MAALIE

Maalie's new format

2010-10-22T14:54:00.011+01:00

Maalie's blog continues

CLICK
HERE

Regular readers are invited to bookmark the new site. There are links back to this site if required.

I'll tak' the high road...

2010-10-16T16:08:00.007+01:00

With high pressure building over Scotland last week, I made a snap decision to down-tools and head north to Argyll in Scotland for a few days kayaking, birding and fishing. My first night was spent camping in my X-trail on the shore of the eponymous Loch Lomond. At first light the next morning I was out on the loch paddling among the islands in near mirror-calm conditions.

First light at Loch Lomond, looking north

Sunrise behind the mountain range, the clouds catch the first rays of the new day

Gradually the mountain tops gather the sunlight

At last, Ben Lomond, one of Scotland's iconic landmarks, welcomes the day

And here you can listen to the famous song of Loch Lomond:

Kayak fishing

2010-10-05T13:09:00.011+01:00

Fishing from kayaks for food is an ancient skill developed by the Inuit and other indigenous people living in the Arctic regions, who used the boats to hunt on inland lakes, rivers and the coastal waters of the Arctic Ocean (indeed 'kayak' is an Inuit word). In recent times the manufacture of recreational kayaks from strong, light-weight materials has resulted in a gain in popularity of fishing from kayaks for sport. There are a number of web-sites devoted to this activity.

Recently my friend 'Drinking Ken' brought his kayak to Cumbria to join me for some sessions of kayak fishing on Coniston Water.

Ken's kayak is the sleek, classical "sit inside" type and although not designed for fishing,
he was able to adapt with some ingenious modifications

My own kayak is of the "sit on top" style and, although not as elegant as Ken's,
is more suitable for fishing

If Ken looks the more stylish, guess who caught the fish!
A small pike of about 3 pounds weight

But that was a mere tiddler compared to the monster I had caught a few days before,
weighing in at eleven and a quarter pounds. Use the net as a scale to compare the two fish.

Maalie in kayak-fishing battle-dress with his pike!

So what next?
Well, take a look at this - we can but dream!

Up in smoke

2010-10-03T10:34:00.005+01:00

Recently my friend Ken and I were on our way to a kayaking session when our route was blocked by a horse box that had pulled over to the side of the road ahead off us. There was some black smoke issuing from under the bonnet. The driver had already jumped down from the cab.

Frighteningly quickly (within a minute or two) the whole cab was in flames...

...and moments after that the whole vehicle was on fire with black smoke billowing into the sky

Scary though it was, it could have been a lot worse. Thankfully the driver was out in good time (though coughing and spluttering); there were no horses on board at the time; and the country road was quiet at that time of day - it might have been in a crowded city centre.

More migratory waders

2010-09-27T14:02:00.010+01:00

Following my previous post (below), I was able to observe a few more species of wading birds passing through the Seewinkel National Park (Burgenland, Austria) on their migration from the Arctic tundra towards Africa and the south. Here are a few of them.

Common Sandpiper - this juvenile is completing its post-juvenile moult

Dunlin - this bird is showing the last remnants of its black belly-patch
as it moults into winter plumage

The Knot is a little larger than the Dunlin and this individual is already in winter plumage

The Ruff - many pairs breed in the National Park
but many pass through on migration from further north

The Avocet is not strictly an Arctic breeder,
but they migrate south to avoid freezing temperatures in winter

Festival of Mabon

2010-09-20T09:23:00.019+01:00

Mabon is the Festival of the Autumn Equinox and is usually celebrated on September 21st. After Mabon, the nights in the Northern Hemisphere are longer than the days and, although we may still enjoy some lingering warmth in the sunshine, we know that summer is efectively over and autumn is upon us.

In the bird world, Mabon is the time of frenzied migration. Many species have already departed, and for others, like wading birds, it is the time of peak flow as they vacate their breeding quarters in the Arctic tundra to head south to warmer climes. I am spending this period observing migration at the Biological Station at the Seewinkel National Park in Burgenland, on the Austria-Hungary border. Here, the birds pause on their way south in order to rest, feed and build up strength for the next stage of their journey.

The Turnstone is a rare bird away from the coast and this youngster must have become disorientated on its first migration south to Africa

The Little Stint is one of the tiniest shore birds, scarcely larger than a sparrow, and works its bill rapidly like a sewing machine as it probes the shoreline incessantly for invertebrate food

The Spotted Redshank is passing through in hundreds and uses its longer bill for
picking out prey from deeper water where it can wade on longer legs.

Kingfishers are not normally thought of as migratatory birds, but many move away when rivers and lakes freeze up. The Biological Research Station in the Seewinkel National Park caught 69 Kingfishers in a period of three weeks; one of them had already been ringed in Poland

Mabon sunset over Burgenland

A Happy Mabon to all my readers!

There's an old mill by the stream...

2010-09-10T16:59:00.015+01:00

There are scattered around the Norfolk Broads some old structures that look like windmills. However, these were never mills, for grinding grain but wind pumps that were used for distributing water around the Broads network to maintain navigability. You can find more information about the old wind pumps here. Nowadays the pumping is done by electrical pumps.

What is that structure at the end of that backwater? Shall I paddle down and explore?

Ah, it's an old wind pump. It has lost its spars and sails.

I discover another - this one still has remnants of the old spars

Now, it is but a sad reflection of its former busy working life - a home for Starlings and Jackdaws.
Can you see something sitting on the top of the spar?

Oh, it's a Cormorant!

Horsey pump with stratocumulus; this is one of the best preserved wind pump in the Broads. With a head wind and the water getting a little choppy, I did not go closer.

As I settle down for my last camp in the Norfolk Broads, there is an inviting pub,
tantalisingly on the other side of the river.

But, hey! I have my very own ferry!!!

Where the wild geese fly...

2010-09-06T09:31:00.023+01:00

The Norfolk Broads is probably the most popular recreational inland waterway network system in Britain

It is wonderful to see a ketch rigged out with full topsail,
intended to catch the breeze over the tops of the reed beds

Paddling along a river, you can be confronted by a large vessel coming your way:

Help! Who has the 'right of way'?
What did I do with the rule book?
Oh well, Discretion is the better part of Fowler,
she is bigger than me and so I nose into the reeds and just let her sail past

My choice is to avoid the busy navigation lanes
and creep quietly along the edges of the reed beds...

...and penetrate the creeks and backwaters... who knows where they might lead?

where the water-lillies in bloom are undamaged
by the propellers of the motor-boats

and I can drift silently close up to a Grey Heron...

...or a young Great Crested Grebe with stripy head and still in baby-down.

I surprise a Mute Swan who takes avoiding action to avoid being run down by my kayak

After several hours of energetic paddling, I moor the kayak to have a pic-nic...

The kayak even has a special recess to hold the refreshement

Wending my way back through the backwaters as dusk falls, I encounter a flock of wild Greylag Geese, a wonderful climax to a fine day's kayaking in some of Britain's wildest wetlands

Kayaking on the Norfolk Broads

2010-08-29T07:52:00.044+01:00

The Norfolk Broads represent a network of navigable waterways (eponymously in Norfolk) that were created in medieval times by peat digging. The depressions later filled with water so that the rivers connecting them broadened out (hence, Broads) - see also the map at the bottom of this post.

Top left arrow (red) the English Lake District is where I live; lower right arrow (black) the Norfolk Broads where I visited.

The Norfolk Broads represent an important water-based recreational area for boating, fishing, etc. and is a major wildlife conservation area.

Near inhabited areas there are houses that border the waterfront. This desirable property for sale comes with included boathouse and fishing rights.
Hmmm. Maybe if I win the lottery...

Popular for boating holidays, the rivers can become a little congested near the busy marinas...

...but there are secluded conservation areas accessible only to kayaks

On my first day, I decided to familiarise myself with Broadland life by participating in a guided canoe trail with The Canoe Man, when I met up with and a shared a canoe with fellow blogger Ellee Seymour at South Walsham Broad.

Ellee Seymour glances over her shoulder,
maybe to warn me that I am about to steer the canoe into the bushes!

The next morning at daybreak, I find myself exploring the deserted Hoveton Little Broad...

...in the rain. But who cares, this is an adventure!

More adventures in the Norfolk Broads in Part 2!

The Norfolk Broads - a navigable network of waterways created by peat digging in medieval times. The black edging down the right side is the Norfolk coastline.

Away with my kayak!

2010-08-14T13:08:00.004+01:00

Maalie is away to the Norfolk Broads for a few days to play with his new toy!

First stop Poynton

During an overnight stop at Poynton we had a play on the Macclesfield Canal

Of course my sister, Lorenzo the Llama had to have a go too. And by the way she sliced effortlessly through the water, I don't believe she had never been in a kayak before!

When in Rome...

2010-08-04T11:09:00.011+01:00

Having had a succession of miserable wet days in Cumbria, I thought I would put up a few pictures to remind myself of a previous holiday!

Senatus Populus Que Romanus

Near the Coliseum

The Coliseum

Evening skylines

Riber Tiber

Maalie's Five lake Adventure - Part 2

2010-07-27T11:01:00.017+01:00

I woke up in my X-trail at first light, and sensed something was wrong. I could hear the trees blowing and the cloud cover had increased in the night and the wind had got up quite strong. I heaved myself into a sitting position, looked out of the side window and saw that Lowes Water looked quite gloomy and in no state for kayaking. I brewed a pot of tea on my camping stove, ate a banana and decided to set off straight for home for a hot bath.

Wastwater

Wastwater is renowned as being the deepest and the most austere of the English Lakes

The hot tea seemed to restore my energy and so I decided to return home via Wast Water (which was on my list) just to look at it. As I arrived, the wind seemed just a little lighter, it was not actually raining and so I decided to have a go.

