Well it has been another wonderful week for sightings. I think the highlight even though I did not see it was the reporting of a kingfisher sat just outside the visitor centre for a couple of hours while I was working elsewhere on the reserve. Typical.

So first with our mammals on the reserve we have had so many sightings of badger this week. First we had seven badgers on our badger watch this last Saturday and then if not to top it off we had another badger sighting during the day, while we were carrying out our bumblebee transect so it is definitely worth keeping an eye out. Other mammals on the reserve are grey squirrel and rabbits.

For our wildflowers we have hedge woundwort, dog rose, guelder rose, yellow flag iris, common spotted orchid, tormentil, oxeye daisy, black knapweed, yellow rattle, creeping buttercup, common hogweed, broad-leaved willowherb, marsh hawk’s-beard, fox glove, greater stitchwort, creeping forget-me-not, daisy, dandelion, wood sorrel, wild strawberry, herb robert, pink purslane, wavy bitter-cress, water avens, wood avens, yellow pimpernel, sanicle, germander speedwell, thyme-leaved speedwell, bramble, meadowsweet, ragged robin, heath bedstraw, common cow wheat, slender St John’s wort, bush vetch, lesser stitchwort, honeysuckle, valerian and dog rose.

Then when we move onto our insects we have red admiral, meadow brown and ringlet for our butterflies. Common carder bee, white tailed bumblebee, buff tailed bumblebee, tree bumblebee, early bumblebee, garden bumblebee and forest cuckoo bee are all present on our wildflowers. I also managed to put out the moth trap in which I got four peppered moth, three bordered white, two tawny barred angle, eight large yellow underwing, two brimstone, two map winged swift, two green arches and chimney sweeper.

Then onto bird life on the reserve we have had the dipper, grey wagtail and common sandpiper all in the river accompanied by grey heron also. In the meadow we have had sand martin and yellowhammer. In the woods we have had garden warbler, blackcap, willow warbler, chiffchaff, wren, song thrush, chaffinch, blue tit, great tit and robin. I also managed to accidentally spook a tawny owl this morning. As well as four ravens flying through the gorge last night.

Finally news from off the reserve is that there has been a sighting of green woodpecker at Allanton near Shotts.

Feel free to send in your local sightings to fallsofclyde@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk.

Mike Butler – Falls of Clyde Seasonal Ranger, Scottish Wildlife Trust
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