Trip reports

Early morning Birdwatching Outing

RSPB

Saturday, 22 October 2011

Twenty one members braved the early October morning to meet at Vane Farm at 6.45am to meet with Vicky Turnbull, the Reserve Manager for an opportunity to see the goose spectacle as they left their roosting area on the loch and fly out to the fields to graze.

We settled near to the second hide, as on cue, about six thousand pink-footed geese rose above us and circled around before settling on the adjacent marshy land. The noise they made was quite tremendous. As the sky brightened we could see more activity, as approximately one hundred and sixty whooper swans, their plumage tinged pink, flew in formation above. The patterns in the sky of more flocks of geese arriving, swans, and a low level flock of lapwing skimming by was quite amazing.

With more light we distinguished wigeon, teal, mallard, pintail, tufted duck, a great-crested grebe, shoveler, golden eye and pochard on the water, with more geese, including four hundred greylag geese on St Serf's island.

Raptors were also in evidence, with two buzzards, a sparrowhawk and a kestrel seen. The latter was particularly obliging, perching on a bin for some time for superb sightings.

Vicky explained to us the ongoing work at Vane to create more wet grassland to assist breeding lapwing and snipe, and showed us the new third hide site, to be surrounded with reeds with a bridge access. This, once completed in the winter, will be a fantastic new viewing facility with much closer access to the water. Finally, we moved back into the shop and café for a welcome breakfast. We thank Vicky and the staff of Vane Farm for turning out so early for us and providing excellent hospitality.

Margaret Harrison