Hogganfield Park Local Nature Reserve

The Friends of Glasgow's Local Nature Reserves have created a Crowd Funding page to help improve Hogganfield Park LNR for wildlife and people. See this link:

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/foglnrhogganfieldhabitats?utm_medium=CF&utm_source=CL

I know the Group would be extremely grateful for any donation you can make. For more details of the works planned, have a look at their web site.

https://friendsofglasgowlnrs.wordpress.com/

Hogganfield Park LNR

PLEASE DONATE IF YOU CAN

A First for Hogganfield Park LNR and the City, plus a first for Bingham's Pond LNR

 The web site is still in 'cold storage' BUT thought these two sightings were worthy of some defrosting!

Yesterday I found a Reed Warbler at Hogganfield Park LNR. This was the first record of this species at the LNR and the City! Apologies for the quality of the photo but I was at full zoom.

Reed Warbler - Hogganfield Park LNR - 25 May 2024

Also of note was a drake Garganey at Bingham's Pond LNR on 14 May 2024. This was a first for the Pond.

Garganey - Bingham's Pond - 14 May 2024

Birding Review - January 2023

 I didn't manage out much this month for various reasons. However, the Ring-necked Duck continued to frequent Bingham's Pond and Victoria Park Pond in Glasgow.

Ring-necked Duck - 15/1/23 - Bingham's Pond

The month was dominated by other types of 'rings' with the following birds seen:

Black-headed Gulls 

Bingham's Pond - 25/1/23 - ringed 2022

Bingham's Pond - 25/1/23 - ringed 2019

Hogganfield Park - 25/1/23 - ringed 2020

Mute Swan

Hogganfield Park - 25/1/23 - ringed 2015

Away from Glasgow we travelled down to Fairlie on 19 January 2023 with these two birds being rather special

Little Egret

Greenshank

Finally, a trip through to Edinburgh on the 26th was rewarded with 29 Waxwings.

Waxwings

Waxwing

Hopefully, I'll get out and about more in February and will report back in c3 weeks.

Autumn Wildlife Update

A few images from around Glasgow from between 17 September and 18 October 2022, plus a rarer bird species from Lothian!

Blackcap - Hogganfield Park LNR - 17/09/22

Hedgehog - our garden - 29/09/22

Buzzard - Millichen - 13/10/22

3 Barnacle Geese with Pink-footed Geese - Millichen Flood - 13/10/22

Teal - Bingham's Pond - 16/10/22

 Hoverfly (Syrphus ribesii) - Hogganfield Park LNR - 16/10/22

Jay - Hogganfield Park LNR - 18/10/22

Family of 7 Whooper Swans (plus 4 adults) - Hogganfield Park LNR -18/10/22

Ruby Tiger moth caterpillar - Hogganfield Park LNR - 18/10/22

And the Rarity

Wryneck - Torness Power Station - 21/09/22

With more easterly winds predicted, start looking for rarities at Fife Ness, Barns Ness, Torness Power Station and St Abbs Head over the next few days - some have already arrived! 

Hopefully, some will make it through to the west!

It's Spring, despite the weather!

 Apologies for the lack of updates.

Just a quick round-up of the last few weeks:

Most summer migrants have arrived - photos show Willow Warbler and Blackcap from Hogganfield Park LNR

Waterbirds are breeding and young hatched - photos show Mallard at Bingham's Pond and Coot and Moorhen at Hogganfield Loch.

Other birds included this Pied Wagtail, feeding two youngsters at Bingham's Pond, and there was also evidence of some success at the heronry at Hogganfield Loch

The main story however was the 'west end' drake Ring-necked Duck which has stayed in the area and has been associating with a pair of Tufted Ducks, although I'm not sure the drake 'Tuftie' appreciates his presence. They have been undertaking a 'tour' of the West End and have been sighted at Bingham's Pond, Dawsholm Park pond and even Kelvingrove Park pond. It will be interesting to see what will be the outcome!

At Bingham's Pond:

and at Dawsholm Park pond:

Meanwhile, hopefully the weather will improve over the next few weeks and we can see more evidence of successful breeding particularly from birds using nest boxes.

