Wednesday, 24 December 2008

Scottish Crossbills R Eeezeee !

"Are you looking at me Jimmy ?"

Rightee o all ranting regarding Burd Forum now almost officially over and blog back to normal. However, was informed that KCFoggin is in fact a woman. So ? Still a twat. Apparently, Andy Bright is a woman too. Or a Pink Fairy, I forget. And Sandy, it wisnae just ower a jaicket - the guy was a turd and being insulting to the 99% of normal people who are happy with their gear ! Just like the gimp who thought that because you me and Uncle Tom Cobbly are happy with our 'leaky' Swarovski's or Leica's where the knob has gone stiff then we must be mentally deranged or 'dudes'. I think we all know who the mentally deranged ones are. Will keep checking out BF sporadically for crossbill stuff in Lurkerland but will not be contributing - I am no doubt banned( again) anyway ! I am especially interested in the post today of Common Crossbills feeding on Western Hemlock. in Ingerland. I am not surprised by this, more at a later date. Anyway, I digress.....

A short trip out today to a site near a village called Finzean. It's pronounced Fing' in BTW kinda like the whole John Menzies thing. On the way there a Jay was a welcome sight - quite a few around most of Deeside this year. I like Jay's, the best crows there are. Next to Choughs that is.

Very quiet in the woods save some sma' shite ( coati's, crests and creepers) moving through in feeding flocks. Did some scanning with the parabola and picked up something faint - finch type chatter but not crossbill, that I know, and not redpoll, siskin. FTW ? Oh well. Quite a lot of old foraging evidence by Scottish Crossbills on the floor so kept optimistic.

About ten minutes later I was on to something. Not a breath of wind today so a falling cone 100m away was easily heard and a dead giveaway along with chipping calls birds given when feeding. On goes recorder up goes Telinga. Recognized through the 'phones Scottish Fc's, or chip calls, and then two 'toop' ( excitement calls). Then they scarppered. Didn't even see them, such is often the case with Crossbills in plantations but there were 4 ( from the calls on the sonogram).

That was it. Another hour of gubbing about produced nothing and by 2.00pm it was technically dusk - light until 3.30pm but everything was away to roost. Not desparately exciting but a good result all the same - evidence of (a few) Scotbills in the plantations and feeding on Scot's Pine (which they were). Will they breed here in the Spring ?

More action this week given the high pressure over next few days at least. Key site tommorrow so hopefully more to report. Bonus point to anyone who can tell me what calls the bird in the pic above gave, or what the species is: hint it's not a Common Crossbill.

And a seasonal message folks - "Remember, A Paramo Jacket Is Not Just For Xmas, It's For Life " !

3 comments:

Stephen Menzie said...

Great! Now anyone who reads you blog is going to be calling me Mingy...

And... trick question! It didn't call, it just sat there looking at you (like they tend to when I point a telinga in their direction)...

Lindsay Cargill (aka Loxiafan) said...

Actually, that would be "Mingis" Stephen not much better I guess but a good Scottish name all the same ;-) Hey though at least you didn't grow up constantly being told you had a girl's name !Anyway, don't worry. Do you honestly think anyone actually reads any of this ?

On a similar note Finzean is near a village called Strachan, as in the ginger minger that manages the Bhoy's in Glesgae. Strachan is locally pronounced "Stra' n". So Gordon Stra' n. However, given the celtic origins of Celtic FC he might just shun his Scottish roots as seems the norm with these types !

Actually, the birdie was with two others and they did call when they came in and again when the flew off. Wil have to go and find them as I recorded quite a lot that day. It was 23rd March 2008 upper Deeside.

Loxops said...

Tee hee! Hook, line, and sinker! You cracked me up though with the gimp image. That's all I could see in my head while driving down to Dalkeech for chips tonight- some guy in a gimp mask posting shite on BF about dudes with leaky bins and winding up the Loxmeister. Surreal!!
Not half as weird though as a wanking fiddler crab working for the thought-police as a grubby little dark knight. Priceless!
What a complete dong!!