A bleak looking Millichen - 16 January 2013
Initially, there was not much sign of life with most birds seen 'in the distance'. There were 2 Grey Heron, 1 Lapwing, 50+ Common Gull, 1 Herring Gull and 15+ Black-headed Gull on Millichen Flood (or more accurately, Millichen Puddle) and 42 Pink-footed Geese feeding at the top of a stubble field.
We looked for Water Rail in the burn (one had been seen back in December by members of the RSPB Glasgow Local Group) but to no avail, although we did get a nice Grey Wagtail. We eventually headed for the unharvested field near West Millichen Farm as it was clear there were lots of birds flying around and perching on the hedges and trees.
When we arrived we were stunned by the number and variety of finches and buntings. I counted at least 66 Brambling, 10 Chaffinch, 2 Tree Sparrow, 10 Yellowhammer, 15 Reed Bunting and c150 Linnet. These figures relate to the number of species seen at any one time; but as they were constantly flying up and down into the field they are a conservative estimate. The following photos illustrate the spectacle.....................................
c115 birds, mainly Linnets and a few Brambling
155 birds - mixed flock
c70 birds, mixed flock of Linnet, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch and Brambling
In addition to the wetland birds and finch-bunting flock, we saw 2 Buzzard, 2 Pheasant, 200+ Wood Pigeon, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Robin, 1 Dunnock, 1 Wren, 2 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush, 3 Blackbird, 7 Fieldfare, 7 Starling, Magpies and Carrion Crows, plus 22 Roe Deer.
If only every farm in the UK set aside one field, like the one at West Millichen, and then perhaps our farmland birds would no longer be in decline.
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