Western Scotland birding (2 Viewers)

[MichaelC99]

Yeah its not the best situated, can get the bus to gartocharn and walk down to it that way as its a nice walk just as an fyi. Last i seen the Osprey was about 1345 up river heading back to the loch so highly likely and the Buzzards dissapeared over towards the east about half 1 as i was watching a cuckoo.

Nice reserve though as i managed to see plenty today and get some good pictures in the process such as the Sedge warblers, Osprey, Jay, Buzzards, Skylark, Tree Pipit, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Hooded Crow, GS Woodpecker etc, heard my new nemesis the Grasshopper Warbler but still not seen one! got them local to me and was chasing the sound about yesterday trying to see with no luck as i dont want to tread through the long grass at this time of year.

Anyone got tips on how to see them in the grass? and even harder get pictures lol, think i seen one dart out to another grass patch but wasnt able to confirm it was that quick!

 

[JTweedie]

Yeah its not the best situated, can get the bus to gartocharn and walk down to it that way as its a nice walk just as an fyi. Last i seen the Osprey was about 1345 up river heading back to the loch so highly likely and the Buzzards dissapeared over towards the east about half 1 as i was watching a cuckoo.

Nice reserve though as i managed to see plenty today and get some good pictures in the process such as the Sedge warblers, Osprey, Jay, Buzzards, Skylark, Tree Pipit, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Hooded Crow, GS Woodpecker etc, heard my new nemesis the Grasshopper Warbler but still not seen one! got them local to me and was chasing the sound about yesterday trying to see with no luck as i dont want to tread through the long grass at this time of year.

Anyone got tips on how to see them in the grass? and even harder get pictures lol, think i seen one dart out to another grass patch but wasnt able to confirm it was that quick!

Some nice birds on your list there. I've only ever seen a distant view of a Jay so I'd love a closer view someday.

As for Grasshopper Warblers I think it's just your luck whether they show themselves. Someone at Lochwinnoch yesterday was saying now to the end of May is the best time as after that they go silent and you'll have no chance. I saw one at Lochwinnoch last year although yesterday I could only hear them. Best place at Lochwinnoch is in the marshy part of the reserve right next to the main road. Go along to the screen on one side or to the bench on the other side and the reeds and shrubs in between is their hotspot.

 

[JTweedie]

Got up, fell out of bed, dragged a comb across my head. Then I looked out the window - a bit grey and miserable and it starting raining heavily. Should I go out or stay in? Go out - Arran it was!

By the time the train got to Ardrossan and the short walk to the ferry terminal the weather was quite dry. But in the two minutes it took me to buy my ferry tickets and walked out to board the ferry it was horizontal rain. Oh dear! On approach to Ardrossan you get your first glimpse of the sea beyond Stevenston and it was looking fairly choppy. You couldn't see a thing off shore - Arran was hidden from view by the drizzle.

I went to my usual place on the ferry when I'm doing seabird surveys - the very front. One other brave soul was on the other side at the front, but he relented eventually and went inside leaving me on my own to face pelting rain and wind - but actually I loved it even though I was soaked through.

In the harbour were the usual Black Guillemots as well as some Great Black-backed Gulls (with one spotted on the way back perching on a mast where the pink legs were a good identifying factor). Within two minutes out of Ardrossan I got my two highlights of the day: a Black-throated Diver and a Manx Shearwater. I only saw one of the latter on the way out but on the way back I saw another four, each single birds and all of them closer to Ardrossan than Arran. Some Gannets passed the ferry and a couple of Guillemots. But otherwise there was practically nothing to see once we'd got out of Ardrossan until we approached Arran. The water was really choppy and with the limited visibility they weren't ideal birding conditions. Once we started getting closer to Arran it got a big calmer and more birds were visible including Eider. On the way back three or so hours later it was clearer with many more birds spotted including just two Razorbills and a small gang of Kittiwakes.

On Arran itself, I met a friend from work whose parents live there and we walked the Fisherman's Walk along the waterfront to the Arran Heritage Museum. By now it had cleared up quite a bit and the rain had stopped. Birds spotted included Pied Wagtail, Common Sandpiper, my first Wheatear of the year, and three thrushes: Blackbird, Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush. My friend liked me pointing out the birds as she's not too familiar with them in flight - highlights for her were Goldfinch and Greenfinch, although she was familiar with the House Sparrows. At the museum there were a few House Martins and Barn Swallows, and it looked like the latter were nesting in a building at the museum as I saw them swooping under the eaves. A small group of Common Gulls were spotted in a pool just behind the beach and Mallard, Goosander and Mute Swans were found on the river that flows into the sea here.

