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Trip Reports | Home fssbirding.org.uk |
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Kindrogan Field Centre Perthshire · Scotland |
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A brief site guide to finding birds in early June
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Introduction This short site guide to finding bird around Kindrogan Field Centre in early summer covers eight sites. Interesting species to be found include Wigeon, Goosander, Osprey, Black Grouse, Woodcock, Cuckoo, Green Woodpecker, Tree Pipit, Dipper, Redstart, Whinchat, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Crossbill. With luck, scarcer species may be possible including Goldeneye, Hen Harrier, Goshawk, Quail, Long-eared Owl, Wood Warbler, and Pied Flycatcher. The FSC centre is situated on the north side of Kindrogan Hill in the upper reaches of Strathardle. A heterogeneous mosaic of small patches of habitat include mixed deciduous woodland, coniferous plantation, grazed grassland, upland streams, and lochans all surrounded by hill and moorland.
Kindrogan Trip Reports: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | Location Guide to Locations | Summary 2005-2018 The north-west end of Strathardle, looking south-east from Creag na Cuinneige. Straloch Loch is in the foreground, Kindrogan Hill on the right
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Sites of interest
1. Kindrogan FSC Field Centre [NO 054629] 56° 44' 54.71" N 3° 32' 50.99" W Habitat: Mixed woodland, walled garden, grazing pasture and upland stream. Key species: Woodcock, Tawny Owl, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dipper, Spotted Flycatcher. Regular: Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Pheasant, Wood Pigeon, Swallow, House Martin, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Bullfinch. Occasional: Goosander, Osprey, Quail, Swift, Chiffchaff, Pied Flycatcher.
Kindrogan House & FSC Field Centre, from Kindrogan Hill
Beech woodland between Kindrogan House and the walled garden - old holes and nestboxes support Jackdaw and Tawny Owl
2. Kindrogan Hill: clearfell/restock around cemetery [NO 054626] 56° 44' 42.50" N 3° 32' 50.54" W Habitat: Coniferous plantation, naturally regenerating clearfell with birch, and restock. Key Species: Woodcock, Long-eared Owl, Green Woodpecker, Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, Jay, Raven, Siskin, Crossbill. Regular: Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Wood Pigeon, Cuckoo, Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch. Occasional: Goshawk, Redstart, Chiffchaff, Lesser Redpoll.
Regenerating hillside in clearfell aound the cemetery - birches with displaying Tree Pipits
Restock area in the clearfell south of the cemetery - early growth supports Willow Warbler and Dunnock
Border of restock and naturally regenerating zones on nothern slope of Kindrogan Hill - Green Woodpecker territory
Regenerating area next to larch plantation
3. Kindrogan Hill: top of the hill around the trig-point [NO 047627] 56° 44' 28.38" N 3° 33' 33.36" W Habitat: Upland dry heathland surrounded by coniferous plantation and areas of natural treefall. Key Species: Meadow Pipit, Siskin, Crossbill. Regular: Buzzard, Wood Pigeon, Cuckoo, Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Wren, Robin, Mistle Thrush, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Chaffinch.
Young isolated spruce in the upland dry heathland at the top of Kindrogan Hill - Crossbills can usually be easily observed
4. Kindrogan Bridge-Enochdhu, River Ardle [NO 062626] 56° 44' 41.63" N 3° 32' 8.81" W Habitat: Upland stream with fast riffles and deeper pools surrounded by gardens, grazing, woodland & calcareous grassland. Key Species: Oystercatcher, Woodcock, Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail, Dipper. Regular: Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swallow, House Martin, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch. Occasional: Goosander.
Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos), River Ardle at Kindrogan Bridge, Enochdhu
5. Curling pond track between field centre and West Lodge [NO 047633] 56° 45' 5.28" N 3° 33' 36.59" W Habitat: Natural looking pond (mesotophic?) originally excavated for the sport of curling in Victorian times. Surrounded by farmland, birch woodland, abandoned rough grassland and rhododendron (recently grubbed). Key Species: Buzzard, Woodcock, Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, Jay, Lesser Redpoll, Crossbill. Regular: Mallard, Sparrowhawk, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Wood Pigeon, Cuckoo, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swallow, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch. Occasional: Osprey, Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher.
Mature lime trees in the grazing pasture on the north-west side of the field centre - site of singing Quail (2010 & 2012)
Curling pond at the foot of a birch-covered slope - few waterbirds but warblers are common
Straloch PS in Strathardle with hills to the north
Northern slope of Kindrogan Wood with mosaic of forestry types - field centre on the left
6. Straloch Loch [NO 040640] 56° 45' 26.54" N 3° 34' 22.35" W Habitat: Small lake (mesotrophic?) with some emergent vegetation, Water-lily, and Juncus edges, surrounded by grazed and rush pastures, and conifer patches. Key species: Little Grebe, Wigeon, Tufted Duck. Regular: Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Mallard, Coot, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Sand Martin, House Martin, Spotted Flycatcher, Reed Bunting. Occasional: Goldeneye, Goosander, Osprey, Sedge Warbler.
Straloch Loch and Brerachan Water in Strathardle
Straloch Loch - Wigeon occasionaly breed
7. Glen Brerachan: eastern end [NO 029637] 56° 45' 16.43" N 3° 35' 21.56" W Habitat: Upland hay meadow, rush pasture, birch slopes and heathland. Key Species: Curlew, Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Dipper, Redstart, Whinchat. Regular: Buzzard, Kestrel, Common Sandpiper, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat, Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Rook, Raven, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting. Occasional: Goosander, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler.
Eastern end of Glen Brerachan with birch slope, rush pasture and moorland - Redstart sing in the birches
Eastern end of Glen Brerachan with moorland, rough sheep-grazed/improved cattle pasture - Curlew display over the heather
8. Glen Brerachan-Moulin Moor [NO 980605] 56° 44' 2.70" N 3° 39' 22.84" W Habitat: Coniferous plantations on wet and dry upland heathland and blanket bog. Key Species: Red Grouse, Black Grouse, Lapwing, Snipe, Curlew. Regular: Buzzard, Kestrel, Common Sandpiper, Cuckoo, Skylark, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat, Wheatear, Spotted Flycatcher, Rook, Raven, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting. Occasional: Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl.
Coniferous plantations on wet and dry upland heathland and blanket bog - remoter site less explored
Dawn Chorus Chronology, Kindrogan Field Course, 2004-2018 in the first two weeks of June. Earliest, latest and mean initiation times for six regular species.
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Kindrogan Trip Reports: 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | Location Guide to Locations | Summary 2005-2018 Home | Trip Reports | Recent Sightings | Blog | Photographs | Phonescoping | Sounds & Sonograms | Sketches | Patches | Butterflies & Dragonflies About | A-Z Index | Search this Website | Links | Ayrshire Bird Report | Ayrshire Bird Race | Biking & Birding to Work | Scarlet Banded-Barbet | Blog Index | Cycling | Ambient All photographs © F. S. Simpson Fraser's Birding Website · fssbirding.org.uk |
