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Western Scotland birding (1 Viewer)

I went to Cumbernauld/Palacerigg CP today, to my surprise this just squeezes into Clyde region :) The walk to the park was very productive: two Ravens, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and finally a reeling Grasshopper Warbler that then obliged by perching in full view, making it my first visual of the species in Scotland!

The visitor centre was closed (you can use the golf club house for facilities) but I thought I'd wonder around the buildings and clearing anyway. Perched at the top of a pine tree was a small bird making a call I couldn't place, got the bins focussed just in time to see a Crossbill before two of them flew off. This is my first sighting ever although I ticked it off when I heard some at Garten earlier in the year. I got some good audio of the walk and post-trip analysis confirms the sighting.

I then followed paths some crossing the golf course to Fannyside loch, the water itself was barren but there was plenty around including Reed Bunting, Spotted Flycatcher, Siskin, Blackcap and more calling Crossbills.

The walk back to Cumbernauld station brought more with a hunting and calling Buzzard and some Swifts.
 
Took a very early start today on my day off work and went to Overtoun Estate (Milton) in the hopes of seeing the elusive Green Woodpecker. Arrived at 0700 and was greeted by a Buzzard that landed in a tree behind the car park and what i think was a Tawny Owl calling but I could not confirm that due to the horses, cows and sheep making a racket though it did seem unusual to have heard one at that time when the sun had came up nearly 2 hours prior. After spending 30 min about the quiet car park area I started my walk up the craigs following the path and stopping to take in the scenery and listen to the birds. straight away I came across the usual small birds Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Robin, Blue/Great/Coal Tit, House Sparrow, Dunnock etc then further along the path my first Whitethroat of the day with a Blackcap not much further away and a Nuthatch on the path which startled both of us as it was well blended in. Out of the woodland and in the open now with the craigs in sight and the big hill to climb my first spot was some Carrion Crows, Woodpigeon and another Buzzard sitting nice and happy taking in the morning heat, a few Gulls in the air too making a racket. Herring and according to the merlin app(yeah i know) a Great-Black Backed Gull though I didnt see that so think it was having me on again, handy app but annoying.

Approaching the midway section of the climb I seen and heard 4 Ravens above the Craigs displaying their accrobatic skills and soon joined by 3 Kestrels that didnt seem to happy with where they were at that moment. Watched those for a good hour or so at that mid point as the sun started to climb and just as I was starting to head further up an Osprey came over with a fish heading for Loch Lomond so one of the local ospreys id guess though bit of a trip when theres a nice loch on its doorstep. At the top of the craigs there wasnt much about so sat enjoying the views hoping of a top down view onto the kestrels but they had moved on, then a Hooded Crow appeared for a brief stop before continuing its flight into the hills.

Sun was starting to get warm up there so headed back down taking a different route through the woodland where I heard more Blackcaps with some new birds for the day such as Treecreepers, Bullfinch, Spotted Flycatcher breifly heard/seen, Wren and Goldcrest.

Was a nice wee morning as I finished up back at the car for 1215 and then ran some errands before stopping at Ardmore Point for high tide on the way home.
 
Took the ferry to Dunoon yesterday, my first trip there since I went on Birdtrack 2 years ago. The first half of the trip was a bit marred by a pea-souper so when the sun broke through the temperature rocketed. As a result I don't think I saw any birds at all on the way over. Along the Dunoon shore were the expected species - Turnstone, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Rock Pipit plus the only two summer visitors I am still seeing at home, Chiffchaff and Swallow. The waters held a small number of Eider and a trio of Goosanders, at least one of whom was not just vocal (a rarity for me) but wouldn't shut up, following me along the shore cackling away. On the way back I could at least see the water but the only birds in it were some non-breeding plumage Black Guillemots which I saw in both harbours.

Today I was back in the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow where to my delight I observed (calling only) my first ever Botanics Buzzard in the steep wood behind the glasshouses. They have been recorded by others before but despite years of going in there this is a new patch tick for me.
 
For those not aware, ScotRail have removed peak time train fares as a pilot so you can set off early by train at off peak prices for the next six months, in time for the peak birdsong hours. I gave it a go by travelling peak time to Balloch/Lomond Shores where I managed to see a lone Guillemot, a few late Swallows, a flock of Tree Sparrows and a Nuthatch. Now, where to next...?
 
I went to Lochwinnoch today with the hope of seeing the Long-tailed Duck that's been on Castle Semple Loch for a few days but my luck was out. Talking to one of the volunteers, it had been seen in different parts of the loch so hasn't always been easy to pin down. There's normally one that turns up at Loch Lomond Shores over winter, so if I don't get a chance to visit Lochwinnoch again this week then I'll look out for that one.

