Today was the day of my annual survey of the birds on Loch Lomondside from Rowardennan north. In the event, today's figures are not comparable with those from previous years because I started significantly later this year and walked significantly less far. Nevertheless here they are: Wood Warbler (7); Willow Warbler (22); Chiffchaff (11); Blackcap (18); Garden Warbler (4); Tree Pipit (1); Redstart (1 at Cashel); Pied Flycatcher (0); Spotted Flycatcher (0); Nuthatch (7). Best sightings included good views of the Garden Warblers and at Least two Bee-flies.

Sandwich Terns calling over the river channel and Linnets calling as they flew back and forward to the shore were the highlights of a non-birding visit to Irvine this lunchtime.  

The main outing of today was to the ruined church and graveyard on the Rothiemurchus estate. On a beautifully sunny day, many birds were in song including Nuthatch, Chiffchaff (both firsts for me for that site), Willow Warbler and Blackcap. A walk down to the river produced two Ospreys, a Buzzard, Goldeneye, Mallard, Goosander, Common Sandpiper and Redstart (a singing male and a female feeding nearby). From there we headed to Loch Insh where three Common Sandpipers were interacting over the loch, one flying extravagant undulations quite unlike the normal surface-hugging flight of this species. Also down there were two Goldeneye and a pair of Teal. Finally, an evening visit to Insh Marshes found the landscape bathed in beautiful golden light. Many birds were active over the marsh including a Redshank singing and flying vertical zig-zags with the song reaching a crescendo at the top of each undulation. A Snipe flushed by one of the reserve staff got up in towering flight over the marsh. If I had been closer, I suspect I might have heard it drumming. Oystercatchers were at the back of the marsh but Lapwings and Curlews were dotted all over and frequently took to the air to display or sing. The drive home produced a single Roe Deer, a group of five Red Deer, an Oystercatcher standing on the road verge at Drumochter and a Common gull there feeding on roadkill.

An early walk to an undisclosed location in Strathspey today produced some excellent finds in the form of White-tailed Eagle, Goshawk, Red Deer, Tree Pipit and Cuckoo. In the evening, four Pine Martens came to a garden feeding station and two Woodcock were roding over the forest.

Heading for a few days in Badenoch and Strathspey today, almost the first birds encountered were three Ospreys flying overhead. Other birds added at various sites in the course of the afternoon and evening included Peregrine, a further four Ospreys, Common Sandpiper, Red-throated Diver, Goldeneye,Teal, Curlew and Greylag Goose. 

Saturday, April 25, 2026

Today was a day of traveling (from Drumnadrochit to Fort William and then on to Glasgow) so very few birds were recorded. Even the shore at Fort William, often full of birds, held only Common Gull, Herring Gull and Feral Pigeon. 

Two Cuckoos, Tree Pipit, possible Yellowhammer, Common Lizard, nesting House Martins.

Tree Pipits, Common Sandpiper, bats. 

Today's leg of the Great Glen Way started at the Great Glen Hostel near Laggan and ended at Fort Augustus. In between, highlights included Tree Pipit, Osprey, Dipper, Nuthatch (at two sites in Invergarry), Treecreeper, Hooded Crow, Greylag Goose and Oystercatcher. 

Today I walked from Gairlochy to Achnacarry and then from Achnacarry to Laggan Locks. Highlights of the morning were Redstart and Nuthatch in song, tracks and signs of Wild Boar and much improved weather. Cuckoo; Common Sandpiper; Raven; Tiger Beetle  

I traveled up to Fort William this morning and began the first leg of the Great Glen Way about 2pm. Birds on the way out of the town included a Hooded Crow and several each of Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. There then followed an afternoon of worsening weather and mostly canal towpath walking. Despite the presence of the canal, water birds were actually quite scarce with only Grey Heron, Mallard and Goosander seen. A singing Nuthatch was to be the first of several encountered along the route to our ultimate destination, Drumnadrochit. Arriving at Gairlochy, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Collared Dove were recorded, despite heavy rain. The final bird of the day was a Dipper on the river near our overnight accommodation in Spean Bridge.

A short walk around Queen's Park this afternoon turned up all the regular species plus two each of Chiffchaff and Blackcap (all in song). Prior to all this, an Oystercatcher called a few times in the wee small hours (about 02:00).

With tomorrow taken up with other things, I headed down to Inverclyde to do my WeBS count a day early. Relatively few birds were present (typical of this time of year) but two pairs of Coot and one of Mute Swan were attending more-or-less completed nests. Female Mallards were virtually absent, suggesting they are away incubating. More female Tufted Ducks were around, suggesting they have not started incubation yet. Less typical species present included one each of Sand Martin and Goosander. After the WeBS count I headed to Lunderston Bay to see what was around. A blustery wind and very high tide made finding birds quite difficult. However three Wheatears were on one of the small sections of beach still exposed and more than fifty Turnstones (a few acquiring breeding plumage) were on exposed rocks. Later, up to two Common Terns were close to the shore opposite Port Glasgow's Tesco extra and two Gannets were fishing mid-channel. 

