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Wednesday, 4 February 2015

Hogganfield Loch and Butterfly Conservation AGM

On Saturday 31st January I visited Hogganfield Loch for the first time this year.  Owing to the recent low temperatures, large parts of the loch were frozen, along with smaller ponds.



Despite the cold and extremely icy footpaths, good numbers of walkers and birdwatchers were enjoying the large numbers of wildfowl present.  This included large numbers of whooper swans.  Other highlights included male and female goosander, herring gulls, blackheaded gulls, lesser black back gulls, tufted ducks, mallards, coots, moorhens, wigeon, gadwall, pied wagtail, magpies, robin, dunnock and large numbers of feral pigeons.  A few photos are provided below.







 
 


 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
After enduring the cold for around 90 minutes, a friend and I drove from Hogganfield to Chatelherault Country Park in Hamilton, Lanarkshire for the AGM of the Glasgow and South West Scotland branch of the Butterfly Conservation Society. We were treated to a review of the year, including attempts to reintroduce the Small Blue butterfly to Ayrshire and a stimulating talk by Davie Black from Plantlife.  Everyone left the AGM with a renewed optimism for butterfly watching.  Roll on spring!