BINGHAM'S POND - REPORTS
Please note, these reports concentrate on 'red data' bird species; wetland bird counts and unusual faunal
records or counts for the area; they do not constitute a complete data base of all species recorded.
All photographs are copyright Jim Coyle.
14 November 2009
WEBs count: 1 Grey Heron, 2 Mute Swan, 15 Tufted Duck, 19 Mallard, 3 Goosander, 5 Coot, 5 Moorhen,
41 Black-headed Gull, 1 Common Gull and 2 Grey Wagtail (plus the 6 cayuga/domesticated Mallard).
Other species: Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Magpie,
Goldfinch and Chaffinch.
24 October 2009
Today's count was similar to last week's WEBs count: 2 Mute Swan, 14 Tufted Duck, 10 Mallard,
4 Coot, 5 Moorhen, 83 Black-headed Gull, 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 3 Herring Gull and 1 Common Gull
plus the 6 cayuga/domesticated Mallard (presumably 5 were hidden on the islands last week).
Other species included the usual 'tit' flock plus a solitary Robin, Carrion Crow and Woodpigeon.
18 October 2009
WEBs count: 2 Mute Swan, 15 Tufted Duck, 10 Mallard, 4 Coot, 6 Moorhen, 75 Black-headed Gull,
12 Lesser Black-backed Gull and 4 Herring Gull plus only 1 domesticated Mallard visible.
8 October 2009
A short evening visit resulted in counts of 2 Mute Swan, 14 Tufted Duck, 4 Mallard, 4 Coot, 4 Moorhen,
56 Black-headed Gull, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull plus the 6 cayuga/domesticated Mallard.
19 September 2009
Wildfowl numbers were low with only 2 Mute Swan, 9 Tufted Duck, 8 Mallard, 4 Coot and 4 Moorhen present.
A small four species 'tit' flock, with at least 10 Long-tailed Tits, was a reminder that autumn has begun and winter
is just around the corner. The highlight, however, was a potential first for Bingham's with 4 Raven overhead.
30 August 2009
A count of the wetland birds resulted in a similar count as the 16th with 2 Mute Swan, 15 Mallard,
28 Tufted Duck, 6 Moorhen + 1 young, 5 Coot, 21 Black-headed Gull, 11 Lesser black-backed Gull and
6 cayuga/domesticated Mallard.
16 August 2009
A count of the wetland birds resulted in 2 Mute Swan, 24 Mallard, 34 Tufted Duck, 5 Moorhen + 1 young,
5 Coot, 34 Black-headed Gull, 7 Lesser black-backed Gull and 6 cayuga/domesticated Mallard.
25 July 2009
A check on the tufted duckling resulted in a count of 43 birds; 37 of which formed a loose creche with 6 females.
The benefit of this strategy was evident when a Lesser Black-backed Gull swooped in to try and take a duckling.
It was quickly attacked by one, then all of the females plus a Mallard. They managed to keep it in the water and
appeared to be trying to drown it! After a tense battle, it eventually escaped.
Other sightings included 2 Swift flying high above the pond.
Tufted Duck family, Bingham's Pond 25 July 2009
18 July 2009
A late evening visit and a quick count saw at least 37 tufted ducklings still present; 2 were still with a female
Mallard and her brood (see 9 July report) and another newly hatched tuftie clearly also preferred the company
of a mallard family! There were a number of Mallard broods - B/3 almost full size, B/2, B/2 with 2 tufted duckling
and B/1 with 1 tufted duckling.
12 July 2009
The number of tufted ducklings remains high - 65 - with I suspect some new broods and reductions in others.
However, when I was there the female birds were doing a good job of fighting off 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
9 July 2009
A quick visit this evening resulted in a count of an amazing 67 tufted ducklings! As I suspected a number of female
Tufted Duck (see 27 June entry) had been sitting on eggs. In total the brood sizes were as follows:
2 females with 17 young - suspect B/16 & B/1; 2 females with 13 young - suspect B/10 & B/3; B/11; B/2; B/4; B/5; B/5;
B/4; and B/2 that are still with a female Mallard and her B/3. In addition there are at least another two quite large broods
of Mallard B/3 & B/2. The young Coot is almost as large as its parents, but no sign of any young Moorhen , yet.
27 June 2009
There are now 5 broods of Mallard duckling (based on their size, it looks as if B/1 and B/3 from previous visits have
survived and there are 3 new broods B/3, B/5 and B/1). A pair of Tufted ducklings seem to have latched on to one of the
Mallard brood, whilst the young Coot is almost fully grown. There were 29 Tufted Duck present (24 male and only 5 female).
