RSPB’s field trip to harbour at Maidens

A new £ 19m primary school will be built in Prestwick.

Work to build a new Glenburn Primary School and St Ninian’s Primary School and a new standalone early- learning centre will begin in July 2020 with completion in December 2021.

Construction of the new campus, which will feature state- of- the- art learning environments,, interactive play areas and first class sporting facilities will take place at the Glenburn site.

The council say it is the preferred site for the campus, As well as having more space, the Glenburn site was also chosen thanks to better access for pedestrians and vehicles.

At an estimated cost of £ 19.3 million, the innovative campus will feature outdoor classroom facilities, multi- use games halls, social areas for play and even allotments. There will also be fully accessible community spaces.

Although this will be a joint campus with some shared facilities, each school will retain its own name, identity, staff and pupils, while the new early learning centre will have its own dedicated centre Maidens and the coast along to Culzean and Girvan have been chosen by RSPB Central Ayrshire Local Group and SOC Ayrshire for this month’s field trip on Saturday, February 23, writes Gerda Scott.

Maidens harbour does not often disappoint; the rocky shore, the tidal harbour itself and the sandy beach backed by marram grass, attract a wide range of passage and wintering species.

Among them are redshank, dunlin, golden plover, eider, shelduck.

Little grebe has also been spotted in the harbour.

For the last few years a number of Brent geese chose Maidens as their winter home rather than the Southern Irish coast, their usual destination.

Nine adult birds are still around.

The birders now face a dilemma: are they going to move on to Culzean to check the Pond Swan for wintering, goldeneye, tufted duck, little grebe and the ever elusive water rail, while also looking out for great spotted woodpecker, flocks of finches and tits in the woodland?

On the other hand they could head south along the coast towards Girvan to look for the single chough which has been exciting birders for a little while and can, with a little patience, be seen feeding on shore.

Waders are also possible and divers and eider may be seen out at sea.

The first gannets could have arrived back from the Atlantic.

In either case it promises to be a good birding day. Jim Thomson will lead and be very happy to share his knowledge.

Visitors are very welcome, please meet 10.30am at Maidens Harbour car park.