End of the Month Update

It's almost two weeks since my last update and during that time I've birded locally - Bingham's Pond, Botanic Gardens and Hogganfield Park LNR and travelled a bit further afield to Irvine Harbour, Cardwell Bay, Castle Semple and Lochwinnoch RSPB Reserve.

Not many photos, I am afraid, thanks to the weather but here goes ....

On the 22nd I made the short journey to Bingham's Pond in the west end of Glasgow. Despite the 'mild' conditions (c7C) much of the pond was still frozen ...

Mallard on ice

Art installation or future nest site?

Moving on to the 23rd and a visit to my favourite LNR - Hogganfield Park. No photos but excellent views of a Kingfisher before the rain!

Wednesday 25th and we joined the RSPB Glasgow Group outing to Irvine Harbour, thanks to Judith and Mike. The winds were strong and there were less than 30 species to be seen. My camera stayed in the car although this photo, using my phone, gives an idea of the conditions we encountered looking out from the harbour mouth ....

From Irvine Harbour, four of us travelled to Cardwell Bay where we were lucky enough to see a Little Gull, just before yet more heavy rain, but no sign of the reported Bonaparte's Gull.

The next day, in the late afternoon, I spent just over an hour in Glasgow's Botanic Gardens and recorded 19 bird species , although again, no photos.

The next day it was back to Bingham's Pond, which was still partially frozen ...

... and 22 species seen including this Pied Wagtail .....

..... and this Goosander ....

We finished with a trip down to Castle Semple loch where we added birds such as Peregrine and Smew to our year total. We then moved on to the RSPB Lochwinnoch Reserve where we were really lucky to see this remarkably confiding Water Rail ...

Video grab

The whole video can be viewed here: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXQQ0bEAwxQ

Since my last post I've seen 67 species, not bad considering the weather!

Other recent sightings, all courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine, include:

Monday 29 January 2018
Five Pintail in Cardross Bay.
The drake and female Scaup now on Ryat Linn Reservoir.

Saturday 27 January 2018

A spectacular flock of at least 500 Goldfinches going to roost in Elder Park, Govan.

Thursday 25 January
23 Whooper Swans on Hogganfield Loch.
A Greenshank at Erskine Harbour.
Five Ring-necked Parakeets at Bishopbriggs Golf Course.

Wednesday 24 January
20 Siskins coming to feeders in a Cathcart garden.

Saturday 20 January 2018
A 2nd-winter Yellow-legged Gull on Waulkmill Glen Reservoir, before flying to the Balgray Reservoir roost, also four Stonechats at Waulkmill; nearby, a drake Scaup on Ryat Linn Reservoir.
A Brambling in a Gardenhall, East Kilbride garden.