I went to Darnley Woods today to see the Winter Aconite patch I visit every spring. I managed to locate it fairly quickly and found many of the plants to have open flowers (although more were just emerging from the soil). A Jay and a Raven called nearby.

It was a relatively calm and clear day in Ayrshire when we passed through there today. A short walk around the harbour area of Troon provided good views of Oystercatchers, Redshanks and Bar-tailed Godwits on North Beach. Rabbits were grazing along the coastal strip and hiding among the boulders lining the beach. Sea Buckthorn bushes were still bearing some of last year's berries (shrivelled). An old wall had Rustyback (less than I remember), Wall Rue and Maidenhair Spleenwort growing on it.

A very wet walk from Ruchazie to and round Hogganfield Loch this morning nevertheless produced some good birds in the form of Whooper Swan (but only three - I wonder if the group which has traditionally wintered at this site is dying out), Wigeon (a species I seldom record here), Gadwall (several pairs in breeding plumage) and Coot (at least 13 counted). Plants there and in Alexandra Park consisted of Primrose, Common Snowdrop and Early Crocus, all in flower. 

The Ring-necked Duck was showing very well on Queen's Park Boating Pond when I passed there this afternoon. The number of Tufted Ducks there remains very high (27). Most notable record of the day was a Raven calling as it swooped low over Crosshill Station. 

A cronking Raven flying low over a housing scheme was the most notable sighting of a morning spent in Crookston.

The number of Tuifted Ducks on Queen's Park Boating Pond today was a remarkable 25. Only three had been present until the pond froze two weeks ago when the number dropped to zero. This remarkable influx also brought with it the wandering drake Ring-necked Duck. Six Tufted Ducks was also a good count for Maxwell Park Pond. Stock Doves were singing there and in Pollok Park. 

A walk along the shore from Cardross to Ardoch this morning produced a count of 13 Pintail as well as large numbers of Oystercatcher and moderate numbers of Curlew and Wigeon. Three Rock Pipits were also notable. 

Thursday, January 22, 2026

Today was notable for my first flowering crocuses of the spring - a few plants of a yellow-flowered variety on the tiny grass patch at the east end of Coustonholm Road.