Two or three Redwings were the only notable birds in Crookston this morning. Later, a drive to Edinburgh produced sightings of Kestrel, Buzzard and Cormorant.

A single Goosander was on the river in Auldhouse Park today.

More wet weather but seven Tufted Ducks were on Queen's Park Boating pond when I checked this evening. 

A rainy Govanhill Park held few bird species today and a wander up to Crosshill failed to add many more. A privet hedge full of House Sparrows was the highlight.

I managed to escape a shopping trip late afternoon by going for a walk along the farm roads and paths around Nerston, East Kilbride. It was really too wet and too rainy for many birds (I was hoping for Barn Owl or Woodcock) but a Buzzard and thirty Redpoll were good records. Earlier in the day, a Red Fox was asleep on a hedge in Hamilton. 

Long-tailed Tits were out in force around Pollokshaws today. The Grey Heron which normally fishes the weir at Shawbridge was nowhere to be seen. 

Monday, November 24, 2025

Fifteen bird species were counted during a walk around Langside today. 

I spent a rainy afternoon walking along the Levern Water at Roughmussel. Birds were few in the terrible conditions but a Grey Heron standing in a grassy field was a nice sighting. The recent thaw and almost total shedding of tree leaves have created very damp and muddy conditions underfoot.   

Two pairs of Mallard were on the burn behind Silverburn Shopping Centre this morning. A Buzzard was on a fencepost next to the M8 on the way to Edinburgh.

I had a free day today so decided to check some of the lochs to the north east of Glasgow. Lochend Loch held a good selection of common waterbirds on its small patch of ice-free water. Woodend Loch also had a small ice-free patch with two Great Crested Grebes and a Pochard being the most notable occupants. A Woodcock was flushed from Baillie Moss Wood. Bishop Loch had only common waterbirds but single Kestrl and Buzzard were nearby. Pairs of Reed Bunting and Stonechat were on Easterhouse Moss. 

The usual Grey Heron was under Shaw Bridge this afternoon, but a check of the weir there for migrating fish proved negative. The trees have mostly lost their leaves. 

Both the boating pond and the duck pond in Queen's Park were partly frozen this morning. The reduced open water made it easier to count the water birds and produced a high count of seven Tufted Duck. A Mistle Thrush was defending a berry-laden Hawthorn tree against all comers.

Today I braved the rain to walk from Crookston Road to Paisley and Dumbreck Road to Shawlands Cross (via Pollok Country Park). My plan was to check the weirs at The Hammils in Paisley and the mill near the old Pollok Park stables for migrating Salmon or Trout. Unfortunately, no fish were seen. Bird of the day was Jay with one beside the river at Bull Wood and at least four in Pollok Country Park. 

Monday, November 17, 2025

Today's bird walk covered Pollokshields and Maxwell Park. Highlights were Greenfinch (scarce around here recently) and a good count of eight Tufted Ducks on Maxwell Park Pond. A bee on Ivy may well prove to be my last of the year.

Bird highlights of a walk through Crookston today were Kingfisher and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

A Red Fox that trotted across the bowling green this afternoon was suffering from a severe case of mange. Earlier in the day, Nuthatch and Siskin were calling in Eastwood Park.

Some good birds from a trip over to Roslin today consisted of Kestrel, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Jay, Nuthatch and a probable (heard-only) Brambling. 

Unusual birds recorded during my illness-delayed WeBS count in Greenock today consisted of a Little Grebe and five Goosanders. Lunderston Bay had a Meadow Pipit and a Raven. 

At least one and possibly two Pied Wagtails appear to have chosen to winter along my little stretch of Pollokshaws Road. 

A rather confused Great Tit was in full song in Langside today.

A day spent in bed with the flu meant only birds visible or audible from the house could be recorded. 

Eighteen bird species were found during a walk around Pollokshaws today.

The two first winter Tufted Ducks that were hatched on the small pond in Queens Park continue to roost together on the boating pond.

Best birds during a wander along Carronshore, Falkirk today were two Little Grebes and a Goldeneye on the canal, a hovering Kestrel, a flyover Skylark and at least two Jays. 

A Grey Heron (in its usual place on the weir at Shawbridge), two Goosanders and two Redwings were the most notable sightings during a walk in Pollokshaws this morning. 

Birds were few and far between around the Cairngorm Base Station with only Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit abd two Red Grouse noted. Twenty Reindeer were feeding quietly near the Mountain Bike Course. Waxcaps were on the municipal lawn at Dellmhor. 

Two Mute Swans and a Jay were the most notable species at the Bogach today. Rabbits were on the lawn of one of the big hotels in Aviemore. Around a hundred Mallards were at the Kincraig end of L. Insh.

Notable birds in Pollok Park today included Grey Heron and Grey Wagtail. 

On a walk through Pollok and Crookston this morning I found waxcaps on the verge of Brockburn Road and on the slope of Crookston Castle Hill.

Irvine Beach Park was extremely windy this afternoon. However many of the typical species of this site such as Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Oystercatcher, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and Turnstone showed well.