Archive - July 2025
 

Week ending: 27th July: Stevenston, Strathclyde Country Park,
                                           Hogganfield Park,
Jim’sGarden

Wednesday, 23rd July: Stevenston

The weather for Wednesday was predicted to be mainly cloudy throughout the whole of West Central Scotland, with occasional sunny intervals. There was a possibility of rain in the east, so that is why I decided to visit Stevenston in the west.

Cloud Rain Tide
Courtesy of Weather Pro  and BBC Tides

When I arrived at Stevenston Point the tide was nearing it highest point and there were some birds, such as the Redshanks shown below, snoozing at the edge of the Point.


Another of the birds resting there was a Whimbrel (note its characteristic dark band on its head). Eider and Oystercatchers were in the majority and Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls were coming and going as they scavenged the coast for food.

Whimbrel Female Eider
Oystercatcher Lesser Black - backed Gull

After about a quarter of an hour several Gannets  and Sandwich Terns turned up and began diving to the south of the Point.


They put on quite a show (but since the Sun was behind them, they were rather silhouetted against the light). There was at least one juvenile Sandwich Tern (note it’s more patterned wings) diving with the adults. As I snapped away merrily trying to capture some decent action shot, a
wee female Pied Wagtail landed on the rock close to where I was standing. Also, I got a brief sighting of a passing Grayling butterfly that landed below my feet.

Gannet...
1st Cycle Sandwich Tern Sandwich Tern
Female Pied Wagtail Grayling Butterfly

An Immature Herring Gull passed overhead…..


…… and a small flock of Shags that had been diving just beyond the range of my camera, decided to relocate and fly west, passing fairly close to the Point.


After about half an hour, the Gannets and Sandwich Terns moved on and things quietened down. I decided to check out Auchenharvie Loch and after parking near the golf course I walked the welltarred path that passes the loch. On the way I came across some insects feeding on Common
Ragwort and Creeping Thistles that were growing profusely on the uncut grass on either side of the path. The insects included Honey Bees, the hoverfly, Syrphus Ribesii and White-tailed Bumblebees.

Common Ragwort / Honeybee Large Bindweed / Hoverfly - Syrphus Ribesii
White - tailed Bumblebee Creeping Thistle

When I arrived at the pond I was pleased to see a pair of Mute Swans with nine well-grown cygnets. However I was somewhat disappointed to find that, apart from some gulls and eclipse Mallards there didn’t appear to be any other birds of note.


On my way back to the car I admired some Musk Mallow and Lesser Burdock that managed to grow through the thick vegetation along side the path. I had been wondering, given the high number of Common Ragwort plants growing among the grass, why hadn’t I seen a Burnet Moth,
whose caterpillars love Ragwort. Then I did see a 6-spot Burnet Moth which was feeding on a Red Clover flower. And, as I neared the car, I noticed there was a Common Greenbottle, Lucilia Caesar, feeding on some Yarrow flowers.

Musk Mallow Lesser Burdock
6  Spot Burnet Moth Yarrow / Fly - Lucillia Caesar

After that I did have a wee walk around Saltcoats Harbour but, with the tide being high, there weren’t many birds around to photograph.

Thursday, Friday 24th and 25th July: Strathclyde Country Park

On the next couple of days, I visited Strathclyde Country Park and focussed mainly on the area where wildflowers were blooming near the bridges across the South Calder River. I photographed a variety of wildflowers including Wild Marjoram, Wild Carrot and Musk Mallow. I also got pictures of some insects, such as a White-tailed Bumblebee and a Green-veined White butterfly.

Wild Marjoram / White - tailed Bumblebee Wild Carrot
Green - veined White Butterfly Musk Mallow


I continued with shots of rambling, untidy-looking Chicory , pretty yellow-flowered Perforate St John’s Wort  and yellow-spiked Dark Mullein.
I finished there with a shot of a Red Soldier Beetle that was feeding on a Wild Angelica flower.

