Its easy to become despondent- especially if you're that way inclined- about the effect we're having on the environment. Such is the frustration of standing by and seeing the pillage of the planet. The frustration is multiplied, though, when its somewhere closer to home. Every felled tree, or new housing development in Lanarkshire casts a shadow over what should still be a place of greens, browns and blues.

However, even a quick look at site reports on websites shows that all is not lost. Even today, i found that some decent birding can be had either by accident or with a little effort. After dropping my son off at a birthday party out of town, I stopped at the local park for a quick look around. It didn't look promising, a busy street runs by the park, with a large scale housing estate.

In among the usual gulls and wildfowl, I happened across the kind of scene that can make a birding day. A pair of Canada Geese took that moment to take their young for a walk among the long grass and reeds. Three balls of yellow fluff, with concerned parents looking vigilantly around, just starting out on life.

It showed me that carrying a pair of binoculars everywhere comes in handy. More importantly, it showed me that there was hope to be found in even unlikely places.