Some Ornithological Chat

Mark Lewis

A podcast brought to you by the Scottish Ornithologists' Club, blending conversations on topical issues and lighter chats about birds and birding, mostly in Scotland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. 02/27/2023

    Some Ornithological chat with Amy Challis and Andrew Stevenson

    Some Ornithological Chat with Amy Challis and Andrew Stevenson Mark talks to Amy Challis and Andrew Stevenson about the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme, which has been keeping tabs on Scotland’s Raptors for the last 20 years. To celebrate their 20th Birthday, SRMS released their first population trends for Scotland’s raptors via both a report and a brilliant interactive web tool. Also, Amy tells us how she feels about Birds of Paradise and Andrew tells us about his Hebridean birding dream (a Willet) and his Hebridean birding reality (a Snowy Owl/white bucket). SRMS - https://raptormonitoring.org/srms-online Trends report - https://raptormonitoring.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/SRMS-Trends-2009-2018-Trends-Summary.pdf Search trends interactively - https://raptormonitoring.org/trends/explore-trends-interactively SOC DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/support-us/join-us SOC website - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/ Branches – what’s going on near you? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/local-branches What’s coming up at Waterston house? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/art-gallery Online Scottish Bird Report - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/online-scottish-bird-report Where to watch birds in Scotland app - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/app Scottish Birds - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/scottish-birds-soc-s-journal Intro – displaying Teals, male chimes and whistles and female rather high pitched quacks. Outro – Robin.   Credits Many thanks to Xeno Canto for allowing access to the library of recordings, and in particular, the following recorders whose hawk and owl calls were used. Lars Edinius – Sparrowhawk - https://xeno-canto.org/741418 Lars Edinius – Northern Goshawk - https://xeno-canto.org/665202 Jarek Matusiak – Northern Goshawk - https://xeno-canto.org/591228 Irish Wildlife Sounds – Sparrowhawk - https://xeno-canto.org/740850 Andrej Binz – Tawny Owl - https://xeno-canto.org/782767 Clive Davies – Long-eared Owl - https://xeno-canto.org/713370 Xeno-canto - https://xeno-canto.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    41 min
  2. 01/31/2023

    Some Ornithological Chat with Ryan Irvine

    Some Ornithological Chat with Ryan Irvine Mark talks to Ryan Irvine about patch birding, and getting involved with Patchwork Challenge – a friendly competition that aims to inspire birders to bird (and record) more locally. Ryan decides he’d like to be reincarnated as a Sooty Shearwater, and fly past Girdle Ness while someone other than Mark finds Scotland’s first Eastern Crowned Warbler there. Charming! All your Patchwork Challenge info here: https://twitter.com/PatchBirding/status/1593975691028176896?s=20&t=mIx3jSgpeyAIs52_Ss8p-w SOC DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/support-us/join-us SOC website - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/ Branches – what’s going on near you? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/local-branches What’s coming up at Waterston house? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/art-gallery Online Scottish Bird Report - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/online-scottish-bird-report Where to watch birds in Scotland app - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/app Scottish Birds - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/scottish-birds-soc-s-journal Intro – Nuthatch – a relatively recent colonist to Scotland. Outro – Marsh Tit – the latest breeding species we have lost? Credits Many thanks to Xeno Canto for allowing access to the library of recordings, and in particular, the following recorders whose Dipper and Mistle Thrush songs, and thrush calls were used. Irish Wildlife Sounds – Fieldfare - https://xeno-canto.org/774386 Christophe Mercier – Ring Ouzel - https://xeno-canto.org/759159 Lars Edinius – Dipper - https://xeno-canto.org/687370 Romauld Mikusek – Mistle Thrush - https://xeno-canto.org/761994 Xeno-canto - https://xeno-canto.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min
  3. 11/30/2022

