Glasgow Airport Movements 2022
March
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March 2022
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May 2022
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June 2022
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July 2022
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August 2022
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September 2022
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October 2022
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November 2022
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December 2022
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As of January 2022, the content of my monthly Glasgow Airport Movements pages will likely be somewhat reduced. This is mainly due to other commitments and the fact that the current downturn in flights has meant a considerable drop in the volume and variety of interesting aircraft passing through Glasgow Airport. The global pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine have presented the aviation industry with a major challenge. Although there are signs of recovery in many sectors, it may be a long time before the situation stabilises. Large-scale worldwide travel has been detrimentally impacted with fewer airlines offering fewer routes than before, but with the same number of airports vying for business. Many airports, especially those in a similar position to Glasgow (which has already seen most of its international routes relocating to Edinburgh), will struggle to regain lost business and secure new connections in an intensively competitive market.
The War in Ukraine
When Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered the first of his 190,000 troops into Ukraine on February 24, the invasion had a seismic effect on Europe and the Western world. Putin`s arrogance, flawed intelligence and Russia's many failures and miscalculations in its blitzkrieg, meant that Moscow continues to struggle in its attempts to occupy and control Ukraine. Despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered and outgunned in every way, the Ukrainians have shown great skill and courage, putting up a fierce, well-armed, and highly motivated resistance. NATO and the west, have never been more unified and continue to provide the defenders with state-of-the-art weapons and equipment, much of which has proved devastatingly effective against Russian aircraft and amour. Wide-ranging sanctions are starting to affect everyday life in Russia with the country counting the cost in not only rubles but bodies.
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As March drew to a close, the Russian president declared that the first phase of his Special Military Operation was now complete and that all initial objectives had been achieved. A press conference announced that the Ukrainian capital Kyiv is no longer an objective, although Russian troops arrayed around much of the city have dug in and emplaced mines in front of their positions to resist counterattacks. It now appears that, following setbacks on every level, Putin`s forces have decided to concentrate on seizing the areas of eastern Ukraine along the Russian border, with a view to permanently dividing the country. Rather than take the fight to the Ukrainian military and associated targets, the Russians seem intent on blasting the civilian population out of existence with artillery and missiles. The scale of the death and destruction is staggering and has not been witnessed in Europe since the Second World War.
Above: This ambushed Russian armoured column illustrates the ferocity of the fighting. Mariupol, under siege since the first days of the war, is shown below.
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With regard to global aviation, the European Union, Canada, and United States have all banned Russian aircraft from entering their airspace or landing at airports and airfields. Russia has mostly reciprocated but it will suffer far more after Airbus and Boeing suspended operations in the country. With most of the major fleets and many smaller operators operating western-built types rather than home-built Antonov and Tupolev airliners, a lack of spares and qualified personnel will have a devastating impact. Already the national carrier Aeroflot has laid off hundreds of workers and ramps are filling with unused passenger jets.
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Russia's largest airport, Moscow's Sheremetyevo, was one of the busiest airports in Europe before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. The airport closed two of its five passenger terminals on March 15 and has taken one of its runways out of service, citing `enforced restrictions on international air transport`. Privately-owned Ural Airlines, one of Russia's largest carriers, also said that it had been forced to furlough some of its staff but, due to the strict media controls imposed by the state, the full extent of the air travel ban and sanctions imposed by the west and allied nations is not being revealed. (Above photo © Reuters).
Jet Airliners
Above: easyJet Airbus A320-214 G-AZUL on short finals for Runway 23. Wednesday 16 March 2022.
CAA figures for last month show that 306,000 passengers passed through Glasgow Airport during February 2022. Domestic traffic made up 174k (57%) of the total with International accounting for 132k (43%). Only 11 non-UK destinations were on offer: Dublin 22908, Dubai 18277, Tenerife 17237, Amsterdam 15199, Alicante 8268, Malaga 8207, Las Palmas 6754, Arrecife 6540, Geneva 4381, Krakow 3216 and Frankfurt 3094.
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Tuesday 1 March 2022: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner G-TUIA TUI and Boeing 737-8-200 MAX EI-HGW (f/v) Ryanair; Wednesday 2 March 2022: Airbus A320-214 EI-DEI Aer Lingus (Irish Rugby colours) and Airbus A321-271NX C-GOIJ Air Transat (The carrier`s Glasgow/ Toronto service resumed last month); Thursday 3 March 2022: Airbus A320-214 EI-DVM Aer Lingus (Retro scheme), plus BA A320 G-EUYF departed after storage / maintenance; Friday 4 March 2022: Saturday 5 March 2022: Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EGB Emirates (United Arab Emirates 50th titles); Sunday 6 March 2022: Airbus A320-251N G-TTNA British Airways (BA Better World Livery) (plus other dates) and Embraer ERJ-190STD PH-EZX KLM Cityhopper (SkyTeam Livery); Monday 7 March 2022: Boeing 737-8MAX G-TUMT (f/v) TUI; Wednesday 9 March 2022: Boeing 777-36N(ER) A6-ECD Emirates (Expo 2020 - Opportunity Livery); A321NX C-GOJC Air Transat, A320-214 EI-DVM Aer Lingus (Retro) and A319-111 OE-LQP easyJet Europe.
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There continues to be a steady turnover of BA mid-sized Airbuses undergoing maintenance in the company hangar.
Air Serbia A319-132 YU-APE (f/v), another arrival on 9 March, brought Red Star Belgrade from Belgrade for their Euro match against Rangers.
It remained at Glasgow Airport, on Stand 40, until departure at 00:40 hrs on the 11th.
Thursday 10 March 2022: Boeing 737-8 MAX A4O-MF (f/v) (above), on delivery to Oman Air, stopped off during its flight between Boeing Field, Seattle and Muscat. Most of the new MAX 8s on delivery in recent years have passed through Glasgow. Friday 11 March 2022: Boeing 737-81Q EC-NAB of AlbaStar and Transavia Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-HXO (f/v) worked services from/to Rome in connection with the Six Nations Italy v Scotland rugby match on 12 March. (There were also similar flights between Edinburgh and the Italian capital). Ryanair Boeing 737-8 MAXs EI-HEZ (f/v) and EI-HGY (f/v) both landed at Glasgow International for the first time. Aer Lingus Retro-liveried A320-214 EI-DVM also appeared and BA A320 G-EUYV left following a period of storage/maintenance).
Saturday 12 March 2022: Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-ENR Emirates (Expo 2020 - Opportunity Livery), plus another Boeing 737-8 MAX on delivery to Oman Air, namely A4O-MI (f/v) (above). It was on the ground (Stand 40) between 05:35 hours on the 12th and 23:35 on the 13th. Sunday 13 March 2022: Boeing 737-8K5(WL) EC-MTV of AlbaStar and Transavia Boeing 737-8K2(WL) PH-HZL brought jubilant rugby fans back from Rome after a Scotland victory; Tuesday 15 March 2022: Boeing 777-31H(ER) A6-EPE Emirates (Expo 2020 - Sustainability Livery)...
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Wednesday 16 March 2022: TUI Boeing 767-38A(ER) G-OBYK (f/v) from Manchester and BAe146-RJ100 G-JOTS of Jota Aviation picked up Rangers fans and took them to Belgrade. Titan Airways Boeing 757-256 G-ZAPX, another Belgrade-bound football charter, flew up from Stanstead and took the team. Rangers achieved a comfortable 3-0 win against Red Star at Ibrox keeping their dreams of European glory alive.
Also on the 16th, TUI Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner G-TUIB arrived from Montego Bay, Jamaica, Lufthansa Airbus A319-114 D-AILU (Lu Sticker) and Airbus A319-111 OE-LQT easyJet Europe called in... |
Thursday 17 March 2022: Boeing 737 MAX 9 TF-ICB (f/v) kicked-off the resumption of Icelandair`s Glasgow-Keflavik route. Airbus A319-112 D-AIBI Lufthansa (Star Alliance Livery) also called in while Jet2 737s G-JZHG and G-DRTE departed with Rangers fans to Belgrade. British Airways A321-251NX G-NEOZ arrived for storage/maintenance; Friday 18 March 2022: TUI Boeing 767 G-OBYK, Titan Boeing 757 G-ZAPX, BAE146-RJ100 G-JOTS, and Jet2 737s G-JZHG and G-DRTE all returned from Belgrade. Plus Boeing 737-8 MAX TF-ICE Icelandair and Ryanair B737-8MAXs EI-HES (f/v), EI-EVL and EI-DCN. The latter pair worked a rugby charter to Dublin. Embraer ERJ-190STD PH-EZX KLM Cityhopper "(SkyTeam colours) also appeared; Saturday 19 March 2022: Boeing 777-36N(ER) A6-ECD Emirates (Expo 2020 - Opportunity Livery), plus Ryanair 737s EI-DPR and EI-DYD working charters in connection with the Six Nations Rugby match in Dublin; Sunday 20 March 2022: Boeing 757-256(WL) TF-ISJ Icelandair, Ryanair 737s EI-DYC and EI-GSI on rugby charters and A320 G-MIDO departed BA engineering after storage/maintenance...
Monday 21 March 2022: Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-EXF Ryanair worked a rugby charter from Dublin; Tuesday 22 March 2022: Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 EI-HGO (f/v) Ryanair; Wednesday 23 March 2022: Boeing 737 MAX 8 SP-LVC (f/v) LOT arrived with the Poland national football team from Katowice for a friendly against Scotland (1-1 draw), plus Boeing 737-8MAX EI-HGN (f/v) Ryanair; Thursday 24 March 2022: Boeing 757-256 TF-FIR Icelandair (80 Years of Aviation Livery); Friday 25 March 2022: easyJet Europe A320-214(WL) OE-IZJ, plus LOT B737-8MAX SP-LVC headed back to Poland at 16:05 hrs; Saturday 26 March 2022: Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 EI-HGG (f/v) Ryanair...
Monday 28 March 2022: Boeing 737-8MAX SP-RZI (f/v) Ryanair Sun, A319-111 OE-LQN easyJet Europe and Embraer 195-400STD-E2 PH-NXG (f/v) KLM Cityhopper. British Airways Airbus A321-251NX G-NEOZ departed after maintenance and A320 G-EUYI flew in; Tuesday 29 March 2022: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner G-TUIH TUI, Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 EI-HEW (f/v) Ryanair and Airbus A320-232 G-EUYI departed BA Engineering after maintenance; Wednesday 30 March 2022: Airbus A321-271NX C-GOIM (f/v) Air Transat and Embraer 195-400STD-E2 PH-NXC (f/v) KLM Cityhopper; Thursday 31 March 2022: EMB 195-400STD-E PH-NXF (f/v) KLM Cityhopper, plus Boeing 757-2W TF-FIR in Icelandair`s 80 Years of Aviation commemorative scheme made another visit.
Above: The mist hadn`t fully lifted by the time Lufthansa Airbus A319-114 D-AILN touched down on the morning of the 21st.
Air Transat Airbus A321-271NX C-GOIK sets off on the return flight to Toronto on a gloomy 12 March.
Boeing 737-8 MAX TF-ICE, an arrival on the 18th, was the first of the Icelandair fleet in the carrier`s new colours that I`ve managed to photograph. Boeing 767-319ER(WL) TF-ISP (below left) flew overhead just before the Glasgow-bound jet appeared on finals. The high-flyer was routing from Keflavik to London Heathrow. Boeing 757-256(WL TF-FIR in Icelandair`s `80 years of Aviation` livery had been penciled in for the following Sunday, but the aircraft was switched at the last minute, possibly due to a tech issue.
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Icelandair`s special-liveried Boeing 757-256 TF-FIR did make a couple of appearances this month, however, the first on Thursday 24 March.
Ryanair Boeing 737-8AS(WL) EI-DHG moments from landing on 05. Wednesday 30 March 2022.
Air Transat A321-271NX G-GOIM about to line-up for departure on Wednesday 30 March.
Turboprop Airliners
Tuesday 1 March 2022: ATR 72-202 EC-LSN (f/v) Swiftair (Glasgow/Newcastle); Wednesday 2 March 2022: The carrier`s ATR 72-202 EC-KAD (f/v) covered the same route today; Tuesday 15 March 2022: Aer Lingus ATR 72-600 EI-GPP operated one of the Irish national airline`s Dublin-Glasgow services, a route in recent times exclusively covered by Airbus jets. Wednesday 16 March 2022: Yet another inaugural visit by a new Spanish-registered Swiftair ATR72-202, this time EC-LHV (f/v), plus Aer Lingus ATR 72 EI-GPP returned. Thursday 17 March 2022: Aer Lingus ATR 72-600 EI-GPN and DHC8-4 G-JECX of the recently relaunched FlyBe made a welcome return; Wednesday 23 March 2022: ATR72-600 G-LMTA (f/v) Loganair; Monday 28 March 2022: ATR 72-600 EI-GPN Aer Lingus (21:55/22:50 hrs) (Dublin > Edinburgh fog diversion).
Please bear in mind that all my images are subject to copyright. They are not free to use and have been embedded with a digital watermark.
On Wednesday 30 March, Dublin-bound ATR 72-600 EI-GPO holds at Golf One while an Air Transat flight lifts off.
Biz-Jets
Embraer Legacy 600 G-LEGC, an arrival from Biggin Hill, on Area R, Saturday 12 March 2022.
The only corporate stopover from last month was Dassault Falcon 7X M-CELT. The comings and goings of based CitationJet CJ2 G-NOCM aren`t recorded. March visitors as follows: Tuesday 1 March 2022: Learjet 75 G-ZNTH Zenith Aviation and Embraer Legacy 500 G-HARG; Thursday 3 March 2022: CitationJet CJ4 M-KNOX and CitationJet CJ2+ D-ILWP (f/v); Saturday 5 March 2022: Cessna Citation Bravo G-JHEX DragonFly Executive; Sunday 6 March 2022: Bombardier Global 6000 CS-GLG from London City Airport and CJ4 M-KNOX returned; Monday 7 March 2022: Bombardier Global 5000 CS-GLY, Cessna 680A Citation Latitude G-SHUI from Knock, Embraer Phenom 300 G-JMBO and a repeat visit by Citation Bravo G-JHEX; Wednesday 9 March 2022: Learjet 45 G-FEMC; Thursday 10 March 2022: Embraer Legacy 650 D-AHOS Air Hamburg from Chambery, Dassault Falcon 2000EX G-NJAD, Cessna 525A CitationJet CJ2 OE-FAF (f/v) flew in from Malmo, Learjet 45 G-FEMC returned and Learjet 25D N304VS made a fuel stop en route from Dinard, France, to Reykjavik...
Friday 11 March 2022: Embraer Legacy 600 G-LEGC from Biggin Hill, Cessna Citation XLS G-LEAX en route from Lossiemouth to Brize Norton; Saturday 12 March 2022: Beech 400XT Nextant BeechJet OK-NTD Time Air from Reykjavik and Citation Bravo G-CMBC from Luton; Sunday 13 March 2022: Falcon 2000EX G-NJAD; Tuesday 15 March 2022: Embraer Legacy 500 G-HARG from Tenerife and CitationJet CJ1+ D-IOWA (f/v); Wednesday 16 March 2022: Dassault Falcon 50EX M-ODUS (f/v) from Cannes, Learjet 60 D-CITA (from Innsbruck/to Cologne) and a further visit by Phenom 300 G-JMBO (plus 30th); Thursday 17 March 2022: Cessna CitationJet Cj2+ G-ILBG from Farnborough; Friday 18 March 2022: CitationJet CJ4 M-KNOX, plus Falcon 50EX M-ODUS returned; Saturday 19 March 2022: Gulfstream GV-SP VP-CHI from/to Abu Dhabi, plus Raytheon Hawker 900XP OK-HWL (f/v) from Sion, Switzerland; Sunday 20 March 2022: Bombardier Challenger 650 HB-JWB (f/v) Swiss Air Ambulance and CitationJet CJ4 M-KNOX; Tuesday 22 March 2022: Learjet 45 G-FEMC LJ45 and Eclipse Aerospace EA500 2-TAKA...
CitationJet CJ1 G-KION about to touch down on March 24.
Citation Mustang N759SB parked on Area Juliet on Wednesday 30 March.
Wednesday 23 March 2022: Gulfstream G550 G-LSCW (f/v) and CitationJet CJ2+G-TWOP; Thursday 24 March 2022: Gulfstream G550 N1RP (f/v), Cessna 680A Citation Latitude G-SHUI from Tenerife; CitationJet CJ1 G-KION and CJ2 G-TWOP returned; Friday 25 March 2022: Hawker Beechcraft 400XP SP-TTA from Leeds-Bradford Airport and CitationJet CJ1 N260AM; Saturday 26 March 2022: Citation Mustang N759SB from Memmingen, Bavaria, plus CJ2 G-TWOP again; Monday 28 March 2022: Cessna 680A Citation Latitude CS-LAU, Hawker 900XP OK-HWL and Learjet 35A D-CFIV; Tuesday 29 March 2022: Gulfstream G-IV N823LF, Citation Latitude CS-LTA from Luton, CitationJet CJ4 M-KNOX, plus Hawker Beechcraft 400XP SP-TAT from Malaga; Friday 31 March 2022: Bombardier Challenger 300 OE-HHH (f/v), Citation Excel G-NJAA, Citation Bravo G-JHEX and Learjet 35A D-CFIV.
Night-stopping US Gulfstream G-IV N823LF took off about 09:00 hours on Wednesday 30 March, shortly after these shots were taken.
General Aviation
Above: ​Pilatus PC-12 NG OY-EUR arrives from Aarhus, Denmark, on Wednesday 16 March 2022.
Below: Vintage light aircraft don`t appear at Glasgow Airport very often these days so Forney F-1A Aircoupe G-ARHB (f/v) was a welcome visitor when it appeared on Friday 11 March and stopped over for a few days, parking beside the Flying Club. This aircraft is a derivative of the ERCO Ercoupe, an American low-wing monoplane aircraft that was first flown in 1937. It was originally manufactured by the Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) shortly before World War II but several other manufacturers continued its production after the war.
The final model, the Mooney M-10, first flew in 1968 with production ceasing in 1970. The manufacturers designed it to be the safest fixed-wing aircraft that aerospace engineering could provide at the time and many examples still fly today. Aircoupe G-ARHB remained at Glasgow until 10:05 on the 15th.
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Tuesday 1 March 2022: Pilatus PC-12/47E G-LUSO; Thursday 3 March 2022: King Air 200 G-IASC and Pilatus PC-12/47E M-YBLS; Tuesday 8 March 2022: King Air 200 G-CDZT, plus overshoots by Diamond DA42s (G-CIKM and G-ZAZU; Wednesday 9 March 2022: Cessna T303 Crusader G-CMOS and A109SP G-MOAL; Friday 11 March 2022: King Air 200s G-FLYW and G-IASC, PC-12/47E G-LUSO and Forney F-1A Aircoupe G-ARHB (f/v); Saturday 12 March 2022: HMCG AW189s G-MCGR and G-MCGM; Monday 14 March 2022: King Air 250 G-JMAW; Tuesday 15 March 2022: Super King Air 350 G-SRBM, King Air 200 G-FPLD, HMCG AW189 G-MCGT and DA42 G-CIKM made an overshoot; Wednesday 16 March 2022: Pilatus PC-12 NG OY-EUR, plus overshoots from Piper PA-34-200T Seneca II G-CAHA and DA42 G-ZAZU; Thursday 17 March 2022: Britten-Norman BN-2B-20 Islander G-CZNE and Pilatus PC-12/47E OO-PCJ; Friday 18 March 2022: King Air 200 G-OLIV, Cirrus SR22T HB-KKM (f/v) and HMCG AW189 G-MCGT; Saturday 19 March 2022: DA42 G-ZAZU overshot and AW189 G-MCGT returned; Sunday 20 March 2022: BN-2B Islander G-CZNE returned, plus SOCATA TB-10 Tobago G-BGXD called in. Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II G-BNOF overshot runway 05 at 10:15 hrs; Monday 21 March 2022: PA-28 Cherokee Warrior II G-BHJO overflew West to East at 19:20; Tuesday 22 March 2022: DA42 G-ZAZU made an overshoot late afternoon; Wednesday 23 March 2022: PA-28 G-BVNS overshot Runway 23 at 20:50; Thursday 24 March 2022: King Air 200s G-IASC and LN-KGW; Friday 25 March 2022: King Air 200 G-IASA from Dublin; Sunday 27 March 2022: S-92A G-MCGF HMCG, plus Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee G-KALI (f/v) did touch and go at 19:30 hrs; Tuesday 29 March 2022: Diamond DA42 G-COBS; Wednesday 30 March 2022: Sikorsky S-76C G-PACO, Agusta A109C N109TK, plus an overshoot by DA42 G-CIKM. Left: Returning to the Clyde Heliport, `Police 51`, flies over outbound Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Severn after the warship`s brief visit to the KGV Dock, Glasgow. (See below).
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Military
Not a lot doing this month with regard to military aircraft: On Wednesday 2 March German Air Force Bombardier Global 6000 14+02 made two overshoots of Runway 05 just before midday, then Grob G.115E Tutor G-BYXL arrived at 11:45 on Thursday 31st to take up residency with the local University Air Squadron. There was a bit more interest on the water though with Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Severn (P282) calling in at Glasgow's KGV Dock. She`s pictured here outbound on Sunday 6 March 2022,
Attracting far more attention was Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth (RO8) which visited the Firth of Clyde for only the second time since her launch in July 2014. The 65,000 tonne vessel was last seen in the area a year ago when she sailed in to Loch Long to be loaded with ammunition at the MOD`s specially upgraded Glen Mallan jetty. Conditions were superb on that occasion, but the pandemic was at its peak and COVID travel restrictions prevented me from driving along for photos. Following the carrier`s first epic operational deployment, she again berthed at Glen Mallan to stock up.
(HMS Queen Elizabeth slideshow photos BBC News / Crown Copyright).
Different sections of the ship were built at six shipyards around the UK, including BAE Systems on the Clyde, before being assembled at Rosyth dockyard in Fife, at a cost of £6bn. She returned from her maiden operational deployment - the Carrier Strike Group - in December last year. Supported by eight other ships, a submarine, five air squadrons and some 3,700 personnel, the seven-month long deployment saw Queen Elizabeth visit more than 40 countries.
My first snaps of the Royal Navy Flagship were taken from Gourock on Friday 18 March as she headed back out to sea.
