Local Birding and Heavy Rain

With the awful weather conditions of the past week I stayed at home but still managed  some local birding at Bingham's Pond and Glasgow Botanic Gardens.

I called into Bingham's Pond twice - a total of 24 species including Bullfinch, Goldcrest and Treecreeper. On the Pond itself, there were up to 11 Goosander present and Coot numbers had risen to eight.

I also had a quick walk around the Botanic Gardens and viewed the River Kelvin in full flow. A few images taken with my phone follow:

Bingham's Pond - 6 December 2015

 Bingham's Pond - 6 December 2015

River Kelvin at Botanic Gardens  - 8 December 2015

Bingham's Pond - 8 December 2015

 

Hopefully the weather will settle down and we can look forward to a Happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.

West Coast v East Coast

On Wednesday, I led a RSPB Glasgow outing to Troon - 14 people braved the initial rain and cold wind. Sadly, some of the anticipated birds could not be found although we did see 2 Red-throated Divers flying by, a Black Guillemot in winter plumage and the usual common waders and wildfowl. Most of us carried on to Irvine Harbour where we hoped we'd be lucky and see a Grey Phalarope that had been seen earlier in the week, but again no luck.

However, we were told of 'a phalarope' at Stevenston Point so six of us called in and incredibly we discovered there were two Grey Phalarope showing well .............

So it was a happy, albeit smaller, group that enjoyed the sunset at Stevenston ...

Yesterday (3rd), I travelled through by bus to Cramond and the mouth of the River Almond. The tide was out so I managed to walk along the causeway where small waders were feeding literally feet away. Sadly, the weather was rather dismal hence the poor quality of the photos. However, there were 100s of birds present, including Greenshank, and it certainly looked like a location worthy of a further visit ...........

To Cramond Island

To Cramond

 

Dunlin

Turnstone

Distant view of Greenshank

 

Finally, recent Sightings from Greater Glasgow, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Thursday 3 December 2015
A Green-winged Teal still on Townhead Reservoir/Banton Loch, Kilsyth.
A single Short-eared Owl hunting at Cathkin Marsh SWT Reserve, also two pairs of Stonechats.

Wednesday 2 December 2015
Four Short-eared Owls hunting at Cathkin Marsh SWT Reserve.

Tuesday 1 December 2015
A Green-winged Teal on Townhead Reservoir/Banton Loch, Kilsyth.

Birding Update

With the awful weather we haven't managed much birding but last week we managed to get out on a couple of days. Firstly, last Wednesday with Judith and Mike on a recce down to the Troon Harbour area - I am leading a RSPB Glasgow Group outing to Troon harbour tomorrow!

We managed to see a few Purple Sandpipers - the target species - but eventually we were beaten by the weather, although a quick visit to Irvine Harbour during a brief break in the rain showers helped add to our day list.

On the Thursday (26th) we travelled through to Aberlady Bay by bus. The tide was coming in and ideal for birding, however, with the limited daylight hours we headed off across the wooden bridge ................

Aberlady Bay - 26 November 2015

On reaching the Marl Loch we came across a life tick - Simon King the TV presenter and wildlife cameraman!

Simon King - 26 November 2015

He was looking for the same bird as us, but sadly we all dipped - so this photo from last year will have to do! 

Long-eared Owl - 2014

As usual, I'll finish with some recent sightings from Greater Glasgow courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Monday 30 November 2015
20 Siskins coming to the feeders in a Sween Avenue, Cathcart, Glasgow garden.

Sunday 29 November 2015
A pair of Stonechats just SE of Gartloch Pool.

Saturday 28 November 2015
A pair of Ring-necked Parakeets feeding on apples at Hillview Place, Clarkston.

Friday 27 November 2015
An adult Yellow-legged Gull at the Balgray Reservoir gull roost, also a female Scaup and 350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Thousands of Wetland Birds!

What a brilliant weekend! On Saturday (21st) we travelled down to Caerlaverock WWT Reserve with the RSPB Glasgow Group. I'll let the pictures do the talking!

Firstly, the 'expected' wildfowl ..........................

Barnacle Geese

Wigeon (drake)

Little Grebe

But then some unexpected birds ....

Scaup

Ring-necked Duck (with Tufted Duck in the background)

Green-winged Teal (with 3 Whooper Swans)

It wasn't just wildfowl, these farmland birds showed well .............

Yellowhammer

Tree Sparrow (with Chaffinch)

But this bird, normally wary and skulking, stole the show ...........

Water Rail

So it was a happy Group that left Caerlaverock as the sun started to set ...................

