A Smorgasbord of Surprise: The Marshes

Perhaps one of the most hidden habitats locally, the marshes are also some of our most bountiful in both flora and fauna. Here you can see (and hear) all sorts of unique species that you won't find in other habitats, so they are always worth a visit.

Throughout the year the marsh is home to numerous different species of birds, many of them are extremely elusive and difficult to spot from amongst the grass. Grey Herons are at least easy to spot by their size, but the much smaller Moorhens, Snipe and even Jack Snipe can lie out of sight amongst the reeds. Indeed we get relatively infrequent records of these birds, even though it is likely that they are present, they just remain hidden and silent. Other birds are much more vocal, and often you can hear both Reed Buntings and Sedge Warbler contributing to the song coming from within the marsh. Whistling Teals alongside Mallards often frequent the marsh pools, though with this recent weather these are mostly dried up and so we have not seen ducks at the marsh for a while. All of these birds provide a tempting target for would-be hunters, and the marsh has its own raptor. Aptly named Marsh Harriers are few and far between, but we've had records of them hunting around the marsh, where they often disturb many of the harder to find species whilst they are it! 

Common Spotted Orchid (left) and it's hybrid

The marsh is home to a great variety of fauna, many of it hidden behind the rushes and long grasses. The damp soils make this a good place for a great variety of plants, including Bogbeam, Ragged Robin and Marsh Sancfoil. If you're looking to tickle your tastes buds, then they also have Wild Mint and Water Pepper - having tried it I can attest that it is very peppery! Deep within the heart of the marsh lie some truly beautiful plants, the orchids. Common Spotted Orchids are our staple species, along with Northern Marsh Orchids Whilst none were of the latter flowering when we last visited, they did leave behind some evidence, a hybrid orchid. Crossed with a Common Spotted orchid it displays both a distinctive purple colour and spots on its flower and leaves. These hybrids are capable of propagating with the regular Common Spotted Orchids, indeed this plant was likely a 2nd or 3rd generation hybrid itself. Under ideal conditions, it is possible that even the Common Spots will be replaced, as over time they all hybridize.

Definitely the most numerous of all organisms at the marsh are the insects, of which there is a huge variety across many families. Butterflies can be found all through the meadows surrounding the marsh, and there are many within the marsh itself. During our visit this week we had a Meadow Brown, Large Skipper and even a Small Heath. It is around the small ponds that most of the insects can be found, however, thanks to the warm weather of late these ponds are much smaller than normal. Within the water are several Diving Beetles, whilst on the surface are Pond Skaters and flying above them are numerous small flies. These are ideal food for aerial hunters mobile enough to catch them, and sure enough, there are dragonflies present at the ponds as well. Pinning down which species they are however was a challenging ordeal, as they spend a lot of time on the wing and land only for a short period of time before alighting again. Eventually though we were able to get some pictures during a brief respite period on some grass, identifying our mystery dragonfly as a Four-spotted Chaser. On the same small patch of water we also recorded a Common Darter, as well as Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies in the surrounding vegetation. 

A Four-spotted Chaser takes a brief moment of respite

As you can see there is a wide range of organisms to be found amongst the marshes, far more than there initially appears. Patience really is the key to this habitat, as there are many places for everything to hide, but also lots of things to discover! Perhaps not as well known as other areas around the Wig, I would definitely recommend you to check them out, or even your own local marsh. Providing it hasn't rained recently (unless you have wellies of course) and the sun is out, there is guaranteed to be a plentiful bounty awaiting you.

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

The Weather Plethora: Bird Report for 15/06/20 - 21/06/20

This week has seen some pretty turbulent weather, from strong wings to sudden and intense downpours. This has made bird-watching very sporadic, though on the days we have been out the weather has been excellent (as my suntan will attest too). Stormy weather can have its benefits however, since as well as cooling us down it can often end up blowing birds out at sea inland towards us. We've not had anything quite as exciting as last week recorded yet, but with these winds looking to continue something may well get blown in soon enough. 

