Feeding, talking and birding - a busy week!

It has been a busy few days since my last post.

On Sunday (26th) I helped the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs at their rain affected event at Hogganfield Park. That's me, litter picking and wrapped up against the elements ....

 

Lots of barley and wild bird food was distributed and 3 bags of litter collected - see https://www.facebook.com/friendsofglasgowlocalnaturereserves for more photos and information.

 

On Tuesday (28th) I was speaking on the 'Birds of Glasgow' at a meeting of Kelvin Probus. Thanks to the large audience for their kind comments and lunch!

 

Then on the 29th (yesterday) we managed a spot of birding thanks to Judith and Mike. We started at the RSPB Lochwinnoch Reserve and saw a nice range of birds on their feeders and a family of 6 Whooper Swans on the Aird meadow. As ever the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. We then ventured over to the Clyde Muirshiel Country Park and encountered 3 Stonechats, Ravens and a range of small woodland birds including Siskin. We finally reached Troon and had great views of a Kingfisher, spotted by Judith, and 3 Purple Sandpipers. A poor record shot of a Redshank, Purple Sandpiper and Oystercatcher follows ....

 

 

Compared to recent days of wind and rain it turned out to be a beautiful day illustrated here by the flat calm of the Clyde estuary, with Ailsa Craig on the horizon .....

 

 

Finally, a catch up of recent sightings in the Greater Glasgow area, courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

29 October 2014

14 Shoveler on Frankfield Loch.
Two Stonechats at Windlaw Marsh NS605580.

 

27 October 2014

Two Swallows at Hogganfield Loch late afternoon.

23 October 2014
A Jay in a tree next to the former Gartloch Hospital, Glasgow.

18 October 2014
22 Gadwall and four Shoveler on Gartloch Pool, Glasgow.

17 October 2014
30 Tree Sparrows and 122 Collared Doves at East Millichen Farm, Glasgow.

 

Hogganfield Park in the Rain

Today, I visited Hogganfield Park LNR in Glasgow, partly as a recce for Sunday's Friends of Glasgow's LNRs event at the park (see http://friendsofglasgowlnrs.wordpress.com for more details) and partly because I hadn't been for a wee while.

I saw 36 species of bird and a few Roe Deer but sadly the weather wasn't conducive to good photography.

The highlights had to be a Chiffchaff, close to where we shall be scattering wild bird food on Sunday; 15 Gadwall, close to the viewing/feeding platform where we shall be giving away free barley to feed the wildfowl; and the arrival of Whooper Swans. When I arrived at the loch there were 3 birds present - one adult, close to the platform and a presumed pair in the middle of the loch. Whilst walking around the Avenue End Road edge of the LNR I saw and heard 14 Whoopers flying overhead from the direction of Frankfield Loch towards the loch at Hogganfield. However, by the time I got myself back to the loch, there were only three additional birds - two adults and a juvenile.

I have since heard that 14 Whooper Swans had been seen at Frankfield Loch in the morning - presumably the same birds I saw fly overhead.

Despite the constant drizzle, I couldn't resist taking another few photos of a Whooper Swan ...

 

Why not pop along on Sunday and see them for yourself?

East Lothian (again)

Travelled through to Thorntonloch on Wednesday (Perryman's Bus no. 253 Edinburgh to Berwick) arriving at around 10.50am. I quickly made my way to the car park at Torness Power Station where a group of birdwatchers were already present. Soon I had good views of a Booted Warbler, a UK first for me, although my attempts at a photograph were not so good ..

Booted Warbler - Torness - 15 October 2014

 

Whilst there I also managed photos of a Siberian Stonechat, a bird that I had seen for the first time in the UK only last week on Shetland ....

 

Siberian Stonechat - Torness - 15 October 2014

 

From Torness I headed to the walkway along the sea wall and walked to Skateraw ..

 

Skateraw - 15 October 2014

 

Here I found a Yellow-browed Warbler but it clearly didn't want its picture taken; this is the best I could do!

 

Yellow-browed Warbler - Skateraw - 15 October 2014

 

After a short rest I headed off along the John Muir Way towards Barns Ness and thereafter Dunbar. The tide was out exposing interesting rock formations which I spent some time admiring whilst avoiding golf balls at Dunbar Golf Course!

 

 

On reaching Fluke Dub, a Grey Plover was a welcome addition to my day list ...

 

Grey Plover - Fluke Dub - 15 October 2014

 

Whilst this Brent Goose was a bit of a surprise ..................

 

Brent Goose - Fluke Dub - 15 October 2014

 

I arrived in Dunbar c4.30pm in plenty of time to catch the last bus (No. 253) back to Edinburgh, a tired but happy birder!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recent Sightings Catch-up

I visited Bingham's Pond on Monday for the monthly Webs count; the water level seems to be still falling and so I have contacted the Council to see if there is a problem. The wildfowl were present in their usual numbers but what was surprising was seeing a pair of Moorhen copulating and another pair engaging in 'fisticuffs' though not to the same extent as in my video 'Murder Most Fowl' which can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm3TQBYwGXE

This footage can also be viewed in the video 'Bingham's Pond 2013 a breeding Success' at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eqJ8Vj8jMc

As with all my videos please view at the highest resolution possible by clicking on the small 'wheel icon' and resetting the quality to the highest available.

