Bank Holiday Weekend Catchup

Started on Friday morning at Glen Finglas trying to nail some more summer visitors before there are too many leaves on the trees.

A Spotted Flycatcher showed well in trees close to the start & I was soon hearing Wood Warbler & Tree Pipit but frustratingly & despite much searching I failed to secure any Pied Flycatcher. Redstarts though were fairly easy although getting a good shot is a bit more difficult:

Male Redstart

In the more open areas Tree Pipit were a bit more obvious & I got a good view of a Cuckoo out on the open moorland. Encouragingly, Willow Warblers seem a bit more plentiful this year. This one gathering nest material:

Willow Warbler perched in broom

I climbed up on to Lendrick Hill through the trees and got a brief view of a Woodcock as it flew. It's not a bird I see very often so it was very welcome despite the brevity of view. A couple of singing Garden Warbler were also notable.

On Saturday I went to Saltcoats Harbour hoping to jam in on some of the good Skua passage this year. It was a glorious morning with light winds and not ideal for Skuas. I did manage both Arctic & Bonxie but none of the rarer ones. Nonetheless, it was still an entertaining couple of hours with a good variety of coastal species including both Red & Black Throated Diver, Common Scoter, Black Guillemot, Kittiwake & Pink Footed Goose. Eiders with young also added to the mix:

I stopped off on the way home at Lochwinnoch hoping to see the 2 male Garganey but unfortunately they remained out of site. I managed reeling Grasshopper Warbler for a year tick and the nesting Mute Swans at the end of the Dubbs Water Trail already had 4 cygnets:

Encouraged by Saltcoats on Saturday I was down again on Sunday. Viability was a lot better and it was a lot windier although there was an element of north in it. Over 2-3 hours I didn't see any Skuas but I was kept entertained by lots of Gannets, Razorbill, Manx Shearwater, Sandwich Tern & Red Throated Divers. A fairly obliging Black Guillemot was on the rocks below the tower:

After a scone & coffee to heat me up I went round to Stevenston Point via the pond at Auchenharvie golf course. A Pink Footed Goose allowed a close shot:

I spent about an hour watching off Stevenston Point but by now the sun was making things difficult. A couple of close Fulmar was notable.

I stopped again at Lochwinnoch on the way home & caught up with 2 of the 3 male Garganey. One was significantly into eclipse plumage indicating perhaps that it has already bred & that there is a female tucked away on eggs somewhere.