the

Newsletter of the North Ayrshire RSPB Local Groupedition 129august 2017

We Do Like To Be Beside The SeasideBy Susan Montgomerie

In May, a small selection of group members made their way to the Yorkshire coast for a week of birding, taking in some of the best and most well known reserves and birding spots of the area.

Monday // Setting off from our various homes, we all agreed to rendezvous at the M74 Annandale Water services for coffee time. Having refreshed ourselves, we took a walk round the pond and started our list with garden warbler, blackcap, willow warbler, wren, robin, sedge warbler, mute swan, moorhen, oystercatcher, swallows, house martins and sand martins.

Heading onwards to RSPB Campfield Marsh, west of Carlisle, we stopped to look over the Solway at Barwise Brow and saw gannet, curlew, grey heron and five little egrets. We met up again to have our packed lunches at the reserve and were adding birds to the list as we ate. Great spotted woodpecker, stock dove, blackcap, grey wagtail, redstart, house sparrow and tree sparrow, Delicious!

Walking along to the hide, we added sedge warbler, whitethroat, greylag geese, coot, skylark, buzzard, redshank, curlew and lapwings with chicks. Long

discussions reverberated as to whether it was a slightly lumpy common frog or a somewhat smooth toad that we met on the path - and to be honest - I can’t remember what the outcome was! I call it a froad! Lots of dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies, including orange tip and peacock were seen.

Then it was time to head off, with most of the group wishing to go straight to Marston’s Inn at the Lobster Pot, Bridlington, while the Montgomeries (of course!) wanted to do a bit more birdwatching. So we found Smardale Gill NNR near Kirkby Stephen, a disused railway line brought back to life as a long wooded walk. A little hidden treasure!

The car park offered no clue as to what we would find so we were pleased to see a level, winding path leading us through mature woodland, with birdsong everywhere. Lots of wild flowers and signs of animals too, and when we reached the

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Go Wild in GlasgowThe full line up of events for Glasgow Wildfest 2017 has now been announced and can be found online (hard copies will be available at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum).

This is the fourth annual Wildfest, a whole month of events celebrating Glasgow’s greenspaces and the many organisations and groups working tirelessly to help wildlife and improve their local parks and gardens for everyone to enjoy.

This year, there are 32 events for you to choose from, starting on Friday 1 September, and spread out at venues throughout the city. Each weekend will see the focus switch to a different part of Glasgow, celebrating both well-known and hidden greenspaces within those areas.

Gannets nesting at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, © Laura Montgomerie

ContentsChairman’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Snippets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Event Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Cover Story (continued) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Field Trip Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Falkirk Foray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Wildlife Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

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Editorial from Laura MontgomerieHello and welcome, our autumn edition this year is a little shorter than usual, mostly down to timescales, but hope you will still find the content packed with interesting information and quirky anecdotes to keep you amused.

Our feature article is all about our trip to the Yorkshire coast in May – starting on the front page – and is certainly one that I will remember well, as I managed to add a few lifers to my list including a pair of black-winged stilts that happened to be passing through RSPB Blacktoft Sands at the same time we were. Along with a few new sites, it will definitely be a memorable trip with my total count for the five days at an impressive 118 species!

Filling up the rest of the newsletter you will find other local news including a variety of new faces at Lochwinnoch, the group’s work going on in West Kilbride’s community gardens and bad news from Lochwinnoch’s community gardens.

On the next page, you will find a small snippet of our upcoming season along with some other local events – which we hope you can get involved in.

Remember, we are always looking for new content and fresh views from new names, so send me an email at laura@narspb.org.uk with any funny stories, holiday reports or interesting photos or news to share in future editions of the newsletter.

Keep up to date onlineVisit the group website at

www.narspb.org.uk

Here you will find archived newsletters and the most up-to-date syllabus.

Social Media Join us on Facebook by searching for the ‘North Ayrshire RSPB Local Group’ page, where it will be updated with photos from the past, details of meetings and field trips of the upcoming season and news shared from around the country.

Or find us on Twitter with handle @rspbnorthayr for reminders of upcoming events and updates from the events as they happen. Also local sightings will be shared.

You can also find us on Instagram, search for @rspbnorthayr and give us a follow.

Join us on Flickr and add your photos to the ‘North Ayrshire RSPB Local Group’ group. See what else is being seen in the area and what our group is getting up to!

