Big Schools Birdwatch

Pupils from Science and Biology classes participated in the RSPB Big School’s Birdwatch over the last few weeks, along with pupils from thousands of schools across the UK.  We watched birds coming to the feeders outside the canteen in shifts for a whole hour, and recorded the maximum number of individuals of different species seen at the same time.  

We saw a large variety of birds, including 23 beautiful Goldfinches with bright red heads and golden wings. They seem to particularly enjoy the niger seeds we put out for them.  

We also saw a small brown bird with a red forehead that we were able to identify as a Lesser redpoll, a relatively uncommon species and a new record for CCHS!  

Our final results have been submitted online and will help RSPB monitor populations of birds across the country. 

Bird species	Max number seen at any one time
Chaffinch	26
Goldfinch	23
Magpie	7
Blackbird	2
Woodpigeon	2
Collared dove	2
Crow	2
Lesser redpoll	1
Bluetit	1
Dunnock	1

    

Currie Ecology Nest Record Scheme (British Trust for Ornithology)

Trials and Tribulations for the Roof-nesting Oystercatchers !

One of the adult Oystercatchers was found dead on the ground at the back of the school a few days ago. The cause of death is not known but it left a real challenge for the remaining parent to feed and protect both chicks.  When it is away collecting food on the playing fields it cannot protect the chicks from predators such a gulls.  Soon after the death of the parent both chicks seemed fine but within a few days the one on the right of the picture, which was slighlty younger and smaller than the one on the right, had died - probably of starvation. In other words the single parent could not cope with providing food for both chicks and the older dominant one took the lion's share of what food was available.  If there is anything good from this it is that the remaining chick is growing well (now not far off flying)  and is still looked after by the one attentive parent.

Good news on Camera Box Blue Tits!

Many people have enjoyed following the Blue Tit nest in the Quad.  All the chicks have fledged successfully and have left the box.  On the 5th June one chick was seen by one observer doing "a lot of wing whirring" - flying practice!  By the next day it was gone and by the 9th June all the chicks had fled the nest!  They will be looked after outside the nest by the adults for a week or so and will then be independent.  Wonder if one of them will come back to the nest box next year.

By Molly

CurrEco Nest Records (British Trust for Ornithology Nest Record Scheme) - the Oystercatcher story.

This is the first glimpse of our two Oystercatcher chicks on the roof.  They do not have much shelter so like to tuck-up against the bricks when hiding.

BTO ringers came in to ring them last week, so each now has a unique number which could be found where ever they fly to in the future.

As everyone in the school can hear from their loud alarm calls, the parents are very attentive.  They often sit on the parapet of the roof calling to those of us below to keep away!  The photo on the left are not our ones, but just like them.


                                                                           

 

There were originally three eggs in our nest, which was no more than this thin scape of stones. One egg was probably infertile as it never hatched.  Now that the parents are busy looking after the chicks the egg has been abandoned and has signs that it had been pecked at by a predator, probably a gull or crow.  Notice the perfect design of the egg - good size for growing a chick but pointed so it does not roll away.  Nicely camouflaged too.

CurriEco Nest Records 2014 - British Trust for Ornithology Nest Record Scheme

It has been a good start to the spring 2014 breeding season!

The roof-nesting Oystercatchers have returned and laid three eggs.  Two have hatched and we now have 2 chicks running around the roof!  The parents continue to defend them vigorously from predating gulls and crows.

In the quad the old box has not been used though Blue Tits inspected it earlier in the spring.  Instead they chose the old camera box for the first time in years.   Blackbirds have again nested in the flowering clemetis bushes in the quad and are busy feeding four large chicks. They nest there most years.

One of the new boxes put out in the winter in  northern woodland boundary strip has Bluetits in occupation, when we last looked there were nine eggs with the female brooding the eggs.

The Roley's Wood boxes have still to be properly inspected.

We are running three record cards at the moment and will make it four if we can get the quad camera to work.

If any staff or pupils wishes to see the birds close-up please speak with Mr Walton and we'll arrange a visit.

RSPB big school's birdwatch

This winter, the bird feeders outside the canteen have been being kept stocked up by our S1 school grounds volunteers and are regularly attracting many visitors.  S2 pupils recently took part in the  RSPB Big School's Birdwatch during a Science lesson.

Teams of pupils kept a close eye on birds visiting the feeders over one hour, and recorded the maximum number of each species that were seen at the same time. We have sent in our survey results to the RSPB as part of their big nationwide survey that will help track whether populations of our common garden birds are going up or down.  These are our results.

We saw at least 20 individual birds, including 5 beautiful goldfinches that love the niger seed we put out for them.

Mr Walton has also done the school's bit for Nestbox Week this week by mending three nest boxes that were damaged and putting them up in the woodland strip at the back of the school.  Pupils will be involved in monitoring the success of any nests in these boxes this spring, like they did with Mr Walton's help last year.

CurriEco Nest record Scheme 2013 - BTO Nest Records.

