Carsethorn :  Arrived at HT ; 19 Dunlin on the waters edge.  Southerness :  No waders but 10 Sandwich Terns perched out on the rocks.  Kirkgunzeon :  On the top road to Caulkerbush, Wheatear and 2 Stonechats.  Chris and Pat Baines. Great pics Chris 👍 PJ.

29/04 09:46 : Port Logan : juvenile again on water in Port Logan Bay then drifted west out of view (09:00). Per BirdGuides.

Loch Ryan : 2000hrs : 8 male Velvet Scoters; 51 Red-throated Divers, 16 Whimbrel at The Wig. Earlier pm 19 singing Blackcap, 11 singing Chiffchaffs and 13 singing Willow Warblers at Corsewall Estate woods. Regards, Steve Grover. @RareBirdAlertUK

28/04 19:50 : Port Logan : juvenile in sheep field south-west of village at 54.7198, -4.9623 (10:00). Per BirdGuides.

Shingle shore walk this pm; 3 whimbrel - 2 in Carse Pow low tide. Yep, it's that time of year.  5 wheatear - 3m 2f.  1 little egret.  Cuckoo calling towards Criffel, believe I saw "a" cuckoo low-lying over fields towards A710 (falcon/hawk-like). Green Woodpecker yaffling in nearby wood copse back of the Pow. Also Pipits & Linnets, couple ringed plvr & dunlin. PJ

Only highlight is that 5 whimbrel were present today. Also sandwich tern heard. Carse Bay 1530+ : 8 Scaup a nice surprise, 2m 6f. Pair Tufted Duck, some Pintail & Teal still all in Carse Gut. PJ

Cluden Water am. No sign of the Green Sandpiper but the Common Sandpiper was showing well down to a few yards behind Gillyhill Farm. Only other Waders a couple of pairs of Oystercatchers. A Sedge Warbler was rattling away which was my first for this year. Also Reed Bunting noted. Chris Baines

Colin Kinnear tells me that ; "It resides just below Gillyhill Farm and is best approached from the Lincluden Abbey side. Good luck, it is a very flighty bird ... " Thanks to Colin, PJ. 

Another Wheatear today in the same field as last week. Also a pair of Stonechats . Main interest this last  week is 3 displaying Lapwings that are favouring clear-fell. Also 2 displaying Curlew . With the scarcity of breeding waders inland now I am keeping my fingers crossed. One of the Siskins visiting the garden is ringed. Chris Baines.

Quick visit 1730-1900 to find a stiff biting East-south-easterly interfering with a stable scope view. Low numbers of all birds that remain but 2 whimbrel still, moving together & with both seen in flight, I can confirm neither are Hudsonian! PJ 

Green Sandpiper on Cluden Water yesterday in company of Common Sandpiper. Regards, Colin Kinnear

Castle Wood : Loads of Blackcap, Chiffchaff & Willow Warblers all in good voice. 1 early Grasshopper Warbler near the hide but no Garden Warbler yet. Flooders Reedbed : First Sedge Warblers displaying in reeds. No Reed Warblers yet. Kirkconnell Flow : Crossbills still around but young becoming independent now so not as nosiey a spectacle. Adam Murphy | Nature Reserve Officer NatureScot

Balcary : 2pm as the tide reached the fishing net stakes, there were 4 Sandwich Terns sitting atop. Anna W

3 Wheaters on the Kirkgunzeon to Milton road this morning & my first Blackcap at the old Railway station. Regards, Chris Baines

Latest 20th April update from Pete Berry at his Luce Bay caravan on DGBN blog site here ;  https://dumfriesgallowaybirdnews.blogspot.com/p/visiting-mancunians.html?m=1 Forum direct here ;  https://manchesterbirding.activeboard.com/mobile.spark?p=topic&topic=13255103

A Cuckoo calling in the wood beyond the track to Muil Farm. Anna W.

Between 1st & 2nd hides Pied Flycatchers, Willow Tits, Blackcap + a Tawny calling during the day & a Woodcock flew up while watching the Pied flycatchers. Anna W.

First male Whinchat back at RSPB Barclye this afternoon. Good to see some pairs of wheatear and hear or see the woodland species back in the Wood of Cree (pied flycatcher, redstart, blackcap etc). Willow tit singing by the Wood of Cree car park. Gavin. Great👌, PJ. 

