Birdlife
|
Feeding the ducks and geese! This is not the RSPB Reserve, this is Glebe Ponds at the East end of Kingussie, Tuesday 8th January 2008 Tuesday 8th January 2008
|
Ruthven Steadings is in an elevated position
overlooking
the RSPB Bird Reserve.
Insh Marshes
This is one of the most
important wetlands in Europe. In spring, lapwings,
redshanks
and curlews nest
here. In Winter, the marshes flood, providing
roosting and feeding for flocks of
whooper swans and greylag geese.Up
to
100 whooper swans arrive here in October from Iceland.
Lapwings
Watch the nesting lapwings here chasing predators that may come
too close
to their nests or show too much of an interest in their chicks. The
protective
parents regularly give chase to crows and do not stop their 'mobbing'
attacks
until the danger has passed.
Snipe
These
cryptically-coloured waders can be seen here all year-round, with the
greatest
numbers in spring. Look for them probing their long beaks into
the soft ground
and around the edges of the lochans.
Redshank
Keep an eye out
for the redshanks' towering display flights over the wet meadows
in spring. They
are sometimes known as 'the sentinel of the marshes' for their
noisy habit of
drawing attention to predators.
Curlews
Curlews are
large, brown wading birds with very long, curved bills. In spring,
you can hear their gorgeous, 'bubbling' song
|
Spring Late winter wildfowl including Whooper Swans and Greylag Geese. Hen Harriers hunt over the marshes. Early Spring (May) is best for Breeding Waders including Lapwings, Curlews, Snipe and Redshank. Ospreys fish in the loch. |
|
Summer Breeding Waders including Lapwings, Curlews, Snipe and Redshanks in June, but then quiet. Ospreys fish in the loch. |
|
Autumn Arrival of winter migrants including Whooper Swans and Greylag Geese from Iceland. Hen Harriers gather to roost. |
|
Winter Arrival of winter migrants including Whooper Swans and Greylag Geese from Iceland. Wintering Ducks. Hen Harriers gather to roost.
We also had our own bird visitors this year as you can see below
|
|
'Our first Golden Eye Duck'
She managed to produce 10 little ducklings but when they left it all happened so fast we never got any more photo's !
We are going to have a lot more feeding stations -thats posh for bird tables !!! for this year and a Golden eye duck has come back and laid ten eggs