Other recent sightings in the Greater Glasgow area, courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

15 October 2014
A report of a Red Kite off Crosshill Road, Lenzie, near Gadloch.
30 Tree Sparrows at East Millichen Farm, Glasgow.

13 October 2014
An excellent 39 Shovelers on Frankfield Loch.

9 October 2014
40 Tree Sparrows at East Millichen Farm.
At least two Redwings in a flock of mixed thrushes in Linn Park, Glasgow, also a Nuthatch.

8 October 2014
Two Nuthatches at the White Bridge, Linn Park, Glasgow.

News of sightings of Booted Warbler, Siberian Stonechat and Brent Goose, albeit in East Lothian, will follow!

Shetland Birding

We have just returned form 8 days birding on Shetland courtesy of Shetland Nature. The birds were excellent (100+), the weather changeable and the hotels well located with superb food.

The Spiggie Hotel

The Baltasound Hotel

 

We spent 2 days birding on Shetland Mainland, 1 day on Fetlar and the remainder on Unst.

 

On our very first afternoon we were watching a Siberian Rubythroat and, on our last day, an Eastern Bonelli's Warbler!!!! In between were lucky enough to also see a Siberian Stonechat, Bluethroat, Black Redstart, Wryneck, Great Grey Shrike, northern Treecreeper, Firecrest, Yellow-browed Warbler, Long-eared Owl and Olive-backed Pipit .....................

 

Long-eared Owl - Unst - 9 October 2014

 

Olive-backed Pipit - Fetlar - 8 October 2014

 

We also saw large numbers of Goldcrest and Brambling .....

 

Goldcrest - Unst - 7 October 2014

Brambling - Fetlar - 8 October 2014

 

A big thank you to Chris, our leader, and to Alan, Nicola, Andrew 1, Andrew 2 and Sam our fellow birders, not to forget Shetland and its majestic scenery ..........

 

Loch Spiggie

Fetlar

Pool of Virkie & Sumburgh Airport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank You; Bingham's Pond and East Coast Twitch!

Firstly, a big thank you to all my readers; I have passed the 25,000 page views barrier!

Secondly, a short update on Bingham's Pond which I visited yesterday (30 September 2014). There are still the same range of wildfowl and gulls present with the added bonus of a 'new' Mute Swan. I visited aiming to check out the 'Friends of Glasgow's LNRs Feeding Station' which was installed on 14 September 2014 and I am pleased to report that it was being used by Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Chaffinch ..

Female Chaffinch - Bingham's Pond - 30 September 2014

 

On Monday (29 September 2014) I travelled through to Aberlady, using the FirstBus X24 from Princes Street in Edinburgh, in search of a Ross's Goose. I arrived at c11.20hrs and made my way south past the village school to the bottom of Kirk Road to view a stubble field. There were good numbers of Pink-footed Geese and a few Barnacle Geese present but no sign of my target!

 

Geese were still flying in to the field so I decided to be patient and wait.

 

 

Just after 12 noon the Ross's Goose arrived!

 

 

I was at least 350 metres from the geese so apologies for the poor quality of the pictures but I did not want to risk disturbing the birds.

 

After another 30 minutes or so I headed off to the SOC's Waterston House, on the edge of Aberlady, to sit and enjoy my lunch and a nice cup of coffee courtesy of the SOC's Dave Allan - one of the good guys in the birding community. Here I managed my first ever Scottish photo of a Comma butterfly ...

 

Comma - Waterston House garden - 29 September 2014

 

So over the last few weeks I have encountered 3 butterfly species in Lothian that I would normally associate with our annual trips to Dorset - Wall Brown, Speckled Wood and Comma.

 

After lunch I jumped on another X24 to Gullane and undertook a pleasant walk from Gullane Bents back to the wooden bridge at Aberlady Bay ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a beautiful, warm day with the Firth of Forth being flat calm allowing me to enjoy  views of large flocks of Common Scoter and Eider, 5 Red-throated Diver, Guillemots and Razorbill, a solitary Long-tailed Duck, a Ruff and Black-tailed Godwit and my favourite clock-work toy - the Sanderling. 

 

I encountered 40 bird species, with pride of place being given to the Ross's Goose, my 174th bird species for Scotland this year!

 

Finally, some more interesting sightings from the Greater Glasgow area, courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

30 September 2014

An eclipse drake  Pintail and ten Gadwall on Gartloch Pool. Glasgow.

 

29 September 2014

17 Shoveler on Frankfield Loch.

400 Pink-footed Geese at Gadloch, near Lenzie.

 

28 September 2014

25 Gadwall, two Pintail and ten Shoveler on Gartloch Pool, Glasgow.
A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets at the Children's Playground, Botanic Gardens, Glasgow.