Photographs of Nesting Birds

Recently I visited some of the ponds near where I live to see how the nesting birds were getting along. Most of them were still sitting on nests incubating their eggs, although some Coots and Mute Swans had already hatched their eggs and were swimming in the water.

Mute swan Incubating the eggs

Royal Birds

With reports of Eastern Europeans killing and eating swans in the area, the local people are keeping an eye out for any unusual activity. I have also not given the location of the ponds to try and ensure the birds safety. 

The Queen has a prerogative over all swans in Great Britain. The Swan Keeper also dispatches swans all over the world, sent as gifts in the Queen’s name. 

Nesting Whooper Swan

Nesting Whooper Swan

The nesting Whooper Swan was unusual as Whoopers migrate back to Iceland in the spring to breed. The one above had not made the journey, probably due to injury. There was no sign of the male Whooper Swan on the day we were there. 

At Baron’s Haugh in Motherwell there were some injured Whooper Swans which had not managed to migrate back to Iceland in the spring, so this bird may be one of them.

Greylag Goose

Greylag Goose Nesting

As we were about to pack up observing in one area, I spotted a Greylag Goose nesting in the reeds. She was well hidden and was only spotted by accident. In the picture above she can be seen keeping a close eye on us. 

Coots Nest

Coots Nest

In another pond a Coots nest was in the process of being built. Coots nest on still water to minimize the danger from flooding.

Mute Swan in another pond

In a smaller pond there was only one pair of Mute swans nesting. No other birds could be seen, apart from some Mallard ducks.

Heron

The Heron above was seen looking for food, but no nest for it could be seen.

Canada Geese

Canada Geese Nesting

Some Canada geese could be seen nesting on a small island, well away from people. A small boat would be required to get to this nest so it should be safe from humans.

Adult Mute Swans and Cygnets

Family of Mute Swans

Family of Mute Swans

Family of Mute Swans

The first sight we got of Cygnets was at another pond were two adult swans were out and about with their young family. At one point they swam close to where we were standing with the scope on the male started hissing at us. We moved back a bit to be less threatening to the birds. 

Swans are very strong and it is not advisable to go near them when they have young. A Swan can break a person’s arm with its wing if it feels threatened. 

It was quite a dull and wet day and with the light getting worse, we decided to pack up. We had managed to get some good photos of the birds through my scope, which can be seen above.

I am looking forward to seeing how the birds develop over the summer.

Birdwatching at New Lanark and Falls of the Clyde

Today I went to New Lanark to meet up with the Lanark group of the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT). The walk began at 08.00. There are always birds to see at New Lanark and the Falls of Clyde at all times of the day. It was going to be a circular walk of around 5 miles.

New Lanark and the Falls of the Clyde are located in South Lanarkshire. The area has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 2001. The wildlife area around the Falls of the Clyde is managed by the SWT.

It was an early start for me as I had to leave the house at 06.20 in order to get a bus to Motherwell and then the 07.10 train to Lanark. I was met at Lanark by walk organiser Josanne and her husband and they drove me the short distance to New Lanark for the start of the walk.

Meeting the Group at New Lanark

It was slightly cold at the start of the walk and everyone had to wear their woolly hats and gloves, but soon the sun came out and it became much warmer. Before starting on the walkway we took a look over the River Clyde and spotted a Dipper and a Grey Wagtail.

Birds Seen and Heard on the Walk

The walk then took us round the back of the Corra Linn Power station and up a path towards some woods.  Birds seen on this part of the walk included Wrens, Robins, Blackbirds, Goldfinch, Willow Warblers, Bullfinch, Chaffinch and Swallows. The path was well worn and easy to follow. 

Observing a bird

There were some great views of New Lanark and the River Clyde on this part of the walk, although Corra Linn (one of the waterfalls of the Clyde) had only a trickle of water running down it.

New Lanark from above

A few walkers were out at with their dogs and spoke to the group as they passed. As with all bird-watching groups, it was a case of walking and stopping to look at the birds in the trees. Fortunately, the late Spring has resulted in the trees not having as many leaves at they should at this time of the year and this helped in seeing the birds more easily on the trees.

Badger Sett

At one part of the path we were able to view a few badger setts and the fresh soil outside two of them revealed that they had only been dug in the last few days. New Lanark is a favourite spot for badgers.