Chicory Perforate St John's Wort
Dark Mullein Red Soldier Beetle

Next I snapped a patch of Wrinkled Fieldcap fungus that had sprouted from a pile of sawdust near the Foreshore Car Park. On the other side of the park, as I crossed the footbridge across the River Clyde, I took a picture of a tall, heavily-laden Apple tree that was growing on the river bank. As I walked down the footpath that leads to the Clyde Bridge (and beyond to Chateherault) I came across a Marsh Ragwort  plant. And on returning to Strathclyde Loch I was surprised to find a 4ft high Sunflower on the shore opposite the Watersports Centre probably a legacy of people feeding birdseed to the wild birds.

Wrinkled Fieldcap Apple
Marsh Ragwort Sunflower

Friday 25th July: Hogganfield Park LNR

On Friday I had a brief visit to Hogganfield and continued with the wildflower theme. Mid-summer is fairly poor for the birds due to water birds breeding habits and the difficulties spotting tree birds due to the thick foliage. However it is a peak time for flowers and insects. I started at the east side of the park with an under-appreciated flower, Eyebright:


These flowers are tiny (~2mm), but beautiful. Sneezewort was my next picture - flowers that were once used to treat sneezing. Near these, were small yellow flowers belonging to Tormentil, a plant that was one used to treat diarrhoea. Along a shady path beyond these flowers, was a
Broad-leaved Helleborine, a member of the Orchid family.

Eyebright Sneezewort
Common Tormentil Broad - leaved Helleborine

As I left the east side of the park I noticed Betony flowers blooming through the grasses on the gentle slope on the highest part of the park. All around the edges of the Loch there are Michaelmas Daisies, Water Mint  and Wild Angelica  - three flowers that differ in a number of ways: e.g. size, colour and appearance.

Betony Michaelmas Daisy
Water Mint Wild Angelica

Friday Evening, 25th July: Jim's Garden

That evening I was relaxing in my garden with a cup of tea, enjoying the evening sunshine, when I noticed that a pot of Lavender was attracting butterflies and bees. I rushed indoors for my camera and I soon had a few shots of a Small White butterfly and a White-tailed Bumblebee - a
nice way to finish the week.

Small White Butterfly White - tailed Bumblebee

It was a very productive week - one composed of mainly birds, flowers and insects - 46 species photographed. My favourites are the Gannets and the many wildflowers - and it was very pleasing to see a Burnet moth and Grayling, Small White and Green-veined White. Hopefully next week I’ll
manage east, as I’ve avoided it because the weather in the west was best.

Week
ending: 20th July: Broadwood Loch, The Kelpies, RSPB Lochwinnoch

Although the weather for this week in Central Scotland was predicted to be fairly warm, there was to be rain, some of which would be heavy.

Wednesday,16th July: Broadwood Loch in Cumbernauld

It was mainly cloudy in Cumbernauld as I set off on my circuit of Broadwood Loch. I almost trod on my first sighting - a tiny Tufted Duck duckling that had wandered onto the footpath. The picture below shows a kind walker carrying it from the path to the edge of the pond where it could paddle away in search of its parents. A short time later I encountered a large green Emperor Moth caterpillar as it crossed the footpath searching for grass to eat. On the same stretch of path, a Robin with a grub in it’s beak was calling from the branches of a pathside tree. I presume it was looking for its chick. I passed a patch of grass through which was growing Common Toadflax, sometimes called “butter & eggs”. In the same area I also discovered Wild Angelica (a plant which was important in treating heart disease) and Yellow Rattle (so-named because its seeds rattle inside their fruit).

Young Tufted Duck Emperor Moth caterpilllar
Robin Common Taodflax
Wild Angelica Yellow Rattle

The path took me to a lochside boardwalk where I spotted a large clump of Bittersweet climbing on the wooden railings. The plant was flowering and some of its flowers had already borne fruit. In the water around the boardwalk, a Little Grebe was diving though pondweed as it looked for food for its chick.

Bittersweet... ...Fruit
Little Grebe Juvenile Little Grebe

I passed a Mute Swan that was preening while standing on its nest. Its four large eggs were lying scattered at its feet. A passerby told me that its mate disappeared leaving the swan no option but to leave the nest to feed - so spoiling their chances of the eggs hatching. Next I passed a small
swing park where roses were growing by the path: red Beach Roses with red hips and white Burnet Roses with dark purple hips.

Mute Swan Japanese Rose Fruit

Burnet Rose... ....Fruit

At the head of the loch a half dozen Canada Geese were cruising across the pondweed.