Rainy days can lead to a lot of garden bird watching, but fortunately, we see quite a variety of birds as they travel down the gardens on our street. This week we've had a Robin, a singing Goldfinch and a Carrion Crow Hybrid (hybridized with Hooded Crow). We often have Herring Gulls fly over the garden (we'll have to get a fish pond or something to entice them in) but this week a Black-headed Gull visited as it took refuge from the wind. 

A Black-headed Gull (though it is in fact dark brown)

Keeping with gulls, and we had a single record of a Kittiwake this week. Normally seagoing birds we get some infrequent records of them, so perhaps this one was taking some shelter from the windy weather. Down on the Scar we've been having Sandwich Terns on a regular basis, whilst elsewhere on the loch we had an Arctic Tern, our first record in a couple of weeks. 

The Scar is a great spot for local waders, especially when the tide is out and the sand spit is revealed to its full extent. We often see large gatherings of Oystercatchers there since they breed all along the beach and fields. This week a pair were seen mobbing a crow, a good indicator that they had a nest somewhere nearby. The Wig is normally a good spot for Ringed Plovers, however this week we've only had the one record them. Whether this is the weather or some other factor we don't really know, but hopefully we shall see more of them going into next week. 

Sticking to our waders just a little longer, and this week we have had a few new visitors. Whilst not a new species, it has been a few months since we last had a Lapwing record. Normally at this time of year they should be breeding (not locally sadly) so it's possible that this bird was a failed breeder and is beginning its autumn migration. Back on the beach, and early in the week a sharp call caught our attention whilst trekking through the woods next to the shore. Coming back later in the week we confirmed our suspicions and recorded our first Common Sandpiper of the year! These birds have bred here in the past, however, we were beginning to think they wouldn't even arrive this year since we normally see them by April - May.

Chiffchaffs tend to be easier to hear than see in my experience

On the topic of bird songs, it can often be very difficult to pick out an individual species from the cacophony of the woods. Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers are very much the sound of summer, and we have heard them every day that we were out this week. Joining their chorus were  Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Skylarks, Song Thrushes (they really do live up to their namesake) and even a sole Goldcrest made its voice heard. It is quite impressive how many of our records come from bird calls, as no matter where you are around the Wig there is always something to hear. 

Not that long ago I did an article covering many of the butterflies that we see starting to appear. Since then we have recorded several more species which definitely deserve a mention. This week we've had a Small Heath, Large Skipper, Large White, Ringlet and Common Blue. This does not include many of the common species mentioned in the highlighted article, so just goes so show the huge variety of butterflies we can get once the sun is out. 

And with that our weekly recap comes to an end. With the sun, rain and wind we've still had a great variety of birds and insects this week, and even squeaked in another new species in the Common Sandpiper. We must be running out of these, however with more winds on the horizon it's always possible that something exciting could be blown in, so check back next week to see what we get.

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

Whistling up an Eagle: Bird Report for 08/06/20 - 14/06/20

This week has certainly been full of surprises, from some interesting records from within Stranraer to not only one, but two new species to the blog - which could be among the most exciting records we've had this year. Summer is really starting to come alive and as always we've got a great selection of species from around the Wig. 

Following on from last week's focus on nesting birds and we have even more instances across many species. Over in Stranraer fluffy little Herring Gulls are starting to hatch (though not on cars this time!), whilst back along the coast, we have had several records of Black Guillemot nests. Several birds are still flaunting their breeding plumages, including Turnstones and Sanderlings that were seen on the beach this week. 

All these young birds mean the hunting is good for many species, and so we have seen lots of hunters this week. The Peregrines are still out and about, and this week were joined by the record of a single Kestrel - an irregular species in these parts. Our local pair of Buzzards are still a common sight, though sadly there is no sign that they have successfully bred this year. All of these birds however were dwarfed by the arrival of a new species, a White-tailed Eagle! This individual was an immature bird, and so was just passing through as it explored the coastlines. Still, these are very rare records for us, and as a lover of all types of birds of prey, it's definitely the highlight of the week for me. 

