January at the reserve has been an example of sightings of regularly seen species mixed with a few unusual surprises. The most unusual has to be the kittiwake we had on 12 December on the Aird Meadow Loch. This marine gull must have been exhausted because of the terrible weather conditions at the time meaning it had to touch down and rest. Subsequently the bird was seen in a bad way over at Castle Semple where the ranger team contacted Hessilhead wildlife sanctuary who took the bird into care. Fingers crossed it makes a full recovery.
Sightings of Scaup continued during the first few weeks of the month both on Castle Semple and Aird Meadow Lochs proving that you often get out of bird watching what you put in, although I admit that from a distance it can be difficult sifting through the many tufted duck in the hope of catching a glimpse of something rather more unusual.
Requiring less effort in the way of straining one’s eyes have been the excellent and close views of great spotted woodpecker and sparrowhawk from the comfort of the visitor centre. There has been a male woodpecker consistently coming for fatty, high-energy treats in the tree stumps in front of the viewing window, and it has recently been joined in this habit by a treecreeper. All this action has played out under the watchful gaze of two separate sparrowhawks that have individually been ambushing small birds at the feeding station. One is clearly a male bird with a slate grey back and orange colouration to the breast, and a second all together browner bird which I think is a young male. Both equally beautiful and both equally deadly!
Kittiwake, Mike Langman, (rspb-images.com)
Further afield on the reserve there have been a few noteworthy records such as a dipper seen on the River Calder on 23 January, one of my favourite birds. I have been re-inspired to get out there and seek this species once again due to the fantastic feature on these charismatic birds on BBC winter watch recently.
Sparrowhawk, Mike Langman, (rspb-images.com)
Speaking of water-loving species, an otter was seen on the western corner of the reserve on 8 January. It is always great seeing otters in real life, but this sighting was made extra special as I was watching it whilst stood next to BBC Wildlife cameraman and filmmaker John Aitchison! He was judging a photography competition at the reserve and caused quite a stir among the wildlife enthusiasts!
Dipper, Mike Langman, (rspb-images.com)
When you think of Lochwinnoch reserve in the wintertime, species of birds such as whooper swan and hen harrier come to mind, and indeed both these species have featured heavily in our January sightings. The whoopers have gradually increased in number throughout the month reaching a peak of 44 birds on the pond in front of the visitor centre on 22 January. This week we have had one particular bird which had a yellow leg ring reading “VXL”. Our records tell us that this bird was ringed at Martin Mere on 15 February 1996 and has been seen all over the country since then including several visits to Lochwinnoch. Amazing stuff!
Whooper swan, Mike Langman, (rspb-images.com)
We believe the hen harrier seen throughout the month was a female bird which had previously been in the care of the team at Hessilhead wildlife sanctuary in Beith. It spent several days wowing visitors by flying incredibly close to the channel in front of the building but has not been sighted over the Aird Meadow since 21 January. Perhaps it has moved on.
My personal highlight of this month has to be the unbelievably close views we had of a red-breasted merganser in the closest corner of the pond in front of the centre on 25 January. The bird flew in, landed on the pond and dived under a few times before setting off and flying north over Castle Semple Loch. We presume this is the same bird sighted on Castle Semple Loch a few days previously; a male bird, and the first sighting at the reserve for a number of years.
Red-breasted merganser, Mike Langman, (rspb-images.com)
We hope to welcome you to the reserve over the next few weeks so you can have a chance of seeing some of this wonderful wildlife.
Mark.