Today's walk was a long one, from Eastwood Toll back to South Cardonald via Jenny's Linn, the Darnley Dams, Aurs Road in Barrhead, the Hurlet and Bull Wood. Some sections were across country but thankfully the recent dry weather meant that the going underfoot was mostly good. Bird sightings were unremarkable but I enjoyed exploring some fascinating patches of abandoned farmland and rarely-visited deciduous woodland. Unfortunately I suspect many (if not all) are earmarked for future house-building.

Today was mainly spent in the garden with the sounds of singing Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers (along with copious "dandelion rain") wafting over from the scrubby ground along the river. Around 10pm, an Oystercatcher called in the distance.

Up to twenty Lesser Black-backed Gulls were circling low over the open ground behind the house. I suspect they had noticed a fox lurking there. Later, a Kingfisher and the usual Goosander family (the chicks growing fast) were on the river. 

The Forth and Clyde Canal between Maryhill and Lambhill was alive with common birds this morning including Grey Heron, Moorhen, Mallard, two Buzzards and singing Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap. This evening, a Swallow and two House Martins were feeding over the footpath behind Ferry Village.

Some interesting sightings during a long walk to Old Kilpatrick and back via the Erskine Bridge and the Renfrew Ferry consisted of a Hooded Crow x Carrion Crow hybrid in Erskine, two Swifts high over the Bridgewater shopping centre and Lunaria plants going over to seed on a bank at Old Kilpatrick Bowling Club. Also notable were four canoes on the canal in Clydebank - I rarely see ANY traffic on the canal.

Plenty of birds were around my home patch today, no doubt encouraged out by an improvement in the weather. The leucistic female Mallard was under the Mosspark Station footbridge, accompanying at least four large ducklings. A Kingfisher was near the Bonnyholm footbridge and single Nuthatch and Stock Dove were in Rosshall Park. Two Song Thrushes were heard in song and a Blackbird was seen carrying food. At Cathkin Braes, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was picking food items (presumably caterpillars) from the outer branches of a row of trees. Also notable were two singing Reed Buntings, a calling Linnet and a song-flighting Whitethroat.

Today's walk was down the White Cart Water from Busby to Thornliepark. All the expected species were seen including Grey Heron, Goosander and Dipper. Back home, two Buzzards were soaring over the house.

A walk along the Clyde and up to Castlemilk Woodlands produced relatively few good birds (apart from nine Swifts over Dalmarnock Road Bridge) but lots of interesting plants in flower including Dog Rose, White Campion, Wood Avens, Periwinkle, Apple, Russian Comfry, Yellow Pimpernel and Common Bistort. This evening, a Kingfisher was on the river - heard giving its alarm call then speeding off upstream. The first juvenile Starlings of the year are out on local rooftops and begging their parents for food. 

The female Mallard with three ducklings (having been present on the river for a week or so) was being escorted by a male today. Most of the drake Mallards have begun to moult into eclipse plumage. The female Goosander with the two ducklings was hauled out on a different rock today. Thankfully, the ducklings are now bigger than a Lesser Black-backed Gull's mouthful. Not so fortunate was a Woodpigeon predated by a Sparrowhawk at the entrance to the estate and reduced to discarded feathers. A fledged juvenile Stock Dove was with an adult along the riverside path.

A couple of Swallows were good to see at Silverburn Shopping Centre today. On the burn behind the shopping centre, a Pied Wagtail vehemently scolding a Magpie presumably had a nest nearby.

A brief stop at Murdieston Park before attending an appointment in Greenock revealed dozens of Swallows and Sand Martins plus two House Martins feeding low over the dams in very cold conditions. I guess these species will delay their breeding until temperatures rise. The worry of course is that if the cold weather continues very much longer, some may not even bother with a single attempt. The Mute Swan pair on the main dam appear to have abandoned their nest but the pair on Town Dam were sitting tight. Coot breeding activity seems to be well down on previous years with only two (empty) nests seen (although there may have been others I missed). Mallards were virtually absent with the females presumably still on eggs. No broods were evident on either dam. Four or five pairs of Tufted Ducks were out on the water, presumably still to begin nesting.

A single Swallow (rarely seen hereabouts) was hunting insects very low over the river this afternoon. Meanwhile, Long-tailed Tit families were at three sites around the area.

The local Moorhen pair appear to be incubating a new clutch having lost their prevous one a few weeks ago.

Today was a mixed day, weather-wise, with sunny spells and heavy downpours. The walk between the Cathkin Braes and Busby produced some interesting sightings (or soundings) including singing Yellowhammer, Skylark and Wood Warbler and a Coal Tit nesting in a hole in the side of a bridge.