A Great Crested Grebe was diving for fish as I rounded the north end of the loch. I noticed a large area of Marsh Woundwort was flowering at the edge of the water. Unfortunately there weren’t many sightings of note as I walked along the northwest edge of the loch. However just before I
reached the car park there were pretty blue/purple Tufted Vetch flowers draped over the fence. But further along, I found another very pretty flower, namely Broad-leaved Everlasting Peas  …….

Great Crested Grebe Marsh Woundwort
Tufted Vetch Broad - leaved Everlasting Pea

……. which almost completely obscured the fence and some of the neighbouring plants.



The beautiful red flowers of the Broad-leaved Everlasting Peas were attracting busy Carder Bumblebees that were performing all sorts of aerobatics to access where moulting Canada Geese and eclipse Mallards were lounging as Moorhens walked and pecked among them. A young
Black-headed Gull stood stretching its wings and crying, waiting on the return of its parent with food. As I took the photo I was spotted by a hungry Mute Swan that decided I had food and was approaching me to get it. It was time to get in the car.

Common Carder Bumblebee Canada Goose
1st Cycle Black - headed Gull Mute Swan


Thursday 17th July: The Kelpies

The next day I took my grandsons to see “The Kelpies” - genuinely awesome structures just off the M9 at Falkirk. Of course, I took my camera in case I saw anything on the Forth and Clyde Canal that runs right past the Kelpies. It’s a major connection between the River Forth and
the River Clyde, and is also part of the John Muir Way.


A family of Mute Swans were on the canal, partially hidden by a bank of lovely Rosebay Willowherbs. More swans were on the pond at the neighbouring Helix Park. Also, I found some White Deadnettles flowering along the edges of the footpath and there were White Water Lilies blooming in a small pond by the canal.

Rosebay Willowherb Juvenile Mute Swan
White Deadnettle White Water Lily

Friday 18th July: RSPB Lochwinnoch

My final visit of the week was on Friday at RSPB Lochwinnoch. The weather was mainly cloudy with occasional sunny spells. Below is the view of Aird Meadow as seen from the Channel Hide.


A large Grey Heron was prowling in the shallows while noisy Canada Geese were quarrelling on the Scrapes. Lapwings were also quite animated. I got a nice close-up of a Common Wasp chewing at the wood of the hide to create the material is used to build its nest.

Grey Heron Canada Goose
Lapwing Common Wasp

A female Mallard and her ducklings appeared from the far right of the scrap and hurriedly crossed the scrape onto the channel waters.


I decided to walk up the Semple Trail and set off past the now derelict Visitor Centre (which, I was told by one of the volunteers, is to be demolished). I immediately came upon the hoverfly, Syrphus ribesii, and a Common Dronefly which were feeding on a Hogweed flowerhead. At the bird feeder adjacent to the children’s play area I found mainly Chaffinches but I also saw a fledgling Great Tit that seemed a bit lost at it stared up to the feeders where an adult Great Tit fed alongside a nervous Nuthatch.

Hoverfly - Syrphus Ribesii Common Dronefly
Male Chaffinch Female Chaffinch
Juvenile Great Tit Nuthatch

I moved on past the feeders, further along the Semple Trail until I got a clear view of the Aird Meadow Loch. There were Mute Swans, Canada Geese and Cormorants (all not shown) on biohaven rafts in the distance, but a good bit closer were a couple of larger nesting rafts intended
for roosting, and maybe nesting Black-headed Gulls. I snapped a shot of a Black-headed Gulls interacting with its chick, so the rafts are working. Also I was pleased to see a Great Crested Grebe diving nearby. The final part of the Trail took me onto a long boardwalk that is built along
the east edge of the Aird Meadow Loch that leads to Peel Tower. From there I found a Moorhen and a Green-veined White Butterfly on the water’s edges.

Black - headed Gull Great Crested Grebe
Moorhen Green - veined White Butterfly

I also got some pictures of the masses of Yellow Water Lillies that were on the waters around the boardwalk. On my way back to the car I found another hoverfly, Leucozona laternaria, a wee newbie for us. At the start of the boardwalk I found some Common Blue Damselflies flying
over the grasses at the water’s edge. The was a pair of the damselflies mating, the male firmly attached to the female.

