Greenfinches continue to sing their wheezy song at various points throughout my home square. Siskins are still present in the area - I first heard birds calling about a week ago. Our local Daffodils are starting to flower.

I was working in the garden most of today. Birds heard in song included Collared Dove, Chaffinch, Dunnock and a distant Song Thrush. The male Blue Tit who has been defending a territory around the nestbox on the house wall does not appear to have attracted a mate as yet.

A Chaffinch was in song during a short visit to Hamilton this afternoon. Back home, notable birds around the square consisted of a singing Nuthatch and at least two Siskins.

It was a beautiful day in Kirkintilloch today. Nine different bird species were in song but I couldn't track down a Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail or Dipper on the burn. Back home, a Blue Tit scolding me in the back garden has apparently claimed the nestbox on the house wall.

Visiting family in Balfron again today, I noticed that at least one of the sparrows in the garden was a Tree Sparrow. Other notable birds around the village included singing Chaffinch (I had another one at home first thing), singing Goldcrest and a few flyover Siskins.

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Rooks were bringing sticks to their nests when I visited Balfron this morning, and a beautiful Camellia bush was blooming in one of the cottage gardens. Later, a Hellebore species was in flower in a neglected corner of Rosshall Park.

It was a windy day up on Traprain Law, but thankfully the rain stayed away. Two or three Skylarks were singing over the summit and a pair of Stonechats were hunting from fenceposts. Twelve ponies were grazing on the south flank of the hill. 

The highlight of today's walk through Shawlands was a Grey Wagtail busying itself along the river. This evening, a Harlequin Ladybird was crawling on the kitchen ceiling. In between, the Purple-leaved Plum in my garden is blossoming spectacularly. 

Another day, another Cormorant, although this one was about 1km upstream from where I saw yesterday's. After bemoaning the fact that very few daffodils have flowered locally yet, the council verges are suddenly full of them. 

I walked along the river and up to Crookston Castle today, looking for early spring flowers. Good finds included Cherry Plum, Winter Heliotrope, Hazel and possibly Narcissus x cyclazetta 'Tête-à-tête'. Avian highlights included a hunting Sparrowhawk, a singing Goldcrest and a Cormorant resting on a rock.

My first singing Goldcrest of the year broke into a short burst of song during a late afternoon walk around my home square. Other singers were a Nuthatch, two Stock Doves and two Song Thrushes.

Took advantage of a temporary weather "window" to visit the James Hamilton Heritage Park in East Kilbride. Most of the resident Greylag and Canada Geese have paired off and were bickering in the surrounding fields. However a few were coming to bread near the visitor centre including a striking leucistic bird. My first flowering Cotsfoot of the year was along the edge of the path and at least one Oystercatcher was potential prospecting for a nest site.

Today's walk through Glasgow Green and up to the Eastern Necropolis was notable for small flocks of Redwings chattering in the treetops (as they do at this time of year) and a pair of Mute Swans nest-building on the Clyde.

I was back in Shawlands again today but the birds were not really showing, so my list only totalled ten species. I checked my birdtrack records and found I had recorded a total of 47 species in that 1km square over all my visits.

There was persistent rain throughout my walk around Shawlands today. However, plenty of birds were in song, and a Grey Heron near Shawbridge gave good views as it perched in a tree over the river. The walls of the cemetery nearby were pretty bare except for a few tufts of Wall-rue.

Some notable sightings from my usual walk along the river included a single Cormorant (which flew under the (low) footbridge to land on the river) and a singing Chaffinch (quite early for this species around here, in my experience).

I went for a walk in the Dams to Darnley Country Park today. Hazel is particularly common here with some trees still bearing female flowers. I managed to refind the patch of Winter Aconite deep in the woods. It was doing well but is possibly slightly smaller than it was in the past. Scarlet Elf Cup was particularly common and I came across one dead Elder colonised by Jelly Ear. A Grey Heron flying east over the main pond seemed to be carrying nest material. A Sparrowhawk was hunting near the Park housing estate. Finally, five Rooks were showing interest in three or four old nests in the trees next to Darnley Court Care Home.

