Highlights of a brief stop at Loch of the Lowes today were Jay, Goldeneye, Wigeon and Cormorant.  

Fungi we're out in force along the banks of the River Tilt today but "no entry" signs blocked my attempt to check out the Blair Castle pond. The Cuilc only held Mallards and Moorhens. There were waxcaps on the golf course. No birds could be found at the Birks o' Aberfeldy due to torrential rain. 

A Kestrel was outside Crieff and two Red Kites were south of Amulree this afternoon. Earlier, a walk up to the Knock of Creiff produced numerous good fungi including Amythest Deceiver and Fly Agaric.

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.