Wastwater is 260 feet deep and has the steepest scree slopes in the country, and being rather exposed there is little surrounding vegetation, giving it a rather austere outlook. Nevertheless, I launched and paddled over to the far side and cruised at the foot of the scree banks.

The scree slopes at Wastwater are as steep as is is geologically possible for them to be.
They are rarely stable long enough for vegetation to grow to any extent

The scree descends at that angle for 260 feet down under the water

I nose in to the foot of a scree slope and look right up.
Not for long, the next rock slide could happen at any moment!

Coniston Water

By the time I had finished with Wastwater, the weather was deteriorating rapidly. But Maalie had set his target as five lakes, so five it must be! I headed to my familiar Coniston Water and sat in the car reading Dan Brown until the rain stopped. But it didn't! So I launched anyway, but visibility was very poor in the drizzle, so no stunning scenic photos on offer here, I'm afraid!

Coniston Water in the drizzle. The wind is getting up too. Well, I need practice in the rough...

Is that a sail I see before me? So I'm not the only madman to venture out today

As a blue sail disappears into the misty drizzle,
it is time for me to get home for that long-awaited hot bath!

And I enjoyed every minute of it!

Maalie's Five Lake Adventure - Part 1

2010-07-26T13:09:00.045+01:00

The advertisement for my new Feel-Free Nomad Kayak claims: "It will soon become your friend". I was keen to put this claim to the test with a tour of some of the more remote lakes in Cumbria's Lake District. Setting off from Maalie Court at 5.00am, I launched onto Derwent Water at exactly 8.00am on a flat-calm clear morning.

Derwent Water

The hills of Borrowdale reflected in the calm of Derwent Water

I head off towards an island in the lake with the fells of Skiddaw as a backdrop

A group of Cormorants soak up the early morning sun on a rocky outcrop in Derwent Water

Crummock Water

After an hour and a half of exploring Derwent Water, the boat was back on the roof rack of my X-Trail to head up into Borrrowdale towards what is claimed to be the prettiest sight in Cumbria, namely Buttermere. Unfortunately there was nowhere close enough to the lake edge to park and launch the boat and so I continued on up to Crummock Water.

By midday, a gentle breeze was just rippling the surface of Crummock water

Looking north on Crummock Water, with cumulus clouds above the lake

I pull ashore on an island in Crummock Water in order to admire my boat from the shore.
It already feels like it is becoming my friend

Incidentally, Crummock Water was given an alternative name in honour of my Norwegian ballerina friend Helén during her visit to the Lake District in May 2005. We named it Helén's Water.

Helén poses en attitide (left) at the edge of Crummock Water (a.k.a. Helén's Water) in May 2005, and in costume (right - this photo from her FB).

After exploring Crummock Water, I adventured forth to the smaller lake of Lowes Water.

Lowes Water

Evening at Lowes Water, looking South. The lake is renowned for its population of pike and though I tried fishing for a couple of hours, I did not catch one

A call of nature obliges me to find a concealed haven
in which to pull ashore for a few moments

By the time I came off Lowes Water it was time for my evening meal, cooked on my camping stoves, and then to settle down for the night. After a day of beautiful weather, the clouds appeared to be gathering in the evening gloom. But I still had two more lakes to explore...

That will be a story for my next post!

The March-Auen

2010-07-20T17:29:00.022+01:00

A year ago I described the woodland flood plain that borders the River Danube between Vienna and the Slovakian border near Bratislava, known as the Donau Auen. There is another river, the River March, that flows south along the border of Slovakia and Austria that feeds into the Danube near Hainburg, a little upstream from Bratislava. This river similarly has a forested flood plain, known as the March-Auen, which I was able to visit recently.

The River March near the village of Marchegg;
Slovakia is on the far bank and Austria the near bank

Much of the March-Auen is conservation area, in particular the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) reserve just north of the village of Marchegg. At this point the River March regularly floods its banks, inundating the surrounding meadows and forests creating what is more typically eastern European marsh landscape. The area is enormously rich in birds and other wildlife, with many species of raptors, both species of stork, River Warbler, woodpeckers, owls and Kingfisher. The reserve at Marchegg is one of the top priorities for wildlife tour groups visiting the area.

The White Stork colony at Marchegg is one of the largest tree-nesting colonies in Europe

The Au-forest is inter-laced with wet pools, a rich habitat for wildlife

The retreat of recent flooding leaves a tangle of fallen trees, assisted by the work of beavers

Research along the River March - the bird-ringing station near Hohenau an der March

Wildlife of the March-Auen includes the Red Squirrel...

...the Suslik (Ziesel) which can be found on higher, drier ground...

...and deer may be surprised as they graze in the meadows between the forest groves

Birds of the region include the blue-headed form of the Yellow Wagtail

And as a rare special treat, an Imperial Eagle soars over the March-Auen forests

Maalie is afloat again!

2010-07-12T19:21:00.007+01:00

Yes, after being boat-free for a number of years, I am now on the water again! The craft is a kayak in the "Feel Free" range, the "Nomad" class. Light and robust, it can be managed comfortably by one person and is ideal for exploring the Cumbria lakes and rivers; and on the sea in fine weather. A small wheel in the keel at the rear allows it to be trundled from the car to any launching place.

Putting my Feelfree Nomad through its paces on Coniston Water in Cumbria

Venturing further out as I get the feel of the kayak

A view of the Old Man of Coniston from the cockpit

The kayak is light enough to be lifted onto the roof of my X-trail
where it sits on an inflatable roof rack

My thanks to Jill of Windermere Canoe and Kayak for her patience in kitting me out!

An armchair tick...

2010-07-04T19:59:00.006+01:00

I have already described the compulsiviness with which birdwatchers compile lists of bird species they have seen in a year. Lists may relate to their county, country, garden, or even on their route to work. The acquistion of a new species for a list is known as a "tick": hence, "year tick", "garden tick", "holiday tick" and so on. The most important tick of all is the "life tick" (also known as a lifer) which gets added to one's "life list" when seen anywhere for the very first time.

I had to wait until retirement before I added Imperial Eagle to my life list. It was the Spanish sub-species (i.e. "race" or "form") which I saw in Extremedura in April 2009.

Spanish Imperial Eagle Aquila adalberti, Extremedura, Spain, April 2009

My next Imperial Eagle was the "Eastern" sub-species which I saw in Burgenland near the Austria/Hungary border earlier this year. Very exciting, of course, and a new tick for my Austria list. However, being only a "sub-species" I could not claim it as a "life tick".

UNTIL:

I have only recently discovered that taxonomists have since got to work with their DNA analyses and have proclaimed that the Spanish sub-species and the Eastern sub-species are sufficiently genetically and ecologically distinct as to be regarded as quite separate species, rather than mere sub-species.

An Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca, flies overhead at the March-Auen, Austria, 2010

Hooray! That's good! As I sit in the comfort of my arm chair as I type this, I can add Eastern Imperial Eagle as another "tick" to my life list without doing any extra work!

This is known as an "armchair tick"!

Tetrads - all the boxes ticked!!

2010-06-25T15:24:00.007+01:00

My regular readers will know that for the last three years I have been involved with the Bird Atlas scheme organised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). The project involves surveys of the thousands of 2km x 2km squares ("tetrads") of the UK Ordnance Survey National Grid.

Each tetrad requires four two-hour timed surveys (two in winter and two in summer) plus additional observations where possible.

I have been assigned 23 tetrads, so the minimum amount of survey time is 23 x 4 x 2 = 184 hours of fieldwork. I blogged interim reports of my progress here and here.

I am now happy to report that at last I have completed all 92 of the obligatory two-hour timed surveys. I have not counted how many individual bird observations I have up-loaded to the national data-base, but it is thousands!

All the boxes ticked! Each tick represents a two-hour timed survey
(winter on the left, summer on the right).
The 23rd tetrad is not shown on this map.

Hail Litha 2010 !

2010-06-21T11:48:00.015+01:00

The Festival of Litha celebrates the Summer Solstice - the point at which the sun reaches its furthest south before returning north, thereby shortening the days and lengthening the nights. At the latitude of Cumbria, it scarcely gets dark on the night of the Solstice. This year I decided to observe the night's vigil at the ancient stone circle at Birkrigg Common, overlooking Morecambe Bay.

As I arrived at the stone circle at about 10.00pm on the eve of Litha, some pilgrims had already arrived. Placing our offerings in the centre of the circle (mine, wholemeal bread rolls and my Flask of Ferment) we beat our drums until midnight, when it became scarcely dark

Within a couple of hours, the sky became pink a few points to the east of north,
heralding the dawn of Litha

As the sun climbs above the range of hills to the east,
the ghostly stones of the circle become apparent in the foreground

The rising sun illuminates the circle. Who knows what ceremonies might have taken place here when it was built some 4000 years ago?

Daybreak on Litha - some stones of the Druids' Circle at Birkrigg Common

You can see more pictures of Birkrigg Common and the stone circle here

A Happy Litha to all my readers!

See how I celebrated Litha in 2006 and 2007

Cei weled rhyfeddode byd...

2010-06-18T09:58:00.031+01:00

... is a line from a Welsh folk song that translates as: "I saw the wonders of the world", when sailor Huw Puw sailed around the coastline of Wales in his boat ANN, calling in at the seaside towns listed in the song below:

Cei weled rhyfeddode byd, cei hwylio hyd Bwllheli,
Porthmadog, Nefyn, Abersoch, Traeth Coch a'r Felin Heli ;
Biwmaris, Amlwch a Llanon, Caernarfon a Chaergybi,
Ceinewydd, Solfach, Abergwaun, a Phordinllaen ac Enlli

During my recent visit to Wales, I passed through, or close by, almost all of the towns listed by Huw Puw, except my trip was of course by car, not by boat!

