Male Brambling under feeders in my parents Minnigaff garden this afternoon. 11 Scaup (5m, 6f) off Carsethorn yesterday evening. Sedge and Reed Warbler reported singing at RSPB Mersehead yesterday. Cuckoo being reported from several places over last few days. Gavin Chambers. 

Limited visit to both. CL had a few Willow Warbler, Blackcap, a Reed Bunting, 2 Siskin, 4 GC Grebe, 2 Little Grebe, singing Nuthatch. Threave a number of Willow Warbler, usual Peregrine & head of sitting Osprey. Also Tree Pipit. Not much visible nature on the flagship reserve atm. Oh, a few dogs actually on leads. PJ

With the brisk north westerly wind most things lying low. However there are a few sheltered spots where the sun makes it pleasant and the birds burst into song. Despite migration being on the slow side Willow Warbler are now heard around the site joined by the odd Blackcap. A half dozen White Wagtail moving through. The first Sedge and Garden Warblers in full song. Ivan Lang. 

Whinchat south of KQ along the Nith yesterday... 

A site I forget about since the trees were harvested a few years ago, but Robbie Purdie reports; "Pied Flycatcher this evening. The Hills, top of the blue route before you turn down the slope to the old railway line. Seen around nesting box 9".  In response, Duncan Irving writes; "If you are visiting the Hills Wood please stay on the paths to avoid unnecessary disturbance to nesting birds. The boxes are monitored by members of North Solway Ringing Group with permission from Forestry and Land Scotland. This will be the first year since 2002 that I have not been the lead ringer for this project. In 2023 there was a record number of Pied Flycatcher chicks fledged so there should be a good chance of seeing them without entering the wood. Most of the old boxes have recently been replaced by a NSRG member who is also an employee of FLS and I am hoping that 2024 will also be a record year for the flycatchers. The next few weeks when they are laying and sitting on eggs is the pe

Feeding over Milton Loch - Sand Martins & Swallows - 1 House Martin at Hardgate. 2 Pied Flycatchers in wood on right of track at RSPB (Mains of) Duchrae & 2 more in wood before 2nd hide there. Green Woodpecker alarm calling opposite Orchardton Tower on small road from Palnackie. Anna White. 

This wet and bedraggled male Sparrowhawk was in my Glenluce garden the other day. It had a lot of white feathers on the back and head. A form of leucism I suppose or some similar pigment aberration. Nigel Willits.

Blackcaps in song at Mabie + Nuthatch, Treecreeper, GSW, Chiffchaff. Good to see the woodland flora too. My first Willow Warbler in song at Carnsalloch + 4 Com Sandpiper on river. Also Little Egret. Com Sandpiper off Glencaple Quay & leucistic Barnie upriver there. Plenty geese still around. Willow Warbler singing near WWT turning. PJ 

One slipped through the birdwatching defences & turned up around Lochrutton Loch, yesterday. 

Green Sandpiper remains at Mein Water, 3 Common Sandpiper on the river between Hoddom & Brydekirk, Sand Martins in good numbers hawking over the river, Blackcap & Willow Warbler seem to be everywhere now. Bill Jamieson. 

15th. Crook of Baldoon : A nice flock of 31 sum plum Black-tailed Godwit present on the island on the lagoon north of the car park this morning. Later in the afternoon an Osprey headed west over the Bladnoch. Wood of Cree : About lunch time a ♂️ Pied Flycatcher near the main car park. Ivan Lang. 

15th am. Woodcockair, Hoddom. ♀️Pied Flycatcher showing well at woodland edge. ♂️Redstart a different proposition however, calling high up in the beeches & oaks. I lost my old records due to a recent house move, but I am sure the earliest I’ve previously had them here were the 23rd & 18th April respectively. Also notable were Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker a soaring Sparrowhawk. Bill Jamieson.

14th. For those who don't subscribe to the paid-for bird news services, one has been reported from along the towpath at Kingholm Quay today. 

Sizeable loose groups of Swallows and House Martins heading up the Cree and Penkiln today. Norman Fry. 

A couple of Black-tailed Godwits feeding in a shoreside field at Balyett. Still a few Scaup, Goldeneye and a Slav Grebe off Broadstone. Guillemots both Black and Common. Also Sandwich Terns. Nigel Willits. 

A very windy and, at times, very foggy morning at the Mull of Galloway. Meadow Pipits, Stonechat, Guillemot, Razorbill, Shag, Gannet, Fulmar, Kittiwake and Herring Gull. 1 Sparrowhawk and my first Wheatear of the year. RobW. Ed. We are grateful to Rob for some great images! Makes you want to be there  😊👌

Special offer on foot passenger ➡  Stena Line foot passenger flash sale . Well worth buying in advance... 

Dipper at Kirkhouse Fishery & Sand Martins back at the sandpit behind Kirkbean Comm Hall. 2 RBM & 2 Whimbrel on Carsethorn foreshore with 4 Swallow over. 6 Scaup (4 drake) & ♂️Aythya hybrid in Carse Bay. Also 500 or more strong flock of Linnet in muddy field at Arbigland. No Twite etc spotted amongst them. PJ

5 Willow Warbler, Blackcap & 1 Tree Pipit. Also present, pair of Nuthatch, pair of Buzzard & a pair of Red Kite, Mistle & Song Thrush & countless Chiffchaff. Rob Wadsworth. 

Male seen in the Langholm area on the 8th. 

A Greenland White-fronted Goose was with 15 pink-foots at Barnkirk Point this afternoon, also notable were 3 Common Sandpiper and 1 Wheatear. Bill Jamieson. 

Great White Egret still present at Castle Loch. Also 3 singing Willow Warbler & 35+ Sand Martin. Paul Massey. 

Paul Massey reports; Newbie (14:55-16:30 hours): c.65 Kittiwake E @ 15:30 hours & 2 Great Skua E @ 15:54 hours. 

Common Sandpiper (2), Wheatear (3 males), a small number of Twite, a Willow Warbler and a Tawny Owl. Bill Jamieson. ( Ed. A couple of weeks ago or so, I failed to report that Ian Irving had seen a Red-throated Diver there. 🙄 oops!) 

9th a.m.; Drizzly, dull & rather windy walk along the path from Garlieston to Galloway House. Amongst the usual woodland birds: The flooded fields on the approach to Garlieston yielded several dozen Swallows along with several Sand Martin. Many Chiffchaff were seen as well as 4 Blackcap on the shore path. 57 Pale-bellied Brent were on the foreshore in the village & 1 red-throated diver further out. Also present, a large flock of Redshank along with 4 Greenshank. Rob Wadsworth. 

Chris Sutton reports; Willow Tit seen & heard calling today at the Corridoo at NX68062970. I have recorded them at this end of the forest in August 2020 (2 birds) & Jan 2019 (not visited this spot much since). I suspect there is a small breeding population here. Supporting cast of Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Siskin & Chaffinch. But no Crossbill today (usually a good site).