Ian had an appointment in Glasgow at lunchtime on Monday but with the rest of the day free he decided to turn the trip into a birding opportunity and offered me the chance to join him for the trip. Naturally I agreed, with a lifer (Cattle Egret) and a couple of year-ticks (Taiga Bean Goose and Blue Winged Teal) on the list of prospective targets for the day. An early start saw us arriving at a rather grey and overcast Stirling around 0800. At Bolfornought Farm we found the
Cattle Egret showing nicely in a field from where it flew a few minutes later to the small paddock next to the house where we had excellent views of the rather relaxed bird as it fed among the muddier parts of the small field. From there we headed for Slamannan and lucked into a flock of a dozen
Taiga Bean Geese in a field just off the main road which flew off as we were concentrating on a small flock of what turned out to be Canada Geese flying over.
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| Cattle Egret |
Then it was a visit to a few of the small Lochs in the area. Garnqueen Loch was very quiet though Water Rail were heard but not seen. Then we headed for Frankfield Loch where most of the birds were rather distant. Ian found the
Blue Winged Teal with his scope and I had my 3rd new bird of the day, though views were rather distant. Ian dropped me off at Hogganfield Loch while he attended to his business in Glasgow. I walked a circuit of the Loch with close views of Whooper Swans the main highlight. Water Rails were heard here (and at Frankfield later) but again not seen. We headed back to Frankfield for another look at the Blue Winged Teal which did show marginally better before we decided to head home via Dalgety Bay and another attempt at the Red Necked Grebe. Unfortunately, once again we were out of luck with that particular bird. A very good day out nevertheless with 60 species seen including the 3 year-ticks (in bold) with the Cattle Egret the star of the show.
Dundee to/and Bolfornought Farm - Herring Gull, Carrion Crow, Buzzard, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Rook, Feral Pigeon, Starling, Kestrel,
Cattle Egret, Greylag Goose, Pink Footed Goose.
Bolfornought Farm to/and Slamannan area -
Taiga Bean Goose, Canada Goose, Chaffinch, Great Black Backed Gull.
Mammals - Roe Deer.
Garnqueen Loch, Frankfield and Hogganfield Loch - Moorhen, Coot, Tufted Duck, Meadow Pipit, Mallard, Black Headed Gull, Goldeneye, Redwing, Shoveler, Mute Swan, Little Grebe, Goosander, Grey Heron,
Blue Winged Teal, Whooper Swan, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Long Tailed Tit, Gadwall, Sparrowhawk, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Grey Wagtail, Jay.
Glasgow to Dalgety Bay to Dundee (via Perth) - Pheasant, Greenfinch, Shelduck, Redshank, Slavonian Grebe, Curlew, Turnstone, Wigeon, Eider, Lapwing, Sandwich Tern, Long Tailed Duck, Pied Wagtail, Dunlin.
Mammals seen - Grey Seal.
Butterflies seen - Red Admiral.
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| Pink Footed Goose |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Woodpigeon |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Greylag Goose |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Cattle Egret |
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| Canada Goose |
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| Taiga Bean Goose |
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| Taiga Bean Goose |
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| Taiga Bean Goose |
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| Taiga Bean Goose |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Starling |
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| Redwing |
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| Moorhen |
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| Moorhen |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Goosander |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Black Headed Gull |
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| Lesser Black Backed Gull |
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| Lesser Black Backed Gull |
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| Cormorant |
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Sparrowhawk |
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| Coot |
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| Sparrowhawk & prey |
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| Whooper Swan |
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| Feral Pigeon |
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| Shoveler & Blue Winged Teal |
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| Shoveler & Blue Winged Teal |
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| Great Crested Grebe |
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| Slavonian Grebe |
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| Slavonian Grebe & Great Crested Grebe |
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| Red Breasted Merganser |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Redshank |
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| Herring Gull |
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| Long Tailed Duck |
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| Sandwich Tern |
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| Curlew |
Species seen - Blackbird, Black Headed Gull, Blue Tit,
Blue Winged Teal, Buzzard, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow,
Cattle Egret, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Eider, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Great Black Backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Lapwing, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Grebe, Long Tailed Duck, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Pink Footed Goose, Redshank, Redwing, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sandwich Tern, Shelduck, Shoveler, Slavonian Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Starling,
Taiga Bean Goose, Tufted Duck, Turnstone, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Woodpigeon.
Butterflies seen - Red Admiral.
Mammals seen - Grey Seal, Roe Deer.
