I disturbed a Kingfisher which was perched on a branch over the White Cart in Shawlands this lunchtime. Also notable were a Sparrowhawk (stooping like a Peregrine) and a Red Admiral butterfly.

A Pied Wagtail outside the house in Woodfarm was chirruping away for a good part of the afternoon today. I winder why it is singing at this time of year. Do Pied Wagtails hold winter territories like Robins? I doubt it, especially as the species is known for its communal roosts. 

There was a return to better numbers of common birds around my home square today Great Tit, Robin and Goldfinch particularly prominent. New birds consisted of a couple of Fieldfares plus (presumably) accompanying Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Blackbird and Starling. The Japanese Maple trees in the sunken garden in Rosshall Park were stunning.

I spent most of today exploring one potential slow way (which turned out to be unsuitable) and one failed slow way (which turned out to be quite successful). All in all I walked most of Paisley to Renfrew and all of Clydebank to Bearsden. Bird highlights included a Fieldfare, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Grey Wagtails and a Grey Heron. However the best thing about the day was the large number of ornamental trees in peak autumn colour (including the lovely peach colour of Cherry, yellow of Aspen and scarlet of Japanese Maple).

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The trees between home and Woodfarm are close to their peak of autumn colour with a tremendous display of reds, oranges and yellows.

A quick count of the birds around a rainy Pollokshaws (between coats of paint) produced the commoner species plus two Mallards and a Grey Wagtail.

An afternoon walk around my adopted patch in Woodfarm produced mostly common species but single Pied and Grey Wagtails were notable.

There was another pre-roost gathering of Jackdaws in the trees behind the house in Woodfarm today. 

Today saw the first real frost of the year with the car windows iced over and the temperature gauge at 09:00 showing 0°C. Birds at Woodfarm included at least 50 Jackdaws gathering prior to going to roost. 

A newly-fledged Woodpigeon was looking a little lost in the garden of the house in Woodfarm this afternoon. 

A Jay flew over the M74 at the Bothwell Interchange this morning. Later, two Little Grebes were on Rouken Glen Park pond with some interesting fungi on fallen logs.

A Rook and a Carrion Crow were feeding together on a grass verge in Woodfarm first thing. I wonder to what extent their diets overlap. 

Both Pied and Grey Wagtail were around Shawlands today. In the evening, a Tawny Owl called at Woodfarm.

I raced down to Inverclyde today to do my October WeBS count covering Murdieston dams. Highlights were a Great Black-backed Gull, two Little Grebes and an interesting, red slime mould on a tree stump (which turned out to be Common Eyelash).

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Redwings remain in good numbers in my local area, although I am still to see a Fieldfare this autumn.

Today began very early with a walk along the hillside above Alva and Tillicultry, followed by a second walk along the cyclepath between Tillicoultry and Dollar. Some interesting birds included Jay and  Dipper. However best were two separate Green Woodpeckers heard calling from the wooded slopes of the Ochills.

I have been checking the Ivy bushes outside my family-member's flat in Shawlands most days for butterflies and hoverflies.  Today, all three bushes were covered with ladybirds. The species involved (with both adults and nymphs present) is not one I'm familiar with, so I will be heading for the books tomorrow. 

A walk to the Cart/Clyde confluence today was notable for the large number of Redshanks counted - I had 94 in total. Two Goldeneye were also good to see.

A busy day painting in Shawlands meant the only natural connections were a few wildlife sounds wafting through the windows. Best of these was a single Chaffinch in a neighbouring garden. 

I had an appointment in Scotstoun today so took the opportunity to walk around the western half of Victoria Park. A Nuthatch calling from tall trees and forty Pink-footed Geese overhead were the birding highlights. However fungi were the stars including Fly Agaric, Collared Earthstar, Goblet Waxcap and Butter Waxcap.

A Grey Heron flew low over the rooftops in Woodfarm today, closely followed by most of the neighbourhood corvids. 

Redwings were moving over Halfway and Woodfarm (and presumably everywhere in between) this morning, their see-eep calls and quiet chattering a reminder that autumn is underway (even though the weather remains unseasonably - and worryingly mild). 

A lunchtime walk in Eastwood Park today turned up a Grey Wagtail and a singing Dipper, both on the Auldhouse Burn.

At least seven Redwings were in Rosshall Park today, presumably having arrived overnight. Also present were three Blackbirds and four Mistle Thrushes. Whether these species arrived with Redwings or were local birds is a mystery. Back home, a Chiffchaff was again singing outside the front door. Some spectacular fungi were on the dead Sweet Chestnut tree near the Bonnyholm footbridge.

Once the rain stopped (eventually!) today, I took a walk from Silverburn Shopping Centre down to the edge of Priesthill Park. A Moorhen was on the SUDS pond there, but most notable were three House Martins circling over Shields Court. The birds seemed tied to the area (not venturing very far in the fifteen minutes I watched them) which made me wonder if they were waiting for a late brood in a nest on one of the houses below. Also notable was a big patch of Glistening Inkcap on a living tree near footbridge over the burn.

I spent most of today walking the coastal path between Lower Largo and Dysart. The weather was initially really windy but the wind eventually abated and it stayed dry throughout. Plenty of fungi were showing along the route, although nothing really unusual. Higher plants included Blackthorn, Buckthorn and Hawthorn in berry and plenty of apple trees in fruit. Bird highlights consisted of Jay, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Gannet and two Mediterranean Gulls (an adult winter and a second winter). Less welcome were single, freshly-dead Guillemot and Razorbill. Mammals consisted of Grey Seal, Harbour Seal and Rabbit. Insects were represented by a single moth caterpillar and numerous Red Admiral butterflies, most feeding on Sea Aster. 

Heavy rain for most of today made natural connections difficult to come by. However while I was working at another family member's house (in Shawlands), a Cinnamon Sedge caddisfly managed to make its way into the building and afforded excellent viewing (and photography) opportunities before it agreed to be liberated outside.

Birds around Woodfarm this evening included Blue Tit, Great tit and singing Robin.

Tuesday, 03 October, 2023

An evening walk around my home square was badly timed to produce many birds. However it was interesting to note that Dunnocks are becoming much more vocal after being very quiet for most of August and September (but where are the Blackbirds?!)

A few small birds were active along the extreme western edge of Pollok Park when I walked there this afternoon, Dunnock being particularly vocal. Just outside the park, a Flowering Cherry tree was ablaze with scarlet autumn foliage.

The small park at Ferry Village, Renfrew remains an excellent site for Moorhens with at least 17 birds (including a fairly recent brood of two) visible when I walked through today. An interesting Cranesbill may have been Hedgerow Crane's-bill.