On Sunday, I helped with the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs event at Hogganfield Park LNR and was rewarded with a personal Hogganfield first - a Red-breasted Merganser ..........

Red-breasted Merganser

 ... not to be confused with its near relative the Goosander ....

Goosander

So two fine sunny days rewarded with two days excellent birding, sadly as I type it is pouring with rain!

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

Sunday 22  November 2015
An adult Yellow-legged Gull at the gull roost on Balgray Reservoir at 1540 hrs.
The drake Green-winged Teal still showing well on Bridgend Farm Pool, near Kirkintilloch, also two pairs of Shoveler.
A Red-breasted Merganser still on Hogganfield Loch and now ten Whooper Swans.
14 Whooper Swans west over SECC, Glasgow at 1630 hrs.
A  Brambling at the feeders in a Dickens Avenue, Dalmuir garden.

Saturday 21 November 2015
A male Brambling at the feeders in a Mugdock village garden, also a Nuthatch regularly.
A Woodcock at Cathkin Marsh SWT Reserve, also still two Stonechats.
A Red-breasted Merganser still on Hogganfield Loch.
A Jay at the feeders in a Gartloch Village, Glasgow garden.

Friday 20 November 2015
Two Short-eared Owls still in the Cathkin Marsh/South Cathkin landfill area.
25 Whooper Swans south over Linn Park, Glasgow in the morning.
Still a Red-breasted Merganser on Hogganfield Loch.
A Stock Dove has returned for the winter to a suburban garden at Hillfoot Drive, Bearsden.

Thursday 19 November 2015
Five Whooper Swans on Hogganfield Loch, also a drake Gadwall and, unusually inland, a 1st-winter drake Red-breasted Merganser.

Wednesday 18 November 2015
Two Jays at feeders in a Gartloch Village, Glasgow garden.

Vote for Hogganfield Park!

As many of you will already know, Hogganfield Park has been nominated as the UK's best park, the only one from Glasgow. Only nine were nominated from Scotland.

The Park is a Local Nature Reserve where the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs and RSPB Glasgow Group have held guided walks, erected nest boxes, held wildfowl feeding sessions and collected litter! AND it's good for wildlife watching, so I'm sure it is a park close to all our hearts.

The best park will be chosen by a public vote which closes at 5pm on Wednesday 25th November 2015. The three parks with the most votes will then be shortlisted with the winning park announced at a ceremony in London on Wednesday 2nd December 2015.

It would be great if you could spare a few minutes to vote for Hogganfield and you can do so via this link http://fieldsintrust.org/bestpark/nominations . Click on 'Scotland' and then scroll down until you come to Hogganfield Park and click the vote 'icon' and then follow the instructions. It only takes a minute or two.

I've created another video, so if you haven't been to Hogganfield you can get an idea why we all love it so much - see this link to YouTube, please view at HD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwzp_M2Ohc4

You can also click on the 'Hogganfield Park LNR button' (above) for more information about the Park.

Hogganfield Park LNR

 

Some More Quality Birding!

Following on from our trip to Pitlochry and Loch of Kinnordy on the 9th, we joined the RSPB Glasgow Group outing to Ardmore Point on the 11th, thanks to Judith and Mike.

I saw around 30 species prior to the rain, including Red-throated Diver and Slavonian Grebe, although others saw a few more as they ventured out after lunch in a downpour!

Ardmore Point - 11 November 2015

 

On the Friday we travelled through to Joppa and Musselburgh, this time with Stephen, and had a superb day. We started with Surf Scoter from Joppa (west of the River Esk mouth) as well as a host of other wildfowl and waders. Moving on to Musselburgh we were entertained by at least 5 Short-eared Owls ................

 

 

 

 ..............and were also pleased to find 3 Snow Buntings .............

 

 

 ............ around the ash lagoons.  Off the sea wall we got great views of Long-tailed Duck, Slavonian Grebe and Velvet Scoters ...

 

Velvet Scoters

Whilst views of a solitary Whooper Swan was a nice way to finish the day ....

 

 

Stephen was up for more birding so the next day it was back to Musselburgh where a White-rumped Sandpiper had been found approximately 30 minutes after we left on the Friday!!! When we arrived it was showing reasonably well and I managed a record shot ..

 

 

Having watched it for c40 minutes we decided to move on and from reading other reports it looks as if it might have been taken by a Sparrowhawk shortly after we left.

 

We reached Torness and tried to find one of the Black Redstarts that I had seen last week but sadly there was no sign of them. However, there was a nice range of waders present including these Golden Plovers ..