Yellow Water Lily Hoverfly - Leucozona Laternaria
Male Common Blue Damselfly Female Common Blue Damselfly

A small group of Greylag Geese, one of which was a white morph, was patrolling the waters, probably resting there during moulting - my final picture of the visit, and of the week.


It was a interesting week with 43 species photographed. My favourites were the Emperor Moth caterpillar and Tufted Duckling and the newbie hoverfly. I also enjoyed the many flowers I saw, especially the Everlasting Pea.


Week ending: 13th July: Strathclyde Country Park, RSPB Baron’s Haugh and                                                                Hogganfield Park LNR.

With yet another warm, sunny week predicted I stuck to my favourite local haunts for my wanderings with my Coolpix P950 camera, starting in Strathclyde Country Park on Wednesday.

Wednesday 9th July: Strathclyde Country Park

The sunshine was so warm I stuck to paths where there were plenty of shady trees, such as those behind M&D’s fairground, where I came across a commotion involving several birds. When things settled a bit, I got pictures of two of them - a Mistle Thrush  and a Jay . In the same area there were Broad-leaved Helleborines: tall orchids of woodlands, which have greenish, purple-tinged flowers. I also saw a fair few Common Spotted Orchids flowering throughout the grassy areas of the woods. I was joined by a couple of butterflies: a Red Admiral and a Speckled Wood when they rested between their long meandering flights through the open areas of the woods.

Mistle Thrush Eurasian Jay
Broad - leaved Helleborine Common Spotted Orchid
Red Admiral Butterfly Speckled Wood Butterfly
At a resting point near the road bridge at the South Calder I sat admiring the extensive array of wildflowers that were growing there. These were a continuation of North Lanarkshire Council’s “Mega-flora” project. They were mainly Oxeye Daisies, but I particularly liked the Knapweed, Marjoram and Vipers Bugloss that were interspersed among the daisies. Just as I finished my walk, I snapped a White-tailed Bumblebee as it buzzed along the path by the South Calder and landed on a Large Bindweed flower.

Common Knapweed Wild Marjoram
Viper's Bugloss White - tailed Bumblebee / Large Bindweed


Friday 11th July am: RSPB Baron’s Haugh

The good weather continued on Friday morning. At Barons Haugh I found Pencilled Cranesbills flowering around the edge of the car park. One flower was being visited by a Sunfly hoverfly, and at the ranger’s cabin there are a couple of planters filled with wild flowers such as Field Scabious, Musk Mallow and Common Agrimony. On my way down to the hides, very pretty Meadow Cranesbills were flowering in the uncut meadowland. Fox and Cubs wildfowers were blooming next to the path, and a Long Hoverfly  paused on one of the orange flowers long enough for me to get a quick snap.

Hoverfly - Sun Fly / Pencilled Cranesbill Field Scabious
Musk Mallow Common Agrimony
Meadow Cranesbill Long Hoverfly / Fox and Cubs

Further along the path I heard a Whitethroat, and easily located it as it called from the top of bushes in the adjacent field.


At the Causeway Hide, the sunlight was very bright and shining directly onto the hide, which unfortunately silhouetted any birds that were on the Haugh. However after accustoming my eyes to the conditions I began to pick out some of the Sandpipers that had been reported. A couple of
Common Sandpipers were wading about 60m from the hide, and a bit further away there was a single Wood Sandpiper dipping it's bill in the shallow water as it moved left to right. A half hour after that, at least 3 Green Sandpipers  flew in from the south and started feeding as they waded in the shallow parts of the Haugh. Other waders I saw were a Curlew that was standing in reeds on the far edges of the Haugh, and Lapwings, which could be seen in double figures all around the waters. On the eponymous Causeway I photographed a wildflower we usually avoid - Common (or Stinging) Nettle. The yellow-green strands that emerge from the base of each leaf contain the nettle’s tiny flowers.

