Wigtown. 14.20 in field adjacent to A714. Note also Little Egret in field. Ivan Lang.

WWT Caerlaverock. Again reported seen from the Avenue Tower hide "distantly". Via BirdGuides. Ed. I'm wondering whether "distantly" means it is more likely to be seen from Brow Well?? 🤔 PJ

AKA WinGS, the Dumfries to Gretna zone is in need of extra birdwatchers to cover 5 "Sample Sites" and 1 "Key Site", in counting numbers of the commonest winter UK gull species. It's only one count which is the 2 hours before and up to dusk. The first core count date is January 21st, so please be quick to decide as well as to share with others you think may be interested. Gulls may not be very attractive to many in terms of interest but they're, like many species, in decline and have suffered from HPAI bird flu. So, a big effort is doubly needed! There's information to be digested by willing volunteers so that the relatively short count time on site can be a success. Therefore, the sooner help can be found, the better. Help is always on hand for those who need it & you don't need to be a wizard-birdwatcher to get it! I've put myself into the thin birdwatcher line & ask that you please consider this request for help seriously. There...

A walk round the reserve produced a party of 10 Siskins & 8 Lesser Redpoll feeding in the alders. One ♂️ Bullfinch plus a smart ♂️ Brambling. Treecreeper & 6 Fieldfare also noted. A skein of 80 Pinkfeet flew overhead. Several Robin in song yesterday in the sunny conditions. Chris & Pat Baines.

1 reported at Wigtown LNR 3pm. Via BirdGuides.

Wigtown. Cattle Egret still, south of Station Road. Loch Ryan, Stranraer. 2 Slav Grebe & c300 Scaup. Via BirdGuides.

28th. Corsewall Point. 1 flew north-west. Also Little Auk & 3 Velvet Scoter. Seen c1pm. Via BirdGuides.

Cattle Egret still present viewed from the hide. Via BirdGuides.

Cattle Egret still present in cattle field east of the A714. Via BirdGuides.

Just the 1 offshore at Soleburn, Loch Ryan I believe. c200 off Bishop Burn.  Via BirdGuides.

Wigtown. Still in the same field as this morning at 14.15. Ivan Lang.

Wigtown. In field with cattle between Station Road and Harbour Road. Ivan Lang.

25th. Some adventurous soul has ventured to Blackpark Marsh & reported c100 Greenland White-fronted Geese. Via BirdGuides.

24th. A female type flying up the Bladnoch at around 12.00 from the car park at Wigtown Wetland. The sky was lit up this evening. Ivan Lang. 

10.50. Just flew in to favoured field. Ivan Lang. Ed. Apologies for the late report by me. Only arose at 2pm! 😴 😴 

Single Waxwing in roadside hedge on back road from Newton Stewart to Wigtown around Mossburn house/farm. Gavin Chambers. 

One at Carronbridge, Drumlanrig Estate on the stepping stones pool. Via BirdGuides.

10.30. Just flushed by photographer and headed back towards favoured fields. Ivan Lang.  Ed. 🙄😔😞. The danger of falling foul of the competitiveness that exists in the wildlife photography fraternity perhaps? Accolades & kudos are an intoxicating cocktail. Further note; the photographer disputes having flushed the bird. The reporter remains 100% adamant the bird was flushed. Regardless of whether the bird was flushed or not, my own views expressed in response to ANY photographer unnecessarily flushing birds remain valid. These views are founded upon a solid base of many years of birdwatching experience around the UK. PJ 

Still present on field west of Wigtown Wetland. Visable from hide 10.00 Ivan Lang. 

22nd. Arrived at Caerlaverock at 1300 after the news was put out, but the Glossy Ibis had not been seen since 0930. Spoke to the member of staff who saw it in the field on the right of the Whooper Pond. Had distant views of the Spoonbill from the Saltcot Tower hide, a nice ringtail Hen Harrier from the Folly Pond & 15 Redshank & 1 Black-tailed Godwit. Spoke to some birders that had been present for most of the day & they also failed to see the Ibis. Regards Chris Baines.

Report of Glossy Ibis at WWT Caerlaverock at around 11.50 but not since. Ivan Lang. Spoonbill seen again from the Saltcot Observatory Tower hide. Via BirdGuides. 

Returns to the field between Harbour Road & Station Road, Wigtown. Via BirdGuides. Cattle Egret on the Wetland at Wigtown at 10:15, also leucistic Marsh Harrier (photos of same bird here -  https://twitter.com/Baldoon55/status/1734286820987314578?t=XBnccJgGhQHte-wI4yII0A&s=19 ). Gavin Chambers.  Mid-afternoon Cattle Egret seen from the Wigtown LNR hide. Via BirdGuides. 

