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!

A November Diary 2020

With lockdown restrictions continuing, I limited my birding to three wildlife sites in Glasgow - Hogganfield Park LNR, Dawsholm Park LNR and Bingham's Pond SINC. Some of my sightings follow

Starting at Hogganfield Park LNR 

4 November 2020 - a bright day for once!

Hogganfield Loch & Island

Goldeneye

Whooper Swans

Gadwall

Red-necked grebe (in winter plumage)

17 November 2020 - as one would expect, a bit overcast.

Black-headed Gull (ringed in Poland in July 2019)

Smew (redhead)

19 November 2020 - amazingly, sunny once again.

Black-headed Gull (ringed in Elvanfoot, Scotland in June 2014)

Common Gull

Hogganfield Loch

25 November 2020 - a typical overcast day.

(Redhead) Smew still present

Scaup

So, with the sighting of the Smew, my Hogganfield 'year list' at the end of November stood at 88 bird species. 

Moving on to Dawsholm Park LNR

6 November 2020

Dawsholm Park LNR (Autumn colours)

Jay (an uncommon species in Glasgow, one of two present)

Buzzard (late afternoon)

10 November 2020 - very dull day

River Kelvin (northern boundary of the LNR)

23 November 2020 - another dull day with only my phone as a camera!

The small pond with a Dipper on the tree trunk (honest)!

30 November 2020 - notable for adding a 'year tick' to my Dawsholm list - Kingfisher - and a LNR 'first' in the form of a Teal! Both birds were on the River Kelvin.

Access improvements at the River Kelvin

Teal (record shot)

The sighting of the Teal means the all-time bird list for Dawsholm Park LNR stands at 73 (at least). Meanwhile, my personal 'year list' for the LNR stands at 51.

Finally, Bingham's Pond, which was notable for another brood of Mallard ducklings!

2 November 2020 - dull conditions and once again I relied on my phone for a photo - this time of 4 of the original 'October brood' of Mallard ducklings. There was a fresh brood of six I wasn't able to photograph them.

Mallard ducklings (hatched in October)

13 November 2020 - the four Mallard ducklings were still doing well and the Goosanders similarly showed no fear of humans.

Mallard youngsters continue to do well

Goosander (male)

Bingham's Pond

I didn't add any new birds to my Bingham's 'year list' and it still stands at 43, although there is still time to add a few more before the year ends.

Finally, sadly the Red-necked Grebe eventually left Hogganfield Loch during the month but we were compensated by a (redhead) Smew. 

All we need now is for a few white-winged gulls and some Waxwings to turn up over the next few weeks and we can finish this year on some sort of high-note.

Hogganfield Park LNR - a September Diary

Following on from my last post when I started the month of September at Hogganfield Park LNR, this post is dedicated to the remainder of the month and a few of the sightings at this wonderful nature reserve.

Remember to click the photo to create a slideshow and enhanced viewing. 

Tufted Duck and Gadwall - 9 September

Little Grebe - 11 September 

Pochard - 11 September 

Seven Wigeon - 19 September 

Slavonian Grebe - 21 September 

Goldeneye - 23 September
 

Stonechat - 23 September 

Great Crested and Red-necked Grebes - 25 September

Scaup and Tufted Duck - 25 September 

Grey Wagtail - 29 September 

So another excellent few weeks birding at Hogganfield Park LNR with my 2020 year list for the LNR now standing at 87.

Thanks to everyone that visited the LNR and stopped for a chat - locals and visitors. It is good to know that the LNR is well loved.

Some Birding Firsts and Other Highlights from Glasgow

Since my last post I've continued to visit Hogganfield Park LNR on a regular basis with occasional visits to both Bingham's Pond and Dawsholm Park LNR. In this period I have seen 64 bird species. 

The visits to Hogganfield Park LNR have proved to be very productive thanks to the range of habitats to be found there; 53 species seen. Indeed my 'year list' for Hogganfield now stands at 81 bird species!

So I'll start with a few images taken at Hogganfield Park LNR:

The Sandwich Terns were a personal first for me at Hogganfield, whilst the Stonechat was my first there since August 2000. The last time I saw a Whinchat in the Park was in June 1997!

Moving on to Dawsholm Park LNR and a personal first and possibly a Park first in the form of a Spotted Flycatcher.

