Season's Greetings

I would like to wish everyone that has read this blog a Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year. Amazingly, there have been over 123,000 page views, so thank you for your interest.

So, to mark the occasion a photograph from my favourite bird watching location in Glasgow - Hogganfield Park LNR, featuring Hogganfield Loch ..

Finally, another update on the unusual birds seen in the Greater Glasgow area, courtesy of the SOC Grapevine:

Friday 22 December 2017
A drake and a female Scaup on Waulkmill Glen Reservoir, also 65 Snipe at the adjoining Littleton reservoir.

Thursday 21 December 2017
A male Brambling in a Muirlees Crescent, Milngavie garden.

Wednesday 20 December 2017
A probable 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull at the Balgray Reservoir roost (present for a fortnight), also a probable Siberian Chiffchaff in the hedge beside the jetties; nearby, the immature Long-tailed Duck still on Waulkmill Glen Reservoir where there is an impressive number of wildfowl due to the lowering of the water this summer.
A male Blackcap in a Sween Avenue, Cathcart garden.

Tuesday 19 December 2017
83 Goosanders at roost on Balgray Reservoir.

From Barbados to Bingham's Pond!

In the space of 48 hours we have experienced two different sunsets - Barbados, at 30C ......

Bridgetown, Barbados

..... and Bingham's Pond in Glasgow at 30F!

Bingham's Pond, Glasgow

Barbados was the culmination of a 2 week cruise around the Caribbean with exotic species such as Troupial .....

Troupial, Bonaire

.... whilst Bingham's Pond was the monthly Webs Count - easier than normal as 95% of the pond was frozen ....

Bingham's Pond, 11 December 2017

 

This Black-headed Gull took advantage of the small area of open water ...

 

 

... whilst this Mallard posed in the low sunshine ...

The Webs count was similar to my last count with nothing unexpected. However, not too far away from the Pond comes the exciting news of the discovery of a Firecrest near Hillhead Secondary School. Sadly, I failed to see it yesterday but intend to give it another go!

And this brings me on nicely to recent sightings in the Greater Glasgow area, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Wednesday 13 December 2017
A Firecrest  again at the junction of Oakfield Avenue/Glasgow Street, Hillhead, Glasgow, favouring trees outside 25 Glasgow Street, in the morning.

Tuesday 12 December 2017
A Firecrest at the junction of Oakfield Avenue/Glasgow Street, Glasgow at 0945 hrs.

Monday 11 December 2017
A report of a Firecrest at Hillhead High School, Glasgow.
A Scaup on Balgray Reservoir.

Saturday 9 December 2017
A male and a female Scaup on Ryat Linn Reservoir.
The female Mandarin Duck back on White Cart Water at Scottish Power, Cathcart.

Monday 4 December 2017
The immature Long-tailed Duck still at Waulkmill Glen Reservoir.