Loudon Pond Community Nature Reserve

Animal Life at Loudon Pond Community Nature Reserve

Overview

The Loudon Pond and Ponfeigh Glen Association has in recent years improved the site by the removal of rubbish (fly tipping), the planting of trees, the building of a bird hide and the construction of a path and boardwalk leading to the hide. The build of a sensory garden is in process and a pond with dipping platform is planned.

The Loudon Pond, formed by land subsistence due to the deep mining, is in fact a wide section of the Douglas Water at the point where the Poneil Water and Ponfeigh Burn tributaries join the river.

The reserve is home to a rich fauna and is used/visited by many other species. It is known that at least 130 species of birds use the reserve, including migratory birds. Unusual/infrequent visitors have included a flamingo and a gannet.

Birds

Notable Species

Recent reported sightings of birds and other animals include: � Mallard, Wigeon, Heron - 24/02/05 by John Young � Kestrel (1) - 20/02/05 by Andy-in-a-kilt McCappin � Sanderling (30), Lesser Black-backed Gull (5), Mute Swan (1) - 15/02/05 by John Young � Wigeon, Gossander (1) - 15/02/05 by James Gordon & John Young � Sparrowhawk - 15/02/05 by James Gordon � Otter (1), Wigeon (70), Teal (20), Goldeneye, Mallard (15), Whooper Swan (4), Heron (1), Moorhen (1), Snipe, Woodcock - 13/01/05 by James Gordon � Gannet - 20/10/04 by David Coats � Heron - 16/10/04 by John & Gill Young � Tawny Owl - 18/09/04 by Gill Young, Sandra Boyle and James Gordon � Otter - 18/09/04 by John Young and James Gordon � Sand Martin - 22/06/04 by John Diment

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Leach's Storm Petrel, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Canada Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Mallard, Common Goldeneye, Common Teal, Goosander, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Kestrel, Common Moorhen, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Sanderling, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Curlew, Common Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Eurasian Woodcock, Common Snipe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Collared Dove, Tawny Owl, Long-eared Owl, Common Swift, Common Cuckoo, Common Kingfisher, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern House Martin, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Common Dipper, Wren, Dunnock, European Robin, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Northern Wheatear, Eurasian Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Common Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Eurasian Reed Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Wood Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Spotted Flycatcher, European Pied Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Marsh Tit, Willow Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Eurasian Nuthatch, Eurasian Treecreeper, Common Jay, Common Magpie, Eurasian Jackdaw, Rook, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch, European Greenfinch, European Goldfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Eurasian Linnet, Common Redpoll, Eurasian Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting

Bird Survey for Loudon Pond/Douglas Water to Tinto Hill area from 1986 to 1989

by G. Wood

Ringing Totals

Name 1986 1987 1988 1989 Total Leach's Petrel 1 1 Canada Goose 4 4 8 Mallard 1 1 Sparrowhawk 2 2 Kestrel 4 4 Oystercatcher 1 2 1 5 9 Lapwing 5 11 11 28 Curlew 2 11 3 15 Redshank 4 5 9 Common Sandpiper 2 11 13 Black-headed Gull 7 13 11 31 Common Gull 2 1 3 Woodpigeon 4 6 1 1 12 Collared Dove 2 1 3 Long-eared Owl 2 2 Swift 13 13 Cuckoo 1 1 Kingfisher 1 2 1 2 6 Green Woodpecker 1 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 1 2 3 7 Sand Martin 10 58 104 58 230 Swallow 38 8 19 65 House Martin 3 1 6 52 62 Meadow Pipit 1 2 12 15 Grey Wagtail 4 6 9 19 Pied Wagtail 2 5 2 9 Dipper 1 1 2 4 8 Wren 17 14 42 103 176 Dunnock 33 34 29 75 171 Robin 44 27 39 138 248 Redstart 1 1 14 16 Whinchat 2 2 8 12 Wheatear 4 4 Blackbird 77 51 35 101 265 Fieldfare 1 1 Song Thrush 14 17 12 43 86 Redwing 4 4 Mistle Thrush 4 1 2 7 Grasshopper Warbler 2 2 4 Sedge Warbler 30 75 90 195 Reed Warbler 1 1 Lesser Whitethroat 1 3 27 31 Whitethroat 5 2 7 24 38 Garden Warbler 3 8 11 Blackcap 17 15 17 52 101 Wood Warbler 1 1 2 Chiffchaff 2 1 3 104 110 Willow Warbler 8 18 54 268 348 Goldcrest 3 4 72 79 Firecrest 1 1 Spotted Flycatcher 3 3 4 10 Pied Flycatcher 92 92 Long-tailed Tit 17 2 14 60 93 Marsh Tit 1 1 Willow Tit 11 8 5 8 32 Coal Tit 6 5 3 23 37 Blue Tit 219 181 92 551 1043 Great Tit 75 60 42 211 388 Nuthatch 1 2 19 22 Treecreeper 4 3 3 12 22 Jay 1 1 2 4 Magpie 1 1 2 1 5 Jackdaw 1 2 2 13 18 Rook 2 1 2 7 12 Starling 91 61 44 26 222 House Sparrow 5 30 39 18 92 Tree Sparrow 3 6 9 Chaffinch 18 35 33 145 231 Greenfinch 42 26 18 59 145 Goldfinch 4 5 6 15 Siskin 73 73 Linnet 7 2 4 22 35 Redpoll 1 2 5 16 24 Bullfinch 29 12 11 65 117 Yellowhammer 6 2 6 2 16 Reed Bunting 2 9 4 15 Ringing total 846 753 856 2807 5262 Species total 47 49 56 68 76

Other Wildlife

Recorded sightings of mammals, in addition to humans, include Badger, Fox, Rabbit, Hare, Otter, Mink, Ferret, Stoat and Roe Deer.

Site Information

History and Use

The reserve was once the site of the mining village of Douglas Water. The miners� "rows", or houses, were demolished in 1962 following the decline of the mining industry and the area was left to degenerate.

Areas of Interest

The Ponfeigh Glen is an area of ancient woodland that supports a wide variety of flora and fauna.

Access and Facilities

To do

Contact Details

To do

External Links

To do

• Loudon Pond Association

Content and images originally posted by Merop

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