Original PaulE
Well-known member
Just noticed you had a Wheatear, looking forward to them arriving here soon!!
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Western Scotland birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter JTweedie
- Start date
LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese
Well-known member
Combo trip today, started on the Kilpatrick Braes early for Ravens, Skylarks and Stonechats then on to Balloch to get proper photos of the Long-tailed Duck I saw there on Sunday. I think this is the closest I have ever been to this duck.
JTweedie
Well-known member
Went to Lochwinnoch today. There have been sporadic reports of chiffchaffs and sand martins in the last few days, and a couple of ringed plover too, but I didn't have any luck with any of them today.
It was a really sunny day and the birds were really active, with lots of ducks on Aird Meadow and Barr Loch, although nothing totally out of the ordinary. Some of the plants are just started to show their leaves so spring is in the air.
Highlights from today were: my first treecreeper since 2015. I thought it was only three years, but just checked my records and the last one was on 4 May 2015. They're always present at Lochwinnoch but it's just your luck if you see one.
Along the end of Aird Meadow there was a raven calling. I saw my first small tortoiseshell and my first bumblebee (don't know what species as I didn't get a good look at the colourings) of the year.
There's a new scrape in front of the visitor centre that's holding good numbers of lapwing and teal just now, and there was a single dunlin today. The whooper swans are still present (four spotted) and lots of goldeneye on Aird Meadow too. On Barr Loch I spotted three pochard. They used to be quite common at Lochwinnoch but now just a small number of birds pass through each year.
These aren't all I saw, but definitely the highlights. Continuing the spring theme, I also spotted my first bat of the year just as I sat down to type this while looking out my window.
With the ospreys back at Loch of the Lowes, people at Lochwinnoch are keeping their eyes peeled for visitors here as they're seen quite a few times over the summer, including hunting in Aird Meadow. Clyde Birding reported the first area willow warbler today too.
Tomorrow morning I'm going to visit my local patch Cuningar Loop where I saw my first chiffchaffs and sand martins last year.
It was a really sunny day and the birds were really active, with lots of ducks on Aird Meadow and Barr Loch, although nothing totally out of the ordinary. Some of the plants are just started to show their leaves so spring is in the air.
Highlights from today were: my first treecreeper since 2015. I thought it was only three years, but just checked my records and the last one was on 4 May 2015. They're always present at Lochwinnoch but it's just your luck if you see one.
Along the end of Aird Meadow there was a raven calling. I saw my first small tortoiseshell and my first bumblebee (don't know what species as I didn't get a good look at the colourings) of the year.
There's a new scrape in front of the visitor centre that's holding good numbers of lapwing and teal just now, and there was a single dunlin today. The whooper swans are still present (four spotted) and lots of goldeneye on Aird Meadow too. On Barr Loch I spotted three pochard. They used to be quite common at Lochwinnoch but now just a small number of birds pass through each year.
These aren't all I saw, but definitely the highlights. Continuing the spring theme, I also spotted my first bat of the year just as I sat down to type this while looking out my window.
With the ospreys back at Loch of the Lowes, people at Lochwinnoch are keeping their eyes peeled for visitors here as they're seen quite a few times over the summer, including hunting in Aird Meadow. Clyde Birding reported the first area willow warbler today too.
Tomorrow morning I'm going to visit my local patch Cuningar Loop where I saw my first chiffchaffs and sand martins last year.
JTweedie
Well-known member
Cuningar Loop today. I started at Richmond Park and walked along the Clyde to Cuningar Loop.
Richmond Park is a small park with a pond in it, used mainly for model boats and feeding the birds. The birds today were mainly gulls - a big build up of lesser black-backed and a few each of black-headed and herring. Mute swan, mallard, greylag goose and coot made up the remainder of the birds on the water. There was a nice display of cherry blossom.