Common Sandpiper Wood Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper Curlew
Lapwing Common Nettle

On my way back to the car I passed an area where the wonderfully-named Enchanter’s Nightshade was growing. Its thin spikes of delicate white flowers are very pretty. Next I found an exotically-named fungus growing around the base of a rotting tree stump: Dryads Saddle . A Grey Squirrel was reluctant to move from the car park waste bin when I approached, and only scampered when I turned to photograph it. When I had another look at the planters I examined when I first set off, I noticed that I’d missed a rather pretty wild flower that was rather hidden: Greater Knapweed. A Buff-tailed Bumblebee turned up just as I pointed the camera at the flower.

Enchanters Nightshade Dryads Saddle
Grey Squirrel Greater Knapweed / Buff-tailed Bumblebee

Friday 11th July pm: Hogganfield Park LNR

After lunch on Friday, it was such a nice afternoon I decided to visit Hogganfield Park for a walk and a few more pictures. Below is the view that greeted me when I started my walk around the Loch.


The predominant gull species at the Loch is the Lesser Black-backed Gull. Immature gulls have different plumages from mature birds. The first year plumage is a rather unappealing brown and white, but when they mature after 4 years, their plumage is much more refined, as can be seen in
the pictures below. Perched not far from the gulls was a feral pigeon, no doubt waiting on somebody throwing bread. The same could be said for the Greylag Goose that was looking longingly at me. However, it was disappointed when I walked away.

1st Cycle Lesser Black - backed Gull Lesser Black - backed Gull
Feral Pigeon Greylag Goose

Not all birds were after bread. An adult and juvenile Cormorant were perched and preening well away from the edge of the water. These pescatarians work hard throughout the day, diving for fish in all areas of the Loch. I didn’t see any evidence that the chick actually caught any fish though.


The lochside was lined with wild flowers, such as Great Willowherbs. The sound of a calling Great Crested Grebe chick drew my attention away from the flowers. The chick was diving for fish under the supervision of one of its parents, that was probably relieved that the ever-demanding chick had started to feed itself. Tufted Ducks were also diving in that area but they didn’t seem to interfere with the Grebes…..

Great Willowherb Juvenile Great Crested Grebe
Great Crested Grebe Female Tufted Duck


…. but a line of Greylag Geese came cruising in, disrupting the diving activities.


I walked around the park road until I reached the small pond where I have stopped many times over the years hoping to see a Dragonfly, only to be disappointed. On this visit I thought I would at least photograph some plants there and started with a nice example of Meadow Vetchlings. While
doing so, I noticed a couple of Damselflies - a Blue-tailed Damselfly and then an Azure Damselfly. After that, my wishes were fulfilled when a 4-Spotted Chaser Dragonfly flew in and perched very conveniently on a small branch several metres in front of of me. My patience and persistence certainly paid off. By the time I’d completed my brief circuit of the Loch, I’d bagged a couple more flower shots - a Common Spotted Orchid and an unexpected subject, a large multi-flower patch of Sunflowers.

Meadow Vetchling Blue - tailed Damselfly
Azure Damselfly Dragonfly - 4 Spotted Chaser 
Common Spotted Orchid Sunflower

These probably grew from a birdseeds mix missed by their intended recipients.


It was a successful couple of days of observations - with 49 species photographed (not all listed or shown here). My favourites were the Jay, Dragonfly and Sandpipers. Rain is predicted for next wwk - let's hope it is warm rain.


Week ending: 6th July: RSPB Bempton Cliffs

While on a short holiday in the City of York, and since the weather was set fair, I decided to go on a day trip to RSPB Bempton Cliffs . It was an ideal time to see the birds that were nesting on the fabulous cliffs on the spectacular Yorkshire Coast.

Clouds Rain Tides
Courtesy of Weather Pro  and BBC Tides

After parking in the overflow car park (the reserve was busy) I headed for the various viewpoints on the Jubilee Corner Trail . The picture below shows the start of the trail, with Jubilee corner visible on the mid-left.


The wildflowers on the trail that leads to the clifftops were teeming with insects, such as Narrowbordered 5-spot Burnet Moths on Creeping Thistles and Green-veined White Butterflies on Yarrow. White Musk Mallow flowers were blooming at Mossy Downgate, the first viewpoint.
The picture below shows Bartlett Nab (a ‘nab’ is a rocky promontory).

5 Spot Burnet Moth Green - veined White Butterfly
Musk Mallow Barlett Nab

Looking over the cliffs, down to the sea below, the birds there, Common Guillemots ,seemed tiny…..


