Knightswood Park + ringing

Yesterday  (4 November 2013) I walked to Knightswood Park for the first time in many a year. I had hoped to get a photographic record of the Mute Swans prior to the planned pond naturalisation works. However, the pond was already drained and works were underway...

 

This caused some confusion for the Black-headed Gulls as they joined the Feral Pigeons on the grassy verge of the pond..............................................

 

 

The park was awash with autumn colours....................................

 

 

......but there was little sign of any bird life with only a few corvids, a Blue Tit, a Goldfinch, a couple of Blackbirds and 4 Redwing being the sum of my efforts. As can happen at this time of year there are more birds in our small garden than in some parks and, for example, we have had up to five Redwing over the last few days.............................

 

Redwing - Anniesland Garden - 5 November 2013

 

Last night I attended the local SOC featuring and illustrated talk by Martin Scott on 'Banding at Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory in Canada.'

 

This brought back fond memories of a trip to Long Point Bird Observatory in Canada four years ago where we were lucky enough to see a few birds in the hand after ringing (or banding as it is called in North America)........................

 

Black-billed Cuckoo - Long Point Bird Observatory 2009

 

Finally, don't forget this Thursday's meeting of the RSPB Glasgow Local Group featuring John Calladine of the BTO with a talk on 'Shrub Woodlands and Upland Conservation' - see www.rspb.org.uk/groups/glasgow for more information.