The Necessary BitUK HeadquartersThe Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsThe Lodge, Sandy, BedfordshireSG19 2DLTel: 01767 680551

Scotland HeadquartersRSPB Scotland2 Lochside ViewEdinburgh ParkEdinburghEH12 9DHTel: 0131 317 4100

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is a registered charity: England and Wales No. 207076, Scotland No. SC037654.

The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home. Together with our partners, we protect threatened birds and wildlife so our towns, coast and countryside will teem with life once again. We play a leading role in BirdLife International, a worldwide partnership of nature conservation organisations.

Chairman’s Message from Andy Shand As I write this introduction to our new season, two recent experiences are in my mind – 1) I was on ferry duty on Saturday and 2) I have just been out for a walk round my local patch.

On the ferry trip I talked to a lot of people about wildlife on Arran. Specifically, I told them how easy it was to see hen harrier on Arran compared to the rest of Ayrshire. Not one person knew why this is the case. So, I explained that one reason may be the absence of grouse shooting on Arran and how this differs from the mainland, another could be the lack of foxes as natural predators. The day left me wondering – the RSPB and other organisations have put a lot of resources into researching and reporting what is happening to raptors, but is anyone listening? If folks going to Arran haven’t got the message, who has? Are we just preaching to the converted?

As I strolled round Tarryholme in the sunshine, I was feeling a bit low; it’s July and the birds have disappeared for the summer. For a while it looked as though the bathing gulls might be the highlight. Then I picked up the distant reel of a grasshopper warbler and saw great-crested and little grebes with chicks. Even better, a couple of bushes had whitethroat, willow warbler and reed bunting. Back at the house there were siskin and juvenile great tits on my feeders. The world feels better!

Looking back, we had some great talks last year and an excellent set of field trips. I have particularly fond memories of the Bridlington trip but the Alpine swift at RSPB Scotland Baron’s Haugh would take some beating. Our indoor meetings were well attended, varied and interesting. The team has put together a programme for 2017-18 which will be just as good and I look forward to it.

On the practical front, the renovation of the hide at Clydeport has been completed and we will now just need to do annual maintenance. This has left us free to start installing birdwatching screens in the West Kilbride quarry. We have the usual stall on the ferry with a little twist this year – we have some RSPB staff along on various dates to cover shifts where we were short of volunteers.

Talking of volunteers, I want to thank all those who put so much time and effort into making our Group work. Over the year, we raise money for the RSPB, talk to the public, entertain and educate ourselves, recruit new members and, more importantly, give members a presence and voice in North Ayrshire.

One volunteer I would like to thank for her sterling efforts over the years is Isobel Passway, as she has decided that it is time to end the sale of seeds and nuts. As sales at meetings have diminished, we say goodbye to the last link with the seed that the NARSPB group planted that grew into the RSPB Lochwinnoch shop.

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SnippetsIn America, the land of consumer convenience, it is easy to buy fat cakes impregnated with chillies but in Britain, the land of invention, not so easy. I did write to the RSPB shop suggesting they start selling chilli fat cakes but no joy. Fortunately, someone pointed me in the direction of a company called “Twootz” who sell chilli impregnated fat cakes. We have been using them for a couple of months and they are working well. The birds like them and the squirrels don’t. The fat cakes are not as good as RSPB cakes so we only use them in one feeder and stick to RSPB cakes where possible. So, worth a try if squirrels are a problem. While squirrels don’t like chilli, it does them no harm.

All Change at LochwinnochAshley McCrae // After Zul’s departure, the position of site manager has been allocated to Tabby Lamont (previously assistant site manager). Claire Martin left us in July and moved to Falkirk to pursue her dream job working for a small community based charity. She is replaced by Nikki Bayliss who will pick up the admin side of her job and Carole McFadzean, currently an intern, will step into a part time information officer role and she will carry out the visitor centre aspect of Claire’s role. In July, Tim Sayer joined the team as our new Information Officer, a role previously carried out by Jasmine Caulfield.

Retail also seen the departure of retail assistant Feona Gray, however we welcomed on board two new retail assistants Jule Gilchrist who has previously worked for the Lochwinnoch shop and Eleanor Gardiner brand new to the RSPB.

As you can see we have had many departures and new appointments over the last few months, however we are confident going forward we have a fantastic and fresh new team. Be sure to introduce yourself to the new faces when you visit!

