Week ending: 12th April: RSPB Barons Haugh

The weather for this week was to be colder and more changeable than in the recent brief warm spell. I took that to mean that, if I was luckily, there would be half a day in which the conditions would suit nature photography. It wasn’t until the end of the week that my understanding proved correct.

Cloud	Rain & Prediction

Friday, 10th April: RSPB Barons Haugh

On Friday I awoke to a brilliant blue, sunlit sky. I rushed breakfast and headed the short distance from my home to RSPB Barons Haugh and began snapping straight away with shots around the car park: a white variety of Spanish Bluebell growing wild among the shrubbery, a Woodpigeon watching the view from high in a Silver Birch, a bed of Few-flowered Leek and a back-lit, silhouetted Blackbird warbling high in a distant tree.

Spanish Bluebell	Wood Pigeon
Few - flowered Leek	Blackbird

I proceeded down the winding trail that leads from the car park to the Marsh Hide, stopping momentarily halfway down to photograph a panoramic view of the Haugh.

From the access path into the hide I spotted two Roebucks grazing on the wild grassland to the left of the path.

They seemed to be aware of my presence, but they kept munching. I could not see any does though.

Once in the hide I was pleased to see that, although the water level was fairly high, there were several species of birds scattered on and by the water.

I started, rather surprisingly, with a shot of a Coal Tit on tree branches just outside the hide. On the water immediately in front of the hide there were Tufted Ducks, Coots and Mallards, and at the back of the scrape Canada Geese and Teal were feeding.

Coal Tit	Tufted Duck
Coot	Drake Mallard
Canada Goose	Teal

I spotted a pair of Gadwalls far to the left of the scrape and, near to them, a Coot. I also photographed a trio of Greylag Geese that were preening the far-left edge of the scrape

Drake Gadwall	Female Gadwall
Coot	Greylag Goose

I headed next to the Causeway Hide. On the way, I came across a Great Tit and a Robin just outside the Marsh Hide. Before the access path to the Causeway Hide a solitary Cuckoo Flower was blooming - the first of many. Looking down on me from its perch high in a tail tree was a Magpie. Below it there were no fewer that six small birds hopping between the lower twigs and branches and, on inspection of my pictures, I concluded that they were mainly Willow Warblers and at least one Chiffchaff  (also confirmed by hearing each of their distinctive bird calls).

Great Tit	Robin
Cuckoo Flower	Magpie
Willow Warbler	Chiffchaff

Below are shots of the Haugh as seen from the Causeway Hide…..

…. Note how the water level is so high that there are no muddy flats that would attract waders.

On the deeper-than-usual water were a fair number of Teal. Cruising among them was a solitary Mute Swan. There was a pair of Shelducks dabbling near the far side of the water, opposite the hide. At the rear, Bulrush-lined edge of the haugh, a Canada Goose stood proudly in the sunlight. I was rather disappointed as I left the hide that I didn’t see the Sand Martins reported the week before.

Teal	Mute Swan
Shelduck	Canada Goose

On leaving the Causeway Hide I decided to check out the River Clyde and as I followed the path beside the fields I was delighted to see a pair of Roe Deer grazing approximately 50m away at the field’s edge. They gradually moved closer and I managed a few satisfying shots. On my way to the river I passed some Lesser Celandine at the edge of the path. At the water’s edge I heard the unmistakable song of a Song Thrush boldly singing across the river. I located the bird fairly easily since it was perched atop the tallest tree in that area, and although it was about 100m away, my camera zoom lens was able to provide a decent image. Sadly though there was only a Mallard on the river, although I did enjoy snapping a lovely Gorse bush that was overhanging the water.

Roe Deer...
Lesser Celandine	Song Thrush
Female Mallard	Gorse

From the river I returned to the car park via the path at the opposite side of the field where I’d seen the deer. I snapped some shots of Cuckoo Flowers and Dandelions and passed a Robin that was singing on one of the Hawthorns at the side of the field. Just before the car park I photographed some Cowslips that were blooming in long grass.

Cuckoo Flower	Dandelion
Robin	Cowslip

I had a quick look around the car park and discovered a wee fly, probably Phaonia subventa, a common House fly, sunning itself on a felled log. I also noticed a Common Inkcap fungus growing on a decaying tree trunk, half-hidden by surrounding vegetation. I also found a few Bluebells and also Ramsons coming into bloom - a sure sign that “Spring has sprung”.

