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Week ending: 21st July: Alloa
With dry weather predicted for the east side of Central Scotland, John and I headed for a couple
of sites in Alloa, sites we hadn’t previously visited: RSPB Black Devon Wetlands and Tullibody
Inch and Longcarse. On the way, we had breakfast in Bathgate Morrisons (9/10: excellent apart
from rather cold bacon).
We navigated our way through Alloa to the edge of a housing estate, where we found parking, and
the start of the path that leads to RSPB Black Devon Wetlands. We were both curious as to
the origin of the name, “Devon” and, as usual, Google helped: one suggested meaning is
“black one” (derived from early British). We started our quest with a snap of a Feral Pigeon looking
at us from the roof of one of the houses. A young Grey Squirrel skipped quickly across the top of
a fence, and probably onto a garden feeder. Sadly, I missed the shot. I did though get a nice shot
of a fly possibly (Helina abdominalis) on Creeping Thistle. There were House Sparrows frolicking in
bushes at the start of the path, and as we progressed into the wide areas of wetland, I watched a
Carder Bee working on a spike of Marsh Woundwort. Just before we reached the hide, we only
just avoided stepping on a Brown Soil Slug that was slithering across the footpath.
The view below will give the reader the impression of the scenic beauty of the reserve that was
unfortunately compromised by the pylons and cables passing through the site.
At the hide we were able to rest and observe a generous area of wetland, though it was a pity that
the views were mostly into the sunlight.
John pointed out a large Mute Swan that was partially hidden as it sat behind tall vegetation.
Minutes later he saw Greylag Geese passing just behind the swan. A few Barn Swallows were
swooping over and occasionally into the water as they hunted invertebrates. Also, young Coots
were on the water nibbling pondweed, and a Black-headed Gull was preening in front of the hide.
A trio of Mallards emerged from the reeds at far side of the pond.
The drake Mallards were moulting to eclipse plumage. More Black-headed Gulls flew in noisily to
join the single gull. I then noticed, to the left of the hide, a Little Grebe diving for fish, and I was
fortunate enough to get a record shot of the result of a successful dive. A short time later I
watched another Little Grebe catching a fish for its chick.
| Mallard In Eclipse Plumage |
Black-headed Gull |
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| Little Grebe |
Juvenile Little Grebe |
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Below is a view of Clackmannan Tower seen to the northeast of the reserve. Unfortunately
the cables rather spoil the panorama.
Just outside the hide there is a “bug hotel”. I think all of the residents must have checked out
since I could not see any obvious signs of life. I did though see some lovely plants whose names
indicate that once they were considered to have important medicinal properties: Self-heal and
Marsh Woundwort . John heard a singing Reed Bunting and traced it (appropriately enough)
to an area of Common Reeds.
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Common Self Heal |
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| Marsh Woundwort |
Reed Bunting |
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We came upon a small pond partially surrounded by boardwalks - well set up for pond dipping.
John was fascinated by the many Pond Skaters that were literally walking on water. Can you spot
the three that I captured in the picture below? On our way back to the car I photographed a large
Wild Angelica plant (which also has medicinal properties). I followed that with a picture of
one of the few butterflies we saw during the trip: a Green-veined White.
| Pond Skater |
Buff-tailed Bumblebee |
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| Wild Angelica |
Green Veined White Butterfly |
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Just before the path reached the housing estate I photographed the dronefly, Eristalis arbustorum
as it was exploring Common Ragwort flowers, and a Great Willowherb that was nestling in the
long grass. John had a wee rest on his stool as I photographed a Buff-tailed Bumblebee that was
working its way through flowers of a gorgeously blooming Common Lime tree.
| Hoverfly - Eristalis Arbustorum |
Great Willowherb |
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| Common Lime Tree |
House Sparrow |
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We relocated a few miles west to a parking spot that allowed us access on foot, via a long straight
road onto a broad peninsula to Tullibody Inch, an island to the west, and Longcarse
a view point at the east side of the peninsula. As we began the walk John heard a singing
Yellowhammer and I located it high in a tree by the roadside. Further along the road John noticed
a Goldfinch on bushes that lined the road, just before a huge field that was populated by at least
40 Rooks. Eagle-eyed John then alerted me to a Brown Hare that was scampering from us along
the edge of the field. He also pointed out the Barn Swallows that had settled on the barbed wire
fence that lined the south side of the field. I approached the swallows slowly and photographed a
juvenile, until it eventually flew off with its companions.
We arrived at a point where we could view the Tullibody Inch. However it was completely
shrouded in Common Reeds. We did though find the view westward very interesting. Stirling
Castle was prominent in the distance and in the middle distance, just across the meandering River
Forth there was a collection of old buildings arranged neatly in a grid. It was Bandheath Munitions
Depot - now disused.