Map of Wales, to help you locate some of the places I stayed

The sleepy village of Aberdaron, at the extreme western tip of the
Llŷn peninsula in North Wales

The island of Bardsey (Ynys Enlli) viewed from the tip of the Llŷn Peninsula

The secluded cove of Whistling Sands (Porth Oer) near Aberdaron, where I camped my first night. The sand has a special composition that makes it squeak when you walk on it!

Moving down to the coast to central Wales (see map above) to the
seaside town of Borth, where I lived for 18 years

Following the coast road down into Pembroke- shire I arrive at Wales' most south- westerly point near St David's. At the Coastal National Park at Poppit, I rendez- vous with....

...my younger son Carwyn and grand- daughter Heledd.
Heledd displays some peri- winkles she has found, heralding a future as a marine biologist?

Heledd enjoys her holiday in the sunshine on the beach

You can listen to Huw Puw's song!

Do animals "farm"?

2010-06-08T13:12:00.014+01:00

Farming may be defined as the maintenance of crops and/or animals for the supply of food. It is a classical human function that began with the Neolithic Revolution some twelve thousand years ago.

But can non-human animals farm? There is one well-known example in the Animal Kingdom in which it might indeed be claimed that an animal "maintains animals for the supply of food". And that is the maintenance of colonies of aphids by ants to harvest honeydew secretions.

A colony of aphids ("blackfly or greenfly") sucking the sap from a plant stem. These insects are of course hated by gardeners!
Look carefully and you can see some ants crawling over the colony

A closer view of these fascinating little insects that form the bottom
of the food chain as prey for for other insects and birds.
Aphids exude a sweet, sugary secretion called honeydew, much favoured by ants

Zooming in, you can clearly see the ants attending the colony
(two are arrowed, a third is in silhouette on the left)

The ants are not predators of aphids; indeed they maintain them by protecting them from predators such as ladybirds, so as to maintain a continuous supply of the energy rich honeydew; a product of evolution by natural selection.

This appears to be a clear example of one animal (the ant) maintaining another (the aphid) as a supply of food, analogous to the maintenance by humans of cows for milk.

Could you call this "farming"? What do you think?

I took these pictures recently on my travels

Carnival comes to Askam!

2010-06-06T20:19:00.014+01:00

My dosy little town of Askam-in-Furness is situated at the estuary of the River Duddon in Cumbria. Who would have thunk that it could have staged its own carnival?

I woke on Saturday morning, and something was in the air... At least there were flags and bunting aloft in my street. What was going on?

Not to be outdone I dug out my flags from the loft and decorated Maalie Court (left).
But what is all that pink stuff around the house next door?

Well, I never realised my next-door neighbour was a Princess!
(Photo with permission of parent)

Here comes the long-awaited carnival procession!

The Duddon inshore rescue lifeboat rightly has a leading position in the Carnival procession

Followed by the inevitable brass band...

The kiddies dance groups give a splash of colour to an otherwise rather drab street

In a World Cup year, a football theme was much in evidence!

By ancient custom and practice, the Fire Service brings up the rear of the carnival procession

The procession took over an hour to pass my house and was, for a village of this size, a splendid display. I spoke to more of my neighbours during that afternoon than I have in the rest of the year!

Long legs, long beaks...

2010-06-02T13:46:00.015+01:00

Wading birds, almost by definition, are endowed with long legs for walking into deep water in search of food.

However, the different species have evolved by natural selection to avoid competing with each other for food by becoming specialised in their own "ecological niches". A result of this is a process of adaptive radiation in which a diverse and peculiar array of beak shapes and sizes have evolved to do different jobs for different species.

I took the pictures below on a recent visit to the Seewinkel National Park in Burgenland, Austria.

The White Stork has a powerful beak for stabbing and grabbing. Its diet may include almost anything that moves, including insects, fish, reptiles and amphibia

The Spoonbill's beak is (as the names suggests) spoon-shaped for sieving through shallow water for aquatic insects and molluscs

The Great White Egret has very long legs and neck for fishing in deeper water

The Little Egret is more delicate than its Great White cousin and feeds in shallower water for small fish, tadpoles and aquatic insects

The Black-tailed Godwit has a long probing bill for digging up worms and molluscs
that live in the mud

The elegant Black-winged Stilt has proportionately the longest legs of all for wading into deeper water and picking up very small prey items

The Avocet is one of the very few wading birds with an up-turned bill. It is used for extracting insects and molluscs from the very surface of the mud or water

I was lucky to capture this pair of Avocets mating

How happy are you?

2010-05-16T12:44:00.015+01:00

There are numerous similes to indicate how happy you feel. If you live "Down Under" (Australia or New Zealand), you might feel "as happy as Larry". In England it is more usual to claim that you are "as happy as a sandboy"; and in America you would probably assert that you are "as happy as a clam".

But who is Larry?
What exactly is a sandboy?
And why are marine molluscs supposed to be happy?

The earliest use of Happy as Larry appears to date back to about 1875 when New Zealand writer G. L. Meredith quoted: "We would be as happy as Larry if it were not for the rats". Who "Larry" was seems to be a matter of opinion but one source suggests it is the Australian boxer Larry Foley (1847 - 1917).

Larry Foley, an Australian boxer. Does he look happy?

The English simile Happy as a Sandboy may conjure a picture of a child playing happily on a golden beach when on holiday. In fact it is something far less romantic. A sandboy was the person (the term "boy" in old English often referred to a man with a menial job) who spread the sand on the floor of a pub to soak up spills and saliva (later replaced by sawdust, hence "spit and sawdust"). But why were sandboys happy? Well, the answer may not be so difficult; it appears they were a carefree bunch who were often intoxicated!

A hostelry where sandboys spread sand on the floor to mop up spills.

There is an alternative explanation that goes back to the days when monks copied out their scripts when a dusting of sand was used as the equivalent of blotting paper. A sandboy was a monastic pupil who was excused other work in order to stand by with a ready supply of sand for the calligraphers in the nice, warm, comfortable scriptorium. Hence, they were "happy"!

The American preference for being as Happy as a Clam is more puzzling, for how can a marine invertebrate mollusc be described as "happy"? Because clams are popular sea-food ingredients (for example in clam chowder), they maybe considered to feel happier (if molluscs can express such emotion) at high tide when they cannot be collected. Hence "happy as a clam at high water" used by the Pennsylvania newspaper The Adams Sentinel, in August 1844: "Crispin was soon hammering and whistling away as happy as a clam at high water."

Apparently "As happy as a clam at high water," is a very common expression in those parts of the coast of New England where clams are found in abundance.

This is a clam Donax striatus. Does it look happy to you?

For picture internet sources, please click on the images

Some birds of the Schilf-gürtel

2010-05-10T12:25:00.012+01:00

The Schilf-gürtel ("reed girdle") is the band of reed beds that grows around the perimeter of Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl) and represents an important habitat for many species of birds. The post below shows the extent of it.

Here are a few pictures that I captured during my recent involvement with the Pannonian Bird Experience at the Seewinkel National Park in Burgenland, close to the Hungarian border in Austria (please refer to the post below). They are simply "record shots" and I claim no scientific or technical merit. Pictures are not processed, apart from a little cropping and some automatic adjustment. They are taken hand held with my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 camera, often at the maximum 18x (486 mm) zoom.

Bearded Tit Panuris biarmicus is a reed bed specialist.
Look how agile this male holds on to the reed stalks.
This male is evidently collecting insects to feed his chick.

The elusive Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus eats the very fine seed of the flowers of the Phragmites reeds . Notice the needle sharp bill that can deal with the tiny seeds.

The Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius lives and nests on the muddy fringes
on the edges of the lake and open pools.

The Pannonian Bird Experience 2010

2010-04-30T16:11:00.024+01:00

During the weekend 23-25 April 2010 the first Pannonian Bird Experience was held in the Information Centre of the Seewinkel National Park, Burgenland, Austria. The event was modelled on the annual British Bird Fair and attracted an international participation, especially from the neighbouring countries of Germany, Hungary and Slovakia.

The Seewinkel National Park includes much of the inland Lake Neusiedl, which is encircled by a vast belt of reeds (Schilf-gürtel). At the southern (Hungarian) end of the lake the reed bed extends so far as to be able to observe the curvature of the Earth!

The weekend's programme offered a series of presentations; displays of cameras, telescopes and binoculars; and outdoor clothing and equipment. A number of excursions throughout the weekend offered visits around Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl) to important habitats and birdwatching sites in Hungary and Slovakia.

Maalie after his presentation

I felt privileged to be invited to deliver a presentation on Bird Ringing in Europe, in which I outlined the use of ringing to investigate the dynamics of bird populations by studying movement, productivity and survival. The presentation concluded with a case study of my own research on the survival of the Marsh Tit.

Tour guide Andrea leads an excursion into Hungary and Slovakia

Members of the excursion group watch birds on an island in the Danube
at the Szigetkőt National Park in Hungary

A wetland habitat, part of the National park in Hungary

The River Danube near Hainberg, part of the beautiful National Park

I congratulate the organisers for a fantastic event which I thoroughly enjoyed. I understand that plans are afoot to repeat the event in future years, and I look forward to participating again.

Bastard in Cloud...

2010-04-17T13:23:00.040+01:00

...is a quotation by science-fiction writer Sir Fred Hoyle in his eponymous book The Black Cloud (1957). The book details the arrival of an enormous cloud of gas that enters the solar system and threatens to destroy most of the life on Earth by blocking the Sun's radiation.