Crowdfunding for Clean UpLaura Montgomerie // Early in August, our friends at Eadha Enterprises and locals of Lochwinnoch found themselves at a bit of a loss. Vandals had broken into the Lochwinnoch Community Garden, stolen tools and equipment, and destroyed materials, plants and even the polytunnel. Environmental charity Eadha Enterprises had been using the garden for the propagation or rare native trees, specialising in aspen, which are used throughout the area to support local communities deliver woodland projects.

They are now determined to rebuild and are now raising money for the clean up, replacement of the polytunnel and all lost items, while also installing greater security measures. You can help by visiting gofundme.com/lochwinnoch-community-garden and donating towards the fund.

Too Hot for Squirrels to HandleAndy Shand // In our garden we spend a lot of time trying to squirrel proof our feeders. We have used cages, covers, sliders and spring-loaded feeders. By trial and error we have a mixture that works well at excluding squirrels, but we just have one last chink – a fat cake feeder amongst trees. Agile squirrels can always find a way to get at this one.

Being aware that squirrels, as mammals, can taste chilli (and don’t like it) but birds cannot, we started coating fat cakes in chilli powder (Catering size, 1kg, bought online). This works well – at first – until the birds peck the surface away, then, Mr Squirrel, who is not stupid, comes back and munches away. The other drawback is my tendency to wipe my eyes with hands coated in chilli powder – do not do this!

Fri 8 September

Paula Maughan & Susan Montgomerie – Birds in Art

Sat 16 September Fairlie Bay and Hunterston Area – meet at Fairlie Bay car park at 10.30am

Fri 29 September Lochwinnoch – Bat & Moth Night

Fri 13 October David O’Reilly – Recent Activities at Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue

Sun 22 October Eskrigg Nature Reserve, Lockerbie

Fri 10 November Iain Gibson – Fifty Years of Clyde Ornithology

Sat 11 November Baron’s Haugh – Winter Arrivals Guided Walk

Fri 17 November Lochwinnoch – Astronomy Evening

Sat 18 November Musselburgh and Aberlady Bay – meet at Dobbies Garden Centre, Lasswade at 10am

Fri 8 December

James Cassells – Mapping Arran’s Birds

Sat 9 December Baron’s Haugh – Festive Woodland Crafts

Tues 2 January 2018 New Year at Saltcoats Harbour and Local Patches

Fri 12 January

Members Presentations – A Late Christmas Party

Black = Indoor meetings held at Argyle Community Centre, Donaldson Avenue, Saltcoats. 7pm for 7.30pm start. Tea and coffee served at interval.

Blue = Field trips. More details available in group syllabus, including meeting points and times. Further info from Andy Shand - Tel: 01294 233486

Green = For more information about these RSPB Scotland events visit the RSPB website pages for the reserve noted. For some events there may be a small fee.

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first viaduct, we were a bit puzzled by what appeared to be some kind of strange bird feeder halfway up a tree. Curious!

As the path widened and the trees fell back to form a small amphitheatre, we were delighted to get a lovely view of a red squirrel on a low branch. We whispered to a couple sitting on a bench and the nonchalant reply was “Oh, yes. They come down to the feeders. And sometimes, roe deer come up the path to get to the woodland.” Within minutes, there they were - three roe deer, pausing on the path to look at us, and then climbing up the embankment to disappear amongst the trees. On the walk, we also got bullfinch, treecreeper, goldcrest, coal tit, kestrel, nuthatch and green woodpecker. The kids must love the spot where the steam train crashed down the embankment! Cool...

The only drawback was a rash of unwelcoming signs in the car park at Smardale, obviously put there by antisocial residents. We arrived late at the hotel where the rest of the group had partaken of a delicious meal and were finishing off with a small libation. The rooms were comfy and we prepared for the new day.

Tuesday // Andy was up and out early and got a barn owl flying not far from the hotel, starting the day off well. After an enormous breakfast, we set off to RSPB Bempton Cliffs with said cliffs full of nesting seabirds. The sounds were deafening and the smells were choking when the breeze blew them in but it was worth it to see the huge numbers of gannets, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and fulmars, forming lines of nests along the layers of rock. Puffins were scarce but a few were spotted, one hidden deep in a crevice near the viewpoint. A peregrine was seen hunting along the cliffs.

