Barons Haugh

I don't visit Baron's Haugh as much as I used to. It has fond memories for me. I used to live in Motherwell in the late eighties & early nineties and it was on my doorstep. It is a time I look back on with some fondness. I enjoyed Motherwell. Where I lived was good, my job was good. I liked the camaraderie. Things have moved on ! Things have changed ! Visiting Baron's Haugh brings back memories, things I have lost.

Baron's Haugh has changed too. It is undoubtedly still one of the best birding sites in Lanarkshire. However, it no longer has the full time warden, it is not as well watched and you do not meet many birders. Today for instance, despite it being the weekend , in 4 hours I met one person who was looking at birds. Jump back to my period of 'fond memories' and there would have been several photographers in the Marsh Hide and the talk would have been about Green Sands & Water Rails and the possibility of a Black Tern in the weeks to come.

Yes, it is still good and today again underlined that. My visit followed early morning rain and coincided with lots of bird activity. The walk from the car park over the hill produced several Whitethroat, some busily feeding young and Sedge Warblers and "tacking" Blackcaps. On reaching the Marsh Hide there were several Teal and squealing Water Rail and a Heron stalking its prey:

A Garden Warbler was seen and heard from close to the hide as well as several Reed Buntings. A Grasshopper Warbler reeled from cover to the left of the hide, but despite sounding close I could not get on to it.

After the recent rain, the Haugh was fairly full and the area in front of the Marsh Hide looked excellent for a Green Sand but none were present today.  A Roe Deer showed well in front of the hide:

Most birds have now largely stopped singing but Chiffchaff is one exception and this bird was belting it out from the power lines above the Marsh Hide:

From the Causeway Hide, there was a party of Gadwall including 11 ducklings. The resident pair of Mute Swans had 1 cygnet. Otherwise there were lots of eclipse Mallards, 1 Cormorant and a single Oystercatcher.
I spent some time scanning the river at several parts in the hope of Kingfisher but I was out of luck today. A female Goosander and young however, showed well:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I carried on towards Carbarns, negotiating the local drunks and their buckfast bottles in the process. 2 more Garden Warblers were heard but there were no LRP's or other interesting waders at the pool.
 
The graveyard area also failed to produce the expected Spot Flys.
 
A nice cappochino at the cafe at the Strathy to finish !