Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year

Thanks to everyone that reads this Blog and supports the efforts of the many conservation groups and individuals that help safeguard and enhance biodiversity in the Greater Glasgow area. 

More specifically, a big thank you to all those that have joined, volunteered or helped fund the Friends of Glasgow's Local Nature Reserves, it is much appreciated.

If you are already bored with the repeats on TV, why not try my YouTube channel for images and videos of wildlife from far and wide click here

A few stills follow as a taster:

Waxwings Galore

Over the past week, Waxwings have been reported from north, south and west Glasgow. 

I saw c35 in Govanhill Park on the 19th along with Redwings and Fieldfare

The Waxwings were 'new' for the year as was the Smew on the Barr Loch at RSPB Lochwinnoch on the 21st on our weekly outing with Stephen - 50 species seen.

We also travelled to Greenock and Gourock with Judith and Mike on the 18th and we managed 33 species before the rain arrived in dismal conditions!

During the rest of the week I managed a few visits to Bingham's Pond for general birding plus the Webs count/Black-headed Gull survey on Sunday 15th. The Sunday had everything with dark dismal conditions one minute followed by sunshine followed by rain - 2 photos taken c10 minutes apart give an idea of the changing conditions

Over the week I saw 64 species adding two to my 'Scottish year list' and one to my 'Bingham's Pond year list.' Any more to be found before the end of the year?

Birding in December - not!

Since my last post I've only managed out birding on one occasion in the Glasgow area, on 9 December 2019, and this was to my favourite location - Hogganfield Park LNR. A couple of 'landscape' photos follow: 

There were a good numbers of 'thrushes' present mostly Redwing and Blackbird plus a few Fieldfare. However, I only managed one photo - of a Redwing 

On the other hand the Whooper Swans (19 of them) were showing well

If you are still thinking about going along to Hogganfield, there is a free wildfowl feeding event taking place on Sunday 22 December 2019 from 11am to around 1.30pm - see Friends of Glasgow's LNRs for more information. All welcome.

Also, be aware that Waxwings have arrived in Glasgow, so keep your eyes peeled!

More November Birding

Another fortnightly update of all things birding in Greater Glasgow and beyond. And it was busy, busy, busy.

I started locally, at Bingham's Pond on 8 November 2019

This ringed Black-headed Gull stood out amongst the Feral Pigeons

Whilst this Dunnock posed in the sunshine, yes sunshine!

And this was just one of an impressive number (21) of Goosanders present, not bad for a small pond.

On the 9th, I travelled through to Lothian in overcast conditions with Stephen. We did, however, manage to see a Merlin at Barns Ness and having moved on to Whitesands Quarry 

we managed to see a Little Auk, as this distant record shot 'proves' - honest!

On the 10th, I helped out once again with the Friends of Glasgow's wildfowl feeding event at Hogganfield Park LNR

and spotted another ringed Black-headed Gull. It turned up at Hogganfield this time last year having been ringed as a pullus in Norway in June 2018! Good to know it also thinks 'Glasgow's Wilds Better'.

On Tuesday (12th) night I gave a talk to a rambling group in East Kilbride and then a 'second half' talk to the RSPB Glasgow Group on the following Wednesday night. Thanks to the 2 people that came forward and agreed to sponsor a woodcrete nest box for the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs. 

The next day I headed to Lochwinnoch with Judith, Mike and Lynda and the highlight was a male Hen Harrier that spent much of the afternoon hunting over the RSPB's Aird Meadow. 

Sadly, my photos of the Hen Harrier were poor although the bird itself was brilliant.

Friday was spent helping the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs erect 13 woodcrete nest boxes at Bishop Loch, Cardowan Moss and Hogganfield Park LNRs 

I had the Saturday off before venturing back to Bingham's Pond on Sunday the 17th for the WEBs count.  With 40% of the pond covered in ice, it was relatively easy to count the birds. It was also good to see that the ringed Black-headed Gull was still present, this time posing nicely on the ice

As the weather hasn't been too bad, just freezing cold, I'll finish with a sunset from Bingham's Pond

Glasgow Patch Ticks plus more!

