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Western Scotland birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter JTweedie
- Start date
LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese
Well-known member
I visited Drumpellier CP for the first time today, taking a train to Gartcosh then a short-ish walk. Having been back to Hogganfield a few days ago I can now offer a good comparison (weather similar too):
Hogganfield - 37 species
Drumpellier - 44 species
Highlight was perhaps some quite tame Reed Buntings near the visitor centre, in addition still some lingering Whooper Swans (at both places admittedly), Nuthatch and Kestrel.
It's a little further out than Hogganfield so I may continue to do both sites in future.
Hogganfield - 37 species
Drumpellier - 44 species
Highlight was perhaps some quite tame Reed Buntings near the visitor centre, in addition still some lingering Whooper Swans (at both places admittedly), Nuthatch and Kestrel.
It's a little further out than Hogganfield so I may continue to do both sites in future.
That's really early for a singing bird. I guess it could be a wintering bird that's started singing, rather than a breeder that's just returned.
JTweedie
Well-known member
Yes I think it might be a wintering bird. Clyde Birding posts semi-regular sightings over the winter from around the Clyde area.
JTweedie
Well-known member
First visit to Lochwinnoch since my birthday in January.
It was very warm today and the reserve was absolutely packed with visitors. I've never seen so many people here.
Highlights of the visit were my first Willow Warblers of the year, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall, Nuthatch, Shoveler, White Wagtail and a Pied Wagtail (one of each were seen within a few metres of each other and allowed easy comparison between them). I also saw my first butterfly of the year, a Small Tortoiseshell and I also spotted a Bee-fly.
I didn't have any luck with the Marsh Harrier that had been sighted several times this week.
There's an old historical building on the reserve that has been undergoing restoration, and I noticed a new walkway is being built to it. This walkway will go along the strip of land between the reserve's Aird Meadow and the larger Castle Semple Loch on the other side. I'm sure this'll become a favourite spot as visitors will be able to observe more easily birds either side of the walkway although I can imagine in winter the freezing wind will just rip along this spot.
It was very warm today and the reserve was absolutely packed with visitors. I've never seen so many people here.
Highlights of the visit were my first Willow Warblers of the year, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall, Nuthatch, Shoveler, White Wagtail and a Pied Wagtail (one of each were seen within a few metres of each other and allowed easy comparison between them). I also saw my first butterfly of the year, a Small Tortoiseshell and I also spotted a Bee-fly.
I didn't have any luck with the Marsh Harrier that had been sighted several times this week.
There's an old historical building on the reserve that has been undergoing restoration, and I noticed a new walkway is being built to it. This walkway will go along the strip of land between the reserve's Aird Meadow and the larger Castle Semple Loch on the other side. I'm sure this'll become a favourite spot as visitors will be able to observe more easily birds either side of the walkway although I can imagine in winter the freezing wind will just rip along this spot.
I think you and I may have seen the wagtails at the same time and if i am right it was yourself that spotted it at the scrape. It was a good spot so thanks for that.
Stephen
JTweedie
Well-known member
It was good chatting to you.
I read that the Marsh Harrier turned up today - typical!
Ha ha, yep typical as you say but that is nature for you. Hopefully bump into you another time either there or somewhere else.
Heading for Caerlaverock tomorrow so fingers crossed for a Hen Harrier.
Stephen
LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese
Well-known member
First Willow Warbler of the year in Mugdock Wood this morning along with hordes of hikers and dogwalkers.
JTweedie
Well-known member
I went to Pollok Park today. The focus was on the refurbished Burrell Collection, but walking there and around Pollok House takes you through woodland and alongside the White Cart River - a tributary of the Clyde that joins the Clyde near Glasgow Airport.
The walk around the gardens and by the river at Pollok House was most productive with my first Great Spotted Woodpecker of the year - not the most dazzling sighting in the world but I was pleased to finally get one, but also a singing Whitethroat and also a male Redstart. There were also lots of singing Chiffchaff all over the place. Oh and Highland Cattle - do they count?
I was tempted to go to Baron's Haugh where there was a Night Heron a couple of days ago, but I'm pretty sure it would have been gone by the time I got there.
The walk around the gardens and by the river at Pollok House was most productive with my first Great Spotted Woodpecker of the year - not the most dazzling sighting in the world but I was pleased to finally get one, but also a singing Whitethroat and also a male Redstart. There were also lots of singing Chiffchaff all over the place. Oh and Highland Cattle - do they count?
I was tempted to go to Baron's Haugh where there was a Night Heron a couple of days ago, but I'm pretty sure it would have been gone by the time I got there.
Ooops.... we all make those mistakes!!! 😒
JTweedie
Well-known member
I was doing some uni work this morning and expected it to, like yesterday, take around four or five hours. But I was finished just after 12 and was thinking: OK what to do with the rest of my day? I normally like to go birding in the morning so the thought of going out in the afternoon rarely appeals. But it was sunny so I thought why not?