Walking along the clifftop path, we heard the familiar jangling call of the corn bunting - one of the few places in Britain where you have a good chance of seeing and hearing them. We were also delighted to pick up yellowhammers with quite a few yellow wagtails feeding in a stubble field, and it was really difficult to pick them out among the soil and short dry grasses.

Also, we had a real treat. A short-eared owl quartered the ground near the visitor centre, occasionally dropping down to try to catch some small prey. Every now and then, it succeeded and took the morsel back to the nest, hidden somewhere out of our sight.

Lunch with the swallows and tree sparrows over, our next stop was Flamborough Head Golf Club, looking for dotterel which had been reported. No joy. Then we went on to Filey Dam Nature Reserve, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, hidden behind a mature housing estate but well worth the search. The car park turned out to have lots of nestboxes, most of which were being used by tree sparrows.

Visiting the hides and walking along the boardwalks, we had great views of little egret, teal, tufties and mallard. There were quite a few Canada geese there and some of them were leucistic, causing some puzzled looks. John spotted a small bird at the top of some tall thin trees and it turned out to be a waxwing! What on earth was it doing here in May?

Using information from BirdGuides, we decided to attempt some twitching and headed through rush hour Scarborough. We parked up in the car park at Long Nab, Burniston, north of Scarborough and walked along the clifftop path towards and beyond the bird observatory, the fitter ones scouting ahead, the less fit bringing up the rear. We benefitted from Andy’s sharp eyes and found, well camouflaged in the stubble field, at least five shorelarks.

These were lifers for some of our group and great joy was had! We also had a lovely kestrel hunting along the field edges, one of the few birds to be seen each of the five days. They seem to be doing well in that corner of England. As we had a huge evening meal back at the hotel, the list was passed round and we found that our total for only two days was an amazing 82 species of birds.

Wednesday // We drove down to RSPB Blacktoft Sands with Montague’s Harrier as the main target. We searched high and low but no one spotted any. However, there were lots of other great birds to be seen. Reed warbler, sedge warbler, willow warbler, garden warbler, blackcap, whitethroat and finally, Cetti’s warbler all sang their individual songs, giving us a chance to separate the different melodies.

On the pools, we got lovely views of little grebes, little egrets, pochard, avocets, greenshanks and redshanks. A group of black-tailed godwits was absolutely stunning in the sunshine. Several marsh harriers, male and female, gave us stunning displays as they swept over the reeds, occasionally dropping down into the reeds, out of sight.

Other special birds at Blacktoft Sands included a sparrowhawk and small group of bearded tits, skipping through the edges of the reedbeds. The Shands were treated to an unusually long flight of a bittern. Later we directed the group to a place we’d found on a previous holiday called North Cave Wetlands Nature Reserve. It is being developed from sand and gravel pits and restored to fantastic wildlife habitats. Lots of hides and blinds look out over lots of birds, including mute swan, great crested grebe, avocets, little ringed plover and common tern. A lonely Brent goose was spotted from the large new Crosslands hide. Red-legged partridge was flushed out in front of Laura by the Tedds. A party of long-tailed tits

We Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside (continued from page 1)

Gannet, © Laura Montgomerie

Roe Deer, © Laura Montgomerie

Group at Long Nab, © Laura Montgomerie

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fluttered through the bushes beside us along the woodland walk, close enough to touch, almost. And as the Montgomeries loitered again hoping for a little owl, much to Andy’s chagrin, we heard a cackling yaffle and saw a green woodpecker as it swivelled round a tree trunk, trying to hide from us, before flying off. Some people go home too early!

Thursday // We headed straight for the golf course, to try to see the elusive dotterel, but “dipped out”, as they say. We did, however, get wheatear. We then went to a little reserve halfway along the road to Thornwick Bay, with hides round a series of scrapes, surrounded by lots of gorse. Linnet, whinchat, whitethroat, ringed plover and snipe were all seen.

Heading south, we went to Tophill Low Nature Reserve. It is actually a working water treatment centre but has taken on wildlife preservation as well. Lots of little hides are scattered round the reserve and there is a magnificent new main hide overlooking the D reservoir. On view among the many gulls were great crested grebe, gadwall and a pair of red-crested pochard. Then, there was a shout of “Hobby!” Everyone there got a superb view of a male hobby circling over the reservoir searching for food. It reappeared several times while we were there, so there’s obviously a good supply of insects over the water.

