stdClass Object
(
[id] => 5678
[title] => Young Birders' Training Course shortlisted for National Award
[alias] => young-birders-training-course-shortlisted-for-national-award
[introtext] =>
The SOC and Isle of May Bird Observatory’s (IoMBO) pioneering ‘Young Birders’ Training Course’, which funds naturalists aged 16-25 years to spend a week learning essential bird survey skills and techniques, has been shortlisted for a prestigious Nature of Scotland Award.
The project was shortlisted in the SNH Youth and Education category of the Awards which celebrate the businesses, charities, public sector and individuals working towards preserving Scotland’s unique wildlife and natural environment.
This year the Awards, which are run by RSPB Scotland and co-sponsored by Scottish Natural Heritage, attracted a record breaking number of applications across the board with the shortlist of entries revealed at a reception in the Scottish Parliament, hosted by Claudia Beamish MSP, on 12 September.
The Club and Observatory’s entry, the Young Birders’ Training Course, provides a unique opportunity annually for three females and three males to spend a week at the Observatory learning first-hand, a wide range of skills and techniques. Outwith the scope of most university/college curricula, these skills are essential attributes for those embarking on a career or role in wildlife recording/conservation.
“I am delighted that the Club has been shortlisted for this award. The course has been running for five years and has provided a very valuable opportunity for the participants to learn about many aspects of bird identification, ringing and to see at first hand, the management of a reserve. It demonstrates the value of working in partnership with the Observatory with additional input from SNH and CEH. None of this would happen without the involvement of those volunteers who are delighted to spend a week on the island, giving the participants the benefit of their knowledge and enthusiasm”, James Main, SOC President
Lucy McRobert, Communications Manager, The Wildlife Trusts and ex Creative Director, A Focus On Nature, went on to say:
"Opportunities for young people to connect with, understand and immerse themselves in the natural world have diminished over the past century, however the SOC and IoMBO has bucked the trend and is offering a high-quality, fun and popular opportunity for young people to learn new skills, make new friends and make the most of inter-generational mentoring relationships. These are the scientists, nature-lovers, conservationists and birders of the future, and the SOC and Isle of May Bird Observatory are setting a high bar for other organisations around the country to now replicate what they've achieved - and in just a few short years”,
Working in partnership, SOC and IoMBO draw upon the talents of highly experienced bird ringers, researchers and surveyors and ensure that participants receive first class expert tuition in an unrivalled and unique setting. With additional teaching and support provided by Scottish Natural Heritage and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology staff, YBTC also provides a network of contacts to assist participants on their journey.
“The Isle of May Bird Observatory is delighted that the YBTC has been recognised for making an important contribution in the career development of future wildlife monitors/recorders and conservationists, and in the subsequent encouragement to other organisations to do likewise. I offer thanks and congratulations to the course leaders and to the members of SNH and CEH who have made a major contribution to the success of the course on the island,” Ian Darling, IoMBO Trust Chairman.
So far thirty young birdwatchers have taken part in the course which is funded by the SOC thanks to generous past members and supporters who have left legacies to the Club.
“Investing in a future generation of conservationists, bird recorders and surveyors is, in my opinion, an excellent use of the Club’s funds. Not only are we helping equip these young people with the skills which will help stand them apart in an employment setting, we’re working to address the seemingly widening gap between today’s young people and nature. One of the greatest legacies of the course has been the stimulation of related-organisations to introduce and establish similar initiatives”, Jane Cleaver, SOC Development Officer.
The winners in each award category will be announced at a black-tie Presentation Dinner taking place at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh on 22 November 2018. The awards will be hosted by TV presenter, writer and naturalist, Kate Humble, and BBC TV and radio presenter, Euan McIlwraith.
The SOC and Isle of May Bird Observatory’s (IoMBO) pioneering ‘Young Birders’ Training Course’, which funds naturalists aged 16-25 years to spend a week learning essential bird survey skills and techniques, has been shortlisted for a prestigious Nature of Scotland Award.
The project was shortlisted in the SNH Youth and Education category of the Awards which celebrate the businesses, charities, public sector and individuals working towards preserving Scotland’s unique wildlife and natural environment.
This year the Awards, which are run by RSPB Scotland and co-sponsored by Scottish Natural Heritage, attracted a record breaking number of applications across the board with the shortlist of entries revealed at a reception in the Scottish Parliament, hosted by Claudia Beamish MSP, on 12 September.
The Club and Observatory’s entry, the Young Birders’ Training Course, provides a unique opportunity annually for three females and three males to spend a week at the Observatory learning first-hand, a wide range of skills and techniques. Outwith the scope of most university/college curricula, these skills are essential attributes for those embarking on a career or role in wildlife recording/conservation.
“I am delighted that the Club has been shortlisted for this award. The course has been running for five years and has provided a very valuable opportunity for the participants to learn about many aspects of bird identification, ringing and to see at first hand, the management of a reserve. It demonstrates the value of working in partnership with the Observatory with additional input from SNH and CEH. None of this would happen without the involvement of those volunteers who are delighted to spend a week on the island, giving the participants the benefit of their knowledge and enthusiasm”, James Main, SOC President
Lucy McRobert, Communications Manager, The Wildlife Trusts and ex Creative Director, A Focus On Nature, went on to say:
"Opportunities for young people to connect with, understand and immerse themselves in the natural world have diminished over the past century, however the SOC and IoMBO has bucked the trend and is offering a high-quality, fun and popular opportunity for young people to learn new skills, make new friends and make the most of inter-generational mentoring relationships. These are the scientists, nature-lovers, conservationists and birders of the future, and the SOC and Isle of May Bird Observatory are setting a high bar for other organisations around the country to now replicate what they've achieved - and in just a few short years”,
Working in partnership, SOC and IoMBO draw upon the talents of highly experienced bird ringers, researchers and surveyors and ensure that participants receive first class expert tuition in an unrivalled and unique setting. With additional teaching and support provided by Scottish Natural Heritage and Centre for Ecology and Hydrology staff, YBTC also provides a network of contacts to assist participants on their journey.
“The Isle of May Bird Observatory is delighted that the YBTC has been recognised for making an important contribution in the career development of future wildlife monitors/recorders and conservationists, and in the subsequent encouragement to other organisations to do likewise. I offer thanks and congratulations to the course leaders and to the members of SNH and CEH who have made a major contribution to the success of the course on the island,” Ian Darling, IoMBO Trust Chairman.
So far thirty young birdwatchers have taken part in the course which is funded by the SOC thanks to generous past members and supporters who have left legacies to the Club.
“Investing in a future generation of conservationists, bird recorders and surveyors is, in my opinion, an excellent use of the Club’s funds. Not only are we helping equip these young people with the skills which will help stand them apart in an employment setting, we’re working to address the seemingly widening gap between today’s young people and nature. One of the greatest legacies of the course has been the stimulation of related-organisations to introduce and establish similar initiatives”, Jane Cleaver, SOC Development Officer.
