Breeding Success at RSPB Lochwinnoch

What is now the Barr Loch at RSPB Lochwinnoch used to be a breeding colony of thousands of gulls, but due to changes in water levels over time there is no longer any available island space. Through this project, we have installed six artifical rafts and two vegetated biohavens, providing new habitats for gulls and wildfowl. Many birds have been using the islands for roosting, and 2020 saw two black headed gulls chicks successfully fledge from them. More recently in 2022, oystercatchers have also been spotted using the rafts for breeding. Click here to read more about the installation of the nesting rafts.

A hardy team of RSPB Scotland volunteers have also installed a new sand martin bank in front of the visitor centre: Mimicking their natural habitat along river banks and sand pits, this bank can provide nesting sites for dozens of birds.

Check out this video to see how the bank was installed.

The project also included building a new pond by the Aird Meadow trail. Despite only being installed in late 2020, the pond has already attracted whooper swans, herons, snipe and plenty of ducks. A viewing screen was also installed to protect the wildlife, giving visitors a more natural view of their behaviour.

More recently, RSPB Scotland created more scrapes on the reserve. Situated right in front of the visitor centre, these seasonal ponds provide homes for a wide variety of wildlife, as well as excellent viewing opportunities for visitors. Since their creation, the scrapes have attracted a significant number of species which are breeding successfully. A rare sighting (13th ever record) of a black-winged stilt feeding on the scrapes is also to be noted! Watch this video to find out even more about making mud...