Sunday 9th September.
Its 2 weeks since i was here last and there have been alot of changes in that time. There are homes for lots of insects and beasties, the path between the two bridges has now been gravelled and the whole place is looking great. Not that it doesn't always!!
I didn't expect to see the Harriers today, but the female was present all day long for visitors to see, hunting over the reed beds and along at both ends of the reserve. I went for a walk round to the lilly pond to find willow warblers chasing each other. something else i didn't think i was going to see!! It was a lovely day and lots of darters and butterflies were also out, especially at the lilly pond.
The variety of ducks is starting to build up again but alot of them are still in eclipse. Shoveler, wigeon, teal, gadwall and mallards are all present and waders included Lapwing 40+, Snipe 22 and Curlew 2.
Of the smaller birds:- Siskins, goldfinch, greenfinch, chaffinch,bullfinch, long tailed tits, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, wren, robin, goldcrest, treecreeper, meadow pipits, reed bunting, song thrush and blackbird.
Swallows and House martins were also present throughout the day.
Other birds seen today:- Heron, Cormorant, buzzard, common gulls, crows, woodpigeon and pheasant
Darell
I haven't been to the loch recently because of all the snow. Reporting will resume as normal, as soon as is possible.
Sunday 3rd February
I was on the reserve this morning for a short while. The car park was nearly snow and ice free but the loch was still frozen in the main, although there were areas of ice free water at both ends of the loch.
At the swamp hide there were mute swans, mallard, teal, wigeon and greylag geese. At the east end there were goo sander, mallard, goldeneye, mute swan and the male smew. We had good views of the smew in flight as it went from the east to the swamp end and back again.
I filled the feeders up and it didn't take long for the birds to discover that food was available again. Chaffinch, blue tit, coal tit, great tit, robin, brambling and a greenfinch were present. In the bushes behind the feeding station were redpoll. Crows, wood pigeons, buzzard, blackbird and treecreeper were also present today.
Sunday 10th February
The loch is still frozen in front of the gallery hide with layers of snow on the top. It snowed for the majority of the time i was there today.
At the east end there is a large area of ice free water and this is where the smew was this morning along with 12 goosander, goldeneye, mallard, tufted duck and mute swans. treecreeper, robin and wren were seen on my way to the swamp hide along with a red squirrel.
Mallard, mute swans, whooper swans, goosander, tufted duck, greylag geese and goldeneye were all at the swamp end. The path to the hide is almost clear of water now apart from a small area, just before the boardwalk. Best with wellies, but good walking boots is also ok.
I had filled up the feeders earlier on and it didn't take the birds long to find it. Chaffinches, blue tits, coal tits, great tits, robin, great spotted woodpecker and brambling were all there.
We went for a walk to the first bridge towards kirrie and found a lot of patches of snow, still on the paths. Lots of water around too, but not many birds. Only a few long tailed tits were seen outside the east hide and after that it was a few blue tits along the path.
Other birds today were heron, wood pigeon, pheasant, crows, lapwing, common gulls and blackbird.