The start of the walk along the Clyde is where I saw my first swallows and sand martins last year and I'd hoped I'd see a sand martin since they're around now, but no luck. The walk along the river had goosander, cormorant (there are some nests in trees in a bend in the river), moorhen and goldeneye, and a few greenfinch in the trees.
The railway passes over the river along this stretch and as I glanced up to look at a singing great tit, I was reminded how much luck plays in seeing birds. I saw a little flitter higher in the tree and it turned out to be a silent chiffchaff, my first of the year. Further along at Cuningar Loop I heard a second and then a third. The second one was at a spot where I saw and heard them last year, so it looks like it's going to be a reliable place to see them.
A coot and a pied wagtail were two new species for this site, bringing the total seen by me there to 48 since the start of 2021. I regard this "site" as encompassing Richmond Park in the west to Cuningar Loop in the east. Both sites are connected by the Clyde walkway and encompasses a freshwater pond, a river, riverside woodland and open grassland, a nice mix of habitats and pretty OK as far as an inner city location can be, especially since it's not technically a nature reserve, so it's not managed with the wildlife in mind.
I saw my second small tortoiseshell butterfly of the year, and a red-tailed and a white-tailed bumblebee.
Richmond Park is a small park with a pond in it, used mainly for model boats and feeding the birds. The birds today were mainly gulls - a big build up of lesser black-backed and a few each of black-headed and herring. Mute swan, mallard, greylag goose and coot made up the remainder of the birds on the water. There was a nice display of cherry blossom.
The start of the walk along the Clyde is where I saw my first swallows and sand martins last year and I'd hoped I'd see a sand martin since they're around now, but no luck. The walk along the river had goosander, cormorant (there are some nests in trees in a bend in the river), moorhen and goldeneye, and a few greenfinch in the trees.
The railway passes over the river along this stretch and as I glanced up to look at a singing great tit, I was reminded how much luck plays in seeing birds. I saw a little flitter higher in the tree and it turned out to be a silent chiffchaff, my first of the year. Further along at Cuningar Loop I heard a second and then a third. The second one was at a spot where I saw and heard them last year, so it looks like it's going to be a reliable place to see them.
A coot and a pied wagtail were two new species for this site, bringing the total seen by me there to 48 since the start of 2021. I regard this "site" as encompassing Richmond Park in the west to Cuningar Loop in the east. Both sites are connected by the Clyde walkway and encompasses a freshwater pond, a river, riverside woodland and open grassland, a nice mix of habitats and pretty OK as far as an inner city location can be, especially since it's not technically a nature reserve, so it's not managed with the wildlife in mind.
I saw my second small tortoiseshell butterfly of the year, and a red-tailed and a white-tailed bumblebee.
LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese
Well-known member
Chiffchaffs in full song all around Croy this morning, not heard one in town yet but guess it won't be long.
JTweedie
Well-known member
I signed up for Volunteer Seabirds at Sea (VSAS) survey training a couple of months ago and this took place yesterday and today. This training is run by one of the programme participants, JNCC. The surveys are part of a European programme and involve volunteer surveyors (like the people being trained this weekend) paired with mentors (more experienced surveyors) who go on ferries on the west coast of Scotland and survey the seabirds and a selection of other species like cetaceans, sunfish and basking sharks. The programme has been hampered by Covid but it is now picking up again. They run surveys at the moment on the Ardrossan - Arran and Kennacraig - Islay ferries. They also run others out of Oban (and one other that escapes my memory) but as these ferries require volunteers to go into the bridge, this has been put on hold as they don't want volunteers mixing with the crew.
They've also been trying to arrange surveys from cruise ships and research ships too - with one planned before Covid hit from Oban to Iceland. What a trip that would be! They're also talking about expanding to England soon, and hopefully Wales and Northern Ireland at some point.
Yesterday was a classroom session in Saltcoats learning the theory about the surveys. I only had a short time available before the training and at lunch to visit the waterfront, but there were redshank, oystercatcher, curlew.
