A red letter day today with a garden first - a pair of Bullfinches bathing in the silverglade pond at tea time. Typical of this species, the two arrived with little fuss and left in the same way. Only their striking white rumps drew my attention to them.
The pond itself, although not much more than a puddle, is looking quite spectacular these days with flowering Bogbean and Marsh Marigold, and the Water Lilly starting to spread. Thankfully, plenty of tadpoles have escaped the attentions of the Blackbirds and Magpies.
The only other visitors of note were the increasingly regular pair of Collared Doves. After they finished hoovering up the spilt seed under the feeders, they proceeded to 'bill and coo' noisily on the aerial of the house opposite.
Earlier today, checked out the birds on Murdieston Dam in Greenock. There are now 6 Mute Swans present, with two pairs apparently incubating. At least one pair of Coots appear to have eggs with a second pair still building. Finally the brood of 9 Mallard ducklings on the smaller dam has shrunk to just 3. Thankfully they are now just about too big to be easily swallowed by a Lesser black back.
Speaking of Mallard ducklings, another three were with two adults on the Cart yesterday. A Magpie was in close pursuit along the bank, eyeing them beadily.