The winners in each award category will be announced at a black-tie Presentation Dinner taking place at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh on 22 November 2018. The awards will be hosted by TV presenter, writer and naturalist, Kate Humble, and BBC TV and radio presenter, Euan McIlwraith.
South-east Scotland is a significant region for breeding, passage and wintering birds, holding large proportions of Britain’s Gannets, Goshawks, Water Rails, non-breeding Red-necked Grebes, Slavonian Grebes, Pink-footed Geese and Velvet Scoters - just a small number of the 277 species that feature in ‘Birds in South-east Scotland 2007-13'.
This exhaustive tetrad study, based on 1,770 2x2 km plots and nearly half-a-million items of data collected by over 850 observers, covers the recording areas of Lothian and Borders, an area of 6,456 km². The varied habitats of this region, from estuarine mud and sandflats of the inner Forth to rocky shorelines backed by cliffs in Berwickshire, from the cereal farming areas of the Merse and lochs and reservoirs of the hills to the extensive stands of conifer plantations, as well as heather-clad uplands, river courses and the built-up areas of Edinburgh, all contribute in providing a varied avian fauna that is fully reflected in this milestone publication.
We are now pleased to say that the Atlas will be published by SOC in January 2019 and will be available at RRP £40 from the SOC at Waterston House, Aberlady, East Lothian and Viking Optics, Rose Street, Edinburgh. We thank everyone who ordered pre-publication copies both for their interest and patience in waiting for the book. For those who agreed to collect from Waterston House or elsewhere, details of collection arrangements will be emailed to you directly in good time. Those who paid post and packing will be sent their books within a day of their delivery to the authors.
Each of the main species has two pages devoted to it, with a full page of attractive, easy-to-read maps showing seasonal distribution and abundance, change in breeding distribution since 1988-94 (the period when the last breeding atlas survey was carried out), maps at the 10x10 km scale which compare changes in breeding and winter distribution over the past 50 years and graphs showing distribution by altitude between the seasons and between the two atlases. These are supported by an account which helps to explain the distribution, its seasonal changes, changes over the years, supported by estimates of current population and their recent trends.
The 554-page hardback will include introductory chapters and appendices, in addition to the species accounts and maps.
South-east Scotland is a significant region for breeding, passage and wintering birds, holding large proportions of Britain’s Gannets, Goshawks, Water Rails, non-breeding Red-necked Grebes, Slavonian Grebes, Pink-footed Geese and Velvet Scoters - just a small number of the 277 species that feature in ‘Birds in South-east Scotland 2007-13'.
This exhaustive tetrad study, based on 1,770 2x2 km plots and nearly half-a-million items of data collected by over 850 observers, covers the recording areas of Lothian and Borders, an area of 6,456 km². The varied habitats of this region, from estuarine mud and sandflats of the inner Forth to rocky shorelines backed by cliffs in Berwickshire, from the cereal farming areas of the Merse and lochs and reservoirs of the hills to the extensive stands of conifer plantations, as well as heather-clad uplands, river courses and the built-up areas of Edinburgh, all contribute in providing a varied avian fauna that is fully reflected in this milestone publication.
We are now pleased to say that the Atlas will be published by SOC in January 2019 and will be available at RRP £40 from the SOC at Waterston House, Aberlady, East Lothian and Viking Optics, Rose Street, Edinburgh. We thank everyone who ordered pre-publication copies both for their interest and patience in waiting for the book. For those who agreed to collect from Waterston House or elsewhere, details of collection arrangements will be emailed to you directly in good time. Those who paid post and packing will be sent their books within a day of their delivery to the authors.
Each of the main species has two pages devoted to it, with a full page of attractive, easy-to-read maps showing seasonal distribution and abundance, change in breeding distribution since 1988-94 (the period when the last breeding atlas survey was carried out), maps at the 10x10 km scale which compare changes in breeding and winter distribution over the past 50 years and graphs showing distribution by altitude between the seasons and between the two atlases. These are supported by an account which helps to explain the distribution, its seasonal changes, changes over the years, supported by estimates of current population and their recent trends.
The 554-page hardback will include introductory chapters and appendices, in addition to the species accounts and maps.
[jcfields] => Array
(
)
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stdClass Object
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[id] => 5264
[title] => Young Birders' Training Course Blog - 2017
[alias] => young-birders-training-course-blog-2017
[introtext] =>
Last July, six more young birders set sail for the Isle of May to take part in the SOC/Isle of May Bird Observatory's, 'Young Birders' Training Course' 2017. Here's how they got on on their island adventure...
SATURDAY 1 JULY
Following first introductions on a lovely sunny morning in Anstruther, our group set off on a wet and windy journey by RIB across choppy waters to the Isle of May. As we got closer we found ourselves surrounded by Puffins (I’d never seen so many at once). Upon arrival at Kirkhaven harbour, we were greeted by the raucous shrills of nesting Arctic Terns, and spotted a chick or two amongst the rocks. We ambled along Holyman’s Road to our cosy accommodation at the Low Light where we unpacked, set up our telescopes and had our first lunch on the Isle of May.
After lunch we had a visit from the CEH Isle of May Field Manager, Mark Newell. Mark gave us a rundown on the seabird research undertaken on the island and prepared us for our taster week of daily life on the May. Next, we were treated to a tour of the island, visiting Burnett’s Leap with a view to Rona, and then up to Three Tarn Nick on the North Plateau where we saw Razorbills as close as two metres away. We visited the Heligoland Traps to see if they were working, and found a Chiffchaff and four juvenile Pied Wagtails, which allowed us our first ringing demonstration. Then finally off to the Low Light for pizza. Not a bad start to the week!
Another glorious day on the Isle of May. Today we took shifts in the hide near Low Light so we could record Puffin feeding rates. I arrived at 8am for my shift, and before long I spotted my first Puffin scuttling into its burrow with a mouth full of fish. It was at that point I realised the next two hours were going to be a lot of fun. I had thought the Puffin’s ‘flying brick’ type flight pattern was comical but it is nothing compared to their ridiculous penguin-like run. I’ll be honest, it’s only day two and I’ve already fallen in love with this place. I saw two Pufflings brave the outside world to stretch their wings before retreating back to the safety of their burrow. Some of the Puffins came up really close to the hide which was great as it meant I got to hear their very sweet grumbling noises.
After my stint in the hide I went off to join the rest of the group while they were building tern huts. We’re learning so many different skills out here, I never thought when I applied for a birding course that I would be measuring, sawing and hammering wood.
After this we all headed out to do a bit of habitat restoration. We weeded out a lot of nettles in various places so we were able to put up some mist nets. That evening we managed to get a few juvenile Starlings, juvenile Pied Wagtails and a Swallow in the mist net. We’re still all a bit apprehensive about ringing but I’m sure our confidence will grow.