Today we had the practical training. This involved two return trips back to back on the Ardrossan - Arran ferry. There wasn't a great variety of birds it must be said, with the most frequently seen birds were guillemot. We saw some razorbill too, especially closer to Ardrossan. I saw my first gannet of the year, just the one as we returned to Ardrossan on the last crossing. Other highlights were great black-backed gull, a number of immature kittiwakes, shag, cormorant, black guillemot, eider, red-breasted merganser. In addition to these birds we saw lots of harbour porpoise on each crossing, common seal just outside Brodick and I saw a swimming otter off Brodick too.
Edit: I forgot to mention the immature herring gull that was trying to eat a starfish on Brodick pier. A few minutes later an adult herring gull dropped a mussel from a height on to the pier to crack it open, and flying across the bay two ravens. On the way home, there was a field full of geese, pretty sure they were pink-footed, 100+, and nearby a common buzzard. Distant view from a bus.
No sign of any puffins. They nest to the south on Ailsa Craig, but only in small numbers, so it wasn't entirely unexpected to not see any. No terns either. And no divers - further north around Bute seems to be a hotspot for them just now.
I'm hoping to do the minimum of three surveys a year so I can be accredited. But just from a person point of view, it gives me a reason for getting on to the ferries throughout the year. It'll be interesting to see how the bird (and non-bird) population changes as the year progresses. They do winter trips too, and I can imagine they'll be particularly freezing trips since you're right at the front of the ferries.
They've also been trying to arrange surveys from cruise ships and research ships too - with one planned before Covid hit from Oban to Iceland. What a trip that would be! They're also talking about expanding to England soon, and hopefully Wales and Northern Ireland at some point.
Yesterday was a classroom session in Saltcoats learning the theory about the surveys. I only had a short time available before the training and at lunch to visit the waterfront, but there were redshank, oystercatcher, curlew.
Today we had the practical training. This involved two return trips back to back on the Ardrossan - Arran ferry. There wasn't a great variety of birds it must be said, with the most frequently seen birds were guillemot. We saw some razorbill too, especially closer to Ardrossan. I saw my first gannet of the year, just the one as we returned to Ardrossan on the last crossing. Other highlights were great black-backed gull, a number of immature kittiwakes, shag, cormorant, black guillemot, eider, red-breasted merganser. In addition to these birds we saw lots of harbour porpoise on each crossing, common seal just outside Brodick and I saw a swimming otter off Brodick too.
Edit: I forgot to mention the immature herring gull that was trying to eat a starfish on Brodick pier. A few minutes later an adult herring gull dropped a mussel from a height on to the pier to crack it open, and flying across the bay two ravens. On the way home, there was a field full of geese, pretty sure they were pink-footed, 100+, and nearby a common buzzard. Distant view from a bus.
No sign of any puffins. They nest to the south on Ailsa Craig, but only in small numbers, so it wasn't entirely unexpected to not see any. No terns either. And no divers - further north around Bute seems to be a hotspot for them just now.
I'm hoping to do the minimum of three surveys a year so I can be accredited. But just from a person point of view, it gives me a reason for getting on to the ferries throughout the year. It'll be interesting to see how the bird (and non-bird) population changes as the year progresses. They do winter trips too, and I can imagine they'll be particularly freezing trips since you're right at the front of the ferries.
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JTweedie
Well-known member
I have to say, it sounds like it's all kicking off at Lochwinnoch nowadays. Their new scrape is attracting all sorts including ringed and little ringed plover, lapwing, black-tailed godwit, dunlin, curlew, little egret all within a few weeks. I've only seen those I've highlighted in bold, but it looks like a place worth keeping an eye on if you're close by.
JTweedie
Well-known member
Clyde Birding tweeted this morning that a red-necked grebe was at Hogganfield Loch. So I popped up after work to see if it was still there.
My luck was in as it was showing really really well. Nearby there were several great crested grebes doing their courtship displays, and in a quiet part of the loch there was a little grebe. Three grebes in one day isn't too bad, but it doesn't beat the four I saw here in October 2020 when in addition to these three there was also a Slavonian grebe.
