Walked out to Dumcolm on Sunday morning. A quiet day, although it looked as if it was getting busy later. Lots of birds singing, lots of flowers showing. Warm, sunny until 9am or so, then light cloud.

As I came back to Loch Humphrey from Duncolm an osprey was fishing over the loch. Didn’t get a great look or photo, exciting anyway.

Green Woodpecker calling from the trees below the muir. Lots of cuckoos all morning, finally got a half decent snap along the fence around the native trees before the Loch. Butterflies, from about half eight lots of green-veined whites & orange tips. Less when the sun was behind clouds.A painted lady on the muir and then another on the paths above the wood. A small cooper sunning on the paths, while I watched it left and flew low over the herbage beside the path, a green hairstreak came up out of the grass and they circled around. Didn’t manage a snap of the hairstreak, first I’ve seen here. I stepped off the path to avoid a cyclist and saw a wee lizard wriggle away in the heather & moss at my feet.

Despite being a holiday weekend the paths were relatively quiet. There seemed to be some flora or fauna of interest all the way. lovely morning, 15 minutes drive from the city.

Map, notes & photos: walkmap