What birds (are you/have you been) watching? What birds have been watching you?

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  • ardcarp
    Late member
    • Nov 2010
    • 11102

    A great account Vox. Were you anywhere near Ham Wall? Mrs A's Dad was a river engineer whose 'patch' was The Levels with its fascinating and often unpredictatble water-scapes. It was always a bit 'somewhere other', even in the days before wildlife conservation became a priority.

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    • Serial_Apologist
      Full Member
      • Dec 2010
      • 37617

      Originally posted by Padraig View Post
      Walking along the river today I saw a flock of seagulls in the water about half way across - (Richard, I mean the stretch of the Foyle between the Odeon Cinema on the City side and St.Columb's Park on the other side). They were in three distinct groups, a large group with a smaller group on either side. If I had been fishing I would have thought they were feeding and would have made for that area; but they seemed to be just drifting. The whiteness of the gulls in the water made the appearance of a pair of black heads twenty yards apart instantly noticeable. They disappeared as soon as I saw them, and I waited until they popped up again. They were the first I have seen this year, and I have been spotting cormorants in this area for many a year. Nice to see them right in the City centre, but being cold and windy there were not too many people about.
      This far out from the centre of London (Trafalgar Square) and 5 miles from the nearest point on the Thames, we rarely get seagulls visiting around here. But my memories of Bristol a few years ago is of the area around the centre swamped by seagulls day and night constantly making their cries, resulting in sleepless nights, and leading me to wonder how people living in such seagull frequented districts ever manage to get used to them.

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      • Vox Humana
        Full Member
        • Dec 2012
        • 1248

        Originally posted by ardcarp View Post
        A great account Vox. Were you anywhere near Ham Wall? Mrs A's Dad was a river engineer whose 'patch' was The Levels with its fascinating and often unpredictatble water-scapes. It was always a bit 'somewhere other', even in the days before wildlife conservation became a priority.
        Thanks, Ardy. Indeed we were. The roost was at Shapwick Heath (the other side of Station Road), but we had a quick look at the Ham Wall side before traipsing off there. I remember a birding friend visiting these sites maybe 30 years ago when they were just beginning to be developed. He raved about the fabulous habitat and its potential to become a major magnet for birds. He wasn't wrong! We love going there, but it's a bit of a mission.

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        • Richard Tarleton

          Originally posted by Padraig View Post
          Walking along the river today I saw a flock of seagulls in the water about half way across - (Richard, I mean the stretch of the Foyle between the Odeon Cinema on the City side and St.Columb's Park on the other side). They were in three distinct groups, a large group with a smaller group on either side. If I had been fishing I would have thought they were feeding and would have made for that area; but they seemed to be just drifting. The whiteness of the gulls in the water made the appearance of a pair of black heads twenty yards apart instantly noticeable. They disappeared as soon as I saw them, and I waited until they popped up again. They were the first I have seen this year, and I have been spotting cormorants in this area for many a year. Nice to see them right in the City centre, but being cold and windy there were not too many people about.
          Gulls just roosting or loafing by the sounds of it Padraig - what time of day?

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          • greenilex
            Full Member
            • Nov 2010
            • 1626

            I had a sad encounter with a young gull a few days ago in the city centre by our brook. But I think the fox was happy.

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            • Padraig
              Full Member
              • Feb 2013
              • 4231

              Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View Post
              Gulls just roosting or loafing by the sounds of it Padraig - what time of day?
              Thanks Richard. It was around 1pm. There are quite a few gulls all along the river - mostly on the East Bank where there is mud and shallow water. They often loaf -nice word. The City Centre has pigeons, not gulls as a rule, but it is the cormorants which are the potential tourist attractions right there behind the Guildhall. That whole area has been tarted up since your time Richard.

              Alas! Too late for City Centre reminiscing with Richard. He probably knew as much about environment issues here in Northern Ireland as our own experts, and he always remembered his time here, which was appreciated,
              Last edited by Padraig; 06-02-20, 15:06.

