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Showing posts from May, 2022

Mostly Browhouses

Rather unsuccessful. Poorly timed for the tide. Browhouses ; 3 believed skuas, unID'd flying close & low together, purposefully heading east & rose to fly overland. Saw no trailing spoons etc. Pair Gadwall relentlessly chasing a fem teal without end whilst I was there. Plenty shelduck, 2 little egret. Dornock ; rain ☔ plus small flock of dunlin, plenty shelduck, 3 little egret. PJ

Moniaive to Thornhill : Clone Rd A702

Loch East of Moniaive on Thornhill Road. Visited this area a few years ago and it was marshy land that looked good for LRP's . It has been dug out to make a small loch. In winter I saw Goldeneye & today Little Grebe & Black-headed Gull are breeding plus a few House & Sand Martins + Swallows hawking over the loch. We did not have time to visit Stenhouse Wood but saw a Tree Creeper at Tynron & Grey Heron , Oystercatchers & Dipper from the bridge at Thornhill. Chris and Pat Baines.

Collins Bird Guide | 3rd Edition

Anyone thinking of buying or updating this essential guide book, Awesome Books have the best offer at the moment for the initial hardback edition. https://www.awesomebooks.com/book/9780008547455/collins-bird-guide

White-billed Diver

Loch Ryan report Immature White-billed Diver on Loch Ryan at 0630hrs this morning. An adult summer plumaged Great Northern Diver was present alongside for a stunning side-by-side comparison! Don't know how long it will remain but the Great Northern - or one very similar - has been present for much of the week, with best views being in the early evening, out in mid-loch between Wig Bay and Stranraer. Kind regards, Steve Grover

Hooded Crow

One hooded crow paired with a carrion mate regularly seen, almost daily, Gatehouse Fleet. Occasionally harrying a passing red kite. Has been here for almost 3 years and breeding. David H

New Abbey

My first screaming swifts x4 sighting, flying around the village & near the corn mill today PJ๐Ÿ‘

Knowetop Lochs SWT Reserve

Willow Warblers, Wood Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler & Garden Warbler, Blue & Great Tits, Grey Heron & Red Kite. 4-spotted Chaser, Large Red & Blue-tailed Damselfly. Orange tip butterflies. Chris and Pat Baines

Pom Skua - Annan

Annan : 3 flew east at 1000hrs then 5 east at 1035hrs. Per BirdGuides.

New Abbey

Spot Fly around the NA Cornmill car park. PJ

The Nith

Carnsalloch yesterday. Tree sparrow with 2 fledglings, usual warblers, rbm with 8 chicks on river & 1 common sandpiper. PJ

Loch Ryan Blog

Note that the April " A Wander Round the Wig " blog update has been published, on May 23rd. Read via DGBN blog or visit direct. PJ.

Osprey

2 Ospreys drifting south over RSPB Wood of Cree, Barclye Walk, near the mill wheel seat at around 3 p.m. Regards, Doug Stannard.

Pom Skua

26/05 17:48 : Annan 3 on the sea drifting west (13:30). Per BirdGuides.

Mossdale - 25th May

Walk up the old Railway line from Mossdale (New Galloway Railway Station). I was hoping to walk to Stroan loch but due to late running bus only got half way. The  usual Red Kites and Buzzards. Good numbers of Willow Warblers, Siskins, Garden Warblers, my first Wood Warbler and two Whinchats. Regards, Chris Baines

Mabie - Butterfly Transect

Whilst doing a butterfly survey today, there were 4 singing garden warbler, 1 singing tree pipit & 1 singing wood warbler. Also at least 2 bullfinch & many blackcap, willow warbler & chiffchaff. PJ

Kirkgunzeon : Curlew, Lapwing and Siskins

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Curlews calling at Kirkgunzeon again this morning so hope they are breeding (present since early spring).  Up to 3 Lapwings displaying on clear-fell but on the 30th April the field was ploughed and sprayed so no sign since then. Lots of young Siskins in the garden now and Song Thrushes appear to be doing well. Chris Baines.

