Updates and Forthcoming Events

Sadly still no photos so I shall be brief.

I joined the RSPB Glasgow Group on their weekend outing (26th) to the Dunbar area - good weather and nice birds (64 species).

Also travelled through by bus to Torness yesterday and spent some time there and at Skateraw - sadly only 28 species.

Moving on to events, my next evening talk is on Thursday at the RSPB Glasgow Group - see www.rspb.org.uk/groups/glasgow for more information.

Finally, it would be great if you could come along to the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs event on Saturday 3 October 2915 at Dawsholm Park LNR. The weather forecast is looking good and we hope to plant a hedge, undertake some litter picking and erect/relocate some nest boxes. If enough people turn up we shall also have a go at some rhododendron bashing!

See http://friendsofglasgowlnrs.wordpress.com or our facebook site for more information - link also under Other Interesting sites.

Recent Sightings

We visited Baron's Haugh RSPB Reserve yesterday (15 September 2015) with Judith and Mike and got a good range of birds (at least 41 species) including a Little Ringed Plover, 5 Ruff, a Green Sandpiper and 33 Snipe.

Today I travelled through to Musselburgh (47 species seen) and added to the wader sightings with 2 Curlew Sandpiper and a Greenshank at the scrapes. From the sea-wall I counted 11 Great Crested Grebe, 8 Slavonian Grebe and one Red-necked Grebe. There were also a few Little Grebe on the boating pond - so almost a complete set of grebes!

I still haven't worked out why I can no longer upload photos so onto other recent sightings, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine unless otherwise stated:

Tuesday 15 September 2015
Two Ruff and two Black-tailed Godwits at Bridgend Farm Pool, Kirkintilloch.

Monday 14 September 2015
Two Ruff and four Black-tailed Godwits at the Longhaugh field pools.
A Greenshank at Newshot Island, also a Redstart in the hawthorn hedge there.
A Nuthatch calling in Rouken Glen.

Sunday 13 September 2015

Thomas Wright kindly advises that he spotted a Ringed Plover and White Wagtail together on the sandy bay near the swing park at Hogganfield Loch.

Talks, Trips and East Coast Magic

On Wednesday (9th) I had a really enjoyable outing with the RSPB Glasgow Group to Rozelle Park and Doonfoot. We saw c60 species and had great views of Nuthatch as well as some real surprises at Doonfoot - Pintail, Whooper Swan and Bewick's Swan! I have passed the swan records to Angus Hogg (Ayrshire Assistant Bird Recorder) as it is too early for such species, perhaps they are injured/recovering birds from last winter.

Thanks to everyone that attended my talk at the Fife Bird Club on Thursday (10th). The next one is on 17 September 2015 at the RSPB Forth Valley Group.

Yesterday, I travelled through by train to Dunbar in the hope of seeing a few 'migrants, the weather forecast certainly looked promising.

I walked to Barns Ness via the John Muir link and although seeing a good few birds, nothing out of the ordinary.

At Barns Ness I bumped into Alan and Ian from the Renfrew RSPB group and managed to see a Redstart, a couple of Wheatear, Stonechat and Reed Bunting on the beach!

Alan and Ian kindly offered me a lift to Torness and Skateraw as well as promising to get me back to Dunbar for my train! At Torness it was very quiet so we headed off to Skateraw and stumbled on a 'twitch'. An hour later it was a happy threesome that left Skateraw as we all managed to see an ARCTIC WARBLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I even managed some photographs but sadly am still unable to upload photographs for some reason - I have posted one on my personal Facebook site, two on the BirdGuides site and have also lodged them with BirdingLothian. I shall also be using one of them in my 'East Coast Magic' talk at the RSPB Glasgow Group on 1 October 2015.

Thanks again to everyone that reads my ramblings. Hopefully I shall be able to sort out the photos problem or, as previously posted, I'll create a Facebook version of this Blog.

Fair Isle

Spent much of last week on Fair Isle and most of this week going through the photographs!

We saw some great birds - Icterine Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, Wryneck, Reed Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat just to name a few.

Sadly, however, I am having trouble uploading photographs to the Blog so may be forced to 'mothball' the site and create a Glasgow's Wilds Better facebook site.

In the meantime I've been preparing a number of talks for the Fife Bird Club; RSPB Forth Valley; RSPB Glasgow and RSPB Dorset which all take place over the next few weeks.

Finally a quick update of recent sightings for Greater Glasgow from the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Thursday 3 September 2015
A Jay at the feeders in a Blacader Drive, Gartloch Village, Glasgow garden.

Wednesday 2 September 2015
Still a single Swift at Battlefield, Glasgow.

Tuesday 1 September 2015
A Greenshank and six Common Sandpipers at Newshot Island, also two Kingfishers. Also 1,500+ Swallows going to roost in Newshot Island reed bed at 2030 hrs. A Green Sandpiper and two Black-tailed Godwits at Bridgend Farm Pool, Kirkintilloch.
A Nuthatch, four Jays and four Stock Doves at the feeders in a Mugdock village garden, also a Pine Martin.
Five Stonechats at Millichen Flood.