Millichen in Summer

As many of you will be aware, summer is not the best time to visit Millichen but after a few months I was getting withdrawal symptoms!

Millichen  (from the north west) - 8 July 2013

 

As expected there was very little standing water, although I did find 2 female Mallard in a puddle! So I concentrated on trying to locate typical 'farmland' birds and found a good mix spread throughout the area - East Millichen Farm, West Millichen Farm, the Steadings and the 'flood'.

 

East Millichen Farm, looking north east across the 'flood' - 8 July 2013

West Millichen Farm, looking north across the 'flood' - 8 July 2013

 

I eventually saw 26 species of bird with summer migrants represented by 1 Sand Martin,

20 Swallow (including young), 2 Sedge Warbler (feeding young) and 3 Willow Warbler.

 

Farmland/red data species included c110 Starling, with lots of young........................

 

Record shot of one of many juvenile Starling - 8 July 2013

 

......................... c45 House Sparrow, at least 3 Tree Sparrow, 3 Yellowhammer and 2 Reed Bunting (feeding young).

 

There were also good numbers of Ringlet butterflies and a few Meadow Browns.

 

As an aside, for those that visit Millichen by car, the small area of hardstanding/car parking at West Millichen is now being used to store gravel and other materials, presumably for filling in the pot holes in the road!

 

 

Having left the Millichen area, I walked along the River Kelvin footpath towards Summerston.........

 

East Millichen Farm looking north from the Kelvin footpath - 8 July 2013

 

This proved to be an excellent idea as I saw my first Scottish Kingfisher of the year!

 

A perfect end to a beautiful day.