A Peregrine swept over Nelson Street, Greenock first thing this morning.

31 species were seen on a walk along the river today. Best was a confiding first winter Little Grebe under Bonnyholm Bridge. Also notable were a Fox wandering across the footpath, the remains of a plucked Sparrowhawk kill on the lawn at Rosshall and two tents in the woods.

Much activity again at the garden feeders. I suspect the birds know cold weather is due to set in.

Some interesting sights at the garden feeders today were six Goldfinches, a single Feral Pigeon and a possible Long-tailed Tit. A Greater Spotted Woodpecker looked over the fence but then flew away. Later a noisy flock of Lobg-tailed Tits passed through the garden centre at Braehead.

Some new records for the garden feeders today consisted of six Bullfinches, seven Chaffinches (there seems to have been an influx of these locally) and three Collared Doves.A walk along the river late afternoon found the first three Goosanders back on the river at the Cardonald Place Farm Bridge and a Cormorant (also the first of the winter) circling over Moulin.

Four Goldfinches on the feeders today was a good number. Over at Gartnavel Hospital, a big flock of Long-tailed Tits was moving through the trees.

Four Mistle Thrushes were bickering with the local Jackdaws in Paisley Abbey graveyard this lunchtime.

Two Goldeneye are back on Cowdenknowes Reservoir, Greenock.

Garden birds started to appear at the feeders as dawn was breaking. Among the first were two Dunnocks.

A Kestrel was over the M80 south of Cumbernauld this morning. Then two Nuthatches were calling in the woods above Bracklinn Falls. Back home, seven Chaffinches on the feeders was more than the typical three or four.

Visitors to the garden feeders today were a Woodpigeon and a high total of four Chaffinches. The usual walk produced a Sparrowhawk for the second time this week. Also unusual was a Common Gull (which I had heard calling outside the window earlier) and an increase in Goldfinches numbers (up to 12).

Meant to mention a Sparrowhawk soaring over Rosshall Park this week.

It is incredibly mild for the time of year with a temperature of 10 degrees centigrade at 7a.

Marking at the dining room table all day at least allowed the occasional distraction from the birds visiting the back garden feeders. In addition to the usual Bullfinches and Chaffinches, a single Goldfinch was the first I'd seen in the garden since moving here. Later, a walk along the river produced a Kingfisher speeding under the Rosshall Academy footbridge.

Noticed yesterday that the Himalayan Balsam which dominates the local riverbanks all summer has almost completely vanished since the recent frosts.

Four Bullfinches were on the feeders today when a Greater Spotted woodpecker paid a brief visit. Along the river, the Himalayan Balsam has almost completely gone with only a few withered stems to show where it had been. The local Birches are almost luminous yellow. Clouds of flies remain in sheltered spots.

A Raven was calling from the top of the telecommunications mast in south Cardonald this morning, Later, the garden Maples in the west end of Glasgow were at peak scarlet.

Friday, November 09, 2018

A Raven was perched on the very top of Coats' Memorial Church for most of the morning.

A walk through Greenock Cemetery this lunchtime produced a flock of around ten Long-tailed Tits as well as pile of fresh Rabbit droppings.

First Waxwing and Hawfinch of the winter have arrived on Strathspey. I wonder if this will be an irruption year for either of them.

Took a walk down to Greenock Esplanade after work today, just as dusk was falling. It was a lovely, mostly still night. Flocks of Eider and Herring Gull were gathering in the harbour. However the most notable sightings were three bats hunting along the east wall and over the exposed shingle and seaweed.

Lots of Redwings plus single Mistle Thrush and Fieldfare were moving around south Cardonald today. Clearing some leaves from the garden pond temporarily disturbed three tiny Palmate Newts about 2-3cm long. They were helped back into the water.

In spite of the gloomy weather forecast, a few hours at the Kelpies this morning passed with virtually no rain. Birds on show included seven Teal on the River Carron, two Great Black-backed Gulls on The Helix pond and 25 Tufted Ducks on Callendar Park pond. Some oddities consisted of a "farmyard" Mallard on the canal and a leucistic goose (maybe a Greylag) in Callander Park.

Friday, November 02, 2018

Three Bullfinches were on the feeders today.

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