Ray Collier Country Diary - Migrating Birds
17th March 2008 - Migrating birds
At this time of the year everyone wants to see or hear the first bird migrants such as the swallow that will have crossed the Sahara desert or the cuckoo that will have wintered in central and southern Africa. The wheatears that will soon be perching on rocks on moorland have been in central Africa whilst the house martin, soon to building under eaves of buildings, has also been to Africa. The urgency of wanting to see the first migrants is reflected by the fact that in most County Bird Reports there is a section giving the first and last dates of these birds. One of the first is one of the larger birds namely the osprey which may be a reflection of the fact that it will readily find its food, mainly fish. Other early birds are much smaller such as the swallow and sand martin and in normal years some have arrived as early as the last week in March.
On arrival the smaller birds such as the swallow and sand martins have a problem as they need plenty of insects, their main food. In the Highlands insects are in short supply in the winter months which is one of the reasons why the birds go south in the Autumn. In April and early May there is still a shortage of insects although some places are better than others. Lochs with plenty of aquatic and marginal plants and surrounding scrub, woodland and grassland are good places and there are two near Inverness. One is Loch Flemington east of Inverness and the other are the lochs either side of the A82 at Dochfour. In the next two weeks both these should have large numbers of sand martins and swallows endlessly quartering the water picking off insects, sometimes even off the surface. Their communal roost is often in reed beds. Later they will break up with many of the adults going back to breed where they did last year, sometimes on exactly the same building. Birds that hatched last year are more likely to wander to new breeding areas and sites.
Warblers, such as willow warblers and chiffchaffs, have also spent the winter in Africa but when they arrive back in the Highlands they do not have the advantage of being able to cope with insects over water so they have to turn to another, seemingly less likely, source of food. Blossoms attract insects but at this time of the year there are very few blossoms in flower but one source is the two willows, the goat willow and the grey willow. Because so little else is in leaf or flower both these willows, with their yellow male catkins, were used to decorate churches at Eastertide as "palm". These two willows, often called sallows or pussy willows, have male and female trees and it is the yellow male catkins that attract so many insects. These male catkins were also called "goslings" because their texture and colour were like newly hatched geese and this can be seen in the photograph. This is where the warblers will gather to feast on the insects and this is where you are likely to hear the first song of the willow warblers and chiffchaffs. They will later be joined by whitethroats, blackcaps and garden warblers all desperate for a good insect supply to build them up for the breeding season ahead. Fortunately these are two of the commonest and most widespread willows in the Highlands and for that matter in Britain.
At this time of the year everyone wants to see or hear the first bird migrants such as the swallow that will have crossed the Sahara desert or the cuckoo that will have wintered in central and southern Africa. The wheatears that will soon be perching on rocks on moorland have been in central Africa whilst the house martin, soon to building under eaves of buildings, has also been to Africa. The urgency of wanting to see the first migrants is reflected by the fact that in most County Bird Reports there is a section giving the first and last dates of these birds. One of the first is one of the larger birds namely the osprey which may be a reflection of the fact that it will readily find its food, mainly fish. Other early birds are much smaller such as the swallow and sand martin and in normal years some have arrived as early as the last week in March.
On arrival the smaller birds such as the swallow and sand martins have a problem as they need plenty of insects, their main food. In the Highlands insects are in short supply in the winter months which is one of the reasons why the birds go south in the Autumn. In April and early May there is still a shortage of insects although some places are better than others. Lochs with plenty of aquatic and marginal plants and surrounding scrub, woodland and grassland are good places and there are two near Inverness. One is Loch Flemington east of Inverness and the other are the lochs either side of the A82 at Dochfour. In the next two weeks both these should have large numbers of sand martins and swallows endlessly quartering the water picking off insects, sometimes even off the surface. Their communal roost is often in reed beds. Later they will break up with many of the adults going back to breed where they did last year, sometimes on exactly the same building. Birds that hatched last year are more likely to wander to new breeding areas and sites.
Warblers, such as willow warblers and chiffchaffs, have also spent the winter in Africa but when they arrive back in the Highlands they do not have the advantage of being able to cope with insects over water so they have to turn to another, seemingly less likely, source of food. Blossoms attract insects but at this time of the year there are very few blossoms in flower but one source is the two willows, the goat willow and the grey willow. Because so little else is in leaf or flower both these willows, with their yellow male catkins, were used to decorate churches at Eastertide as "palm". These two willows, often called sallows or pussy willows, have male and female trees and it is the yellow male catkins that attract so many insects. These male catkins were also called "goslings" because their texture and colour were like newly hatched geese and this can be seen in the photograph. This is where the warblers will gather to feast on the insects and this is where you are likely to hear the first song of the willow warblers and chiffchaffs. They will later be joined by whitethroats, blackcaps and garden warblers all desperate for a good insect supply to build them up for the breeding season ahead. Fortunately these are two of the commonest and most widespread willows in the Highlands and for that matter in Britain.
posted by Corinne @ 11:00 AM
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