Badger Sett

Badger Sett with freshly dug soil outside

 

Badger Sett close up

Lunch Stop

The woodland meander took about 1.5 hours after which we came out onto a minor road. After a short walk along it we turned into a field with two white cart horses. We stopped for lunch and sat on some old tree trunks which had been placed in the field as seating for walkers in the area.

Lunch – who needs an expensive restaurant?

One of the horses came over looking for food but none was offered, as a sign at the entrance to the field said that they should not be fed. By this time it had warmed up and the sun was shining brightly. It was a pleasant spot for lunch.

Horse in field during lunch break

Horse in field during lunch break

Wheatear

After about 25 minutes we finished our lunch break and started walking through the field on our way back to the start. David, who was leading the walk, spotted a Wheatear sitting on the remains of an old tree-trunk on the adjoining field and we all managed to get a good view of this beautiful bird. One lady in the group explained that Wheatears have a white rump which makes them easy to identify.

Wheatear seen in adjoining field

The name has nothing to do with wheat or ears but is an altered white-ar*e, which refers to its prominent white rump.

We exited the field at the power station and walked to the Peregrine site at the falls of the Clyde. We were fortunate to view both the male (tiercel) and female (falcon) Peregrine. The female had sat on the nest all night and was sitting on a ledge having a wee break a short distance from the nest. The male was taking his turn sitting on the nest incubating the egg. There has only been one egg laid this year.

Female Peregrine (falcon)

Female Peregrine

We were able to get excellent views of both birds through then spotting scopes provided by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.

Male Peregrine (tiercel) on Nest

After this it was a short walk back to where the walk had begun earlier and we were able to get more excellent views of the buildings in New Lanark. One last bird we saw before finishing the walk was a Treecreeper on a tree beside the banks of the River Clyde.

New Lanark

We arrived back at at the start at approximately 11.30. It had been an excellent day and the sunny weather had allowed us to see a good selection of birds.

The birds seen today were:

 

• Dipper
• Yellow Wagtail
• Wrens
• Wrens
• Blackbirds
• Goldfinch
• Willow Warblers
• Bullfinch
• Chaffinch
• Wheatear
• Peregrine
• Treecreeper

Further Information:

New Lanark and the Falls of the Clyde are located in South Lanarkshire. The area has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 2001. 

Grid Ref: NS 87587 42676

Lanark Group SWT: 
http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/local-member-group/lanark/

Scottish Wildlife Trust
Falls of Clyde
New Lanark  ML11 9DB       
T. 01555 665 262

Waxwings and Some Summer Visitors

On the walk to my local birdwatching area of Baron’s Haugh today, I saw a flock of Waxwing. There are birds I have been looking for since last Autumn and I was very glad to eventually see them. They were sitting on the roof of a block of flats and I managed to get some photographs of them using my video camera.

Waxwings

Waxwings

Waxwing have a soft silky plumage. They have unique red tips to some of their wing feathers which looks like sealing wax and gives the birds their name.

Their main food is fruit.They are winter visitors and do not breed in the UK.

Baron’s Haugh, Motherwell

The pair of Mute Swans who had built their nest a few weeks ago were both together with the female sitting on the nest. she kept moving around and we thought that she may be about to lay an egg shortly. However, the male soon left the vicinity of the nest to swim into the Haugh. The female then started collecting more reeds and made some alterations to the living quarters.

Nesting Mute Swans

Over on the raft, two Cormorant were perched looking over the Haugh. On getting a closer look with the scope, we saw a Common Sandpiper on the raft with them. This is a small wader with brown upperparts and white underparts. It bobs up and down as it moves and this is known as ‘teetering’.

Cormorant and Common Sandpiper (Click to enlarge)

The Sand Martins have arrived from Africa for the summer and Willow Warblers, another summer visitor,  could be heard everywhere. 

Only two of the injured Whooper swans could be seen on the River Clyde but they had been joined by a Mute Swan. It may be that the other Whooper Swan was able to fly back to Iceland as there was no sign of it anywhere on the river.

Looks like summer is around the corner.

Further Information:

Baron’s Haugh is an RSPB reserve in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/b/baronshaugh/index.aspx