Hogganfield

Hogganfield on a very grey Glasgow morning. The recent freezing conditions had partly frozen some of the loch. C35 Wigeon were present having presumably been forced off somewhere else by the conditions. There were also c15 Whooper Swans, 2 Buzzard & a Kingfisher.

Heron on ice

Gadwall - Digiscoped in poor light (2 of about 6 present)

Dipper at Rouken Glen

Very difficult. ISO on the camera at maximum. Photographing in a gorge with lots of overhanging trees in December is not to be recommended.

Ring Billed Gull at Strathclyde Park

The adult Ring Billed Gull now returning for its 4th winter at Strathclyde Park:

Female Scaup also on the loch with Goldeneye & Tufted Duck.

Baron's Haugh had a Green Sandpiper and 60 Teal. Otherwise some wintering Thrushes was about all there was.

Heritage Loch

Two runs round the Heritage Loch in the last few days have produced few birds. Presumably most of the ducks left whilst it was frozen over the past 10 days. Today there was a single male Goosander and little else.

Male Blackcap at the garden feeder today.

Weekend Update

Saturday - post run at the Heritage Loch. Loch was partly frozen following below zero nights earlier on in the week. Tufted Duck numbers had plummeted to 1 but the remaining drake was accompanied by a female Scaup.

15 Lapwing remained and about a dozen Redwing flew through. Bigger than usual number of gulls but nothing out of the ordinary.

Sunday - Strathclyde Loch, Goldeneye & Tufted Duck but not much else. Could not find any Geese at Slamannen.

Cathkin Marsh

Cold, a slight covering of snow on hard surfaces. Buzzard, Kestrel, 6 Redwing, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, 2 Heron, thought I heard Water Rail.

Heritage Loch

Freezing temperatures overnight resulted in a significant increase in birds.

• 60 Grey Lag Geese
• 1 Pink Footed Goose
• 25 Tufted Duck
• 1 drake Scaup
• 1 Teal
• 1 Little Grebe
• 2 Cormorant
• 12 Snipe
• 17 Lapwing
• 2 Bullfinch

Hogganfield & Frankfield

2 Ruddy Ducks (males) on Hogganfield this morning with Gadwall, Pochard, Goldeneye, Great Crested Grebe and others.

Frankfield partly frozen and nothing of any note.

South Cathkin

Started at Cathkin Marsh which produced Buzzard, c30 Fieldfare, 2 Stonechat and female Bullfinch. Heritage Loch had 1 drake Scaup & 19 Tufted Duck.

Caerlaverock

A nice crisp morning for the drive down to Caerlaverock and I was on site for 9am. Barnacle Geese were never close but there were still hundreds in adjacent fields including one hybrid Barnacle/Snow. My first Fieldfares of the autumn were along the Avenue walk and a Little Egret was on the flood.

In the afternoon from the Salcot Tower I had a male Hen Harrier, Merlin & a probable Peregrine making it a 6 bird of prey day and the day was finished off with the Whooper Swans coming into the Folly Pond.

East Yorkshire

Spent 3 days in early October based in Hull with a view to exploring the Spurn headland. The wind direction was stubbornly westerly and has been all Autumn this year so much of the 3 days were at sites more inland.

On the way down I caught up with the very obliging juvenile Long Tailed Skua at Goswick.

I also got very lucky with the Scops Owl at Ryehope near Sunderland. This was a British lifer for me.

I stopped at Fairburn Ings and had Willow Tit on the Centre feeders and good views of Green Woodpecker.

Little Egret at Fairburn Ings

The 2nd day was spent at Easington & Kilnsea. It was good to finally see sites that have held so many good birds over the years. The former site had a juvenile Rose Coloured Starling and a Red Backed Shrike.

Kilnsea Wetlands were good with c6 Little Stint among more usual waders.

Slav Grebe at Kilnsea

Down at the road end I saw a rather distant Whinchat that was my first for the year.

I spent most of the 3rd day at Blacktoft Sands. c10 Curlew Sands were a feature here. Also Spotshank & Marsh Harrier were notable.

Spotshanks

North Norfolk

Had a very enjoyable week staying in Thornham in late July. Visited Titchwell every morning and had in particular:

• Pectoral Sandpiper
• Great White Egret
• Turtle Dove
• Hobby
• Spotshank
• Barn Owl

Bempton Cliffs

Spent a day in June photographing the seabirds.

Caerlaverock