RSPB Crook of Baldoon : Spoonbill on lagoon south of car park adult bird this morning. Regards, Ivan Lang. @RareBirdAlertUK

One seen in Gatehouse of Fleet area yesterday , unfortunately not by me. David H @RareBirdAlertUK

Late report from yesterday. Bird seen on 15th at a "private site" in Port Logan, for the seventh day in a row. NO SIGN SINCE. Reported to Birdguides yesterday for the first time. Someone's garden presumably... PJ

This pm, at the junction of the minor road to Drumcoltran Tower, 2 Wheatears & 3 Buzzards with 2 talon-grappling. Linnets, Pied Wagtails a Raven and my first Orange Tip butterfly this Spring. Chris Baines

Hooded Crow at Quayhill summit - road frm Glencaple east towards Bankend Rd. With other Crow spcs feeding in fields at 15:00. Looks like a thorough-bred ex. A first for me in the area after being here for 45 years. Duncan Irving. Excellent 👍. PJ @RareBirdAlertUK

RSPB Crook of Baldoon : American Wigeon has reappeared at 12.30pm. Regards, Ivan Lang.👌@RareBirdAlertUK

18th April 2022 : 2000hrs : 107 Red-throated Divers (both immatures and adults still in winter plumage). Regards, Stephen Grover.

Peregrine Falcon showing well this morning on St Michael's Church steeple eating a feral pigeon. Chris Baines.

Sunday 17th : Small counts of Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Oystercatcher & Curlew were the only waders present. NOTE : the track down to the shore has been damaged/ploughed at the dunes (deliberately?) making access to the flat area for parking at the end impossible unless you have a 4x4! Regards, Jeni Grover.

News received late yesterday. Pied Flycatcher singing at Crichope Linn today (17th April). Plenty of willow warblers and blackcap. First Cuckoo of the year at Balmaclellan yesterday (16th) - male singing. Regards, Alasdair Grubb.

Sat in the front garden this afternoon and a Curlew was calling in the direction of Glaisters farm. Rode up there but no sign. However a pair of displaying Lapwings was a welcome surprise also Skylark singing. At least 20 Siskin on the feeders and 2 Lesser Redpoll . Another influx of Willow Warblers this morning. Chris Baines.

Please Note 📝  Should anyone visit & discover fishing boats in the wildlife zone, as well as Vendace Bay, & especially if an outboard motor is being used, know that this is not permitted.  If you do see anything of this kind, please report it. TAKE A PHOTO IF POSSIBLE. If it's easier to post to DGBN, then do that & it can be acted upon.  Many thanks  Pete

Loch Ryan : Late report for Wednesday 13th : Juvenile seen on south shore pm. Per BirdGuides.

16/04 13:10 : Caerlaverock unconfirmed report of one [R]. Per BirdGuides.

Gatehouse of Fleet : family party of newly fledged goldcrests in relatives garden, which seems exceptionally early. Cheers, Nigel W.

First couple of pied flycatchers back today. Nice mixed flock of swallow , sand martin and house martin over Loch Ken while watching a fishing otter in Livingston Bay. Willow tit feeding by the second hide. Gavin.

Andy Riches informs me that Auchenreoch and Milton lochs have, or will soon become available for a new surveyor(s) to carry out surveys for the BTO Wetland Bird Survey. Anyone interested please get in touch with Andy. Andy Riches : email;  websdg@aol.com Continuity of records is desirable for any site being surveyed so any help is welcomed & invaluable. However, Milton Loch is especially important, if not essential in this regard. Site-sharing may be one way or option to consider, especially if that is preferable to anyone thinking of taking either on. Discuss possibilities with Andy. Many thanks for considering this request. Regards, Pete

Updated yesterday. In brief, 2 Pacific Divers noted plus yellow-browed warbler. Head to the DGBN blog page to read or go directly ;  http://awanderroundthewig.blogspot.com/2022/04/the-multitudes-of-march-2022-bird-report.html?m=1

Kirkgunzeon 0800 : First Swallows and House Martins in this morning.  Whitesands, Dumfries : good numbers of Sand Martins and a single Redshank on the shingle with a Grey Heron. Regards, Chris Baines. 

RSPB Crook of Baldoon : Spoonbill still present on merse South of car park. Regards, Ivan Lang. @RareBirdAlertUK

Late report or what? 12/04 21:23 : Garlieston : Drake still at mouth of Kilfillan Burn (09:17). Per BirdGuides.