I ended up going to Ayr. It was even more pleasant there than it was here. I did my usual route of harbour and then to Doonfoot.
Highlights were a Grey Wagtail under one of the old bridges and a gull trying to pull something from the water. It was almost diving under the water and made several attempts to pull out its prey. I couldn't see exactly what it was but I could see flashes of red. I continued downriver to the harbour and saw the first of my hoped for birds: Black Guillemot. I then spotted some Eider just offshore, with my first Gannet of the year spotted diving for prey. On the breakwater were the usual Cormorants and Shags, but nothing in the way of waders.
On the walk to Doonfoot I stopped off for a cold drink at a wee shop and heard a tern behind me. I turned to look but by then it was gone. It took a wee while for more to appear and turned out to be Common Terns, two of them. The scrub along the seafront was absolutely full of House Sparrows - I don't think I've ever seen so many. They're obviously thriving in Ayr.
Once I got to Doonfoot I wandered to the little marshy area behind the dunes just beyond the bridge over the river and saw lots of Barn Swallows, as well as my first Sedge Warbler of the year. A Rock Pipit appeared briefly and then another bird that had me stumped for a second but then my brain kicked in and I realised it was a female Reed Bunting. A male appeared too which confirmed it. I was just thinking that I very rarely see the females.
I mentioned the lack of waders. The only waders I saw were Oystercatcher and Curlew. The tide was out quite a way so it might be that some of the waders were feeding at the water's edge, but there was nothing I could see through my binoculars.
I don't know if it was because the upper beach felt like it had been wiped clean over the winter. There was none of the usual seaweed piled up that attracts the birds and this might explain partly the lack of waders but also of a bird I'd normally expect in Ayr by now: Wheatear.
All in all, quite a good trip especially since it was unplanned.
I've just realised that this Western Scotland covers a wide area! Would be good if there were more people on here covering this part of the country.
I ended up going to Ayr. It was even more pleasant there than it was here. I did my usual route of harbour and then to Doonfoot.
Highlights were a Grey Wagtail under one of the old bridges and a gull trying to pull something from the water. It was almost diving under the water and made several attempts to pull out its prey. I couldn't see exactly what it was but I could see flashes of red. I continued downriver to the harbour and saw the first of my hoped for birds: Black Guillemot. I then spotted some Eider just offshore, with my first Gannet of the year spotted diving for prey. On the breakwater were the usual Cormorants and Shags, but nothing in the way of waders.
On the walk to Doonfoot I stopped off for a cold drink at a wee shop and heard a tern behind me. I turned to look but by then it was gone. It took a wee while for more to appear and turned out to be Common Terns, two of them. The scrub along the seafront was absolutely full of House Sparrows - I don't think I've ever seen so many. They're obviously thriving in Ayr.
Once I got to Doonfoot I wandered to the little marshy area behind the dunes just beyond the bridge over the river and saw lots of Barn Swallows, as well as my first Sedge Warbler of the year. A Rock Pipit appeared briefly and then another bird that had me stumped for a second but then my brain kicked in and I realised it was a female Reed Bunting. A male appeared too which confirmed it. I was just thinking that I very rarely see the females.
I mentioned the lack of waders. The only waders I saw were Oystercatcher and Curlew. The tide was out quite a way so it might be that some of the waders were feeding at the water's edge, but there was nothing I could see through my binoculars.
I don't know if it was because the upper beach felt like it had been wiped clean over the winter. There was none of the usual seaweed piled up that attracts the birds and this might explain partly the lack of waders but also of a bird I'd normally expect in Ayr by now: Wheatear.
All in all, quite a good trip especially since it was unplanned.
I've just realised that this Western Scotland covers a wide area! Would be good if there were more people on here covering this part of the country.
It really would. Suppose there's just fewer people than we have here in the East.
JTweedie
Well-known member
Clyde Birding seems to have a good following on Twitter as does Ayrshire Birding, but I guess most of those people aren't on here.
Strangely I'd not thought of looking to see if there was a Perthshire Birding group till now... can't find one; but Birdforum comes up on the Google results. (well it DDGo actually LOL).
I don't have a Twitter account, and can't see me ever getting one.
I don't have a Twitter account, and can't see me ever getting one.
Don't think Perthshire get much in the way of rarities. Closest one I've seen is the Great Reed Warbler at Kinnordy... well a few things at Kinnordy really but that's in Angus.
Twenty plus years ago I saw a Hoopoe near Glencarse (between Perth and Dundee), so that was in Perthshire LOL
Twenty plus years ago I saw a Hoopoe near Glencarse (between Perth and Dundee), so that was in Perthshire LOL
Scozmos
Well-known member
