Yet More Birding and it is still dark and dreary!

The last post seemed to work well with the latest news coming first so I will start with today's news: a small flock of around 20 Waxwings in Westerlands, Anniesland although I only had flight views.

Yesterday was our weekly trip with Judith and Mike and we travelled to Baron's Haugh RSPB Reserve. We managed to see a good range of birds and timed our departure to coincide with the rain arriving! The highlight was a Little Egret which was a reserve first for all of us ..

Little Egret - 27/11/18

On Saturday (24th) we travelled with the RSPB Glasgow Group down to he WWT Reserve at Caerlaverock. The weather was excellent and it only started to rain shortly after leaving the reserve. As expected we had excellent views of wildfowl …

Barnacle Geese - 24/11/18

Wigeon - 24/11/18

Scaup with Tufted Ducks - 24/11/18

We also had a glimpse of a Great White Egret and up to 9 Little Egrets but the highlight for me was a Merlin perched on a post, seen from the Salcot Obervatory Tower.

On the Friday, I travelled to Knightswood Park and Bingham's Pond, both in Glasgow. I was looking for 'ringed' birds - which will the subject of a separate post - but was also struck by the fact that a small flock of Greylag Geese can be seen grazing at a Glasgow Park …

Greylag Geese - 23/11/18

Moving on to Bingham's Pond and I added to my year Pond list with a Raven flying over, 'cronking' and being harassed by gulls.

I also visited Hogganfield Park LNR on Saturday 17th to help with the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs wildfowl feeding event. There wasn't any time to do much birdwatching other than from the viewing/feeding platform. However, this Great Black-backed Gull stood out …..

Great Black-backed Gull - 17/11/18

However, the real surprise turned out to be a group of 3 Shelduck which were a personal first for me for both Hogganfield Park and Glasgow.

Distant record shot - 3 Shelduck - 17/11/18

So, my Hogganfield list now stands at 106 (including feral/introduced species) and my Glasgow list 147.

So despite it still being dark and dreary, all in all it was a good week. 

Roll on December!

PS remember to click on the photos to produced a slide show and enhanced viewing.

Hen Harrier and more

With a dodgy weather forecast for most of Scotland, I started the week, on Sunday the 12th, down at the Caerlaverock WWT Reserve in Dumfries and Galloway, thanks to Stephen.

After driving through heavy rain we reached the reserve which was, as per the weather forecast, dry.

It was my first ever visit to the reserve in 'summer' with all previous visits being in winter to see swans, geese and other wildfowl. So it was strange to look out from the Peter Scott Observatory building and only see a few Mallard and Canada Geese - no swans whatsoever!

We were lucky to see a male Hen Harrier from the Merse Observatory Tower hide, as this record shot shows ….

.. and a variety of passerines including warblers from the Tower hide …..

Willow Warbler

Finally, we had good views of 3 Black-tailed Godwits at the Folly Pond …

In the end we saw c40 different species before returning home.

On Tuesday, it was a late wildfowl count at Bingham's Pond, with no surprises, and on Wednesday a trip down to the Fairlie area with Judith and Mike. Here we were pleasantly surprised to find 2 Little Egrets and 12 Greenshank on Hunterston lagoon. We also had flight views of a Kingfisher on the southern edge of Fairlie Sands. Later we moved to the Battery Park area of Gourock where I found a Mediterranean Gull off Ironotter Point as this distant photo shows .. 

In total, 67 species seen during the week and hopefully more to find over the next few months! 

Snow Forecast and some Great Birding

A bus trip through to Musselburgh on the 2nd brought 100s of waders........

 

... lots of wildfowl including this Teal ...........

 

 

.. and a superb Snow Bunting .....

 

 

In total, I saw 43 different bird species on what was a cold but sunny day.

 

On Friday (4th), we travelled down to Caerlaverock with Stephen and had another superb day's birding. As ever we got close-up views of a whole range of wildfowl, including Scaup, from the Peter Scott Observatory ..........

 

 

... excellent views of Barnacle Geese ....

 

 

...distant views of Little Egrets .....

 

 

...and what we were told was a hybrid Snow/Barnacle Goose with a distant flock of Barnacles (centre of picture) ..

 

 

Sadly, the initial good weather was followed by heavy rain showers restricting photographic opportunities but we did see some excellent birds, c50 species, with Great White Egret and Green-winged Teal being the stars.

 

On the 6th, it was back to Glasgow where I helped at the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs wildfowl feeding event at Hogganfield Park LNR. There were 10 Whooper Swans present (9 adults and one juvenile) and lots of other birds close in to the feeding/viewing platform including this Goldeneye ....

 

 

If you have never been to Hogganfield Park LNR, I strongly recommend it!

