A fair bit has happened since the last blog. The modified path at the start of the wetland trail has been completed; given some snow and a tea tray from the cafe, thoughts of the luge......!
The disturbed earth alongside the trail has resulted in an abundance of wild flowers, attract Buff-tailed Bumblebees, and on the subject of bees, the bumblebee meadow has opened, the Lapwing breeding season being over.
Since the last blog, sightings have included a pair of Common Sandpipers at the beginning of June; a juvenile male Long-tailed Duck which stayed around for the first three weeks of June; a Whimbrel and a Little Egret on the 2nd June; Scaup on the 13th; an American Wigeon on the 21st; a Water Rail on the 4th of July, and a Lesser Scaup on the 9th.
It was a disappointing year for Little Ringed Plover breeding. One pair successfully hatched one chick, though this latter disappeared, presumably predated; the other pair, despite producing several clutched, failed to hatch any chicks. All the adults have now departed.
On Monday (14th) , the Glossy Ibis was showing well around the Carden Flood, feeding on the mud recently exposed by the lowered water level.This was joined in the afternoon by two Redshanks, and two Greenshanks. Two Snipe were also seen. Three Pintails were present in Vane bay. As an encore, an Osprey then appeared over the loch.
Appearing daily, we have three Swallow chicks, in the nest above the archway.