A walk around the centre of Edinburgh produced several common species in song including Chiffchaff, Wren and Chaffinch. Earlier, a Kestrel was at Newbridge. Later, a Grey Wagtail, two Goosanders, a Comma butterfly and singing Chiffchaff and Blackcap were beside the Water of Leith in Slateford. Unfortunately, the Moschatel reported from there seems to have been swallowed up by huge patches of Few-flowered Leek. 

Two Little Ringed Plovers were on the scrape at Lochwinnoch when I arrived there this morning but they took off shortly afterwards and circled over the site before heading off south. Back at the scrape, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Black-headed Gull, Lapwing and Redshank were all either courting, displaying, copulating or singing (in the case of Redshank). 

A busy day spent visiting sites on the River Forth including Cambus, Kinneil and the Pools of Bothkennar.

A search for Moschatel said to be present along the Capelrig Burn in Newton Mearns proved successful (in spite of the rain) with a nice colony located including many plants in flower. 

A busy day limited natural connections. However a local walk in the direction of Queen's Park confirmed the continued presence of both Pied and Grey Wagtails on Pollokshaws Road.  

Dipper and Grey Wagtail were among the birds in Linn Park today. Flowering plants included my first Ramsons and Bluebell of the year.

It was wet and windy in Biggar this afternoon - not very conducive to good birdwatching. Most interesting records concerned a Grey Heron on the river through the golf course and over 20 Sand Martins hawking over the loch. 

A walk around Auchineden estate this morning produced a Green Woodpecker (eventually) and my first Tree Pipit (a singing bird) of the spring. Earlier, Dawsholm Park had five Ring-necked Parakeets. 

A summer plumaged Slavonian Grebe, a "drop in" by fifteen Black-tailed Godwits and a singing Redshank were the highlights of an hour at RSPB Lochwinnoch this morning. 

I spent fifteen minutes waiting for a meeting in St George's Cross first thing this morning. During that time I heard or saw fifteen bird species - a reasonable total for a tiny handkerchief of green space surrounded by tenements. Two Grey Squirrels were also present plus some Fritillary flowers (another two sites in the west end (Kelvingrove Park and Thornwood Drive) were to produce records of this species by the end of the morning). Goosander and Dipper were on the Kelvin but I failed to spot any Sand Martins. 

A Sparrowhawk was displaying high over the eastern edge of Pollok Park this lunchtime. The Tufted Duck pairs on Maxwell Park Pond were staying close to eachother (unlike the Mallards which have mostly separated with the females presumably on eggs). In the afternoon, Kingfisher and Grey Heron were notable records for Auldhouse Park while a Grey Wagtail was singing above the traffic noise at Shawlands Cross. 

I managed to get away to take quite a long walk along the River Irvine below Darvel and Newmilns today. Highlight was a botanical one - Rustyback growing on an old wall on the edge of Darvel. Birds along the river included Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Nuthatch. Plants included Wood Anenome, Dog's Mercury, Opposite-leaved Golden-Saxifrage and Water Avens.

Sunday, April 05, 2026

Arriving at Gowanbank first thing, Song Thrush, Robin and Greenfinch were in song with Blackbird, Chaffinch and Goldfinch calling.

I spent a busy day in a wet and windy Darvel, East Ayrshire today. Bird highlight was a singing Treecreeper. Plants were Primrose and Coltsfoot. Mammals were Rabbit and bat sp. 

A busy day today meant natural connections were few.  A quick check of Moira's garden found only the original two plants in flower. A Nuthatch was singing near the Victoria Road gate.

The sun broke through this morning as I was paying a brief visit to RSPB Lochwinnoch. The Redshanks I had hoped to see were absent but at least four pairs of Shoveler plus the pre-breeding antics of Lapwings, Black-headed Gulls, Common Gulls and Canada Geese all made for an interesting time. In the afternoon I took my usual Thursday walk around one of my home squares of Pollokshaws. Highlights were botanical in the form of Fritillary, Cowslip, Wild Daffodil and Coltsfoot all flowering on a wide, grassy verge. Newly-flowering Cuckooflower and Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage were nearby.

Queen's Park was wet and miserable (but actually quite mild) when I wandered through today. Most of the usual birds were present with Stock Doves (as usual) one of the highlights. Some of the Fritillaries in the garden dedicated to the memory of Moira Jones are now fully open and created a lovely scene in spite of the weather.