Summary Hoddam c12 wigeon, 4 mallard, 2 teal, 2 canada goose, 4 greylag goose, 4 little grebe, 2 oystercatcher, 2+ pied wagtail, 1 buzzard, 1 heron, 1 female sparrowhawk, common violet (I think) & blackthorn in flower, 1 peacock butterfly, 1 pair? lost glasses! Otherwise, quiet.  Tarmac   c20 sand martin, 15-20 greylag goose, 2 canada goose, 4 teal, 7 tufted duck, 4 mallard, 2 wigeon, 6 goosander, 1 great crested grebe, 4 little grebe, 5 oystercatcher, 2 pied wagtail, 1 lapwing.  Small birds notably absent but food hard to find in March; natural seed reserves depleted & insect food not full-on yet. Though with the recent heatwave, you would think otherwise! 

c.200 common scoters off Ravenshall Point (NX5252) this morning. David H

1200 to 1300 : 2 Dippers on the river (Kirkgunzeon Lane/Barr Burn) and 2 Grey Wagtails. Nuthatch calling in the park. Regards, Chris Baines

30/03 11:09 : Stranraer : 460 still from Cairnryan Road (11:08). Per BirdGuides.

From 13:15. Late WeBS best : 4 rt diver, 2 whimbrel, 2 grey plvr, 2 (1 pair) scaup, 4 rbm : Carse Bay ; located in Carse Gut mostly : 3 lit egret, 2 (1 pair) scaup, c100 black-tailed godwit, 6 knot. PJ

Single Sand Martin across the lagoon north of the track. Regards, Ivan Lang. 

29/03 12:46 : Castle Loch NR : Drake still in Vendace Bay viewed from road on west side (12:43). Per BirdGuides.

Anyone going to find the Avocets at Browhouses please note the following received from Ian Hartley; Thanks for reporting the Avocet flag, details of this bird are below: 7L     EA30524  ringed as chick Canute, Castletown Estate, Cumbria  10/06/2021  Bart Donato 7L     EA30524  sighting : Old Hall Marshes, near Tollesbury, Essex  13/09/2021  Simon Cox 7L     EA30524  sighting : Browhouses, Dumfries and Galloway  25/03/2022  Pete Jeavons We'd be interested in further sightings of this or other birds if you see any. Best wishes Ian H artley i.hartley@lancaster.ac.uk Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University

28/03 12:26 : Great Egret, Creetown : one (12:18). Per BirdGuides.

28/03 12:04 : Lsr Scaup, Castle Loch NR : Drake still in Vendace Bay viewed from road on west side late morning; also hybrid Aythya still. Per BirdGuides 👍

28/03 10:14 : Browhouses : 2 (two) still (10:12). Per BirdGuides. 👍

Got a little behind with sightings, so here are some highlights : 24th Mar - Drake Mandarin flew south over Kenmure Holms, New Galloway : 25th Mar - Wheatear at RSPB Mull of Galloway, Hooded Crow in fields just north of headland : 26th Mar - 3 Long-tailed Ducks in Wig Bay, Loch Ryan, 43+ (including flock of 20) Red-throated Divers off Innermessan, Loch Ryan, (plus Common Scoter, Scaup, Slavonian Grebe, Brent Geese), 2 Sand Martin heading up the River Cree at Newton Stewart. Cheers Gavin

This pic of the 2 is better, for what it is!!

15:00-16:00 : Carse Gut   ; 5 lit egret, 2 (♀️♂️) Scaup, 1 tufted, 1 peregrine over heading west, low numbers of redshank, pintail, wigeon, teal, more of shelduck also curlew. Carsethorn ; 2 whimbrel (pic) close together, 4 rbm offshore, handful redshank & turnstone. Inevitable fair weather weekend disturbance. PJ

Best of my hand-held phone to scope efforts. PJ 

Still on watch on St Michael's Church spire Dumfries late pm. Not a bad day. PJ

3 at Browhouses this pm, driven away by local dog walkers.🙄Birds returned only 2b driven away by more dog walkers. 1 bird has dual yellow leg "rings", one with flag showing 7L @RareBirdAlertUK