Hogganfield Park Local Nature Reserve - Birds of 2021

The LNR is one of my favourite places to go bird watching. I've recently prepared five short videos covering my sightings during 2021.

The link to these video (and others) can be found here Jim Coyle - YouTube

The Hogganfield 'videos' include footage and images of many of the 92 species, plus one sub species, I recorded at this wonderful reserve. 

A taster 

Mediterranean Gull

Sparrowhawk

Spoonbill

White Wagtail

Iceland Gull

Hopefully 2022 will be even better!

Happy Christmas

 Belated Happy Christmas to all those that have taken the time and trouble to read my blog over the year.

Not much to report from December with the weather conditions not having been conducive to taking photographs.

So just a few location shots from some of my favourite bird watching sites in Greater Glasgow to end the year.

Hogganfield Loch, Hogganfield Park LNR - 4 December 2021

Pond, Dawsholm Park LNR - 16 December 2021

    

Bingham's Pond - 20 December 2021

Balgray Reservoir - 21 December 2021

I will finish with a bird photo albeit just a record shot of the (red head) Smew that has been seen over the last few days at Hogganfield Loch - possibly the one from last year returning.

Smew - 27 December 2021

Birding in November 2021

 Again not too much to report with a trip to Musselburgh being a highlight, although no photos. Otherwise it was much of the same as previous months with visits to local sites in Glasgow.

The highlight of  my local birding was being asked to assist with the SOC Clyde Branch outing to Hogganfield Park LNR. 

As I entered the park I was lucky to see a Kestrel, my first here for a number of years.

Record shot of Kestrel

I joined the outing at the car park area and as the introductions were being made by the outing leader Donald, I spotted a 2nd winter Mediterranean Gull! This was only my second ever sighting of this species at the park. It was also a first for many of the participants - an excellent start to the outing.

Mediterranean Gull (2nd winter)

As the Group walked around the loch, various common species were spotted and one of the upgraded shelters admired, despite some graffiti. 2 Jays were also spotted in the woodland behind the shelter.

From here we walked to towards the marshy pond and pools and I was asked to suggest the best place to 'see' Jack Snipe. Amazingly, thanks to Donald, Zul and their wellies, we were successful with sightings of a Jack Snipe -  a first for many on the outing - and 2 Common Snipe.

Heading back to the path, we saw good numbers of Redwing and a few Fieldfare. We then crossed Avenue End Road and headed for Cardowan Moss LNR, not much to report, and then on to Frankfield Loch where we added good numbers of Gadwall to our birding list, before heading home.

I was really pleased I had agreed to assist as not only was it a good day out, I added 3 species to my year Hogganfield List - Kestrel, Mediterranean Gull and Jack Snipe! So my year 'Hoggy' list now stands at 92, my best year ever, and there are still a few weeks to go to try and add a few more species.

Birding Glasgow in October 2021

Not too much to report this month although it is worth noting the number of improvements that continue to be made at some of Glasgow's open spaces. I also attended a joint Friends of Glasgow's LNRs/Clyde Bird Ringing Group event at Hogganfield which proved to be fascinating.

Dawsholm Park LNR 

The Council has been slowly improving access to and around the LNR over the past year or so. For example:

A former 'desire line' has been upgraded to a formal path - 5/10/21

The existing muddy path next to the pond has been upgraded - 5/10/21

Hogganfield Park LNR

One of the wildflower meadows has been cut and the arisings lifted. This should ensure that wildflowers continue to thrive there.

6/10/21

6/10/21

Lethamhill Golf Course

The works being undertaken by the R&A to transform the golf course and facilities, which lie adjacent to Hogganfield Park LNR, continues. It is hoped that the new Visitor and Information Centre and revamped golf course will open in Spring 2023.

25/10/21

Hogganfield Park LNR Ringing Event - 30/10/21

Following on from a previous event in September, the Ringing Group managed to catch and ring a number of different species, some of which had recently arrived as winter visitors. It was also good to note that one of the refurbished shelters - refurbished through a joint project between the Seven Lochs team and the Friends of Glasgow's LNRs - was being put to good use. 

Redwing

Blackbird

Great Tit

Observing bird ringing

Finally, it is good to report that the Whooper Swans are back on Hogganfield Loch.

Whooper Swan - 30/10/21