Hannah Lemon
MONDAY 3 JULY
After breakfast we headed to Fluke Street to open the moth trap, which yielded two moths. It was bright and sunny while we checked the walls towards the south of the island for any Pufflings that had gotten stuck during the night on their descent to the sea. Next we got our waterproofs on in preparation for our trip to Rona. Not for inclement weather, but to protect us from the predicted shower of gull excrement we’d endure whilst searching the undergrowth and rocks for Great Black-backed Gull chicks. Any unringed chicks were fitted with metal rings alongside a coloured ring with a visible short code which allows researchers to record the movements and success of chicks, data which is used by SNH to monitor the population.
After lunch we met with Mark to do some ‘Puffin grovelling’. This meant sticking our arms down Puffin burrows to pull out the chicks to ring them. This was very hit and miss - some burrows were full of water from the rain the previous week, some had inches of excrement which was unavoidable as your arm went into the burrow. Others had very long burrows, too long for an arm to reach the chick at the end. I was fortunate in the burrows I checked and managed to retrieve three chicks plus one adult. Mark Newell told us about the concrete Puffin boxes which had been installed on the island when burrow space had become limited one year. However during the winter there was a mass mortality resulting in a considerable reduction in the Puffin population size, meaning that the boxes were no longer necessary. No Puffin pairs had successfully bred using these boxes until this year; box AO contained a Puffling which was the first to be hatched. Lewis ringed the Puffling then we put it back into the box - what an honour!
After this we had an ‘essential skills’ session with Stuart followed by some free time. I wandered down to Altarstanes, probably my favourite part of the island and a good place to look up at the cliffs and their inhabitants.
Later that evening we donned our coats for some Puffin netting. We had to run down to the net when a Puffin had been caught to pick up the fish they had dropped and then take the Puffin to be ringed before release. We did this until it got towards dusk, then went to the south of the island to watch Guillemot chicks jumping into the sea, or ‘fledging’. Emotions ran high whilst watching this; seeing the small, fluffy chicks jumping from such a height into the inky water below was nail-biting stuff. Thankfully all the chicks made it down alright whilst we were watching. It was very late by the time we got back to the Low Light, and quickly got into bed to make the most the time we had to sleep before the 04:30am start the following day.
Amy Hall
TUESDAY 4 JULY
Tuesday began early, despite staying up until after 23:00 the night before watching Guillemot jumplings. Our 04:30 rise and 05:00 start were justified by the chance to help CEH members with their dietary study of Puffins. Birds were to be caught with mist-nets on their return journeys from the sea to their burrows, dropping their edible prizes in the process. Running to the birds was key not only for their welfare, but also to deter opportunistic gulls that would otherwise be onto the fish in a flash. Catching double figures of birds gave us all a chance to ring at least one adult, alongside the usual Pufflings that we rescued from beside the customary wall each morning. A novelty for that Independence Day afternoon was a tern feeding watch; in pairs, we were to monitor two randomly chosen Arctic Tern nests and the only Sandwich Tern nest with a chick, tallying up the incoming feeds for one hour. My partner drew a blank with his Arctics, but my Sandwich chick got one feed exactly halfway through our slot, so at least I had something to write!
Alexandros Adamoulas
WEDNESDAY 5 JULY
We started off today by visiting the moth trap down at Fluke Street - our moth ID skills are improving each day. Next we searched for Pufflings which had got lost in the nettles while trying to fledge overnight. We came across seven Pufflings this morning, I find this job very rewarding because without our help these Pufflings would not have survived. Next we helped with tern chick recording. With each chick we found, we picked it up and either read out the ring number or took it to be ringed. We were able to see tern chicks of all different ages which I found really interesting as we were able to see the age progression.
Later that day we went back and ringed the Puffin chicks we had found that morning, everyone seems to be becoming far more confident with the ringing which has been great to see. After this we headed off to ring Kittiwake chicks which was enjoyable as the chicks were very sweet and fluffy.
Stuart then took us round to see the south end of the island where we got some really impressive views, it feels very calm round that end of the island. Later that day we set up a huge mist net so we could hopefully catch some storm petrels that night. We stayed up until 2:30am and in that time we did manage to catch a storm petrel which was very exciting!
After a long late night of Storm Petrel ringing, the morning got off to a slower start with everyone falling out of bed at around 8:30am. The first activity of the day was to go through the moth box we had put out the night before. Emptying the box and identifying all the moths had become an eagerly anticipated activity most mornings, especially amongst a select few who were seemingly becoming experts as the week progressed. I personally wouldn’t have put myself down as being overly keen on moths, however, I found myself growing to love it and that morning Alison and I were the first to dive in. Key species we were growing to know included Dark Arches and The Spectacle, while the Beautiful Golden Y were present in numbers as well as some new species for the week including Burnished Brass and Large Yellow Underwings.
Our hands-on work with the birds and any work off the main paths comes to a halt whilst visitors are on the island so as not to encourage them to wander from the paths. Instead time was put towards creating nest boxes for the terns. The tern chicks are easy prey for the larger gulls on the island and so providing the young with places to shelter reduces the predation risk massively. After already completing half the boxes earlier we soon turned the final two sheets of plywood into another 13 nest boxes. This made our 26 boxes for the week, more than last year’s young birders by one box…. not that it is a competition !
The weather was panning out to be a nice night for another Storm Petrel ringing session, however before this was the main event of the year, the quiz. The observatory was split into two teams and so was Fluke Street. After several rounds of tough questions, including a ‘bird’ round of course, everyone showed their strengths (and weaknesses) and the observatory came first. With some added drinks this kind of social event really encompasses the family spirit on the island. Sometimes it is not always easy living in such an enclosed environment but with everyone sharing a common interest and passion for birds and conservation at no point did I or anyone feel out of place or unwelcome.
Last but not least was another night of Storm Petrel ringing, which although an amazing experience to be able to see these stunning, charismatic little sea birds up close, it is also very draining staying up until 3am for the second night in a row. Some did not make it all the way through the night, but everyone managed a look at the one individual we caught. With standard views of Storm Petrels being 100m off shore in stormy conditions, having one in your hand is just incredible.
We were off to help Bex do some more gull chick ringing. This was no mean feat, a small group of larger chicks were pretty wary of us and if we got too close they would just go into a large pool of water. In the end it took us all staged at various points around the pool to get the chicks back to dry land and a few of us were army crawling (me included) and hiding in ‘ambush’ as the chicks were walked towards us. Let me tell you it is not easy staying upright when you are trying to get across slippy rocks quickly, but we did it and lying flat on my stomach strewn across the rocks, I caught the chick that needed ringed. Woo, Go Team!
