By Rachel Reid
Winter is starting to come to an end, and we are now seeing the signs of spring here at RSPB Lochwinnoch. There have been plenty of exciting wildlife sightings, and the lochs have been busy with a variety of bird life. Large numbers of Wigeon and Teal with smaller numbers of Pochard have been spotted on the Barr Loch, with a rare Lesser Scaup continuing to be present and drawing in a number of visiting birdwatchers at a loose end after travelling to see the Myrtle Warbler in Ayrshire. There have been many sightings of the long-staying Long-tailed Duck this month too, including on the Aird Meadow Loch and on the Castle Semple Loch with some fantastic sightings from the boardwalk. The Long-tailed Duck is a winter visitor to the UK and is mostly seen at sea, most commonly from Northumberland to Northern Scotland. They don’t breed in the UK as their breeding grounds are in the arctic, although protection of their wintering sites (including the UK) is becoming increasingly important.
Long-tailed Duck, Photo by Ken Ramsay
Spring is definitely in the air as Goldeneye males have been seen displaying on the Aird Meadow Loch. Male Goldeneye are very distinctive with their stunning dark emerald green head and unique yellow eyes. Their courtship display involves tossing their head back with their bill pointing upwards. This makes for both a fantastic and bizarre sight. A pair of mating Goosander were also spotted on the Aird Meadow Loch, and lots of our other wildfowl and waders have courting and displaying.
Goldeneye male displaying, Photo by Richard Bennett
A pair of Pintail were sighted from the channel hide on the 10th of February. Pintail are easily distinguished by their long pointed tail feathers, and the males also have a chestnut coloured head, white neck and grey body with a long graceful neck. They are not a common sight in the UK and are mainly seen during the winter months as only a small number of these ducks will breed in Scotland.
Pintail seen from the channel hide, Photo by Rick Bolton
The scrape has been buzzing with wildlife, with sightings including good numbers of Oystercatcher, Lapwing and Common Snipe. Curlew have also been using the scrape as a roost site, and this is the time of year we traditionally see the largest numbers of these birds on the reserve before they head off to breed. Around 25 were counted on the scrape on 25th of February. The Curlew is the largest European wading bird, distinguished by their down-curved bill and unique bubbling call. Large numbers of Curlew will often arrive in the UK over winter from Scandinavia to make good use of our milder winter weather. In 2015 Curlew were added to the red list making them a species of high conservation importance due to drastic declines in their breeding population. A Ringed Plover made an appearance on the scrape on the 24th of February probably on its way to a breeding site after wintering at the coast.
Curlew on the scrape, Photo by Ally Dowd
There have been some fantastic sightings of raptors on the reserve this month with a ringtail Hen Harrier sighted on the 18th and regular sightings of the resident Sparrowhawks. A Kestrel made a brief appearance on the reserve near the visitor centre on the 3rd of February - these striking birds of prey have adapted to man-made environments and can survive in the centre of cities, and will even make use of roadside verges to capture their prey. They hunt by hovering over likely habitat and striking from above, assisted by their incredible eyesight to allow them to home in on their target.
Kestrel near visitor centre, Photo by Ally Dowd
Other sightings in February include Woodcock in the areas of wet woodland and Skylarks flying over the Barr Loch. Whooper swans have been regulars on both the Barr Loch and the Aird Meadow Loch, with returning Shoveler ducks on both the Barr Loch and the scrape. There have also been some fantastic sightings of Otter including one seen on the 9th of February from the board walk and another seen on the Aird Meadow on 17th of February.
Shoveler on scrape