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Inversnaid - BirdForum Opus


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Scotland

Overview

On the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, this scenically very attractive reserve consists of grass and heather moorland in the higher areas with a high rocky ridge and steep hillsides covered with deciduous woodland. Ash, oak, alder and birch make up the woodland with an understorey of holly, hazel and hawthorn.

Several streams run through these woods down to the edge of the loch.

The reserve lies within the Loch Lomond National Scenic Area and also a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Birds

Notable Species

Birds of the woodland include Woodcock, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler and Wood Warbler, Common Redstart and Pied Flycatcher with Black Grouse and Tree Pipit in the more open areas. Red Grouse is now a scarce bird on the moorlands.

Common Buzzard and Northern Raven nest on the high crags, Eurasian Sparrowhawk hunts the woodlands and Common Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail and Common Dipper nest along the streams and the loch edge.

Red-breasted Merganser and Goosander are present all year and Common Goldeneye and other waterfowl including Whooper Swan and geese use the loch on migration.

In winter Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl hunt over the area and Golden Eagle is occasionally seen.

Check-list

Birds you can see here include:

Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Common Scoter, Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, Hen Harrier, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Golden Eagle, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Red Grouse, Black Grouse, Woodcock, Eurasian Curlew, Common Sandpiper, Common Cuckoo, Short-eared Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Eurasian Skylark, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Common Dipper, Common Wren, Dunnock, Eurasian Robin, Whinchat, Common Redstart, Northern Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Garden Warbler, Wood Warbler, Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Treecreeper, Common Jay, Northern Raven, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Eurasian Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Common Crossbill, Common Bullfinch

Other Wildlife

The reserve has a range of mammals including Red Deer Cervus elaphus and Roe Deer Capreolus capreolus, Badger Meles meles and Red Fox Vulpes vulpes but most obvious is the alien Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis. Pipistrelle Bat Pipistrellus pipistrellus are often seen at dusk. Feral Goats are also present on the reserve and there may be Wildcat Felis silvestris in the area.

Plants of the woodland floor include Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella, Ramsons Allium ursinum, Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa and Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria and Bluebells Endymion non-scriptum adorn the slopes. Heather Calluna vulgaris, Bog Myrtle Myrica gale and Bracken Pteridium aquilinum dominate the moorlands.


Site Information

Best visited from May to July.

History and Use

To do

Areas of Interest

To do

Access and Facilities

To reach Inversnaid take the B829 west from Aberfoyle and turn left after about 19km to the Inversnaid Hotel and continuing on the West Highland Way, a long distance footpath which follows the shore of the loch.

Alternatively, the reserve can be reached in summer via the pedestrian ferry from Inveruglas on the opposite shore of Loch Lomond.

Grid Ref: NN337090 What3Words: level.multiple.costly

Contact Details

Garrison Farm, Inversnaid, Stirling, FK8 3TU Tel: 0141 331 0993

References

  1. RSPB: Inversnaid
  2. Inversnaid on Streetmap

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

Content and images originally posted by Steve

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