As we toured the reserve, popping in and out of the numerous hides, we got great views of yellow wagtail, common sandpiper, shoveler, teal, shelduck, goosander, common tern, ruff and little ringed plovers on a nest. Some reserve volunteers appeared at the side of the hide with wire, fencing and cages. What were they up to? They were wading out to put protection round the little ringed plover’s nest to stop predation. The female left the nest and the eggs were so cryptic, they were hard to pick out. Since the nest was extremely well camouflaged, we were delighted to help guide the volunteers through our scopes. We were a bit worried that the birds would be scared off, but we were assured that they would quickly adapt. Sure enough, within forty seconds of the guys leaving, the female

circled round and slipped through the cage to settle back on the nest. The male took rather longer to work out how to get inside, but, what’s new?

On the way round we heard strange piping, croaking noises and found a colony of marsh frogs. As usual, the Montgomeries were last to leave and, pausing briefly on the bridge leaving the reserve, a small flash zipped under the bridge, left to right. Hurriedly parking the car, we leapt out and scanned the stream, as a blue streak flashed past us back to the other side. We ran across and got the scope on a low hanging branch to see a kingfisher with fish. It flew into the bank vegetation and out of our view. The Tedds were rather peeved that they hadn’t lingered a bit longer!

This being the last night, it was decided that we must have some of the “best fish and chips in England”, so we drove into Bridlington town centre and parked near the harbour. Queueing up at the chippy to order in one of the tiniest shops ever, we took our victuals outside to the aluminium tables and chairs and ate our goodies in the teeth of a force 9 hurricane. The food was delicious and very filling but we were frozen to the bone by the end! What did the locals think about us all, I wonder? (Tourists!)

However, it was worthwhile as we then went to look at the boats in the harbour, picking up a few new species at the same time. First, we saw dunlin, and a single, lonely barnacle goose. Further on we saw turnstones, eider and two or three purple sandpipers only seen by hanging over the high harbour wall. Hearing the “kirrik” of sandwich terns, we saw three flying above the high seas accompanied by a few kittiwakes.

Friday // While some of the group decided to go straight home, the Tedd’s car and the

Montgomeries chose to take in a bit more birdwatching. We drove to Sutton Bank, where there was a lovely visitor centre, to look for their star bird - breeding turtle dove. This is fast becoming a very rare bird and the opportunity of hearing their little purring calls was welcome. (Word to the wise - if you are going to Sutton Bank, do not go via Malton. It took us the best part of an hour to get through that bottleneck!) Having arrived and parked, toilets and refreshments were the order of the day and we all enjoyed coffee and scrumptious cakes while looking out at the extensive bird feeder array full of finches and tits. We were able to add siskin and willow tit to the list. A scurrying field vole sprinted out several times from under the flagstones to pick up dropped seed before dashing back out of sight. Knowing that turtle doves breed in the woodlands nearby, we took a short walk. At one point, we saw a dove shape flying away from us through the trees, but couldn’t see it well enough to positively identify it, so we haven’t added it to the total. But, you never know...

Heading for home, we made one last stop at Eskrigg Nature Reserve just west of Lockerbie, and found it to be a little gem! There was easy parking and walking, with level paths through the reserve, leading you to the visitor centre. At the picnic tables, we were thrilled to see a small group of crossbills, trilling from the top of the high firs. Further on, at the centre and small hide, we got cracking views of great spotted woodpeckers, red squirrels and jays. The self-composting toilet was clean and fresh, an utter delight and very different to the one at North Cave! Well worth visiting!

Lots of birds were seen over the week that I haven’t even mentioned and our final total was 125 species. When are we going back??

Avocet, © Laura Montgomerie

Group at Bridlington chippy, © Janice Weir

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Field Trip ReportsStrathclyde Loch and RSPB Scotland Baron’s Haugh - Sun 19 March 2017Hazel Montgomerie // Our day of urban birdwatching started at the Watersports Centre in Strathclyde Country Park. After morning coffee and snacks from the cafe in the centre, we headed out to the edge of Strathclyde Loch. A small gaggle of greylag geese sat at the far edge of the loch, not at all bothered by the people and dogs walking nearby! On the water, we could see mallards, tufted ducks, goldeneye and upon closer inspection, two scaup. Walking past the jetty used for launching rowboats, we saw cormorants lined up along the edge along with plenty of lesser black backed gulls.