Water birds seen along the river between south Cardonald and Shawlands today included Goosander, Mallard, Little Grebe and Grey Wagtail (but unfortunately not Kingfisher or Dipper). The only botanical colour was provided by the Lesser Periwinkles in council planters.

Today's WeBS count in Greenock was unremarkable although four Moorhens on Town Dam was my highest ever count there. Heading back up the coast, a flock of Shelduck, a pair of Great Black-backed Gulls and a Little Egret were all of interest.

A Stock Dove and a couple of Greenfinches were in song in Glasgow Botanic Gardens when I walked through today. Some interesting plants included a patch of Green Hellebore and a flowering Cornel or Cornelian Cherry tree.

A walk along the White Cart Water between Paisley and south Cardonald produced a number of interesting records including waterbirds (Grey Wagtail, Goosander, Moorhen and Mallard), woodland wildlife (Great Spotted Woodpecker and Roe Deer) and plants (flowering Hazel, Pixie Cup lichen and Hairy Curtain Crust fungus).

A Nuthatch was singing in Queen's Park, Glasgow when I walked through this morning. In contrast to the birds along my local river, the Mallards on the small pond were still massed together with no obvious signs of pairing. The improved weather allowed good views of the Campsie Hills and the southern Highlands beyond. 

The Mallards on the river seem to be firmly paired off now, no doubt preparing for the breeding season ahead. Nearly thirty Redwings feeding under their usual tree was a reminder that winter isn't over yet. Some Teasels down by the river made a nice composition against the blue sky. 

The rain finally abated overnight, resulting in a pleasantly-sunny if rather blustery day. Plenty of birds were out on the water at Hogganfield Loch, among them single Pochard and Gadwall. Eight Grey Herons were perched together on the island. 

In spite of the torrential rain which has been falling almost all day, several birds (including Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Woodpigeon) were singing when I walked through Craigton Cemetery. A gnarled old tree took my attention but I was unable to identify it. I'll need to go back when the leaves have appeared.

Earthworms, Garden Snails and yellow Crocuses were the only signs of life we came across while we were clearing some rubbish from the park on Calfhill Road. Later, a Red Fox made a half-hearted attempt to catch a male Goosander and a pair of Mallards roosting on the riverbank. The birds flew onto the river, then swam along beside the bank, keeping an eye on their adversary. Two Song Thrushes were singing at eachother in Rosshall Park. Other singers included Wren, Robin and Woodpigeon. Winter Gnats were leking near the park pond.

Saturday, 03 February, 2024

Winter Aconite and Snowdrop flowers were showing well in the sunshine in Cockshaugh Park, St Andrews this morning. Two male Dippers were singing at separate points along the Kinness Park (where a Call Duck was among the Mallards) and two Greenshanks were among commoner waders on the rocks beneath St Andrews Castle. The walls around the harbour area held plenty of plants starting their spring growth including Pellitory-of-the-wall.

Today began with a female Sparrowhawk whizzing past our hotel room window in Inverkeithing. It continued with a visit to Balmerino Abbey to check on the Winter Aconites which grow there. I was pleased to find them absolutely thriving and covering a significantly greater area than I'd remembered from my previous visit five or so years ago. Wall plants included a good selection of ferns and a fair number of higher plants racing away in the spring-like weather. Best bird was the second Sparrowhawk of the day. In the afternoon, a wander along the River Eden west of Cupar produced a Grey Squirrel (Grrr!) and a good selection of woodland birds but (for the second day running) no riparian species.

Pittencreiff Park in Dunfermline was fairly disappointing in terms of natural connections. The Tower Burn was particularly poor with not a single bird located along the 1km I walked. The water looked and smelled horrible - presumably there is something nasty pouring into it further upstream. Birding highlight was a small Rookery at the west end of the Abbey precincts which had attracted a noisy group of seven birds squabbling over the five bundles of twigs which have survived the winter so far.