We headed up to the main lighthouse to have a look at the archaeological exhibition that has been on show since May. We then had a session with the SNH team to hear about what had led them to this point in their career. It was really interesting to hear about the variety of ways in which people got involved in the conservation sector and ended up being on the Isle of May.
Our last evening on the island, what should we do? Well of course have a ceilidh! Simon from SNH was able to provide the music and it was up to the Scot’s to remember the routines. We got there in the end and everyone seemed to enjoy ceilidh dancing as it was some of the group’s first experience of Scottish dancing. It was a great way to end a fantastic week just the tidying and cleaning to go tomorrow….
Ally
SATURDAY 8 JULY
On the last day of an active week, we had a short but eventful morning. As well as cleaning and tidying the Low Light for the next lodgers, we wrapped up our final thoughts on the week’s events in the Chatty Log. And, as a bonus activity, we investigated a Rock Pipit nest and ringed three (very cute) chicks, before setting off to Kirkhaven to say farewell. We watched the Isle of May grow smaller behind us as we set off, and released a Puffling passenger into the waves, before arriving at the last destination on the week’s journey, a (yet again) sunny Anstruther.
Emma
Useful Links:
Find out more about how the SOC tries to support and develop young ornithologists.
Last July, six more young birders set sail for the Isle of May to take part in the SOC/Isle of May Bird Observatory's, 'Young Birders' Training Course' 2017. Here's how they got on on their island adventure...
SATURDAY 1 JULY
Following first introductions on a lovely sunny morning in Anstruther, our group set off on a wet and windy journey by RIB across choppy waters to the Isle of May. As we got closer we found ourselves surrounded by Puffins (I’d never seen so many at once). Upon arrival at Kirkhaven harbour, we were greeted by the raucous shrills of nesting Arctic Terns, and spotted a chick or two amongst the rocks. We ambled along Holyman’s Road to our cosy accommodation at the Low Light where we unpacked, set up our telescopes and had our first lunch on the Isle of May.
After lunch we had a visit from the CEH Isle of May Field Manager, Mark Newell. Mark gave us a rundown on the seabird research undertaken on the island and prepared us for our taster week of daily life on the May. Next, we were treated to a tour of the island, visiting Burnett’s Leap with a view to Rona, and then up to Three Tarn Nick on the North Plateau where we saw Razorbills as close as two metres away. We visited the Heligoland Traps to see if they were working, and found a Chiffchaff and four juvenile Pied Wagtails, which allowed us our first ringing demonstration. Then finally off to the Low Light for pizza. Not a bad start to the week!
Another glorious day on the Isle of May. Today we took shifts in the hide near Low Light so we could record Puffin feeding rates. I arrived at 8am for my shift, and before long I spotted my first Puffin scuttling into its burrow with a mouth full of fish. It was at that point I realised the next two hours were going to be a lot of fun. I had thought the Puffin’s ‘flying brick’ type flight pattern was comical but it is nothing compared to their ridiculous penguin-like run. I’ll be honest, it’s only day two and I’ve already fallen in love with this place. I saw two Pufflings brave the outside world to stretch their wings before retreating back to the safety of their burrow. Some of the Puffins came up really close to the hide which was great as it meant I got to hear their very sweet grumbling noises.
After my stint in the hide I went off to join the rest of the group while they were building tern huts. We’re learning so many different skills out here, I never thought when I applied for a birding course that I would be measuring, sawing and hammering wood.
After this we all headed out to do a bit of habitat restoration. We weeded out a lot of nettles in various places so we were able to put up some mist nets. That evening we managed to get a few juvenile Starlings, juvenile Pied Wagtails and a Swallow in the mist net. We’re still all a bit apprehensive about ringing but I’m sure our confidence will grow.
Hannah Lemon
MONDAY 3 JULY
After breakfast we headed to Fluke Street to open the moth trap, which yielded two moths. It was bright and sunny while we checked the walls towards the south of the island for any Pufflings that had gotten stuck during the night on their descent to the sea. Next we got our waterproofs on in preparation for our trip to Rona. Not for inclement weather, but to protect us from the predicted shower of gull excrement we’d endure whilst searching the undergrowth and rocks for Great Black-backed Gull chicks. Any unringed chicks were fitted with metal rings alongside a coloured ring with a visible short code which allows researchers to record the movements and success of chicks, data which is used by SNH to monitor the population.
After lunch we met with Mark to do some ‘Puffin grovelling’. This meant sticking our arms down Puffin burrows to pull out the chicks to ring them. This was very hit and miss - some burrows were full of water from the rain the previous week, some had inches of excrement which was unavoidable as your arm went into the burrow. Others had very long burrows, too long for an arm to reach the chick at the end. I was fortunate in the burrows I checked and managed to retrieve three chicks plus one adult. Mark Newell told us about the concrete Puffin boxes which had been installed on the island when burrow space had become limited one year. However during the winter there was a mass mortality resulting in a considerable reduction in the Puffin population size, meaning that the boxes were no longer necessary. No Puffin pairs had successfully bred using these boxes until this year; box AO contained a Puffling which was the first to be hatched. Lewis ringed the Puffling then we put it back into the box - what an honour!
After this we had an ‘essential skills’ session with Stuart followed by some free time. I wandered down to Altarstanes, probably my favourite part of the island and a good place to look up at the cliffs and their inhabitants.
Later that evening we donned our coats for some Puffin netting. We had to run down to the net when a Puffin had been caught to pick up the fish they had dropped and then take the Puffin to be ringed before release. We did this until it got towards dusk, then went to the south of the island to watch Guillemot chicks jumping into the sea, or ‘fledging’. Emotions ran high whilst watching this; seeing the small, fluffy chicks jumping from such a height into the inky water below was nail-biting stuff. Thankfully all the chicks made it down alright whilst we were watching. It was very late by the time we got back to the Low Light, and quickly got into bed to make the most the time we had to sleep before the 04:30am start the following day.
Amy Hall
TUESDAY 4 JULY
Tuesday began early, despite staying up until after 23:00 the night before watching Guillemot jumplings. Our 04:30 rise and 05:00 start were justified by the chance to help CEH members with their dietary study of Puffins. Birds were to be caught with mist-nets on their return journeys from the sea to their burrows, dropping their edible prizes in the process. Running to the birds was key not only for their welfare, but also to deter opportunistic gulls that would otherwise be onto the fish in a flash. Catching double figures of birds gave us all a chance to ring at least one adult, alongside the usual Pufflings that we rescued from beside the customary wall each morning. A novelty for that Independence Day afternoon was a tern feeding watch; in pairs, we were to monitor two randomly chosen Arctic Tern nests and the only Sandwich Tern nest with a chick, tallying up the incoming feeds for one hour. My partner drew a blank with his Arctics, but my Sandwich chick got one feed exactly halfway through our slot, so at least I had something to write!
