Glasgow Birding

Thankfully, we have had a few bright days since the last post and that means birding!

On Thursday, I travelled to Glasgow Botanic Gardens, a 10 minute bus ride away, and concentrated my birding on the River Kelvin walkway adjacent to and within the Gardens.

River Kelvin from the 'humpback' bridge

There were some tits calling and the usual Woodpigeons and Magpies but this little guy caught the eye, as well as a small fish!

 

Yes, it was a Kingfisher and it hung around for a good few minutes allowing most passers by a great view. I even managed some video which can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALo6JUtF2Ao

On Sunday with a clear blue sky, I couldn't resist a visit to Hogganfield Park LNR.

Thirty six bird species, a couple of Grey Squirrels and a Red Admiral butterfly was an excellent return from one of my favourite wildlife reserves.

There were 16 Whooper Swans present including 7 juveniles ...

Whooper Swan family party

 

It is amazing to think that these birds have flown all the way from Iceland to spend the winter in Glasgow!

 

Other notable birds were the five Gadwall in the marsh pond ..............

 

 

 

 

... and lots of Blackbirds and Redwing. This Pied Wagtail decided to pose quite nicely for the camera .......

 

 

....... and the loch itself provided numerous photogenic opportunities ....

 

 

What a lovely way to finish a day's birding .........

 

And now for some other recent sightings from the Greater Glasgow area, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

Sunday 29 October 2017
A drake Scaup on Bishop Loch, and nearby, 55 Gadwall, 200 Wigeon and 500+ Coots on Woodend Loch (149 Mute Swans counted there two days ago).

 

Friday 27 October 2017
A pair of Nuthatches in Mugdock Wood.

Thursday 26 October 2017
A Woodcock flew into a building in Stockwell Street, Glasgow City Centre.
11 Whooper Swans at Hogganfield Loch.
A flock of 150+ Redwings flew over Dams to Darnley Country Park.

Wednesday 25 October 2017
A male Ring Ouzel (for its second day) at Cathkin Marsh SWT/SOC Reserve. 

Tuesday 24 October 2017
A Long-tailed Duck on Littleton Reservoir.

 

East Coast Magic 2017 - part 2

Yesterday (24th) I travelled up to Aberdeen to visit another potential migrant hotspot - Girdle Ness. From Aberdeen bus station, I crossed the road to catch a FirstBus No.12 to the Torry area of the City.

From the bus stop I walked north towards the mouth of the River Dee and walked along Greyhopes Road towards Torry Point Battery and then the Lighthouse where the road was closed as part of a major scheme to enlarge Aberdeen harbour.

Looking towards the south breakwater

 

Sadly, there weren't too many birds around but I still managed around 30 species including a few surprises. This Gannet looked totally out of place resting on the sea shore .....

 

 

Walking along the coastal path, I managed a few photos of some of the waders on the rocks below me .............

 

Turnstones

Redshank

 

I had hoped for a few lingering migrants from the easterlies last week, but only managed a few Robins, Blackbird and Song Thrush, although a male Stonechat was a nice find.

 

On reaching the south breakwater, I used my camera to act as a 'scope and managed to prove that these gulls were in fact Kittiwakes .........

 



 

Having walked as far as I could, the road/path being closed due to the major works, I retraced my steps paying even more attention to the bushes and shrubs but sadly no new species. However, when looking down on Greyhope Bay I spotted a movement and although anticipating a Rock Pipit I had a quick look and was surprised to find a Black Redstart!

Greyhope Bay

It kept moving from rock to rock but I did manage this record shot at maximum zoom and heavily cropped ...

Black Redstart

This was my last bird of the day and a nice way to finish another day's birding using public transport.

Finally a plea to all those that read this blog. Hogganfield Park LNR is one of my favourite birdwatching sites, hence the separate page devoted to it - click the 'button' at the top of the page.

It has been nominated as best park in Scotland. You can vote for it by clicking on the following link and then scrolling down until you reach Hogganfield Park. As far as I am aware, a LNR has never won the best park award in Scotland, so it would be great if Hogganfield were to do so. It would be good publicity for the LNR and might even generate some welcome investment from the public sector! Please vote athttp://www.fieldsintrust.org/bestpark/scotland

East Coast Magic 2017 - part 1

With a favourable weather forecast,  dry and south easterly winds, I travelled through to Torness Power Station yesterday - Borders Buses no.253 from Edinburgh Bus station to Thorntonloch Junction.

Even from the bus I could see small flocks of thrushes flying overhead, so things looked promising.

Having reached the stop at the Thorntonloch Junction and having crossed the A1, I was soon approaching the perimeter boundary of the Torness Power Station. Again I could see birds flying high overhead - thrushes and skylarks - when I noted this Wheatear sitting in a field quite close to the access road  ...........

 

When I reached the bushes and trees in the vicinity of the Visitor Centre car park, I bumped into two other birders. Remarkably, they had read this blog - thanks chaps! They were both helpful and we had an interesting chat about 'dogs and nature reserves'!

 

On the bird front there were lots of thrushes as well as a few common birds such as Wren.............

 

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Robin

 

A Chiffchaff was spotted briefly and also a Brambling ..........

 

Brambling

 

I also eventually managed a brief glimpse of a Yellow-browed Warbler before deciding to explore further ...

 

From the sea wall looking towards Thorntonloch

 

In the fields that lie between the Power Station and Thorntonloch, there were a variety of waders including 22 Golden Plover ...

