Menoturals; Full-feather Feature

Joining with the LLB Gang for our once-a-month shared meme day, Nature Friday and Final Friday Feature.

Last Friday and yesterday's posts introduced you to the Lochwinnoch bird population. Permanent residents. They have learned it is a place of safety and plentiful food. I admit I am a bit conflicted at the level of over-feeding that may be occurring, particularly with inappropriate stuff such as loaves of supermarket bread and potato chips, but there is no denying the joy this avian community brings to the human one. What is more, the birds themselves all seemed to be pretty content with the state of play.

Of the Gulls present, there were Lesser Black-backed, Herring, and Black-headed represented. I want to focus on them a bit today because there were also examples of each juvenile stage. ...oh, and can I just emphasise that there are no such things as 'seagulls'. Gulls can be found a very long way from the coast, right into the country and farmland, in fact. Yes, they favour waterways, but they are opportunists and are actually adept foragers/scavengers, as much as they are fishers.

Most of the Gull species will form lasting mating bonds, and Herring Gulls and Greater Black-backed Gulls in particular are known to be life-long monogamous (bar the occasional 'amicable divorce' that occurs if they prove ill-matched for breeding purposes). Breeding occurs once a year in or around April (Northern Hemisphere; antipodean Gulls can vary from late August to early November). The majority of layings are between two and three eggs, and for most clutches, at least two of the hatchlings will survive. Parent birds will take turns to tend the nest in the first few weeks, with the other going to gather food. As fledging takes place, the young will continue to beg for food, and may do so for quite some time even after taking flight. It is that piping sound you hear most in the video. "Feeed meee"! The vast majority will be weaned and self-feeding by the end of three months, but occasionally a parent will continue feeding for another few weeks. The chicks are most vulnerable during this transition from nest to self-care, because quite often they just stand around in the most inappropriate places (like roads or pavements) and this can result in injury or death. 

While there are some subtle differences between the different species of Gull, overall the first four seasons produce roughly similar feathering. Maturity is only attained in the fourth or fifth season, depending on species.

First Year. All over brown colouring, almost duck-like. Beak is black.

Second Year. Mottling still very much present, but the chest and underparts start to whiten,
beak less black.

Third Year. Mottling remains marked on the wings, legs will change colour according to species, beak likely to change also, but may retain black. Head and chest distinctly white.

Fourth Year. Almost transformed to adult plumage.
Still mottling around head and shoulders, 
but legs and beak more or less complete.
Full maturity is reached when the gonydeal (red) beak spot appears.

You might gather from all this that I am a bit of a Larophile. All waterbirds are fascinating to me: well, all birds, but I do have a particular fondness for the shore and pelagic species. It is possibly something to do with having read Johnathon Livingston Seagull (guilty of misnaming for the sake of alliteration) back in my teens. Or, perhaps, that so many people seem to want to hate on them (same with Corvids, and you must know I also like those!) and I have always been one to support the underdog.

Anyhoo, hope you've enjoyed this little look at the life stages of Gulls, and might view them a little differently next time you meet one. 

Menootering; Lovely Lochwinnoch

On the way north from New Abbey, there was a brief stop at the Loch Arthur Community Shop for a bit of a spend-up on some organic goodness. (I'll be bringing you a relevant video next week.) I was really wishing I had bought more of the bread, because the loaf I did get was scoffed down pronto - by far the best bread I have eaten in a very long time! The range of incredible natural and organic, as well as vegetarian/vegan-friendly, products was tremendous. A real treat.

Then on to Castle Douglas Coop and B&M stores for grocery and 'household' purchases, before moving on up to Alloway, Bellisle Park for an overnight stop. There had been a plan to drop in via Culzean Castle Gardens, but yet again, the rain came as soon as the thought was formed - and stayed. I really had to reassess and find somewhere indoors to visit, so the weather wouldn't be an issue. I had a place in mind, but that will be for next week's post. Meanwhile, I made another shortish hop up to Lochwinnoch, mainly because there were EV chargers there at a cost of under 50p a unit - and the ability to park overnight without restriction. This turned out to be a bit of a diamond spot, and I stayed two nights.

Yes, it remained overcast and showery, but at least that full day, there were lots of sunny breaks as well. The visitor centre here is called Castle Semple, and this water and walking park is part of the greater Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. For those unfamiliar, national parks are vast, government-protected areas meant to preserve unique landscapes and wildlife. Regional parks are smaller areas managed by local authorities to provide easily accessible outdoor recreation, green spaces, and community leisure near towns and cities. During the day, this place was packed and buzzing with activity! At night, apart from youngsters having their fun, it was very peaceful. Sailing, rowing, SUP-boarding, model-boating... You name it! At the end of the Loch is an RSPB centre, and a big attraction at the park promenade is the number of friendly birds. Ducks, Geese, various Gulls, Swans, Coots, Rock Doves and Wood Pigeons, different Corvids... I even spotted a Grebe, though it wasn't joining the throng. 

More about the birds tomorrow. 

While sitting outside between showers and enjoying all the birds, I observed a fellow turn up with a bag of seeds and start feeding them... and the swans were hand-feeding from him. I've fed different birds by hand over the years, but I'm not sure I would have had the courage to approach a swan... they have a reputation, don't they?! You saw the swan video last Friday. That couple were being very watchful of their single chick... David asked where the others were (because there are generally at least three or four, and the brood can be as much as seven. I don't have an answer, except clearly there was either only the one successful hatching - or a tragic early life situation for however many did hatch, leaving this solitary, much-guarded cygnet. 

Another fellow turned up with a crushed fat ball to spread around, which the Gulls and Jackdaws in particular were happy for. We struck up conversation, as there were no less than three families turning up with loaves of bread.... NOOOOOOO! He told me that there had been a sign warning folk not to feed bread, but it had disappeared mysteriously one night and had never been replaced. 

Pat Smith and I ended up chatting for well over an hour! That was before lunch. We picked up the conversation when he returned later that afternoon to give the birds some tea. What an interesting man... born and bred and lived life-long in Lochwinnoch (with one period away that told him he needed to return!). He had been a keen videographer and photographer, as had his father and uncle before him. He and his cousin, Brian, are responsible for the excellent archive website, PBTheCairn... of course, it is primarily set up for the community, but it is an impressive effort of archiving, and if, like me, you enjoy poring over old photos, it will while away some cheerful minutes. There's a decent history section, too. There are no contemporary photos of the cousins, but there are some earlier ones of Brian under the 'families' banner (at the very bottom), and those of Pat (snr) give you a good idea of how Pat (jnr) looks now, as he is currently at about the age of the photos taken of his father. You can, though, see the youthful Pat (jnr) on the page about Clyde Cooperage, where he earned his place as a journeyman cooper.

I will definitely have to return to Lochwinnoch and give the town itself more attention. What had been intended mainly as a stopgap charging park-up turned into a wonderful interactive experience. The birds were a large part of the joy for me - and on that, more tomorrow! 

Menoizikul; Midweek Musicalisms

In a way, I am saving the best till last... for here we can listen to Erwin Schulhoff himself! Yes, recordings of him at the piano have survived and make for very interesting listening. If this bit I share today teases your ears for more, then hop on over to this listing for more!