My week. (Part Two) RSPB Lochwinnoch

For part two of my blog "my week", I wanted to talk about something else I've done for the past few weeks. I have visited RSPB Lochwinnoch, a picturesque nature reserve at the edge of Renfrewshire. Now I have been there before. In fact, I volunteered there last year. However these were the first times I had visited in a while.

RSPB Lochwinnoch visitor centre and viewing tower taken on a previous visit on June 11th 2011

I have always been impressed with the reserve. Quite easy to get to and has given me some good photo opportunities not least in their wonderful photo hide!

So I returned here on May 23rd. It was a glorious day with temperatures soaring! Pretty much as soon as I got there, I went into the photo hide and then I saw something zoom past my view into the trees to the right of the hide. I quickly spotted that it had been a Great Spotted Woodpecker. He obligingly flew onto his favourite log where I have photographed him before which is set up outside the hide and smeared with fat. Sadly on this occasion he did not hang around very long. Soon after, the Lesser Redpoll showed up with the male of the species exhibiting a brilliant pink breast. Soon after it was the Siskin's turn to impress me with some brilliant greens.

After seeing and photographing some beautiful birds, I left the photo hide to have some food and went for a walk along one of the rivers at the reserve where I have seen and heard several members of the warbler family before. Given the sun and the heat, I rather foolishly sat for a while to try and photograph one. The results were...questionable. Deflated I then went the other way along the path. This walk was much cooler with the harsh sun being kept at bay somewhat by the trees. This time, I both saw and photographed Sedge Warbler. A stunning bird which I enjoyed photographing especially given the nice lighting and Spring greens in the photos.

I then returned on May 31st and again, headed straight for the photo hide. Almost down to the minute of my last encounter just over a week before, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker again landed on it's log and began picking the fat off. This time, it stayed for considerably longer. I was so honoured, especially as I was the only one in the hide at the time! Having eventually flown off, I was greeted by the usual suspects. Goldfinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, etc. All wonderful and unique in their own way. I also saw a couple of Mallard Ducks mating. then a jealous male Mallard started fighting the mating male trampling on the female as they went. The female was, gladly, unharmed.

So...my bird list. I'm going to combine the two visits as the bird lists for both are pretty much the same.

Great Spotted Woodpecker
Lesser Redpoll
Chaffinch
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Siskin
House Sparrow
Mallard Duck
Grey Heron
Collard Dove
Wood Pigeon
Jackdaw
Rook
Sedge Warbler
Goldfinch
Greenfinch

View of the Great Spotted Woodpecker on that first visit. After studying the picture, I can confirm it's a male.

One of my personal favourites of a male Lesser Redpoll.

A Sedge Warbler on a nice day.

A lovely male siskin. Lovely vivid colours.

The full body shot on the second visit which, probably this same male Great Spotted Woodpecker, had denied me the week before.

Mating turns nasty as a jealous Drake Mallard decides to fight a rival.

A blue tit's nest box as the parent returns with food.



Also news recently which I forgot to share is that I now have a Facebook "page", which you can have a look at and like if you wish. Click here to go to it.

My week. (Part One) "Whitethroat Field"

What's this funny thing? I believe it's called a "blog".

Okay okay. I know I spend most of my posts saying sorry for not posting in a while. I won't try to catch you up totally with what's been going on, but the nice weather we've had in Scotland has encouraged me to get out with my camera quite a bit and so I'm going to write about a few outings I've had this week. I'll separate them into two blog entries so as to make it easier on us both!

Firstly, a field I found near my house which seems quite the hotbed for wildlife. I've been there a few of times now. It's fantastic. First time was with my girlfriend Lorna. We just wandered down there and were very quickly greeted by Swallows, which we had thought we heard last year when we visited the same site then. That wasn't all though. We also spotted Whitethroat and House Martins too! Sadly at this point, two things were stopping me from being able to take decent photos of the birds. Firstly, the aforementioned good weather had not started yet. Secondly, my telephoto lens on my camera had developed a fault and I was awaiting it's replacement.


However, since these two setbacks have been banished, I have been back a few times with my new lens to take photos and have been able to add a few things to the list. I have also seen Sand Martins and Swifts. As far as insects go, I have spotted several species of flies including a few of the old favourites: hoverflies. Also a few bees. I have seen and photographed Orange-tip Butterflies and have even caught a glimpse of what I believe was a Common blue damselfly, although sadly no photos of the latter.


All in all I am really very impressed with this patch. Here's as full a list as I can manage. Educated guesses have an asterisk(*) next to them.



Birds

Whitethroat
Sand Martin
House Martin
Robin
Blackbird
Swift
Swallow
Starling
Mallard Duck
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Wood Pigeon
Feral Pigeon
Rook
Carrion Crow
Sparrow


Insects

Common Blue Damselfy*
Bumble Bee
Orange-tip Butterfly
Bluebottle Fly
Housefly
Hoverfly


And here are some photos of the aforementioned.

The underside of a female Orange-tip Butterfly.

Another view of the female Orange-tip.

A whitethroat on a fencepost.

Having a wee sing song.

Up close and personal!

A House Martin.

Swift.

I think this is a Sand Martin. Anyone care to disagree..?

This location has it's own set on my flickr...and so as always, feel free to check that out. It's found here.

Stay tuned for part two!