Quite a good day for natural connections in spite of being constrained by the domestic demands of football training and Christmas shopping! The morning started with 1 hour to kill in Bellahouston Park. Managed to connect with quite a lot of birds including two small parties of Long tailed Tits and good numbers of thrushes (Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Redwing and Blackbird). Wren and Robin song, added to the mild weather, made it feel like Spring rather than Autumn. A few Chaffinches were feeding on split Beech mast, but no sign of any Bramblings amongst them. Back at the Car Park, a juvenile Woodpigeon sitting on a car roof looked like it was just out of the nest.

A late afternoon trip to Lomond Shores also provided some good birding opportunities. Birds around the boardwalk included 2 Pied Wagtails and an assortment of ducks including 3 particularly dark Indian Runners (see photo). Slightly further afield were a pair of Goosander, female-type Goldeneye, Cormorant and a late tern (possibly Arctic) hawking for insects.


Heading back to Glasgow, a Grey Heron and a tight flock of 40 or so Starlings were over the dual carriageway at Renton.