 

Finally, some recent sightings courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

Sunday 6 November 2016
A female/immature Long-tailed Duck (for its second day) on Kilmardinny Loch, Bearsden.
A 1st-winter female Scaup on Heritage Loch, East Kilbride; nearby, three Brambling and ten Tree Sparrows with a large flock of finches at Wellsquarry Road, Kittochside, East Kilbride.
A Jack Snipe and a pair of Stonechats at Harelaw Reservoir, Barrhead.
A female Mandarin Duck on White Cart Water just upstream of White Bridge, Linn Park, Glasgow..
A Woodcock near the Bothlin Burn at NS698673; nearby, a Jay in the Bishop Loch (Hospital) Woods.

Thursday 3 November 2016
A Peregrine (with prey, probably pigeon) flying low over Kingston Bridge, Glasgow.
At least 300 Pied Wagtails roosting in trees, near Tesco's at the Silverburn Centre, Pollok, Glasgow.

Wednesday 2 November 2016
Two Nuthatches frequently at feeders in the Demonstration Garden, Pollok Country Park.

 

 

 

Thousands of Wetland Birds!

What a brilliant weekend! On Saturday (21st) we travelled down to Caerlaverock WWT Reserve with the RSPB Glasgow Group. I'll let the pictures do the talking!

Firstly, the 'expected' wildfowl ..........................

Barnacle Geese

Wigeon (drake)

Little Grebe

But then some unexpected birds ....

Scaup

Ring-necked Duck (with Tufted Duck in the background)

Green-winged Teal (with 3 Whooper Swans)

It wasn't just wildfowl, these farmland birds showed well .............

Yellowhammer

Tree Sparrow (with Chaffinch)

But this bird, normally wary and skulking, stole the show ...........

Water Rail

So it was a happy Group that left Caerlaverock as the sun started to set ...................

On Sunday, I helped with the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs event at Hogganfield Park LNR and was rewarded with a personal Hogganfield first - a Red-breasted Merganser ..........

Red-breasted Merganser

 ... not to be confused with its near relative the Goosander ....

Goosander

So two fine sunny days rewarded with two days excellent birding, sadly as I type it is pouring with rain!

Finally, some recent sightings from the Greater Glasgow area, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Sunday 22  November 2015
An adult Yellow-legged Gull at the gull roost on Balgray Reservoir at 1540 hrs.
The drake Green-winged Teal still showing well on Bridgend Farm Pool, near Kirkintilloch, also two pairs of Shoveler.
A Red-breasted Merganser still on Hogganfield Loch and now ten Whooper Swans.
14 Whooper Swans west over SECC, Glasgow at 1630 hrs.
A  Brambling at the feeders in a Dickens Avenue, Dalmuir garden.

Saturday 21 November 2015
A male Brambling at the feeders in a Mugdock village garden, also a Nuthatch regularly.
A Woodcock at Cathkin Marsh SWT Reserve, also still two Stonechats.
A Red-breasted Merganser still on Hogganfield Loch.
A Jay at the feeders in a Gartloch Village, Glasgow garden.

Friday 20 November 2015
Two Short-eared Owls still in the Cathkin Marsh/South Cathkin landfill area.
25 Whooper Swans south over Linn Park, Glasgow in the morning.
Still a Red-breasted Merganser on Hogganfield Loch.
A Stock Dove has returned for the winter to a suburban garden at Hillfoot Drive, Bearsden.

Thursday 19 November 2015
Five Whooper Swans on Hogganfield Loch, also a drake Gadwall and, unusually inland, a 1st-winter drake Red-breasted Merganser.

Wednesday 18 November 2015
Two Jays at feeders in a Gartloch Village, Glasgow garden.

Latest Sightings from Greater Glasgow and a Trip to Caerlaverock

Some excellent recent reports from Greater Glasgow, courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Sunday 24 November 2013

A 1st-winter male Pintail still on Hogganfield Loch.

15 Tree Sparrows with 22 Reed Buntings at East Millichen Farm, Glasgow.
An Otter, again, on the White Cart Water at Linn Park, Glasgow in the morning, later downstream at Scottish Power, Spean Road, Cathcart, Glasgow early afternoon.

Saturday 23 November 2013
A Green Sandpiper at Ryat Linn Reservoir (part of the Dams to Darnley Country Park)
A Otter showing well at the White Bridge, Linn Park, Glasgow, also a Nuthatch in the trees.

We had a good trip to Caerlaverock WWT Reserve on Saturday, thanks to Douglas and Liz.

The sheer number of birds at Caerlaverock can be breath-taking and today my personal highlights included a male Green-winged Teal, 3 Black-tailed Godwits and amazing views of a Water Rail at the feeding station on the Peter Scott trail ......

A record shot of the Green-winged Teal

Poor record shot of two of the Black-tailed Godwits

An unconventional shot of the Peter Scott Observatory building (taken from the Peter Scott trail)

 

It certainly is a Reserve worthy of a visit!