10 Days in June and some New Sites!

 Although still in lockdown I was able to travel to a couple of more sites other than Hogganfield Park LNR, Dawsholm Park LNR and Bingham's Pond SINC. Now I love these three sites, who would have guessed, but it was so good to venture to a few other sites in Greater Glasgow.

Starting with 1 June 2021 and a trip to Dams to Darnley Country Park in order to help erect nest boxes at the Dams to Darnley LNR. All five photos from the LNR

Nest box volunteers march off

Chicken-in-the-Woods fungi

We then moved on to Balgray Reservoir and saw a nice range of birds with Sedge Warbler and Meadow Pipit being the most photogenic

Sedge Warbler

Meadow Pipit

Moving on to the 4th and a visit to Bishop Loch LNR to check out nest boxes and then views over Bishop Loch. The LNR is mainly woodland with a small area of marsh and reedbed on the northern edge. It is leased by Glasgow City Council to Forestry and Land Scotland (formerly Forestry Commission Scotland). Note the loch is not within the LNR!

Roe Deer

Reedbed at western end of the loch

Former Gartloch Hospital, now Gartloch Village in the background

Bishop Loch

The biggest surprise was this male Pochard on the loch, a species that normally just winters in the area.

Pochard (heavily cropped)

In the first 10 days of the month, only 43 bird species seen but this did include some unexpected species. It was also good to visit places I hadn't been to for well over a year. 

Hopefully, with a further easing of the lockdown, there will be more to come!

Glasgow's Wildlife Sites - Five in Four days

Between the 7th and 12th, I visited 5 of Glasgow's best wildlife sites (four LNRs and a L-SINC) and saw a total of 43 bird species.

Starting on the 7th, it was an early start, in order to beat the forecast rain, as I headed for Bishop Loch on the edge of Easterhouse. Thankfully, the reported Black Tern was present along with one other bird watcher - David Mitchell. Other birds of note were Shoveler, 20+ Pochard (possibly the Hogganfield birds) and Great Crested Grebe.

Bishop Loch LNR

On the 9th, it was the turn of Cathkin Braes on the south side of Castlemilk. I hadn't been here for a number of years so it was good to explore the many paths through the woodland and grassland. A couple of Buzzards, a Sparrowhawk and a large flock of Linnets were the highlights

Cathkin Braes LNR

 

On the 11th it was the monthly wildfowl count at Bingham's Pond and the only surprise was the lack of any Mute Swans.

 

Finally, on the 12th, I paid a visit to Robroyston Park, another site I hadn't visited for some time.

 

Robroyston Park LNR

 

I was rewarded with a Kingfisher, which was a big surprise, a couple of Buzzards and at least 5 Meadow Pipits. Seeing the Meadow Pipits, presumably on passage,I decided to carry on to Hogganfield Park (c20 minute walk) in the hope that I'd find some Meadow Pipits in the grassland there. And sure enough, I found one! My 99th species for the Park!

 

I also saw 4 Buzzards, amazing how this has now become a 'common' Glasgow bird, and at least 372 Goldfinches, as counted from this photograph!!!

 

 

 

So, the four days travelling around Glasgow proved you can enjoy some excellent birding on your doorstep.

 

For more information and photographs about Glasgow's LNRs see:

 

https://friendsofglasgowlnrs.wordpress.com/ and

 

https://www.facebook.com/friendsofglasgowlocalnaturereserves

 

 

 

 

 

 



Birding in the Bishop Loch area of Glasgow

Last week, I paid a visit to the Bishop Loch/Gartloch Pools area in north east Glasgow - FirstBus no.41 to Lochend Road.

This was like going back in time as this was the location that 'started' my 'environmental career' with Glasgow City Council - up until then my tasks had been mainly in the industrial and employment sector. But enough of this reminiscing!

What follows is a photographic record of this walk with a wee bit of history thrown in ..........

Having left the bus in Lochend Road, I entered Bishop Loch LNR via one of the clearly marked footpaths. Despite its name, the Loch does not form part of the actual LNR which consists, in the main, of woodland, with some grassland and a small part of the extensive reedbed and marsh. There is a good path network through the LNR which links to informal paths to Gartloch Village and the wider countryside. You can also get great views of Bishop Loch itself, which is also a SSSI.

The woodland appeared to be devoid of birds apart from a 'tit' flock, a Buzzard and a few 'corvids'. I would imagine it would be full of warblers in spring ........

Woodland path

 

Path alongside reedbed

 

View across reedbed, west of Bishop Loch

 

View from LNR across Bishop Loch

 

Informal path west of Bishop Loch and Gartloch Village

View of Gartloch Village and woodlands from informal path

Having explored some of these informal paths - Stonechat and Buzzard were the key species, I returned to the path which leads to Gartloch Village and woodland via a sturdy metal bridge over the Burn that flows from Gartloch Pools to Bishop Loch. The path brings you to an old fence line which remarkably delineates the boundary of the SSSI! To the south (right hand side) is SSSI and to the north it is a woodland and housing estate.

Fence delineating SSSI boundary

 

The Village was created when developers obtained planning permission to convert the old Hospital buildings to housing. The costs were such that it was claimed that permission would also be required for some new housing to be built to offset the potential losses from the conversions. This resulted in the Council agreeing that a number of trees could be chopped down ..............