 

 

 ... as well as good numbers of Ringed Plover and Sanderling. We saw the 'local' Peregrine and were surprised to see a juvenile Gannet offshore before it was time to head back into the forecast rain; but even that couldn't dampen our spirits after a brilliant weeks birding!

 

Some Nice Rarities on my 200 quest!

Back to some birding following lots of work involving Hogganfield Park and The Friends of Glasgow's LNRs.

At the start of 2015, I set myself a 'target' of seeing 200 bird species in a year in Scotland and in recent weeks have been creeping slowly towards this total - so no option but to try some twitching!

On the 4th, I travelled through to Torness again by public transport and despite the poor weather managed to add Black Redstart to my total ...

One of two males - Black Redstart - Torness Power Station

 

Yesterday we travelled north, cheers Stephen, and thankfully the weather forecast was correct - mainly dry with some bright spells.

 

We started in Pitlochry with this superb male Ring-necked Duck ..

 

 

and this Dipper, with a sadly deformed left foot ........

 

 

We then headed off to Loch of Kinnordy RSPB Reserve .....

 

Loch of Kinnordy - 9 November 2015

 

and were rewarded with a magnificent birding spectacle; the highlights being Bittern and Great White Egret ...

 

Great White Egret - 9 November 2015

 

This Red Squirrel was also a nice find ...

 

 

 

So another great day with the Scottish Year Bird List standing at 195 - only 5 to go!

 

Finally, some recent sightings from Greater Glasgow, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

Sunday 8 November 2015
Two Stonechats still at Cathkin Marsh.

Wednesday 4 November 2015
A Jay in Top Wood, Linn Park, Glasgow.

Tuesday 3 November 2015
Two Ravens over Linn Park, Glasgow.

Monday 2 November 2015
Two Ring-necked Parakeets over Westwood Road, Pollokshaws.
A pair of Peregrines and a Raven on Stobcross Crane, Finnieston, Glasgow.
A late Swallow at the River Kelvin in Garscube Estate at 1230 hrs.

 

 

 

Vote for Hogganfield Park!

Hogganfield Park has been nominated as the UK's best park, the only one from Glasgow. Only nine were nominated from Scotland.

Please vote for it before the vote closes at 5pm on Wednesday 25th November 2015. The three parks with the most votes will then be shortlisted with the winning park announced at the Fields in Trust Awards Ceremony at Lord's Cricket Ground on Wednesday 2nd December 2015.

You can vote via this link http://fieldsintrust.org/bestpark/nominations

Click on 'Scotland' and then scroll down until you come to Hogganfield Park and click the vote 'icon' and then follow the instructions.

Just a wee reminder how good Hogganfield Park is ..............................

You can also click on the Hogganfield Park LNR icon above to find out more about this wonderful park and nature reserve. But in the meantime ...................

You know it makes sense so VOTE now

Shrike and Thrushes

Another busy week - up to Dalmally by bus on Monday and 30 minutes later we were looking at a Great Grey Shrike ..............

Great Grey Shrike - 26 October 2015

 

We also saw a Jay, a really big tit/finch flock and a Red Squirrel! The views over Loch Awe were also stunning ....

 

A distant Loch Awe - 26 October 2015

 

We had a nice lunch in the Glenorchy Lodge Hotel and got the next bus to Oban where we stayed the night. Early the next morning we were on the Oban-Coll-Tiree ferry and lots of Kitttiwakes and Guillemots. A few Gannets remained and two Great Northern Divers had returned from their northerly breeding grounds. An immature Peregrine also caused some excitement at the ferry terminal in Tiree. Thankfully, the weather forecast was correct and we enjoyed a nice calm, sunny sail .....

 

 

 

Back home my time has been spent on Friends of Glasgow's LNRs business - phone calls, grant applications, etc. Also note our next event is at Hogganfield Park LNR on Sunday 1 November 2015 from c11am to c2pm. Why not pop along, say hello, learn about our proposed Biohavens Project and get some stunning views of wildfowl.

 

Thankfully, despite 'being indoors' I can still enjoy some birding as our garden is playing host to five species of 'thrush'. I reckon by Sunday they will have devoured all the rowan berries .........

 

Song Thrush - 29 October 2015

 

Redwing - 29 October 2015

 

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

 

Friday 30 October 2015
A Jay at Pollok Country Park this morning, along the main drive near the Pollokshaws Road entrance.

 

Thursday 29 October 2015
A drake Green-winged Teal at Bridgend Farm Pool with 316 Teal; also five Barnacle Geese, 504 Pink-footed Geese and 250 Lapwing.

Sunday 25 October 2015
A female Brambling at Loch Ardinning.