The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland started erupting on 15 April and the resulting plume of ash has reached a height of three miles (picture from Internet).

At the moment there is a cloud of volcanic ash dust settled over most of Europe
that prohibits all aircraft movement.

A consequence of this is my Australian friend Simon (see blog post below) had no flight home yesterday, and looks set to stay in England until at least Wednesday.

Simon looks hopefully for a hole in the dust cloud

We go to the end of my local pier to see the spectacular sunset that occurs during atmospheric dust clouds and share a little light refreshment

Zooming in a little, we see that it is a tin of good Austral- ian lager...

Indeed, we are treated to a fine red sunset
over the Duddon Estuary at Askam-in-Furness

Australian connection

2010-04-10T16:00:00.018+01:00

For two weeks I am privileged to welcome my mate Simon from Australia to stay in Maalie Court, from where we can explore the English Lake District by birding and hiking expeditions. (You can read accounts of my own visits to Simon in Australia here).

Easter dinner to welcome Simon to Maalie Court: pot-roast joint of silverside beef (at the back) with roast vegetables, Yorkshire puddings and dumplings

One of our first excursions was to visit the RSPB bird reserve at St Bees Head, where towering sea cliffs are breeding sites for thousands of sea birds.

Simon in "birdwatching mode"

Simon explores the tide line of Fleswick Bay at the foot of the towering cliffs of St Bees Head

From the top of the cliffs we observe a pair of Razorbills engaged in courtship behaviour.

Groups of Guillemots occupy cliff ledges...

...whilst a Fulmar (the eponymous Maalie) flies past to see if we are up to no good

And to finish the day, what better than afternoon coffee in a tea room... (Or was it a couple of pints in the Black Dog? Maybe I got the pictures mixed up ;-)

Spring arrives in Burgenland

2010-03-31T19:09:00.020+01:00

Just a few weeks ago....

Burgenland was in the grip of an icy winter - Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl) frozen over.
What wildlife that remained was hibernating or surviving
by scratching up buried seeds from the previous summer

By the end of March the only ice in sight is the 2076m alpine Schneeberg, the highest mountain in Lower Austria. A pair of Shelduck dabble for the aquatic molluscs proliferating after the big freeze.

Almond trees are in bloom...

...and at dawn a Purple Heron arrives from its wintering quarters in Africa

A pair of newly-arrived White Storks commence their synchronised courtship
on a nearby village rooftop

A colourful Stonechat proclaims ownership of his territory
by means of a chirpy song from his lofty perch

A grass snake has emerged from hibernation and warms his blood in the sunshine...

...and "sniffs" the air with its forked tongue to discover if there are any tasty frogs on the menu.

Ostara at Offa's Dyke

2010-03-24T16:51:00.016Z

Ostara is the Pagan festival that celebrates the Spring Equinox, on or about 21st March. This year I felt privileged to share it with a gang of super-fit cycling and walking friends at a hostel in Clun, Shropshire, from which we explored the vicinity of Offa's Dyke. Offa's Dyke is a massive linear earthwork, roughly following some of the current border between England and Wales. In the 8th century it formed some kind of delineation between the Anglian kingdom of Mercia and the Welsh kingdom of Powys, constructed by Offa, King of Mercia from 757 to 796. To this extent is analogous to Hadrian's Wall that roughly divides England and Scotland.

Some of the boys have breakfast outside
where the day's activities (cycling or hiking) are planned.

For the hikers, it was a long march to the ridge where we joined the Offa's Dyke path,.....

.....and then it was a matter of following the waymarks

A Yellowhammer opens his bill to sing us on our way

As we reach the top of the ridge, the enormity of the construction becomes apparant

I wonder how many people Offa employed (or press-ganged) to construct
this 177 mile (280 km) ridge and adjacent ditch.

Magnificent views out over the Shropshire countryside

A group of migrating Golden Plover fly past

The hikers going down pass the cyclists coming up

All in all it was a strenuous but rewarding weekend, concluded with an opportunity to relax and partake of the local ales on the final evening. My thanks to those responsible for organising the weekend.

The High Pyrennees

2010-03-22T16:59:00.009Z

Our final morning's treat was a drive up to the border with France at the ski-resort of Astón in the High Pyrenees where we were on the lookout for alpine species. We did not have to search for long!

A pair of Alpine Choughs circled around calling and came down to look for something to eat

An Alpine Accentor all fluffed up like a little ball
to create an insulating layer of air under its feathers

And, for me, the "bird of the trip" was the Snow Finch,
the only species of the trip I have never seen before!

Day of the Griffon

2010-03-17T06:20:00.003Z

After the Aragón steppes, Alberto promised us "mountains and vultures." Were were not to be disappointed. We arrived at the rocky crags of the start of the Pyrenees, in high expectation.

We were driven somewhere up there, to a ridge on Mount St. Miguel

"Follow me", said Alberto. Well, a couple of us did...

There is a vertical rock face of thousands of feet just beyond that crazy man...

Ooops, no nearer that edge, please...

The arrow shows the ledge where we were perched...

And the Griffons came to see what idiots had invaded their realm

I thought this one was going to pick me up and fly off with me...

Eye to eye with a Griffon Vulture

Off he goes, maybe we didn't look appetising after all

On the glide path in to land

Four days in Aragón

2010-03-14T17:16:00.017Z

For four days in March (9-12) I participated in an birding expedition to Aragón, northern Spain with three other members, under the guidance of the wildlife tour company Boletas, expertly led by Alberto Bueno.

Spectacular views of the snow-capped Pyrenees mountains
as we descended into Barcelona airport

Our first destination was the semi-desert plains of the Zaragoza steppes, habitat of Bustards, Sandgrouse and various Larks. Our base was near the village of Belchite where ruins from a battle in the Spanish Civil War are maintained as a monument.

The bomb-blasted ruins of the church of Belchite,
preserved as a monument among the almond trees to the Battle of Belchite

The almond trees looked gorgeous in full bloom

Isolated farm buildings with characteristic construction

Our transport frequently took us "off road" in the steppe country

Dawn over the desolate steppes of Aragón

The Great Bustard was one of the birds of the area that we were delighted to find

In the villages, White Storks were commencing their springtime courtship

Happy naturalists pose with the snowy Pyrenees as a backdrop
Alberto (Guide), Pam, Ken, Steve and Maalie

Next stop - the Pyrenees, to be the subject of another post!

A day out with Pam - what a Bore!

2010-03-03T20:47:00.018Z

This week the relative positions of the Earth, Moon and Sun resulted in the highest tides predicted for this year. Under such conditions, the surge of the rising tide when funnelled into narrowing river estuaries can give rise to a frontal wave known as a "bore". The best known bore in Britain is that associated with the River Severn.

The rising tide funnelling into the Bristol Channel and up into the rapidly constricting
River Severn is responsible for the Severn Bore

The tidal bore on the River Severn can be large enough to provide an opportunity for surfers
(For source please click on the picture)

Nearer to my home, Morecambe Bay provides a wide enough "mouth" to funnel the rising tide into the River Kent to create an observable Bore. So Pam and I visited a viewing spot by the River Kent at Arnside to witness the spectacle.

Morecambe Bay, showing the funnelling effect up into the River Kent (top right). The red arrow indicates our viewing position; the green arrow shows the approximate position of Arnside Knott hill and the direction of the picture below.
The location of Maalie Court is shown in the top left.

Southerly view from Arnside Knott into Morcambe Bay

Spectators gather on the pier waiting for the Bore
with snow on the Cumbrian fells in the background

Pam (left) cannot contain her excitement as she breaks away from the crowd
to look for the approach of the bore...

Here it comes!

And off it goes on its way upstream!

Well, on this occasion the bore was not as dramatic a spectacle as has been known in the past. Local people said that there was too much water in the river from the melting snow in the mountains, which tends to flatten out the bore wave. Nevertheless it was fun to see, and not a bad way to mark Pam's birthday!

Maybe, just maybe, a hint of spring...

2010-02-28T15:08:00.010Z

I slept in my own home last night for the first time in over a week. During that ethereal phase of awaking and wondering where I was, I tried also to work out what it was that had woken me...

And then I realised: They are back!

They are the Lesser Black-backed Gulls that form a loose colony on the chimney tops of the houses in my street. They have returned to start a new breeding season.

One of the pairs of Lesser Black-back Gulls that colonise the chimneys in my street

Right now, they are in dispute, competing vigorously and noisily for the most desirable chimney upon which to raise a family; later, the noise will intensify when eggs are laid and the sight of every domestic cat, or even a mum with a pram, raises a cacophony of scolding alarm cries.

When the chicks hatch, their begging screeches will add to the din, and and the parents swill swoop angrily on those who dare to approach too closely. The racket will rise to a crescendo in July when the cries of the fledgling gulls add to those of the adults.

Yes, from now until the end of July, I expect to be woken each morning by the clamour of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Do I mind?

Not a bit of it! Why choose to live near the sea if you cannot appreciate the sounds that go with it!

Hazel catkins, like a mist in the woodland under-story

This portent of spring prompted me to search for others in the woods where I carry out my fieldwork. Maybe a wild daffodil or two on some mossy bank will be seeking sunlight? Or even a precocious violet or primrose fortunate enough to be lodged in a sheltered sun-trap will have raised its head above the parapet?

But not yet. In the gullies, there was still remnants of recent snow; it will be a few days yet before floral colour is seen in the woods.

The change that I noticed since my last visit was an explosion of catkins on the coppiced hazel trees, dancing like lambs tails in the sunshine that was trying so hard to emerge.