Alexandros Adamoulas
WEDNESDAY 5 JULY
We started off today by visiting the moth trap down at Fluke Street - our moth ID skills are improving each day. Next we searched for Pufflings which had got lost in the nettles while trying to fledge overnight. We came across seven Pufflings this morning, I find this job very rewarding because without our help these Pufflings would not have survived. Next we helped with tern chick recording. With each chick we found, we picked it up and either read out the ring number or took it to be ringed. We were able to see tern chicks of all different ages which I found really interesting as we were able to see the age progression.
Later that day we went back and ringed the Puffin chicks we had found that morning, everyone seems to be becoming far more confident with the ringing which has been great to see. After this we headed off to ring Kittiwake chicks which was enjoyable as the chicks were very sweet and fluffy.
Stuart then took us round to see the south end of the island where we got some really impressive views, it feels very calm round that end of the island. Later that day we set up a huge mist net so we could hopefully catch some storm petrels that night. We stayed up until 2:30am and in that time we did manage to catch a storm petrel which was very exciting!
After a long late night of Storm Petrel ringing, the morning got off to a slower start with everyone falling out of bed at around 8:30am. The first activity of the day was to go through the moth box we had put out the night before. Emptying the box and identifying all the moths had become an eagerly anticipated activity most mornings, especially amongst a select few who were seemingly becoming experts as the week progressed. I personally wouldn’t have put myself down as being overly keen on moths, however, I found myself growing to love it and that morning Alison and I were the first to dive in. Key species we were growing to know included Dark Arches and The Spectacle, while the Beautiful Golden Y were present in numbers as well as some new species for the week including Burnished Brass and Large Yellow Underwings.
Our hands-on work with the birds and any work off the main paths comes to a halt whilst visitors are on the island so as not to encourage them to wander from the paths. Instead time was put towards creating nest boxes for the terns. The tern chicks are easy prey for the larger gulls on the island and so providing the young with places to shelter reduces the predation risk massively. After already completing half the boxes earlier we soon turned the final two sheets of plywood into another 13 nest boxes. This made our 26 boxes for the week, more than last year’s young birders by one box…. not that it is a competition !
The weather was panning out to be a nice night for another Storm Petrel ringing session, however before this was the main event of the year, the quiz. The observatory was split into two teams and so was Fluke Street. After several rounds of tough questions, including a ‘bird’ round of course, everyone showed their strengths (and weaknesses) and the observatory came first. With some added drinks this kind of social event really encompasses the family spirit on the island. Sometimes it is not always easy living in such an enclosed environment but with everyone sharing a common interest and passion for birds and conservation at no point did I or anyone feel out of place or unwelcome.
Last but not least was another night of Storm Petrel ringing, which although an amazing experience to be able to see these stunning, charismatic little sea birds up close, it is also very draining staying up until 3am for the second night in a row. Some did not make it all the way through the night, but everyone managed a look at the one individual we caught. With standard views of Storm Petrels being 100m off shore in stormy conditions, having one in your hand is just incredible.
We were off to help Bex do some more gull chick ringing. This was no mean feat, a small group of larger chicks were pretty wary of us and if we got too close they would just go into a large pool of water. In the end it took us all staged at various points around the pool to get the chicks back to dry land and a few of us were army crawling (me included) and hiding in ‘ambush’ as the chicks were walked towards us. Let me tell you it is not easy staying upright when you are trying to get across slippy rocks quickly, but we did it and lying flat on my stomach strewn across the rocks, I caught the chick that needed ringed. Woo, Go Team!
We headed up to the main lighthouse to have a look at the archaeological exhibition that has been on show since May. We then had a session with the SNH team to hear about what had led them to this point in their career. It was really interesting to hear about the variety of ways in which people got involved in the conservation sector and ended up being on the Isle of May.
Our last evening on the island, what should we do? Well of course have a ceilidh! Simon from SNH was able to provide the music and it was up to the Scot’s to remember the routines. We got there in the end and everyone seemed to enjoy ceilidh dancing as it was some of the group’s first experience of Scottish dancing. It was a great way to end a fantastic week just the tidying and cleaning to go tomorrow….
Ally
SATURDAY 8 JULY
On the last day of an active week, we had a short but eventful morning. As well as cleaning and tidying the Low Light for the next lodgers, we wrapped up our final thoughts on the week’s events in the Chatty Log. And, as a bonus activity, we investigated a Rock Pipit nest and ringed three (very cute) chicks, before setting off to Kirkhaven to say farewell. We watched the Isle of May grow smaller behind us as we set off, and released a Puffling passenger into the waves, before arriving at the last destination on the week’s journey, a (yet again) sunny Anstruther.
Emma
Useful Links:
Find out more about how the SOC tries to support and develop young ornithologists.
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[title] => Waterston House Art Exhibitions Coordinator - vacancy
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Sadly, our current exhibitions coordinator, Dave Allan, retires at the end of March 2018, after thirteen years working for the Club. As well as organising year after year of first class wildlife art exhibitions, Dave is also the face of Waterston House at weekends, welcoming regular and first-time visitors with his well-known hospitality and his expert knowledge of birds and optics! Indeed, many local members and non-members will know Dave from having participated on HQ’s popular guided walks for beginners, which Dave organises and leads. He will be sorely missed by staff, volunteers and visitors alike but we all wish him a much deserved very happy retirement, which will no doubt involve even more birding!
In the meantime, of course, we are busy taking applications for a new Art Exhibitions Coordinator.
Sadly, our current exhibitions coordinator, Dave Allan, retires at the end of March 2018, after thirteen years working for the Club. As well as organising year after year of first class wildlife art exhibitions, Dave is also the face of Waterston House at weekends, welcoming regular and first-time visitors with his well-known hospitality and his expert knowledge of birds and optics! Indeed, many local members and non-members will know Dave from having participated on HQ’s popular guided walks for beginners, which Dave organises and leads. He will be sorely missed by staff, volunteers and visitors alike but we all wish him a much deserved very happy retirement, which will no doubt involve even more birding!
In the meantime, of course, we are busy taking applications for a new Art Exhibitions Coordinator.
With spring on the doorstep thoughts are turning to the breeding season and the chance to chart the progress of the breeding birds of Scotland. Many of you will be out monitoring your favourite species or sites, and hopefully submitting all your records to the local SOC bird recorder.
The UK Rare Breeding Birds Panel collates and reports on the status of the rarer breeding birds across the UK. A rare breeder is classified as a species with fewer than 2,000 breeding pairs in the UK. You may have seen the Panel’s annual reports in British Birds; the most recent covered 2014 was published in September 2016. The RBBP Secretary is currently (March 2017) busy processing all the data received for 2015, ready for the next report, and come the summer calls will be made to SOC recorders for their 2016 data, so if you have not sent your records for last breeding season in yet, please do it soon so that they are available to the recorders for inclusion in their annual submission.
