A walk up Meikle Bin today was rewarded with spectacular views as far as Berwick Law and Ben Lawyers. Birds included Swallow and Meadow Pipit.  

On Queen's Park Boating Pond today, a pair of little Grebes had a single juvenile, a pair of Coots had two chicks and two female Tufted Ducks were accompanying two juveniles.   

I counted at least eleven Swallows (including juveniles) flying around the artificial "cliffs" at Silverburn Shopping Centre today. Back home, an Oystercatcher called near the house. 

Two Ravens flew over the IKEA car park at Braehead this lunchtime. 

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Thursday, August 27, 2026

Queen's Park Pond today held four Tufted Ducks (two juvs), seventeen Black-headed Gulls (an increase) and a single drake Mallard in almost full breeding plumage (all the others are still in eclipse). 

A Raven calling over the Waverley Park estate was the highlight of the day, being a new species for me for that 1km square ("Crossmyloof and Maxwell Park"). Only two or three Tufted Ducks were on Maxwell Park Pond. The Pear and Apple trees in a garden near Haggs Castle seem to be having a particularly productive year.

Quite a long walk from Malletsheugh to Darnley Mill allowed me to explore some of the fragments of countryside still left following the recent expansion of the western suburbs of Newton Mearns. I was surprised to find lots of farmland and hedgerow plants including Field Scabious, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Bush Vetch and Yarrow. Blackthorn, Beech and Oak trees in the retained hedgerows carried some interesting larval mines and galls.

Around 70 Lesser Black-backed Gulls were coming to bread in Queen's Park Recreation Ground this morning. They were arriving at top speed from all directions, making me think that this is a daily occurrence. 

A single Stock Dove and two Grey Wagtails were the avian highlights of a walk around Langside this afternoon. Plant highlight was Crimson Clover found in the Queen's Park Poetry Rose garden. 

Birds were few and far between in Pollokshaws today. Late summer flowers included Redshank and Confused Michaelmas Daisy. 

There was little time for birding during today's trip to Edinburgh. Interesting plants included Smooth Sow Thistle.

A quick check of Queen's Park boating pond today found the female Tufted Duck (and a companion) now with four large young and the Little Grebe pair escorting two small chicks. 

Highlight of a belated WeBS count in Greenock today was a single Goldeneye on Murdieston Dam. The species, formally regular there is now less than annual. A little later, a very wet Lunderston Bay held over fifty Sandwich Terns and twenty Greenfinches.

Few birds were active when I walked through Pollokshaws this afternoon. Swifts are still being reported from north Glasgow, but I haven't had one here in the south for over a week. 

An hour in the marsh hide at Baron's Haugh followed by a wander around the reserve allowed me to compile a list totalling 34 species. Best were Greenshank, Green Sandpiper and Dunlin.  

There was little time for birding during a short stop at the Livingston Designer Outlets today. However a quick walk along the River Almond produced sightings of Dipper, Grey Wagtail and Mallard.  

Only typical village birds such as Collared Dove and Jackdaw were present when I visited Milton of Campsie this afternoon. 

A wander round Newlands Park confirmed what I had found elsewhere this month - that birds, and especially the smaller passerines are virtually invisible. Presumably this is due to the need to protect young and to undergo moult. Ironic really when one considers that their populations are probably at their peak right now, immediately after the breeding season.  

A Grey Wagtail was at its usual place under Shaw Bridge. A Brown Rat was running along the path there.

Today was the day of the annual open day of the Speyside Fields for Wildlife (SFfW) charity. Prior to meeting up I walked through the pine forest adjacent to Nethybridge where I found two calling Crested Tits. The tour around SFfW sites produced Scotch Argus butterflies at both Delliefure and Easter Tulloch. A little later, Swallows nesting at Straanruie were on their second brood and one pair of House Martins on their third, while a Redstart called from nearby woods. At Milton Loch, both Moorhen and Little Grebe were feeding young but the only Tufted Duck present was alone. Unfortunately the eclipse viewed from Boat of Garten was completely obscured by cloud. Heading south, a Roe Deer was beside the A9.

Elder Park produced few birds this lunchtime. Later, two Swallows were still over Shawlands.  

A Great Spotted Woodpecker and two Mistle Thrushes were unusual finds on a walk around Langside this afternoon.

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Sunday, August 09, 2026

The Tufted Duck brood seems to have settled at four ducklings, although the little ones are still vulnerable to gull attack. A Little Grebe was still showing interest in the the secluded spot under overhanging water plants. 

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Saturday, August 08, 2026 

A Swift over Pollokshaws today may turn out to be my last of the year. 

A walk around the Tradeston area of Glasgow today failed to turn up any unusual birds but was quite good for plants. Grass verges held Bird's-foot Trefoil, Field Scabious, Wild Radish, Common Ragwort, Red Clover and Red Campion. Derelict land meanwhile supported Buddhlia (both purple and white forms) and Common Toadflax (with more of the latter at two sites in Finnieston this evening). 

I spent an hour at RSPB Lochwinnoch this morning trying to find the reported eclipse Garganey amongst thirty or so eclipse Teal. Needless to say I failed miserably. However in the process I enjoyed good views of feeding Snipe and sleeping Mandarins.  

The female Tufted Duck on Queen's Park Boating Pond was still "squatting" in the abandoned Coot nest when I passed this lunchtime. Later, I watched her lead her brood (currently numbering five ducklings) to the middle of the pond to feed.

Swifts we're active this evening over Darvel and then over two of my home squares, Queen's Park and Langside.

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Monday, August 03, 2026

Natural connections were impossible today due to volunteering at Gowanbank near Darvel. A lone Woodpigeon as I left the site was my only spot. 

A Rabbit was an early surprise at Gowanbank first thing. 

A busy day in Ayrshire meant no natural connections aside from a Woodpigeon as I left Darvel and Rosebay Willow-herb flowering in the evening sunshine.