Usually there are two large-scale Joint Warrior military exercises held each year, one in spring and one in autumn, with activity mainly centered around the waters of northwest Scotland. This year only one had been penciled-in and that`s due in October, but with the ongoing situation in Ukraine and the demand on resources to protect NATO`s eastern flank, this may be drastically reduced or cancelled altogether. A far smaller Mine Countermeasures exercise took place in the Firth of Clyde this month, involving the Royal Navy and a couple of French warships, one of which was FS L'Aigle (M647), seen here passing Erskine on Thursday 24 March on her way to the KGV.
Construction & Development
The first two buildings in the Glasgow Airport Investment Area are nearing completion and many of the connecting roads, footpaths and cycle routes are now complete. This improves access to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) and the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre off Abbotsinch Road and to the nearby Westway and Inchinnan Business Parks. AMIDS is a collaborative project led by Renfrewshire Council, developing the 52-hectare site next to Glasgow Airport into Scotland's home for advanced manufacturing, creating a unique campus style environment. It has already attracted the world's largest aerospace company Boeing.
Out for an early morning jog.
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Above: Looking north along Abbotsinch Road from the entrance to the Gama / Scottish Ambulance Service hangars.
New buildings have drastically reduced views of the airport from the Renfrew Heights but it`s still possible to get decent shots of departing aircraft if Runway 05 is in use. Snow on the Kilpatrick Hills, a relatively rare event in recent winters, is an added bonus. Out to the west, in far distance, the Cowal Hills help form the skyline.
Fine conditions on the Renfrewshire hills.
A gathering of geese in the fields between the Black Cart Water and Walkinshaw Rd on the north side of the airport.
In the Garden
Redpolls still featured at the feeders during the first half of the month, but numbers dwindled as April approached.
Out & About
Tuesday I March was officially the first day of spring and with a superb morning forecast my wife and I headed up to Balmaha to walk a short section of the West Highland Way. Loch Lomond was very still with hardly a ripple and a few paddle boarders and kayakers were out on the water, making good progress towards distant islands. There was plenty of birdsong but it was hard to forget that the tranquil scene was in direct contrast to the life and death struggles being played out across Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
The fine weather here continued for a while, enabling local residents, whether feathered or otherwise, to make the most of the sunshine.
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The UK recorded the warmest day of the year so far on Saturday 19 March, even more remarkable as the mercury hit 20C in Kinlochewe in north-west Scotland. This was about 10C above average for this time of year in the area, which surpassed the previous Friday’s high of 17.5C recorded in West Sussex. It was the first time the mercury had risen to highs of 20C since October 2021, according to forecasters. All four home nations experienced temperatures well above the average for March. Elsewhere, highs of 15.3C were reached in Castlederg, Northern Ireland; 17.3C in Bridgefoot, Cumbria; and 18C in Valley, Wales. The UK’s highest temperature of the year in 2021 was 32.2C (89.96F) recorded at Heathrow Airport in July.
This shot of the moon, very low in the sky, was taken from the house, just before dawn.
I`ve seen Kingfishers along the Clyde before but I`ve never managed to get close enough for a decent photo, the birds usually flying off before I get into position. The Riverside Walkway at Erskine is a favored spot and although this wee guy was quite far off I was able to watch him or her fishing for minnows for about 10 minutes on 24 March before the French warship sailed past causing the bird to relocate.
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Kingfishers are widespread, especially in central and southern England, becoming less common further north but, following some declines last century, they are currently increasing in their range in Scotland. They are found by still or slow flowing water such as lakes, canals and rivers in lowland areas. In winter, some individuals move to estuaries and the coast. Very occasionally they may visit garden ponds if of a suitable size.
They are vulnerable to hard winters and habitat degradation through pollution or unsympathetic management of watercourses, especially those near industrial towns and cities. Kingfishers are amber listed because of their unfavorable conservation status in Europe. |
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March 2022
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May 2022
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June 2022
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July 2022
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August 2022
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September 2022
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October 2022
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November 2022
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December 2022
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