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The River Nairn Swans and Waterfowl Trust is opposed to the Cromarty Port Authority plans for Ship to Ship oil Transfers in the Moray Firth.
This would be directly opposite Nairn causing pollution and an ever present danger to our coastline. Most locals will know that during the Summer the breeze comes across from Cromarty and carries diesel fumes and Noise from the ships anchored outside the Cromarty entrance. If the Cromarty Port Authority get their way, there will be a huge increase in anchored shipping and the additional threat pumping oil from one ship to another.
The polluted ballast from their tanks will also create more pollution threats.
The last thing Nairn needs is contaminated beaches which already suffer from sewage pollution right now ! There will be a public meeting this Friday at 7pm in the Community centre, we would urge as many people as possible to attend and show your support for the organisations opposing this plan.
After a full course of antibiotics I had hoped that the rectory duckling would have been cured of the balancing problem it has.
Unfortunately it is still unstable on it's feet and I am unable to release it to the river, it would not survive in it's present condition. It appears to be a neurological problem, this is really sad because it's a lovely little thing and a female as well. I can only hope that it will either improve as it gets older, or learn to compensate for the instability it has. I have given it my best shot and it enjoys being given a little close gentle attention.
It particularly likes being scratched under it's neck...the one place it cant reach itself ! Short movie clip below.
The shot rock dove pigeon is recovering well and now eats happily from my lap. It's wing is still bandaged up and wont know for a while if it has healed successfully. The other one is still alive and doing OK, but needs hand fed, as well as the daily antibiotics. Short movie clip below.
Meanwhile Penny and Duke are still tolerating the orphan cygnet, which has now been with them for a month !
A Nairn resident turned up at my door last night with 2 Pigeons, both had been shot and wounded. The small grey one has the worst damage.
The rock dove has a broken wing.
Currently treating them as best I can with hydration, anti inflammatory and antibiotics.
The petition of 1250 signatures and associated letter was officially handed over to Nairn Town hall on Friday.
The intended recipient Laurie Fraser the regional councillor, was advised by officials that it could be construed that he would have been seen to be pre judging the deliberations of the council by accepting the petition. It's a sad day that you cant hand over a petition to your Town Provost who also happens to be one of your councillors as well. I will accept this explanation for the moment, and await the council meeting on the matter in due course. Having lost documents in the past that I handed in to Nairn service point, I was assured that the petition would be locked in the title safe for safe keeping, I also got a receipt and I photo copied the entire 1250 signatures as well. I greatly value every single signature that was given, I hope Highland council will do likewise !
With the coldest night of the winter so far, the river birds are feeling the chill and pretty ravenous at feeding time.
Hard penetrating frost means a tough time for the birds generally, finding food and water to drink for the smaller garden birds in particular. Penny and Duke have eased off chasing the stray cygnet, and allowing it to stay in the river meanwhile. It is much smaller than Penny's last brood and also younger, I think this is why penny is unwilling to chase it away yet.
The ducks are gathering on the lower river as they do when the hard weather strikes, moving water does not freeze easily and they have their source of food from the Trust.
Incredibly there as still a duck nesting, I think the mild October weather fooled her and now I am watching like a hawk to see if they will hatch. She is an experienced mother so I await with bated breath !
The small stunted growth rectory duckling is still getting TLC and a course of antibiotics. It has been very shaky on it's feet with balance issues. The Vet prescribed a week to 10 days antibiotics, twice a day to tackle any possible ear infection and hopefully restore it's normal balance. If this does not work then the likelihood is neurological damage which is likely to be permanent. Half way through the treatment it's balance seems to have improved a little, fingers crossed it is an ear infection that will be fixed.
Apart from the balance issue, it is normal and shares the garden during the day with some of the other ducks - but keeps it's distance.
This weeks Nairnshire Telegraph gives a partial account of last weeks River community council meeting when I hoped to address some regional councillors.
None of the 4 councillors were present, but I thought I might as well let the Community councillors hear what I had in mind.This must have been to the delight of the President of the Nairn angling Association, Willie Barron - since he appeared to come to the meeting just to attack me and the Swans Island. He claimed the swans Island was "disastrous", which shows just how out of touch he is. The Swans island has been a fantastic success, not only for the Swans but the whole Town of Nairn. Since it's creation the swans have successfully reared 62 cygnets to full fledge, giving untold pleasure to thousands of locals and visitors during the past 9 years. It has also successfully produced many duck broods as well.
The island was carefully positioned in a spot which had no bearing on the run of the river or it's fishing or fish.
This latest claim is as out of touch as his assertion, that this tiny island could cause the flooding of Fishertown. ☺
Pleasant Autumn sunshine and a rise in temperature, made for a pleasant day on the riverside.
The Heron looked good against a golden river, and the Little Grebe was busy catching tiddlers.
A surprise visitor was a Pink foot goose which has been hanging around the island for several days.
Probably wounded by a wildfowl shooter and paddled it's way to the safety of the river.
Maybe the word is getting around that the Swans island is a safe haven.
Thanks to an observant reader of the Gurn for spotting the potential danger to our resident Swans.
Network rail have recently installed a safety fence over the river Nairn viaduct bridge.
Today I gave it a close inspection and it could be lethal for any swans flying up river and over this bridge. The new fence is about 4 foot high, meaning the Swans will have to climb faster to avoid colliding with the wires.
Swans are our largest bird and need time and space to get over bridges, this location is dangerous. Network rail have been informed and will fit bird deflectors to give a visual warning of the new fence. Hopefully in the not too distant future !
For some time now there has been an unusual Sparrow eating in my garden, along with many others.
It has a lot of creamy white feathers and stands out from all the rest.
The tail is mainly white, along with the cap of it's head, back of it's neck and some wing feathers too.
It's central claws seem exceptionally long as well.
Male Goosander doing a spot of fishing today, also saw the lone cygnet still hanging in there with Penny and Duke.
They are letting it tag along, and no amount of nipping makes it move any more than a few feet away!
Another nice pic can be seen of Gabriel the Cygnet down south that was cured of Angel Wing
https://twitter.com/ESh_Photography
Gabriel
The Call ducks are sticking together, and the Mallard call seems to have chosen the Mallard as a mate too !
In spite of 4 missing petition sheets, having been removed from some shop locations and the caravan site, the petition has more than achieved it's goal by 20% - topping 1200 signatures ! It seems that the facebook low life extended to removing democratically given signatures by Nairn Residents. No matter, it is obvious there has been an overwhelming thumbs up for the Trust proposals for a designated wildlife area on the lower river. It will be interesting to see if 1200+ peoples wishes, can persuade our 4 councillors to take action for the good of the Town and the wildlife ?
There were some very eloquent comments added to some signatures, and the local and global response was truly inspiring. My heartfelt thanks to all of you !
Meanwhile the Trust carries on with caring for the wildlife on the river , now feeling the cold long dark nights.
The rectory runt is growing but has fallen prey to ill health, so I have taken it inside for some special TLC. Hopefully it will recover soon.
The lone Cygnet that arrived in the river last week is still around. It has been persistently trying to get close to Penny and Duke with little success.
Penny, having got rid of her own brood several weeks ago is in no mood to adopt a stray female cygnet, and Duke is backing her up by harassing it from time to time. It was banished to the waters edge this morning, so I had the chance for a little conversation as I took a couple of pics.
It is much smaller than Penny's cygnets but appears in good health. The serrated edges to the bill can clearly be seen.
