http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/ Birding UK and Ireland Bird Forum en Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:36:12 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/ http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/236-far-ings-revisited.html Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:50:52 GMT Made another trip down to Far Ings on south side of the Humber Bridge, it has large reed beds and many areas of open water and good selection of... Made another trip down to Far Ings on south side of the Humber Bridge, it has large reed beds and many areas of open water and good selection of hides. The weather was bitterly cold with light snow showers and heavy frost, most open water areas were frozen over.

Birds seen over the three days at Far Ings LWT and Waters Edge Country Park (28 - 30 December 2009).

Little Grebe
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Mute Swan
Greylag Goose
Gadwall
Mallard
Shoveler
Wigeon
Teal
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Goosander
Kestrel
Marsh Harrier (1 male and 1 female)
Buzzard
Pheasant
Water Rail
Moorhen
Coot
Lapwing
Ringed Plover
Dunlin
Redshank
Black-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Curlew
Woodcock
Snipe
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock
Cetti's Warbler (a very unexpected sighting, didn't know they were in that area)
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Willow Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Bearded Tit (heard only)
Treecreeper
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Siskin
Bullfinch
Reed Bunting

Cheers, John ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/236-far-ings-revisited.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/230-far-ings-lincolnshire.html Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:38:18 GMT After what seemed like a very long time I finaly managed to get a couple of days to myself. I visited a friend in Barton-upon-humber for a couple of... After what seemed like a very long time I finaly managed to get a couple of days to myself. I visited a friend in Barton-upon-humber for a couple of days and got back at 1am this morning after a gruelling 8 hour drive in arctic conditions.

Far Ings is a superb reserve near the south side of the Humber Bridge, it has large reed beds and many areas of open water and good selection of hides. The weather was bitterly cold with light snow showers and heavy frost.

Birds seen over the two days (18 & 19 December 2009).

Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Mute Swan
Greylag Goose
Pink-footed Goose
Mallard
Shoveler
Wigeon
Teal
Pochard
Tufted Duck
Smew (drake)
Goosander
Marsh Harrier (1 male and 1 female)
Buzzard
Sparrowhawk (female)
Pheasant
Water Rail
Moorhen (the highest concentration of these birds I have ever seen)
Coot
Lapwing
Dunlin
Redshank
Black-tailed Godwit
Bar-tailed Godwit
Curlew
Woodcock
Snipe
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Meditteranean Gull
Herring Gull
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Skylark
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Wren
Dunnock
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Redwing
Fieldfare
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Willow Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Bearded Tit (2 male, 4 female)
Treecreeper
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Tree Sparrow
Chaffinch
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Siskin
Bullfinch
Reed Bunting

Not a bad list for a local nature reserve, I just missed a Bittern at one of the hides made worse by a local photographer showing me amazing flight shots as the bird passed in front of the hide.

Cheers, John ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/230-far-ings-lincolnshire.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/201-im-still-here-d.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:52:42 GMT Hi all

Just a quick post to let you know I haven't dissapeared off the fce of the earth :) it's in to the busy period at work and Im either workin or sleepin :D it will be like this until the end of November, so I will be back.

Also working on a couple of ID articles including the Mediterranean Gull so will post them as soon as I can.

cheers, John ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/201-im-still-here-d.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/169-cardross-bay-thursday-8-october-2009.html Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:59:59 GMT Decided to hop on the train to Cardross, hadn't been for a while. Arrived at 9.20am and headed west along the shore to view the adjacent farmland fields, seen Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Starling, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw and Magpie there.
I then headed back towards Cardross and seen Pied Wagatail, Redshank, Curlew Lapwing, Red-breasted Merganser, Mallard, Wigeon, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull and Cormorant.
I set up my camera at the burn running in to the east end of the bay and had superb views of Grey Wagtail and Dipper, while watching a group of Wigeon I noticed two birds in the background, 2 adult Pale-bellied Brent Geese (a rare bird in this area), shortly after that a male Peregrine swept low over the bay and was persued relentlessly by a Carrion Crow and they both dissapeared from sight.
I then had another walk along to the west end of the bay and had superb views of a male Buzzard which was being mobbed by a small flock of Lapwing, a Snipe flew past as I was watching, on way back to train station noticed an eclipse drake Pintail among the Wigeon, it's elegant shape made it fairly easy to pick out. Got the train home at 3.50pm after a great day out :)