With Glasgow residents back to being confined to the area within the council boundary (and five miles outside), the Kilpatrick Hills again provided an opportunity to get into the uplands whilst keeping to the regulations. A walk up to the slacks, then over to Loch Humphrey and back down the long road produced some notable sightings (or soundings) including Green Woodpecker, Cuckoo, Wheatear, and Raven with Stonechats at three sites (with young at one) and numerous singing Tree Pipits, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks. Unfortunately Whinchats failed to show (there were several territories last year). Plants included Yellow Pimpernel, Mossy Saxifrage, Navelwort and Solomon's Seal. Late in the afternoon, around ten Sand Martins were feeding over the Kelvin in Glasgow's west end. 

There were no Willow Warblers singing locally again today (just four Blackcaps and two Chiffchaffs). Most other birds were present and correct. Starlings must have hungry broods to feed, judging from the frantic activity of the adults. Yesterday's female Mallard was present again with her three ducklings and the leucistic female from a week or two ago still has her brood of five. A bat flew over the house at dusk.

A female Mallard had three part-grown ducklings on the river this morning. A Chaffinch sang for most of the day, along with two Chifchaffs and two Blackcaps but no Willow Warblers. Long-tailed Tits were at three sites and an alarm-calling Mistle Thrush at one. The Moorhen nest is still being added to but a replacement clutch has not been laid yet.  

A Sparrowhawk was upsetting the Starlings nesting in the houses at Bonnyholm this evening. The big Long-tailed Tit family seen yesterday was still in the riverside Willows. 

A pair of Long-tailed Tits had a brood of young in the willows by the playing fields. A male and female Goosander were on the river but there was no sign of yesterday's female with young. The Moorhen pair beside the farm footbridge continue to work on their replacement nest.

It was good to find a female Goosander resting on a rock with two very young ducklings this afternoon (although I wonder what happened to the rest of her brood). Difficult to be certain of local breeding as the family could conceivably have floated down from a neighbouring square. However given the continuous presence of the species in the area since early winter, local breeding seems the most likely scenario. 

The Moorhen pair at the Cardonald Place Farm footbridge have started building not far from where their previous nest had been. Among the 33 species recorded during a walk around the patch were Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Heron and Goosander. 

The Moorhen nest at the Cardonald Place Farm bridge seen yesterday with eggs has sadly failed and was completely destroyed when I checked today. A Great Spotted Woodpecker called repeatedly from a tall tree in Rosshall Park.

Today was a little milder than of late but probably still a bit cold for the 26 or so Swifts screaming over the car park near the north end of Strathclyde Loch.

At least three Dippers were on the Kelvin in North Kelvinside today, including a pair interacting.

Today started with a Red Squirrel running across the path at Devilla Forest. Singing warblers heard during a one-hour visit totalled: Blackcap - 3; Chiffchaff - 6; Willow Warbler - 33. Other interesting wildlife there consisted of singing Tree Pipits and two small flocks of Crossbill sp. A short time later, three Common Terns were careering around the harbour at North Queensferry. Some notable birds along the shore between there and Charleston included Shelduck, Red-breasted Merganser, Eider, Collared Dove, the five common migrant warblers, Skylark, Linnet and Yellowhammer. The only mammal was a Rabbit near Rosyth Castle.

A surprise find during today's walk along the river was a Tawny Owl which swooped through the trees near the pond before alighting on a branch and staring down at me. The local songbirds were furious and two Great Tits even came down to mob me, so "triggered" were they.

Wednesday, May 05, 2021

On a chily afternoon, over thirty Sand Martins and five Swallows had resorted to feeding low over the Murdieston Dams. Two pairs each of Coots and Mute Swans were getting on with nesting, as presumably were the Mallards notable by their absence. Tufted Ducks did not appear to have started nesting (they tend to be later than the others) although the birds on the water were very obviously paired off.

A walk along the Clyde Walkway between Cambuslang and Rutherglen this morning produced good numbers of migrant warblers (Willow Warbler x18; Blackcap x18; Chiffchaff x7; Whitethroat x3 and Sedge Warbler x1) plus a few river birds including Sand Martin, Dipper and Goosander. Flowering plants included Cowslip and naturalised Lunaria annua (Honesty). 

 

 

A horrendous day weatherwise, or at least it felt that way after so many days of dry weather. It rained incessantly all day. Even a short walk around the home patch resulted in a thorough soaking. Few birds were venturing out but Starlings and Woodpigeons presumably have young, judging by the amount of food gathhering activity on show. Up to four Grey Wagtails were along the river, raising the possibility that the pair which had been present for a few weeks have already produced young. 

A Grey Seal was loafing in the shallows off Largs this morning. A Gannet came in close to the ferry terminal to fish. Sandwich Terns patrolled just offshore.

Two broods of Mallard ducklings were on the river today: three with a pair and three with the leucistic female (the latter down from five). A pair of Grey Wagtails now seem settled on territory. At least two nests of Starlings (one on Whinhill Road and one on Moulin Circus) are sounding like they contain hatched young.