Notable records from today's walk around Pollokshaws included two Sand Martins feeding over the river, a total of seven Orange-tip butterflies in Auldhouse Park, a black and bronze beetle running across the path and a Stock Dove singing strongly from a tree on Riverford Road. 

I took a walk down to look at the new Rebfre to Yoker bridge today. The road down there has been landscaped with grassy areas, damp ditches and banks of new trees. Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Wrens and blackbirds were singing at various points.

Two Willow Warblers, two Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff were singing in the grounds of "A House for an Art Lover" when I passed this afternoon.

Saturday, April 26, 2025

My home square produced a good total of 28 species during a walk along the river. Six Chiffchaffs, three Blackcaps and two Willow Warblers were good totals.

Rooks appear to still be breeding in Pollok, even though last-year's nesting trees have been abandoned. A bird (presumably a female) was soliciting food from another (presumably her mate) on the grass verge of Brockburn Road and possible breeding calls were coming from trees north of the roundabout there.

An hour spent walking around the centre of Strathaven produced a list of twenty bird species with seven new additions to my birdtrack list (including Nuthatch, Dipper and Willow Warbler). Plant species included Red Campion, Wood Forget-me-not and Pink Ivy-leaved Speedwell. Later, a brief stop at Gilmourton found only Pied Wagtails on the river (I remember seeing Yellow Wagtails here in the early 1990s).

Thursday, February 28^th, 1991 - Woodpigeon (4), Collared Dove (3), Blackbird (2), House Sparrow (2), Greenfinch (2), Barshaw Cross and Paisley NE

Tuesday, March 5^th, 1991 - Magpie (2), Carrion Crow (1), Starling (8), Song Thrush (2), Barshaw Cross and Paisley NE

Wednesday, March 13^th, 1991 - Shelduck (n), Mallard (n), Slavonian Grebe (1), Oystercatcher (n), Curlew (n), Redshank (n), Black Guillemot (1), Great Northern Diver (6), Cormorant (2), Rock Pipit (1), Calgary Bay at Lainne Sgeir

Tuesday, March 12^th, 1991 - Red-throated Diver (1), Loch Etive at Kilmaronag

Thursday, March 14^th, 1991- Golden Eagle (Single adult soaring along hillside), Gleann Seilisteir, Mull

Tuesday, March 12^th, 1991 – Raven (10), Tobermory (upper outskirts)

Tuesday, May 28^th, 1991 -Mallard (5), Teal (1), Cuckoo (n), Lapwing (4), Curlew (n), Redshank (2), Skylark (5), Reed Bunting (1), Gilmourton, South Lanarkshire

Thursday, May 23^rd, 1991 - Goldeneye (1), Little Grebe (1), Slavonian Grebe (2), Common Sandpiper (2), Willow Warbler (n), Chaffinch (n), Strathspey (Loch Vaa/Laggantygown)

Thursday, May 23^rd, 1991 - Cuckoo (2), Slavonian Grebe (10 - 5-6 pairs present. Much calling, chasing and display but no nest building as yet), Oystercatcher (n), Common Sandpiper (1), Black-headed Gull (n), Common Gull (n), Jackdaw (n), Hooded Crow (n), Reed Bunting (2), RSPB Loch Ruthven footpath and hide; Whinchat (2) near car park.

Thursday, May 23^rd, 1991 - Goldeneye (2), Strathspey (Pityoulish)

Friday, May 24^th, 1991- Wigeon (1), Goldeneye (2 - One of the two females had a brood of very small ducklings in tow), Black-headed Gull (c6), Osprey (1 - Female apparently incubating three eggs), Blue Tit (n), Willow Warbler (n), Wren (n), Mistle Thrush (n), Robin (n), Redstart (2), Chaffinch (2), Unidentified crossbill (2), Red Squirrel (1), RSPB Loch Garten (Car Park / Loch)

Friday, May 24^th, 1991 - Mallard (1), Goldeneye (2), Cuckoo (1), Common Sandpiper (1), Tree Pipit (1), Siskin (c4), Strathspey (RSPB Loch Garten at L. Mallachie)

Friday, May 24^th, 1991 - Wigeon (2), Tufted Duck (4), Osprey (2), Fallow Deer (2), SWT Loch of the Lowes