Confirm ID from a picture taken by John Switzer who may share when back home in couple weeks. Hybrid must have moved off to another part of the loch. P

Confirm from the angle viewing from the former feeding station Vendace Bay, the drake has evidence of green sheen to the head 😁👍. So Aythya hybrid plus Lesser Scaup. Also tawny owl calling. PJ 

1 being Lesser, 2 hybrid.  Best viewed on a pc... PJ

Right. I'm sat looking into Vendace Bay & there is what I believe to be a/the Aythya hybrid but also, almost clockwork dinky toyish, Lesser Scaup! Anyone heading this way?! Heat haze not helpful to scope pic but will try.... 😁 👍 PJ 

Well, I did question the possibility when first reported...  Per BirdGuides ; 25/03 12:04 Dumfries & Galloway : Lsr Scaup, Castle Loch NR : reported drake is a hybrid Aythya

25/03 11:10 ; Castle Loch NR : Drake still viewed distantly from east side (11:00). Per BirdGuides but thanks to Connor Fraser. Viewed from Lockerbie Road main car park looking west. PJ

Not including WWT Caerlaverock/East Park section. : Kenneth Bank to East Park (Monday) Barnacle Goose 577, Golden Plover 38, Little Egret 3, Pink-footed Goose 44, Redshank 8, Cormorant 4, Grey Heron 1, Mallard 3, Pintail 34, Shelduck 173, Curlew 88, Lapwing 4, Oystercatcher 134, Red-breasted Merganser 2 : Brow Well (Tuesday) Barnacle Goose 153, Lapwing 10, Redshank 39, Whooper Swan 137, Cormorant 2, Oystercatcher 8, Shelduck 12, Wigeon 37, Curlew 38, Red-breasted Merganser 1, Teal 7 : Priestside Eastern section (Tuesday) Cormorant 4, Golden Plover 750+, Lapwing 11, Red-breasted Merganser 1, Shelduck 2, Whooper Swan 8, Curlew 80+, Grey Heron 1, Oystercatcher 330+, Red-throated Diver 4, Teal 23, Wigeon 85, Dunlin 500+, Knot 500+,  Pink-footed Goose 65, Redshank 84, Turnstone 100+ : Other species : Brown Hare 1 : Plus plenty of Skylarks taking advantage of the sunshine and displaying on the merse. Chiffchaff in Castle Wood. : Also Peacock and Comma butterflies around Kirkconnell Flow ca

24/03 14:17 : Lssr Scaup, Castle Loch NR ; Drake again as viewed from multi-access fishing pier (14:15). Per BirdGuides. No idea where the "multi-access" pier is, unless it's the one close to Vendace Burn... PJ

24/03 10:18 : Browhouses : five (5) still; also Twite. Per BirdGuides. Looking good for catching up with them! PJ 👍

No sign or sound of the Cetti's Warbler at Wigtown , just a few Snipe and Lapwing on the reserve, with Reed Buntings calling. Crook of Baldoon Ring-tail Hen Harrier & Merlin chasing the Golden Plover flock. Sparrowhawk, Grey Heron, Pintail, Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal & Little Grebe. No sign of Yankee (American👍) Wigeon or GW Egret but 10 Little Egret, Skylarks & Rock Pipits. Garlieston Pale-Bellied Brent's and good numbers of Gadwall. Chris and Pat Baines

23/03 13:17 : Avocets , Browhouses : five (5). Per BirdGuides. Excellent news! Have they anywhere to breed in D&G? I think not. What do you think? PJ 

At least 100 Greenland White-fronted Geese in the Finniness Bay area, Black-headed Gull colony building in numbers on lagoon and up to 5 Willow Tit territories during my survey on reserve. Gavin.

Plus 2000 pink feet by Threave Mains, tree sparrow near the castle and a pair of goodander on the Dee nearby. David H. 

Male osprey arrived back today. Also willow tit, chiffchaff and a willow warbler! Regards, Martin. Great news 👍PJ

11:30 to 13:30. Little Egret, Grey Heron, Great-spotted Woodpecker, 5 singing Chiffchaffs, 2 Wheaters, 4 Stonechats, Rock Pipit, Nuthatch, Red-throated Diver, Guillemots on the sea & day-flying Pipistrelle Bat. Regards, Chris & Pat Baines. 

21/03 14:53 Dumfries & Galloway : Castle Loch NR : Drake from multi-access fishing pier (14:49). Per BirdGuides 👍

2♀️ RN Duck are still present on the pools adjacent to the Gretna Road A6071. 

If you're wanting something from the RSPB Shop, use code MARMIN at checkout to get 20% if you spend over £20.👍

Anyone fancying a trip up the A76 needs to go to Creoch Loch. Per marker on attached image. 55°24'33.8"N 4°13'04.4"W https://goo.gl/maps/4KpLjKx15WWzYRn17

The 2 ♀️ RN Duck are still present today on the pools adjacent to the Gretna Road A6071. PJ 

The 2 ♀️  RN Duck are still present on the pools adjacent to the Gretna Road A6071. A guaranteed rarity just across the border. Per BirdGuides. PJ

Cetti's warbler still singing this afternoon from phragmites near picnic tables at Wigtown Harbour. @RareBirdAlertUK.  Regards, Mick Whitehouse via blogsite

17/03 14:46 : Great Egret, Crook of Baldoon ; one still in Wigtown Bay. LNR? Per BirdGuides.

Cetti's Warbler. The Birds of Scotland show just one record but that is out of date. I think  there are four records now, so that will be the fifth and a first for D&G? Regards, Chris Baines

17/03 11:20 Browhouses : 3 this morning ; also Northern Wheatear. Per BirdGuides. 

Gosh, did I speak too soon? Or is someone listening?! 16/03 18:23 Dumfries & Galloway : Wigtown Bay LNR ; one on merse (12:08). Per BirdGuides.

Well, well, well. I wonder, is this the bird that's been reported in Ayrshire? 16/03 18:08 : Cetti's Wblr, Wigtown ; singing male at Wigtown Wetlands car park (11:04). Per BirdGuides.  Great news 👍

16/03 15:51 Dumfries & Galloway : The Wig ; one on Loch Ryan. Per BirdGuides. Must be the one retrospectively reported on the "A Wander Round the Wig" blog recently...? PJ

2 Avocet and a Black-tailed Godwit towards Redkirk Point this morning. As per Facebook Dumfries & Galloway Wildlife & Birding. Gavin. @RareBirdAlertUK

Travelling on the train from Dumfries to Carlisle on Tuesday 15th March; 4 Little Egrets on flooded field west of Annan. Regards, Chris Baines

Not a hugely successful visit this pm for me, which is not unusual. However, leucistic barnie clear to see in the flock over towards Preston Merse, a chiffchaff at dusk in hedges near the cottages, a good distant murmuration & a woodcock over the car park in the dimming light. PJ.

Wild windy walk along Balcary Cliffs today Kittiwakes, Fulmars, LBBs 1 Black Guillemot, Razorbills everywhere but sadly not a single Guillemot and I sat for an hour hoping! I have never seen so many very noisy Herring gulls all the way from Balcary Point to Castlemuir Fort ! They were flying around but feeding in the sea too. Are there shoals of small fish around at present? Anna

Todd's Canada Goose in the wet rushy field btw the two hides at Mersehead from c13:30, viewed from main track before woodland. Though it was hiding in the rush! Gavin @RareBirdAlertUK

x 2 at Carsethorn. QED.

Peregrine still on north side of St Michael's Church spire, nicely lit in sunshine. Castle Wood : c10 redwing, 1 sparrowhawk dusk. NNR : 1 leucistic barnie amgst lrge c3K flock, 1 merlin in off merse. PJ.

Low tide+ up to 15:00. Naff all really in Carse Bay but a number of snoozing birds on Carsethorn foreshore. 80-100 black-tailed godwit & 2 whimbrel, as usual. Displaying ringed plvr. Pics of one of the whimbrel for Chris Baines 😁. PJ.

Carsethorn Wednesday 9 March 1330 to 1430. Called in for an hour : The Usual Suspects & 2 ♀️ Scaup close in. Regards, Chris Baines.

Well, I've tried it briefly & am unimpressed when using for D&G. I think it's very poor given it's officially the SOC's "show people where-to-go-on-the-go" app. No doubt, it's also intended to get new recruits. I quickly uninstalled it having equally quickly established it was of no material gain to my own efforts.  Truthfully, you're better served by DGBN! P

Dumfries Courier, Friday 11th March. Country Matters by Andrew Taylor; Bittern at Castle Loch Lochmaben on the 19th February also Great White Egret ! Pity more news does not get out in D&G. Chris Baines. What can I say... Typical! PJ 

Arrived just in time for the rain ☔!  On arrival, peregrine trying to chase down black-tailed godwit but failed. Dramatic though. Bird rejoined the skybound flock of c50 & peregrine returned to the sands, though tide coming in. No wonder v few birds about! PJ

2 ♀️ RN Duck still on ponds adjacent to Gretna Road A6071. Also, a possible drake smew x goldeneye hybrid!? Curious! Per BirdGuides.

Updated today. View via DGBN blog or directly via link below.  "This month's highlights include the long-staying Pacific Diver, plus Red-necked Grebe, Purple Sandpiper, Glaucous and Mediterranean Gull..." https://awanderroundthewig.blogspot.com/2022/03/late-winter-highlights-february-2022.html?m=1

Chiffchaff 👍, in mixed tit flock in the wood near the car park. Little egret & mistle thrush. PJ

60+ whoopers in adjacent field & north of B725 just beyond Bankend. 54°59'58.4"N 3°30'20.6"W

1 on St Michael's Church spire Dumfries & 1 on merse at Lochar Water mouth from Brow Well. PJ

Dipper on river at bridge over old railway line. 6 Tree Sparrows in Village & Little Egret at side of A711 just past Corra Garage. Big Brambling flock appears gone but still a few bids visiting garden feeder. Heard Yellowhammer in song for first time today. Regards, Chris Baines

17:20 ; Ringtail Hen Harrier & Barn Owl just EAST of castle from road corner before Shearington. Now that's what I'm talking about 😊👍PJ

Crook of Baldoon : Still on lagoon just north of car park. Per BirdGuides.

Peregrine on St Michael's Church spire this pm, dry side of course! PJ

From 13th tee. 2 red kite over. Singing skylark. PJ 

8 golden plvr, ♂️♀️ stonechat. 13th tee roost ; c2K dunlin, a few knot, 1 bar-tailed godwit, c40 grey plvr, at least 14 sanderling. PJ

5 picked out amongst rocks at Southerness Pt HT today. PJ 

Female/immature Marsh Harrier over the wetland at Mersehead yesterday afternoon, initially over reedbed then over to the Southwick Burn/Merse. Today, a calling Chiffchaff at Kenmure Holms, New Galloway during a Willow Tit survey (4 territories recorded). Perhaps just an overwintering bird, but who knows! Gavin

17:00. 2 ♀️ RN Duck still on ponds adjacent to Gretna Road A6071. Per BirdGuides.

3 Scaup seen today there. Per BirdGuides.

05/03 12:39 : Crook of Baldoon : Drake still on lagoon just north of car park this morning. Per BirdGuides.

2 Female RN Duck still on ponds adjacent Gretna Road A6071. Per BirdGuides. 

2 Female Scaup and Oystercatchers and a Great Crested Grebe back. Anna. @RareBirdAlertUK

Report from yesterday : Female RN Duck still on the pond along side A6071 Gretna Rd. Per BirdGuides

Always good to see the images to remind us.... Thanks Chris. 

Still present at the RSPB Crook of Baldoon this morning on lagoon  north of entrance track. Also 3 Scaup.  Regards,  Ivan Mark Lang. @RareBirdAlertUK

On the 1st March! Oops. WeBS highlights 15-20 grey plvr, 2 whimbrel either side of Hogus Pt, 2 bar-tailed godwit, 1 black-tailed godwit, 2 rbm, c40 dunlin, half dozen knot & the company of Chris Baines 😁👍

HT 10:20+ 2 purple sands, 1 rtd, 1 lit egret, c2K dunlin off 13th tee, c50 knot, 15+grey plvr. 1 unid'd duck, poss fem eider resting & floating as a blob but lost sight of it somehow! Waders disturbed from usual roost by human walking dogs. PJ