Country Corner
THE passage of Siskins passing through my garden continues with up to a dozen being present supported by a small number of Goldfinches and Greenfinches.
The sunflower heart feeder empties quickly with all the activity.
A Treecreeper has been visible on two occasions over the past weekend and it is probably nesting in an over lapping section of the boundary fence.
On Sunday morning there was a snatch of song from a Willow Warbler but the strong winds seemed to be having an effect and the little warbler song dried up. However, the nearby loch produced a singing male on Monday morning.
The Blackcap was heard singing for the first time the previous Monday morning and was still around when out on my patch walk two days ago.
On the bird news on line site there have been other sightings of this summer visitor from around the region.
Swallow and Sand Martin have started to appear in the Tweed Valley and four were over Gunknowe Loch two days ago.
The inclement weather has obviously been holding up these migrants in their journey north.
The odd House Martin have also appeared on the Border
Bird News on line reports.
There has been little in the way of goose movements in the last week except for a flock of Pink near Bemersyde Moss.
This report was also accompanied by a photograph showing a Canada/Barnacle hybrid and a Canada/ Greylag hybrid.
There have been fairly regular reports of the Canada/Greylag hybrids from around the region.
My first was on Millers Moss at St Abb’s Head and another on the Tweed down stream of Galafoot amongst a flock of about 30 Canadas.
Last week there was a photograph of a male
Goosander out feeding with the Mallard at the Cobby in Kelso.
The Mallards and Mute Swans regularly feed on handouts of bread from visitors.
It is more unusual to see Goosanders joining in the activity.
This is currently the position of two pairs of Goosander which have been on the loch at Tweedbank for around two weeks.
They have taken to joining up with the Mallard in the competition for bread given out by the numerous visitors by climbing out on to the foot path.
A friend of mine suggests that the coloured Tweed may be affecting them catching their usual diet of fish and eels.
On the last few mornings, the local Grey Herons have been noted heading out of their heronry and heading off to fish at ponds close to Tweedbank where both frogs and toads will be available as well as fish.
In 2023 there was a Heron fishing between Galafoot and the Carrywiel Pool being noted most on most mornings while out on my patch walk.
The bird appears to have given up on this stretch of the Tweed during this first quarter of 2024.
Again, the frequent highwater levels may have had an effect on the availability of fish. The dipper pair that frequent this section have not been seen for a while and again high water may have forced them elsewhere.