As you can see from below, the main Hospital Building is still lying empty.....

I left the Village ...

....  and bravely ventured out onto Gartloch Road. This is a typical narrow country road that was not designed for the amount of car traffic that now uses it, but thankfully most drivers slowed down as I made my way towards the Gartloch Pools.

On the south side of the road, somebody had attempted to build a 'fishing platform' ...

Gartloch Pools (south)

There were only a few birds present including Teal, Grey Heron and Snipe. However, on the north side there was a good range of wildfowl with Shoveler, Gadwall and Wigeon being the most notable and also 2 Stonechats.

Thankfully, I was offered a lift by another birder that I knew (Alan) and so didn't have to risk walking along the road again!

As usual, I finish with some recent sightings from Greater Glasgow courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Monday 31 October 2016
Two Ring-necked Parakeets in Hillview Drive, Clarkston.

Sunday 30 October 2016
Six Whooper Swans, 9 Gadwall and 20 Goosanders on Hogganfield Loch.
9 Bullfinches at Harelaw Reservoir, Barrhead.

Saturday 29 October 2016
A Jay at Cathkin Braes, Glasgow, and a male Stonechat at Windlaw Marsh.

Friday 28 October 2016
Nine Shoveler at Gartloch Pool, but no sign of the Bittern (which was last reported flying towards Bishop Loch on Tuesday).
A Jay at the March Field, Lynn Drive, Milngavie. 
A Raven calling from a chimney top at Gartnavel Hospital, Glasgow.
A Ring-necked Parakeet in Hillview Drive, Clarkston.

Wednesday 26 October 2016
A male and a female Peregrine hunting over George Square, Glasgow at 1230 hrs.
16 Gadwall and 6 Shoveler on Gartloch Pool.

Tuesday 25 October 2016
A Bittern again showing at Gartloch Pools on the south side of the B806, Glasgow.

Rarity Alert & Update

Yet more excellent records from the Seven Lochs Project Area courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

18 October 2013
A Bittern in full view (with a telescope at 1400 hrs  and again at 1600 hrs) at Bishop Loch at NS689671. Best viewed from the other side of the loch entering from Lochend  Road as approaching through Gartloch Woods by the Old Hospital would most likely flush it, also on the loch a drake Gadwall, three Shoveler (two eclipse drakes) and 162 Wigeon.
The Blue-winged Teal still on Frankfield Loch.
A pair of Scaup, 24 Gadwall (14 drakes) and four Whooper Swans on Hogganfield Loch.
13 Gadwall (seven drakes) on Gartloch Pool.
Two pairs of Gadwall on Lochend Loch.

Apologies for the lack of updates but its been a hectic few days. On Sunday (13th) we managed some nice birding on the east coast - thanks Fiona!

On Monday, I undertook my monthly WEBS count at Bingham's Pond with the highlight being a personal record count of 28 Moorhen.

On Tuesday, I was invited to speak at the Cumbernauld & Kilsyth Photographic Society - a big thank you to Andy and all the club members for such a warm welcome.

On Wednesday I was leading a RSPB Glasgow Group outing to Musselburgh where we saw c45 species with 7 Barnacle Geese being the biggest surprise. A record shot taken with my wife's small camera follows.................................

Yesterday, I was speaking at the RSPB Forth Valley Group - a big thank you to Robert and all those that took the time and trouble to attend on such a foul night.

 

The next three days will be as equally busy; so my next update may not be until Tuesday by which time my 'page views' should have crashed through the 10,000 barrier. Thanks for watching!!

Sightings Update and Illustrated Talk

It is good to see that people appear to be regularly birding the 'Seven Lochs Project Area' in Glasgow. Recent sightings courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

29 September 2013
The Blue-winged Teal still on Frankfield Loch, Glasgow.
A female Pintail and six Gadwall on Gartloch Pools, Glasgow.
Four Gadwall on Bishop Loch, Glasgow.

Gartloch Pool (south)

 

Also news of an illustrated talk being held by the RSPB Glasgow Local Group on Thursday 3 October 2013:

 

Southern Amazonia and The Pantanal - Graeme Wallace

Venue: Adelaide’s, 209 Bath Street, Glasgow.

Doors open 7pm with the talk commencing at 7.30pm.

All welcome.

More info on www.rspb.org.uk/groups/glasgow/events

 

Graeme has worked as a volunteer guide in an eco lodge so is well placed to provide a fascinating talk about this amazing area and its wildlife.

 

Jabiru

 

 

 

 

 

Seven Lochs Area - sightings

The Seven Lochs Project area extends from Hogganfield Loch in Glasgow to Lochend, Woodend and Garnqueeen Lochs in North Lanarkshire - see previous posts for more information on the Project.

Courtesy of the SOC Clyde Area Grapevine, I can report the following recent sightings from the project area:

17 October 2012
Five female/immature Scaup and twelve Gadwall at Bishop Loch.

Bishop Loch (a Site of Special Scientific Interest) is underwatched, partly due to there being limited formal access. It can be viewed from the paths of Bishop Loch LNR (see http://friendsofglasgowlnrs.wordpress.com and click on Local Nature Reserves/Bishop Loch for a location plan) but views can be limited without a telescope.

Bishop Loch looking north east from LNR path