The weather for the majority of the period certainly suggested that it was still very much winter but there were hints by the end of Feb that Spring may not be too far off. The star bird of the period was definitely the drake smew that graced the reserve from 17 Feb onwards, primarily showing on the Aird Meadow Loch but also making regular trips to the Barr Loch. This is presumably the same returning drake back for his sixth winter after first being noted on the reserve in 2010.There have only been around 12 smew reported in Scotland this winter and so this beautiful small black-masked white duck from Scandinavia and Russia certainly qualifies as a rarity.
Smew, Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)
After last month's very high numbers of brambling that were reported, small numbers remained mainly at Garthland Wood including four on 26 Feb with at least 50 fieldfare also noted there the same day. The next day a woodcock was seen at the Aird Meadow Trail. This was amongst a good showing by waders with the channel and pond areas in front of the Visitor Centre proving to be particularly attractive e.g. on 28 Feb a snipe, two oystercatchers, 51 lapwing and seven curlew were all recorded feeding there - definitely a sign of early Spring movement and a great sign too of what the "new" habitat here could produce this year in terms of wader passage.
Brambling, Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)
The 16 Feb was definitely a red letter day at the Barr Loch with two stonechats, two ringtail hen harriers and best of all a Greenland white-fronted goose all being recorded there. High numbers of waterfowl remained on there throughout including 2+ gadwall, 320 wigeon (on 14 Feb) and 200+ coot. Up to three scaup (a drake and two females) also remained throughout usually either on Castle Semple Loch or on the Aird Meadow Loch. The dead trees on the bund at the Aird Meadow attracted good numbers of roosting cormorants with a peak count of 30 birds on 20 Feb. This is the highest count on the reserve since 1990 with the highest ever number recorded being 37 in November 1989. All these records meant that by the end of February the year list had risen to 87 species!
Stonechat, Mike Langman (rspb-images.com)
Angus Murray.