But back to this year. Both SOC and the RBBP encourage you to submit all your records on BirdTrack and this recommendation includes records of rare breeding birds. (Note that if you feel a species or site is sensitive and you want the recorder to know that, you can flag the record as sensitive). We are not only looking for records of confirmed breeding (such as nests with young, recently fledged young or adults carrying food for young) but also records of probable breeding (pairs in breeding habitat, nest building, territorial or display behaviour) and possible breeding (singing birds or simply individuals in breeding habitat during the breeding season). Migrating birds, clearly on passage, would not be counted as breeding but with rare species remember anything can happen and a migrant may choose to stay and hold a territory (Marsh Warblers and Red-backed Shrikes have done this in recent years). So even though a pair of Garganey in April or early May are likely to be birds on passage, a single male later on at a site where a pair was present earlier might indicate possible breeding, and other records later in May or June might be sufficient to raise the level to probable breeding. The same criteria go for ‘resident’ species such as Wigeon, Shoveler and Pochard – lone males seen in late May or early June when a pair was present earlier, could well represent a breeding pair. Go back and look for a brood with the female later! To help the recorder interpret these records, you can see how important it is to give a separate count of both sexes, and of small young – BirdTrack has facilities to enter this, or if you are using the BirdTrack app on a smartphone, you can put the details in a comment.
It is also incredibly useful to recorders to understand the level of breeding evidence and to determine how many pairs are breeding, or potentially breeding, at a site, if the breeding evidence code is entered on BirdTrack – these are the same codes as used in Atlas projects so will be familiar to most of you, and in any case BirdTrack offers you a choice from drop-down menu, even on the app.
Not all of the species on the list are rare from a Scottish perspective and although many of them receive extra protection during the breeding season through Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, their presence in breeding habitat can often be monitored from a safe distance without disturbing the birds. As always, follow the Birdwatchers’ Code of Conduct and put the welfare of the birds and their nests first. There is absolutely no need to approach the birds closely to take a photograph, and anyone deliberately going close to a nest is in contravention of the law and could face prosecution.
A final comment. There are some species which, though on the RBBP list, are poorly recorded, and Scotland holds important populations of these birds. For birders in SW Scotland, any record of Willow Tit from March through to July is relevant (and can be at least assigned to birds in breeding habitat) and early spring in any wooded part of Scotland is the best time to locate displaying Goshawks. Our knowledge of the population of Goshawks is limited because most records received by the RBBP relate to nesting pairs monitored by licensed raptor workers, but any birdwatcher can help by reporting any bird seen in nesting habitat. And then there is a suite of species which are under-recorded in the breeding season. Wigeon has been mentioned but other poorly recorded water birds are Goldeneye, Red- and Black-throated Divers, waders such as Greenshank and Whimbrel, and Snow Bunting. All records of both Long- and Short-eared Owls in breeding habitat from April to July are also invaluable in assessing the total breeding population.
Diligent observers may be the first to find breeding Little Egrets or Cetti’s Warbler in Scotland!
We wish you all the best in your endeavours to track breeding birds in Scotland and the RBBP looks forward to including the results of your time in the field in our annual summaries. Mark Holling, the RBBP Secretary, would like to thank all birdwatchers and SOC recorders in Scotland for their important contributions – without your efforts the RBBP could not do its important work for the conservation of birds. If you would like to know more about the work of the RBBP, take a look at www.rbbp.org.uk, where you can find a full list of species covered by the Rare Breeding Birds Panel.
With spring on the doorstep thoughts are turning to the breeding season and the chance to chart the progress of the breeding birds of Scotland. Many of you will be out monitoring your favourite species or sites, and hopefully submitting all your records to the local SOC bird recorder.
The UK Rare Breeding Birds Panel collates and reports on the status of the rarer breeding birds across the UK. A rare breeder is classified as a species with fewer than 2,000 breeding pairs in the UK. You may have seen the Panel’s annual reports in British Birds; the most recent covered 2014 was published in September 2016. The RBBP Secretary is currently (March 2017) busy processing all the data received for 2015, ready for the next report, and come the summer calls will be made to SOC recorders for their 2016 data, so if you have not sent your records for last breeding season in yet, please do it soon so that they are available to the recorders for inclusion in their annual submission.
But back to this year. Both SOC and the RBBP encourage you to submit all your records on BirdTrack and this recommendation includes records of rare breeding birds. (Note that if you feel a species or site is sensitive and you want the recorder to know that, you can flag the record as sensitive). We are not only looking for records of confirmed breeding (such as nests with young, recently fledged young or adults carrying food for young) but also records of probable breeding (pairs in breeding habitat, nest building, territorial or display behaviour) and possible breeding (singing birds or simply individuals in breeding habitat during the breeding season). Migrating birds, clearly on passage, would not be counted as breeding but with rare species remember anything can happen and a migrant may choose to stay and hold a territory (Marsh Warblers and Red-backed Shrikes have done this in recent years). So even though a pair of Garganey in April or early May are likely to be birds on passage, a single male later on at a site where a pair was present earlier might indicate possible breeding, and other records later in May or June might be sufficient to raise the level to probable breeding. The same criteria go for ‘resident’ species such as Wigeon, Shoveler and Pochard – lone males seen in late May or early June when a pair was present earlier, could well represent a breeding pair. Go back and look for a brood with the female later! To help the recorder interpret these records, you can see how important it is to give a separate count of both sexes, and of small young – BirdTrack has facilities to enter this, or if you are using the BirdTrack app on a smartphone, you can put the details in a comment.
It is also incredibly useful to recorders to understand the level of breeding evidence and to determine how many pairs are breeding, or potentially breeding, at a site, if the breeding evidence code is entered on BirdTrack – these are the same codes as used in Atlas projects so will be familiar to most of you, and in any case BirdTrack offers you a choice from drop-down menu, even on the app.
Not all of the species on the list are rare from a Scottish perspective and although many of them receive extra protection during the breeding season through Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, their presence in breeding habitat can often be monitored from a safe distance without disturbing the birds. As always, follow the Birdwatchers’ Code of Conduct and put the welfare of the birds and their nests first. There is absolutely no need to approach the birds closely to take a photograph, and anyone deliberately going close to a nest is in contravention of the law and could face prosecution.
A final comment. There are some species which, though on the RBBP list, are poorly recorded, and Scotland holds important populations of these birds. For birders in SW Scotland, any record of Willow Tit from March through to July is relevant (and can be at least assigned to birds in breeding habitat) and early spring in any wooded part of Scotland is the best time to locate displaying Goshawks. Our knowledge of the population of Goshawks is limited because most records received by the RBBP relate to nesting pairs monitored by licensed raptor workers, but any birdwatcher can help by reporting any bird seen in nesting habitat. And then there is a suite of species which are under-recorded in the breeding season. Wigeon has been mentioned but other poorly recorded water birds are Goldeneye, Red- and Black-throated Divers, waders such as Greenshank and Whimbrel, and Snow Bunting. All records of both Long- and Short-eared Owls in breeding habitat from April to July are also invaluable in assessing the total breeding population.