Grey herons were really active over the loch, soaring almost like buzzards and at times flying quite fast and direct which is unlike their normally laboured, slow flight pattern. There were more than 100 mute swans spread all over the loch, but it looks like the whooper swans have now gone back to Iceland as there weren't any around. The mute swans were really active too, constantly flying from one end of the loch to the other, and also flying over to Frankfield Loch too I think. I briefly heard a singing blackcap across the road from the loch as I waited on my bus.
My luck was in as it was showing really really well. Nearby there were several great crested grebes doing their courtship displays, and in a quiet part of the loch there was a little grebe. Three grebes in one day isn't too bad, but it doesn't beat the four I saw here in October 2020 when in addition to these three there was also a Slavonian grebe.
Grey herons were really active over the loch, soaring almost like buzzards and at times flying quite fast and direct which is unlike their normally laboured, slow flight pattern. There were more than 100 mute swans spread all over the loch, but it looks like the whooper swans have now gone back to Iceland as there weren't any around. The mute swans were really active too, constantly flying from one end of the loch to the other, and also flying over to Frankfield Loch too I think. I briefly heard a singing blackcap across the road from the loch as I waited on my bus.
LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese
Well-known member
Sounds fascinating, are there species you have mastered or improved on now as a direct result?
JTweedie
Well-known member
Not yet but I'll be doing more prep on some of the seabirds before I go on the next one. The Islay ferry has more chance of shearwaters so I'll gen up on those, and it's never a bad idea to know the gull plumages better.
LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese
Well-known member
You've got me curious so I've been reading some documentation about the methods. Not sure if this is what they are following but I was cheered by this quote:
"It is not unusual to see records such as GU/RA (guillemot or razorbill)"
Mark Lew1s
My real name is Mark Lewis
Lovely to see VSAS being discussed here, and I hope JTweedie had a good time on the training course. The link to the methods paper above is the right one, but you'll learn a lot more by going on one of the courses (and probably enjoy it more than reading that paper as well)!
JTweedie
Well-known member
Absolutely, it's even an option on the app. There are a few other options like that when you can record something but you're not sure, for example, "auk species". More specific would be better, but from the training they would rather have a vague, generic observation recorded than one that was wrong.You've got me curious so I've been reading some documentation about the methods. Not sure if this is what they are following but I was cheered by this quote:
"It is not unusual to see records such as GU/RA (guillemot or razorbill)"
JTweedie
Well-known member
I managed to cadge a lift off my dad today to Strathclyde Park, although after asking him I learned how to get there by bus, so I'll be able to visit again in future and give myself a bit more time too. I'm hoping the ring-billed gull turns up again next winter as it's been a regular and I never managed to get there to see it.
I had a few new birds for the year including two grey wagtails (I don't see these birds enough and the views were excellent here), and only my second ever Iceland gull. The sighting here was excellent and as it was mingling with lesser black-backed gulls, it really stood out.
I also heard a number of chiffchaffs around the park, and another songbird whose call I didn't recognise, but it sounded quite an urgent, fast paced call. I'm going to investigate what it might have been.
The Iceland gull was one of two target birds and I didn't have any luck with the second - little gull. I could have spent more time in the hope of it turning up, but I didn't want to keep my dad waiting too long.
The Clyde runs alongside the park and it looks like it might be possible to walk from the park alongside the river to Baron's Haugh. I'll need to look into this.
Again there were lots of dog walkers and some dogs were running at the birds and one dog was aggressive with me - it really ruins my days out.
Tomorrow I'm heading to Lochwinnoch to see what the scrape throws up as there have been some excellent sightings there recently.
I had a few new birds for the year including two grey wagtails (I don't see these birds enough and the views were excellent here), and only my second ever Iceland gull. The sighting here was excellent and as it was mingling with lesser black-backed gulls, it really stood out.
