Well it has been another fantastic week for sightings on the reserve. I think the highlight for me was waking up to the sound of lesser redpoll singing in the woodland. Quickly followed by the calls from a buzzard as it settled in the tree above my head not knowing I was there.

I managed to get my moth trap out on the reserve and caught three large yellow underwing, one map winged swift, one mottled beauty, one smoky wainscot and one gold spot. Other insects on the reserve include common hawker hunting over the water near the mill lade weir.

Birds on the reserve have been numerous with fledglings still being sighted. We have reports of wren, blackbird, chiff chaff, robin, song thrush, blue tit, great tit and great spotted woodpecker all being found in our woods. In the river we have had sightings of common sandpiper, dipper, grey wagtail, grey heron and some brief sightings of our kingfisher. Flying overhead we have our sand martins and ravens still flying around the meadow along with oystercatcher in the fields.

Moving onto our mammals and we have another successful badger watch seeing an adult badger snuffling, grooming and using a latrine. Great stuff! Other mammal sightings include common pipistrelle, rabbit and grey squirrel.

For our flowering wildflowers we have hedge woundwort, marsh woundwort, dog 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, daisy, dandelion, herb robert, pink purslane, water avens, wood avens, yellow pimpernel, germander speedwell, thyme-leaved speedwell, bramble, meadowsweet, ragged robin, heath bedstraw, common cow wheat, slender St John’s wort, bush vetch, honeysuckle, valerian and dog rose. We also have flowering elder on the reserve so it’s time to make elderflower cordial.

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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