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              • Padraig
                Full Member
                • Feb 2013
                • 4231

                I had hoped for a comment from Richard on this item, as he no doubt was familiar with the area and the issue. I also hope that members find something of common interest in these occasional news items.


                The project would see seven gas storage caverns hollowed under the water out using solution mining.

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                • Vox Humana
                  Full Member
                  • Dec 2012
                  • 1248

                  Originally posted by Padraig View Post
                  I had hoped for a comment from Richard on this item, as he no doubt was familiar with the area and the issue. I also hope that members find something of common interest in these occasional news items.

                  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-51399028
                  I can't comment on this specific case, but I am very cynical about environmental impact assessments. I have some experience. What happens is that officials call for an EIA, the applicant industry commissions one favourable to its case, the box is ticked, the scheme is approved and the environment is harmed. Every single time. The best an industry-funded EIA will achieve is to mitigate the worst effects. The conservation organisations need to do their own EIA, but would it be seriously considered?

                  Comment

                  • Padraig
                    Full Member
                    • Feb 2013
                    • 4231

                    Originally posted by Vox Humana View Post
                    I can't comment on this specific case, but I am very cynical about environmental impact assessments. I have some experience. What happens is that officials call for an EIA, the applicant industry commissions one favourable to its case, the box is ticked, the scheme is approved and the environment is harmed. Every single time. The best an industry-funded EIA will achieve is to mitigate the worst effects. The conservation organisations need to do their own EIA, but would it be seriously considered?
                    Thank you V H. I share your cynicism. We have our own local reasons to suspect EIAs. But is there reason to believe that pressure is growing to regard the environment as a priority that demands to be no longer a box ticking exercise? I'm reading about the Cash for Ash scandal - the Renewable Heat Incentive for Northern Ireland which went badly wrong. Mind boggling. Official Report due in March should make for interesting reading if Burned (the book) is even half accurate.

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                    • Vox Humana
                      Full Member
                      • Dec 2012
                      • 1248

                      There is certainly more public awareness of environmental matters and this may perhaps force industry to take notice too. However arguments for jobs and wealth always seem to trump everything else in the end. It is difficult for local government to turn down projects that promise financial and economic benefits for their residents.

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                      • ardcarp
                        Late member
                        • Nov 2010
                        • 11102

                        Probably off topic, but there's a good story from Norway. When Fornebu airport in the centre of Oslo had to close because it was inadequate to handle the volume of international flights, there was hot competition from Torp (to the south) and Gardemoen (to the north) NOT to have the airport in their back yard. The deciding factor was going to be the average number of foggy days which would restrict airport use. So the authorities set up apparatus to measure the density of fog over the course of a year. Torp 'won' because someone had crept out at night and smeared the lenses with Vaseline. The airport is now at Gardemoen, an inconvenient and expensive distance of 25 miles from central Oslo.

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                        • agingjb
                          Full Member
                          • Apr 2007
                          • 156

                          We are delighted that a (female or immature) Marsh Harrier is regularly seen in a site near us.

                          The same site attracts a migrant Osprey each year, although we also miss the bird each year.

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                          • HighlandDougie
                            Full Member
                            • Nov 2010
                            • 3082

                            Originally posted by agingjb View Post
                            We are delighted that a (female or immature) Marsh Harrier is regularly seen in a site near us.

                            The same site attracts a migrant Osprey each year, although we also miss the bird each year.
                            You are very lucky! I've never seen one, although I thought I had done so outside Eureka in California when I was out running near some marshland - but it could not have been Circus aeruginosus as you don't find them in North America. I suspect that it was a not-exactly-uncommon Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus). Still, it was an impressive bird, perched on a post and glaring at me as I wheezed past. Here in France, where there isn't a cloud in the sky, I've just been distracted from writing a paper by the two local golden eagles, putting on a magnificent aerial display, seen to best advantage in the (strong) sunlight.

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                            • Bryn
                              Banned
                              • Mar 2007
                              • 24688



                              Stick with it.

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                              • greenilex
                                Full Member
                                • Nov 2010
                                • 1626

                                Real conversational tone to the bird’s remarks. Wish I spoke capercaillie!

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