I also heard a number of chiffchaffs around the park, and another songbird whose call I didn't recognise, but it sounded quite an urgent, fast paced call. I'm going to investigate what it might have been.
The Iceland gull was one of two target birds and I didn't have any luck with the second - little gull. I could have spent more time in the hope of it turning up, but I didn't want to keep my dad waiting too long.
The Clyde runs alongside the park and it looks like it might be possible to walk from the park alongside the river to Baron's Haugh. I'll need to look into this.
Again there were lots of dog walkers and some dogs were running at the birds and one dog was aggressive with me - it really ruins my days out.
Tomorrow I'm heading to Lochwinnoch to see what the scrape throws up as there have been some excellent sightings there recently.
JTweedie
Well-known member
Just searched online for bird songs and the call I didn't recognise at Strathclyde Park was the nuthatch. I've seen them many times but this is the first time I've heard them calling. Didn't see the bird this time but now I know what was I'm calling it as another year first.
LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese
Well-known member
My recent highlights: Sand Martins exploring the river bank on the Clyde and an unseen Muntjac Deer suddenly barking at me at Possil Loch and scaring the wits out of me, never heard one before even though I see them quite a lot.
JTweedie
Well-known member
Went to Lochwinnoch today. Stepped off the train and immediately there was a singing chiffchaff. For the first hour or so, I heard them in different parts of the reserve but then they went quiet.
One of the most interesting things about the visit was seeing lapwings interacting with other birds. In particular, there was a lengthy interaction between one lapwing and one jackdaw. First the jackdaw would appear to be chasing the lapwing, and then before you could say peewit, the jackdaw would pirouette and go into a steep, fast dive towards the ground and the lapwing would turn and chase the jackdaw, but a few twists and turns later, the lapwing would resume its role as the chased.
I had a close encounter a little later when I saw two birds chasing each other really quickly. I saw a flash of blue so I presume they were blue tits, but they came so close to me that it felt like their wings might have actually skimmed my hair. At the feeders the male chaffinches were looking dapper in their full breeding plumage and the nuthatches were back and calling too - so good to get confirmation of what I heard yesterday at Strathclyde Park. A great spotted woodpecker visited the feeders too.
It's becoming quite an exciting reserve to visit as the new scrape is attracting birds that might only stay for a day then not be seen again, so it's great to anticipate what might turn up. I had two highlights today: firstly, two stock doves. There had been a couple of wood pigeons nearby and collared doves flying back and forth. But when the stock doves appeared at first I thought they were feral pigeons, but I took a second look to confirm they were stock doves. These are birds I don't see regularly and never expected to see them here. Later in the day I came back to the hide overlooking the scrape in the hope of seeing some ospreys (two were at Lochwinnoch yesterday). But just as I was thinking of leaving, I saw a flash of wings and I spotted my very first little ringed plover (takes my UK list to 199 - I really need to hit 200 this year). They've been at Lochwinnoch before recently but I don't think they're nesting here so I'm sure it's OK to mention this.
Other birds on or near the scrape were teal, moorhen, black-headed gull (no sign of the Mediterranean gull that was there a few days ago), Canada goose, greylag goose, pied wagtail and a snipe that briefly appeared then disappeared again. Earlier in the day when I was sitting in the open hide overlooking the scrape, I heard a wren singing really loudly, and when I turned around I found that it was inside the hide.
On the water there was a big group of tufted duck, goldeneye, goosander, and a single sleeping great crested grebe.
A raven flew over. In the distance, two sparrowhawks were interacting with each other high above Aird Meadow before heading off in separate directions.
Someone in the visitor centre was pointing out a mouse at the feeders but when I looked it turned out to be a brown rat. In fact there were three in front of the centre - two youngsters and a larger adult.
I got on the train thinking I'd just need to wait to see my first sand martin of the year, but as the train pulled in to the next stop Howwood I spotted one on the river.
