Western Scotland birding (1 Viewer)

[Caledonian]

7 january 2012:
Glaucous Gull 1st winter in the main Harbour of Greenock/James Watt way.
Showing very nice between 5 and 10 meters distant!
Would probably the same as the Glaucous Gull I discovered last weekend in Port Glasgow.
Pictures I have are in this link: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/62549023
Other sightings where: approximate 500 Canada Geese at 4 pm North of Castle Semple/Lochwinnoch. Later on the group of approximate 300 canada geese flew to Aird meadow, while 180 stayed north of Castle Semple.

sunday 8th january at Huntersons/North Ayrshire near Largs 2 Mediterranean Gull. 1 Adult winter and 1 1st winter!!
last weekend in Largs 3 adult winter which makes it to a total of minimum 4 Mediterranean Gulls (3 adult winter, 1 1st winter) in the region of Largs.

Regards,
Rik

 

[GringoRojo]

I regularly see the whoopers and some pinks in the fields between the M8, Inchinnan and Glasgow Airport. Not easy to count them from my motorbike though.

 

[Caledonian]

Saturday 21 january, 3 Iceland Gulls on Strathclyde Roosting/Glasgow.
2 1st winter and 1 seconde winter bird.
Also 85 Goosander, 50 Goldeneye, A Kingfisher on the Clyde, and quite a few lesser black backed gulls on the Loch, 40. also 10 Greater black backed Gulls.

Sunday 22 january: Med gull Wemyss Bay by Ferry to Bute
Largs: Iceland Gull second winter and 2 Med Gulls.

 

[Caledonian]

Saturday 28 january, 1 3ewinter Iceland Gull in Largs (definitly another iceland gull than last weekend). Also 1 adult winter Med gull.

 

[Caledonian]

Yesterday an Adult Iceland Gull at Meigle South of Skelmorlie.
Would be several iceland gulls around the coastal line Greenock/Irvine..
Also at least 3 Med gulls between Largs and Greenock and 3 between Largs and West Kilbride.

Saturday 28 january, 1 3ewinter Iceland Gull in Largs (definitly another iceland gull than last weekend). Also 1 adult winter Med gull.

 

[Caledonian]

Yesterday at 4.30 pm 18 Tundra been geese and 2 euro white fronted geese infront of a group of 600 grey legs geese South of Port glasgow.
Along main road Port Glasgow/Kilmacolm, crossing cloak road, west of auchendores reservoir.
at dusk they went roosting into auchendores reservoir.

also 3 ravens and 30 fieldfares present.

 

[Caledonian]

friday 10 february: 3winter iceland gull still present at Largs.

saturday 11 february: 2 purple sandpiper adrossan, 2nd winter iceland gull, 60 scaup and a hooded crow at achenharvie golf course Saltcoats, almost albino (leucistic?) black headed gull with white wingtips near Stevenston, 5 twites harbour Irvine, 2 short eared owl bogsite, a chiffchaf between long tailed tits and goldchest and my first Woodcock near the pallid harier was seen last year.

Also I heard a story of a non birding lady that she claimed to see a massive white owl on a fens every evening/night last week. snowy owl, or just barn owl? who knows....
place was along road between west kilbride and Portencross.

sunday: Male Smew still around Lochwinnoch visitor centre also several groups of Whoopers and 4 Pochard.

 

[JTweedie]

sunday: Male Smew still around Lochwinnoch visitor centre also several groups of Whoopers and 4 Pochard.

The Smew turns up every year at Lochwinnoch, I'm assuming it might be the same bird each year. I've not been to see it yet, but I think I'll give it a go at the weekend.

 

[Caledonian]

Thanks.

Last year I saw a 1st winter smew in March at the lochwinnoch visitor centre. But there where several seen last year at lochwinnoch. (2 or 3)

The Smew turns up every year at Lochwinnoch, I'm assuming it might be the same bird each year. I've not been to see it yet, but I think I'll give it a go at the weekend.