Diligent observers may be the first to find breeding Little Egrets or Cetti’s Warbler in Scotland!
We wish you all the best in your endeavours to track breeding birds in Scotland and the RBBP looks forward to including the results of your time in the field in our annual summaries. Mark Holling, the RBBP Secretary, would like to thank all birdwatchers and SOC recorders in Scotland for their important contributions – without your efforts the RBBP could not do its important work for the conservation of birds. If you would like to know more about the work of the RBBP, take a look at www.rbbp.org.uk, where you can find a full list of species covered by the Rare Breeding Birds Panel.
Every spring/summer, Angus Murray of Birdline Scotland provides Headquarters with an often daily (or even more frequent!) update of the latest migrant birds to touch down on Scottish soil, by recording area.
The information is copied to an online table available to view on the website here , where you’ll also find details of how to submit your migrant sightings.
Now in its 14th year of running, the table is a useful tool in allowing comparisons between years and allows you to find out dates for when the first Swallow or Osprey was reported for example, and in which area. Details of particularly interesting or notable arrivals are often posted as small news pieces on the Club’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Spring migrants, 2017
Winter 2016-17 was overall fairly mild and benign in Scotland with wintering migrants reported including Manx Shearwater and Sandwich Tern both in the Firth of Forth, Whimbrel (Argyll, D&G and Fife), Common Sandpiper (Argyll), several Chiffchaffs and Lesser Whitethroat (Highland).
Spring migration started off with some very early records with the first migrants being around two weeks earlier than normal. South/southwesterly winds on the weekend of 11th-12th March especially saw some early dates, most notably up to seven Garganey at WWT Caerlaverock (D&G). A remarkable series of House Martin reports also resulted from this between the 12th-15th with four birds seen, all on west coast islands and all being the earliest ever for their respective recording areas, Clyde Islands, Argyll, Highland and Outer Hebrides. Indeed the one on Arran (Clyde Islands) on 12th equals the previous early date for Scotland, three at Tweedbank (Borders) on 12th March 2006. The only other published mid March records of House Martin in Scotland are three different birds in Ayrshire on 15th March 1990 and one at RSPB Baron’s Haugh (Clyde) 16th March 1981. This is a species most Scottish birdwatchers wouldn’t normally expect to see until mid-late April though in recent years the first birds have been appearing earlier, in the last week of March/first week of April.
Every spring/summer, Angus Murray of Birdline Scotland provides Headquarters with an often daily (or even more frequent!) update of the latest migrant birds to touch down on Scottish soil, by recording area.
The information is copied to an online table available to view on the website here , where you’ll also find details of how to submit your migrant sightings.
Now in its 14th year of running, the table is a useful tool in allowing comparisons between years and allows you to find out dates for when the first Swallow or Osprey was reported for example, and in which area. Details of particularly interesting or notable arrivals are often posted as small news pieces on the Club’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Spring migrants, 2017
Winter 2016-17 was overall fairly mild and benign in Scotland with wintering migrants reported including Manx Shearwater and Sandwich Tern both in the Firth of Forth, Whimbrel (Argyll, D&G and Fife), Common Sandpiper (Argyll), several Chiffchaffs and Lesser Whitethroat (Highland).
Spring migration started off with some very early records with the first migrants being around two weeks earlier than normal. South/southwesterly winds on the weekend of 11th-12th March especially saw some early dates, most notably up to seven Garganey at WWT Caerlaverock (D&G). A remarkable series of House Martin reports also resulted from this between the 12th-15th with four birds seen, all on west coast islands and all being the earliest ever for their respective recording areas, Clyde Islands, Argyll, Highland and Outer Hebrides. Indeed the one on Arran (Clyde Islands) on 12th equals the previous early date for Scotland, three at Tweedbank (Borders) on 12th March 2006. The only other published mid March records of House Martin in Scotland are three different birds in Ayrshire on 15th March 1990 and one at RSPB Baron’s Haugh (Clyde) 16th March 1981. This is a species most Scottish birdwatchers wouldn’t normally expect to see until mid-late April though in recent years the first birds have been appearing earlier, in the last week of March/first week of April.
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[id] => 3727
[title] => SOC & Isle of May Bird Observatory, Young Birders' Training Course 2017
[alias] => 49soc-isle-of-may-bird-observatory-young-birders-training-course-2017
[introtext] =>
Young Birders’ Training Course
Investing in the future of wild bird conservation
1 – 7 July 2017, Isle of May
It’s that time of year again when Scotland’s largest bird club, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) and Britain’s oldest continuously accredited bird observatory, the Isle of May Bird Observatory (IoMBO) seek a further six promising young birdwatchers to take part in their Young Birders’ Training Course, a week-long funded training course, run by the SOC and the IoMBO, on the Isle of May this July.
Open to individuals aged 16–25 years, the Young Birders’ Training Course is the only course of its kind in the UK. It presents a unique opportunity for budding ornithologists’, both in its setting and teaching options. The successful applicants will gain invaluable first-hand practical experience of a wide range of bird survey skills and techniques and participants will be able to draw on the talents and knowledge of highly experienced bird ringers, researchers and surveyors.
The course itself will include a thorough introduction to the practice of recording birds and other wildlife, experience of species counts, monitoring, ringing, trapping, ageing and sexing birds, as well as opportunities to participate in activities such as visible migration watches and co-ordinated sea-watching counts. Outwith the scope of most university curricula, these skills are essential attributes for those embarking on a career or role in wildlife recording, surveying and conservation.
The Isle of May, which lies five miles off the Fife coast, nestles in the mouth of the Firth of Forth, and is a wonderful backdrop for the course. The island is one of Scotland’s National Nature Reserves, managed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and protected by European and UK legislation because of its internationally and nationally important seabird and Grey Seal colonies.
The lucky participants will have the chance to find out more about the island’s rich cultural history and to sample bird observatory life, with accommodation for the duration of their stay being provided within the refurbished ‘Low Light’, a former lighthouse.
This course will not only provide a platform for participants to pursue a future in wildlife monitoring and conservation, but a network of contacts to assist the students on their journey.
The application form for the course can be downloaded from the SOC website here or obtained by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The closing date for completed applications is 5pm, Monday 1st May 2017. Completed forms should be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or posted to: Jane Cleaver (Confidential), SOC, Waterston House, Aberlady, EH32 0PY.
Images courtesy of Harry Martin (top), Radina Atanasova (middle) and Stuart Rivers (bottom).