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The Common Reeds had obscured any quick discoveries of the life of the Tullibody Inch. Had we
had more time we could have trekked furthersouth, along a disused railway embankment to to
the tip of the peninsula where we could observe the river. However that was left for a future trip
and we took a path that would complete a circular route back to the car. On that route we
encountered a Honey Bee that had literally wrapped itself around the flower anthers of a small
Oxeye Daisy. There was a mature Broad Bean crop growing in the field we walked around.
Woodpigeons were perched around and over the area and there were plenty of lively House
Sparrows on the go. I was saddened to see a few Himalayan Balsam plants growing by the road
side. These invasive plants will take over the whole area if they are not dealt with. We have
observed places where these and other invasive species, such as Japanese Knotweed, have
displaced native species, altering whole ecosystems in the process.
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Honey Bee |
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| Broad Bean |
Wood Pigeon |
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| House Sparrow |
Himalayan Balsam |
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Below is the view we had to the north which is dominated by the very fine Ochill Hills.
We of course had tea and strawberry tarts as we reflected on the sighting we had experienced
during the trip. My personal favourites were the Barn Swallows, Yellowhammer and Brown Hare. I
also love the bees and it was enjoyable exploring new locations. We look forward to returning to
these, perhaps when the reeds die back.
Week ending: 14th July: Gourock and Port Glasgow
John and I headed west this week to investigate the Inverclyde coast at sites between Gourock
and Port Glasgow. The weather app predicted mild, cloudy conditions with the chance of
sunshine in the afternoon. We started the trip with a visit to Greenock Morrisons for our customary
breakfasts (9/10: excellent food but a point off for the 20 min we had to wait to receive it).
After breakfast we next drove a couple of miles west to Battery Park, Gourock where we found the
expected dull and cloudy conditions.
Undeterred, we scanned the rocky shoreline for birds and, at first, there were few signs of any
birds, only some Herring Gulls and Jackdaws that were foraging on the shore behind the sewage
treatment works. It was approaching low tide and the waters of the Firth of Clyde were fairly
distant from the promenade. John spotted a Black Guillemot over 100m away. It was just
discernible in the gloomy light.
| Herring Gull |
3rd Cycle Herring Gull |
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| Black Guillemot |
Jackdaw |
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The landscaping behind the sewage treatment works was dilapidated and some would say, in
need of renovation, but to us it was a rich source of wildflower sightings. Several flowering
Buddleja plants had become established in the cracks on a sloping wall. Also there were glorious,
but often detested, Rosebay Willowherb, Perforate St John’s Wort and Tutsan were also growing wild in the
verges of the path.
| Buddleja |
Rosebay Willowherb |
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| Perforate St John's Wort |
Tutsan |
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Also flowering below the unmaintained wall was Spiraea Japonica and I noticed a Buff-tailed
Bumblebee working busily on it, gathering pollen. We next walked a hundred metres towards
Cardwell Bay. We settled, for a short time, halfway along to observe the rocks there. There wasn’t
much at first, but eventually I noticed that we were being watched by a Carrion Crow perched on
railings. Sharp-eyed John drew my attention to a male Pied Wagtail that had landed on the grass
behind us. He also pointed out a female Eider duck that was preening on a distant rock by the
shore.
We were delighted to see, cruising down the Clyde Estuary, the legendary Waverley paddle
steamer. I found out later that it was on a cruise that would visit the Kyles of Bute, Inchmarnock
and the Cumbraes.
I was aware that there were crows foraging on the rocks in front of where we were sitting, But I
was slow to realise that amongst these was a Hooded Crow,
which is seen less often than its cousin, the ubiquitous Carrion Crow.
A loose dog marauding along the seashore disturbed a group of
Oystercatchers which flew onto the rocks in front of us. We moved on as
a Lesser Blackbacked Gull flew over us and across the playing fields.
We briefly relocated to the west side of Gourock Bay, as I’ve had some nice sightings there in
previous visits. When we got out of the car John noticed there were birds on the short grass
beside social housing. I got shots of Woodpigeons and Jackdaws. There was a family of Mute
Swans, a cygnet and two adults, on the water. And just as we were about to return to the car, a
seaplane passed overhead, probably on its way to Loch Lomond (since the plane belongs to a
company called Loch Lomond Seaplanes !).
Fairly satisfied with our time in Gourock, we drove eastwards, past Greenock and on to Port
Glasgow where we parked at Newark Castle which overlooks the Clyde Estuary. Note the boat on
the right of the shot. It is the “Glen Rosa”, a Cal-Mac dual-fuel car and passenger ferry which is
currently nearing completion after being launched a few months ago.
