CENTRAL REGION

HIGHLIGHTS: Long-tailed Ducks were at Skinflats and Larbert Pond (16th), and at Loch Ard (23rd). A Common Scoter was a site first for the Lake of Menteith (20th). BO’NESS & BLACKNESS: There was a Sandwich Tern (6th). FALKIRK DISTRICT: Some10,000 Pinkfeet were on the Forth Estuary at Skinflats (1st). The Bean Goose flock was back near Slamannan (14th). There were 33 Whooper Swans near S. Bellsdyke (16th). A Scaup was a site first at Loch Ellrig, where five Barnacle Geese were among 1,500 Pinkfeet. There were nine Whooper Swans on Little Denny Reservoir (29th), when a Barnacle Goose was with 3,000 Pinkfeet near Skinflats. KINNEIL: There was a Turnstone (6th), 148 Golden Plovers, 400 Black-tailed Godwits and five Greenshanks (14th), and two Little Egrets (22nd). SKINFLATS POOLS: There were nine Shovelers, Scaup and Blackcap (22nd), and 18 Whooper Swans plus 20 Grey Plovers (29th). Skinflats tidal exchange had Little Egret (22nd). STIRLING: There were 41 Little Grebes and 78 Snipe at Cambusmore GP (2nd). Fourteen Redwings flew over Cocksburn Reservoir (4th). A record 625 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were on the Lake of Menteith (20th), when three Gadwall were on Gartmore Pond and eight Whooper Swans returned to Loch Dochart. Eight Crossbills flew over Sheriff Muir (22nd). Hen Harriers were below Thornhill (29th) and at Flander’s Moss (30th). A White-fronted Goose was by Mid-cambushinnie Farm (30th). Seventeen Whooper Swans were on Loch Lubhair (31st). UPPER FORTH: A co-ordinated count (16th) produced 62 Cormorants, three Little Egrets, 33 Whooper Swans, 3,300 Pinkfeet, 775 Shelducks, 332 Wigeon, 737 Teal, 41 Pintails, two Shovelers, a Long-tailed Duck, 14 Red-breasted Mergansers, 127 Oystercatchers, 468 Golden Plovers, 17 Grey Plovers, 838 Lapwings, 887 Knot, 1,811 Dunlin, 602 Black-tailed Godwits, 126 Bar-tailed Godwits, 617 Curlews, 2,886 Redshanks, two Greenshanks, two Guillemots, a Razorbill, three Arctic Skuas and a Kingfisher. Neil Bielby