How much wood would a woodcock cock if a woodcock could cock wood?

Today's adventure saw Luc and me off on a twilight Woodcock survey for the BTO. Luc enjoyed the walk in but, as usual, wasn't so keen on the standing around bit. This was a 75 minute vantage point survey - by definition requiring standing around - and under the circumstances it went pretty well!

I'm not sure I'd really thought through what would probably happen, but if I had gone to the trouble of conceiving some expectations, this would certainly have exceeded them. Some grizzling, frantic finger-sucking and much walking up and down on the spot and - amazingly - he fell asleep. In the middle of a wood...

I'd gone prepared with a range of options, including a des res collapsible cot (thanks Lynn) but in the end it was the trusty Baby Bjorn sling that did the trick. He loves that sling...

Oh - and we DID see Woodcock. Lots of sightings, as the males flew around doing their trademark grunt-grunt-whistle display flight. This means that they are breeding in the wood (my old Landrick wood, for those of you that know it). Ancient birch and oak woodland hidden away on the edge of Dunblane.

It would be a one-in-a-million fluke to find a nest - they are such secretive birds - but it's nice to know that there are Woodcock in here year round. In winter, they are different birds, enjoying the relative 'warmth' of Scotland. Amazingly these birds leave in spring, heading off to central Europe or Russia, and are replaced with UK breeders. It seems inefficient, doesn't it?! Take a look at this amazing map of satellite-tagged birds: http://www.woodcockwatch.com/

We encountered a new nocturnal friend on the walk home, to add to Luc's growing collection (but note that he always seems to have his eyes firmly shut when I find something interesting!).

Dunblane is surprising rich in wildlife and we suspect that at least one creature is new to science. Dunblane's answer to the Loch Ness monster perhaps? The animal in the video below was spotted recently and is thought to be a close relative of the dinosaur Torosaurus (left). If confirmed as a new species, we plan to name it Lucosaurus.

 

Oh - and in other news, and to check that you read my blog posts all the way to the bottom... Look what I picked up on one of my trail cameras over the weekend... Happy days! :-) I could literally throw a stone from our back garden to this spot where this video was taken.

Wood you believe it?!

As you know, my intention in focusing more locally was to try and derive pleasure from what I could see on short wanders with Luc, rather than pining for the more remote parts of Scotland or more exotic wildlife. I had in mind, for example, the pleasure of following local blue tits through the nesting season, perhaps with the odd dipper and grey wagtail as unusual highlights. Here's a little dipper video from the main river that may amuse you:




My patch had already surprised me, with the unexpected discovery of things such as resident trout, passing otters and spawning frogs. My trout are hard to see in daylight. Not so the trout in the main river, for whatever reason. Here's a little video:



So - my patch was already proving to be rewarding. This morning brought another surprise...

Each morning I walk the short distance down to the bridge to retrieve my trail cameras to try and reduce the likelihood of them being stolen. This morning I was taken aback by a familiar but unexpected bird song. I paused to check again, in case I was imagining it, but no - there was indeed a singing WOOD WARBLER on my patch, and within 50 yards of the house.

This migratory species does breed within 5-10 miles of the house, but it has been steadily declining since we moved up here and it is certainly not a bird I would expect to see on my patch. I scurried home to get my camera and managed to hear it singing from our drive, making it a new and most unexpected garden tick!

It was drizzly (which may be what grounded this, presumably migrating, bird) meaning that the light wasn't great for photography. Anyone who knows small 'leaf warblers' like Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler or Goldcrest will know that they never sit still and are hard enough to follow in binoculars, let along with a long telephoto lens... Oh, and I was already late for work and we needed to leave imminently so that Helen wouldn't be late for her breast-feeding support group meeting. These things rather stacked up against me in my quest for my first ever photo of a Wood Warbler.

All things considered, therefore, I am pleased to have managed these two reasonable shots (click on them for larger versions).

This pretty little species is in national decline, and on the 'Red List', sadly. Info here.

Despite being arboreal, Wood Warblers (along with both Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff) nest on the ground in dainty domed nests (photo here). Quite why, I don't know.

I hope to find both Willow Warbler and Blackcap nests on the patch this year. It will be considerably easier once they have chicks to feed and are busily going backwards and forwards.

In other news... it has rained properly today for the first time in ages. With the main river in spate, I am hopeful that an otter may come foraging up my stream. The cameras are primed. Fingers crossed!