A mild spring day meant plenty of time spent outdoors including a quick stop at Erskine shore (for Cormorant but little else) and a longer walk along the Calder and the north shore of Castle Semple Loch. Highlights of the latter were a Raven and a Buzzard in a dogfight over farmland, Meadow Pipits and Pied Wagtails feeding together on grassland, flowering Cotsfoot and Primrose along the cycle track, sightings of both Rabbit and Hare, new lambs enjoying the spring sunshine and a couple of less regular bird species including Redpoll and Stock Dove.
Altogether 52 species were recorded this (long) weekend (as well as Hare, Rabbit, Cotsfoot and Primrose) across 20 sites. The full list of species recorded was as follows: Mute Swan (seen at 4 sites), Canada Goose (2), Shelduck, Teal, Mallard (8), Domestic Mallard, Tufted Duck (3), Goldeneye (2), Goosander, Pheasant (4), Little Grebe, Grey Heron (2), Cormorant, Buzzard (3), Kestrel, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Curlew (3), Black headed Gull (6), Common Gull (2), Lesser black backed Gull (8), Herring Gull (3), Feral Pigeon (2), Stock Dove, Woodpigeon (4), Skylark (4), Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail (4), Meadow Pipit (5), Wren (10), Dunnock (3), Robin (10), Wheatear, Blackbird (8), Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush (3), Chiffchaff (2), Coal Tit (5), Blue Tit (6), Great Tit (6), Raven (2), Magpie (6), Jackdaw (7), Rook (4), Carrion Crow (10), Starling (3), House Sparrow (2), Chaffinch (12), Greenfinch (5), Goldfinch (2), Redpoll and Yellowhammer. Highlights were Teal (excellent views), Raven (always spectacular), Stock Dove (not often seen), Fieldfare (perhaps the last until next winter) and Wheatear (first of the year).