April highlights

April saw the arrival of some interesting summer visitors, as well as sightings of some elusive resident species.

The first appearance this year of a grasshopper warbler was recorded on April 23rd.  Grasshopper warblers are less common in Scotland than the rest of the UK, and due to recent dramatic declines in their populations they are now a red list species.  Large flocks of up to 300 sand martins were recorded on the reserve throughout the month, and an osprey was seen fishing over the lochs on several occasions.


Grasshopper warbler - RSPB

There were also several sightings of water rail and kingfisher during the month.  Both can be difficult birds to spot as they can be very shy - water rails in particular are often heard rather than seen.

Osprey over Aird Meadow by Claire Martin

In addition to these sightings, the other bird species recorded on the reserve during April were:

Little Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Cormorant

Grey Heron

Mute Swan

Whooper Swan

Pink-footed Goose

Greylag Goose

Canada Goose

Wigeon

Gadwall

Teal

Mallard

Pochard

Tufted Duck

Goldeneye

Goosander

Sparrowhawk

Buzzard

Osprey

Kestrel

Water Rail

Moorhen

Coot

Oystercatcher

Lapwing

Snipe

Curlew

Common Sandpiper

Black-headed Gull

Common Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Kingfisher

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Sand Martin

Swallow

House Martin

Meadow Pipit

Grey Wagtail

Pied/White Wagtail

Wren

Dunnock

Robin

Blackbird

Song Thrush

Mistle Thrush

Grasshopper Warbler

Sedge Warbler

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Willow Warbler

Goldcrest

Long-tailed Tit

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Nuthatch

Treecreeper

Magpie

Jackdaw

Rook

Carrion Crow

Starling

House Sparrow

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

Siskin

Lesser Redpoll

Bullfinch

Reed Bunting