Today (the third frosty morning in a row) started with a singing Chiffchaff opposite the front door (my first of the year) and continued with a Redwing feeding by the side of the road just over the Cardonald Place Road railway bridge. 

There was no activity at the Paisley Raven nest for most of the day. In fact I was worried the attempt had been abandoned as Jackdaws had been perching on the gargoyle just a few feet from the nest and I didn’t think a sitting bird would tolerate such close proximity.

Anyway, about 15:15 a Raven was on top of the dome of the John Neilson Institute. It was calling loudly (possibly calling its mate off the nest). She appeared after a few minutes (although I didn’t see if she flew off the nest) and landed next to him. There wasn’t much interaction and after a few minutes of stretching and shaking, she flew back up and onto the nest. He remained on the dome for at least ten minutes during which time he was mercilessly mobbed by up to five Lesser Black-backed Gulls. He was still there when I had to get back to work, but was gone about ten minutes after that.

Birds in central Paisley at lunchtime included three Goosanders, a Grey Wagtail and two “Pruuut”ing Moorhens (at different sites).