RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve

13/09/2026

A Perched Grey Heron

Standing tall and perfectly still, the grey heron is a master hunter. With patience and lightning-fast reflexes, these elegant birds can catch fish in a matter of seconds.

12/09/2026

Can you help record Swift sightings from this year? Please click on the link below to visit RSPB Glasgow and comment on their page with any sightings.

With most of our Swifts making their journey's back to Sub-Saharan Africa for the winter, we are looking for your help.

Throughout the summer, some Swifts made Glasgow and the surrounding areas their home and we would love to know where people have seen them! Did you see a screaming party (this is where they fly through the air screaming), or did you see them enter a nesting site or feeding on insects - we would love to know!

Whether it was Glasgow City Centre, a local park, or your street, we want to know! Leave a comment and let us know where you saw/heard them!

RSPB Scotland
📸RSPB

12/09/2026

Pop by this weekend to browse our new Autumn/Winter range and grab yourself a bargain with 20% off our Flutter Butter range!

11/09/2026

Jeremey Jay’s Vanishing Acorns – self-led activity fir families.

Jeremy Jay’s acorns have vanished and he needs your help to find them! As you walk the Aird Meadow trail, keep an eye out for our helpful wildlife creatures that will give you clues to help crack the case of the missing acorns! Based on what each creature tells you, you should be able to remove one of the suspects from the list by crossing them off until you are left with only one suspect and solve the case!

Keep an eye out for any of our special acorns as you explore the reserve and answer some questions to win a special prize?

Cost: £4.50 per activity pack (available at the reserve) Booking fee applies to online purchases only.

More info available on our website.

11/09/2026

🍂 A chiffchaff taking its time! 🐦

We recently had a lovely sighting of a Chiffchaff at RSPB Lochwinnoch – but this little bird caught our attention for another reason. It appears to be going through its annual moult, replacing its old feathers with fresh ones.

By this time of year, most Chiffchaffs would have started or completed their migration south, heading towards warmer parts of Europe and Africa. However, not every bird follows the same schedule. Some Chiffchaffs stay later into autumn, and an increasing number can even overwinter here in the UK.

Our moulting visitor has a particularly good reason for taking its time. A bird in the middle of a complete moult isn't in the best condition for a long-distance migration, as growing new feathers takes a lot of energy. It will generally need to complete the moult and get its new plumage into good condition before undertaking a long journey south.

So, while other Chiffchaffs may already be heading south, this one looks like it's decided there's no need to rush!

Keep an eye (and ear!) out for these tiny warblers when you're visiting – you might spot one quietly feeding amongst the vegetation or hear their familiar “chiff-chaff” call.

Thanks to Len McDonald for sharing this image.

10/09/2026

Black-tailed Godwits refuelling and preening on the scrape yesterday evening.

Video courtesy of Susan Wheeler.

10/09/2026

Yesterday evening several visitors were treated to great views of an Osprey repeatedly attempting to fish from the Aird Meadow Loch before successfully departing with dinner. A short while later the juvenile Marsh Harrier that has been hanging around decided to also make an appearance.

Osprey photos courtesy of Ken Ramsay. Marsh Harrier photos courtesy of David Potts.

09/09/2026

Our juvenile marsh harrier is still making appearances!

We’ve continued to have sightings of a juvenile Marsh Harrier around the reserve over the past couple of weeks. It’s been great to see this impressive bird continuing to make use of Lochwinnoch!

There is always the possibility that we’ve been seeing more than one individual, but at the moment it seems unlikely, with the sightings most likely relating to the same young bird.

Juvenile Marsh Harriers can be particularly mobile at this time of year. Once they’ve left their breeding areas, young birds tend to move around quite widely, exploring new areas and searching for suitable feeding and roosting sites. So, it may pop up in one part of the reserve one day and be nowhere to be seen the next!

If you’re visiting, keep an eye over the wetlands – you might just get lucky and spot this fantastic raptor quartering low over the vegetation.
Have you seen our Marsh Harrier recently? Let us know when and where you spotted it!

Images courtesy of David Potts

09/09/2026

Advanced Notice of Changes to Opening Hours.

From 1 October through to 31 March our Visitor Centre and Shop will be open 10am - 4pm.

Toilets will be available between 9:30 am and 5pm.

08/09/2026

✨🌙 See nature in a whole new light! 🌙✨

Join us for Illuminate: Biofluorescence in Nature, a fascinating after-dark adventure where we'll explore the hidden world of glowing wildlife using UV torches.

As darkness falls, we'll head out onto the reserve's trails to discover nature's secret colours and fluorescent wonders. Highlights could include glowing slugs, flowers and lichens, with every walk offering the chance for new discoveries.

📅 Spaces are limited, so book your place today: https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/137834

Who knew nature could glow in the dark? 💚🔦