Egrets, I've had a few ....................

Welcome to another Update!

I'll start by mentioning that I am leading a guided walk from Hogganfield Park LNR to Frankfield Loch via Cardowan Moss LNR on Wednesday 3 September 2014. This is a FREE event organised by the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs in conjunction with the RSPB Glasgow Local Group - all welcome. Meet at the Hogganfield Park car park at 10am; the walk will commence at 10.30am. See the following link for a location plan

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/55%C2%B052'43.2%22N+4%C2%B010'40.8%22W/@55.8786735,-4.178006,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Also remember you can get a no.38C FirstBus to the park - the stop is close to the car park.

Now onto my latest birding trips and I make no apologies that they have, in the main, been to the east coast.

On 28 August 2014, I headed off to Aberlady Bay, in East Lothian, using the X24 First service from Edinburgh Princes Street. Approximately one hour later I was standing on Goose Green on the edge of Aberlady overlooking the Peffer Burn and admiring 3 Little Egrets .............

Two of the Little Egrets - 28 August 2014

 

Walking towards the timber bridge I was able to admire 3 Ruff, also in the Burn, before scanning the bay - the tide was well out .......................

 

 

Walking towards the Marl Loch I heard a Wren and Blue Tit call and then spotted movement in a hawthorn bush. This bush played host to Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Whinchat, Reed Bunting, Blue Tit and Wren! I was asked by a passing birder if I had spotted a Whinchat that he thought he had seen earlier - imagine his surprise when I showed him not only the Whinchat but many of the other species!

 

I carried on to the Marl Loch ....

 

 

 ... stopped for a bite to eat and was amused by this Pheasant in amongst the Sea Buckthorn ..............

 

 

I was soon on my way again and again noticed activity in the bushes just before the Sewage Treatment works. It looked like the flock of birds I had seen earlier although this time I managed a few photos .................

 

Record shot - Lesser Whitethroat

Sedge Warbler

Reed Bunting

Juvenile male Bullfinch

Juvenile female Bullfinch

Whinchat

Whitethroat

 

I walked slowly through the 'scrubby/bird cover' type area towards the path to the sewage works where I managed more record shots ........

 

Chaffinch and Stonechat

Chiffchaff

 

At this point I could see that the weather was beginning to turn and headed back to the village for a bus back to Edinburgh. However, when I reached Musselburgh I couldn't resist paying a quick visit to the wader scrapes ...

 

 

and was rewarded with another adult Little Gull ..

 

 

 and loads more Ruff ...

 

 

All in all I managed 55 bird species for the day!

 

Details of our trip to John Muir Country Park, Torness Power Station and Musselburgh wader scrapes will have to wait!

 

 

 

 

 

Recent Sightings

Recent sightings courtesy of SOC Clyde Grapevine:

Tuesday 8 October 2013

The drake Blue-winged Teal still on Frankfield Loch, also 27 Shoveler.

On nearby Hogganfield Loch, up to three Scaup (one male), a drake Ruddy Duck, 37 Gadwall and 11 Goosanders.

For those of you still to visit Hogganfield Park LNR or want some bird identification advice, there is another guided walk on Sunday 27 October 2013  from 1.15pm - part of the Friends of Glasgow's Local Nature Reserves monthly wildfowl feeding sessions.

Hogganfield Park LNR Event - Date for Diary

Just an advert for a forthcoming event being held by the Friends of Glasgow's Local Nature Reserves at Hogganfield Park LNR, Glasgow. I shall be leading a guided walk at 1.30pm on behalf of the Friends:

The first of our monthly wildfowl feeding sessions is less than 2 weeks away, on Sunday 22 September 2013 from 11.30am-2.30pm. Meet at the viewing/feeding platform overlooking the loch next to the car park.

Viewing/Feeding Platform - Hogganfield Loch

We shall be handing out free barley to those that want to help feed the 100s of ducks, geese and swans at the loch and answering questions on bird identification, etc. Later, at 1.30pm, there will be a guided wildlife walk around the loch and we shall also take along a couple of litter pickers with us to uplift any stray can or crisp packet we might encounter on the way.

If you would like to help, or attend the walk, please come along on the day – we would stress that these events are FREE and open to all. You don’t have to be a member of the Friends Group to participate.

Information on the Friends Group can be found at http://friendsofglasgowlnrs.wordpress.com