A Sparrowhawk was duelling with a couple of Carrion Crows over Barshaw Park this morning. A little later something alarmed all the gulls on the pond, making them take to the air along with some Feral Pigeons and about forty Jackdaws. I didn't see the cause but my guess would be a passing Peregrine. Some of the Black-headed Gulls on the pond had fairly well-developed hoods and several Common Gulls had the pure white head of breeding birds. As well as the regular tits, Goldfinches, Starlings, Robins and Woodpigeons, both Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush were singing near the walled garden where eight Redwings flew over.  

Two Kingfishers (presumably a pair) were noisily interacting at Shawbridge this morning. Their stuttering calls first made me think I had a singing Dipper. Tits, Robin and Woodpigeon were heard in song but there was no repeat of late December's singing Mistle Thrush. 

My local walk today produced Woodpigeon, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Wren, Starling and Robin all in song. High numbers of Black-headed and Herring Gulls had probably something to do with the fact that the local high school was about to begin its lunch break. I found some Jelly Ear fungus growing on Elder and Snowdrops pushing through the leaf litter.

With the thaw well underway, today was damp in the air and underfoot. The ice hadn't fully melted on the pond in Rouken Glen Park so most of the waterbirds were standing on the ice, the Mandarin Duck among them.

The buds on the Willow trees along the Levern Water were starting to show signs of bursting when I walked that way this morning. A Cormorant flying over the burn was unusual, in my experience. Plenty of Rooks were in the vicinity of the "micro-rookery" on Brockburn Road. I could make out the remains of three nests which had survived the winter storms (so far), but the birds did not seem to be showing any interest in them. A Raven was calling near the castle, and other notable species encountered included Buzzard, Goosander (six in total) and Stock Dove. Song was heard from Woodpigeon, Coal, Blue and Great Tits, Wren, Starling, Goldfinch and Bulfinch. Winter Gnats were lekking in Rosshall Park.... Oh, and a Tawny Owl called outside the house last night.   

Today started with a Cormorant at chimney height, presumably following the river but taking a short cut over my suburban housing estate. With road and weather conditions unpredictable, I decided to do my WeBS count one day early. The Murdieston Park dams were around 95% ice-covered, so counting waterbirds was a fairly easy task. Highlights were single Grey Heron and Little Grebe. A couple of the Black-headed gulls had nearly full hoods. Down at Lunderston bay, five Wigeon were a little unusual in my experience, as were two Black Guillemots in breeding plumage. 

I spent the majority of today in Edinburgh, walking the footpaths around Blackford Hill. Birds on the way up included Nuthatch and Stock Dove. The views from the top were amazing with good visibility and cloudless, blue skies. Blackford pond was almost entirely frozen with only two Mallards, a Little Grebe, a Moorhen and a Grey Wagtail present (all gathered around an impossibly small ice-free area). For the second day this week, I was treated to a lovely alpenglow on the journey back west.