It’s that time of year again when Scotland’s largest bird club, the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club (SOC) and Britain’s oldest continuously accredited bird observatory, the Isle of May Bird Observatory (IoMBO) seek a further six promising young birdwatchers to take part in their Young Birders’ Training Course, a week-long funded training course, run by the SOC and the IoMBO, on the Isle of May this July.
Open to individuals aged 16–25 years, the Young Birders’ Training Course is the only course of its kind in the UK. It presents a unique opportunity for budding ornithologists’, both in its setting and teaching options. The successful applicants will gain invaluable first-hand practical experience of a wide range of bird survey skills and techniques and participants will be able to draw on the talents and knowledge of highly experienced bird ringers, researchers and surveyors.
The course itself will include a thorough introduction to the practice of recording birds and other wildlife, experience of species counts, monitoring, ringing, trapping, ageing and sexing birds, as well as opportunities to participate in activities such as visible migration watches and co-ordinated sea-watching counts. Outwith the scope of most university curricula, these skills are essential attributes for those embarking on a career or role in wildlife recording, surveying and conservation.
The Isle of May, which lies five miles off the Fife coast, nestles in the mouth of the Firth of Forth, and is a wonderful backdrop for the course. The island is one of Scotland’s National Nature Reserves, managed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and protected by European and UK legislation because of its internationally and nationally important seabird and Grey Seal colonies.
The lucky participants will have the chance to find out more about the island’s rich cultural history and to sample bird observatory life, with accommodation for the duration of their stay being provided within the refurbished ‘Low Light’, a former lighthouse.
This course will not only provide a platform for participants to pursue a future in wildlife monitoring and conservation, but a network of contacts to assist the students on their journey.
The application form for the course can be downloaded from the SOC website here or obtained by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The closing date for completed applications is 5pm, Monday 1st May 2017. Completed forms should be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or posted to: Jane Cleaver (Confidential), SOC, Waterston House, Aberlady, EH32 0PY.
Images courtesy of Harry Martin (top), Radina Atanasova (middle) and Stuart Rivers (bottom).
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[title] => DONALD WATSON - WILDLIFE ARTIST
[alias] => 2donald-watson-wildlife-artist
[introtext] =>
Eleven of famed wildlife artist Donald Watson’s paintings have been made public for the first time as a group on a new webpage, on this site.
They are from the SOC’s Library and Archive and the subject matter ranges from the Western Isles to the Isle of May and Aberlady Bay, and from evocative landscapes to bird portraiture.
Donald Watson (1918-2005) was an acclaimed author and bird artist, one of the founding members of the SOC in 1936, and a great friend of the Club throughout his life. The art gallery at Waterston House is named in his honour.
Eleven of famed wildlife artist Donald Watson’s paintings have been made public for the first time as a group on a new webpage, on this site.
They are from the SOC’s Library and Archive and the subject matter ranges from the Western Isles to the Isle of May and Aberlady Bay, and from evocative landscapes to bird portraiture.
Donald Watson (1918-2005) was an acclaimed author and bird artist, one of the founding members of the SOC in 1936, and a great friend of the Club throughout his life. The art gallery at Waterston House is named in his honour.
stdClass Object
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[id] => 4342
[title] => Colour-ringed Waxwings and an old friend returns
[alias] => 90colour-ringed-waxwings-and-an-old-friend-returns
[introtext] =>
The UK is having its largest Waxwing invasion in 3 winters just now with birds being reported up and down the country during November and December, 2016.
We have colour-ringed over 300 birds in and around Aberdeenshire so far this winter, including 140 in Ballater. We would be very grateful for any reports of these birds so please check all Waxwings (AND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS) and report them to http://grampianringing.blogspot.com/ or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We were delighted to hear from Shetland photographer and birder, Hugh Harrop recently about a returning Waxwing we had colour-ringed in a previous invasion
NW49165, colour rings red over white right leg, metal over red left leg (see top photo) was ringed as an adult male on 03/12/2013 in Burnett Place, Aberdeen. Hugh had it in his garden at Hillwell, Shetland on 12/11/16. So it was very interesting to hear about this bird again, returning to the UK 3 winters later!
We get a lot of resightings of colour-ringed birds throughout the winter of an invasion (mainly in the UK) but this is only our 8th ringed bird recorded returning to the UK in a subsequent invasion out of the several thousands we have ringed over the years.
As an added bonus, this Waxwing (right) had a little bit of history during its visit in 2013/14. It was resighted still in Aberdeen at the end of December 2013 before making a trip across the North Sea at some point and turning up in Hilversum in the Netherlands towards the end of February 2014.
Results from Waxwing ringing in previous winters can be found on the Blog, the BTO Online ringing reports or (specifically ringing in Ballater in 2010) a PDF summary can be emailed.
The UK is having its largest Waxwing invasion in 3 winters just now with birds being reported up and down the country during November and December, 2016.
We have colour-ringed over 300 birds in and around Aberdeenshire so far this winter, including 140 in Ballater. We would be very grateful for any reports of these birds so please check all Waxwings (AND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS) and report them to http://grampianringing.blogspot.com/ or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We were delighted to hear from Shetland photographer and birder, Hugh Harrop recently about a returning Waxwing we had colour-ringed in a previous invasion
NW49165, colour rings red over white right leg, metal over red left leg (see top photo) was ringed as an adult male on 03/12/2013 in Burnett Place, Aberdeen. Hugh had it in his garden at Hillwell, Shetland on 12/11/16. So it was very interesting to hear about this bird again, returning to the UK 3 winters later!
We get a lot of resightings of colour-ringed birds throughout the winter of an invasion (mainly in the UK) but this is only our 8th ringed bird recorded returning to the UK in a subsequent invasion out of the several thousands we have ringed over the years.
As an added bonus, this Waxwing (right) had a little bit of history during its visit in 2013/14. It was resighted still in Aberdeen at the end of December 2013 before making a trip across the North Sea at some point and turning up in Hilversum in the Netherlands towards the end of February 2014.
Results from Waxwing ringing in previous winters can be found on the Blog, the BTO Online ringing reports or (specifically ringing in Ballater in 2010) a PDF summary can be emailed.
SOC brings together like-minded individuals with a passion for birds, nature and conservation through a programme of talks, outings, conferences and via the Club’s quarterly journal, Scottish Birds.
Each of the main species has two pages devoted to it, with a full page of attractive, easy-to-read maps showing seasonal distribution and abundance, change in breeding distribution since 1988-94 (the period when the last breeding atlas survey was carried out), maps at the 10x10 km scale which compare changes in breeding and winter distribution over the past 50 years and graphs showing distribution by altitude between the seasons and between the two atlases. These are supported by an account which helps to explain the distribution, its seasonal changes, changes over the years, supported by estimates of current population and their recent trends. 
