Moorhen Madness!

On a recent field trip with the North Ayrshire RSPB Local Group, our last stop of the day was at Aberlady Bay Local Nature Reserve. Our main reason - to watch for the geese coming in to roost for the evening. In that regard we were very lucky, as over the hour or so watching out as the sun set, we managed to see the huge skeins of geese coming in from all directions.

However, one other highlight from that stop – and definitely the most unusual – was a juvenile moorhen. Take a look at this series of photos, bearing in mind that they are very grainy due to them being digiscoped with my phone camera, shortly after the sun had set.

Doon the Watter

The beginning of the North Ayrshire RSPB Local Group's 2014-15 season is just over a week away, which means for me, the last couple of weeks have been busy, pulling together the latest newsletter and syllabus. The printing of these takes place in Saltcoats, so over the last weekend I ventured down to print and collate, making sure everything was ready to be handed out to members.

So, with the printing done and the weather nice, we decided to venture out and visit some local patches. Starting in Saltcoats, at the promenade behind the cinema. We looked out to the incoming tide and started the list. Waders rummaged around the rocky outcrops - redshank, curlew, ringed plover, turnstone and oystercatcher. Lesser black-backed and herring gulls were settled on rocks and scattered between them were sandwich terns, all relaxing on this warm summery day. One outcrop further out held a flock of sunning shags, while every now and again a solo gannet would pass by even further out above the water.

Turning the corner to the 'stinking rocks' of Saltcoats Harbour we added starling, pied wagtail and rock pipit to the list. The usual gulls and waders were seen again here tossing the seaweed. Further round, house sparrows and black-headed gulls flocked the car park.