Lambs tails

Mahler in Manchester

2010-02-17T17:06:00.022Z

Gustav Mahler

This year sees the 150th anniversary of the birth of Gustav Mahler. The occasion is being celebrated by the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, with a Mahler in Manchester season, performing a full cycle of the composer’s symphonies, alongside a series of newly commissioned pieces to show the continuing relevance of Mahler’s music today.

Bridgewater Hall, Manchester

Last night I was present at a performance of the 4th Symphony, the one that I first became acquainted with as a student, and which has always remained my favourite. The symphony is unusual in that the fourth movement is scored for solo soprano in a setting of a poem from Des Knaben Wunderhorn: 'Das himmlische Leben' (Heavenly Life), about a child's vision of heaven.

Tonight's performance was played by the Hallé Orchestra, conducted by Markus Stenz. He is a German-born conductor and is the General Music Director of the city of Cologne and also the Principal Conductor of Gürzenich-Orchestra, Cöln; this season he has become only the second Principal Guest Conductor of the Hallé Orchestra.

The soprano solo was Carolyn Sampson who sings many roles with the English National Opera.

The Hallé Orchestra tunes up in Manchester's Bridgewater Hall in preparation for a performance of Mahler's 4th Symphony

The conductor Markus Stenz takes to the rostrum

Seven double bass anchor the strings...

...and five French horns attempt to lift the roof.

Gorgeous Carolyn Sampson takes the auditorium for her fourth movement solo

Kein Musik ist ja nicht auf Erden, Die unserer verglichen kann werden.
Elftausend Jungfrauen Zu tanzen sich truaen!*

Now, Maalie is not a music critic, but I can report that I found the performance totally enthralling, alternating between tingling spine, hairs standing up on the back of the neck, lumps in the throat and damn close to tears.

Carolyn Sampson and Markus Stenz receive their bouquets to rapturous acclaim
from the audience and members of the Hallé Orchestra alike.

*No music on earth can compare with ours.
Eleven thousand maidens dare to dance!

Those who enjoy the music of Mahler and composers like him will
be interested in E ntartete Musik blog.

A cracked chamber pot

2010-02-16T14:47:00.006Z

A cracked chamber pot is axiomatically not fit for purpose. However, these charming old receptacles need not be thrown away - they are fit for something.

For example, a pot for hyacinths

Today it is Pancake Day in England. Also known variously as Shrove Tuesday and Mardi Gras. You are supposed to stuff yourself with all things good, before enduring 40 days of misery, deprivation and self-flagellation.

Indeed I stuffed myself.

Ingredients for my pancakes (going round the table approximately clockwise): packet of chopped nuts; Innis and Gunn hand-crafted Scottish beer 6.6%; McEwan's Export Beer; Port wine; banana; lemon; crushed Cadbury's chocolate flake; Wildkirsch Schnapps; sugar bowl; whipped double cream jug; tin of golden syrup; four pancakes.

I shall sleep well tonight. And suffer a miserable first day of Lent.

Welsh Miscellany

2010-02-10T21:28:00.010Z

I have just returned from a four-day round-trip of Wales, initially to see a football match in the capital city of Cardiff; but there was also a small matter of a granddaughter to visit!

I camped the first night in my X-trail very near my favourite place in Wales, Wallog beach,
and walked down the valley to the sea the next morning

Wallog is geologically interesting for a reef (sarn) that goes out a long way from the shore out to sea; the start of it can be seen in the aerial picture by Google Earth

Some dramatic coastal scenery is seldom visited as it takes quite a trek to get there.
It is home to a number of seabird species

Arriving in South Wales, my granddaughter Heledd decides she'd like to visit the local Wildlife and Wetland Trust's duck sanctuary. Her dad makes sure she stays out of harm's way

Heledd decides to toddle off along a track, making sure we are following close behind

The climax of the visit, and Carwyn can scarcely contain his excitement before the kick-off between one if his former teams, Peterborough United, versus a local adversary, Cardiff City, in the City of Cardiff Stadium

Peterborough United (in green) mounted some threatening attacks but were unable to get the ball into the Cardiff goal. They eventually lost the game two goals to nil.

Austria honours Darwin

2010-02-05T13:24:00.016Z

During the last year, Natural History Museums all over the world have celebrated the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin's publication On the Origin of Species. I visited the London Exhibition in the Natural History Museum, and also took time out from my surveys in Burgenland to visit the National Natural History Museum of Austria in Vienna.

It was interesting to compare the two approaches, both of them excellent in their way. London focussed more on his work, his specimens and theory of evolution. In Vienna, more emphasis was given to "Darwin the Man", depicting his life and times, full of anecdotes.

Looking down the Grand Staircase of the Vienna National Natural History Museum to the entrance foyer. But who is sitting there on the pedestal?

Oh, it's Charles Darwin, astride a giant tortoise of the Galapagos Islands,
reconstructed from a picture of the event!

A model of the ship Beagle that was to transport Darwin on his five year voyage
around South America to the Galapagos Islands

He hated the sea!

A reconstruction of Darwin in his cabin aboard the Beagle,
among his instruments and beloved specimens

A page from Darwin's own manuscript

A pair of the eponymous "Darwin's Finches"

The genius that is Darwin

Unlucky for some...

2010-01-26T17:01:00.002Z

Thirteen Grey Herons sit it out on the ice waitng for the thaw.

My iPod Nano

2010-01-22T13:32:00.016Z

I acquired my16 gigabyte iPod Nano just over a year ago, paying about 125 pounds in an airport duty-free shop. Although I was at first doubtful if I would be able to master all the jargon and technology surrounding iTunes software, playlists, podcasts, and so on, with a little help from my elder son (who is really into this sort of thing) I got to grips with it and I would now be at a loss without it. I have loaded it with some 50 CDs (mainly classical) and innumerable podcasts from the radio, a few pictures and over 200 bird calls. It is still only half full.

My little blue iPod Nano playing a podcast from the BBC

I bought a stereo speaker system for about 65 pounds into which the iPod neatly docks.
The sound volume would not fill a disco but it is perfectly adequate for domestic use
and the quality of the sound is good.
It comes with a mains adapter, but also will run off six AAA batteries which slot into the back.

Just look how thin the speaker system is when folded up. It slips easily into the pocket of a suitcase and takes up no space at all - it goes everywhere with me on my many travels.

Having nearly lost my iPod twice during fieldwork, I have invested in a little leather case with a lanyard which goes round the neck or can be attached to a belt

An important use for my iPod is in fieldwork. I have some 200 bird voices loaded on which can be used for attracting birds for ringing them. The little speaker cost under six pounds from Tesco, runs off 3 AAA batteries and delivers sufficient volume for most fieldwork purposes.

How to make Drip Coffee

2010-01-19T19:52:00.005Z

Drip coffee seems to be a Japanese invention. My nephew Jack, who lives in Tokyo, keeps me supplied with consignments from time to time.

Remove the filter from the air-tight sachet (the green thing on the left). I have conditioned a reflex to make sure it is the right way up, or else the ground coffee ends up on the floor. Spread the filter using the tabs provided and seat the filter above the receptacle in the slots . Pour boiling water into the filter. I do this twice to increase the volume and to extract the last microgramme of caffeine.

While the filtration takes place, foam up some milk in a saucepan using a milk-frother supplied by Jack's mother (i.e. my sister, Lorenzo the Llama). Whisk until really stiff.

Pour the froth into the coffee. Sprinkle chocolate powder over the froth and drink

Woodcock!

2010-01-14T12:44:00.003Z

Meanwhile, back in icy England, I was lucky to catch a Woodcock during a bird-ringing session.

My Woodcock - noticed the large eyes for nocturnal feeding

Woodcocks are not particular rare birds in Britain but they are not often seen. They are very secretive, feed at night (notice the large eyes!) and roost by day on the ground hidden under some thick undergrowth vegetation on the floor of a wood. They are not easily disturbed because, being so well camouflaged, they prefer to 'sit tight' and let you walk on by. The most likely people to see a Woodcock are dog walkers, as the dog may sniff one out and flush it. They fly off silently through the trees and easily escape attention.

The brown dappled tones of the Woodcock gives excellent camouflage and easily escapes notice as it sits tight among the leaves of a woodland floor

The best time of year to see Woodcocks is spring, when they undertake their remarkable display flights (called "roding") above the tree tops at dusk. They are regarded by some as a "game bird" and are sometimes hunted for the kitchen. I preferred to ring and release my bird, we may get some information about his travels.

The Woodcock's very long bill is for probing into soft ground for worms and other delicacies. They have a difficult time in winter when the ground is frozen
and they will migrate to warmer places. Notice the ring on its leg.

During winter, conditions are icy, birds will migrate to places where the ground is softer to probe with their sensitive bills. There is a massive influx into Britain from the continent each winter and it is very likely that my bird was one of these. Now that it is ringed, there is a chance that we will find out.

Sevilla!

2010-01-06T21:19:00.009Z

Now that Great Britain is gripped in winter's icy grasp, I thought I would remind myself of warmer times. In September last year I was in Andalucia participating in an ornithological expedition (original post here). On my way back to the airport I found myself with a few hours to spare in Sevilla and, there being not much in the way of wildlife to photograph, I tried my hand at buildings.

On the banks of the Guadalquivir. This is the river that flows down to form the delta that is the Coto de Doñana, where I had been undertaking the bird studies.

The cathedral square. I was arrested here once (a long time ago) and was taken away in a police car to the railway station and dumped on the train to Madrid.

The cathedral itself. Its most noteworthy feature is that Lesser Kestrels
and Pallid Swifts nest in the tower.

