Gartmorn Dam in Winter
Winter sets in...
Goldeneye
Wildfowl living in northern countries such as Scandanavia find it difficult to find food as the snow and ice increases. To survive they must migrate, flying hundreds of miles to where the weather is warmer. Many come to Britain and spend the season at places like Gartmorn Dam.
Here, in the safety of the Local Nature Reserve, they can find food. If, during a very cold spell, the reservoir does freeze over, these wildfowl can fly a short distance to the Forth Estuary to feed on the mud flats and salt-marshes of this newly designated Special Protection Area.
The food provided by these sites within Clackmannanshire is vital for the survival of these winter visitors. They must feed more and more as spring approaches and build up their strength for the long journey back home.Visiting goldeneye and pochard will mostly be seen diving for food, such as water beetles and shrimp, along with the local tufted ducks.
Wigeon
The black and white tufted drakes have a 'ponytail' of feathers on the back of their heads, giving them their name. Watch male Goldeneye nearer springtime, as they show off with a 'head bobbing" courtship dance.
Wigeon are most likely to be in the Nature Reserve, around the island. Listen for their whistling call and watch them dabbling for food on the water's surface or grazing in the fields.
Groups of teal are often in the lagoons or ponds on the north shore. Like wigeon, they are dabbling ducks, but they are much smaller and give a higher pitched whistle. Less common ducks to look out for are gadwall, shoveler, goosander and ruddy duck.
Geese and Swans - from Iceland and Greenland!
Swans and cygnets
Greylag and pinkfeet geese use the Dam to roost in the winter evenings and are often seen flying overhead. Pinkfeet fly in a more untidy 'V' shape than greylags and make more of a 'pink pink' sound than a gaggle. Can you tell the difference?
In winter, when their cygnets have grown, our resident swans become less aggressive to other birds and you may see large flocks of visitors. These are mostly mute swans but small numbers of 'whoopers' may join them. They are very noisy swans and give trumpeting sounds, listen out for them.
Why not go along to the bird hide or viewing screens and see if you can spot our winter visitors? They have travelled for hundreds of miles to visit Gartmorn!
Contact information
For further information about this page please contact:
Rangers
Kilncraigs, Greenside Street, Alloa, FK10 1EB
Tel: 01259 450000 Fax: 01259 727453
Email: rangers@clacks.gov.uk
Or use the on-line contact form.