Has Spring Stalled?

Since my last post I have been birding locally - Bingham's Pond and Botanic Gardens - and to the north and west of Glasgow with Stephen on the 12th and 'east' with Peter on the 15th and, it appears, migrants are thin on the ground! 

I did, however, get some special sightings with two drake Garganey at the Gadloch on 12 April 2017 and one male Ring Ousel in the Lammermuirs on 15 April 2017. Other sightings included a single Swallow and Willow Warbler at Bingham's Pond; Sand Martins at Drymen Bridge; a Common Sandpiper at Musselburgh Lagoons; Wheatears along the Lothian coast and in the Lammermuirs; and White Wagtails at a few sites, again, along the Lothian coast.

Sadly only one photograph as I wanted to concentrate on bird watching so left the camera in its bag! One of the locations visited on Wednesday was the RSPB Loch Lomond Reserve. The facilities are coming along nicely with good footpaths; a car park, simple wooden building and toilet that forms what they call 'The Hub'; benches; picnic tables; and a small feeding station. The station attracted Lesser Redpoll, Siskin and Bullfinch to name but three.

RSPB Loch Lomond

I would also like to thank everyone that came along to my talk at the RSPB Glasgow Group on Wednesday night - it is the first time I've had a police escort!

Finally, other recent sightings courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Sunday 16 April 2017
A drake Ring-necked Duck on Woodend Loch, Coatbridge, also six Gadwall and 50 Swallows.

Saturday 15 April 2017
Two Little Ringed Plovers at Twechar Marsh, Kirkintilloch.
A drake Garganey on Woodend Loch, Coatbridge.
Three White Wagtails at Drymen Bridge.

Friday 14 April 2017
Two Little Ringed Plovers and 12 White Wagtails at Longhaugh Point field pools, also three Black-tailed Godwits and 62 Pink-footed Geese in the morning.
A Greenshank, two Redshank, two Common Sandpipers and a White Wagtail at Drymen Bridge.
Two Nuthatches calling at two different locations Queen's Park, Glasgow.

Thursday 13 April 2017
Five Crossbills at Linn Park, also three Nuthatches.
70 Golden Plovers circling over Shieldhill Farm, near Eaglesham early evening.