Over the four days I've seen 71 species plus a Roe Deer and a couple of butterfly species - Orange-tip and one I've still to identify but one of the whites.

Of the four sites I've visited which include Hogganfield Loch - an urban loch, Loch Lomond - the largest body of inland water in Britain, Lochwinnoch - an RSPB nature reserve so managed for wildlife, and the crossing to Arran and a brief walk in Brodick, Lochwinnoch comes out at number one with 42 species, followed by Arran with 38, Hogganfield Loch with 33 and Loch Lomond with 31. The species seen on all four days are: Barn Swallow, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Cormorant, Dunnock, Grey Heron, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard, Mute Swan, Song Thrush, Willow Warbler, Wood Pigeon. Interesting that two of them are summer visitors suggesting they're now in most of their breeding areas.

 

[MichaelC99]

Some nice birds on your list there. I've only ever seen a distant view of a Jay so I'd love a closer view someday.

As for Grasshopper Warblers I think it's just your luck whether they show themselves. Someone at Lochwinnoch yesterday was saying now to the end of May is the best time as after that they go silent and you'll have no chance. I saw one at Lochwinnoch last year although yesterday I could only hear them. Best place at Lochwinnoch is in the marshy part of the reserve right next to the main road. Go along to the screen on one side or to the bench on the other side and the reeds and shrubs in between is their hotspot.

Yeah ive seen a fair bit recently and been pretty fortunate, thank you i shall keep busy this month attempting to get those grasshopper warblers! going to stay at my local of up the glen fruin road behind Helensburgh as loads of other species about there too and if ive still not seen anything by the 20th then a trip or two to lochwinnoch it shall be lol

 

[MichaelC99]

I had an interestingly soaking day today, started off by heading to Rhu Spit to get the USS Porter (Navy ship not a bird ) heading out and seen the usual Eiders, Gulls, Carrion Crow family there and then in the bay the 8 Great Crested Grebes still around.

From there I went a wee adventure up to Loch Venachar for a walk with my partner and seen my first Wood Warblers + got decent pictures and then the other notables were cuckoo heard, Great Crested Grebe and Swallows on the Loch, Grey Wagtail landed 5m from us, Tree Pipits, Goldcrest and Blackcap.

After our little walk there it was back down the road to drop her home and i took the opportunity of a break in the rain to spend an hour walking round Ardmore Point and im glad I did as got my first Whitethroat there so 2 new birds in 1 day , also seen Black Guillemot, Linnet, Red-Throated Diver and then most usual suspects of song birds/ sea birds of that area. Weather to be good tomorrow so I may try for more whitethroats tomorrow before work but most likely spend some time up Glen Fruin road with the Wheatears, Whinchats and attempt to get those Grasshopper Warblers!

 

[MichaelC99]

With a goal of getting the Grasshopper Warbler i set my alarm for 0600.. turned it off in my sleep and so ended up leaving the house at 0830 instead but i must have needed the sleep. Went up Glen Fruin and spent 3 hours there before the rain came in but it was mission success (Pictures included, video too large to upload unfortunately) All in all it was a good few hours as got my target species and seen plenty others such as 4 Cuckoo, 3 Buzzard, Wheatear, Whinchat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Wren, Stonechat, usual song birds and some Brown Hare. Pretty chuffed with the outcome and plan on trying to get better pictures next time I can get out.

 

[burnie]

With a goal of getting the Grasshopper Warbler i set my alarm for 0600.. turned it off in my sleep and so ended up leaving the house at 0830 instead but i must have needed the sleep. Went up Glen Fruin and spent 3 hours there before the rain came in but it was mission success (Pictures included, video too large to upload unfortunately) All in all it was a good few hours as got my target species and seen plenty others such as 4 Cuckoo, 3 Buzzard, Wheatear, Whinchat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Wren, Stonechat, usual song birds and some Brown Hare. Pretty chuffed with the outcome and plan on trying to get better pictures next time I can get out.

If you load your bigger files/videos to a site like youtube or flickr, you can then copy and paste the link and we will be able to see them.