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We sat at the edge of the rocky shore and surveyed the scene. I captured possibly my best
Jackdaw shot of the trip and followed it with possibly my worst shot of the trip in which the most
interesting subject is out of focus - a line of Black Guillemots. The Herring Gull in the shot was
hardly worth the effort. Following those shots John alerted me to the “Grey Heron incoming from
the left!”, and it was, pursued by a very angry Black-headed Gull. We reasoned, or hoped it might
be automatically chasing it, rather than responding to a predation. John spotted another Testie
(Black Guillemot), the closest we’d seen, but still over 50m away. The sun had come out and gave
me nice light to photograph some Black Nightshade close to where we were sitting. I
followed that with a snap of a Spear Thistle.
| Jackdaw |
Herring Gull |
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| Grey Heron |
Black Guillemot |
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| Black Nightshade |
Spear Thistle |
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We walked the path further from the castle towards a derelict pier. A Cormorant surfaced about
30m out before continuing its dives under and beyond the pier. A pair of Testies turned up by the
pier, about 40m from the shore. They too disappeared to the far side of the pier. Before we
returned to the car I photographed a mature Broad-leaved Willowherb and also a pair of Large
Bindweed flowers.
| Cormorant |
Black Guillemot |
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| Broad-leaved Willowherb |
Large Bindweed |
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Looking across the estuary we could make out another of our favourite locations - Ardmore Point.
Our final stop of the trip was Parklea, Port Glasgow. By the time we arrived there, the sky was
blue and the sun was shining, and for the first ten minutes we simply sat enjoying the weather and
admiring the view. As we did that, we were approached by a rather excited gentleman who asked
if we’d seen the diving Gannet. John commented that it was unlikely, but not impossible, that it
was a Gannet. I suggested, without thinking it was very likely, it might have been an Osprey. Then
the bird returned - it was an Osprey, hovering at least 300m from the shore. It suddenly
descended swiftly onto the water and then ascended slowly, carrying away a fish, presumably to
a chick in a distant nest. Perhaps it would return for more fish. As we waited, I trailed and
eventually photographed a wandering Red Admiral butterfly when it landed on a Common
Nettle.
A Jackdaw and its chick then appeared close in on the shore, the young bird persistently
harassing its ever-patient parent for food. As I took these pictures, John’s eyes were trained on
the sky watching for the return of Osprey. Eventually it did return and it was a good bit closer to
the shore. It hovered a few times but didn’t dive before disappearing to the east. We saw it one
more time as it passed to the west, again without diving.
At that, we decided it was time for tea and strawberry tarts. It had been a very enjoyable trip that
had a dull start but had reached a crescendo with our Osprey sightings in the sunshine. My other
favourite sightings were the Hooded Crow and Bumblebees - and of course the Waverley.
Week ending: 7th July : RSPB Lochwinnoch, Fairlie and Portencross
This week we headed for the North Ayrshire coast, specifically Fairlie and Portencross. En route
we made a quick visit to RSPB Lochwinnoch. The weather was set fair with a very small chance
of a sharp shower. Our first stop though was to Johnstone Morrisons cafe for breakfast (8/10:
good, but let down by sub-standard link sausages and a long wait for our food).
Our brief visit to RSPB Lochwinnoch had a disappointing start when we found the scrapes devoid
of birds other than a few Black-headed Gulls. We quickly moved to the feeders by the kid’s play
area where we were pleased to see a nice variety of small and very familiar birds such as Robin,
Chaffinches….
| Black-headed Gull |
Robin |
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| Male Chaffinch |
Female Chaffinch |
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……. Collared Doves, Great Tits and Siskins. On our way out of the area John drew my
attention to a male Blackbird foraging in the wood chips of the play area.
| Collared Dove |
Juvenile Great Tit |
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| Siskin |
Blackbird |
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We were going to return to the car but I decided to photograph a few flowers that were blooming
in the reserve’s wild garden. Meadowsweet was attracting bees. Large patches of Feverfew
Daisies and Masterwort, Astrantia major, (a newbie for us) were nice to see. I also noticed
Hedge Woundwort in flower and large areas of what is probably Pencilled Cranesbill. Next to the
visitor centre I spotted a Potato Capsid on the middle of an Ox-eye Daisy another newbie.
| Meadowsweet |
Feverfew |
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| Great Masterwort |
Hedge Woundwort |
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| Pencilled Cranesbill |
Potato Capsid |
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While John had a quick toilet break I noticed that there was another bird feeding station just
beyond the garden. Greenfinches and Blue Tits were making repeated visits to the feeders,
watched throughout by Jackdaws in the trees. A Great Willowherb was starting to flower and as I
photographed it, I spotted a hard-working Honey Bee on some beautiful Meadowsweet. Not so
pretty was a Yellow Dung Fly that I captured on a nearby Hogweed flower head.
| Greenfinch |
Juvenile Blue Tit |
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| Jackdaw |
Great Willowherb |
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| Honey Bee |
Yellow Dung Fly |
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Very satisfied with our collection of sightings, we continue our journey along the winding A760 to
the A78 coastal road that lead us to Fairlie, a beautiful, former fishing village that overlooks the
Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran. The car park is a few metres from the shore, on the coast at
the south end of the village.
