Weekly Update

Since my last post I have visited Baron's Haugh/Carbarns Pool (thanks to Judith and Mike); Bingham's Pond; Musselburgh Lagoons/River Esk Mouth; RSPB Loch Leven/Queensferry (thanks to Peter); and Mull!

Sand Martin colony - River Clyde near Baron's Haugh - 21 July 2015

 

A few of the 100s of Scoter - offshore Musselburgh - 24 July 2015

 

RSPB Loch Leven - 25 July 2015

 

Lochdon, Mull - 29 July 2015

 

Highlights included my first Ruff of the year at Musselburgh lagoons; Hummingbird Hawkmoth outside the visitor centre at RSPB Loch Leven; and a large group of Manx Shearwater from the Craignure-Oban ferry crossing.

 

Finally an update on recent Greater Glasgow bird sightings, courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

Tuesday 28 July 2015
A possible Hobby flying over Linn Park in the morning.

Monday 27 July 2015
An unusual record of a Kestrel over Cartside Road, Battlefield.

Saturday 25 July 2015
A report of a Corncrake calling at Hogganfield Marsh.
A Nuthatch at Cathkin Braes.

 

 

 

 

From Musselburgh to Ullapool

Apologies for the lack of recent updates.

On Monday 6th I travelled through to Musselburgh and had a good day's birding with 2 Little Gulls and 3 Black-tailed Godwits being just two of the highlights. Normally if I mention Musselburgh that means a wader/gull/wildfowl photo, so for a change what about this Reed Bunting that posed really well ....................

Reed Bunting - Musselburgh - 6 July 2015

 

Last week we spent 5 days up north, based in Ullapool .............

 

Ullapool - late evening - 13 July 2015

 

The highlight was the sail between Ullapool and Stornoway with sightings of Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Pomarine Skua, Manx Shearwater and a pod of Dolphins being particularly special ..

Video grab - 14 July 2015

 

Amazingly, despite the original weather forecast, we had good weather and experienced some excellent birds and superb scenery.

 

So back home, I'll finish with some recent sightings from Greater Glasgow courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

Wednesday 15 July 2015
Four Crossbills in Linn Park, also two juvenile Nuthatches.

Monday 13 July 2015
Unusually, a Cuckoo (unaged) in Linn Park, also six Crossbills.

 

 

 

Birding the Central Belt

Since my last post the highlight has been my birding road trip on Friday 3 July 2015 with Sheila and Eamonn from Texas.

We left Glasgow early on Friday morning and visited the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park .................................... 

Loch Lomond from RSPB Inversnaid Reserve - 3 July 2015

........ travelled east to the Kinneil Lagoons on the River Forth ..................

Kinneil Lagoons - 3 July 2015

 ...........before returning to Glasgow calling in at Frankfield Loch; Hogganfield Loch and Millichen.

We saw and/or heard almost 80 bird species - from Black-throated Diver to Black-tailed Godwit, Blackcap and Blackbird. We also had great views of a Brown Hare. In addition to the birding, a special mention to The Pier Café, Stronachlachar where we had a really nice lunch.

 

Certainly a great day's birding and lots of life ticks for Eamonn.

 

Today (Sunday) I walked to my local pond - Bingham's Pond - and was pleased to see c40 Tufted Ducklings being protected by 5 females. Lesser Black-backed Gulls needless to say were present trying to get an easy meal and I saw one tuftie and one mallard duckling, that had joined a tuftie crèche, succumbing to their swoops. However, the proud mums bravely managed to chase off most attacks. In addition to the tufties, there were still 3 Mute Swan cygnets; 2 large young Coot; one large young Moorhen and 2 new youngsters; and 3 well grown Mallard and two other small single birds.

 

 One of the small mallard ducklings with mum!

 

The Pond was looking very good with an excellent range of wildflowers .........

 

 

A nice end to the week.