A closer look at the tower where the Lesser Kestrels and Pallid Swifts nest

There - just to show that it wasn't all beer and Magno!

On the way home. Ryanair, where would I be without you!

Winter Tetrad

2010-01-01T17:56:00.022Z

I described in April 2008 a nationwide bird survey organised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), in which I am participating. The Birds Atlas Project establishes the distribution of birds throughout the British Isles by means of two-hour counts in mapping Tetrads, namely 2 km squares in the ordnance survey grid. Four 2-hour counts in each tetrad are required, two in winter and two in summer.

The 1st January marks the beginning of the second winter survey period, and so it was with birding friend Pam that I set off early on the first morning of the new decade to survey one of my tetrads. Despite the wintry conditions we managed to locate 25 bird species in the tetrad (SD28T).

Daybreak on the first day of a new decade (1st January 2010) over ice-bound Cumbria fells

The sheep look surprised - what could have alerted them?

Oh, it's just Pam negotiating a style over one of the stone walls

Despite the wintry conditions we recorded a very respectable 25 bird species in the tetrad

The 22 tetrads (2 x 2km squares) in Cumbria which have been assigned to me for survey. Each square needs four ticks, each representing a two-hour timed count, two in winter and two in summer. The map above shows the 30 ticks (34% of the 88 total) that had been accomplished in April 2008.

January 2010, showing 75 surveys completed (85%)
The remaning 13 are due to be completed by the summer of this year

A Happy New Year to all my readers!

Cumbria in Winter

2009-12-28T18:10:00.008Z

The Fourth Day of Christmas and I hiked with Jill'n'Pete (my sister and brother-in-law) in wintry conditions to the top of Lowick Fell from which the snow-covered mountains of the Coniston Range were visible to the north. Here are a few images the recollect the hike.

We climbed above the layer of mist that lurked in the valleys

As the mist thins, the steeple of Lowick Green church appears

Near the top of the fell, the tarns are locked in winter's icy grip

The fells take on an tundra-like mantle...

...but across the valley a sheltered homestead with smoke rising
from a wood stove looks snug and inviting.

Bratislava

2009-12-27T17:20:00.011Z

I have flown in and out of Bratislava airport a number of times in order to participate in the work of the nearby Seewinkel National Park on the Austria/Hungary border, but I never visited the city that is the Capital of Slovakia. Just before Christmas I had a few hours to spare before an evening flight and so I took the opportunity to explore part of "Old Bratislava" on a cold, crisp, sunny afternoon. Normally accustomed to recording my wildlife observations, I was here able to try my hand at photographing buildings.

Bratislava Castle: the massive rectangular building with four corner towers stands on a rocky hill of the Little Carpathians directly above the Danube river in the middle of Bratislava. It is an outstanding feature of the city.

I walk over the main bridge crossing the Danube as a barge ploughs its way upstream towards Germany. I wonder how they steer that thing?

Ah, some birds! Black-headed Gulls (in winter plumage).
Maybe I should start a Slovakian bird list?

A memorial marks the entrance to "Old Bratislava"

The Main Square, with the Christmas Market in full swing.
Yes, I indulged in a mug of hot mulled wine!

The Cathedral in the Main Square

Please click on the picture for a special treat!

A happy Festive Season
to all my Readers!

The Christmas Rose

2009-12-25T15:27:00.007Z

After a hearty Christmas lunch, I made the most of a bright, clear, calm frosty afternoon to take a little exercise and walk to the end of my street to view the estuary. The tide was rising and the channels between the sandbanks were filling up.

And then my eye caught something small in the water.

Can you see it? A speck in the water in the lower left third of the picture
Let's zoom in a little...

There it is... it looks like a flower, doesn't it, still in its decorative wrapper

Oh yes, it's a rose. A rose in the sea, on Christmas afternoon. What a puzzle.

According to local gossip, a swain from the village had taken his sweetheart for a stroll along the beach after breakfast. Apparently he pulled a single red rose from under his jacket, proudly presented it to her and said: "Darling, will you marry me?".

It seems that the girl snatched the bloom from his hand. "I don't want your wretched rose" she shrieked, "we're through"!

And she threw it out into the sea, and stormed off home.

The search and rescue services are still trying to locate his body.

Feed the birds!

2009-12-22T21:34:00.009Z

People all over the world put out food for the birds in winter. In Britain, we have the traditional "bird table" and these days a range of other devices that hold peanuts or seeds that can be suspended from poles or branches. In Austria (and probably elsewhere in Europe) a popular method of offering food is by means of a Meisen-ringe ("tit-ring") which is a circle of fat in which is embedded seeds of various kinds, and can be bought ready-made in shops.

The Meisen-ringe, but will British tits recognise it?

I was keen to discover how long it would take for our British tits, unfamiliar with the device, to become accustomed to this novel presentation of food. At first, they were suspicious....

...and then a Great Tit investigates

A Blue Tit looks interested...

A Coal Tit takes a peck...

And at last, the one I am waiting for, a Marsh Tit tucks in! You can see the coloured rings on the leg which reveals that this bird was ringed on 4th December.

In winter, our small birds can survive the cold only by generating heat from within by metabolising the food they eat. In cold conditions, providing food for our garden birds will help them survive these freezing conditions.

Please feed the birds!

Yule

2009-12-20T05:02:00.010Z

It's Yuletide again, the Festival of the Winter Solstice!
Happy Yule Everyone!

May the lengthening days bring warmth and light to your lives.

There are many signs and symbols associated with the Pagan festivals through the year, none more mystical than mistletoe at Yule, the Winter Solstice.

Botanically, Mistletoe Phoradendron flavescens is a parasitic plant that grows on the branches or trunk of a tree and actually sends out roots that penetrate into the tree and take up nutrients.

The seeds are disseminated by birds, eponymously the Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus, that eat the berries. The juice of the berries is very sticky, and the birds have to wipe their bills clean against the tree, thus causing the berry seeds to lodge in a crevice in the bark of the tree.

Mistletoe typically grows in thick balls like this on trees in the south of England, and widely throughout Europe. I took this picture in the Donau Auen National Park near Vienna, Austria, in December 2009.
But wait, what is the bird at the top?

Zoom in a little and, although a very grey day with poor light,
we can see by its shape that it is a species of thrush...

Closer still, it is obviously a Mistle Thrush with its spotty breast! Individual birds like this will aggressively defend their patch of mistletoe throughout the winter (or, at least until the berries are eaten).

By tradition, mistletoe has long been associated with fertility and courtship. Mistletoe is brought into the home at Yuletide and when hung in a strategic high place, you are allowed to kiss your sweetheart when she steps beneath it. There is one proviso: there must be berries on the sprig of mistletoe, and one should be removed after each kiss. That is why bunches bearing the most berries are at a premium.

You can read a lot more about mistletoe here.

A Happy Yule to all my readers!

Winter's daybreak

2009-12-16T01:32:00.016Z

There is something hauntingly and starkly beautiful about winter over the steppes. Now, snug in my home in Cumbria, it is hard to realise that it was only "this morning" that I actually witnessed day-break over the Hungarian-Austrian steppes in the Seewinkel National Park in Burgenland, Austria.

The first grey of dawn and a horse breaks the ice with its hoof
to reach a breakfast drink of cold water

Is that a rosy streak on the horizon? It is less than a week until the Winter Solstice -
maybe the sun won't bother to rise at all...

...the thousands of wild grey geese certainly hope that it will, as they move from the security of their nocturnal roost on Neusiedlersee (Lake Neusiedl) to their feeding grounds in the surrounding countryside

A Sea Eagle follows the skeins of geese from immense altitude, watching for its chance to pick out an ailing bird...

...although this hapless swan frozen fast in the ice (with temperatures still falling) is a certain victim.

Nature is not cruel;
she is merely indifferent (Richard Dawkins)

At last, the sun is risen...

Climbs a little higher...

..and high enough to give colour to the ice

Reeds, ice and sun. Dawn is complete, but it will be some weeks yet
before the sun is able to climb much higher in the sky.

Migration Watch: The Po Delta

2009-11-27T20:16:00.026Z

There are in Europe a number of locations, often wetlands, that seem to act as conduits for bird migration, as well offering superb breeding and wintering habitats. I have already described some of the most famous that I have visited, including the Camargue (Rhone Delta in France); the Danube Delta in Romania; The Coto Doñana (Gualdaquivir Delta) in Andalusia, Spain; and Neusiedlersee on the Austrian-Hungarian border.

In Northern Italy the River Po flows into the western Adriatic Sea, just south of Venice. The river's huge and fertile delta, like many of the other great European river delta, has been largely developed for agriculture. Nevertheless, a great deal of this special habitat has is conserved in the Po Delta National Park and attracts large numbers of birdwatchers.

Th Po delta lies lies between Chioggia to the north and Commachio to the south.
Image by Google Earth, please click on it to enlarge

The Po Delta National Park is a haven for wetland birds,
and for birds migrating from Europe to Africa

Besides representing a migratory route for birds leaving Europe for Africa, its generally mild winter climate offers a suitable location for overwintering by huge numbers of species that descend from Lapland and the Arctic tundra. The map below shows ringing recoveries of one example, the Fieldfare, with a distinct cluster of dots in the Po Delta area.

The ellipse indicates the large number of recoveries of ringed Fieldfares in the region of the Po Delta, a major wintering habitat for this species.