SPECIES SEEN BIRDS:
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Greylag Goose
Pale-bellied Brent Goose
Mallard
Pintail
Wigeon
Red-breasted Merganser
Buzzard
Peregrine
Oystercatcher
Golden Plover
Lapwing
Redshank
Curlew
Snipe
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Skylark
Meadow Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Grey Wagtail
Dipper
Dunnock
Robin
Mistle Thrush
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Magpie
Jackdaw
Rook
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Linnet
Goldfinch
Reed Bunting

BUTTERFLIES:
Small Copper
Painted Lady ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/169-cardross-bay-thursday-8-october-2009.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/144-sunday-20-september-2009.html Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:42:37 GMT I'm in the middle of a nightshift from hell, had to take a break before I collapsed :) Earlier today had great views of a male Kingfisher, did I have my camera with me...no :rolleyes: I was at Glasgow Botanic Gardens with my daughter and we walked along the River Kelvin when we seen the Kingfisher, also seen Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Raven, a couple of nice Grey Wagtails and when we sat down at the river I had a Grey Squirrel sitting on my knee hoping I had food with me, after a while it gave up and moved on :) ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/144-sunday-20-september-2009.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/138-playing-catch-up.html Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:02:29 GMT Have only been on forum for short periods of time recently due to work shift patterns (it's comin in to busy period) so here's an update on what little birding I've been doing.

Saturday 25 August 2009
Went to Baron's Haugh and seen 4 Green Sandpiper along with 4 Common Sandpiper.
Friday 31 August 2009
Went to Baron's Haugh again and seen 2 Greenshank, 5 Green Sandpiper and 6 Black-tailed Godwit, the first of the wintering wildfowl, a male Wigeon and female Goldeneye were also in.
10 September 2009
Had 2 Ravens circling my flat in Maryhill at 1240 hrs.
11 September 2009
Walked to work and had a Buzzard and 2 Dippers at Kelvingrove Park (very close to the city centre for a Buzzard), on 14 Sept had 7 House Martins over Kelvindale at 7.40pm, on 15 Sept seen a Kingfisher, 2 female Goosander , 3 Heron and 2 Dippers on River Kelvin near Maryhill, today I also seen a Dipper, a female Goosander, 1 Heron, 2 Chiffchaff and a Kingfisher at Kelvingrove Park on way to work. ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/138-playing-catch-up.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/102-sunday-16-august-2009.html Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:53:21 GMT Decided to go out and have a look for the drake Mandarin Duck at Chapel Farm near Houston, I arrived around 10am and took a while to locate the pool.... Decided to go out and have a look for the drake Mandarin Duck at Chapel Farm near Houston, I arrived around 10am and took a while to locate the pool. The farmer for some reason decided to dliberately flush the ducks off the pond but thankfully they landed on a pool acroos the road which was actually easier to view so I suppose he done me a favour. There were still 2 Snipe a pair of Moorhen with 3 large chicks and a juvenile with them, also 4 Teal and 3 Mallard which couldn't fly due to moult. I went over to the other pool and there was a Fox in cracking condition upsetting the ducks by walking past the far end of the pool, I was hoping it would come closer but it ambled away from me looking for voles by the way it was sniffing around.
I managed to see the Mandarin before a Buzzard flew over and flushed some of the ducks again, also on the pool were a Grey Heron, 17 Mallard, 3 Coot, 2 Little Grebe with Sand Martin, House Martin and Swallows feeding over the pool. There were large numbers of Rooks and Jackdaws feeding in the surrounding fields, also a juvenile Raven, 2 Magpie and several Carrion Crows there.
I then headed for Glen Moss SWT Reserve at Kilmacolm, seen Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Willow warbler, Chiffchaff, Robin, Dunnock, Mallard, Coot, Moorhen, Buzzard, Kestrel, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Starling, also seen Highland Darter, Black Darter and Blue-tailed Damselfly.
I left Glen Moss at 1.30pm and decided to head for Hogganfield Loch on way home, at Hogganfield seen Cormorant, Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Moorhen, Coot, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Swift, Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin, headed home after a good days birding though not too many good photo's due to the dull grey day, that's my excuse anyway :) ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/102-sunday-16-august-2009.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/101-trip-fife-12-13-august-2009.html Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:01:06 GMT I’ve just had two of the most memorable days birding I’ve had for some time. I left home at 7am and headed for the Eden Estuary Visitor Centre at... I’ve just had two of the most memorable days birding I’ve had for some time. I left home at 7am and headed for the Eden Estuary Visitor Centre at Gaurdbridge near St Andrews in Fife, from the centre I watched hundreds of waders (mostly Lapwing, Redshank, Dunlin and Curlew) feeding on the mud, they included 12 Black-tailed and 1 Bar-tailed Godwit. Also seen Common Sandpiper, Goosander, Buzzard, Heron, Cormorant and Mallard. I left the centre at 10am and went for a walk upriver of the bridge and had wonderful views of a Kingfisher a Greenshank and a superb view of two Osprey’s fishing in the river. I left Gaurdbridge at mid-day and headed to my friends in Crail, after a snack we headed to Fife Ness and watched Gannet, Fulmar, Kittiwake, Cormorant, Shag and Eider feeding offshore. We then headed for Balcomie and sat among the rocks to watch the small wader flock, before long they came closer and closer until we had stunning views of Sanderling, Dunlin and Ringed Plover. It started raining heavily so we retreated back to John’s and had a look through our images, we ended the day with a meal and a few beers in the Balcomie Links Hotel in Crail.
Today we decided to go back to Gaurdbridge and see if I could get John the chance to photograph the Osprey’s, despite the greyer day we were greeted by the spectacle of an Osprey diving and hitting the water about 40 feet away, we could hear the splash and the sight was absolutely awesome, we watched two Kingfishers at the bridge, would they come out of cover to get a photo taken? Not a chance other than flying a couple of times they stayed well hidden. We went back to John’s for lunch and then headed for Buckhaven to look for gulls, we weren’t disappointed we found 5 Mediterranean Gulls and were also serenaded by 4 Grey Seals on the rocks just offshore, absolutely wonderful :D ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/101-trip-fife-12-13-august-2009.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/96-friday-31-july-2009.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:30:56 GMT Decided to visit Baron's Haugh RSPB Reserve again today as I was off work. I was there from 1000 - 1500hrs and wasn't disappointed, it was great although the lighting was very difficult for photography and the birds weren't as close.