….. it was a good job then that they frequenty flew up onto their nests on very narrow ledges near the top of the cliff, otherwise my pictures wouldn’t have been quite as interesting. It was a similar story with the birds whose calls were heard constantly proclaiming their name: “kit-teh-wake, kitteh-wake, kit-teh-wake,”. The Kittiwake nests were occupied with fluffy grey chicks.

Common Guillemot...
Kittiwake...

The record picture below shows a distant flock of about 20 Kittiwakes in the water catching fish for their chicks.


Probably the most noticeable birds in the air and on the cliffs were the Northern Gannets. They too were nesting on the cliffs and many could be seen flying between their high perches on the cliffs and their feeding areas on the North Sea. Similar to the Guillemots, there were also Razorbills  nesting on the steep rocky crags. But the crowds’ favourite birds to spot were definitely the Puffins. They were hard to find due to their small size, but once you get your eye in, one could see that there were a fair number of them commuting between their nests and the sea. I was lucky when one landed near a flock of Rock Doves on the cliff top to the left of the platform.

Gannet Hatchling Gannet
Razorbill...
Puffin...

As I made my way back to my car for lunch I passed a Meadow Pipit that was active in the wild areas of long grasses. I also photographed a Lesser Burdock that was hosting a 7-spot Ladybird as well as a Spittlebug . A very tame Jackdaw was perched on a fence-post opposite a bench, obviously realising that humans often leave behind edible rubbish. Nearby there were patches of Sea Mayweed that was attracting hoverflies such as Syrphus ribesii.

Meadow Pipit Spittlebug / 7 Spot Ladybird / Lesser Burdock
Jackdaw Hoverfly - Syrphus Ribesii

On Yarrow, I spotted Red Soldier Beetles on Creeping Thistles and a Red Admiral butterfly fluttered onto some Stinging Nettles. As I neared the car I heard a Dunnock calling from the top of a tall hedgerow at the bottom of which was a clump of Red Campion with smaller than usual flowers.

Red Soldier Beetle / Creeping Thistle Red Admiral Butterfly
Dunnock Red Campion

The edges of the overflow car park were little more than a mown field, but its outer edges were left to grow wild - presumably to encourage flowers and insects - with some success, since I snapped a Meadow Brown butterfly on Buttercup foliage, a Large White butterfly on Creeping
Thistle and a pair of Marmalade hoverfies on Great Willowherb. As I was drinking tea, a male Linnet started singing from the hedge, so I reached for my camera and managed a quick record shot.

Meadow Brown Butterfly Large White Butterfly
Hoverfly - Marmalade / Great Willowherb Linnet

After lunch I set off for the Staple Neuk trail, which, I was informed, was dominated by Gannets. I can confirm that and I amassed quite a few pictures to prove it (although I’ve published just a few here, including some that illustrate the different plumages of the various ages of young
Gannets.

2nd Cycle Juvenile Gannet 3rd Cycle Juvenile Gannet
4th Cycle Juvenile Gannet...
Adult Gannet...

As I was watching the Gannets, a bonny wee Goldfinch appeared just a few metres in front of me and began nibbling leaves of Sea Plantain. After that I noticed a bird I’d been watching for - a Fulmar . One came gliding past, parallel to the cliff face before circling round and back and onto its perch on the cliff, where it had young waiting for food.

Goldfinch Fulmar...

Below is the view of Staple Newk as seen from the viewpoint.


There were Rock Doves  not far from the Fulmar nest and on the rocks a few metres lower down I noticed a Herring Gull with a couple of chicks. I was just about to return to the Visitor Centre when I noticed a Puffin flying in and landing quite far away on the cliff, joining another couple of Puffins. I retraced my steps back up the hill to the Visitor Centre, getting pictures of another Green-veined White butterfly and, at the Centre, a shot of a male Blackbird surveying its territory.

Rock Dove Herring Gull Hatchling...
Puffin
Green - veined White Butterfly Blackbird

It was a thoroughly enjoyable visit which had produced lots of photos - of 27 species . My favourites are hard to choose - probably the Gannets, Puffins and Fulmar. I may travel far from home again in the near future and hopefully I will accumulate another fine haul of sightings.



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