Today I enjoyed a lovely walk along the clifftop at St Abbs Head thanks to a kind family member taking me there. Guillemot, Razorbill, Shag, Feral Pigeon, Jackdaw, House Martin and Herring Gull were all present on the cliffs with Gannets circling and fishing offshore. Common Blue and Meadow Brown butterflies were also present.

With wind, rain and low temperatures in charge, today's walk around Pollokshaws produced few birds. However I noticed at least four Lesser Black-backed Gull chicks on the roof of the DIY store in Auldhouse Retail Park.

A day spent guiding some visitors around tourist sites in the central belt provided some useful opportunities to gather breeding evidence for several species. The Falkirk Wheel held House Martins visiting likely roof overhangs and a Swallow mobbing some Rooks that came too close to its presumed nest. A Yellowhammer was singing at The Kelpies. A Swallow seen commuting through the open door of Linlithgow Palace presumably had a nest inside. At least seven occupied Fulmar nests were on the cliffs below St Andrews Cathedral, while in the Cathedral grounds, a pair of Oystercatchers had two large young and a pair of Herring Gulls had one. In St Andrews harbour, a female Mallard was escorting seven newly-hatched young and fending off the attentions of a Carrion Crow and two Grey Herons. Nearby, a Swallow was flying into the gents toilets to feed four juveniles lined up along the top of a cubicle door frame. Finally, two newly-hatched Eider ducklings were with two adults in Crail harbour.

Two singing Stock Doves, an Oystercatcher pair with two chicks and good numbers of House Martins and Swifts (both potentially nesting) were the highlights of a walk through the Culzean Estate this morning. 

A walk around north Cardonald this morning produced mostly common town birds but two Collared Doves were a good local sighting. Bishopbriggs Park had singing Chiffchaff, Chaffinch and Stock Dove, the latter a new species for me for that location. Later, a Whitethroat was singing next to Woodhill Evangelical Church. 

Six Black-headed Gulls were hawking over the river this evening.

Some of the best bird sightings of today's trip to Great Cumbrae were actually in Largs prior to the ferry crossing - nine occupied House Martin nests on Gallowgate Street and a female Red-breasted Merganser on the Gogo Water. Best birds on the island were Common Sandpiper, Raven, Stonechat, Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler, Gannet, Black Guillemot, Ringed Plover and Rock Pipit.

Today was a red letter day on my local patch as I was able to confirm breeding for Goosander. Evidence arrived in the form of a single, small juvenile accompanying an adult female close to the Moulin weir, at times climbing onto her back. The remainder of the brood have presumably been lost to the local Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The case for local breeding is supported by the intermittent presence of a lone female within 200 metres of this sighting throughout the breeding season (on single dates in March, April and May).

Thursday, June 20th, 2024

A Grey Heron fishing at the weir was the highlight of my walk around Pollokshaws today.

Birds were fairly thin on the ground in Portobello today so it was a plant, Least Yellow Sorrel, which proved to be the highlight.

A Rock Pipit was calling as I set off from McInroy's Point on the Hunter's Quay ferry today. Two dolphins were following a yacht heading upriver.

Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Whitethroat were singing up at the car park on the Gleniffer Braes this afternoon. Back home, the Blue Tit pair using the nest box on the side of the house were running the gauntlet of the local Magpies to bring food in for their chicks.

Plenty of Chiffcaffs, Chaffinches and Blackbirds in song around Rosshall and Crookston today. A single Sand Martin at Moulin was a nice record.

Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard and Moorhen all had  young on Beecraigs Loch today. Coot probably bred a little earlier in the season but the eleven drake Tufted Ducks out on the water possibly had mates still on eggs.

A walk around the confluence of the Black and White Carts produced some notable birds including Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swift, Canada Goose and Common Sandpiper.

I found myself in the Calton area of Glasgow today, so took the opportunity to survey the local bird species. All were unremarkable city birds but finding breeding evidence for Woodpigeon and Blue Tit was a bonus.

Both Chiffchaff and Blackcap were singing in Bellahouston Park when I was there this morning. 

A pair of Collared Doves flew over Paisley Road West this morning while a pair of Woodpigeons were visiting a nest in a roadside tree.

Single pairs of Mute Swan (3 young), Mallard (2) and Coot (3) all had dependent young at Cowdenknowes and Town Dams this afternoon. 

The Blue Tit pair nesting in the box on the east side of my house are still feeding nestlings. A pair of Great Tits down at the river had at least two noisy fledglings in a Willow Tree.

Saturday, June 08, 2024

A pair of Jackdaws nesting in the roof of the last house before Mosspark Railway Station had begging nestlings when I passed this evening.

Quite a long walk around Hyndland today failed to produce the hoped-for Swifts (probably too cold). A female Blackbird was however making the most of the strong sunshine by sunning herself on the pavement, seemingly oblivious to my presence.

Three Chiffchaffs and three Blackcaps were singing around my home square this afternoon.

A calling Oystercatcher was a surprise during a visit to Woodfarm this afternoon. I wonder if a pair are nesting on the roof of one of the various schools in the area. A singing Blackcap was also my first for this site. 

Blue Tits are nesting in a second box in my garden this year. The nest is in a box near the apex of the gable wall. Today I could hear one or more chicks begging for food just as an adult arrived at the box entrance.

I thought I heard a Buzzard calling from across in the woods this afternoon. The species has been virtually impossible to find on my patch recently.

Some interesting birds were heard or seen along today's walk from Kilmarnock to Mauchline including Yellowhammer, Tree Sparrow, Buzzard and Raven. 

Just the usual birds on my home patch today.