7 Little Grebe
3 Cormorant
5 Grey Heron
4 Mute Swan
68 Greylag Goose
6 Canada Goose
Mallard (with an apparent drake Mallard x Gadwall hybrid among them, see bird near centre of image below)

Teal
Gadwall (below: juvenile at Pheonix Hide)

Pair of Tufted Duck
Female Sparrowhawk
187 Lapwing
5 Green Sandpiper

6 Black-tailed Godwit (the bird below being moved on by a Lapwing)

1 Greenshank
15 Common Sandpiper
Juvenile Dunlin
2 Water Rail

Coot
Moorhen
1 Snipe
c.300 Black-headed Gull
83 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1st summer Great Black-backed Gull
1 Stock Dove
Woodpigeon
2 Pheasant
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
2 Bullfinch
1 Greenfinch
2 Goldfinch
1 Chaffinch
Robin
Wren
Blackbird
1 Treecreeper
1 Goldcrest
5 Swift
House Martin
Sand Martin (Below: adult feeding chick at nest, claw marks on bank are from Mink trying to get in to the nests)

Magpie
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Rook
3 Whitethroat
2 Chiffchaff
6+ Willow Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler

I then stopped off at Hogganfield Loch from 1540-1650hrs and was greeted by the wonderful sight of around 150 Swifts feeding over the island, there were also around 100 House Martin and smaller numbers of Swallow and Sand Martin. I have only seen much smaller numbers of Swift and House Martins previously this year so this was a wonderful sight to witness. Pochard numbers are building up, now 41 birds present. Just as was about to leave, I heard a Greenshank calling but couldn't see it at first, I finaly spotted it circling over the far side of the loch before flying directly over me and heading off SW, what a wonderful day :D now have to sort out just over 1000 photo's, there will be a lot of deletions tho :rolleyes:
Below: juvenile Pied Wagtail at east end of the loch.
]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/96-friday-31-july-2009.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/92-saturday-25-july-2009.html Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:23:20 GMT Baron's Haugh RSPB Reserve near Motherwell (0800-1200 hrs)
Went to Baron's Haugh this morning and had a great time, the water level was low and managed to see some nice birds.