Fieldfares breed in Lapland and the Arctic tundra but migrate south in winter. Large numbers of these birds winter over in the Po Delta of northern Italy.
(Please click on the picture for the internet source of this image)

Access to the Po Delta National Park is sometimes by way of floating pontoon bridges
across the numerous channels

The Po Delta National Park is a mosaic of wetlands, reed-beds and agricultural land

In some places sand or shingle fringes to the lagoons provide
a nesting habitat for terns and gulls

The Great White Egret is one of many species of water birds that inhabit the Po Delta

A skein of Cormorants passes over the Po Delta

Rosy Starling - a jewel for Cumbria

2009-11-22T15:17:00.013Z

With Cumbria suffering in the last few days from the heaviest English rainfall in recorded history, and with thousands made homeless by flooding, it came as a spark of brightness when my Natural England colleague Rob phoned me to say that a Rosy (Rose-coloured) Starling had turned up in his garden near Kendal.

Rob emailed this picture he captured of a juvenile Rosy Starling in his garden to tempt me,
and kindly invited me to his home to see it

The normal range of this species is far eastern Europe and across southern Asia. The species is a strong migrant and normally heads towards India to spend the winter. So what was one doing in England in November?

After a very good breeding season by certain species, when food is abundant, there may be a population explosion when birds may "erupt" and colonise new places. Biologists also have evidence that a small proportion of individuals in a migratory population are genetically predisposed to migrate in the "wrong direction". These become pioneers that may extend the range of the species into new areas.

The individual in Rob's garden did not show striking pink and black plumage of the adult, but was a much more drab juvenile that may have lost its way in a storm.

An adult male in full breeding plumage.

This is not my picture, please click on the
image for the internet source.

On a very dull morning I was not able to match the quality of the pictures that Rob had taken, but here are a couple of my images taken as the bird pecked its way around the chicken run

Juvenile Rosy Starling, Kendal, 22 November 2009

Five-minute chocolate cake

2009-11-20T12:22:00.009Z

I have never made a cake of any sort in my life (though I am said to be adept at making apple pies, mince pies, Welshcakes and snickerdoodles). When a friend forwarded to me recipe for a chocolate cake to be made in a coffee mug, in just five minutes, I was intrigued enough to try it out!

The ingredients: 4 tablespoons of flour; 4 tablespoons of sugar; 2 tablespoons of cocoa; 1 egg; 3 tablespoons of milk; 3 tablespoons of oil; 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips (optional); a splash of vanilla essence; a coffee mug and a microwave oven.

Add the dry ingredients to your largest coffee mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly; pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips, vanilla essence and mix again.

Don't you think that looks a bit full? But I don't have a tablespoon in my kitchen,
so I used an ice-cream scoop which was probably a bit big.

Microwave at the highest setting for three minutes.

Ooops! It's gone over the top! I thought it looked a bit full!

Trim off the rough bits (you don't need to throw them away!),
turn out onto a plate and serve with squirty cream.

Who would ever know?

I was very happy with my chocolate cake and it will be added to my list of "regulars".

Request: If any reader can think of variations based on this theme, so I could make other cakes (as a change from chocolate) in this way, please let me know in the comments!

Weekend Reflections

2009-11-17T20:38:00.012Z

This weekend it was my pleasure to welcome my younger son Carwyn (a.k.a. Tortoiseshell) to Maalie Court. Here are a few random images from the weekend.

The beach at Askam-in-Furness at the bottom of my street

A train ride along the coastal route took us to Ravenglass
and the remains of a Roman bath site

Carwyn captures the estuary at Ravenglass...

...before a stroll through the autumn leaves.

Participation in Maalie's research project, colour-ringing a Marsh Tit

A visit to the market town of Ulverston, the home of Laurel and Hardey
to see the memorial statue...

...before I was dragged into a tea room for tea and cake.

A weekend of unsettled weather, but some fine memories

Brekky Fruit

2009-11-12T21:13:00.009Z

The three jars on the left are the originals from Australia;
the two on the right are from Tesco in England

I first encountered Brekky Fruit in Australia when I went to visit my mate Simon. It is simply fruit preserved in juice or syrup stored in plastic wide-necked screw-capped jars. You can eat it for breakfast either on its own or (my preference) with your breakfast cereal. It is ideal for camping, as we discovered.

What attracted me to the product was not only the contents, but the jars themselves, which make ideal storage units. And, being wide-necked, they offer other useful functions when camping. I brought one back with me, and Simon brought another one on each of his subsequent visits to England, making three (they are the three on the left in the picture).

While shopping today in Tesco, I discovered Brekky Fruit in England! Well, Brekky Fruit in all but name, the containers seem identical. I bought two, peaches and pears (they are the two at the right in the picture).

So now I can supply my own Brekky Fruit jars.

Message for Simon: Mate, no need to use up your weight allowance on Brekky Fruit jars when you come next April; please use it on Cherry Ripes instead!

Mauerfall Berlin - The fall of the wall

2009-11-09T12:56:00.011Z

Twenty years ago today, the function of Berlin Wall ended. I post this modest commemoration using pictures that I took in Berlin when I visited the city in February 2005. You can see more about this event on the blog of Entartete Musik.

A remnant of the Berlin Wall as it stands today, now a national monument

Graffiti artists risked their lives painting the wall.
The graffiti are now preserved as a cultural heritage.

Check-point Charlie. The border post hut is a replica, the original was destroyed

The Tiergarten in the snow, February 2005

Reichstag (German Government building)

Brandenburger Tor from the Reichstag

Brandenburger Tor looking resplendent, floodlit after restoration in 2005

Endstation to the Vienna Woods

2009-11-03T16:56:00.017Z

In a previous post I described the system of City Hiking Trails (Stadtwanderweg) that begin at some of the tram Endstations (terminus) located around the edge of Vienna. So, on a dank, rather dismal misty November morning I hauled myself aboard Tram D*, bound for the northern edge of the city to the village of Nussdorf, on the western shore of the Danube, where starts Stadtwanderweg 1.

The Tram "D" winds it way down from Beethovengang into Nussdorf

The district is steeped in Beethoven history, and just nearby is the house in which he worked on his mighty ninth (choral) symphony. Indeed, the endstation itself is called Beethovengang, and to begin the trail you have to cross Eroicagasse.

Stadtwanderweg 1 begins at Beethovengang and follows the
course of the Schreiberbach brook...

...alongside which is the monument to Ludwig van Beethoven

The trail passes through the zone of vinyards, some of which seem scarcely larger
than pocket handkerchiefs clinging to the side of the hill

Beyond the vinyards, up into the Vienna Woods in their misty autumnal garb

There appears a clearing in the woods at Kahlenberg where mackerel are grilled. Who could resist one on a cold November day? I certainly couldn't!

Decending through the Vienna Woods in their autumnal glory...

...until a view of the Danube is captured

The end of the trail on the bank of the Danube. How do you take a picture of a broad, grey, featureless river (that is eponymously blue) on a grey day? Well, I tried my best!

*Before leaving the city centre, the Tram "D" route follows part of the Vienna "Ring" and you have good views of many of the famous buildings like the Parliament, City Hall (Rathaus), Natural History Museum and University.

Samhain in Seewinkel

2009-10-29T09:19:00.029Z

Samhain is the Pagan festival that falls midway between the Autumn Equinox (Mabon) and the Winter Solstice (Yule) and is traditionally celebrated on 31st October. It comes deep into Autumn; only a few stragglers of the summer migrant birds linger on, whilst the geese and thrushes from the Arctic tundra are already pushing southwards. Nipped by the first frosts, the golden leaves of the deciduous trees have mostly fallen to the ground, dislodged by the autumnal gales.

Certainly one can still relish mild, mellow days, but the sun is low in the sky, its radiation weak, and to imagine that there is any remnant of summer is simply to kid oneself. Summer is gone.

This year I am passing the Samhain period around the Seewinkel National Park, close the borders with Slovakia and Hungary, on the eastern shore of the inland steppe lake of Neusiedler See (Lake Neusiedl).

A Hungarian White Donkey greets the Samhain dawn
(see here for more information on these unique donkeys)

The birch trees start to look bare as they lose their leaves
against a backdrop of fine-weather cumulus clouds

The golden beds of Phragmites reeds echo the poplar trees

The hay is baled up...

...and the grapes have been harvested for the 2009 vintage.
One small bunch has escaped and will become food for the birds

Winter visiting birds like this Great Grey Shrike are starting to arrive...

...and Clouded Yellow butterflies take advantage of the weakening sunshine to sip the last nectar before looking for a crevice to hibernate.

The village of Illmitz, in the heart of the Seewinkal National Park, catches the rays of the setting sun in the gathering gloom of an evening storm

I wish a Happy Samhain to all my readers

Black-necked Grebe round-up

2009-10-23T17:44:00.020+01:00

Every year, thousands of Black-necked Grebes migrate south from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra to moult and spend the winter in the south of Europe. There is a particular concentration that favours the salt pans (salins) near Huelva in Andalusia. They feed mainly on the larvae of aquatic insects.

Here, there is a long-term research study in which samples of the grebes are captured during the moulting period (when flying is weakest) for ringing and measurement. I was fortunate to be invited to participate in one of the capture events.

The salt pans are also the home of thousands of Greater Flamingos (this individual is flying from right to left)

The Black-necked Grebes swim off looking suspicious... they have seen this all before!

The Expedition of about 50 participants assembles

The nets are prepared...

...and the Director, Luís García, explains the strategy with a stick in the sand.

Then it is into the water where the team pushes the net forward through the brine...

...corralling the grebes int a smaller and smaller area...

..until they are so concentrated they can be plucked from the water like fish.

The grebes are not web-footed (like ducks) but have these lobed feet as an adaptation for swimming and diving

Groups of grebes are transported to the processing station where...

...they are kept in holding pens until...

...it is time for each to be ringed and measured in turn.

The Director photographs the extended wing of every bird to keep a record of moult progress.

A final look at these delightful water birds before...

