Greenshank

Since arriving in Scotland I have been busy studying greenshank, and continuing work began last year on a colour-ringing project, to investigate where the birds breeding in northern Scotland go to overwinter. 

A sample of birds have been colour-ringed with individual colour combinations, which allows any marked birds to be identified if seen by birdwatchers elsewhere. They are intriguing birds to work with, but very difficult to find and then catch.

Autumn into Spring

Last week I left the garden in Canberra while in full autumn colour. Then the next day I was in Scotland in full Spring sunshine and bloom. Both good, neither better.

Autumn leaves poking through the garden fence.

 Wood sorrel in a Scots pine wood

Wood anemone opening below an emerging  bracken frond

Dotterel

I have a three page article on dotterel in the current, April, issue of the Leopard magazine - click on the link on the side panel. This is a general account of the birds, describing how they are adapted to breed on the high Scottish hilltops; and how the population there is linked by migration with Norway and Morocco.

I have studied these birds for over thirty years, they are wonderful to work with and the hills they live in are wonderful to visit.

Lady Elliot Island - 4

Waders

Several species of waders forage on the coral platform, arctic-breeding waders, some of which I am familiar with in their nesting grounds on the tundra. Some like the Ruddy Turnstones and Pacific Golden Plover also feed on the paths and lawns of the resort complex and on the runway.

Other species I saw were Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Lesser Sand Plover, and two species of Tattler, Wandering and Grey-tailed.

 

 Wandering Tattler

                                                                                       Grey-tailed Tattler, note white belly and under tail.

When seen separately, the Tattlers are difficult to identify, but when seen together, as I saw these two feeding in the same pool it was more simple. Both birds were coming into their summer breeding plumage with flecked flanks, the Wandering Tattler having flecks right down its belly, while the Grey-tailed had a pale unmarked belly. It also had a brighter white stripe above the eye. However, the main difference was in their behaviour. Both foraged in the water's edge, but the Grey-tailed was far more jerky and jumpy as it fed and although it allowed close approach it was more nervous looking. The Wandering tattler was a slow methodical feeder, casually probing along the shore in a smooth action, it merely looked up quietly when approached.

Wandering tattler, note black and white markings all along the belly and under the tail.

Lady Elliot Island - 3

Coral and shells

Lady Elliot Island is entirely built of coral and shell (with a bit of guano and plant matter added later). It rose from below the surface about 3500 years ago and the foundation platform can be clearly seen to be formed from the coral and shells, and the current coral platform which surrounds the island can be seen forming the next extension to the island if it is uplifted again in another few thousand years.

Although most of the colour in the coral is seen when it is alive and underwater, bits and pieces are washed up on to the beaches along with sponges.

And there are thousands of seashells on the beaches. The island is a green zone, where removal of anything natural from the island is prohibited, and as a result every visitor has the joy of walking the shore and discovering a variety of shells. It is the best beach I have ever seen for shells, with several species of cowrie and cone shells - the builders of some of which are deadly poisonous if picked up when alive. Then there are clams, spiders and others I cannot remember, there were so many.

My prize find was a nautilus shell with barnacles growing on it.

I also found a splendid growth of barnacles on an old washed up log. The whole shore is a beachcomber's delight.