Water Mint has come into flower around the nature pond in Queen's Park. The female Tufted Duck was brooding her ducklings in the Coot's nest she has commandeered.  

Single Oystercatchers called near the house at around 20:30 and again at 22:45 this evening.  

A female Tufted Duck on the boating pond in Queen's Park had eight (corrected to seven) small ducklings today. According to a post on Facebook, the ducklings first appeared two or three days ago.

The wildflower meadows in Strathclyde Park were at peak flowering when I visited today, Corncockle and a pink Cornflower variety being the highlights. 

A late afternoon walk over to Pollokshields produced apples ripening on a tree on Meldrum Gardens and Tree Wasp, Western Honey Bee and Common Flower Fly visiting a flower bank in Maxwell Park.

Two Broad-leaved Helleborine plants were flowering along the White Cart Walkway at Millbrae Crescent today. Mallards were flocking on the river there and two Swifts were over Skirving Street.

A walk around Auchinlea Park and Cardowan Moss as far as Frankfield Loch yielded a few good birds in the form of Jay and Whitethroat as well as Cinnabar Moth larvae and flowering China Rose and Broad-leaved Helleborine.

Today I spent a blustery afternoon walking the cliff path west of Dunbar. Insects were few due to the strong wind, Birds did slightly better with Sand Martin, House Martin and Kittiwake all attending occupied nests, Eiders and Herring Gulls accompanied by juveniles and Gannets passing offshore. Linnet and Rock Pipit were among the passerines on the cliffs and four Grey Seals were basking on exposed rocks. 

An afternoon spent exploring Coulter Craigs and the Girdle Burn produced a good range of butterflies including Common Blue, Northern Brown Argus, Green-veined White, Small White, Small Heath, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell. Birds included Linnet, Stonechat and Raven. A Common Lizard scurried away through the grass and on the way back to the car, a Stoat hared along the road in front of us. Back at Strathclyde Park, two Barnacle Geese were among the Greylags.

A Black-headed Gull moulting in juvenile plumage was with seven adults on Queen's Park Boating Pond today. I wonder where it was fledged. Another, similar bird was dead at the other end of the pond, reported to the relevant authorities. Both Tufted Duck and Little Grebe were absent (or invisible) today. At least one Swift was over Langside at 10pm. 

At least four Common Blue Damselflies were active around Town Dam during my belated WeBS count in Greenock today. Nearby, an Andrena bee was feeding on Yarrow. Later, the highlights of a walk along Lunderston Bay were Humingbird Hawk Moth and Eurasian Clearwing. 

Monday, July 20, 2026

There were two broods of half-grown Mallard ducklings on the river through Pollokshaws today. The single Broad-leaved Helleborine plant outside the garage next to Lidl has increased to three.

The Greater Knapweed in Pollok Park was in flower today and attracting Honey and Bumble Bees.

The Maximum Swift count for the year rose to 22 this evening with that number passing in a tight, screaming flock. 

A calling Water Rail was the highlight of a walk from Castlemilk to East Kilbride via Cathkin Marshes. Back home, thirteen Swifts over Shawlands just after sunset was a new record total for this year. 

I checked the pond in Maxwell Park today, but it appears that Tufted Ducks have failed to breed there (with no ducklings in Queen's Park either).  

The Little Grebes are still attending what I assume if a nest at the edge of the boating pond in Queen's Park, Shawlands. 

The Swift count over Shawlands rose to nine this evening. An Oystercatcher was again calling, this time in the early evening. 

A busy day of hospital visiting meant few natural connections. However I was distracted by the amazing wildflower meadows created next to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Govan. Later, a (flightless) juvenile Woodpigeon was in a garden in Woodfarm and an Oystercatcher called over Shawlands after dark. 

Seven Swifts over my road this evening was the highest number this year.

Few notable birds were around Glasgow Cathedral today (apart from a calling Oystercatcher) although I found the wildflower plantings around the University of Strathclyde very welcome. A Swift was over Pollokshaws this evening. 

Some of the highlights of a walk from the centre of Edinburgh to Musselburgh today were sparring Three-spined Sticklebacks in the Niddrie Burn, a single Swift over Dundas Street, some interesting insects in  Bingham Park and a lovely selection of coastal plants at "The Big Mussel".

An enforced trip to Prestwick provided me with the opportunity to walk along the dunes adjacent to the golf course and as far as the mouth of the Pow Burn. The undoubted highlight of the walk was watching two Stoats flushing Rabbits and chasing Magpies. Typical birds included Stonechat, Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit. Notable insects included Common Blue Butterflies and Common Red Soldier Beetles. Interesting plants were everywhere with Hare's-foot Clover and Spiny Restharrow being the best.

Three female Tufted Ducks had broods of ducklings (of ten, three and one) on Rouken Glen Park Boating Pond today. Mute Swan, Canada Goose and Mallard had clearly also bred successfully. All day, one or two Oystercatchers have been active around my building in Shawlands. At least one Swift appeared at the end of the day. The "predatory" Lesser Black-backed Gull has been at it again - flushing the feral pigeons from their roost on the building opposite and pursuing one at high speed. Presumably this strategy resulted in the catch I witnessed the aftermath of last week.

At last, the weather has broken1 Today was a lot drier so we headed to Callander for a walk. A few notable finds were Woodland Dor Beetle, German Scorpion-fly, Cucumber Spider, Common Cow-wheat, a dead shrew and (at Doune Ponds) two giant Amur Carp. 

On another damp and drizzly day (thank goodness this unseasonal weather is to break tomorrow), a Kingfisher was hiding under Shawbridge and a small black "moth" nearby turned out to be a  Caddis Fly (Mystacides azurea). Broad-leaved Helleborines are popping up everywhere including outside the garage on Riverbank Street.

Several juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls were calling from rooftops around Shawlands and Pollokshaws today. I suspect they have not been enjoying the very rainy weather of the past week.  

I walked to Snuffmill Bridge and back today, hoping to check if any Sand Martins were nesting at Cathcart Railway Station. The weather was against me (persistent, heavy rain) but there were six birds (including three flying in close formation - juveniles?) feeding over the river at Spean Street.

Marsh Orchids were flowering in their hundreds in "the orchard" in Queen's Park. Eight Stock Doves included a juvenile. 

A Pied Wagtail was carrying food next to my apartment block today. Late evening, two Oystercatchers called repeatedly (but unseen) and a Lesser Black-backed Gull flushed fifteen Feral Pigeons from the Primary School and chased them for over a minute. 

Five Swallows were feeding over mown grass in a drizzly Pollok Park today.