With tomorrow taken up with other things, I headed down to Inverclyde to do my WeBS count a day early. Relatively few birds were present (typical of this time of year) but two pairs of Coot and one of Mute Swan were attending more-or-less completed nests. Female Mallards were virtually absent, suggesting they are away incubating. More female Tufted Ducks were around, suggesting they have not started incubation yet. Less typical species present included one each of Sand Martin and Goosander. After the WeBS count I headed to Lunderston Bay to see what was around. A blustery wind and very high tide made finding birds quite difficult. However three Wheatears were on one of the small sections of beach still exposed and more than fifty Turnstones (a few acquiring breeding plumage) were on exposed rocks. Later, up to two Common Terns were close to the shore opposite Port Glasgow's Tesco extra and two Gannets were fishing mid-channel. 

A walk around the centre of Edinburgh produced several common species in song including Chiffchaff, Wren and Chaffinch. Earlier, a Kestrel was at Newbridge. Later, a Grey Wagtail, two Goosanders, a Comma butterfly and singing Chiffchaff and Blackcap were beside the Water of Leith in Slateford. Unfortunately, the Moschatel reported from there seems to have been swallowed up by huge patches of Few-flowered Leek. 

Two Little Ringed Plovers were on the scrape at Lochwinnoch when I arrived there this morning but they took off shortly afterwards and circled over the site before heading off south. Back at the scrape, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Black-headed Gull, Lapwing and Redshank were all either courting, displaying, copulating or singing (in the case of Redshank). 

A busy day spent visiting sites on the River Forth including Cambus, Kinneil and the Pools of Bothkennar.

A search for Moschatel said to be present along the Capelrig Burn in Newton Mearns proved successful (in spite of the rain) with a nice colony located including many plants in flower. 

A busy day limited natural connections. However a local walk in the direction of Queen's Park confirmed the continued presence of both Pied and Grey Wagtails on Pollokshaws Road.  

Dipper and Grey Wagtail were among the birds in Linn Park today. Flowering plants included my first Ramsons and Bluebell of the year.