A walk around the east side of Hamilton today produced singing Chaffinches and Starlings, Blackbirds and a Mistle Thrush all feeding young.

This evening's walk along the river produced flocks of Goldfinches (suggesting first broods have fledged), newly unfurled Hart's Tongue Fern fronds and flowering Solomon's Seal. Earlier, a walk around Murdieston Dam found Mallard, Coot and Mute Swan all with young. 

A walk along the river this afternoon produced 32 species including a pair of Whitethroats (the male singing from the top of a Birch tree while the female skulked in a bramble patch), lots of Starlings carrying food back to their nests, the now regular Grey Heron (but still no Kingfishers - did the wintery spring affect them?) and the first House martin of the year over the Cardonald gardens colony. A female Mallard had managed to get five ducklings to about one third of full size. Marsh Marigold was showing well and Red Campion has now appeared.

A morning spent in West Lothian produced two Swifts over Bo'ness and another two over Linlithgow. Most prominent of the species singing from the farmland and woods in between were Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Chaffinch and Yellowhammer.

Highlights of a day off spent in Galloway were Swifts entering nest holes on the Big Water of Fleet viaduct, a single Willow Tit at the Ken-Dee marshes and lots of Red Kites and Buzzards, particularly in the uplands

Thursday, May 17, 2018

At least one Raven was around the nesting site in Paisley this afternoon. A single House Martin was along Paisley Road West not far from the Cardonald colony which remains unoccupied.

A House Sparrow feeding a brood under the eaves of a house on Moulin Road and several Starlings collecting food items from long grass in Rosshall Park were the most notable records from an evening walk around my home 1km square. Bluebells were out in force in a corner of Pollok Wood in addition to a nice patch of Stitchwort and smaller patches of Comfry, Ramsons and Garlic Mustard. Two Orange-tipped Butterflies were enjoying the nectar bonanza.

A Pied Wagtail on Great Suffolk Street was the only natural connection of a busy teaching day in London.