One of the most interesting things about the visit was seeing lapwings interacting with other birds. In particular, there was a lengthy interaction between one lapwing and one jackdaw. First the jackdaw would appear to be chasing the lapwing, and then before you could say peewit, the jackdaw would pirouette and go into a steep, fast dive towards the ground and the lapwing would turn and chase the jackdaw, but a few twists and turns later, the lapwing would resume its role as the chased.
I had a close encounter a little later when I saw two birds chasing each other really quickly. I saw a flash of blue so I presume they were blue tits, but they came so close to me that it felt like their wings might have actually skimmed my hair. At the feeders the male chaffinches were looking dapper in their full breeding plumage and the nuthatches were back and calling too - so good to get confirmation of what I heard yesterday at Strathclyde Park. A great spotted woodpecker visited the feeders too.
It's becoming quite an exciting reserve to visit as the new scrape is attracting birds that might only stay for a day then not be seen again, so it's great to anticipate what might turn up. I had two highlights today: firstly, two stock doves. There had been a couple of wood pigeons nearby and collared doves flying back and forth. But when the stock doves appeared at first I thought they were feral pigeons, but I took a second look to confirm they were stock doves. These are birds I don't see regularly and never expected to see them here. Later in the day I came back to the hide overlooking the scrape in the hope of seeing some ospreys (two were at Lochwinnoch yesterday). But just as I was thinking of leaving, I saw a flash of wings and I spotted my very first little ringed plover (takes my UK list to 199 - I really need to hit 200 this year). They've been at Lochwinnoch before recently but I don't think they're nesting here so I'm sure it's OK to mention this.
Other birds on or near the scrape were teal, moorhen, black-headed gull (no sign of the Mediterranean gull that was there a few days ago), Canada goose, greylag goose, pied wagtail and a snipe that briefly appeared then disappeared again. Earlier in the day when I was sitting in the open hide overlooking the scrape, I heard a wren singing really loudly, and when I turned around I found that it was inside the hide.
On the water there was a big group of tufted duck, goldeneye, goosander, and a single sleeping great crested grebe.
A raven flew over. In the distance, two sparrowhawks were interacting with each other high above Aird Meadow before heading off in separate directions.
Someone in the visitor centre was pointing out a mouse at the feeders but when I looked it turned out to be a brown rat. In fact there were three in front of the centre - two youngsters and a larger adult.
I got on the train thinking I'd just need to wait to see my first sand martin of the year, but as the train pulled in to the next stop Howwood I spotted one on the river.
JTweedie
Well-known member
Went to Lochwinnoch today. Main aim was to catch some of the late spring arrivals.
There had been a big mixed flock of swifts and hirundines spotted a couple of days ago and I'd hoped to see my first swift of the year. But I was actually lucky in seeing three over my local high street as I walked to the train station. I've still not seen a house martin yet which is unfortunate.
Highlights of the visit were: willow warbler (all over the reserve), chiffchaff (only in one spot), blackcap, sedge warbler, grasshopper warbler, whitethroat, singing reed buntings, two pairs of shoveler. I didn't see any swifts here, but did see a few barn swallows. I took a walk down to Lochwinnoch and then back along the flower-rich banks of the River Calder. I saw a footprint of a roe deer in the gravel at the waterside where I assume a deer had come down for a drink. I had excellent views of a pair of grey wagtails - we take these for granted but they have really attractive plumage. Not wanting to be shown up, a pair of pied wagtails turned up later and I saw a goldfinch taking a bath in the river.
There had been a group of whimbrel seen earlier in the week on the scrape, but I didn't see any myself, but someone said they did see one. Just as I was getting ready to leave, someone pointed out two unexpected late staying pink-footed geese mingling with the greylag and Canada geese. The latter had goslings pottering around.
With the sun out there were lots of insects around including a large red damselfly, orange-tip, green-veined white, small tortoiseshell, peacock butterflies. I must say I always see these butterflies, it would be nice to see some other species for a change - not that there's anything wrong with these.
