Notable birds around my home square today included a second singing Chiffchaff, two Great Black-backed Gulls (on the roof of flats overlooking Linthaugh Road) and a lone female Goosander. This evening, a short trip to Gourock produced a Black Guillemot, a pair of Eider, some fishing Shags and a dozen Redshanks (including a singing bird).

A single Rook was among the birds encountered during a walk around Woodfarm this afternoon. I am going to try and find out where the local rookery is situated this spring.

 Loch Leven

An Oystercatcher on the roof of a DIY superstore was the highlight of a walk around Pollokshaws this afternoon. A singing Goldcrest was a new species for my site list.

Today started with a Peregrine chasing waders over a snowy Lochindorb and ended with a single Red Grouse feeding on moorland (still snowy) east of Dalwhinnie. In between, a Red Squirrel was in a Kingussiegarden, a drake Wigeon on the Duthil farm pond, two Red-legged Partidges at Nuide and the second Merlin of the trip over the A9 at Ruthven Barracks.

Today began with a chorus of breeding waders at InshMarshes and ended with a possible Scottish wildcat bounding across the road near Delliefure. In between I recorded Red Deer, Roe Deer, Brown Hare, Rabbit, Crossbill, Crested Tit, Red-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebe, Sonechat, Buzzard, Red Kite, Shoveler and possible Merlin.

All the "usual suspects" were present in Pitlochry (when I stopped there this morning) including Mallard, Goosander, Grey Wagtail, Dipper and a pair of Oystercatchers. A walk in the hills above Glentruim added Mistle Thrush, Meadow Pipit, Lesser Redpoll, Raven, Buzzard and Kestrel. Later, Insh Marshes held Curlew, Redshank and Oystercatcher plus Whooper Swan, Teal and Goldeneye. Every fencepost was adorned with lichen, moss or both.

Three Mallards and three Goosanders were on the Kelvin in Partick this lunchtime. Dipper and Grey Wagtail were absent, although two Pied Wagtails were around nearby buildings. Some interesting Daffodil varieties were among the spring plants growing along the road verge at Yorkhill, and Winter Aconite was also present.

Coal Tit song continues to be a big part of the soundscape around my house. A Whitechurch tree in Shawhill was in full bloom today.

A single drake Pochard was the best sighting of a walk around Hogganfield Loch today. The reported Red-necked Grebe failed to appear, at least through my 8x42s.

A Blackbird was singing in Barshaw Park this morning with at least another six individuals seen in one small area.

There were 40 Rooks' nests under construction in Fountain Gardens, Paisley today. A singing Blackbird and a noisy flock of thirty or more Starlings were also notable.

The highlight of our last day in Asia was a visit to Singapore Botanic Gardens. It is a fantastic collection with a large, naturalistic section which has earned in UNESCO recognition. Wildflife included Monitor Lizards, two Stork-billed Kingfishers and some jewel-like dragonflies and damselflies.

Monday, March 18, 2024

South Cardonald today was nearly thirty degrees colder than singapore which we left yesterday. There has been a significant increase in the amount of birdsong with Wren, Greenfinch and Dunnock particularly notceable. Two Chiffchaffs were my first of the year.

A busy day here in Singapore didn't allow for many natural connections. However a walk along the Rocher River in thundery conditions produced two Pond Sliders and a couple of Javan Mynas.

Today was another very warm day in Singapore. However plenty of wildlife was on show during an afternoon walk around the Kallang Basin. Best birds were White-throated Kingfisher, Red-breasted Parakeet and Javan Minah. Other wildlife consisted of five or six Pond Sliders. Earlier in the day, a House Crow was feeding near our lunch table and later in the day, a trip to "Gardens by the Bay" began with a Javan Munia and ended with a large bat sp.

Much of our first day in Singapore was spent exploring the bird park next to Singapore Zoo. Although the walk-through aviaries were highly impressive, I particularly appreciated the work the park is doing with endangered Hornbill species and the Philippine Eagle. Later in the day, a walk through Pasir Ris Park produced White-breasted Eagle, Common Sandpiper, Javan Myna and Plantain Squirrel.

Today was mostly spent getting ready to leave Thailand, so the only natural connection of the day was the sight of a couple of Common Mynas at Bangkok's Don Muang Airport.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

The only sightings to add from our penultimate day in Bangkok were a White-breasted Waterhen and a Northern Treeshrew in Chatuchak Park.

Another day in Bangkok and again we spent several hours wandering in the fantastic parks south of Sukhumvit Road. Two Pond Sliders were in one of the ponds and dragonflies included Oriental Blue Dasher and Rufous Marsh Glider. Birds included singing Golden Oriole, nest-building Great Myna plus Paintive Cuckoo, Yellow-vented Bulbul and Large-billed Crow.

Back in Bangcock, I spent the middle of the day walking around Branchakitti Park. The small ponds there were alive with life including Ditch Jewel dragonflies and Common Parasol damselflies. The trees nearby held at least one Painted Jezebel butterfly. Birds included Oriental Magpie Robin, Common Myna and Black-collared Starling. No Water Monitors were encountered.

There were plenty of birds at Takaragaike Park in northern Kyoto today, including Shoveler, Pochard and Eastern Spot-billed Duck, the latter a species I hadn't seen before.

Today the weather in Kyoto has alternated between sunshine and sleet. The temperature has been particularly low (around 3 degrees C). Tonight I was treated to the sight of over twenty Little Egrets roosting in a tree just across the road. 

Today I walked up through Maruyama Park and onto part of the Kyoto trail. Birds along the way included Brown-eared Bubul, Japanese Waxwing, Dusky Thrush, Grey Wagtail and Great White Egret. There was no sign of either the Maquaques or the Wild Boars that signs along the trail warned against, although I heard squeals from the latter at one point.

At least four pairs of Falcated Duck were on the "moat" around the Imperial Palace in Tokyp today Other birds present included Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Cormorant, Coot, White Wagtail and Tree Sparrow. 

I saw few birds on my travels around Kyoto today (only Tree Sparrow and Mallard), although there were plenty of sounds which could potentially have been made by Varied Tit, Daurian Redstart, Oriental Magpie-Robin and Large-billed Crow. Easier to find were a few ferns and lichens plus some early-flowering Plums, Peaches and Quince.

Today was extremely wet, and was also mostly spent in the shopping district (where the only wildlife we saw was the shellfish being prepared for the hungry shoppers). Nevertheless a few big corvids (possibly Large-billed Crows) were scavenging around. 

Some of the birds I saw around the centre of Kyoto and along the riverbank today included Japanese Wagtail, Little Egret, Black Kite, Tree Sparrow, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Mallard and Wigeon.

Birdlife in the very centre of Bangkok was not surprisingy quite limited. However four Oriental Magpie-Robins were singing above the traffic noise and two Spotted Zebra Doves were feeding quietly along the roadside. Feral Pigeon was the commonest species.

A chirruping Tree Sparrow greeted us on our arrival in Central Bangkok today.

A singing Wren and Robin greeted the day in Glasgow this morning. Nothing in Doha right now (its well after dark). I'm wondering what birdsong I'll hear over the next few days...