...release when they scamper of towards the middle of the lake.

A total of 242 Black-necked Grebes was processed that day. The Director joins the group for a few beers after a hot, and very salty, day's work.

More birds of Andalusia

2009-10-20T21:38:00.009+01:00

Birds that are caught in the mist nets are secured in clean linen bags and returned to the ringing station. The Director José Luis takes a bag for processing. What could it be?

Iberian Chiffchaff - the target species for study. This species is very closely related to the Common Chiffchaff (in fact, taxonomists have only recently "split" them) but appears brighter and greener, and the measurements are a little different

Iberian Chiffchaff (front) and Common Chiffchaff. The Iberian has a greener tail, but you need good light to see it properly!

Male Blackcap (compare with the female in the post below)

Cetti's Warbler which has only 10 feathers in the tail (most species have 12)

Female Subalpine Warbler

A handsome male Sardinian Warbler with his red iris

Excitement as a beautiful Azure-winged Magpie is caught going to roost. It's quite a handful!

The eponymous Azure-winged Magpie showing the azure wings and tail

There are still more pictures to come!

Migration through Doñana

2009-10-12T11:36:00.027+01:00

Although we already know a great deal about the migration strategies of trans-Saharan migrant birds, there is still much to learn about the details of the timing and location of stopover areas between species and within population categories (age and sex classes) of individual species. There is considerable evidence that climate change is affecting migration patterns and this needs to be understood.

Accordingly, the European-African Songbird Migration Network was established to study the migration of birds in key sites throughout Europe and Africa. Birds are caught and ringed, and details measurements, including weight and fat load, are observed and recorded.

The European-African Songbird Migration Network uses standardised methodology in the study of migrating birds in key sites through Europe and Africa.

One of these sites is in the Coto Doñana and I was privileged to participate in the programme with a team of Spanish ornithologists for a couple of weeks this Autumn. The Coto Doñana is an area of marshes ("marismas") in the delta of the River Gualdalquivir in Andalusia, Spain. Now a National Park, it is recognised as one of the most important wetland habitats in Europe and where countless waterfowl and wading birds, and other wildlife breed.

Moreover, the area is of crucial importance as a final stopover and "fattening-up" location for migrant birds as they refuel to make their make their way across the sea and the Sahara desert on their way to their wintering grounds in southern Africa.

Sunrise over the marismas, when our day's work began

The sun burns off the early morning mist...

...to reveal our village of El Rocio across the marismas (Can you spot the Cattle Egret among the feet of the horses?)

The field station, set among the umbrella-pines,
is constructed according to traditional methods

Birds are captured in mist nets like this set among the tamarisks...

...and are processed at the field station. Here, Maalie measures the wing...

...of a female Blackcap (yes, the female Blackcap's "cap" is brown!

Neus meticulously records every detail

A curious Hoopoe looks on

This is the first post of several about my visit to Spain. I will show pictures of individual birds species the we caught in due course.

Maalie in Spain

2009-09-27T17:32:00.004+01:00

Maalie is about to set of for a ten-day bird-ringing expedition in the forests and swamps of the Coto Doñana, Andalucia, in Southern Spain. Here are some pictures taken during his last visits to the region.

The small town of El Rocio is the centre of activity

Dry areas are dominated by "umbrella pines", from which "pine nuts" are gathered

The "Marismas" - the wetlands of the Guadalquivir River Delta,
south of Seville, where most of the research will be undertaken.

Luton: Britain's most boring town?

2009-09-24T19:05:00.019+01:00

In a recent "phone-in" radio programme, the subject was raised as to which was "Britain's most boring town?". The name of "Luton" was raised more than once. As I recently had cause to stay a night in Luton, I thought I would give you an opportunity to make a judgement for yourselves.

The first thing you see after leaving the railway station. I dont know what this building is.

The multi-story car park

The public library and theatre

The cinema and leisure centre (I went there to watch a movie to pass the evening)

Luton's den of vice - the Casino

The town centre

My hotel, the "Easy Hotel", adorned in the same colours as the "Easyjet" airline

Historically, Luton was Britain's centre of the millinary trade (indeed, the local football team is known affectionately as "The Hatters"). This old hydraulic hat-press serves as a monument to the former industrial glory of Luton.

Mabon 2009

2009-09-20T07:41:00.003+01:00

A Happy Festival of Mabon to you all!

Mabon is the Festival of the Autumn Equinox. It is also known as Harvest Home and celebrates the gathering in of the harvest. An equinox in astronomy is the time when the centre of the Sun can be observed to be directly above the equator. The date of the Autumn Equinox can be between September 21st and 23rd, but celebrations traditionally commence on 21st.

I think of the Autumn Equinox as the "tipping point" of summer: after that, the nights are longer than the days (in the north). There may still be some lingering warm days, but winter is not far off.

Harvest (almost) home. The modern methods of harvesting are...

The cut hay lies in windrows to dry before...

...harvest is home

The trees are changing colour...

...and deciduous leaf fall is underway

Crab apples are in season...

...and Hawthorn bushes are laden with red berries

The heaths look tired and brown...

...but a late flowering bell-heather Erica tetralix give a pin-point of colour

'Tis the season to be pie-ful

Equinoctial sunset over my village (you can see my house if you know where to look)
The island in the distance behind which the sun is setting is the Isle of Man)

Ulverston Beer Festival

2009-09-05T17:38:00.017+01:00

Ulverston is a small market town in the Furness Peninsular of South Cumbria (Lake District). Once it was a centre of commerce with a busy canal transporting limestone and iron ore to world markets. Today, Ulverston is regarded as the cultural centre of Cumbria, and is noted for its regular festivals and performing arts events in the Coronation Hall.

This weekend was the Furness Beer Festival in which I decided to participate, travelling by train from my home in Askam-in-Furness. This was an opportunity to sample a range of Real Ales under the auspices of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).

Ulverston on a Saturday morning
in 4D
Dank. Dismal. Dreary. Drizzle.

Flags in the street market put some life and colour into the town

The Town Crier struts his way to the town square...

...to ring his bell...

...to cry out the announcement... let the drinking commence!

The Beer Queen is celebrated (though I trust she is drinking lemonade)

The band invites the throng to follow...

...to the Coronation Hall.

Did you ever see so many types of beer on offer?

A Power Point computer projection scrolls through the 70 or so different ales to choose from
This was assisted by a specialist program Windows for Drinkers
which can be downloaded free as a plug-in from the Microsoft Website.

The Coronation Hall fills up with Real Ale fans.
The last time I was here was for a performance of Verdi's La Traviata!

After the festival, Ulverston Railway Station waiting for the train home.
There's a lot of wrong directions on that lonely way back home

Please click on the image for your entertainment!

Portsmouth Wedding

2009-08-30T09:54:00.029+01:00

On 28 August I attended the wedding in Portsmouth of my elder son Alun to his financée Trudy, with their son Jimmy in attendance. Here are some moments I captured.

"Wedding? What wedding?"

Guests start to arrive - younger son Carwyn with wife Kathryn and daughter Heledd
(not to mention the harp)

The groom attends the arrival of the bride

Jimmy witnesses the taking of the vows...

...and signing of the register...

...while Carwyn plays the harp.

"You realise this is the point of no return... are we sure we want to do this?"

"Best Man" Billybob gives moral support whilst Alun shows Trudy where to sign... he's not going to let her get away...

"How am I supposed to sign with a moulted swan's feather?"

All the kids. Jimmy is the only boy among six.

Girlie gossip in the reception, Stef and Trudy discuss their latest knitting patterns...

...and the joys of motherhood

Jimmy seems preoccupied with the trimmings...

...whilst Kathryn watches over...

...Heledd tucking into her "Eton Mess" (a concoction of raspberry, cream and meringue)

The final ritual, Alun and Trudy cut the wedding cake

The Tree Sparrow Recovery Project

2009-08-20T21:11:00.013+01:00

Tree Sparrows Passer montanus are found throughout Europe and Asia and differ from the more familiar House Sparrows by having a chocolate brown cap and a conspicuous black cheek spot.

I photographed this Tree Sparrow in the Seewinkel National Park in Burgenland

Tree Sparrows declined in the U.K. by a staggering 95% between 1970 and 1998 and are now "red-listed" as a species of high conservation concern. Accordingly, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is cooperating closely with other professional and voluntary organisations and the farming community in order to promote practices that will encourage the recovery of this species.

Among the most important are modifications to agricultural practices (for example, the retention of stubbles through winter rather than ploughing in) and the provision of suitable nesting places. Fortunately Tree Sparrow readily take to nest boxes, and there have been considerable success stories in areas where nest boxes have been provided.

Part of this project involves RSPB Project Officer Catriona Glendinning (in collaboration with Cumbria Wildlife Trust, the Tree Sparrow Recovery Project and the Cumbria Waste Management Environmental Trust) who visited my research site at Roudsea Woods and Mosses National Nature Reserv e to install a batch of nest boxes of suitable dimensions favoured by Tree Sparrows.

Catriona arrives at Roudsea Woods and Mosses NNR with her
van loaded with nest boxes for Tree Sparrows

Having established a suitable location to place the nest boxes,
Catriona quickly gets to work nailing them up.

Unlike many territorial species (e.g. the tit family) that are attracted to nest boxes, Tree Sparrows are colonial and so nest boxes are set up in clusters.

Now, it is a waiting game. I shall be responsible for monitoring the boxes over the coming years. The earliest possible occupation could be the spring of 2010 and we shall be waiting eagerly to discover if nestlings like the Tree Sparrows in the picture below are reared in the boxes.

A brood you young Tree Sparrows in a next box.
Please click on the picture for image source.