Scorchio!

Well since my last post its got a wee bit hot!

I travelled through to Musselburgh Lagoons by bus on the 18th and managed 56 bird species including Little Gull, though no photographs.

Since then most of the time has been spent indoors trying to avoid the heat! And it is not just me that's finding things a wee bit too hot; check out this Blackbird photographed in our garden ...

 

We also had the annual swarming of ants which took place over two days in our estate ...

 

 

...... and they attracted hundreds of gulls and corvids circling in the sky and also landing in gardens ....

 

Lesser Black-backed Gulls hoover up ants

 

I have also spent the late evenings walking around our garden with a torch looking for moths - goodness knows what my neighbours think I'm doing. I have found a few, with last night's pair being the most interesting, so far ...

 

Pair of Large Yellow Underwing's mating!

 

On the birding front, yesterday (25 July 2014) I managed a quick visit to Hogganfield Park LNR and Cardowan Moss LNR before arriving at Frankfield Loch.

 

At Hogganfield, the Council has resurfaced the footpath from Gartloch Road, which has to be commended  ..............

 

 

....whilst the loch was just full of gulls and wildfowl - too many to count! There was evidence of successful breeding with there being young Great Crested Grebe, young Coot and two broods/crèches of Tufted Duck, one numbering 14 ducklings!

 

There were good numbers of Swallows and House Martins hawking over the marshy pools whilst I also saw Whitethroat and Blackcap before heading across the road to Cardowan Moss LNR. Ten minutes later I was overlooking Frankfield Loch ...

 

 

With waders having been reported already, elsewhere in the country, I was hoping to pick up a few species. Whilst there was some mud, I had to settle for c105 Lapwing, although a Pintail was a nice find .......

 

Frankfield Loch - 25 July 2014

 

By lunchtime it was far too hot to continue so I headed back home to watch the 'tele' and cheer on the Scots athletes at the Commonwealth Games.

 

 

 

 

140 and still counting!

Having heard, via the SOC Clyde Grapevine, that there was a female Mandarin Duck on the White Cart Water at Battlefield, I couldn't resist paying it a visit. Thankfully, it was still there and I managed a few photos and some video .......

 

Video grab

 

This was my 140th bird species for Glasgow. I saw a Mandarin years ago on Rouken Glen Park Pond but the park is outside the Glasgow City boundary so doesn't count on the Glasgow list!

 

It was also good to see the White Cart flood defences in place - I was part of a team that helped develop the design concept some years ago and I am pleased to say that there has been no flooding since its construction.

 

 

Local Twitch and Wetland Bird Survey

On Friday (11 July 2014), I decided to 'twitch' the adult Spotted Sandpiper that had been found on the River Clyde at Baron's Haugh RSPB Reserve.

After a few minutes walking along the riverside walkway I was surprised to find these two birds ...

2 Whooper Swans - 11 July 2014

 

... one of which had a damaged wing.

 

Thereafter, I saw a family group of Goosander .......

 

 

... at least 3 Common Sandpiper and a very obliging Kingfisher; but no sign of the Spotted Sandpiper. Eventually, after at least 2 hours, it showed itself and I managed these two record shots, all at some distance and into the sunlight  ......

 

 

 

Today, it was the Wetland Birds Survey (WEBs) and I arrived at Bingham's Pond fairly early to undertake my count.

The best bird was a Little Grebe, my first at the Pond this year.

There were 3 young Coot plus 1 Mallard and 2 Tufted duckling as well as a few Moorhen youngsters .......................

 

Apart from the wildfowl, I recorded Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Robin whilst this young Magpie showed no fear as it sat just a few feet away ....

 

 

They may not be everyone's favourite but when you look closely the colours are stunning.

 

So with adding Little Grebe, my year list for the Pond now stands at 45 bird species - will I reach 50?

Garden BioBlitz

Haven't managed any birding over the past week - we've had external paintwork and roofing work done.

So I spent some time exploring our small garden having been inspired by the RSPB BioBlitz at Kelvingrove Park a few weeks ago AND as well as the usual bird and bee species we found some 'new' moths ...

Riband Wave

Light Emerald

Yellow Shell

 

 ..... had sightings of a Common Frog .....

 

 

... and were mesmerised by some Pond Skaters ...

 

 

It is amazing what a small garden will attract if you garden for wildlife!