Kirkgunzeon 0830 to 0930 : First two singing Willow Warblers of the spring near the old Railway Bridge at the entrance to Drumjohn farm. Pair of Oystercatchers displaying. Bramblings still coming to the feeders + heaps of Siskins and two Lesser Redpoll. Regards, Chris Baines

25 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Swallow and 1 Sand Martin on or over wetland this afternoon. Earlier a calling Greenshank flew over high south over car park. Gavin

c.2000pink-feet on Creetown Merse this morning, but gone by early pm. Regards, David H. 

3 blackcaps in Kirroughtree Forest this morning, along with 2 singing mistle thrushes and several chiff-chaffs. David H

Blackcap singing this morning between Rockcliffe and Kippford. Gavin

2 Avocet on Eastriggs shore this Am. Mick Lennon. Any leg rings seen Mick? PJ

Nice to hear Green Woodpeckers around Colvend Golf Course in last few weeks while playing or visiting, like this morning from club house. Gavin

09/04 18:52 Garlieston : Drake feeding in Bay. Per BirdGuides.

Both Ospreys & the male Peregrine in their usual spots. Willow Tits and my 1st Willow Warbler of the year near Stepping Stones Hide. Anna

Brow Well recently, reprocessed from pic courtesy © Nick Jeavons.

Seen this morning by my brother from the Wigtown Harbour car park. Gavin. @RareBirdAlertUK

Female type Marsh Harrier over fields by car park and Hooded Crow over fields to South of Visitor Centre and Sulwath Centre. Gavin. 

RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Spoonbill still present at 15.19 out on the Merse to the north of car park. Regards, Ivan Lang

RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Spoonbill on the lagoon to the south of the entrance track. Flying north at 11.45  may have landed on lagoon North of track Regards, Ivan Lang

My first Swallow of the year today from Blackpark Marsh upper hide, along with a singing Willow Tit around hide and 3 little egrets on the marsh. The pair of Osprey and Peregrine showed well too. Gavin

Southerness 1230 to 1400 : Not many waders but picked up 2 Purple Sandpipers, 2 Knot and 20 Redshank. Southwick lookout 1415 to 1445 : 60 Curlew, 10 RB Mergansers, Cormorant, Barnacle Geese, Sparrowhawk and Chiffchaff calling. Kippford 1500 to 1600 : Redshanks, Teal, Wigeon & Rock Pipit. Dalbeattie 1615 to 1645 : 2 Dipper & 3 grey Wagtail as per PJ. PJ : I didn't get a chance to photo the grey wag so glad you did 👍

From: Ben Darvill   Head of Development and Engagement (BTO Country Offices) Unit 15, Beta Centre, FK9 4NF tel: 07967 193259 This email is going out to BTO supporters in D&G with news of two outdoor training sessions that we are holding at NTS Threave on Sunday 1st May . By emailing everyone I know that in some cases it will not be directly relevant, but if so I hope that you can help by forwarding this on to other people in the area who you think might be interested. We'd really like to increase our supporter base and survey coverage in D&G. Days such as this can be helpful for encouraging skills progression, and reaching new people. The day at Threave will be split into two sessions, each bookable separately. In the morning (10am start) we will be running a  bird identification practice session. During this session we will enjoy looking and listening to the birds that we find, with a particular focus on improving recognition of bird songs and calls. There will be

Browhouses; pic's from 3rd, © Nick Jeavons. 

4 at WWT Caerlaverock. Nice to know...if you're on Twitter. For those who aren't, now you do. PJ 

2 on Kirkgunzeon Lane Dalbeattie, upstream of Colliston Park. Also 2 grey wagtail, 1 heron & 1 drake goosander. PJ

Sunday 3rd April 2022 Kirkgunzeon. These Northerly winds seem to be holding back migration. My first Chiffchaff of the spring singing near the old railway bridge and a Raven croaking overhead. A pair of Oystercatchers are the first waders I have seen here in 8 mths. Inland D&G is devoid of breeding ground nesting birds like Lapwing and Curlews.  Chris Baines

12:15+ : 10 Avocet, non with leg rings but possibly 2 pair in breeding display followed by mating. PJ 

1 peregrine, 5 lit egret, c2K Barnies, 4+ territorial Skylarks, ditto med pips, 167 golden plvr turning summery, 1 red kite on carrion, also dunlin, redshank, curlew, shelduck, lapwing. PJ

12:00 up to HT 13:30  Good selection of waders in calm conditions on remaining exposed rocks.  6 possibly 7 purple sandpiper.  Also, 4 grey plvr, dunlin, redshank, some knot, ringed plvr & a few sanderling. PJ