Blue skies today, accompanied by light winds and virtually no rain - what a difference! Colder tonight though, with a fantastic show of stars in the night sky. The morning trip down the M8 was enlivened by a Buzzard standing broodily on a fencepost on the west side of the 2nd Finlaystone meadow. Later, in Greenock town centre, noticed some yellow Crocuses starting to peep through the municipal flower beds. The evening run was also notable for a pre-roost flock of around 100 Starlings wheeling high over the A8 opposite Cappielow stadium. I haven't seen a flock like that for ages, and certainly not in Greenock. I had forgotten just how amazing their manoeuvres are, the whole flock turning and swirling like a single organism. The scene was enhanced by the lovely light this evening. I remember someone telling me the first signs of lengthening days are noticeable around 15th January. Well today is 13th, and I can definitely feel spring on its way.