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.

Glasgow Birding

Thankfully, we have had a few bright days since the last post and that means birding!

On Thursday, I travelled to Glasgow Botanic Gardens, a 10 minute bus ride away, and concentrated my birding on the River Kelvin walkway adjacent to and within the Gardens.

River Kelvin from the 'humpback' bridge

There were some tits calling and the usual Woodpigeons and Magpies but this little guy caught the eye, as well as a small fish!

 

Yes, it was a Kingfisher and it hung around for a good few minutes allowing most passers by a great view. I even managed some video which can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALo6JUtF2Ao

On Sunday with a clear blue sky, I couldn't resist a visit to Hogganfield Park LNR.

Thirty six bird species, a couple of Grey Squirrels and a Red Admiral butterfly was an excellent return from one of my favourite wildlife reserves.

There were 16 Whooper Swans present including 7 juveniles ...

Whooper Swan family party

 

It is amazing to think that these birds have flown all the way from Iceland to spend the winter in Glasgow!

 

Other notable birds were the five Gadwall in the marsh pond ..............

 

 

 

 

... and lots of Blackbirds and Redwing. This Pied Wagtail decided to pose quite nicely for the camera .......

 

 

....... and the loch itself provided numerous photogenic opportunities ....

 

 

What a lovely way to finish a day's birding .........

 

And now for some other recent sightings from the Greater Glasgow area, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

Sunday 29 October 2017
A drake Scaup on Bishop Loch, and nearby, 55 Gadwall, 200 Wigeon and 500+ Coots on Woodend Loch (149 Mute Swans counted there two days ago).

 

Friday 27 October 2017
A pair of Nuthatches in Mugdock Wood.

Thursday 26 October 2017
A Woodcock flew into a building in Stockwell Street, Glasgow City Centre.
11 Whooper Swans at Hogganfield Loch.
A flock of 150+ Redwings flew over Dams to Darnley Country Park.

Wednesday 25 October 2017
A male Ring Ouzel (for its second day) at Cathkin Marsh SWT/SOC Reserve. 

Tuesday 24 October 2017
A Long-tailed Duck on Littleton Reservoir.

 

West End Festival 2016

As part of the West End Festival, I attended the opening of the 'Kelvin at the Kibble Exhibition' in Glasgow Botanic Gardens on Friday. Earlier in the day I helped erect the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs display, along with Scott.

 

The exhibition runs to 12 June 2016 with a Family Day on the 11th ........

 

 

 

Also as part of the West End Festival Illustrated Talks programme I'll be speaking about 'West End Wildlife' at Hillhead Library on Tuesday 21 June 2016 from 6.30pm - http://www.westendfestival.co.uk/events/talks-and-authors-friends-of-glasgow-west/west-end-wildlife-(talk)/

Local Birding and Heavy Rain

With the awful weather conditions of the past week I stayed at home but still managed  some local birding at Bingham's Pond and Glasgow Botanic Gardens.

I called into Bingham's Pond twice - a total of 24 species including Bullfinch, Goldcrest and Treecreeper. On the Pond itself, there were up to 11 Goosander present and Coot numbers had risen to eight.

I also had a quick walk around the Botanic Gardens and viewed the River Kelvin in full flow. A few images taken with my phone follow:

Bingham's Pond - 6 December 2015

 Bingham's Pond - 6 December 2015

River Kelvin at Botanic Gardens  - 8 December 2015

Bingham's Pond - 8 December 2015

 

Hopefully the weather will settle down and we can look forward to a Happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.

The Importance of Nature Reserves

The Importance of Nature Reserves  – Illustrated Talk – Toby Wilson (RSPB)

Earlier this year the UK’s wildlife organisations published a report on the health of the UK’s wildlife – the State of Nature. They discovered that of the 3,148 species assessed, 60% were in decline! This in part was due to habitat loss e.g. ponds, wildflower meadows, woodlands, etc.

In order to help stem this habitat loss, many Councils and wildlife groups are managing nature reserves and indeed within Glasgow there are 10 such reserves.

On Thursday 24 October 2013, the 'Friends of Glasgow's Local Nature Reserves' are hosting an illustrated talk by the RSPB’s Toby Wilson on ‘The Importance of Nature Reserves’. The talk is being held in the Hopkirk Building, Botanic Gardens, Great Western Road, Glasgow commencing at 19.15hrs.

Toby is the Conservation Officer for RSPB Scotland’s South & West Region and is a popular and well respected speaker; so the talk comes highly recommended.

Cost: free to members of the Friends Group; £3 to non-members. Meet at the main entrance gate at 19.00hrs to gain entrance to the Gardens and directions to the Hopkirk Building.