After walking a little further along the loch, we headed towards a footpath over the River Clyde. We could hear and see long-tailed tits, blue tits, wrens and goldcrests in the trees overhanging the river and amongst the foliage at the edge of the river, a secretive moorhen was spotted. Also seen were pied wagtails, a grey wagtail, oystercatchers and woodpigeons.

We all got in our cars and drove off to the next location of the day: Baron’s Haugh. As we were making our way to the first of four hides at the reserve, some members called out what was thought to be a swift flying high in the sky above them. After managing to get a clear view when it emerged from the treetops, it was identified as an Alpine swift! This bird very rarely visits the UK as it’s usually found along the Southern Europe, however it was nice to add this little bird to few of the members’ life lists! After the excitement of the rare migrant, we headed on to the first hide of the day called the Marsh Hide. From there we could see many waterbirds such as pochard, coot, teal, mute swans, whooper swans and a grey heron stalking along the water’s edge. In the reeds and nearby trees, we also saw reed buntings, chiffchaffs and roe deer. We were also treated to the sight of a sparrowhawk flying past the hide.

Onto the next hide, dubbed the Causeway Hide, we settled in and got the sarnies out for lunch! The wind had started to pick up at this point so most of the birds were staying out of sight, bar a few moorhens and tufted ducks in front of the hide. Suddenly, a small brown waterbird emerged from the reeds and sprinted across the mossy ground in front of the hide. It was none other than a water rail! It was truly a “blink and miss it” moment! With full stomachs, we headed onto hide number 3: the Phoenix Hide. Sadly, no mythical fire birds could be found here however we did see a charm of goldfinches, redwings and wrens. The last hide, named the Centenary Hide, had a nice view which overlooked all the previous hides and the large body of water. From this hide, we saw the whooper swan family from earlier in the day, Canada geese, sand martins and a toad.

We moved further along the trail, leaving behind the marshy land

and advancing into woodland. Part of this walk ran parallel to the River Clyde, where we saw a goosander fishing. We worked our way through the woodland that was part of the nearby Dalzell Estate which lead us to a beautiful Japanese garden, complete with distinct archways and exotic flora. A solitary song thrush was working its way across a patch of grass, posing for photos as it went.

Back at the car park, we added a few extra species to the list including dunnock and bullfinch. We were told about a tawny owl that roosts regularly in a nearby tree so a few members stayed behind to have a look. We made our way down the path called the White Walk (for the Game of Thrones fans, we were literally White Walkers!) to meet up with the couple that spotted it. They had already trained their scope on the branch high up in the giant tree. Looking through the scope, we eventually spotted the very well camouflaged bundle of feathers that was the roosting tawny owl! As we were about to leave, the Alpine swift reappeared and flew over our heads. We pointed it out to the couple who hadn’t seen it before and watched as it glided off into the horizon. Altogether, 57 species of bird were spotted.

RSPB Scotland Ken Dee Marshes - Sat 22 April 2017Susan Montgomerie // A lovely sunny day in prospect, I was pleased to see a song thrush at the roadside and a hare in the fields as we went round the Ayr by-pass. Buzzard was picked up as we journeyed south. Stopping for our usual coffee and bacon butty/cake break at The Smithy Tearoom in New Galloway, we sat outside and found some more birds for the list. Collared dove, greenfinch, goldfinch and siskin were there and a good population of house sparrows too. A lovely grey wagtail flew up and down the river beside us. Checking out the other side of the road bridge as we went back to the cars, a dipper bobbed about on the rocks further downstream. Just before we got in the cars and left, one of the members spotted a bird flying very high in the sky. It was none other than a red kite, a sign we were well and truly in the Dumfries and Galloway countryside! As we drove out of New Galloway to our next destination, we spotted a wheatear sitting on a stone wall.

Our first stop at Woodhall Loch overlooked the water but we could see very little as fishermen were camping at the water’s edge. However, we managed to see red kites and a buzzard. Then we saw a kestrel hovering over the hillside. We also heard, and then saw, a skylark plus a meadow pipit and a few linnets. We moved further down to a little pull-off in the trees and found plenty of orange tip butterflies. An invisible reed bunting was singing from the reeds and it took some time to actually see it! On the water and in the reeds, we spotted grey heron, mute swan, moorhen and coot. In the trees around the car park, we added great spotted woodpecker, willow warbler, blackcap, goldcrest and treecreeper.