    Some Ornithological Chat with Will Miles

    In this episode, Will Miles joins us to talk about two books that he has been involved with recently - 'The Birds of Fair Isle' and 'Best Days with Shetland's Birds'. We also hear about mistaking a Woodpigeon for a Crane, and how Will would use his time machine to go back and make a phonecall... SOC DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/support-us/join-us SOC website - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/ Branches – what’s going on near you? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/local-branches What’s coming up at Waterston house? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/art-gallery Online Scottish Bird Report - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/online-scottish-bird-report Where to watch birds in Scotland app - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/app Scottish Birds - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/scottish-birds-soc-s-journal Credits Many thanks to Xeno Canto for allowing access to the library of recordings, and in particular, the following recorders whose mega goose and swan calls were used. Xeno-canto - https://xeno-canto.org/ Pink-footed goose – Simon Elliot - https://xeno-canto.org/670475 Greater White-fronted goose – Andras Schmidt - https://xeno-canto.org/698271 Greater White-fronted goose – Peter Boesman - https://xeno-canto.org/603849 Tundra Bean Goose – Uku Paal - https://xeno-canto.org/641876 Tundra Bean Goose – James Lidster - https://xeno-canto.org/704753 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min
  4. 10/28/2022

    Some Ornithological Chat with Paul French

    Some Ornithological Chat with Paul French Mark talks to Paul French (who was wearing his British Birds Rarities Committee hat) about rarity assessment, hundreds of different trips in a time machine, and being reincarnated as an Eleanora’s Falcon for some dubious reasons… SOC CONFERENCE - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/support-us/events/events/the-2022-annual-conference DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/support-us/join-us SOC website - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/ Branches – what’s going on near you? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/local-branches What’s coming up at Waterston house? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/art-gallery Online Scottish Bird Report - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/online-scottish-bird-report Where to watch birds in Scotland app - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/app Scottish Birds - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/scottish-birds-soc-s-journal Credits Many thanks to Xeno Canto for allowing access to the library of recordings, and in particular, the following recorders whose mega rare chat and Hume’s Warbler calls were used. Xeno-canto - https://xeno-canto.org/ Siberian Blue Robin – Yong Ding Li - https://xeno-canto.org/115946 Siberian Blue Robin – Hans Matheve - https://xeno-canto.org/154622 Rufous-tailed Robin – Per Alstrom - https://xeno-canto.org/154622 Rufous-tailed Robin – Geoff Carey - https://xeno-canto.org/743692 Siberian Rubythroat – Eric Defonso - https://xeno-canto.org/364335 Siberian Rubythroat – Jelle Scharringa - https://xeno-canto.org/647572 Humes Leaf Warbler – Peter Boesman - https://xeno-canto.org/472917 Humes Leaf Warbler – Thomas Bergman - https://xeno-canto.org/612553 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 9m
  5. 09/28/2022

    Some Ornithological Chat with Scott Mayson

    In this episode, Mark Talks to Scott Mayson of the BTO about BirdTrack, and in particular, the new BirdTrack app. Scott also gives us the nicest Time Machine answer we could hope for and describes creeping up on a bottle which he thought was a Collared Flycatcher... SOC SOC website - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/ Branches – what’s going on near you? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/local-branches What’s coming up at Waterston house? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/art-gallery Online Scottish Bird Report - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/online-scottish-bird-report Where to watch birds in Scotland app - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/app Scottish Birds - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/scottish-birds-soc-s-journal BIRDTRACK QUESTIONNAIRE - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5FP3DDQ Credits Many thanks to Xeno Canto for allowing access to the library of recordings, and in particular, the following recorders who’s Coal Tit and Pipit calls were used. Xeno-canto - https://xeno-canto.org/ Stuart Fisher - XC627893 Coal Tit (Periparus ater) :: xeno-canto Lars Edenius - XC668177 Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) :: xeno-canto Stanislas Wroza - XC485233 Olive-backed Pipit (Anthus hodgsoni) :: xeno-canto Lars Edenius - XC494676 Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervinus) :: xeno-canto   Intro and outro birds Intro – Fulmar - https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/479358681#_ga=2.102379649.1857291985.1662713811-793423854.1624359117 Outro – Lesser Black-backed gull - https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/479358511#_ga=2.102379649.1857291985.1662713811-793423854.1624359117 Both recorded on the Isle of May in August 2022   BirdTrack More about BirdTrack: https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/birdtrack   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 2m
  6. 08/19/2022