A Siskin on the bird feeders

Something that has always intrigued me is the difference in garden birds we see between Stranraer and Kirkcolm, despite only being 8 miles apart. We of course share many of the common species, including House Sparrows, Starlings and Blackbirds. Barely 10 minutes into some gardening in Stranraer however, and we already had records of Greenfinch, Swift and Siskin. Historically we have had records of all of these, but in the past couple of months, they have been strangely absent. Nonetheless, it was nice to know that they are at least not too far away. 

The huge flocks of male Eider still dominate the loch (399 on Thursday), however we have seen a resurgence of our other ducks. Common Scoters have been very scarce since the winter, however this week we've had a few records of some decent sized flocks (70+). Teals have also been a little thin on the ground these past few weeks, so to have three males and females was confirmation that they are still about. Shelduck at least have been consistent varying in numbers from 2-8 each day as they move around the Wig and Scar. Over at Loch Connell there was the usual complement of Mallards, however amongst them was a very unusual record. A White-faced Whistling Duck would not only be a new record for the blog, but for Dumfries and Galloway, if not the UK itself. That is, if it weren't an escapee. Originally from Central Africa and South America, these are non-migratory ducks (indeed it's thought they originated in Africa and then were brought over to America by humans). Due to their striking appearance, they are commonly kept in zoos and wildfowl collections, and so it is likely that our bird has managed to break free and then found itself a little lost. Nevertheless, it is still a very unique record and definitely caused a lot of excitement!

A similar size to Mallards, they are at least easy to pick out

This week has already been chock full of interesting records, so I thought I would finish by highlighting some more uncommon species we had this week. This includes Lesser-black Backed Gulls at the Wig, a Jay in the estate woods, and a small flock of 8 Knot on the beach. Whilst none of these are considered rarities, they are pretty irregular and so its always nice when we get a record of them.

Finishing the week off is a quick round-up of our mammals. As always we have had Roe deer all over the place, I even disturbed one whilst on my short walk in the Kirkcolm Woods. We also had a few Common Seals, and lastly, a pair of Bottle-nose Dolphins found their way into the Loch. Being this close to the sea its not too surprising to see them, however we always appreciate their visits and wouldn't mind seeing some more! 

That seems like enough for this week, and what a thrilling week it has been. it never fails to amaze me the sheer variety of species that we get around the Wig, and just goes to show that if you're lucky to be in the right place at the right time, you can even find the rarest of birds. Hopefully, you check back in next week, where we'll have plenty more exciting records (though I can't guarantee any more eagles).

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

The Next Generation: Bird Report for 01/06/20 - 07/06/20

This week saw the start of June, and much of the breeding activity we saw last month is starting to now bare fruit in the form of nests and fluffy (or not so fluffy in some cases) chicks. We're also off to a strong start on the species front, with another two added to the blog. Its been a great week to kick off the month, and hopefully it sets the tone for the coming days. 

We begin the week with a variety of different nest builders, some in the process of construction whilst others are already occupied. The most prolific of these were the Cormorants, who had 16 nests scattered across the rocks. Many of these may have already seen their charges leave, as there have been several juvenile and immature Cormorants recorded around the loch this week. Shags have also been present in good numbers, with 32 recorded in one day, and they even had a nest as well! Away from the shore and there were yet more to be found, with Great Tits busy building, whilst a few of our local houses are scattered with the muddy marks of House Martin nests. 

Great Tits often come to the feeders in our garden

For the early birds (with or without worms) many have already got young, or even fairly advanced fledglings. We can see this in the Greylag Geese up at Loch Connell, whose goslings from the past few weeks have now become almost juvenile geese. Some surprising additions have replaced them however, in the form of Canada Geese with three goslings of their own. These are part of a feral population that resides across Dumfries and Galloway, however normally they do not breed in our corner of the county, so they were a pleasant surprise.  Elsewhere we have seen Rock Pipits with juvenile birds, and a single female Eider with three ducklings. Which of the many hundred males is the father, who can say?  