1 adult and 2 juvenile Little Grebe
1 Cormorant
7 Grey Heron
4 Mute Swan
1 Canada Goose
Mallard
Teal
10 (including 4 juvs) Gadwall
Coot
Moorhen
2 male Pheasant
c.200 Lapwing
Snipe
2 adult and 2 juvenile Green Sandpiper
4 adult Common Sandpiper
Black-headed Gull
Common Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Woodpigeon
1 Swift
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Sand Martin
Swallow
House Martin
Pied Wagtail
Dunnock
Wren
Robin
Blackbird
Song Thrush
3 Chiffchaff
8+ Willow warbler
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Treecreeper
Magpie
Carrion Crow
Starling
Chaffinch
Bullfinch
2 Reed Buntings ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/92-saturday-25-july-2009.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/89-thursday-16-july-2009.html Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:12:53 GMT On way home from work I stopped off at Bingham's Pond, it used to be a concrete edged boating pond but a pond naturalisation project was carried out in 2003 and has transformed the pond in to a mini nature reserve. There were at least 42 Tufted Duck ducklings, the highest concentration I have ever seen localy for this species. They were made up by at least 8 broods (difficult to tell as the ducklings seem to merge in to groups making the actual number of broods impossible to work out). They are fantastic birds to watch feeding, how these little bundles of fluff stay under water I will never know :D

Follow the leader




]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/89-thursday-16-july-2009.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/81-friday-10-july-2009.html Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:02:34 GMT When I picked my 5 year old daughter up from her mums in Blantyre I took her to the local community woodland. She loves butterflies so we went... When I picked my 5 year old daughter up from her mums in Blantyre I took her to the local community woodland. She loves butterflies so we went looking, we saw Large White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Common Blue and a 5-spot Burnet as well as several Emerald Damselflies and many grasshoppers. It's great to see her so enthusiastic about wildlife, we also watched Swift, Swallow and House Martins feeding over the woodland and a Buzzard soaring high above us

It was a good walk now trying to settle her down for the night :D


ABOVE & BELOW: Male Emerald Damselfly.

BELOW: a rather ragged Ringlet Butterfly.
]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/81-friday-10-july-2009.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/80-more-bad-news.html Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:10:32 GMT I have just found out a good birding friend of mine died suddenly at home today, Jim Wilson along with his wife Val were the assistant Clyde Bird... I have just found out a good birding friend of mine died suddenly at home today, Jim Wilson along with his wife Val were the assistant Clyde Bird Recorders and devoted a lot of their time to editing and collating records for the Clyde Bird Report as well as organising the local WeBS and Breeding Wetlands Bird Surveys, Jim was a great character and will be sadly missed, my heart goes out to Val as they were a very close couple ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/80-more-bad-news.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/79-wednesday-8-july-2009.html Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:48:17 GMT *Hogganfield Loch* Went for a walk around Hogganfield Loch and east marsh, the moulting Greylag flock were busy feeding away on the grass next to... Hogganfield Loch
Went for a walk around Hogganfield Loch and east marsh, the moulting Greylag flock were busy feeding away on the grass next to the loch, also Mute Swan (including brood of 2 and brood of 4), Mallard, tufted Duck, Pochard, Coot, Moorhen, Great Crested and Little Grebes on the loch, three pairs of Great Crested Grebes are incubating and there are no young visible on the loch, looks as if early breeding attempts have failed. Lesser Black-backed Gull numbers have reached around 200 birds with smaller numbers of Black-headed Gulls and a few Herring Gulls.
At the east Marsh there were two pairs of Coot with brood of 2 & a brood of 3, also a Little Grebe there. Sedge Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Goldfinch, greenfinch & Reed Bunting were present in the surrounding marsh and scrub. The grassland were full of Butterflies including Meadow Brown, Ringlet and a Small Heath, had a great walk but am now in work so back to the grind, will post some images later on tonight

cheers, John ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/79-wednesday-8-july-2009.html http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/77-thursday-2nd-july-2009.html Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:20:05 GMT Had a good walk around the pond at Kelvingrove Park this morning, the drake Mallards are in various stages of moult (will post some images later, I'm at work :( )
A Squirrel was sitting eating what looked like a kebab with a Magpie and occasional Mallard and Moorhen trying to steal a bite of it, very comical to watch.

After arriving at work had a phone call to tell me that one of the Tornado's from RAF Leuchars had crashed so am now waiting to find out if anyone I know was involved, I was only at the base on Monday. It sounds as if the crew were killed so not feeling too great awaiting any news

UPDATE: sadly it has been confirmed that both crew members were killed in the crash.

R.I.P Kenny & Nige, you will be sadly missed. ]]> clydebirder http://www.birding.uk.com/forum/blogs/clydebirder/77-thursday-2nd-july-2009.html