It is likely, therefore, that a number of females will be sitting on nests and that more tufted ducklings will emerge over the
next few days.
6 June 2009
The 1 young Coot has survived, since my last visit, and there was a new brood of 3 Mallard duckling being defended
against air-borne attacks from a determined Lesser Black-backed Gull. Other records include 30 Tufted Duck (21 male and
9 female) and a Goldcrest.
23 May 2009
A quick visit confirmed that Coot and Mallard have both successfully bred, with 1 young Coot and 1 Mallard duckling.
12 April 2009
WEBs Count: 2 Mute Swan, 15 Mallard, 19 Tufted Duck, 10 Moorhen, 3 Coot (one still on nest), 1 Black-headed Gull,
7 Lesser black-backed Gull and 6 cayuga/domesticated Mallard. Also present were 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Chaffinch,
1 Greenfinch, 1 Goldfinch, 1 Wren, 1 Dunnock, 1 Robin, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Blue Tit, 3 Starling, 4 Magpie, 5 Woodpigeon
and Feral Pigeons.
15 March 2009 - The highlight of the WeBS count was an Iceland Gull. A quick phone call resulted in the RSPB
Glasgow Local Group dropping in to see it on their way to the Argaty Red Kite viewing area - possibly the first ever
twitch at Bingham's Pond!
Iceland Gull at Bingham's Pond 15 March 2009 copyright Jim Coyle
Iceland Gull (centre) at Bingham's Pond 15 March 2009 copyright Jim Coyle
RSPB Glasgow Local Group 'twitch' Iceland Gull at Bingham's Pond 15 March 2009 copyright Jim Coyle
7 March 2009 - 2 Mute Swan, 34 Mallard, 10 Tufted Duck, 2 Goosander, 7 Moorhen, 4 Coot, 65 Black-headed Gull,
3 Common Gull and 2 Lesser black-backed Gull.
22 February 2009 - WeBS count 2 Mute Swan, 22 Mallard, 3 Tufted Duck, 6 Moorhen, 4 Coot, 117 Black-headed Gull,
2 Common Gull, 3 Lesser black-backed Gull and 1 Grey Wagtail.
14 February 2009 - Despite much of the pond still being covered in ice, there were 4 Goosander, 14 Mallard,
1 Mute Swan, 1 Tufted Duck, 5 Moorhen and 2 Coot present (not to mention the 6 cayuga/domesticated mallard).
In addition there was a flock of at least 15 Long-tailed Tits, with Coal Tit and Blue Tits, and 1 Fieldfare.
23 January 2009 - there were 2 male Goosanders present plus 16 Tufted Duck and the other usual wildfowl -
there was still only 1 swan present.
17 January 2009 - unfortunately, now armed with my camera, the female Scaup had, perhaps not suprisingly,
moved on. Although for the unwary, there were 2 Tufted Duck females showing white above the bill. The highlights
today were a Cormorant (my first since February 2006) and a male Goosander. In the trees on the western side of
the pond, there were small numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare, feeding on the remaining berries. Also it looks as if
the remaining swan, from the pond's resident pair, has chased off the 2 newcomers from last weekend.
Male Goosander at Bingham's Pond on 17 January 2009
Cormorant at Bingham's Pond on 17 January 2009
11 January 2009 - Following on from horrendous weather I made a late afternoon trip and the highlight was a
female Scaup - a potential first for the Pond. In addition there were 3 Goosanders with the 'resident' wildfowl.
Suprisingly there were 3 Mute Swans present despite the loss of one bird in December and the reported predation
of another last week.
20 December 2008 - In addition to the 'resident' wildfowl there was 1 Goosander present. A small 'tit' flock, making
its way around the trees surrounding the pond, consisted of 1 Goldcrest, 6 Long-tailed Tits and at least 3 Blue Tits
and 2 Coal Tits.
14 December 2008 - much of the pond was covered in ice - made the WEBs count easy - 2 Mute Swans, 21 Mallard,
2 Tufted Duck, 5 Moorhen and 2 Coot plus 119 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Common Gulls and 4 Herring Gulls.
23 November 2008 - 40+ Waxwings briefly before flying west. Source: SOC Clyde Area Grapevine/Birdline Scotland.
22 November 2008 - Two flocks of Waxwings (c40 and c20) flew west over the Pond at 12.30hrs.
15 November 2008 - WEBs count weekend but once again the highlight was Waxwings (18 birds).
Other interesting sightings included 3 Fieldfare, 1 Pied Wagtail and 1 Goldfinch.