 

[Caledonian]

Finaly some good numbers of Iceland Gull at 'firth of Clyde' area.
Yesterday 16 february at 4.45 I found 3 Iceland gull in Largs.
one adult present at the mouth of the river southside of Largs and 2 (2nd and 3th winter) behind a fishingboat at the firth of the clyde between mainland and Cumbrea.
Also at least 2 adult winter med gulls present.

 

[JTweedie]

I visited Lochwinnoch this morning. The Smew was showing very well, and it was hanging around with Goldeneyes. In fact, there must have been well over 50 Goldeneyes there, I've never seen so many at the same time.

Even though I've seen Smew before, seeing them beside the Goldeneyes showed just how small the Smew is.

 

[Caledonian]

haha, just missed you then. I was there in the afternoon around 3 pm.
I also saw the smew again between 51 goldeneyes, so you estimated it right! also 2 pochard,3 goosanders on the meadow.
not much else around but saw a few mistle trush/fieldfares and redwings.
And have several ravens and a sparrowhawk on my way home.

I visited Lochwinnoch this morning. The Smew was showing very well, and it was hanging around with Goldeneyes. In fact, there must have been well over 50 Goldeneyes there, I've never seen so many at the same time.

Even though I've seen Smew before, seeing them beside the Goldeneyes showed just how small the Smew is.

 

[JTweedie]

haha, just missed you then. I was there in the afternoon around 3 pm.
I also saw the smew again between 51 goldeneyes, so you estimated it right! also 2 pochard,3 goosanders on the meadow.
not much else around but saw a few mistle trush/fieldfares and redwings.
And have several ravens and a sparrowhawk on my way home.

I saw the Pochard and Goosanders as well. I saw lots of Blackbirds and the Song Thrushes were in very good voice, but no sign of the other thrushes in the morning. A Common Buzzard was quartering over the south side of the reserve. I once flushed one out from the path, it didn't half give me a fright.

I noticed there's a new path along part of the south side of Barr Loch. That'll develop into a great spot for seeing geese and other birds that don't visit Aird Meadow often, although a scope would be needed to get the most out of it.

 

[JTweedie]

This is borderline for the western Scotland thread since it's technically in Stirlingshire, but I visited Balloch at Loch Lomond today. I walked up Whinney Hill Wood and Knockour Hill. I was there for the purpose of walking, but as always had my bins with me and looking out for wildlife. Some people only post unusual sightings in these kind of threads, but I think they should provide good records of what's seen in different localities, not just the rarities.

On the way there on the train, saw a couple of firsts for the year - Shelduck and Redshank feeding in the mud in the Clyde.

On starting my walk over the River Leven, there were lots of Goosanders on the water, as well as smaller numbers of Goldeneye and Mallard. The woodland was very very muddy, and I spent most of the time watching where I put my feet, but I still got a really good view of a Great Spotted Woodpecker, and then the highlight of the day was a Red Squirrel in a conifer. I later saw a Grey Squirrel, although that was closer to the lochside.

And for the second week running I got told off my some Great Tits, I must have been close to a nesting area. I also had a Common Buzzard calling just above my head, I had very good views of it.

 

[alunited1961]

Seamill

Just a quick walk today a very cold wind but was warmed up by seeing over 40 curlews, many wigeon , 6 eider ducks, 1/2 a dozern redshank and many oystercatchers with numerous gulls mainly herring black headed and common

still managed to see pied wagtails and a pair of stone pipets..didn't see the grennshank which was posing last sunday but Buzzards over Law Hill is common and regular site:t:

 

[alunited1961]

Barn Owl

friday 10 february: 3winter iceland gull still present at Largs.

saturday 11 february: 2 purple sandpiper adrossan, 2nd winter iceland gull, 60 scaup and a hooded crow at achenharvie golf course Saltcoats, almost albino (leucistic?) black headed gull with white wingtips near Stevenston, 5 twites harbour Irvine, 2 short eared owl bogsite, a chiffchaf between long tailed tits and goldchest and my first Woodcock near the pallid harier was seen last year.

Also I heard a story of a non birding lady that she claimed to see a massive white owl on a fens every evening/night last week. snowy owl, or just barn owl? who knows....
place was along road between west kilbride and Portencross.

sunday: Male Smew still around Lochwinnoch visitor centre also several groups of Whoopers and 4 Pochard.

There are Tawny Owls in the woods around Goldenberry Hill...i have seen a barn owl at 3rd Part Holding and a goshawk though this was a couple of years back. think i will nip down portencross road this evening and have a nosey:news:

 

[Caledonian]

Welcome Alunited,

Nice to see a comment of a local birder!
Portencross is a nice birding area. If possible post your sightings If you see something nice in the area
Saw Greenshank about 2 or 3 weeks ago at Hunstersons.

 

[alunited1961]

Hi

Welcome Alunited,

Nice to see a comment of a local birder!
Portencross is a nice birding area. If possible post your sightings If you see something nice in the area
Saw Greenshank about 2 or 3 weeks ago at Hunstersons.

maybe the same bird as very close by in terms of location..... i spotted lapwings today on the shore not uncommon but certainly down in number the past few years.

Between Ardrossan and fairlie is a great area always something of interest

 

[gus guthrie]

Had a day down in Ayrshire today, primarily we came to look for the Rosy Starling.....we were lucky enough to bump into two local birders and they showed us where the bird was feeding. What a superb bird !!
We stayed with them and tried for a black Redstart near the Harbour, but no sign. I got a Gannet here and also 2 Black guillemots which must be among my favourite birds.
Next stop was Doonfoot Beach where we had superb views of the 2 Snow Buntings there and after that we were shown Nuthatches at Rozelle...these are birds we don;t get in Angus yet.
Ring-necked Duck came next at Broadfoot Flash, distant but good views and then up to Dundonald camp to see the Pectoral Sandpiper....a really eye-catching little wader which is wintering here.
We parted company with our guides here and with directions headed down to Barassie to the beach area where the gulls roost.
we met a group of lovely ladies from the local RSPB group who were in the carpark scanning through the gulls , one of them soon picked up the Ring-Billed Gull and we all had excellent views of it.
time to head home and as we were driving up the road we had great views of a Peregrine near the road as we headed home.....what a great day !!!!!

 

[bongofury]

Had a day down in Ayrshire today, primarily we came to look for the Rosy Starling.....we were lucky enough to bump into two local birders and they showed us where the bird was feeding. What a superb bird !!
We stayed with them and tried for a black Redstart near the Harbour, but no sign. I got a Gannet here and also 2 Black guillemots which must be among my favourite birds.
Next stop was Doonfoot Beach where we had superb views of the 2 Snow Buntings there and after that we were shown Nuthatches at Rozelle...these are birds we don;t get in Angus yet.
Ring-necked Duck came next at Broadfoot Flash, distant but good views and then up to Dundonald camp to see the Pectoral Sandpiper....a really eye-catching little wader which is wintering here.
We parted company with our guides here and with directions headed down to Barassie to the beach area where the gulls roost.
we met a group of lovely ladies from the local RSPB group who were in the carpark scanning through the gulls , one of them soon picked up the Ring-Billed Gull and we all had excellent views of it.
time to head home and as we were driving up the road we had great views of a Peregrine near the road as we headed home.....what a great day !!!!!

That sounds very similar to my day on Saturday, although the Ring-necked alluded me. I tried twice at Trabboch Loch and a local birder suggested I try Broadwood Flash. I followed him there, but by this time the weather (and light) had turned so we couldn't pick it out.

The Black Redstart is apparently knocking about the timber yard at Troon Harbour, but that also alluded me.

The Pectoral is a right little stunner, isn't it!

Not often Ayrshire has so many good, accessible birds in a weekend:t: