A quick check of Queen's Park boating pond today found the female Tufted Duck (and a companion) now with four large young and the Little Grebe pair escorting two small chicks. 

Highlight of a belated WeBS count in Greenock today was a single Goldeneye on Murdieston Dam. The species, formally regular there is now less than annual. A little later, a very wet Lunderston Bay held over fifty Sandwich Terns and twenty Greenfinches.

Few birds were active when I walked through Pollokshaws this afternoon. Swifts are still being reported from north Glasgow, but I haven't had one here in the south for over a week. 

An hour in the marsh hide at Baron's Haugh followed by a wander around the reserve allowed me to compile a list totalling 34 species. Best were Greenshank, Green Sandpiper and Dunlin.  

There was little time for birding during a short stop at the Livingston Designer Outlets today. However a quick walk along the River Almond produced sightings of Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Mallard.  

Only typical village birds such as Collared Dove and Jackdaw were present when I visited Milton of Campsie this afternoon. 

A wander round Newlands Park confirmed what I had found elsewhere this month - that birds, and especially the smaller passerines are virtually invisible. Presumably this is due to the need to protect young and to undergo moult. Ironic really when one considers that their populations are probably at their peak right now, immediately after the breeding season.