Wader Delights
Everybody wishes for good weather when you are away on holiday but sadly we have no control over what comes our way. On Islay ,for the last two weeks, we have had Northerly winds and a maximum temperature of only 15 degrees. What might appear to be bad news turned into a bonus as it delayed the migration north of up to a hundred Bar Tailed Godwits. These Arctic breeding birds provided me with the only flight shots I have ever taken of these waders before they finally headed north. Islay’s breeding Dunlin, Curlew, Snipe and Redshank also made good subjects for the camera!
Here are some of the more traditional prey items captured the other week by the Kingfishers for their young. All have now fledged, thankfully before the recent spells of torrential rain.
It may have taken more than fifty years but last week we had a new species visit the garden – it was a Jackdaw! By chance I had just been watching Jackdaws taking fine hair off the local cattle to line their nests.The wet weather also brought into the garden hordes of Starlings with their young and Song Thrushes who found no trouble finding slugs in the rain.
Despite the awful weather I have just had the best week of a lifetime with the local Owls.Starting with three different male Long Eared Owls, then the male Barn Owls and culminating at 9pm one night with the oldest male Short Eared Owl that I have ever seen. His face goes whiter and whiter with age and this male is the best I have ever seen. Check my Facebook page for all the others – you will not be disappointed! www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife
One result of spending six hours with a pair of Kingfishers is that in addition to unusual prey items there is always a chance of filming copulation. Kingfishers usually rear two broods of young per year so while the first brood are still in the nest-chamber the adults are already thinking about the second brood! Unfortunately their position was not good for the camera but I am sure that he was quite happy!!
I have been asked many times why, after fifty one previous years I find it exciting to film a breeding pair of Kingfishers again? My answer, of course, is that no two Kingfishers are the same and that something unpredictable might happen – three days ago it did! I had been watching the female Kingfisher for more than an hour when, suddenly, she flew high into the air and plunged into the stream. What she came out with has only been recorded occasionally before as food of the Kingfisher – it was a Lamprey!! She flew with it to a stone by the nest but then, with great difficulty, she swallowed it herself and I had never seen a Lamprey before!!