I haven't seen anything unusual at Bingham's Pond, but sadly there are only 3 cygnets left.

In other news, there have been sightings of various Mediterranean Gulls next to the SEEC, so I'm hoping at least one will drop in on Bingham's Pond and/or Hogganfield Loch! 

Remember to click on the photos for enhanced views and 'hover' over each image for details of the birds and when they were seen.

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.

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.

3 LNRs in One Day (well almost)

I arrived at Frankfield Loch late yesterday morning (4 October 2013) and was greeted once again by 100s of birds. A count of some of the key species resulted in 6 Little Grebe, c70 Teal, 29 Shoveler, 1 Pintail, 1 Dunlin, 11 Snipe and c260 Lapwing. Photos of a Snipe and Lapwing (albeit not taken at Frankfield) follow:

Snipe

Lapwing

I am also pleased to say that the male Blue-winged Teal was still present. Also of note was a Kingfisher.

I then walked from the loch via the new footpath to Cardowan Moss LNR where I encountered a 'tit' flock and a few gulls overhead before reaching Hogganfield Park LNR some 25 minutes later.

As ever, Hogganfield Loch was full of birds with c90 Mute Swans, 11 Little Grebe, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 77 Coot, 20 Gadwall, 6 Pochard, 2 Ruddy Duck and 6 Goosander being of note. Still no sign of the Whooper Swans but I am hopeful that they will arrive by the next 'Friends of Glasgow's LNRs' feeding session on 27 October 2013.

Finally, for those wondering about the title to the post; well Frankfield Loch is a proposed LNR in Glasgow City Council's City Plan and certainly the birds it attracts and the local interest generated by these birds and bird watchers certainly confirms that it should be officially designated as soon as possible!

Hogganfield Park LNR

This afternoon I visited Hogganfield Park LNR and bumped into a nice group of walkers and  countryside ranger from West Dunbartonshire. They certainly seemed to have enjoyed their visit and will hopefully return in the near future.

I also had discussions with a Glasgow City Council officer regarding two potential projects that are being considered for the LNR - more information to follow!

On the birding front I saw 32 different species with the highlights being 2 Ruddy Duck and impressive counts of 32 Gadwall, 17 Little Grebe and 82 Coot plus 12 Teal, 3 Pochard, 2 Wigeon and 4 Great Crested Grebe. I also managed to see a female Blackcap and a Goldcrest with a small tit flock.

Gadwall

 

If you haven't visited this LNR, what is stopping you?

Rare Wader in Glasgow!

I visited Frankfield Loch in Glasgow yesterday (4 September 2013) following a tip-off  from the SOC Clyde Grapevine that a Pectoral Sandpiper had turned up the previous day.....

Frankfield Loch - 4 September 2013

 

There were clearly lots of waders present on the mud as well as good numbers of wildfowl..

 

Mud, waders and wildfowl - 4 September 2013

 

Initially, the Pectoral Sandpiper proved difficult to locate with only Ringed Plover and Dunlin obviously present. However, something spooked all of the birds and when they returned the Pectoral Sandpiper could be seen! In fact, it managed to 'disappear' on quite a few occasions only to return much to the delight of a small group of birders that arrived after me. A big thank you to these birders for offering me the opportunity to view this cracking bird through their 'scopes.

 

In the end I counted c180 Lapwing, 5 Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin, 4 Snipe and one Greenshank plus a good few Shoveler. Unfortunately the 'Pec' was too far away for a photograph so I'll include a photo taken just last week whilst in Brazil!

 

Pectoral Sandpiper - Brazil - August 2013

 

Other species of note around the loch included lots of Common Darter dragonflies..........

 

Common Darter - 4 September 2013

 

From Frankfield I headed for Cardowan Moss and Hogganfield Park LNRs accompanied by one of the 'Pec' birders. At Cardowan we encountered a Red Fox, at least 2 species of dragonfly and a few butterflies, the highlight being a Small Copper...........

 

Small Copper (Dorset)

 

We then headed for Hogganfield Park and its excellent range of habitats and species which included a drake Ruddy Duck, good numbers of Gadwall and Pochard plus at least one young Great Crested Grebe still trying to beg for food from its parents.

 

An absolute super day - Glasgow really is Wilds Better!