Nuthatches in Greater Glasgow

In the early 1990s you would have had to visit the Hirsel in the Borders to have a good chance of seeing Nuthatch in Scotland. Since then they have slowly but surely expanded their range and have been consistently recorded in the Clyde area since 2005. They started breeding at Dalzell Estate, next to Baron's Haugh RSPB Reserve, in Motherwell and have also moved into Pollok Country Park in Glasgow. They are thought to have bred or at least attempted to breed in  the Park in 2008-09; although most sightings are from the feeders behind the Countryside Rangers' office.

Reports have been received from other parts of the Greater Glasgow area with the most recent being found in a Bearsden garden on 20th and 21st October 2012. The bird was recognised by Susan Irwine and photographed by Andrew Parmley and they have kindly given me permission to reproduce one of their photos below.......................................

 

So keep an eye out, they could be coming to a garden near you!

 

For more information about the status of Nuthatches in Scotland see 'Nuthatches in Scotland - an update; J Maxwell, Scottish Birds Volume 30 (3), September 2010; page 238' : published by the Scottish Ornithologists' Club.