Then it was time to head off to RSPB Scotland Ken-Dee Marshes reserve, spotting house martins as we drove along. Having parked the car at the reserve car park, we loitered at the wall, looking over the ponds and flashes of Loch Ken, seeing oystercatchers, curlew and Canada geese. A mistle thrush flew past and a blackcap was singing in the tall tree. A small family of long-tailed tits picked off insects from the low branches of another tree, only to bring them back to their very well camouflaged nest nearby! There was a good sized flock of twite swirling about, landing on the telegraph wires and then, off again.

On the ponds in front of the first hide, we could see mallard, shoveler, teal, lapwings and redshanks. A couple of chiffchaffs chirped in the trees. Some well-filled feeders attracted lots of small birds including great tit, blue tit, coal tit and, star bird, willow tit. There were enough plumage differences to be able to identify

RSPB Scotland Baron’s Haugh, © John Montgomerie

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different birds and, at one stage, there were at least three willow tits there. The nuthatches were quite aggressive and only the great spotted woodpeckers were more dominant, chasing off all rivals.

As we walked through the woodland to the second hide, we could hear nuthatches peeping to each other in the woodland. Settling on the benches inside the hide, bullfinches nibbled at buds on the bushes in front of the windows and then a movement to the left had us grabbing for bins and cameras. A beautiful red squirrel plonked itself on the feeder and spent the next 15 minutes or so munching peanuts! A small spot of colour caught my eye in the distance and I looked at it expecting to see a plastic bag or something, but instead, it was a jay. It hopped around before disappearing into the trees. On the way back from the hide Marco spotted a male pied flycatcher and then a male redstart was seen searching for food round the base of a tree in the undergrowth, occasionally popping up on one of the small branches.

As we drove past Earlston Loch going home, a strange large bird flew directly away from us, giving us a peculiar end-on view, and then swooped up into a tree. We couldn’t see it, didn’t know what it was and decided

to turn back to see if we could find it. As we drove south, scouring the treetops and branches, Hazel and Andy both spotted it in the canopy. Still not sure, we turned again and drove slowly back and found it to be a big chunky peregrine! As we drove slowly underneath it, it swivelled its head and stared at us with yellow-ringed eyes, bright yellow feet gripping the branch. I think that’s the closest I’ve been to a wild peregrine! We also saw a goosander on the river and a stonechat on a wire fence on the way home.

We decided to drop in to Loch Doon where the Roundhouse Café was open and we had welcome refreshments. Common gulls and sand martins flew over the loch as we trained our scopes on the osprey nest across the loch. A small drama occurred at the nest where three ospreys were present and were being mobbed by a couple of ravens. The café owner came out to talk to us, took some photos and put up a post on the Roundhouse Facebook page where we found out the ospreys names were Angel and Cullen. A sad addendum is that Cullen was chased off by a new male, FK4, towards the end of May and has not been seen again. I wonder if the three ospreys we saw were Angel, Cullen and the intruder, FK4? We continued home having seen 75 species.

RSPB Scotland Loch Lomond - Sun 11 June 2017Andy Shand // Twelve of the group assembled on Sunday 11 June. We were clearly anticipating mud and rain as wellies, boots and waterproof trousers were much in evidence. In the end, the weather was kind to us – we stayed dry despite a strong wind that made birdwatching difficult! Even better, it tipped it down just after we had finished.

For all of us this was a first visit to the reserve and we were delighted to be shown round by Paula Baker, the site manager, who knows the reserve well. Better than that, she is good company and very helpful. Between her and our own Deirdre, “we” managed to ID many interesting plants. I liked the orchids and cinquefoil because they are pretty but plant of the day was tufted loosestrife. This is rare, highly localised and in need of friends.

After admiring the redpolls, baby tits and great-spotted woodpeckers around the feeders, we walked the new path. Although not long, it covers a good range of habitat and has a spectacular viewpoint. The seats here can be very good for watching whoopers and whitefronts in the winter. Paula then took us out onto the open reserve area. No paths and no signs, so we were glad to be led. It was a bit too windy for butterflies but we saw a few moths and plenty of flowers. I was very impressed by the range of habitat we saw – open fields and meadows, reed beds and bogs, beech and oak woodland. There is a lot of variety here.

Lunch was eaten on the shores of Net Bay. A great viewpoint for distant, nesting osprey (I was glad that John and Chris had carried scopes when I was too lazy). Great views of the hills and the loch and just as we left a much closer osprey did a flypast.