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

I did my trip to Balloch on Tuesday when the weather held out until lunchtime. For a change I tried walking NE to see what progress I could make towards the reserve and also see if I could get lucky and spot some Lomond specialties without going further north. In the end I got a bit bogged down in a hilly wood they call Whinny Hill Wood which isn't marked on the OS map and after a lot of hiking ended up at the Scottish Water works at Blairlinnans.

The highlight of the walk for me was two calls from a Cuckoo, my first of the year. I only heard one once last year so will that be it for the year again? After that I also got my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year which I heard and saw hunting too. Other than that it was fairly routine woodland stuff, two sightings of a Jay, a Raven mobbed by a gull and a Buzzard calling overhead. And several quite tame Goldcrests feeding right in front of me. I didn't go right in to the water works as there were some workers nearby but from the entrance I picked up some Common Gulls and an overhead Oystercatcher.

Saturday is the Clyde region Big Birding Day when again they are calling on people to spot Clyde 'rare' birds which for some reason includes Jay, Spotted Flycatcher and even Kingfisher as well as more unusual birds like Reed Warbler (which I've never seen up here).

 

[JTweedie]

I did my trip to Balloch on Tuesday when the weather held out until lunchtime. For a change I tried walking NE to see what progress I could make towards the reserve and also see if I could get lucky and spot some Lomond specialties without going further north. In the end I got a bit bogged down in a hilly wood they call Whinny Hill Wood which isn't marked on the OS map and after a lot of hiking ended up at the Scottish Water works at Blairlinnans.

The highlight of the walk for me was two calls from a Cuckoo, my first of the year. I only heard one once last year so will that be it for the year again? After that I also got my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year which I heard and saw hunting too. Other than that it was fairly routine woodland stuff, two sightings of a Jay, a Raven mobbed by a gull and a Buzzard calling overhead. And several quite tame Goldcrests feeding right in front of me. I didn't go right in to the water works as there were some workers nearby but from the entrance I picked up some Common Gulls and an overhead Oystercatcher.

Saturday is the Clyde region Big Birding Day when again they are calling on people to spot Clyde 'rare' birds which for some reason includes Jay, Spotted Flycatcher and even Kingfisher as well as more unusual birds like Reed Warbler (which I've never seen up here).

Some good sightings there. That area also has Red Squirrels - did you see any of them?

I've just ordered new binoculars yesterday. I'm hoping I get them by tomorrow so I can go out and test them out on Saturday, but stupidly I went with free delivery which is 2-3 days instead of paying for next day delivery, so I might find myself stuck indoors on what's looking like will be a sunny Saturday.

Kingfisher: best places I can remember seeing them are at the Botanic Gardens, in Linn Park and once at Baron's Haugh. I think unless you know where they nest then it's just down to luck whether you're in the right place at the right time.

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

No squirrels sadly.

Yes that stretch of the Kelvin alongside the gardens is good for Kingfishers but usually they are zipping past so blink and you'll miss them. I've also seen them along the canal in a couple of places - Kelvindale and Cadder I think.

 

[JTweedie]

That's been my experience too - a blue flash usually moving away.

 

[MichaelC99]

I did my trip to Balloch on Tuesday when the weather held out until lunchtime. For a change I tried walking NE to see what progress I could make towards the reserve and also see if I could get lucky and spot some Lomond specialties without going further north. In the end I got a bit bogged down in a hilly wood they call Whinny Hill Wood which isn't marked on the OS map and after a lot of hiking ended up at the Scottish Water works at Blairlinnans.

The highlight of the walk for me was two calls from a Cuckoo, my first of the year. I only heard one once last year so will that be it for the year again? After that I also got my first Spotted Flycatcher of the year which I heard and saw hunting too. Other than that it was fairly routine woodland stuff, two sightings of a Jay, a Raven mobbed by a gull and a Buzzard calling overhead. And several quite tame Goldcrests feeding right in front of me. I didn't go right in to the water works as there were some workers nearby but from the entrance I picked up some Common Gulls and an overhead Oystercatcher.

Saturday is the Clyde region Big Birding Day when again they are calling on people to spot Clyde 'rare' birds which for some reason includes Jay, Spotted Flycatcher and even Kingfisher as well as more unusual birds like Reed Warbler (which I've never seen up here).