Fly - Phaonia subventa	Common Inkcap
Common Bluebell	Ramsons

The above constitutes my entire nature-watching output for last week - 30 species photographed, which is OK considering the rushed nature of the outing. My favourite shots were of the Roe Deer, the Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff and the Robin and Great Tit. Also it was nice to see a Shelduck at the reserve. The ever-increasing number of flowering plants will boost the number of insects in the coming weeks - leading to an increase in the number of photo-opportunities - I can’t wait.

Week ending: 5th April : RSPB Lochwinnoch

My only visit this week was to a very sunny RSPB Lochwinnoch. There was a lot of work going on there - renovation of the reception area and also the completion of the boardwalk that allows visitors to complete a circular walk around the reserve. I hoped that the work hadn’t scared off its feathered visitors.

Cloud	Rain & Prediction

Due to there still being a bird feeding station by the reception kiosk I managed to get my visit going with photographs of a nice range of common garden birds: Goldfinch, Siskin, Chaffinch, House Sparrow and Redpoll.

Goldfinch	Female Siskin
Male Chaffinch	Female Chaffinch
House  Sparrow	Redpoll

I continued snapping at the Channel Hide where I captured shots of Canada Geese, Lapwings, Wigeon and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Canada Goose...
Lapwing...
Lesser Black - backed Gull	Drake Goosander

A bit further from the hide were Goosanders, Moorhens and a drake Shoveler

Drake Goosander	Female Goosander
Shoveler	Grey Heron

Satisfied with my collection of shots taken at these first two locations, I walked along the Aird Meadow Trail to the Fen Hide….

….. where I was pleased to see a Grey Heron prowling along the edge of the pool. At the back of the fen there was a couple of Canada Geese feeding and also a Moorhen. At the next viewpoint along the trail I paused to snap a Hairy Curtain Crust fungus that had sprouted from a rotting tree trunk. I noticed a few drake Teal ducks had appeared at the back of a fen pool. I also managed a nice shot of another Lapwing.

Grey Heron	Canada Goose
Moorhen	Hairy Curtain Crust
Teal	Lapwing

I was delighted to see that the derelict Aird Meadow Hide has been replaced ..,.

….. and I wasted no time by taking a seat and photographing a Cormorant standing on a raft in its familiar “spread-wing” pose. There were more Canada Geese feeding close to the hide. A Robin began singing just to the right of the hide and was very tolerant of the camera. My attention returned to the water to a raft which is dedicated to breeding gulls and terns, and was hosting mainly lively Black-headed Gulls.

Cormorant	Canada Goose
Robin	Black - heded Gull

 Below is a wide-angle shot of the raft:

I continued my way along the trail and at another viewpoint I found old Turkeytail fungi on a felled tree trunk. There were ducks on the water: a Mallard and a pair of Tufted Ducks.

Turkey Tail	Drake Mallard
Drake Tufted Duck	Female Tufted Duck

As I progressed along the trail I noticed a few Daffodils in unexpected places and wondered who would plant them there. Lovely Blackthorn flowers were blooming and I heard a Chiffchaff calling from high in a pathside tree. Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage  was blooming generously along the whole trail.

Daffodil	Blackthorn
Chiffchaff	Opposite - leaved Golden Saxifrage

Eventually I arrived at the boardwalk that, at time of writing, leads to and ends at Peel Tower. However, as can be seen from beyond the “Keep out” sign, the boardwalk will soon continue to join the Dubbs Trail, providing visitors with the opportunity for a circular walk around the whole reserve.

I had no choice though, I had to retrace my steps back along the Aird Meadow Trail. Of course that was an opportunity to pick out any interesting features that I’d missed on the outward journey. Such as a Scarlet Elfcup fungus that was growing near the footpath. I also found Feather Moss  growing profusely along much of the trail. I snapped a Carrion Crow that was calling as it perched high in a tree and, as I neared the start of the Aird Meadow Trail, I passed some Lesser Celandine that was blooming beneath bushes. Also, nearby was a patch of Dog’s Mercury coming into flower. My final shot of the visit was of some Wood Spurge that was growing in the rough ground in the car park.

Scarlet Elf Cup	Feather Moss
Carrion Crow	Lesser Celandine
Dog's Mercury	Wood Spurge

This was a very enjoyable visit and, considering that I spent only 2 hours on the reserve and I accumulated photographs of 32 species, I believe it was a successful outing. My favourites are the Siskin, Redpoll, Shoveler, Cormorant and Chiffchaff. Hopefully the pleasant weather will continue next week - because the weather persons said it would

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