autumn I would say how impressive is following day evidenced the first whimbrel moving the BTO Bird Track recording web-site which has north. been expanded to incorporate many of the Atlas Between 01 and 03 May there was a notable features. It allows you to put records directly into passage of wagtails and pipits; on the latter date the national data base to which the local Recorder strong wind and heavy rain forced 150 meadow has access when pipits, 40 pied wagtail and 10 white wagtails to composing the take refuge on the golf course. The same weather annual bird report. conditions presumably accounted for the 1000+ How much more kittiwakes in the Firth. Good numbers of pied and efficient it is in my white wagtails view and I highly remained until 07 May recommend it. I when they were joined may of course be by a small passage of speaking to the 9 wheatears. The converted! first whitethroat Happy birding arrived on 09 May and Richard Prentice stayed to breed.

Ruff Whitethroat Sandwich tern

The first skuas (a bonxie and 2 arctics) also has a lovely new hide appeared on 09 May but remained only for a by the pool, incredibly, single day. 12 May saw 4 pomarine skuas the have be 200 moving through together with 70 adult gannets. species recorded at There were large feeding frenzies on this day this location. Lots to be involving hundreds of birds which included auks, seen here: plenty of kittiwakes, gannets and gulls, with an unusually terns, lots of tufted high count of 45 great black-backed gulls. A duck, reed bunting very late pair of long-tailed ducks was also noted and a myriad of small birds. Our time was limited on this day. On a more mundane level mid May and we had to reluctantly return to the bus and saw the first two fledged blackbirds, & many head for home. But at last my habit of waiting until more have followed. every one was on the way back to the bus paid off The undoubted highlight of the first half of the – the hide was empty, when in rushed a group of 4 year was the skua movement on 23-24 May with on a 12hour bird watch. We’re after the lesser all four species noted on both days. There is scaup; a-ah! There it is. We’re off! Nevertheless, something special about having five full adult long- they kindly pointed it out to me and l was able to tailed skuas pass 20 feet above your house. This tell the group of my ‘find’. I don’t think they were is the first occasion since 2 October 1994 that we that impressed, but it was a new one for me; so l have recorded all four species of skua in one day. was! Forty plus Canada geese were noted 10 June Back on the bus l was not very popular when the enroute for Munlochy Bay. Against all odds, promised ice-cream was not forthcoming as the surrounded by homo sapiens, a pair of shop had just shut! oystercatcher managed to hatch two young at It had still been a great day though, and we had the back of the beach on 23 June. One youngster between us spotted 84 species; a very has certainly survived but subsequently one adult respectable count. Thanks to the weather, Rosie was killed by a golf ball. A profusion of juvenile and Keith for planning the route, and as usual to house sparrows, numbers certainly in excess of Davie for his excellent driving. 80, have appeared in late June to partially counter Doreen Manson the falling numbers of this species. Mary & David Galloway Computer Corner