    Some Ornithological Chat with Sarah Harris

    On this podcast we talk to Sarah Harris. Until recently, Sarah managed the BTO's Breeding Bird Survey, and in the first half of this episode she'll be sharing some of the fascinating insights that this survey has given us, including the biggest winners and losers in Scottish birds, and some of the reasons for their good or bad fortunes. Sarah changed jobs recently to take over management of the Seabird Monitoring Programme, and we'll also find out about this vital survey. After an interlude of bird calls, we find out when Sarah would travel to in her time machine, why she prefers Hobbys to Swifts, and her prediction for the next first for Scotland... SOC SOC website - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/ Branches – what’s going on near you? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/local-branches What’s coming up at Waterston house? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/art-gallery Credits Many thanks to Xeno Canto for allowing access to the library of recordings, and in particular, the following recorders who’s sandpiper and Mediterranean Gull calls were used. Xeno-canto - https://xeno-canto.org/ Niels Van Donink XC580136 Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) :: xeno-canto Marc Anderson XC732012 Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) :: xeno-canto Uku Paal XC725188 Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) :: xeno-canto Irish Wildlife Sounds XC717681 Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocephalus) :: xeno-canto   BTO Surveys If you’re interested to get involved in the BTO surveys that Sarah described, have a look here: https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/birdtrack/surveys If you’d like to know more about the Breeding Bird Survey results, you can access all of the reports back to 1994 here: https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/breeding-bird-survey/bbs-publications/bbs-reports Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min
  7. Some Ornithological chat with David Steel

    07/21/2022

    Some Ornithological chat with David Steel

    On this podcast we talk to David Steel. David works with seabirds on the Isle of May and as such is well placed to talk about the spread of Avian Influenza through our seabird colonies, which species we should be most concerned about, and why we might remain hopeful. After this, David tells us where (or when, I guess!) he'd go if he had one go in a time machine, shares some of the best birding advice he's been given, and toys with the idea of putting Northumberland seawatchers into a birding room 101.... SOC SOC website - https://www.the-soc.org.uk/ Branches – what’s going on near you? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/local-branches What’s coming up at Waterston house? https://www.the-soc.org.uk/about-us/art-gallery Credits Many thanks to Xeno Canto for allowing access to the library of recordings, and in particular, the following recorders who’s Redshank and Greenshank calls were used. Xeno-canto - https://xeno-canto.org/ Stanislas Wroza -XC588469 Common Redshank (Tringa totanus) :: xeno-canto Peter Boesman - XC640465 Common Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) :: xeno-canto Avian Influenza If you find any single dead or dying raptors, geese, ducks or swans, or groups of five or more dead birds of any species, please note: DO NOT TOUCH the birds Please report the bird(s) to DEFRA, using the phone number 03459 33 55 77. Be prepared to give some details of the location – a grid reference or what3words can be helpful. The purpose of this GB Wild Bird Surveillance Scheme is to capture information on the general location and strains of avian influenza that might be prevalent in the UK. This data then helps government build up a picture of the current risks, and shapes how they then respond in policy terms. The scheme does not attempt to identify every bird with HPAI in the UK, nor even within a specific area. Indeed, further birds will not be tested within a 10 km radius and within a fortnight of an original positive finding.' As such, there will be many reports of dead birds that will appear not to have been responded to. Please do not assume your information has been ignored, and please do continue to report dead birds (as requested above) for as long as this outbreak of Avian Flu persists. https://www.gov.scot/publications/avian-influenza-bird-flu/pages/dead-or-sick-wild-birds-what-to-do/#:~:text=Report%20an%20injured%20animal%20to%20the%20Scottish%20Society,pass%20to%20humans%20but%20this%20is%20very%20rare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min

About

A podcast brought to you by the Scottish Ornithologists' Club, blending conversations on topical issues and lighter chats about birds and birding, mostly in Scotland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.