Some very welcome autumn sunshine brought a Small Tortoiseshell, two Painted Ladies and a Silver Y to the late-flowering plants in the Scottish Poetry Garden, Queen's Park this afternoon. 

A yaffling Green Woodpecker was the highlight of a walk around Portmoak Moss. Also notable were Pink-footed Geese moving overhead and at least three Chiffchaffs calling from cover. Fungi included Pale Stagshorn, Candlesnuff, Sulphurtuft and Common Puffball. Later, a Mandarin Duck, a Cayuga Duck and a Red Squirrel were at Lochore Meadows.

A walk over to Maxwell Park and back this afternoon found a good range of grassland fungi on the verges along Dumbreck Road. Birds included two Goosanders on the park pond and the drake Tufted Duck there well through its moult into breeding plumage. The Mallards, as elsewhere, are displaying and pairing off already. 

A juvenile Common Gull was roosting with five Black-headed Gulls on Queen's Park Boating Pond (the Lesser Black-backeds must roost elsewhere) this evening.

At least two Jays were calling along the main drive into Pollok Park today. Also notable were a Speckled Wood and a white butterfly on the wing. 

A few Herring Gulls were among the Lesser Black-backs and Black-headeds in Queen's Park today.

A Buzzard swooped across the M8 at Carnbroe as I was heading home late afternoon. 

A large dragonfly sp was flying around Rouken Glen Park Pond when I was drinking my coffee there this lunchtime. Unfortunately I failed to get long enough views to hazard an identification.  

A hundred or so Pink-footed Geese flew, calling over Woodfarm this afternoon, heading north west. 

Calling Nuthatch and Great Spotted Woodpecker were slightly unexpected during a walk around Rouken Glen Park Pond. A Cormorant was slightly less so.

A Starling was singing from the school behind my apartment today. The species is rare in my part of south Glasgow all summer but quite common in autumn and winter. 

A singing Chiffchaff was the highlight of a short walk around Lendrick Muir, Clackmannanshire this afternoon.

At least ten Gadwall were feeding in open water at Hogganfield Loch. They seem to dabble in deeper water than Mallards. I failed to find any Pochard or Goldeneye among the Tufted Ducks and Coots also there. As elsewhere, I was struck by the high proportion of immatures among the Black-headed Gulls gathered at the site

Thursday, September 17, 2026

A short walk around Queen's Park revealed some changes including: No adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls left on the pond, only 37 first or second winters; Only four adult Black-headed Gulls among the 23 present, the remainder first winters; Only three Tufted Ducks remain, one apparently having left the site; One newly-fledged Woodpigeon feeding with adults and two Stock Doves.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

At least one House Martin was over Elder Park, Govan today.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

A trip to Edinburgh left little time for nature.

Monday, September 14, 2026

28 Tufted Ducks were on the Murdieston Dams today. Interestingly, they had gathered into two groups and were swimming in close formation. Notable records from Lunderston Bay were Sandwich Tern (19), Red-breasted Merganser (five) and a single Grey Seal.

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Two calling Chiffchaffs were the highlights of a walk to the edge of Pollok Park and back, today.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

A Kestrel over the M8 on the drive to Edinburgh was the only natural connection of a busy day.

A short walk around Queen's Park revealed some changes including: No adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls left on the pond, only 37 first or second winters; Only four adult Black-headed Gulls among the 23 present, the remainder first winters; Only three Tufted Ducks remain, one apparently having left the site; One newly-fledged Woodpigeon feeding with adults and two Stock Doves.

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

At least one House Martin was over Elder Park, Govan today.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

A trip to Edinburgh left little time for nature.

Monday, September 14, 2026

28 Tufted Ducks were on the Murdieston Dams today. Interestingly, they had gathered into two groups and were swimming in close formation. Notable records from Lunderston Bay were Sandwich Tern (19), Red-breasted Merganser (five) and a single Grey Seal.

Sunday, September 13, 2026

Two calling Chiffchaffs were the highlights of a walk to the edge of Pollok Park and back, today.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

A Kestrel over the M8 on the drive to Edinburgh was the only natural connection of a busy day.

Birds around Pollokshaws today included Moorhen, Grey Heron, Mallard and a tit flock consisting of mainly Long-tailed Tits. Lesser Black-backed Gulls were noticeably scarcer than of late (presumably getting ready to depart for the winter) and no Magpies were seen (presumably moulting).  

On a very rainy day, a Chiffchaff lifted the spirits as it sang from cover near Hairmyers Hospital in East Kilbride.

Today's walk was along the minor road from Ardullie to Alness. Birds along the way were unremarkable, although I was pleasantly surprised to hear Linnet and many Chichaff calls. Interesting plants included a smooth. grey pelt Lichen and a Wintergreen species (possibly Pyrola Media). Saddest sight of the day was the cottage garden at Ardullie with Apple and Plum trees laden with fruit but apparently no-one to enjoy them. 

A very wet walk from Alness to Tain today produced the following highlights: A Red Kite, a Jay, Sweet Woodruff, flowering Potato, Bay Cup, a single singing Willow warbler and many Chiffchaffs (several also in song).

 Jay, Red Kite, Raven, Linnet, Skylark, Angel's Wings

Today we walked from Munlochy, through Shantullich Wood (past the Cloutie Well) and over farmland and forest to Culbokie. We then walked over the Cromarty Bridge, up the hill over the railway and down the road into Dingwall. Some interesting birds along the way consisted of Raven, Red Kite, Jay, Greylag Goose and many Chiffchaffs. However fungi again stole the show.

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Today was the first of five days of walking to complete the Great Glen Way and start on the John o' Groats Way. What turned out to be a twenty mile walk from Drumnadrochit to Inverness was notable for the variety and number of fungi present. Birds along the way included Jay, Crossbill, Buzzard and Dipper. Meadow Pipits were present on the upland sections and Chiffchaffs (including some singing birds) were regularly noted. One highlight was a lunch stop at the Abriachan Eco Cafe and Campsite. 

 A Pied Wagtail and two House Martins were over the centre of Inverness today.

I spent an hour at RSPB Lochwinnoch this morning. Unfortunately the water level on the scrape had risen overnight and both the Little Stint and the two Black-tailed Godwits had moved on. Also, my identification skills were insufficient to enable me to locate the two juvenile Garganey which were present.

A wander round a very rainy Corstorphine produced only common urban birds. One of the Yews in the park there had produced a good crop of berries.  

Six Mallards were gathered closely together on the river under Shaw Bridge today, behaviour strongly suggestive of the presence of an Otter nearby.