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A Backward Spring The trees are afraid to put forth
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14th April 2019: Portmoak Moss and RSPB Loch Leven I had a conversation in midweek with a birder I met at Lochwinnoch, who advised me that if I wanted to see Green Woodpeckers then a good place to go would be Portmoak Moss at Scotlandwell. So I thought I’d check it out and also have a long overdue visit to the neighbouring RSPB Loch Leven (formerly Vane Farm). The weather was to be mainly cloudy with a chance of the odd sunny interval. We called in at Bathgate Morrisons for breakfast (super food and service, with only a slight grumble of over- cooked tattie scone: 9.5/10) then it was across the Queensferry Crossing to bonny Loch Leven. The Portmoak Moss Reserve is owned by the Woodland Trust and there is an active Community Woodland Group . Once parked we made our way around the reserve’s circular route. We came across a large area of Butterbur by a pathside ditch. Their flowering spikes sat in a bed of Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage. There was also a large Green Alkanet plant in flower.
I was pleased to see an
Early Bumblebee feeding on a Butterbur spike. Their comparatively small
size and yellow and orange colourings make them fairly easy to
identify. As we pressed on, we noticed that many of the tree trunks
carried fungi, such as the Hoof Fungus shown below. It was used
forthousands of years as a source on tinder. Eventually we emerged from the woods out into the open area central to the reserve. This was the Portmoak Moss, a raised peat bog , the predominant plant in the area being Sphagnum Moss
(commonly called Peat Moss). A lone Roe Deer stood cautiously at the
edge of the woods watching us carefully. It looked as if it was casting
its coat as it was pretty shabby.
Throughout the visit gliders were circling silently overhead. These were from the local Scottish Gliding Centre . We then entered the next area of woods where we were tantalised by the unmistakable call of a Green Woodpecker . However, despite scanning the area for over an hour, it didn’t show. The only bird I was able to photograph was a Chaffinch close to the car. As we drove out of Scotlandwell we did also see a gathering of Swans feeding in the middle of a field. These were mainly Mute Swans with a few Whoopers.
We drove the few miles south to RSPB Loch Leven Reserve and we were soon sitting in the Gillman hide where I was relieved to find some birds to photograph. A Moorhen was prowling below a feeder. Then some Greenfinches appeared followed by a pair of Tree Sparrows. A bold wee Coal Tit sped in, nabbed a seed and sped out, in one movement.
A Blue Tit, Robin and Goldfinch (see “Pictures of the Week”, below) were other participants in the feeding frenzy. In the reeds by the pond a Mallard sat preening but there was little else on the pond, but further away from the hide, over the south end of Loch Leven, I could just make out the movements of groups of Tufted Ducks and Goldeneye.
The view of the hills east of Loch Leven, taken from the Carden Hide:
We moved directly to the furthest hide, the Carden Hide, as we had been tipped off that a Shoveler was showing well there. Of course when we arrived at the hide another birder informed us that it had flown back to where we’d just left. However, there were lots of birds on the pond, including a pair of lovely Shelduck. A half a dozen Greylags were also on the water. Prominent, facing the hide, were a colony of nesting Black-headed Gulls on a fenced-off island. Occasionally some of these gulls took to the air and noisily circled the island, protesting at some perceived threat (see “Pictures of the Week”, below). A notice carried the information that chicks were expected imminently. In an adjacent field a large cow was watching its calf as the commotion played out.
Just beyond the island of gulls I spotted a Little Grebe diving for small fish. Around it a few Tufted Ducks moved across the pond. John had spotted some Lapwings flying near to the Calf and very luckily for us it landed very close to the hide, well illuminated and unaware of our attention (see “Pictures of the Week”, below). It was a very handsome bird with its fine crest and beautifully iridescent wing feathers. Just as we left the Carden Hide, a pair of Shelduck flew in an landed to the west of the hide.
We walked back to the hide we missed, the Waterston Hide, and immediately we could see a couple of pairs of Teal dabbling in the pond. The fine plumage of the drakes, especially the green head streak, never fails to impress. A small flock of Meadow Pipits were active in the grass around the hide, although they were hard to pick out with the naked eye, never mind with the camera. On our walk back, between the Gillman and Waterston, from through a wooden viewing fence, we got close views of a Little Egret . These are no longer a rarity in Southern and Central Scotland so they no longer create as much excitement in birders here as once the did. My final capture was of a fine Primrose just outside the Gillman Hide. It is one of the earliest flowers to appear in spring, hence the name “Prima Rosa”, first rose (although it’s not a rose).