There had been a big mixed flock of swifts and hirundines spotted a couple of days ago and I'd hoped to see my first swift of the year. But I was actually lucky in seeing three over my local high street as I walked to the train station. I've still not seen a house martin yet which is unfortunate.
Highlights of the visit were: willow warbler (all over the reserve), chiffchaff (only in one spot), blackcap, sedge warbler, grasshopper warbler, whitethroat, singing reed buntings, two pairs of shoveler. I didn't see any swifts here, but did see a few barn swallows. I took a walk down to Lochwinnoch and then back along the flower-rich banks of the River Calder. I saw a footprint of a roe deer in the gravel at the waterside where I assume a deer had come down for a drink. I had excellent views of a pair of grey wagtails - we take these for granted but they have really attractive plumage. Not wanting to be shown up, a pair of pied wagtails turned up later and I saw a goldfinch taking a bath in the river.
There had been a group of whimbrel seen earlier in the week on the scrape, but I didn't see any myself, but someone said they did see one. Just as I was getting ready to leave, someone pointed out two unexpected late staying pink-footed geese mingling with the greylag and Canada geese. The latter had goslings pottering around.
With the sun out there were lots of insects around including a large red damselfly, orange-tip, green-veined white, small tortoiseshell, peacock butterflies. I must say I always see these butterflies, it would be nice to see some other species for a change - not that there's anything wrong with these.
JTweedie
Well-known member
I was planning to head up to the raised bog at Langlands Moss this morning but I spotted a notice on Twitter about a sighting at Frankfield Loch that I thought I'd be better following up on instead.
It's two buses to Frankfield Loch and unfortunately one didn't turn up so I had to wait 30 minutes for the next one. Then the road leading up to Frankfield Loch was closed off and I wasn't sure how to get along the road. But I found a little gap in a fence and I edged my way along the side of the road. There were two birders there with scopes out and one of them was looking at me with a big grin on his face. I could just see him thinking: go on ask, you know you want to. I couldn't resist anymore, so I said "is it about?" Yes he said, and pointed out a little island on the loch - my very first ever lesser yellowlegs! When 2022 started I don't think I'd have added one of these to my list.
Other highlights include whitethroat, willow warbler, reed bunting, lapwing, wheatear, blackcap. I wandered along towards Hogganfield Loch and spotted a fledgling robin, and a family of dunnocks feeding on the path and only flying off at the very last second, and I heard singing chiffchaffs. A common buzzard was flying overhead and I could hear other raptors calling nearby in the woodland, possibly sparrowhawks, but I couldn't see them. There was a brief glimpse of a common sandpiper on the edge of the loch. Over the water a solo barn swallow, and spotted from the bus on the way home a small group of swifts. It was sweltering hot at times today too, even in the shade of the woodland between the two lochs.
It's two buses to Frankfield Loch and unfortunately one didn't turn up so I had to wait 30 minutes for the next one. Then the road leading up to Frankfield Loch was closed off and I wasn't sure how to get along the road. But I found a little gap in a fence and I edged my way along the side of the road. There were two birders there with scopes out and one of them was looking at me with a big grin on his face. I could just see him thinking: go on ask, you know you want to. I couldn't resist anymore, so I said "is it about?" Yes he said, and pointed out a little island on the loch - my very first ever lesser yellowlegs! When 2022 started I don't think I'd have added one of these to my list.
Other highlights include whitethroat, willow warbler, reed bunting, lapwing, wheatear, blackcap. I wandered along towards Hogganfield Loch and spotted a fledgling robin, and a family of dunnocks feeding on the path and only flying off at the very last second, and I heard singing chiffchaffs. A common buzzard was flying overhead and I could hear other raptors calling nearby in the woodland, possibly sparrowhawks, but I couldn't see them. There was a brief glimpse of a common sandpiper on the edge of the loch. Over the water a solo barn swallow, and spotted from the bus on the way home a small group of swifts. It was sweltering hot at times today too, even in the shade of the woodland between the two lochs.
