RSPB Lochwinnoch (1 Viewer)

Going through to Lochwinnoch for the first time tomorrow. I know there are trails and hides at the RSPB place. Looks like Barr Loch is separate from this. Are there anypaths around Barr Loch and if so is it worth walking around there

Thanks

RSPB Lochwinnoch isn't the best birding place in Scotland but it does have a visitor centre with a hot drinks machine (which I suspect might come in handy tomorrow), along with some pleasant walks through woodland and wetland. There is some info in the link below but I understand some work has been carried out there recently to improve the walks and the RSPB's site doesn't appear to have been updated.

There is a cycleway that runs to the NW side of Barr Loch, but not sure what birds you would get this time of year. The visitor centre has a recent sightings board which would give you a good idea. The staff are also very helpful, so you could ask them what has been seen there recently, which may save you a walk.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/lochwinnoch/facilities.aspx

I have a day off work tomorrow so thought I would give it a visit. I live in east Kilbride any suggestioms as to where may be a good birding place. Very much a novice and do not particularly care what birds I see as long as I can see something.
Have been to Barons Haugh many times just looking for somewhere different

If you haven't been before, its worth a visit. The feeders at the visitor centre are always busy with finches, tits and other woodland birds.

If you are an RSPB member you need to collect a pass for the walks from the visitor centre, otherwise there is a small charge. Then head out along of the visitor centre to your left and you will soon pass a dipping pond. After that is a wooden panel and there are some more feeders behind it - when you first arrive you will more than likely scare everything away, but they will soon be back. From there the path turns left along the railway through the woods and you may pick up a Goldcrest along with commoner species. The path continues along, finishing at a bench alongside the loch. You then have to retrace your steps.

Head back to the centre, continuing past it and you will follow the road for a short distance. Then off to the right is a shorter walk through the wetlands. Kingfisher should be a target here. Again that path comes to an end and you can retrace to the centre, or head to Barr Loch if you fancy it.

I haven't been for a year, so things may have changed a bit, but that's the general pattern I follow when I go.

Recent Sightings

Enjoy your day and think of me with my day off waiting for a plumber:C

Thanks for the information. Hopefully your plumber will turn up nice and early

Lochwinnoch

smc4761 said:

Going through to Lochwinnoch for the first time tomorrow. I know there are trails and hides at the RSPB place. Looks like Barr Loch is separate from this. Are there anypaths around Barr Loch and if so is it worth walking around there

Thanks

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Hi i would just like to add anytime ive been to Lochwinnoch ive always enjoyed it.The reserve it self could do with more hides..Ive always picked up a new bird to see when i visited it..I was only there couple wks ago and got great views of a stunning male HEN HARRIER i did miss the BRAMBLING but this wasnt a new bird for me..Last year i seen to male SMEW there. I think it worth a visit if you havent been before :t:

The reserve used to have three hides, but two of them got burned down, and there was one at Barr Loch, but I think that got vandalised too. I went to it once but it felt quite remote, but with all the grafitti, empty beer cans etc it didn't feel like a safe place to linger.

You're picking the best time of year to visit, it is very very quiet (on the water at least, but the rest of the reserve teems with warblers) in summer, but from now right through to April it'll be really busy birdwise. As a beginner you might find it an ideal reserve, because it's not a really big reserve so your view of the birds (except for the far corner of Aird Meadow) will be really good.

There is a faint path around Barr Loch, I've not been right round myself, but some people on here have.

Otter sightings have been frequent recently on Barr Loch and Aird Meadow.

At the river down towards Lochwinnoch village is a great place in summer for swallows and house martins as they fly over and under the bridge - you get outstanding views of them.

Regarding the smew, these have been turning up every winter for about 5-6 years now.

They're reshaping the reserve to flood it and bring the water closer to the visitor centre. They're trying to attract in more wildfowl like geese and ducks.

Muirshiel Country Park is just up the road from Lochwinnoch, but you really need a car to get there. In summer the hen harriers are up there, and you've got a good chance of dippers, grey wagtails, stonechats etc. There's a walk to an old mine across moorland where in summer you'll see wheatears and meadow pipits, and if you're very lucky maybe even a ring ouzel, but keep that for a decent weather day.

And SMC,

Did you had any good birds on Friday?
I was there on Saturday.
I had 2 Yellowhammer, Jay which are 2 good birds for the reserve.
On The barr loch lot's of wigeon (110), Goldeneye (45), Teal (90), Goosander (24), 6 Great crested grebe and 12 Gadwall where present. Also 2 Goldcrest and 2 Great spotted woodpecker present.
A total of 4 Grey wagtail around barrloch and river Calder. On the same river a Dipper.
Also of what I heard there should be 2 Bramblings present.

Cheers,
Rik

Lochwinnoch

Caledonian said:

And SMC,

Did you had any good birds on Friday?
I was there on Saturday.
I had 2 Yellowhammer, Jay which are 2 good birds for the reserve.
On The barr loch lot's of wigeon (110), Goldeneye (45), Teal (90), Goosander (24), 6 Great crested grebe and 12 Gadwall where present. Also 2 Goldcrest and 2 Great spotted woodpecker present.
A total of 4 Grey wagtail around barrloch and river Calder. On the same river a Dipper.
Also of what I heard there should be 2 Bramblings present.

Cheers,
Rik

Click to expand...

I am going tomorrow so hope to have as good a day as you. I was in Northumberland this weekend really enjoyed the experience but think we should see Lochwinnoch in a positive light
as in comparison it is a great reserve with as much variety as anything I saw on the NE coast of England.

main thing i saw which I had not seen before was a tree creeper and I managed to get a reasonable photo. Aird meadow was fairly quiet as was the water, but it was a good day, for birding, no wind dry and sunny tho a little cold

Lochwinnoch - still one of the best places in the whole country to see hen harriers - although you still need a bit of luck.

One of the most persecuted and scarcest birds of prey in the UK - just think how privileged you are if you see one!

I have every time luck with Hen herriers when I am on Tiree

I totaly forgot that I had also 4 calling Waterrails on the end of the Barr loch.

Cheers,
Rik