Well, we didn’t get to see a Green Woodpecker, although we did hear them, but it was good to familiarise ourselves with the Portmoak Moss Reserve. We will no doubt return there and we may yet catch sight of one of their Green Woodpeckers. One other regret is that we missed seeing a Spoonbill that was reported just as we had to leave. Oh well, that’s how the cookie crumbles - talking of which, our usual end-of-visit tea and Danish pastries went down as well as ever. We always finish on a high. Pictures of the Week:
7th April: Troon and Irvine Harbour Sunday’s weather for Scotland was to be overcast with the best chances of brightness in the west. I thought I’d give Troon a try as I’d heard there were Purple Sandpipers there. After last week’s poor brekky in Kilmarnock Asda we thought we’d start the day with breakfasts in Stewartfield Morrison’s, East Kilbride (9/10: slow service in poor lighting). It was indeed overcast when we arrived at the South Beach Esplanade Car Park in Troon. As we walked onto the beach, a Royal Navy Hawk T1a flew over our heads as it came into land at Prestwick. It was the first of many frequent passes, leaving us to believe these were training flights. Despite the gloomy conditions the beach was overrun with dog walkers, however we quickly came across a lovely pair of Stonechats (also see “Pictures of the Week”, below). Another Prestwick bound aeroplane passed overhead, a yellow air ambulance, a Beech King Air 200C
We made our way towards Meikle Craigs, moving parallel to the world famous and bird-aware Royal Troon Golf Course. We saw our first pair of Sandwich Terns for 2019. They didn’t hang about and I was lucky too get a quick snap. Much closer was a Carrion Crow skimming the salt pools. A pair of Curlew loitered on the shoreline seemingly tolerating passersby, even dog walkers. John pointed out a distant, dense flock passing over the west end of Meikle Craigs. I would guess that they were oystercatchers, but the picture doesn’t help much.
An attractive 3rd-year Herring Gull caught my eye as it flew past. Gulls take 4 years to reach maturity so ageing them can be tricky. Offshore there was a small fishing boat, probably after lobsters. Sadly there wasn’t much more to be seen on Meikle Craig. As we returned to the car we did see a small flock of twittering Linnets that descended onto rotting seaweed on the beach in front of us. At the car a handsome large Lesser Black-backed Gull was standing atop a street lamp (also see “Pictures of the Week”, below).
We drove the short distance to the Troon Harbour car park. John noticed a Rock Pipit preening on the rocks near the car. Also on the same area I spotted a Wren moving unpredictably between the rocks. We decided to walk south along the Ballast Bank to scan the shore for Purple Sandpipers. There were the usual Redshanks foraging there, and John delighted in his sighting of “Sammy Seal” or Grey Seal, as others refer to it.
Just before the concrete ramp there were lots of just-blooming plants of Hoary Cress. We had just reached the Ballast Bank when I got a nice flight shot of a large passing Cormorant. I also got a close shot of a fit-looking adult Herring Gull. Then, to our delight, there they were foraging, 15m in front of us, a half dozen Purple Sandpipers (also see “Pictures of the Week”, below).
The light was poor but I got some decent pictures nevertheless. We trooped back satisfied towards the car. John noticed a pair of Black Guillemots far offshore. I managed a record shot. I also got shots of a passing Gannet and a drake Eider.
A wee male Pied Wagtail landed on a picnic bench in front of me. John directed my attention to a fairly large flock of Ringed Plovers that had flown onto the rocks (see also the panorama below). Just beyond them a pair of Seals had surfaced, and as we left a female House Sparrow bid us farewell from a nearby rooftop.
A view of the flock of Ringed Plovers:
We drove the few miles north to Irvine Harbour, this time seeking Sandwich Terns that had recently been reported. The scene that greeted us as we arrived was unexpected - there was some sort of kite convention going on. The kites were unconventional, my favourite being the big purple teddy. As we walked along the side of the riverside I captured nice pictures of a fishing Shag and a Great Black-backed Gull. We scanned the river mouth for Terns but managed only to see some passing Red-breasted Mergansers.
Almost at the point of giving up I detected the familiar “creaking” call of the Sandwich Tern. Before too long a half dozen birds appeared, each diving in the water and sometimes emerging with fish in their beaks. (also see “Pictures of the Week”, below)
It had been one of those days when one might have taken a look out the window and decided to go back to bed. But the trip had been rewarding having seen such a variety of species. Of course we celebrated by consuming tea and very fine Danish pastries. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Pictures of the Week:
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