Whilst the Wig is our local stomping ground, we went a little further afield this week, and from it netted some very exciting records. First of our new species to the blog was a Fulmar, which whilst have come as far as the Wig in the past, are naturally seabirds and so are normally out on the open sea coast. Similarly, Peregrines are not unusual to see, however they are always exciting to watch, and a male and female pair is even more so. To round our outing off, we finished it off with another new species, the Spotted Flycatcher. Another migratory species they come here from Africa and western Asia. Whilst one was exciting enough, we then had another two later in the week, so suffice to say we are thoroughly chuffed with our records this week. 

Pied Wagtails like the fields behind our local school

As always there was plenty more activity from around the Wig, so I shall try to pick out the highlights. Pied Wagtails haven't been as common as of late, so to see two was quite pleasant, having a Grey Wagtail was the cherry on top. We've also had some Stonechats this week, along with some small flocks of Linnets. 

Finally, we've also seen lots of mammalian activity this week. Roe deer are relatively common for us, but six in one week is particularly nice, especially when one is a cute young fawn. We also had a Hornet, which themselves are quite rare in Scotland. 

That's another week wrapped up, and a great way to start off June. With the summer sun set to continue to beam down upon us, we're sure to be out seeing plenty of more exciting records over the coming weeks.

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

Butterflies Flutter By

With the coming of the summer sun, alongside many new birds, we are also seeing an explosion of insect activity. Previously we've looked at bees, so in this article, I want to take a look at perhaps the most beloved of all insects, the Butterflies. 

Butterflies are the most extensively studied of all the insects, which is hardly surprising considering their great variety and beauty. They are primarily classified by the possession of tiny scales on their wings and body (results in the spectacular patterns we see) and a long proboscis. This general family (Lepidoptera) includes moths (who in fact make up the majority) and can be further split into 22 subfamilies. Within the UK we have approximately 59 regular species, of which Dumfries and Galloway have had records of 32 species. 

Red Admiral (left) and a Small Tortoiseshell

Many of our regular butterfly species belong to the family Nymphalidae, one of the largest subfamilies of butterfly with over 3000 different species worldwide. Also known as brush-footed butterflies due to their short and furry front legs, this family includes the Tortoiseshells, Admirals and Fritillaries. Perhaps the best known all of these is the Red Admiral, named for its orange-red bands that contrast noticeably with its otherwise dark wings. They can be found in almost any flowery habitat (including gardens) and are seen flying from May to October. Small Tortoiseshells are one of the commonest garden butterflies and can be out as early as March. The list of Fritillaries is extensive, however, most of these are found in continental Europe. We do get a couple up here though, including the Dark-green and Pearl-bordered Fritillaries. Not all species in this family can be so clearly categorized, and so there are also plenty of outlier species. These are perhaps the most beautiful and distinctive species that we get, Peacocks and Painted Ladies. These are easily recognized by their unique and unmistakable patterns, and can be seen flying from May - Sept and April - October (Peacock and Painted Lady respectively). 

Peacock (left) and Painted Lady

Very closely related the Nymphalidae is the family Satyridae, or the Browns. As the name suggests, this includes species such as Wall and Meadow Browns, both of which are pretty common in our local area. They prefer more grassy habitats and some times areas with bare ground. This is reflected in their names, as meadows are ideal habitats, whilst Walls will often settle on their namesake. Another species we get are the Graylings, though these can be a bit harder to find. Preferring heaths and rough grassland, we most commonly see them along rocky grassy areas along the coast. With their grey/brown colouring this can make them very hard to pick out from the rocks they rest upon. They do spend a lot of time resting on the ground, though never have their wings open whilst doing so, a trait that can make them easier to identify. 