Babies Week - Mainsriddle

Garden filling with fledglings. House & tree sparrows, robin, starlings!, blue tits on the cusp of fledging, all the usuals frantically feeding including a jackdaw, rook invasion. Blackbird been fledged 2-3 weeks now. PJ

Powillimount

A couple of hours seawatching from the car park 2.30-4.30pm didn't produce a lot: 2 poss. unID'd skuas heading west past Southerness, 3 gannet, 2 kittiwake, 1 razorbill, 1 guillemot, 1 fulmar, 1 scaup, 500+ common scoter on the sea relatively close in, drifting north with the tide/wind, with others moving around further out. Gavin. 

Caerlaverock Castle

Garden Warbler singing in wet willow scrub back of castle this morning. First one for me this season. PJ

Yellow Wagtail - Crook of Baldoon Wednesday 18/05/2022

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Managed to get some distant record shots so a big crop. Only one record in the last Bird Report.  Regards Chris and Pat Baines. Ed . Certainly looking blue-headed. PJ 

RSPB Mersehead

Sunny but windy visit. Plenty of sedge warblers & Whitethroats, blackcap, willow warbler & chiffchaff. Recent sightings board mentioned a Cetti's but I neither heard nor saw a sign of one. 1 spotted flycatcher in the woods near Meida hide as well as nuthatch. A lone female common scoter close in near the beach at high tide. Regards, Martin Harris.

Burrow Head

Seawatch Burrow Head Wigtownshire pm Tuesday 17/05/2022 : Steady passage of Gannets. Lesser numbers of Manx Shearwaters, Black Guillemots Razorbills, Guillemots, 3 Wheatears on the headland, Swifts, Rock Doves, Linnets & Skylarks. Regards, Chris Baines.

Yellow Wagtail - Crook of Baldoon

Just looked at my record shots of the Yellow Wag. Possible Blue Headed . Will put an image on when we return home. Regards, Chris Baines. Ed; Will be interesting to see Chris ๐Ÿ‘. PJ

Yellow Wagtail - Crook of Baldoon

pm; large numbers of Ringed Plover and Dunlin +  1 Yellow Wagtail  (image to follow). Regards, Chris Baines.

Swifts

Quite a few Swifts flying and screaming over our bungalow in New Galloway and signs that they are nesting in area too. Regards, Ann Basten.

Dotterel

13/05 18:58 : Corserine, 3 at summit (13:30). Per BirdGuides.

Re : Spotted Sandpiper at Bowness

In September 2008 a Pacific Golden Plover was found on the Cumbria side of the Solway. I predicted it would come over to the Scottish side. On the 8th September Colin Bushell found it at Dornock and I was lucky enough to see it that afternoon. The Spotted Sandpiper could do the same thing so worth a look for in the Annan Area. The Plover was a first for D&G. History could repeat itself. Chris Baines. Ed. Excellent point & worth noting for anyone stopping by there & abouts.   So Mick, if you happen by one of the weekends.... ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ‘. Perhaps you'll get to see it Cumbria side?? And usher it over! PJ 

Swift

And 2 swifts at Gatehouse of Fleet yesterday, already exploring the eaves of one house there.  David H

Swift

2 Swift over RSPB Crook of Baldoon this afternoon, first of the year. Regards, Ivan Lang.

RSPB Mersehead

Wednesday 11/05/2022 : Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler & Cuckoo calling. 1 Whooper Swan, Little Egret & Grey Heron on the wetland. Chris and Pat Baines.

Spotted Sandpiper - Cumbrian Solway

Port Carlisle. "showing well from lay-by between Port Carlisle & Bowness". Per BirdGuides.  54°57'10.4"N 3°12'00.0"W https://goo.gl/maps/xTnBn4KYUjQR1Pjz8

Lesser Whitethroat - Mersehead

LW singing this morning from around Kite Garden, near polytunnel opposite Sulwath Centre. Gavin

Fauldbog Bay and Meikle Ross, Borgue

>15 cormorants on nests, 6 black guillemots on the sea, 15 or so each of Razorbill and Guillemot on the cliffs; >3 singing whitethroats and 1 lesser whitethroat.  1 calling whimbrel (not seen); 4 ravens, a pair of stonechats, several wheatears & at least 10 swallows.  1 small copper butterfly seen. All this while doing intensive plant survey "work". Regards David H.

