The highlight of an early morning start at Baron's Haugh was a Water Rail [149] showing for prolonged periods as it washed and preened on the edge of a patch of reeds. Three other Water Rails were heard giving the distinctive "strangled pig" call at two different spots. Staying in the same family, good numbers of young Moorhens and Coots were putting their parents through their paces. Other highlights included plenty of passage waders (Black tailed Godwit (2) [150], Snipe (3), Common Sandpiper (4), Dunlin (1) [151], Oystercatcher (1), Ringed Plover (1) and Lapwing (++++)), two Jays, several Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats (but no Sedge Warblers), two Great spotted Woodpeckers and Bullfinches at three sites.
Heading home, a quick stop at Garnqueen Loch revealed two male Ruddy Ducks [152], asleep, in the Tufted Duck flock. I'm not sure if the cull of this species is still going on, but they certainly seem scarcer than before. The cull itself seems to have been an expensive exercise with a recent report suggesting it has cost £740 for every bird killed.
This evening, a walk along the Kelvin from the Botanics to Kelvingrove Museum failed to produce any Kingfishers or Dippers, but a big flock of Long tailed Tits was a welcome surprise.