A singing Chiffchaff and a calling Oystercatcher provided the main interest as I was doing some gardening in Woodfarm this afternoon.  

I spent a very enjoyable day touring some sites in Stirlingshire. Flanders Moss NNR held Skylark, Stonechat, Meadow pipit, Redpoll and Reed Bunting; the Lake of Menteith and Inchmahome Island held Cormorant and Greylag Goose; Stronlachachar had Red-breasted Merganser, Common Sandpiper, Common Gull, nesting House Martins and two Twite; Loch Ard had another two Red-breasted Mergansers plus Goosander, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose and Common Sandpiper; finally, David Marshall Lodge held Red Squirrel and singing Wood Warbler. Best birds of the day were those two Twite - a bird I seldom encounter - giving great views as one of them perched on the pier head railings.

There was a noticeable increase in insect life when I walked around Pollokshaws this afternoon. Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Common Carder bee, Western Honey Bee and the Soldier Beetle Cantharis nigricans were the main species involved. Swallows were overhead quite a lot but I failed to locate any House Martins or Swifts.

A pair of Tufted Ducks were on the boating pond in Queen's Park today. It remains to be seen whether they will breed, or indeed if any other females are hidden somewhere on eggs. 

Today I walked from Shawlands to a meeting in St George's Cross. Breeding was confirmed for Blackbird (carrying food) and possible for Chiffchaff and Blackcap (singing males). 

A belated WeBS count this morning produced interesting breeding records in the form of a Mute Swan pair with four cygnets and two Coot broods, both of two chicks. I also recorded one Common Swift overhead - my first for the site. The remainder of the day was spent on the Clyde SOC "cruise" around the Clyde basin. Wildlife highlights consisted of good numbers (perhaps 50 or more) of Porpoise plus Puffin, Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver, Golden Eagle, Cuckoo and Little Egret.

Yesterday evening, two Oystercatchers touched down briefly on the bowling green. Today's visitors were two Swallows.