Kirkgunzeon to Caulkerbush road

Near entrance to glider club : 1 male Bullfinch feeding on side of verge + Cuckoo calling.  Colvend  : Tawny Owl sat at the side of forest track and flew into wood. Several Nuthatch. Lots of Orange Tip butterfies and my first Speckled Wood. Regards, Chris Baines.

Kilblane Quarry

Thursday 5th. Hoddam   2 common sandpiper. 2 pair oystercatcher. 5 stock dove.  2-3 pied wagtail.  6+ willow warbler.  2 singing chiffchaff.  2-3 blackcap singing.  2 sedge warbler briefly singing.  1 grey heron.  4 mallard.  1 canada goose.  4 greylag goose - one pair with a half-dozen goslings.  30+ sand martin - could be more.  12+ swallow.  2 chirping tree sparrow.  1 kingfisher. 1 buzzard. 1 green woodpecker calling in adjacent woodland to the west. Butterflies - several Orange Tip, including 1 female.  Many germander speedwell in flower, a vetch (pea family), red campion, bluebells, probably greater stitchwort, cuckoo flower or lady's smock (cardamine pratensis). Violets still in flower plus the wild pansy or heartsease if I'm not mistaken. Also some interesting ground dwelling lichens. Tarmac 6 or more common sandpiper.  1 great crested grebe.  3 tufted duck - 2 male.  Several greylag geese.  1 oystercatcher at least.  1 ringed plover. A good many sand martin & some

Mersehead

Singing Lesser Whitethroat around car park this morning. Gavin. 

Newton Stewart

Yesterday ; Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Sand Martin, House Martin. Cally Woods & lake, Gatehouse today. Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap x5, Swallows, Sedge Warblers x 4. David Hawker.

Carsethorn/Southerness/Colvend and RSPB Mersehead

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Carsethorn :  Whimbrel, Curlew, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Sand Martin.  Southerness :  20 Common Scoter.  Colvend :  Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Long tailed Tit, Yellowhammer.  RSPB Mersehead :  Lapwings 3, 1 with chick. Sedge Warblers, my first Common Whitethroat, Teal, Grey Heron & Swallows hawking in front of the Bruaich hide.  Chris & Pat Baines.

American Wigeon

05/05 14:15 : Loch Connell : Drake still present (13:03). Per BirdGuides.

Hawfinch

04/05 15:31 : Langholm : adult off Holmwood Drive (15:28). Per BirdGuides.

Walk up Corserine

Corserine is the highest summit of the Rhinns of Kells. Wet walk on 1st May: Redstart, Crossbill, Tree Pipits (high numbers), Stonechats, Reed Bunting, Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler, Cuckoo, Siskin, Wood Warbler. Checked my Barn Owls: incubating 6 eggs. Tawny on 3 nearby too (Balmaclellan). Regards, Alasdair Grubb.

Wood of Cree

2 garden warblers just shown well by main car park and 2 singing willow tit by the Otter platform, one either side of river. Yesterday, 8 Whimbrel at Mersehead in field to right of main track as heading towards woodland. Gavin

American Wigeon

American Wigeon still showing well at Loch Connell, 11:20. Easily visible from field gate. 23 Whimbrel in adjacent fields. Regards, Jeni Grover. @RareBirdAlertUK Heed advice & DON'T cross the farmers field due to lambs! PJ

American Wigeon - Warning ⚠️

Please note & heed advice.   Loch Connell.  "The farmer gets cross if anyone tries to go across the fields for closer looks due to lambs. Kind regards, Jeni Grover." So, you've been warned & adopting the Birdwatchers/Countryside Code should prevent any potential conflict, shouldn't it ๐Ÿ‘. If the bird can be viewed from the road, that's the ONLY place to view from AFAIK. PJ.

American Wigeon

30th April : Loch Connell : Drake, perfectly viewable from the roadside with telescope.  Also 26 Whimbrel. Regards, Steve and Jeni Grover.

Birdwatching Sites 
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