Spent the middle of the day exploring the new country park at Waulkmill Glen, between Darnley and Balgray Reservoir. The three hours were packed with natural connections, the highlights of which were as follows:
Birds: a pair of Bullfinches just beneath Balgray Dam; a possible Green Sandpiper in the lade channel beside Ryat Linn; two reeling Grasshopper Warblers at the foot of the glen; up to 4 Sedge Warblers (and 3 Whitethroats) including an adult carrying food; two Mallard ducks with small young (one, a leucistic bird, was trying to coax a brood of 5 ducklings up one of the lade steps); displaying Great crested Grebes; 3 juvenile Herons and hovering Kestrel and Buzzard. Other ones that got away included 4 wagtails overhead which may have been Grey, a possible Dipper and a possible Spotted Flycatcher.
Non-birds: a Rabbit; a Roe Deer; a dead Common Toad; good numbers of butterflies (browns) and masses of flowering plants including Purple spotted and Lesser Butterfly Orchids on the reservoir banking, Knapweed, Ragged Robin and fruiting Wild Raspberries in the scrubby areas and Honeysuckle in the woods [16,000].