Strathclyde Park Summer 2007. Birds,Nature

I parked my Ford Focus in the Pavilion car park, loaded my rucksack with my digiscope gear and headed for the banks of the River Clyde close by. The banks however were jam-packed with 5 feet high Himalayan Balsam

                                                                                                              
       
I found a gap which allowed me to penetrate through to the riverbank. I set up my equipment and patiently waited. At my feet I noticed a yellow flower which I later identified as a Monkey Flower.
      
 
I didn’t have to wait long until a goosander with young family glided past near to the opposite bank. Above them in the trees I noticed a pair of woodpigeon
                    
   
   
                                         
 
I moved north up the road past a series of car parks. At the north-most car park people were feeding a large flock of birds which included Mute Swans, Greylag Geese, Mallards and puzzlingly a Black Swan. Meanwhile hoards of Black-headed gulls circled overhead keen not to miss out on the nosh.
      
                                   
                                   
                                                         
                               
       
Further along Crest road I passed a trio of lovely dogs patiently awaiting their mistress’s next command. Perhaps she was mindful of the close proximity of a rather beautiful swan.
     
   
I moved on to the north end of the Loch where many birds were roosting at the rowing launch bays. I noticed Golden Plover, Lapwing, and Oystercatcher.
     
In the water, coots scurried about some with scruffy-looking red-headed chicks.
        
In the moat behind the launch area I found a very shy moorhen hiding in the reeds. Surprisingly one had ventured onto the grass perhaps to seek out over-adventurous chicks.
       
 
     
I knocked over a large stone as I adjusted my tripod position. A woodlouse didn’t appreciate exposure to the light. So I did as you should always do and returned the stone to it's original position.
   
After lunch at the nearby fairground I resumed my journey where the River Calder enters the Loch beside a ruin of a Roaman Bathhouse.
  
   
     
I caught a glimpse of a moorhen in the reeds at the river mouth. I set up my digiscope and hid behind a bush until it re-emerged.
           
This area of the Loch seemed to have a different population of water birds which included Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, and Coot.
   
           
           
                                             
 
As I waited for the Moorhen I spotted this orange bug sitting on an ear of grass.
                                                                           
                                                           
The path around the Loch wound over a hill past a Pond. On the path I found a toad in transit. I guarded it from the passing walkers and cyclists until it had made its way onto the grass.
            
   
                                                                 
   
Eventually I reached a beach largely occupied by more birds being fed by the public. Swans and Geese dominated but Mallards, Gulls, even Jackdaws and Sparrows were getting in there.
      
                         
   
             
   
       
   
   
   
   
I had now satisfied my curiosity. Strathclyde Park Loch was home to at least 20 species of bird – more than I expected. I’m certain there must be more. I will return!