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Am Bratach No. 213
Several times in the past I have stood with folk on a guided sea watch at Strathy Point and struggled to see any cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) or just had a quick glimpse of a fin and that’s it. On a recent sea watch we saw four species in just two hours. Minke whales, common dolphins, harbour porpoise and Risso’s Dolphins were all recorded, with the Risso’s Dolphin’s right in alongside us. I wish every sea watch was like that. In mid-May seven different cetacean species were recorded from waters around northern Sutherland and Caithness in one week. This just highlights the importance of this area to these magnificent aquatic mammals. As part of the efforts to raise awareness of these animals and help their conservation a new local website has been launched www.caithness-sea-watching.co.uk. Developed and managed by Colin Bird the site gives very up-to-date records of cetaceans in these waters. You are able and encouraged to add any records you may have through the site and help contribute to the conservation effort. All confirmed records are sent to the Seawatch Foundation for inclusion in the national cetacean records. The Seawatch Foundation also has a very comprehensive website at www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk full of information about cetacean species in UK waters. Most folk would be excited to witness an animal such as a whale or dolphin but not all species of animal are viewed with the same level of interest or value. Recently I was intrigued to read a comment on a website by a member of the public concerning a starling in their garden with a ring on its leg. They questioned why anybody would be bothered to ring a starling. The British Trust for Ornithology figures show starling numbers have declined by 66% since the mid 1970s and they are now a “red-listed” species of high conservation concern. Ringing birds is one method used to identify these trends in bird populations and the humble starling is just as deserving of our concern as any other species. I love to watch starlings feed in the garden. They are very comical, squabbling over food and strutting around. The variety in their call is astounding and their ability to mimic bird calls and other sounds is amazing. I remember, years ago, the starlings roosting in the roof of the bus depot where I worked would mimic the reversing alarms of the buses as they manoeuvred around. This would often lead to confusion as you frantically looked around for the other vehicle apparently reversing your way. Another time whilst digging in the garden I kept hearing the distant meowing call of a buzzard. I spent a good while looking with the binoculars to find it, before realising it was coming from a starling just above me in the sycamore tree. The starling had learnt to mimic the call just as it had heard it from distance. It was like the perfect natural ventriloquist act. Just the other day a starling sitting on the chimney at home was mimicking next door’s clucking hens along with redshank, oystercatcher and curlew all incorporated in the one continuous series of calls. As I write (June 12) the dragonflies and damselflies will soon be very evident and a new leaflet has been produced to help you identify our local species. Contact your local ranger for a copy or check the local library to see if they’re available there. Other leaflets will be available concerning invasive species such as mink, rhododendron and Japanese knotweed. Another good identification leaflet now available is the Bumblebees of Caithness and Sutherland produced by the Bumblebee Conservation trust. Why not dedicate a section of your garden to plants suitable for bumblebees and help the conservation effort. Choose plants such as flowering currant, pussy willow, bugle and dead-nettle for the spring. Aquilegia, comfrey, geranium, foxglove and honeysuckle are great for early summer. Cornflower, heathers, delphinium, lavender and scabious are suitable for later summer. Providing pollen and nectar throughout the season is the recipe for successful bumblebee gardening. Let’s Keep Scotland buzzing! Paul is a Highland Council
ranger, based at Bettyhill. |