A diary of my wildlife encounters
24th March 2011: Lanark
My first bat of the year - Pipistrelle?
19th March 2011: Southam
My first Butterfly of the year - a Yellow Brimstone.
Super Moon - apparently, the moon is about an inch closer to us now than at any other time during the year!
9th - 13th March 2011: Arran
Let’s face it, the second week in March was probably not the time I would have choosen for my first visit to Arran but hey, we had been offered a bungalow gratis for four days and when do we ever turn an offer like that down? Many, many thanks Colin and Elizabeth!
We stayed at Margnaheglish, which is a sprawling community on Lamlash Bay, overlooking Holy Island. We had a wonderful view of the weather as it rolled across the landscape. It was a true case of ‘if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes’: snow, hail, sleet, rain and even two seconds of sunshine – we had it all!
Knowing that many of the wintering birds would already have departed and that the summer visitors were yet to arrive, I was expecting my ‘ticklist’ to be largely un-ticked but through the weather we did manage to clock up 54 species.
The generally poor light and bitter wind did not bode well for any photography – I do not do well when I lose all feeling in my trigger finger - but I came away more than happy with our efforts.
Spending almost the entire four days in the car, we travelled every road that could be travelled and especially delighted in The Ross, a road that crosses the southern half of the island – even if we did have to turn back on Saturday because the fresh snowfall had made the road impassable.
On the mammal front we saw: Rabbit, Brown Hare (we sat and watched a fifteen round boxing match - no knock-out, no submission), Red Deer, Common Seal and Otter.
As for the birds:
Mute Swan, Graylag Goose, Shelduck, Mallard, Eider, Red-breasted Merganser.
Pheasant.
Red-throated Diver.
Gannet.
Cormorant, Shag.
Grey Heron.
Hen Harrier (My 162nd photographed species), Sparrowhawk, Buzzard.
Kestrel, Merlin.
Oystercatcher.
Ringed Plover.
Curlew, Greenshank, Redshank, Turnstone.
Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull.
Guillemot.
Woodpigeon, Collared Dove.
Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail.
Wren
Dunnock
Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Redwing, Mistle Thrush.
Blue Tit, Great Tit.
Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Hooded Crow, Raven.
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch.
Reed Bunting.
All in all Arran is a wonderful place and although not as wild as my ‘spiritual home’ of Mull, has many attractions from a naturalist’s point of view. It would certainly be worth a visit in a few months time when the bird breeding season is underway.
4th March 2011: Larkhall
A flock of 61 Whooper Swan in field by A72.
 
1st March 2011: Strathclyde Loch
 
Mute Swan, Mallard, Goosander, Cormorant, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Greylag Goose, Feral Pigeon.
Treecreeper on the willows by the river.
27th February 2011: Tebay
Rook.
13th February 2011: Wishaw
Hooded Crow in Morrisons car park.
10th February 2011: Greenhead Moss
Blackbird, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Black-headed Gull, Chaffinch, Mute Swan (Pair plus 4 of last year's young), Mallard, Tufted Duck, Coot, Woodpigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Moorhen, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Siskin, Robin, Greenfinch, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Kestrel, Starling, Rook, Feral Pigeon.
Grey Squirrel.
6th February 2011: Evan Water NT 01729 12893.
Glimpsed my first ever Crossbill (a male) drinking from a puddle in the road (B 7076).
30th January 2011: Ardgowan.
Cormorant, Mallard, Eider, Goldeneye, Buzzard, Oystercatcher, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch.
24th January 2011: Larkhall.
40 Whooper Swan.
23rd January 2011:
Daventry Country Park.
Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Mallard,Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Tufted Duck, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Goosander, Wigeon, Blackbird, Great Tit, Robin, Blue Tit, Dunnock, Great Crested Grebe, Goldeneye, Shoveler, Magpie, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Cormorant, Siskin, Jackdaw, Grey Heron, Wren, Moorhen. ?Jack Snipe? Grey Squirrel.
Keele Services: 4 Long-tailed Tit.
Just north of Todhills services: female Roe Deer.
19th January 2011:
Hartwood Hospital: 50 Brambling in road.
Shotts Prison: 30 Brambling in road.
Linlithgow Loch
My 161st photographed species: Smew.
Also: Black-headed Gull, Coot, Tufted Duck, Mute Swan, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, Redwing, Feral Pigeon, Mallard, Common Gull, Blue Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Wren, Blackbird, Reed Bunting, Dunnock, Pochard, Great Tit, Buzzard, Goldeneye, Robin, Cormorant, Moorhen, Herring Gull, Shelduck.
Blackness Castle
Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Rook, Starling, Robin, Blackbird, Eider, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Great Tit, Wigeon, House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Oystercatcher, Golden Plover, Wren, Redshank, Woodpigeon, Sparrowhawk, Chaffinch.
17th January 2011: Dunbar
My 160th photographed species: Shore Lark. John Muir Country Park (NT643799).
Also: Cormorant, Curlew, Eider, Fieldfare, Great Black-backed Gull, Mallard, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Rock Pipit, Shelduck, Turnstone and Wigeon.
Diary Notes archive
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