Nice wee catches there still to see flycatchers myself, last year i got spitted flycatcher at Falls of Falloch, I had a look at that list of clyde spots and theres a few near me, if i wasnt starting at 8am sunday id have tried for the owls as i know theres Barn/Tawny and long-eared , as for Kingfishers ive seen them a few times along the Endrick, 2 closer to the Drymen bridge near the showground and the other down by the RSPB reserve at Loch Lomond.

 

[JTweedie]

Lochwinnoch today to test out my new binoculars and scope. The scope was good at 25x magnification, but I wasn't totally impressed when I zoomed in (it goes to 60x). However part of that might be down to the heat shimmer. Binoculars were great though. I didn't have a bag that can carry my tripod so I ended up carrying it in my hands. A new bag that can hold the tripod can't come too soon! I've still to master the technique of getting the tripod set-up the way I like it.

Nothing new today birdwise. A few birds had young: Canada Goose, Mallard and Lapwing. Last time I was there someone said there were three Lapwing chicks but I only spotted two. There was I think two Common Sandpipers. I only ever saw them as single birds, but I was sure one of them looked a little different - texture on its feathers looked different from the other. Little Ringed Plovers spotted again although no young to see - either hidden away or haven't hatched yet.

I've seen thousands of Wigeon over the years, but the male I saw today was very bright - its head looked more colourful than I remember seeing. My guide book doesn't mention a summer plumage so it seemed unusual. Maybe it was the new bins being brighter than my old! There were two pairs of Shoveler too and one of the pairs spent two minutes chasing the male from the other pair from one end of the reserve to the other.

I've still to see Swift this year and I'd hoped I'd see the Spotted Flycatchers but it wasn't to be today.

Five butterfly species: Large White, Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock. The latter had one butterfly that looked like it was defending a territory because it would chase off other butterflies including other species.

 

[JTweedie]

Looking at the SOC's Where to Watch Birds app, it still mentions the presence of a Ruddy Duck at Hogganfield Loch. I saw that bird years ago but it's long gone (shot I think?). I wonder how often they update their site descriptions on the app...

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

Looking at the SOC's Where to Watch Birds app, it still mentions the presence of a Ruddy Duck at Hogganfield Loch. I saw that bird years ago but it's long gone (shot I think?). I wonder how often they update their site descriptions on the app...

Isn't it based on last 5 days so you have to wait that long for it to drop off?

 

[JTweedie]

Well I don't think there's been a Ruddy Duck there for at least 10 years. I think it's just old descriptions that haven't been updated.

 

[LittleBitOfBreadNoCheese]

Well I don't think there's been a Ruddy Duck there for at least 10 years. I think it's just old descriptions that haven't been updated.

I thought you were referring to the Recent Sightings - which have now vanished from my version even though under the About tab it says the DB last update was 2023-05-13. The site accounts I take with a big pinch of salt, the gap between the two can be large ;-)

 

[JTweedie]

I thought you were referring to the Recent Sightings - which have now vanished from my version even though under the About tab it says the DB last update was 2023-05-13. The site accounts I take with a big pinch of salt, the gap between the two can be large ;-)

As an SOC member I'm sure I could contribute towards an update.

 

[JTweedie]

Victoria Park today. I was only there for an hour - I'd hoped to see the parakeets but none were around. I believe they're often found at Dawsholm Park, but I've never been there and wouldn't know the best places to search for them. I might see if a local RSPB or SOC group is going one day and tag along.

I'd been wondering where all the Coots had gone from my recent wanderings - turns out they're all at Victoria Park where I saw at least eight pairs including two youngsters. And by some of the behaviour I witnessed more youngsters are on the way!

A Blackcap flew in front of me near Fossil Grove and I heard Willow Warblers singing. I enjoyed seeing a group of eight Sand Martins that came swooping in over the pond. I've never seen them in an unban environment so hadn't been expecting them.

Victoria Park is usually home over the winter to a Ring-necked Duck and it flips between here and Bingham's Pond. It's possible that it's the same bird that's been spotted in other places recently but it wasn't found here today. I doubt it'll come back until next winter.

 

[JTweedie]

Finally saw my first Swifts of the year, with two over Rutherglen Main Street. This is where I've seen my first of the year for six of the last seven years, suggesting they're nesting nearby.

This is the joint latest date I've seen them, tied with 2012.

Earliest ever spotted was 16 April 2014, but that was just a single bird well ahead of the majority of birds to show up.

Most frequent first date is 6 May, occurring on four occasions.