On a first scan of the shore we enjoyed seeing a Grey Heron hunting fish only 10m out. A couple
of Jackdaws were walking along the rocky banks at the mouth of the Fairlie Burn. Starlings were
their usual flighty selves, especially with so many juveniles in the flock. We crossed the bridge
over the burn to investigate the foreshore there, where we had heard bird activity. Typically when
we got to the shore the birds had fled. However, we saw Red Poppies,……
| Grey Heron |
Jackdaw |
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| Juvenile Starling |
Red Poppy |
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…… and Buff-tailed Bumblebees were working on the white Bramble flowers. I also noticed a
Greenbottle fly, Lucilia Caesar, on the flowers. A lone Campion plant was standing on short
grass. Its pink flower and swollen striped calyx lead me to identify it as a hybrid of Red and White
Campions, Silene latifolia X dioica. As we crossed back over the bridge John noticed some
Wild Marjoram growing beside the bridge at the edge of the burn. Rather disappointed with how few
birds we’d seen, we relocated few mile south on the A78 to Portencross.
| Buff-tailed Bumblebee |
Fly - Lucilia Caesar |
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| Campion Hybrid, Silene latifolia X dioica. |
Wild Marjoram |
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Portencross is on the coast. Just south of Hunterston Power Station. It is the site of an historic
castle . The view below shows the Isle of Arran across the Firth of Clyde. Notice the rain
shower being experienced by Lamlash and the Holy Island at the time the pictures were taken.
Again the car park is metres from the sea, and we picked our way across hazardous rocks to
reach the recently renovated Portencross Castle. Since our last visit 3 years ago, it was now
offering guided tours.
We sat by the small harbour just north of the castle, taking in the view and of course watching for
passing birds, or, if we were lucky, even cephalopods.
Every now and again John alerted me to an incoming Shags and/or Cormorants, but there were
few other birds passing over the Firth. I did get a wee visit by a female House Sparrow that landed
on low vegetation only a few metres from where I was sitting. In the meantime John was watching
for butterflies and hit the jackpot when a Meadow Brown took a wee rest on some White
Clover. A Buzzard then appeared circling over the crest of the small hill that overlooks
Portencross.
| Shag |
Female House Sparrow |
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| Meadow Brown Butterfly |
Buzzard |
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A juvenile Herring Gull was sitting, acting rather forlornly, waiting, as we found out, for the return
of its parent. When the parent bird circled around the harbour a few times, the juvenile called out
pleadingly, but its parent flew off, probably because there were people fishing off the harbour,
near the juvenile. A Pied Wagtail dropped onto the seaweed-strewn sands of the harbour floor,
allowing me the chance to photograph it. Eventually it was joined by a couple of Rock Pipits that
were seeking out invertebrates.
| 1st Cycle Herring Gull |
Herring Gull |
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| Rock Pipit |
Pied Wagtail |
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We started back to the car, fairly satisfied with what we’d seen and photographed. However, little
did we know that the best part of the trip was yet to come. As we made our way down the road,
we were passed by a van travelling in the opposite direction. It had “Wildlife Ambulance“ painted
on its sides. Also, we met a stream of people walking the other way. One of them asked if we’d
seen the seals. “No” John replied. But further conversation revealed that a wildlife rescue service
were scheduled to release young seals back into the sea. It was then we realised that the
ambulance probably was transporting the seals to the harbour we’d just left. Needless to say, we
hightailed it back to the harbour which was packed with onlookers watching the three boxes lined
up on the edge of the water ready for release.
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Eventually the keepers opened the box doors to reveal Common Seal juveniles. Each
emerged, hesitantly at first, but then each dived and circled with some vigour and gradually they
edged their way to the harbour mouth. They seemed to stall there though, probably not sure what
lay beyond .
Minutes later they vanished beneath the water’s surface and they were free.
It had been an outing that started well, with plenty of varied sightings, and ended well, with the
release of the young Common Seals. The “middle” period perhaps fell a little below our
expectations. My favourite shots were the Common Seals at Portencross, the Finches and Tits
and our newbie flower, Masterwort at Lochwinnoch. We were lucky with the weather this week
and we hope that that will continue next weekend; anything is possible in a temperate maritime
climate.
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