As we circled back to the farm, where our cars were parked, we passed an area with breeding lapwing and redshank before heading through a field, full of cattle, that was definitely on the boggy side. As we all saw the osprey, I nominate that as bird of the day but the much depleted Montgomerie clan (Susan and John were at the Ardrossan Highland Games) of Hazel and Laura did manage to see spotted flycatcher. In total we had 56 species on a day when we had to work hard for our birds. I definitely recommend the reserve and its team. If the wind ever drops, I am going back to get my flycatcher.

RSPB Scotland Ken-Dee, © John Montgomerie

RSPB Scotland Loch Lomond, © Laura Montgoemrie

Willow Tit, © Hazel Montgomerie

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A Foray into the Falkirk CountrysideLaura Montgomerie // It was June when I was asked to drive Hazel to work and back on a Sunday morning (so she could have a few(!) drinks the night before). She works just up past Cumbernauld in a lab that is situated in farm country and rather than go up and down again, I decided to wait for her there. Heavy rain descended and I stayed put in the car with a book for the first hour or so, and then the rain cleared and I took a wander around the buildings and surrounding farm lanes.

Collared doves cooed from the tall trees behind the car and a bird feeder down low attracted blue, great and coal tits, while robins danced along the bare ground underneath. I was told goldcrests could sometimes be heard here, although none called that day. Swallows reeled and spun around the buildings, as they nested nearby.

Out to the edge of the car park, overlooking a tiny valley with a stream at the bottom, I could finally hear the goldcrest – they sang from the treetops that were at my eye level. Further down the lyrical call of willow warblers could be heard and could be seen fluttering from branch to branch. To my right, a large shrub plant, surrounded by brambles let out a warning call, I turned quickly to see the flash of

a whitethroat disappear down into the thick branches. I waited. Sure enough out it popped again, this time perching on an outer branch and belting out a proper song.

Back past the buildings and out onto the single track country lane, I headed for a bare patch of land next to a small marshy area. Song thrushes and blackbirds hopped across the rubble and picked out morsels for eating. A pied wagtail with a beak full of insects, bounced along the grassy edge and led me towards the small pond. I tucked myself into the grass to keep myself out of the way of any traffic and watched as this little area buzzed with life. A mallard family swam around the small open patches of water, the harsh call of the sedge warbler rose from the reeds and willow warblers and more whitethroats sang from the tops of the large shrubs that dotted the edge of those reeds.

The weather had stared to turn again and I started to head back o the car, watching the jackdaws and magpies fly about the fields and fences – all busy with family in-fighting to notice me walking by.

It’s good to enjoy the little moments as well as the big trips!

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Wendy Tedd // A few years ago the bandstand by the River Kelvin was renovated. By the bandstand there was a viewing blind looking onto the river, which had been installed by the RSPB. It had a mural on it of a pond scene depicting birds which might be seen in the area, including a kingfisher, which is something John and I have looked for each time we visit the Kelvin, but have never seen. The local graffiti artists had added their contributions to the painting. It consisted of two sheets of plywood mounted on a frame and a number of viewing ports. The RSPB decided they no longer wanted it and was offered to our group. We decided that an ideal place would be Garrett Gardens in West Kilbride. These gardens are in the old quarry, which is now used as a community garden.

One day John and a neighbour went to Glasgow with a trailer, a full set of tools, and transported the blind back to West Kilbride. It stayed, neglected, in the quarry for a couple of years, while the active members

of the group refurbished the hide at Clydeport. This year, as the hide is now renovated, it was time to start work on the blind. We were advised that any woodwork should not be placed directly into the ground as it would rot very quickly, so concrete foundations were laid with short concrete pillars left protruding. This work took two days, and was manfully completed in the rain and mud thanks to Andy, John and Susan M, Stewart, Paula and John.

Since then, the frames to hold the boards have been constructed and mounted on the concrete pillars. These frames are attached to the concrete pillars with steel rods which go into the concrete foundations. The next stage is to construct a roof over the viewing area. This will provide protection for people and the

blind’s murals from the ever present rain. Next the boards will be mounted, and then the art work can be restored.

At the moment the Garrett Gardens are only open on a Friday from 10am to noon. If anyone wants to see the blind at any other time, John can be contacted, and should be able to let you in.

A New Home for a Viewing Blind