What happened to our roof-nesting Oystercatchers?

Our remaining Oystercatcher chick flew off with its parents on the first weekend of the summer break, so June 29th or 30th.  They have probably gone to the coast. In some parts of the Forth coast people call them Mussel-peckers because they see them feeding on shellfish on the rocks.

On a visit to our roof we found the shallow scrape in some moss, hardly a nest, where the eggs had originally been laid.  Since the chick was ringed there is a possibility that we will learn more about its life in the future.


A young oystercatcher. (This one is not ours though!)

The school buildings seem very quiet since they left!   Although there is a good chance the Oysterctachers have produced young here in previous years, this is the first time we are sure a chick grew to flying size!  Great!

That is the final chapter in the Nest Records story in 2013.  The remaining record cards will now be sent to the BTO. Thanks to all the Currie ecologists who took part in the monitoring and recording, and to everyone else who took an interest in our breeding birds this year!

Nest Records Update (Currie Ecology Nest Records - BTO Nest Record Scheme)

The rooftop Oystercatcher chick just before it is let go, back to its parents.

Our BTO licensed ringer carefully fits the chick with its ring and number:

FA81541.

A quick 'hello' to Currie Ecology pupils.

 

Date:  13th  June 2013. UPDATE 3
Nest Box  No./ Nest record No.	Location	Species		Nesting Activity	Notes
1/	Quad.	Blue Tit		-	A few days ago only 4 healthy chicks remained but they were growing well. Today they were dead – cause unknown.  The adults were still present and looking after the box, so could have been disease.
2/	Front (Sparrow)				Apparently unoccupied
3/	Front (Sparrow)				Apparently unoccupied
4/	Front (Sparrow)				Apparently unoccupied
5/	Roley’s Wood	Blue Tit		-	This was a failed nest.
6/	Roley’s Wood	Great Tit		Successful nest	Should be fledged and away by now.
7/	Roley’s Wood			TBC	Still to be re-visited
8/	Roley’s Wood			TBC	Still to be re-visited.  Someone disturbed the box by trying to take it off the tree.
Open Nests
	Quad.			Successful nest	4 chicks fledged
	Main building roof	Oyster- catcher		Two chicks were running freely with pin feathers – one found dead today.	The larger healthy chick was ringed, number FA81541. There were some Herring Gulls loafing around so the dead chick might be a result of an attempt at predation.

Currie Ecology Nest Records Update - June 4th

(British Trust for Ornithology Nest Record Scheme)

A large brood of Great Tits (by J Buckley).  Our's only had 4 chicks (see below).  This may have been connected with the cold Spring.

Some of Currie Ecology checking Box 6

Date:  4th June 2013 – UPDATE 2
Nest Box  No./ Nest record No.	Location	Species		Nesting Activity	Notes
1/	Quad.	Blue Tit		Female brooding 7 live chicks	One egg did not hatch . The chicks are about four days old.  The male is coming to the box with food and making alarm calls
2/	Front (Sparrow)				Apparently unoccupied
3/	Front (Sparrow)				Apparently unoccupied
4/	Front (Sparrow)				Apparently unoccupied
5/	Roley’s Wood	Blue Tit		1 dead day-old chick	This is a failed nest – probably the chicks were eaten by a predator.
6/	Roley’s Wood	Great Tit		Four large chicks	Not far off fledging.  Each one was ringed with a unique BTO ring.  With this we might be able to follow their life story.
7/	Roley’s Wood			Nest started	More building in evidence but the nest is not yet complete - watch this space!
8/	Roley’s Wood			5 eggs	Female brooding. Can't be far off hatching now.  Not many eggs for a Blue Tit.
Open Nest Nest record No.
TBC	Quad.	Blackbird		Nest empty	The four fledged birds in their juvenile plumage have been in the Quad for the last week or so.  They are flying well!   The nest record card is off to the BTO for their database!

Currie Ecology Nest Records (British Trust for Ornithology Nest Record Scheme)

 

Date:  23rd May 2013 - Update
Nest Box  No./ Nest record No.	Location	Species		Nesting Activity	Notes
1/	Quad.	Blue Tit		Female brooding 8 eggs	Male is bring food for the female
2/	Front (Sparrow)				Apparently unoccupied
3/	Front (Sparrow)				Apparently unoccupied
4/	Front (Sparrow)				Apparently unoccupied
5/	Roley’s Wood	Blue Tit		Female brooding 9 eggs	Maybe more eggs to come!
6/	Roley’s Wood	Great Tit		Female on 4 chicks	Only about 2 days old!
7/	Roley’s Wood			Some nesting material inside	Looks like building stopped
8/	Roley’s Wood	Blue Tit		Nest with 3 eggs	Maybe more eggs to come
Open Nest - record No.
TBC	Quad.	Blackbird		Four large chicks	Almost ready to fledge.! This is the second brood of Blackbird s in the Quad. this year!  A record!