Using up annual leave today but any natural connections were mostly glimpsed through the window of the car on a wet and blustery road-trip taking in Coatbridge and Stirling. A brief stop at Glenboig did allow a quick check of Garnqueen Loch. Nice birds there included a Little Grebe and three female Pochards, but there was no sign of Ruddy Duck. I wonder if the national cull has done for the population in north east Glasgow.
Signs of spring included a Lapwing displaying over a field near the Wallace Monument and a Curlew feeding on farmland near Blairlogie.
Back home, a walk along the Cart from Hawkhead to Cardonald brought a major prize in the form of a Water Rail feeding confidingly on the far away bank. This sighting closed a very obvious gap in my list for this area which I have been watching consistently for over 10 years. My total species list for the six 1km squares involved stands at 78. Individual 1km square totals are as follows:
White Cart Corridor (Rosshall to Cardonald Library) = 64
Cardonald = 43
Crookston Castle and Brock Burn =49
Ralston / Crookston (incl stretch of Cart) = 52
Bull Wood / Leverndale Hospital = 53
White Cart at Hawkhead Estate Park = 65
Thought it might be interesting to check the list for any other omissions. Waterfowl are currently represented by Whooper and Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Goosander and Little Grebe. Canada Goose remains a distinct possibility as I have seen the species on stubble at Arkleston Farm, and there are presumably similar conditions at Hawkhead Farm. Wigeon, Gadwall and even the aforementioned Ruddy Duck could turn up, but all are long-shots. Perhaps the male Pintail lately resident in Paisley town centre might swim this way!
Other waterbirds already on the list are Little Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Grey Heron, Cormorant and today's Water Rail. Only Great crested Grebe springs to mind as a possible addition, but that would be a long shot as there is no standing water in the area - apart from Rosshall Park pond(!).
I have recorded five birds of prey in the area: Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine and Tawny Owl. Merin could turn up at Hawkhead Farm (I had a "near-miss" lately at Arkleston) and Barn Owls could already be resident.
Waders are represented by Redshank, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher and Woodcock. Golden Plover and Lapwing are both possible on passage (wouldn't breeding Lapwing be fantastic?) and Green Sandpiper could also turn up (two were recently together at the Hurlet). However Snipe is probably the most glaring omission in this group.
All the common gulls (Black headed, Herring, Lesser black backed and Common) are on the list. Only Great black backed is at all likely to be added, but a passage Common Tern would be a great prize.
All the common pigeons (Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove and Collared Dove) are seen regularly. Swift, Kingfisher and Great spotted Woodpecker are also on the list. Green Woodpecker, in my opinion, is so unlikely as not to be worth even listening for (famous last words?). However Skylark (I heard one singing last year nearby at Dykebar) and Meadow Pipit should surely have been recorded by now.
House Martin, Swallow and Sand Martin are all on the list (although the latter is very rare hereabouts). The next seven species are also included: Grey Wagtail, White/Pied Wagtail, Pied Wagtail (yarrellii), Waxwing, Dipper, Wren and Dunnock. Chats and thrushes are represented by Robin, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing and Mistle Thrush. Stonechat and Wheatear have both eluded me, but remain possible, particularly on passage. Spotted Flycatcher is even more of a long shot, particularly given the bird's decline of late.
Seven warbler species are on the list: Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Goldcrest. There are probably no more to add, although a passage Wood Warbler could turn up, and Lesser Whitethroat breed at Dykebar, only a mile away.
The four common tits (Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit) and Treecreeper are represented. Of this group, Nuthatch is a distinct possibility, especially as birds have been seen in nearby Pollok Park over recent years.
Six of the seven common crows have been recorded (Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Carrion / Hooded Crow hybrid, Rook and Raven). Jay is the one still not on the list (although there are several (other peoples') records from the adjacent Hawkhead Woodland).
The remaining passerines on the list are: Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Redpoll (Common/Lesser), Bullfinch, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting. Of those still missing, Brambling is the most obvious (I seem to be incapable of finding them unless they land on my bird feeders). Tree Sparrow, Linnet and Twite could also turn up. Crossbill is even more likely.
To summarise, those most likely are: Canada Goose, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Green Sandpiper, Snipe, Great black backed gull, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Nuthatch, Jay, Crossbill and (especially) Brambling.
As a post-script to the Water Rail sighting, it sadly won't make it into the atlas as it didn't happen in either of the official recording periods.
As a post-postscript to that sighting, someone else has recorded Water Rail in that tetrad (NS56B) for the winter atlas (but not, so far, for the summer one).