Saturday, November 23^rd, 1991 - Goosander (2), Water of Leith at Warriston

Thursday, September 26^th, 1991- Stonechat (6), Luce Bay at Chippermore Port

Tuesday, August 6^th, 1991 - Black Guillemot (2), Portpatrick west and harbour

Wednesday, May 15^th, 1991 - Oystercatcher (n), Lapwing (n), Redshank (n), Starling (2), Dipper (1), Goldfinch (2), Gilmourton, South Lanarkshire (Checking for Yellow Wagtails. None seen on this occasion but see 17th May and 3rd July of same year)

Friday, May 17^th, 1991 - Yellow Wagtail (2), Gilmourton, South Lanarkshire

Monday, October 21^st, 1991 - Redwing (c20), Paisley (West End) 

Wednesday, November 27^th, 1991 - Fieldfare (1), Barshaw Cross and Paisley NE

Saturday, April 20^th, 1991 - Barnacle Goose (500+), Mute Swan (n), Whooper Swan (2), Garganey (2), Wigeon (n), Mallard (n), Tufted Duck (n), Moorhen (n), Black-tailed Godwit (4), Redshank (n), Yellowhammer (3), WWT Caerlaverock

Monday, May 6^th, 1991 - Shoveler (n), Gadwall (1), Teal (2), Ruddy Duck (n), Moorhen (n), Coot (n), Little Grebe (n), Great Crested Grebe (n), Black-necked Grebe (12), Black-headed Gull (100+), Cormorant (1), Swallow (n), Loch of Kinnordy RSPB [Journey to Kinnordy from Paisley, via Byres Road (to pick up CM and CM) and back via Butterstone, Fortingal and Callander]

Monday, May 6^th, 1991 - Red Grouse (1), Cuckoo (1), Curlew (1), Osprey (1), Buzzard (2), Tree Pipit (n), Red Deer (5), Buckny Burn and East Riemore

Wednesday, July 3^rd, 1991 - Marsh Harrier (1), RSPB Leighton Moss

Tuesday, August 6^th, 1991 - Feral Pigeon, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Shag, Kestrel, Starling, Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Mull of Galloway

Monday, October 14^th, 1991 - Red-breasted Goose, Barnacle Goose, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Wigeon, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Sparrowhawk, Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Swallow, WWT Caerlaverock

Saturday, June 20^th, 1981 - Mountain/Irish Hare, Minch Moor

Saturday, July 25^th, 1981 – Weasel, Dalguise

The pair of Long-tailed Tits which are nesting opposite the entrance to Auldhouse Park were scolding a Jackdaw when I passed this morning. A Grey Heron was at the weir and the sining Willow Warbler was back in the waste ground next to Cogan Street. A Grey Squirrel and a male Orange-tip Butterfly made up the supporting cast.

Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff were all singing in Elder Park, Govan when I walked through there this lunchtime. A female Goosander on the boating pond was a notable record as were two Mistle Thrushes feeding in the rose garden. 

Sunday, July 13th, 1980 - Eider (n), Gullane Point

Sunday, July 13^th, 1980 – Sandwich Tern (2), Pheasant (1), Moorhen (n), Coot (n), Lapwing (n), Ringed Plover (n), Curlew (n), Swift (n), Skylark (n), House Martin (n), Aberlady bay (Marl Loch)

Saturday, August 9^th, 1980 - Grey Heron (1), M8 at Orchard Farm Pool

Monday, August 18^th, 1980 – Mute Swan (1), Mallard (n), Cormorant (6+), Turnstone (n), Dunlin (1), Silverknowes-Cramond foreshore

Friday, August 15^th, 1980 - Canada Goose (n), Caerlaverock Castle

Monday, August 18^th, 1980 – Golden Plover (n), Oystercatcher (n), Silverknowes Farm

Tuesday, March 31^st, 1981 – Buzzard (1), Kestrel (1), Blairgowrie Road, Dunkeld

Wednesday, April 1^st, 1981 – Osprey (1), Loch of the Lowes

Wednesday, May 6^th, 1981 – Common Sandpiper, (1) Firbush Field Centre, Loch Tay

Tuesday, August 18^th, 1981 – Shelduck (n), Silverknowes-Cramond foreshore

3rd July, 1991 - Yellow Wagtail (2), Snipe (2), Grey Heron (1), Lapwing (n), Oystercatcher (n), Swallow (n), House Martin (n), Gilmourton, South Lanarkshire

Friday, January 17^th, 1992 – Golden Eagle (2) Torr Nead, Arran; Raven (2), Glen Chalmadale, Arran; Short-eared Owl (1), Boguillie, Arran

August 1981 – Golden Eagle (3), Ptarmigan (n), Dotterel (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Sulsanna District, Switzerland