A visit to the Croftfoot tetrad this morning had to be curtailed due to torrential rain. However a break in the weather this afternoon permitted a walk along the river as far as Leverndale Hospital. A Magpie was building a nest in the grounds of Cardonald Place Farm. Other signs of "spring" included several phrases of Wren song and a Song Thrush singing strongly and continuously for several minutes. The water level was quite high (although about half a metre below the recent "strand line" visible on the walkway under Howford Bridge) and too rough for any wildfowl to tolerate. Only a single Grey Wagtail was present, feeding along the bank (although two Mallards were on a calmer stretch at the Leverndale end). A Kingfisher had taken refuge on the pond in Rosshall Park, giving itself away by a brief alarm call. A Great-spotted Woodpecker gave excellent views as it alighted on a bare tree. A single Mistle Thrush and a few Redwings were the prelude to a dozen or so noisy Fieldfares feeding on Rosshall School playing fields. Also there, an exceptional fifteen Goldfinches (plus two Greenfinches) were feeding on what appeared to be Ash seeds. This evening, while doing the 9pm Braehead pick-up, a probable Woodcock swooped through the traffic.
It's snowing in Boat of Garten (photo from Alan Bantick on twitter).