Lochwinnoch RSPB Reserve
I first visited Lochwinnoch with the Glasgow YOC group in the mid-70's and have visited the reserve (albeit irregularly) ever since.
I have been to Lochwinnoch many times since buying my digital camera at the end of January 2002, it is a superb reserve to take photos of small passerines. The feeding station at the Visitor Centre is ideal for photography, if a bit close for taking photos through the telescope. You can relax on one of the seats available and watch the birds using the feeding station while having a cup of tea/coffee (luxury!!).
The shop is superb and has a range of RSPB products as well as a great range of books, videos, CD & Cd-roms as well as optics (I now buy all my books & local bird reports from the shop).
On entering the centre you are guaranteed a warm welcome from Joan and her team in the shop and you will be left alone to browse the shop with the knowledge that help is at hand if required.
The reserve also has two trails starting from the visitor centre, one leads to the Dubb's Water hide and the other is the Aird Meadow trail which has two hides as well as a seat at the end of the trail which looks over Castle Semple Loch. On most winter days a good selection of waterfowl can be seen including Wigeon, Teal, Goldeneye, Pochard, Tufted Duck and the occasional Whooper Swan family group. Water Rails are present but are more often heard than seen, Snipe and Jack Snipe are present in the winter but only seen when flushed, I watched a Sparrowhawk flush a Jack Snipe from the grass area in front of the visitor centre and the Jack Snipe narrowly missed being the Sparrowhawks next meal!
Lochwinnoch is well worth a visit and is suitable for children as well as disabled visitors, it is an ideal way of being introuced to birds and also to the work of the RSPB.