The RSPB on Club Together

Sorry  Tania,  that  is  the  usual  route  into  Loch  Garten,  but  it's  dependant  on  the  kit  you  use  it  seems,  so  they  say.

Anybody  not  getting  the  camera  there  can  go,  as  I  have  to,  Via  CARNYX  and  on  accessing  their  site  click  on  FLASH  and  lo  and  behold  There's  a  beautiful  great  Osprey  Nest  !.  (  Thats  the  route  I  have  to  use   ! )

Incidentally  I  am  a  tad  jealous  'cos  Loch  of  the  Lowes  has  two  Ospreys  happily  'bonding  away'  !!

Just  had  a  quick  look  &  EJ  is  out  there,  looking  all  lost  &  lonely --  ODIN  get  a  wriggle  on  if  you  please    !!  ??  !!

Well,  Welcome  Home  Odin  !!

Popped  onto  Carnyx  for  a  quick  look  at  what's  happening  But  I 

really  should  not  have  done  that  !!

Think  it  must  be  something  in  the  water  { Sorry  Merve   }

but  they  are  very  very  busy  bonding  and  chirping  fit  to  burst  !!

I'm  hoping  there  will  be  an  egg  or  three,  or  a  chick  perhaps,  for  me  to  see  when  I  get  up  that-a-way  in  four  weeks  time 

Hi Tania, just wondered if you knew how common the practice of using neck rings is  as we saw this recently which was a first for us.

I posted this on another section. I wondered if what I had seen was unusual. It was seen on 2nd April near Denhall Lane whilst sat on a black metal bench overlooking the estuary marsh land

I saw something whilst walking with friends today that I do not ever recall seeing before. We were alongside the marshes near Ness on Wirral. We saw a number of lapwings, egrets, herons and other birds. What surprised me was a heron. I am used to their long gliding and flapping flight but this one was riding the thermals and circling higher and higher. At first glance I though that it could not be a heron as it was so high and lazily climbing on the thermals. I have never observed that behaviour before. I did a double check at first because its progress was more like that of a buzzard.

Indeed. I wondered whether this particular bird had learned a new behaviour. When watching them over the marshes they did some flapping and a lot of gliding. The Dee estuary is very wide at that point. It did occur to me that when flying low over the water more flapping than gliding might be the norm and by lazily and effortlessly gaining so much height first it might male it more feasible to glide much of the way across the estuary. Certainly not something that I recall ever witnessing before. They have a large wingspan and its climb seemed as effortless as a buzzards might be. Wonder if it has been watching and learning?

When I saw it I immediately recognised it as heron; then I thought no, far too high and now it is climbing and circling; then I realised that it was clearly a heron.

We see Heron's flying over, they do get quite high and use a flapping, gliding action. My neighbours are pleased to see this rather than low down taking the pond fish!

Indeed they do get quite high when flying over us at home Brue. Never seen them circling and riding the thermals and soaring upwards though

We have just had a Red Kite sitting on the roof of our house after circling, for a couple of minutes,it flew off when i came in to fetch the camera

Not seen Heron at any great height but will now check carefully if I see soaring birds.

Hello,

I've been away in Suffolk for Easter, we saw 2 pairs of Avocets by the River Alde which was great to see.

Regarding the neck ring, I've asked one of our conservation managers and this is his response:

This is a recognised and increasingly common method of marking geese, especially in America. The only scheme that I know of in this country that uses these rings is on The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Nunnery Reserve Lakes (http://btoringing.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/getting-collared-by-goose.html) but there may be others. I would certainly encourage the finder to report the ring to the BTO.

It is a simple ID ring rather than a satellite tag or anything like that (these are commonly attached to the back between the wings). They are a safe method on large long-necked birds like these.

These rings are used on geese because they can be seen and read even when the bird is on the water, which leg rings, typically, can’t.

I hope that answers your question.