One of the 18 Waxwings at Bingham's Pond on 15 November 2008
One of the 3 Fieldfare at Bingham's Pond on 15 November 2008
8 November 2008 - The highlight has to be the 9 Waxwings that flew in at c12.15hrs. They quickly flew off across
Great Western Road. However, 4 (other?) birds appeared shortly afterwards. Other interesting sightings included
1 Fieldfare and 1 Goldfinch.
2 November 2008 - My first Pied Wagtail of the year, at the Pond, was the highlight. Four species of Gull plus the
usual range of wildfowl were present - Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen (still 2 young birds), Coot and
'domestic/cayuga' mallard. Most activity was in the trees and shrubs surrounding the pond. Birds included Goldfinch,
a small 'tit' flock and species such as Carrion Crow and Wood Pigeon. 24 species recorded.
One of this year's Moorhen young at Binghams' Pond on 2 November 2008
Carrion Crow at Bingham's Pond on 2 November 2008
Wood Pigeon at Bingham's Pond on 2 November 2008
12 October 2008 - No surprises; the usual range of wildfowl were present - Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck,
Moorhen, Coot and 'domestic/cayuga' mallard - with Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
2 October 2008 - An early evening visit found 3 Goosander in amongst the usual wildfowl.
14 September 2008 - Gull numbers - Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed - are increasing, albeit attracted by
well meaning people leaving left-over food. The same range of wildfowl are still present.
7 September 2008 - The usual range of wildfowl were present - Mute Swan, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Coot
and 'domestic/cayuga' mallard. Once again a 'tit' flock provided the main interest with Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit,
Great Tit, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Willow Warbler and Chaffinch working there way around the trees surrounding the
pond. There were also at least 3 Robins singing.
17 August 2008 - The single Tufted duckling is still following a female Mallard and the 3 other young Tufted (
with 2 females) remain and are almost full grown. At least 2 young Moorhen were seen again. Other sightings of
interest included a small 'tit' flock consisting of Willow Warbler, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit and Goldcrest; a group of
Mistle Thrushes; and overhead a Grey Wagtail.
2 August 2008 - A Tufted duckling remains with a Mallard and 3 other Tufted remain with 2 females and look as if
they will now make it. At least 2 young Moorhen were seen but no sign of the juvenile Coot. Other sightings of interest
were a female Goosander, a small tit flock and a single Goldfinch.
20 July 2008 - The young Coot continues to thrive as do the the Moorhen young. One Tufted duckling seems to have
decided to stick with the Mallard for protection whilst 4 others were thankful to two females for fighting off a marauding
Lesser Black-backed Gull. Other records of interest were a Willow Warbler and a juvenile Goldfinch.
The two female Tufted Ducks that saw off a Lesser Black-backed Gull at Bingham's Pond on 20 July 2008
13 July 2008 - A young Coot is still present plus at least two (almost fledged) broods of Mallard B/2 and B/3.
A juvenile Moorhen has survived the attentions of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a new brood (B/4) of
Moorhen was a welcome sight. The highlight was 3 broods of Tufted Duck (B/2, B/1 and B/7).
A record shot of one of the broods of Tufted Duck at Bingham's Pond on 13 July 2008
22 June 2008 - the Mute Swans appear to have 'failed' with no sign of any cygnets. The 2 young Coot are doing
well and have been joined by 4 broods of Mallard B/1; B/3; B/3; and B/4. Hopefully, the lack of female Tufted
Duck, only 1 present, means that the rest are sitting on nests. In addition to the waterbirds, the only other
interesting record was of 6 Swift overhead.
10 June 2008 - potentially a new record for the pond with a Oystercatcher present c.9.00hrs.
25 May 2008 - 15 species seen - including Mute Swan on a nest and a protective male (see photo), brood of
2 Coot (see photo), 30 Tufted Duck and 2 Swift overhead.
Mute Swan - Bingham's Pond 26 May 2008
Coot - Bingham's Pond 26 May 2008
3 May 2008 - 15 species seen on short visit - including Mute Swan on nest, 2 pairs of Coot on nests, Moorhen
on nest and a pair of Chaffinch mating!
26 April 2008 - 20 species seen - including 1 Buzzard overhead, 1 male Goosander, the first Mallard duckling
of the year, 2 pairs of Coot on nests, numerous pairs of Tufted Duck and a Willow Warbler singing.
1 December 2007 - CLEAN-UP
On Saturday 1 December 2007, more than 20 volunteers from the RSPB Glasgow Local Group, the local
community and staff from the City Council rolled up their sleeves to give the Pond an early 'spring clean'.
Equipped with litter pickers and black bags provided by the City Council's Clean Glasgow Team, the volunteers
teamed-up to clean the pond and its immediate surrounds.
A few images from the day follow:
