Afternoon ebb tide. 29 Sandwich Tern on rocks. Flock c30-40 Knot hidden on sunny side of Point rocks + 2 Whimbrel. About 4 more Whimbrel along shore towards 13th golf tee HT roost. 1 Purple Sandpiper found & 2 fine ♂️Wheatear around 13th tee, one quite pale throated. 5 large late winter grey plum Dunlin caused me ID difficulties! PJ

Seen east of the Wigtown LNR bird hide, as well as reported 65 White Wagtail. Quite a number! 

Late survey indeed. Most regulars & winter visitors moved out but still a few. Passage of Whimbrel with c20 today. Also a low-flying fem Merlin collecting together what few small waders were present. Quite handy when it comes to counting! PJ

Early morning survey revealed a Grasshopper Warbler, female Pied Flycatcher and a couple of Swallow but little else. Ivan Lang.

First Wood Warbler of the year singing along the roadside at the Wood of Cree this afternoon, also my first Cuckoo heard distantly. Gavin Chambers.

2 Swift west over the lagoon south of Car Park this morning. A Common Sandpiper on the lagoon north of cp around lunch but moved onto the merse pm. A few White Wagtails around & later a summer plum Black-tailed Godwit present on the Lagoon to N of CP. Ivan Lang. 

Yesterday 20th, the Kingholm Quay birder saw 2 Common Whitethroat nearby. Today, a Garden Warbler's shown at WWT Caerlaverock. To find out, you just have to pay RBA et al money 💷 

Cuckoo calling at Kirkconnell Flow. Robbie Purdie. 

A single male Pochard on SW corner of Milton Loch at 3 30pm. Anna White. 

Message for Barbara Williams.  Thanks for the report; " Carlingwark Loch. We are not experts but there is what appears to be a Brent Goose at last years swans nest at the bridge at The Buchanan. Will try to get a photo ." Please do get a photo & submit. However, I think it's most likely to be a Canada Goose 😊. 

Report from John Miles; "A day for raptors covering the B7040 with several stops to scan. Total count was 21 sightings of Buzzard, 14 for Raven, Biggest surprise was 11 for Red Kite, 2 Hen Harriers, Merlin, possible Peregrine with 2 that got away. Other birds were breeding/territory Common Gulls, Ring Ouzel, Wheatear, Curlew, Oystercatcher & Lapwing. Of course the (Borders) boundary is just above Leadhills but most birds were moving, so there could have been double counting, just like sea-watching. No big birds but a Shepherd claimed birds seen last year. The sad news was more conifer planting to happen in good raptor areas of & loss of heather by over-grazing. 

Highlights today were Sandwich Terns, Fulmars, Razorbills, Kestrel pair, and a Red-throated Diver. Robbie Purdie. 

With the weather finally changed for the better headed to Loch Ryan & Corsewell Point. With a mill pond sea at Bishop Burn the birding was excellent with the highlight a group of 12 Long-tailed Duck in resplendent summer plumage. All 3 divers present, 2 Slavonian Grebes in summer attire, over 100 Common Scoter & 40 Scaup. The Wig, very quiet, but 3 Black Guillemot, nice group of 6 LTD & a BTD. Then a relaxing few hours at Corsewell Point but there was not much moving 27 Manx Shearwaters were great to see, some sat on the sea, a single Puffin, 4 Black Guillemot, a fly past BTD, a few Sandwich Tern. Offshore 4 GND one in summer plumage. On the land several Swallow & a single House Martin, a couple of Wheatear & a Greenland Wheatear. Ivan Lang. 

Cuckoo near Muil Farm road end above Glenkiln. Anna White. 

"Back at Eastriggs depot. Just through the gate and in the bushes on the left. 2 Whimbrel at Browhouses around 7am….tide right out." Ian Irving. 

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.