Despite yet more rain and dreich skies I've managed to bird watch near and far, since my last post.

Firstly, two days at Hogganfield Park LNR:

26 October 2019 - Whooper Swan family, Cormorant and Mistle Thrush

27 October 2019 - I helped at the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs Wildfowl Feeding event and managed to see and photograph 2 'rare' ducks - an eclipse male Ruddy Duck (my 72nd species for Hogganfield this year) and a very distant female Common Scoter (my 73rd for the year and a life Hogganfield tick for me, meaning I have now seen 108 bird species at this wonderful site). Thanks to Agnes, Karen and Lynda. As an aside, the scoter was the 143rd bird ever recorded at Hogganfield Park LNR!

28 October 2019 - a quick bus trip to Knightswood Park Pond to search through the many gulls for ringed birds. Luckily I managed to find two ringed Black-headed Gulls. 

31 October 2019 - our weekly birding trip with Judith and Mike and we headed to Troon.
On the south beach we found the Snow Bunting that had been reported and around the harbour we had good views of Purple Sandpiper (no photos) and Ringed Plover and Dunlin. We also saw the ringed Herring Gull which spends most of its time here - ringed on July 2013 on Lady Isle

1 November 2019 - a new month and a trip to Fife in heavy rain with Stephen. It actually stayed dry for around 1 hour in the Balcomie/Kilminning area but, thereafter, it poured down so we headed for the visitor centre/hide at Guardbridge. Despite the weather we managed c40 species including Little Egret, Black-tailed Godwit and Golden Plovers - but no photographs!

5 November 2019 - Yesterday and another good trip with Judith & Mike, this time to Ladies Pond, Dougalston, Milngavie - a new site for all of us. And then on to an old favourite of mine, the farmland at Millichen, Glasgow.

The walk to Ladies Pond proved to be very pleasant with Nuthatch seen along with other more common woodland birds. The pond itself played host to a small range of wildfowl including a drake Blue-winged Teal, probably the bird that spent much of the summer at Frankfield Loch in Glasgow.

From Ladies Pond we headed, after a civilised coffee stop, to the Millichen area where we saw Tree Sparrows, Yellowhammers and large numbers of Pink-footed Geese flying around and then landing out of view!

However, the obvious highlight was a 'Millichen' tick for me in the form of Ringed-neck Parakeet - two of them - which is the 105th species I've seen at Millichen.

So nearing the end of the year and still getting 'ticks' and some enjoyable days birding - thanks to our friends and other birders we met on our travels. Hopefully, there will be more to come over the next few weeks.

Late October Update

Well sadly the easterlies stopped, whilst the rain didn't; so not many photographs. I/we still managed out and about thanks to Stephen, Judith and Mike, RSPB Glasgow Group and public transport.

A photographic record follows:

Fife Ness - 4/10/19

Chiffchaff - Kilminning, Fife - 12/10/19

Blackbird - Kilminning, Fife - 12/10/19 

Robin - Balcomie, Fife - 12/10/19

Pink-footed & Barnacle Geese - near Airth, Forth 12/10/19

Path works - Dawsholm Park LNR, Glasgow - 16/10/19

Record shot - Linnet flock - Torness, Lothian - 20/10/19

Hogganfield Park LNR, Glasgow - 21/10/19

Pochard - Hogganfield Park LNR, Glasgow - 21/10/19

Record shot - Scaup - Hogganfield Park LNR, Glasgow - 21/10/19

Ringed Black-headed Gull - Hogganfield Park LNR, Glasgow - 21/10/19

RSPB Loch Leven - 24/10/19

Red Squirrel - RSPB Loch Leven - 24/10/19

Over the period, from 3 October 2019, I saw c80 species with the highlights being a Barred Warbler at Kilminning, Fife on the 4th; my first ever Jay at Dawsholm Park LNR on the 16th; Little Egrets, pale-bellied Brent Geese and a glimpse of a Barn Owl (in its box) on Holy Isle on the 19th; 40 species including Scaup, 10 Whooper Swans and a Blackcap at Hogganfield Park LNR on the 21st; and a good range of wildfowl, including Pintail, at Loch Leven today.