The temperature has really dropped in recent weeks, and with flocks of lapwing and pink-footed geese providing some beautiful sights and sounds on the reserve, it feels like we have turned the corner from autumn into winter.

Thankfully it’s been relatively dry and clear and we’ve been treated to some gorgeous sunsets, frosted leaves and icy ponds.

          The Barr Loch on November 5th (© Joe Crossland)


Large numbers of birds have started to arrive on the reserve, which means that the recent wetland bird survey training course, run by the British Trust for Ornithology, was nicely timed to take stock (and also to brush up on our ID skills!)

The Barr Loch seems to be attracting the biggest numbers in recent weeks – the survey recorded 97 mute swans, 34 whooper swans, over 300 wigeon, over 50 snipe and 25 tufted duck, along with six great-crested grebe, four pochard, seven scaup and two goldcrest.

Over on the Aird Meadow the survey recorded 16 goldeneye, 20 snipe, 30 tufted duck, a water rail, two cormorant, three great-crested grebe, four goosander, two scaup, a sparrowhawk, two nuthatch and a treecreeper.

          A male goldeneye (© Joe Crossland) 

          Treecreeper (© Joe Crossland) 


We were delighted to see the return of the drake hooded merganser to the Barr Loch this month. After leaving us in early October, it reportedly had a brief trip to Ayrshire, but returned on 23 November. A beautiful bird not seen often on these shores, if it’s a wild bird (and not an escapee from a collection) it will likely have been blown here all the way from the USA!

          Hooded merganser (© Joe Crossland) 


This month also saw a total of 738 wigeon counted on the Barr Loch, which is our highest count since December 1972. Thanks to our volunteer Don Allan who had the unenviable job of counting them all and also recorded a total of 226 teal.

          Wigeon (© Joe Crossland) 


RSPB Lochwinnoch Information Officer Claire Martin was in the right place at the right time last week to take this fantastic photo of a water rail. It had come to explore the feeding station, after heavy freezing in late November restricted feeding on the water. Two water rails have been seen out in the open recently, which is rare for this normally shy bird.

          Water rail (© Claire Martin) 


Other recent highlights have included a kingfisher on the Dubbs trail, 12 shoveler, a staggering 321 coot, a redhead smew, and a ringtail hen harrier early in the month. 

As the weather gets colder we hope to see more winter arrivals, which we will of course announce via Facebook and Twitter as and when they make an appearance.

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