The day list for today's walk from Larbert to the Kelpies along the River Carron amounted to 41 species: Mute Swan, Teal, Mallard, Goldeneye, Goosander, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Grebe, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch and Siskin. Not counted in that total was a nice, all white Domestic Mallard on the canal south of the Kelpies.

The regular Grey Heron and a single Mute Swan were at the Hammils today. A Mistle Thrush was near last year's breeding site at Paisley Abbey.

A Sparrowhawk was being mobbed by Magpies at Castlehead this lunchtime, eventually flying off with one of the Magpies in hot pursuit.

Quite a few Oystercatchers and Redshanks were at Cardwell Bay this lunchtime, although as elsewhere, corvids seemed to be the commonest bird group.

Blustery weather in Greenock today kept most of the small birds silent and out of sight. However plenty of Herring Gulls were around and as the wind abated, a couple of Blue Tits started singing.

A walk around the west end of Paisley in blustery conditions this lunchtime only produced the usual, urban birds. Woodpigeon, Robin and Starling were singing while Feral Pigeons were displaying.

A repeat walk around the same square produced only 26 species today (probably due to windy and wet conditions). However some hghlights included a Treecreeper, very good counts of c70 Black-headed Gulls and c70 Starlings plus a singing Mistle Thrush.

Saturday, January 12, 2019

A two-hour walk around my local 1km square in southwest  Glasgow produced 31 species. Highlights were flyover Buzzard, Raven and Kestrel, the latter a first sighting after 12 years of living here.