tamthebam Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 14 hours ago, Ziggy said: I’d have probably got a better pic if I hadn’t been sliding down the river bank. Heron really screws you up 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
101 Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 Saw 3 of these wee guys, any one have any ideas vivid red breasts but not a robin at least I don't think so as they were quite timid hence the poor quality. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie McSquackle Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 Here’s my latest attempt at getting a good picture of my pal the Heron.This particular heron decided to put on a wee display and pose for me this morning. I have to admit it was standing so still I thought it was a black bin bag on my approach. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sugna Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 56 minutes ago, Archie McSquackle said: This particular heron decided to put on a wee display and pose for me this morning. I have to admit it was standing so still I thought it was a black bin bag on my approach. That's not a heron. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sugna Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 1 minute ago, MixuFruit said: Looks like a cormorant rather than a heron I think I was going to say that, then I thought I saw a bit of crest and I bottled it! Not a heron, though. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanburn Dave Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 That's twice now I've managed to spot a jay in the middle of Falkirk in the wee park along from my house. I don't ever remember there being many of them about.It's only been in the last 2 or 3 years I have seen Jay around the Bo'ness area. I surprised one yesterday and what a racket it made when it launched into flight. Cracking looking bird. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie McSquackle Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 I've put my orthopaedic shoes on and stand corrected! I did think it was a bit darker than normal but am so used to seeing herons on the canal. Thanks to all those who put me right. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sugna Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 7 minutes ago, MixuFruit said: Haha I get para like that about identifying stuff, like guys in tactical gear are going to blast through the windows and take me away if I get it wrong Yes, I'm also (too) concerned about giving someone who knows even less than me a bum steer. I have had several ludicrous mis-calls over the years, and none has done any lasting damage. Right now, I'm remembering saying to my wife that I thought I'd seen a jack snipe. I didn't really have much idea, a very bad view and only picking up the bill, really. When we inevitably met the auld worthies with their telescope, she passed that on as a "possible", getting them very interested; then they pointed to a clear view of some bar-tailed godwits through their scope... and it was the same thing that we'd seen. You live and learn, though. Here's a photo I took at that same site a month ago (may already have posted it here...). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 2 hours ago, Archie McSquackle said: I've put my orthopaedic shoes on and stand corrected! I did think it was a bit darker than normal but am so used to seeing herons on the canal. Thanks to all those who put me right. I like cormorants myself. They're interesting in that unlike other seabirds their plumage is not naturally waterproof so you can see them drying out their feathers like the bird in your photo. The Chinese used to train them to catch fish Older readers might remember Graculus in "Noggin the Nog". I think he was a cormorant. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Offside Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 Speaking of cormorants.... Australian pied cormorant 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 It looks like an angry penguin stuck in a tree. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie McSquackle Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 I like cormorants myself. They're interesting in that unlike other seabirds their plumage is not naturally waterproof so you can see them drying out their feathers like the bird in your photo. The Chinese used to train them to catch fish Older readers might remember Graculus in "Noggin the Nog". I think he was a cormorant. Yeah, it was having a right old flap. Didn't realise this was why though- thanks. Hadn't seen it before but saw it again yesterday at the same point on the canal near Ruchill / Lambhill while out for a run. Didn't manage to take a picture this time as I was knackered and not capable of anything more than trying to put one foot in front of another. Are they normally seabirds or is it quite common to see them inland? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 19 minutes ago, Archie McSquackle said: On 20/12/2020 at 18:49, tamthebam said: I like cormorants myself. They're interesting in that unlike other seabirds their plumage is not naturally waterproof so you can see them drying out their feathers like the bird in your photo. The Chinese used to train them to catch fish Older readers might remember Graculus in "Noggin the Nog". I think he was a cormorant. Yeah, it was having a right old flap. Didn't realise this was why though- thanks. Hadn't seen it before but saw it again yesterday at the same point on the canal near Ruchill / Lambhill while out for a run. Didn't manage to take a picture this time as I was knackered and not capable of anything more than trying to put one foot in front of another. Are they normally seabirds or is it quite common to see them inland? I suppose they're like anything- if the food's there they'll go for it. I have seen a cormorant on Figgate Pond in Portobello but that's not too far from the sea. Most cormorants I've seen have been in the Firth of Forth- either flying low across the water or sitting on rocks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Jean King Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 I've seen a tree full of cormorants quite far inland before, very odd when your head says they should be by the sea. As [mention=12982]tamthebam[/mention] says, if there's fish they'll go there.There's a big colony at the Lochwinnoch lochs 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummie Clyde Posted December 28, 2020 Share Posted December 28, 2020 That's bonnie.Just shows that every animal in Australia is aggressive 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Offside Posted December 29, 2020 Share Posted December 29, 2020 4 hours ago, Brummie Clyde said: 18 hours ago, MixuFruit said: That's bonnie. Just shows that every animal in Australia is aggressive Oh, I don't know... I've seen these characters numerous times and they haven't attacked me yet. Brown quail. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shotgun Posted December 29, 2020 Share Posted December 29, 2020 Interesting hearing you all talking about jays and the racket they make. Here's a Stellar's Jay, which is common in our garden in Colorado. (Not my photo). Like yours they make one hell of a noise. They can imitate other birds and while I haven't seen it myself, they're known to mimic hawks. All the wee birds skedaddle for cover and the Jay then gets the bird feeders to themselves. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fife Saint Posted December 29, 2020 Share Posted December 29, 2020 Yeah cormorants are now commonly seen inland, much to the consternation of salmon fisherman. I saw a video from the middle Tay recently with what looked like a skein of geese landing in the river and systematically cleaning out the river of Salmon smolts as they made their run for the sea in the spring. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamthebam Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 That will be dead cormorants turning up now that have absolutely in no way been poisoned by gamekeepers.. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fife Saint Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 That will be dead cormorants turning up now that have absolutely in no way been poisoned by gamekeepers..You'll have a hard time poisoning cormorants on a river.The level of FEB (fish eating birds) on many Scottish rivers has exploded in last few decades with limited legal control of predators and the protection of introduced species like Goosander who are absolute machines at hoovering up populations of trout and salmon. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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