Green-veined White Butterfly

The last family from which we get most of our butterflies from is the Pieridae, the Whites and Yellows, which sporting these colours are pretty easy to pick out. The most common of these is the Green-veined White, who can be found in a variety of habitats for hedgerows to woodlands and meadows. Sharing these habitats is the Orange-Tip, which is readily distinguished with its contrasting orange and white colours. The last of this family, the Clouded Yellow, actually migrate over here from continental Europe. As such their numbers can vary and since they're not annual we don't always get them, however keep an eye out as they fly from late summer till October. 

Hopefully this has given you a good idea of what to look out for, but it is by no means an absolute list. This is even half the total species recorded in Dumfries and Galloway, and depending on the habitats in your local area you may well see entirely different species to us here on the Wig. That's the good thing about butterflies though, whether in the woods, fields or even your own garden, you've always got a good chance of seeing one. So on those sunny days be sure to keep an eye out for these beautiful insects, you never know what you might stumble across.

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

Butter and Barnacles: Bird Report for 25/05/20 - 31/05/20

It seems like summer is really upon us now, as the unrelenting sun continued through this week and seems set to last. Whilst this can certainly be enjoyable, it can make for some hot and bothersome birdwatching, especially as around the Wig there is little shade. To top it off, the heat haze blurs the vision from our landing window, so we can't do all our birdwatching that way. Nonetheless, we've still made it out about and have plenty of interesting records this week. 

It has been a rather quiet week this one, however many of the records we have had are quite unusual. First among these were a group of 10 Kittiwakes, some of which were immature birds. They like to nest on cliffs along coasts, but sadly do not breed locally. They occasionally stop by the loch however, and as this their first record within many months, they are very nice to see. Looking at our other gulls, we are still getting our usual records, including Black-headed, Herring and Greater Black-backed Gulls on a regular basis. We even had a single Lesser Black-backed Gull over at Loch Connell to complete the set. 

A Grey Heron takes a break from fishing

Loch Connell is a weekly survey spot for us, and whilst it has a fairly regular species list, occasionally some exciting records crop up. The Greylag Geese are still present in good numbers (and so are the goslings, up to 18 now!) however, amongst them was another new species to the blog, a Barnacle Goose! Normally they are breeding up in the Arctic circle at this time of year, so it's possible this bird is injured, or part of a small feral population that remains in Scotland year-round. Either way its an irregular record, but one we are happy to see. Rounding out the Loch Connell records, we also had a pair of Sand Martins, plenty of Mallards and 2 Grey Herons. 

Whilst we might not have seen as much out on the loch, there is plenty of shade in the hedges, and so from the fields and woods, we have plenty to listen to. Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats contend for our attention the most, with all being heard pretty regularly (including 8 Chiffchaffs in one day!). This wasn't everything though, as across the week the chorus of a Skylark, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and a pair of Blackcaps was heard as well. 

A Starling showing off its spectacular plumage

The activity of many birds may have calmed down, but there are still certain species which we see almost every day, all year round. Unless it's pouring down with rain (and even sometimes when it is) you can be assured of seeing Jackdaws, Starlings and House Sparrows. I would go so far as to say that these are the most consistent species we have throughout the year. Whilst common birds to most of us, they have not always been the case, and so their records are just as important as any other. Indeed, House Sparrows are actually red-listed due to their decline in numbers, so we shall enjoy ours whilst we still have them.

Our bird records might have been low this week, but we've more than made up for them in Butterflies! Ever since the sun became our staple weather we've been seeing more and more of them on a daily basis. This week we had several species recorded, including Red Admiral and our first Painted Lady in the garden. Furthermore, we had a Small Copper and Green-veined White, and only recently we had a Wall Brown and our first Chimney Sweeper moth of the year. We have had plenty of other species in the past, and so will be eagerly keeping our eyes out for more as summer progresses. 

That's another hot and blustery week wrapped up, and we fully expect next week to be much of the same. No two days are ever the same around the Wig however, and so there are bound to be yet more intriguing records to be seen in the coming days.

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]