 

Golden Plover

 

The bird list now stood at 30+ with the addition of species such a Tree Sparrow but no more migrants or rarities. As I still had an hour or so before catching the 3pm bus back to Edinburgh I returned to the bushes and shrubs where I had glimpsed the Yellow-browed Warbler

 

AND I got some excellent views and even a few photos ....

 

Yellow-browed Warbler

 

... a great end to the day.

 

Note: Just a reminder you can click on the photos to create a slide show. As it was overcast for most of the day, the photos aren't great but hopefully they give an impression of what you can see, if you are patient, when birding the east coast.

 

Finally, some recent sightings from closer to home, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

Thursday 19 October 2017
A Brambling and a Fieldfare in a Mugdock garden this morning.
Two Kingfishers and a Water Rail at the Firhill Basin, Glasgow.

 

 

 

Last of the Ruddy Ducks?

With the weather taking control, I have not been out much since my last post. However, we travelled east on Sunday (15th) with Peter and Stephen calling in at Garnqueen Loch before heading for Fife.

Garnqueen Loch is located within Glenboig Nature Park and is one of the seven lochs that help make up the 'Seven Lochs Project' area.

The reason for calling in to the loch was a report of a Ruddy Duck having been seen the day before. As there are very few Ruddy Ducks left in Scotland and the UK due to a controversial cull, we felt we had to pay a visit and see what could  be one of the last Ruddy Ducks ever to be seen in Scotland.

Thankfully, we were successful and got great views of one, close to a biohaven installed by the Seven Lochs project. Apologies for the quality of the photos as they were taken early in the morning and in poor light!

We later discovered that two Ruddy Duck had been seen by other birders!

From gloomy Glenboig, we headed to the Kilminning area of Fife and some sunshine.

No unusual species but it was good to see a few Redwings, a clear sign that autumn migration is underway.

Other recent sightings, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Wednesday 18 October 2017

A Nuthatch in Gartloch Village woods, Glasgow (possibly first record for the site); also a single Jay, and nearby four Stonechats at Gartloch Pools.
An arrival of Redwings (later than usual), with 20 in a Battlefield garden, Glasgow, and several other flocks nearby. Other reports included 40 at Waulkmill Glen.
Three Stonechats on hedges around Balgray Reservoir.

Tuesday 17 October 2017
One drake Ruddy Duck still on Garnqueen Loch.

Thank you and Birding Update

Firstly thanks to everyone that came to my illustrated talk on Friday (6th) at the RSPB Renfrewshire Group. I was really looked after and made to feel most welcome. Hopefully, you all enjoyed the talk - Birds of Glasgow's Local Nature Reserves.

I've not managed out birding too much over the past week but managed a short visit to Bingham's Pond (to undertake the Webs count) and recorded my 39th species for the Pond this year - Grey Wagtail.

We also travelled through to Lothian on Sunday (8th) with Peter and Stephen and had a good day with Surf Scoter, off Joppa, being the highlight. The weather was overcast so not conducive to photography but I did manage this Spotted Redshank at Musselburgh Lagoons ......

 

Migration is now well underway with Whooper Swans back at Hogganfield Loch and sightings of Barnacle Geese and Yellow-browed Warblers being reported throughout Scotland; so get out and about and see would you can find.

 

Other recent sightings from Greater Glasgow, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine include:

 

Monday 9 October 2017
A single Redwing in a Kelvindale garden this morning.

 

Saturday 7 October 2017
Still one Ruff at Frankfield Loch, Glasgow this morning.
A ringtail Hen Harrier hunting at Cathkin Marsh SWT/SOC Reserve again, at 1605 hrs.

Friday 6 October 2017
26 Gadwall on Bishop Loch, and nearby another 21 Gadwall on Woodend Loch.
Four Whooper Swans on Woodend Loch.

Five Whooper Swans (including two juveniles) at Hogganfield Loch.

A Jay in Bishopbriggs Park at midday. 

Thursday 5 October 2017
Still three Ruff (a male and two females), 370 Lapwings and 40 Shoveler at Frankfield Loch; and nearby, two Whooper Swans at Hogganfield Loch.
120 Pink-footed Geese flew east over Gartloch Village, Glasgow at 1430 hrs, and two Ravens over southwest at 1650 hrs.
A 'ringtail' Hen Harrier at Cathkin Marsh SWT/SOC Reserve (for its second day).

Wednesday 4 October 2017
A Ruff, 35 Shoveler and 285 Lapwings at Frankfield Loch.
A Raven flew over St Rollox towards Sighthill Cemetery, Glasgow at 1100 hrs.
A Guillemot swam up the River Clyde past the Kingston Bridge, Glasgow City Centre.

Caper, Crestie and more!

Last week we joined a birdwatching holiday based for 5 nights at Nethybridge and two nights in Stornoway.

We travelled north to the Moray Coast ....

Spey Bay

... west through Skye ....

Skye

...... and then to Harris and Lewis ......

Harris

Lewis

...before returning to 'Speyside' ............

RSPB Loch Garten

We saw c120 bird species including 19 species of wader and 11 species of raptor as well as dolphins, deer and dragonflies ...

Black Darter dragonfly

But the highlights were the Scottish specialities and in particular Crested Tit .....

and Capercaillie, which we saw on our last day ..

What a great end to a lovely holiday in a superb country.