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Loch of Kinnordy Kirriemuir - BirdForum Opus

Scotland, Angus

Photo © by Delia Todd
From Gullery Hide Sept 2004

Overview

This is a shallow loch surrounded by wetland and covers 90 hectares.

Birds

Photo © by Delia Todd
West end of the reserve, showing the Highland Cattle, June 2010

Notable Species

Osprey is a regular summer visitor to fish, maybe up to six times a day. Large number of Whooper Swans arrive in the winter. Water Rails are often heard calling from the reed beds. Bearded Tit bred for the first time in 2009 (in fact this is a first breeding record for Angus.) It is also believed that Spotted Crake have bred.

Rarities

Rare visitors in recent years have been Iceland Gull, Spotted Crake, and Great Reed Warbler. A Great Bittern was present in the autumn of 2008 and returned each winter through to 2014 when two were present. Two Black Terns in May 2009. Four Common Cranes stopped off for a couple of days in April 2010. A Great White Egret visited for a few days in June 2011. Garganey are occasional visitors; a pair being present through May 2013. A Turnstone stopped off for a few days in early June 2013, the first sighting of one on the reserve. May 2014 the reserve played host to a Wood Sandpiper and early May 2017 a Glossy Ibis visited, looking beautiful in the sunshine.

A Hawfinch was seen for the first time on the reserve in November 2014. And in January 2017 a Green Woodpecker was seen.

Check-list

Photo © by Delia Todd
Swamp end of the reserve taken from the road, June 2010

1 Birds you can see here include:

Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Great Cormorant, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Wigeon, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Goldeneye, Smew, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, Western Marsh Harrier, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Osprey, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Red-legged Partridge, Grey Partridge, Water Rail, Common Moorhen, Common Coot, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Black Tailed Godwit, Northern Lapwing, Ringed Plover, European Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Eurasian Curlew, Common Snipe, Jack Snipe, Dunlin, Common Redshank, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Common Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl , Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Common Swift, Common Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker. Eurasian Skylark, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Western House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Bohemian Waxwing, White-throated Dipper, Eurasian Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Eurasian Blackbird, Common Redstart, Whinchat, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Sedge Warbler, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Treecreeper, Eurasian Jay, Eurasian Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Common Raven, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Common Bullfinch, Brambling, Reed Bunting, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Common Pheasant, Peregrine Falcon, Jack Snipe, Yellowhammer, Eurasian Siskin, Eurasian Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Common Redpoll, Common Whitethroat, Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher, Goldcrest

Other Wildlife

Red Squirrel, Roe Deer and Otter regularly seen

Site Information

History and Use

There is wildfowling on two days per year in October.

Access and Facilities

The Reserve is on the B951 Kirriemuir to Kirkton of Kingoldrum road.

This reserve has three hides, two accessible by wheel-chair - Gullery and Swamp Hides. The East Hide has several steps. The paths are in good condition.

Grid Reference: NO361539

Other Nearby Sites

Nearby sites are Loch of Lintrathen, Forfar Loch and Balgavies Loch

Contact Details

Tel: 01738 630783

External Links

References

  1. Check-list kindly supplied by the Warden in 2007

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

Content and images originally posted by Delia Todd

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