Caithness With the advent of satellite tracking you can Saturday 25 May 2013 follow the fate of migratory birds over the dull cold days of winter, so why not ‘tune in’ to their We couldn’t have chosen a better day for our progress. However please note there is not final trip of the season: the weather was perfect, always a happy ending! brilliant sunshine, not a cloud in the sky and a Ospreys pleasant gentle breeze. Oighrig and Breagh are the young from Boat of 33 group members set of at 8.00am looking Garten and you can follow their winter journey on: forward to a special day out. Our first stop was at www.rsp.,org.uk/wildlife/tracking/ the mound. The pool was busy and we all spotted lochgartenospreys or simply go to the Loch greenshank among the other species. One lucky Garten reserve web site. observer even got a metallic blue flash of a At Loch of Lowes, the SWT reserve, you can kingfisher as it disappeared from view! follow the progress of Lady’s 50th young osprey by Onward now we headed for Castleton Bay where accessing the Loch of Lowe’s web site: all enjoyed a leisurely walk. We had timed it well www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/visit/loch-of-the- and the bay was busy with all manner of bird lowes and click on ‘Osprey Tracking’. life: several great northern divers, sandwich At both web sites there is information on and arctic terns, sanderling and a very vocal previous tracking movements. sedge warbler were some of the more uncommon sightings. Cuckoos At Dunnet head we stopped for lunch and This year the BTO Cuckoo Project has satellite spotted plenty of the usual cliff nesting birds. The tagged cuckoos from Devon, Sussex, Norfolk and puffins were harder to spot but it seemed that Scotland and you can follow their progress on www.bto.org/cuckoos once you had seen one plenty of others appeared! Great skuas did several fly past while we ate Lesser Black Backed Gulls lunch and we enjoyed the calls of the kittiwakes. An insight into their migratory habits and wintering Our final stop was at St Johns Loch which now grounds can be found at www.bto.org/gull-tracking Richard Prentice Stevie’s Snippets plastic bottles are produced using virgin petroleum feedstock. It takes 162g of oil and seven litres of 02 Apr: 2 pipistrelle bats were feeding in the water to manufacture a single one litre disposable bright sunshine over a bay near Ardban, Apple- PET bottle, and the process releases 100g of cross. We watched them go to & fro for ages - carbon dioxide. That doesn't take into account the obviously very hungry. The recent nights have cost, energy and environmental impact of filling been unusually very cold (too cold bats for to and shipping the bottled water. feed) and so they have had to resort to this It makes a compelling case against selling unusual behaviour; putting them at risk from bottled water at our sites predators. According to the Natural Hydration Council, the carbon footprint of the UK's bottled water industry 03 Apr: A good dawn chorus at Applecross with is just shy of 100,000 tonnes of carbon (350,000 song thrushes singing for most of the morning. tonnes of carbon dioxide). Also, it was nice to see 7 great Northern divers This is around 0.05% of total UK carbon feeding along the shore at Lonbain. emissions - for something we can get easily, and 21 May: Another lovely dawn chorus around much more cheaply, from our taps. Ciaran Nelson the Walled Garden at Applecross, with at Anglian Water told us 'bottled water costs more whitethroat, blackcap, wren, song thrush, than petrol in most cases, while £1.50 gets you blackbird, robin, chiffchaff, great tit, willow about 1,000 litres of tap water.' warbler & cuckoo. Frightening figures And at Ardban there was a whimbrel, 3 red- The figures on waste plastic bottles across the throated divers, 12 golden plovers in the field, UK and beyond are frightening. The bottled water and gannets diving just offshore. market is the fastest growing drinks market in the And some unusual sighting records so far this world. year: Over 13 billion bottles were sold in the UK in 2007, and sales have continued to rise; last year it A blue-headed wagtail at Udale on 25 April. A was reported that sales in the UK shot up a further turtle dove at Latheronwheel, a collared 28%. flycatcher [unbelievably rare] up at Raffin, and a The University of Nottingham tell us that red-rumped swallow at Stoer (no dates). recycling rates are still low in the UK, with just 35% of PET plastic bottles in household waste collected for recycling, and the majority of used From News & Views June 2013: water bottles end up as landfill. Mass garbage Plastic - not fantastic Recycling rates are improving, but discarded bottles can still be found in parks and rivers, via At our UK Headquarters, the vending machine which they are transported to the open seas. The no longer contains bottled water. This is linked to Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a floating mass of our next greening campaign - looking at the mostly plastic waste polluting the Pacific Ocean. environmental impact of bottled drinks. Its true extent is unknown, but has been estimated Bottling the carbon footprint to be as much as 15,000,000 square kilometres. According to the University of Nottingham, most

Field Trip Notes Please note the following for your safety and course do not forget your binoculars and scope. guidance when on field trips:  Comply with route and safety instructions at sites and Our trips are usually low risk and take account of the with the request of the trip leader. ages of the group but occasionally they may involve  Do not get separated from the group, especially in rocky paths, slippery duckboards or boggy ground. the hills or unfamiliar terrain. Make sure that you You can help to keep our trips enjoyable and trouble know where the meeting place is and at what time free by observing the following advice: you should be there.  Check the weather forecast and bring appropriate  If you have any particular health problems that may footwear, normally sturdy boots and warm water- slow you down, or prevent you from safely complet- proof clothing. It can be wet, windy, muddy, slip- ing the walk, or birding in time, please speak to the pery or (even sometimes) very hot! There may group leader. If you are in any doubt, stay with your be insect bites and ticks to contend with. You vehicle or the bus. should consider taking a whistle, stick, walking  If you are carrying other members of the group in pole, map, a small first aid kit and even sun pro- your own car, please ensure that your insurance cov- tection cream for the head and neck. A mobile ers this. Most policies are invalidated if passengers phone can be useful in an emergency and of are charged or contribute to the cost of petrol.