The reserve was really quiet today. It seems to go like that sometimes. However that doesn't mean there were no birds, it's just that most seemed to be in large groups on the other side of Aird Meadow and Barr Loch from where the paths are. The scrapes that have been wildly successful over spring and summer with a number of waders had really high water levels and there were no birds on them at all today.

Highlights for me were my first Redwing and Fieldfare of the winter - one and 11 respectively. There were a couple of Pochard on Barr Loch which surprisingly were my first of the year, as well as a winter-plumage Great Crested Grebe. There were two Gadwall, 24 Goldeneye, 15 Goosander, 66 Mallard, 20 Mute Swan, 123 Tufted Duck and 17 Wigeon. A Roe Deer was spotted in the woodland just off the Aird Meadow trail. I expect to see a further build up of ducks as we enter winter, with hopefully the return of the Smew again.
 
The weather forecast was for rain for most of this week (big surprise there!) but when I woke up this morning it was sunny. So I went to Cardross on the train. It stayed dry when I was there although it got a bit more cloudy as the day went on and the wind blowing down the river was quite chilly.

I've only taken my scope with me on a few trips so far, but this was the first time I've felt it really made a difference. I've seen birds like Little Ringed Plovers at Lochwinnoch through my scope, but they were also clearly visible through my bins. But looking out across an estuary, the scope really came into its own.

Sightings today included a large mixed flock of Fieldfare and Redwing. The Blackbirds were bullying the Redwings, chasing them away from their territory. A couple of Great Black-backed Gulls were the only large gulls around, but there were lots of Black-headed and Common Gulls.

There was a good mix of birds on the water, including very high numbers of Wigeon, Mallard and Shelduck. Other waterfowl included four Whooper Swans, my first of this winter. A couple of Teal were mingling around, as were Goldeneye, Goosander, Red-breasted Merganser and a winter plumage Red-throated Diver (this is when the scope came in useful).

There were four Lapwings, five Ringed Plovers, a Grey Wagtail and a Pied Wagtail. I spotted a couple of Greenfinches in amongst the thrushes too. I saw a few jellyfish washed up on shore.

There are some houses with their back gardens facing out onto the water and I'd love to live in one of them, I'm sure you'd see all sorts if you lived here.
 
Lochwinnoch again today. It was really sunny when I set off so I was feeling optimistic, but I dipped on the Brambling, Long-tailed Duck (for the second visit in a row) and the Scaup. One Brambling had been spotted the day before on the feeders, mixing with Chaffinches as they do. But I spent a bit of time at both feeders and it never showed. I've seen them before, but I keep missing them at Lochwinnoch unfortunately, although they're not frequently seen here.

The Scaup had been spotted on Friday if I remember right, and the Long-tailed Duck seems to be been spotted daily for well over a week now, but neither showed today.

I was at the reserve during the week when I had it mostly to myself. But today was different: it was a Sunday, it wasn't cold and it wasn't raining. So the reserve was absolutely mobbed, everywhere I turned there was someone there. I've been to some English reserves and they tend to be busy but Scottish reserves tend to be quiet (apart from maybe Abernethy). It felt more like an English reserve today.

As on my earlier visit this week, there are a lot of ducks around: 20 Goldeneye, 16 Goosander, 41 Mallard, 10 Teal, 73 Tufted Duck, 2 Wigeon. As the sighting of the Brambling suggests, I think many of our winter visitors have arrived, and on the feeding stations there were numerous Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Nuthatch, Dunnock, Robin and a Greated Spotted Woodpecker. Nearby I saw some Long-tailed Tits too, and while looking for the Long-tailed Duck on Castle Semple Loch, I saw a Little Grebe too.

The scrapes are still flooded and only Teal were seen there today.
 
Went to Bingham's Pond today. Couldn't stay long, but the Ring-necked Duck was back (I think it was first spotted a week ago in this area). It'll probably move between here and Victoria Park for the winter. I also spotted several Waxwings too - at least six but I'm certain there were more, but they were hard to count as they were constantly moving around.
 
I'm sure you'll see the duck before too long if you're in the general area as it hangs around for ages. Looking at my notes the latest I had seen it one year was near the end of April, so plenty of time.

The Waxwings were really easy to see yesterday - so close I could almost have reached out to touch them. But I imagine they've stripped all the berries from the trees around the water. They had been hanging around in trees directly around the water, but also in trees across the road (I only noticed when I crossed over to catch a bus home).
 
Rarity spotted at Bingham's Pond.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1736337481170051470

GBi1u-LWoAEWAiT
 
They tweeted earlier to say they were closing early to allow their staff and volunteers to go home early. It gets flooded fairly often, sometimes can be a gamble making a trip there if it's been raining. I'd been hoping to go tomorrow as the weather was supposed to ease up a bit, but I suspect the area might still be flooded.

I saw Bowling station was completely flooded too - so no chance of getting to Cardross either.
 

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