Since my last post the highlight has been my birding road trip on Friday 3 July 2015 with Sheila and Eamonn from Texas.
We left Glasgow early on Friday morning and visited the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park ....................................
Loch Lomond from RSPB Inversnaid Reserve - 3 July 2015
........ travelled east to the Kinneil Lagoons on the River Forth ..................
Kinneil Lagoons - 3 July 2015
...........before returning to Glasgow calling in at Frankfield Loch; Hogganfield Loch and Millichen.
We saw and/or heard almost 80 bird species - from Black-throated Diver to Black-tailed Godwit, Blackcap and Blackbird. We also had great views of a Brown Hare. In addition to the birding, a special mention to The Pier Café, Stronachlachar where we had a really nice lunch.
Certainly a great day's birding and lots of life ticks for Eamonn.
Today (Sunday) I walked to my local pond - Bingham's Pond - and was pleased to see c40 Tufted Ducklings being protected by 5 females. Lesser Black-backed Gulls needless to say were present trying to get an easy meal and I saw one tuftie and one mallard duckling, that had joined a tuftie crèche, succumbing to their swoops. However, the proud mums bravely managed to chase off most attacks. In addition to the tufties, there were still 3 Mute Swan cygnets; 2 large young Coot; one large young Moorhen and 2 new youngsters; and 3 well grown Mallard and two other small single birds.
One of the small mallard ducklings with mum!
The Pond was looking very good with an excellent range of wildflowers .........
A nice end to the week.
