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Could some rare birds be making a comeback? |
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EVERY year you are bound to hear folk complain about the
birds, about the lack of wheatears, about the lack of cuckoos, about
not hearing the willow warblers and chiffchaffs.
Some folk even talk about the swallows and swifts, but I have to
say that I am finished complaining for this year. In a recent
survey, there were very few house sparrows about. This is a bird
which used to live in every house, so it seemed, was so common as
not to merit a mention. It was ubiquitous in town and country, there
were so many of them that many people could 'turn off and not even
see them. Now they are so rare that many folk never do see them! I
keep a close eye on wildlife in our garden. At times a week would
pass without ever catching sight of a house sparrow. Yesterday there
were seven of these birds at one time and all close. They were male
and female, and I do not think there was an immature one among them.
This would seem to suggest that in the not too distant future there
will be masses of house sparrows. But I will believe that when it
happens. So I heard a chiffchaff. This is a bird more easily heard
than seen, and indeed it is reckoned that many folk go through life
without ever seeing a chiffchaff. The bird derives its name from
its monotonous, but unmistakable song. It is a small warbler which
lives in the Mediterranean area during our winters, but heads over
here early in the year. It usually arrives about April, and the
first indication of its presence is its monotonous song. People love
it. It usually acquires a perch high on a tree, and pours forth its
spirit in monotonous song! Most people would rarely see the bird
but it is even more difficult to find its nest. It is one of the few
birds to build a roof over its nest, others like the magpie, wren
and dipper spring to mind. The nest is on the ground, in
undergrowth, and made of grass and moss, lined with feathers. Here
the lady chiffchaff lays five or six white eggs, with purple brown
spots. The bird is green to olive brown in plumage in its
upperparts, with a yellow tinge on the breast.
Then there is the willow warbler. It looks similar, in fact it is
reckoned that the breeds cannot be told apart, well, not by looking
at them anyway. But the song is different, thankfully. So we heard
willow warblers as well. They live in west Africa when they are not
here, and arrive in England and Ireland a short time after the
chiffchaff. They leave a short time before he does. We have heard
willow warblers, in fact if you locate a male it seems to sing from
early morning to late evening. It is seeking a mate. Like the
chiffchaff it goes for a prominent perch, but the difference is you
can usually see the perch, and the bird. So at different times we
were looking at a bird, not knowing what it was. Then it started to
sing, and we knew immediately. Thank goodness for song! Recently
we were bemoaning the fact that we had not heard a cuckoo this year.
Now I seem to be hearing cuckoos all day, every day, and the sound
is terrific. That is enough for cuckoos. Treasa and Phillip had told
me about hearing the corncrake beside their home. It had been been
calling every night for a fortnight, although they had yet to see
it. Treasa also heard one at Baile na mBo. Now this was interesting.
When had I last heard a corncrake? Would I like to hear a corncrake?
Would you believe, I always seemed to be busy, listening to cuckoos
and willow warblers and chiff chaffs. But I went to their home in
Baile an Teampall on the evening of Wednesday 4th May. You may
notice I am only giving townland names at the moment. When we
arrived, we chatted for a short time in the evening sunshine.
Outdoors. Suddenly our conversion was interrupted, by a corncrake.
It was magic. I had not heard one for years, was beginning to
despair slightly of ever hearing one, in spite of all the good work
being done by individuals and organisations to encourage the bird to
return. I cannot say where this bird was, just to say it was on the
mainland in the north of Ireland. You may be aware, some birds may
yet hit Rathlin, Tory, and other islands off the north coast. If
there are more developments in this story I shall be delighted to
keep you informed. Coming Events
- Thursdays in May - Guided Walk in Mount Stewart to
see the flowers and plants, talk to 9751 2351
- Sunday 15th May - Annual Bluebell Walk in Colin Glen
Forest Park, phone 9061 4115
- Friday 20th May - There will be a May Spring Weekend,
courtesy of Lisburn RSPB, going to Speyside. Contact Peter
Galloway on 9266 1982 for more.
- Saturday 21st/Sunday 22nd May - Annual Garden Fair at
Mount Stewart, contact the National Trust 97512351
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