Male and female Hen Harrier and a Great White Egret east of the Saltcot hide between 11 and 12 this morning. It was very wild and windy, no sign of the Spoonbill anywhere on the reserve. Anna White. 

Percy the resident Peregrine on St Michael's Church spire Dumfries today still. PJ

1 close to the A75 at Eastriggs according to BirdGuides.

Unusual to be found on Kirk Loch Lochmaben. Reported by "Carl".

Seen yesterday on the merse at WWT Caerlaverock. Via BirdGuides.

Reported late yesterday via BirdGuides, an UNCONFIRMED, possible female with Eider flock off The Wig, Loch Ryan. 🤔🤔. Female is hard to tell apart. 

19th. At least 87 Greenland White-fronted Geese in field over the back of Blackpark Marsh, Threave this afternoon. Nice flock of Siskin feeding outside the hide, 6 Whooper Swans on marsh and 10's of Reed Bunting in hedgerows near car park. Earlier in the day while working at Ken Dee Marshes, I saw distantly what I'm sure was a Diver species on Loch Ken (out from Parton). With binoculars it landed too far away on choppy water, but the colours and way it landed (belly flop/slide with wings out) convinced me it was a Diver - though which one I'm not sure.... Returning Great Northern or the Black-throated from Carlingwark perhaps? Gavin Chambers. 

3 Waxwing there, somewhere, today. Via BirdGuides.

A female Scaup present on the loch today, no sign of Water Pipit whilst I was doing GWFG survey. Ivan Lang. 

Water Pipit & Greater Scaup reported seen there today. Via BirdGuides.

Yesterday. 7 Greenshank, Ardwall Island, 45 Common Scoter beyond. Gatehouse today, Bush Loch - 30 Gadwall in 120 duck. Ian Bainbridge.

3 remain at Mein Water, showing well this morning. According to my records they were first noted on 3rd September, making it close to 4 months now. Bill Jamieson.

No surprises, typical species for the stretch. Just the 1 Whimbrel encountered, c20 Bar-tailed Godwit, ditto Grey Plover. No Scaup around at all. The Nith is again in the active process of realigning the river channel & is cutting the sandbank back towards its former position. This will again mean the return of Carse Gut, in its recycled form. Unusual, though perhaps not for the time of year, was zero disturbance for the survey. Allah is merciful. PJ

3 Purple Sands to find... 😁  The Point proved too rough for the birds on today's high tide but I managed to find as many as 5 Purple Sandpiper on the rocks off the 13th golf course tee. A real success, given the rapidly fallen numbers in recent years. Several thousand Knot in evidence flying by with all birds finding roosting space at a premium. One Knot seen riding the back of a stoical other! 4 Red-throated Diver fly-bys. PJ

4hrs split between Bruaich & Meida Hides. No Cetti's Warbler heard. Large number of Teal, easily a couple of hundred. Maybe 20-30 Wigeon, up to 20 Shoveller, pair Gadwall, a few Pintail, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Little Egret, 2 Snipe, c100 Lapwing maybe more, 1 Golden Plover, half dozen Redshank. Usual others. Yes, a lovely day of winter sunlight. PJ

Slavonian Grebe still present feeding close to the reeds between A709 (possibly bowling green) public car park and Sailing Club. No sign of Whooper Swans. Chris & Pat Baines.

Well somehow BirdGuides find out more about the birds in D&G than a dedicated D&G region reporting "service". Must be the wrong platforms set up. Do I waste my time, I still wonder. Bird still present, seen from Avenue Tower hide.

Still at WWT Caerlaverock, seen today from the Avenue Tower hide. Sharing of information be praised! Via BirdGuides.

Some will know... Apparently & presumably the same wandering bird of Browhouses fame, turned up at WWT Caerlaverock, LAST SATURDAY. Great White Egret also remains. Just thought you might like to know what you've missed... Late report even for BirdGuides, claiming to be "the first for bird news"! 

11th around WB. Creetown Merse; 300 Barnacles, 500 Pink-feet, 1500 Wigeon, 8 Little Egret, 400 Oystercatcher. 19 Whoopers near Rowan Glen factory Palnure. All quiet at Baldoon; 10 Little Egret but 51 Whoopers in fields south of the access road. Handful of Golden Plover on the airfield. Wigtown hide - male Hen Harrier, 150 Teal, 30 Shoveller, 6 Pintail, 7 Little Egret. Ian Bainbridge.

Bishop Burn, large numbers of Scaup, 1 Slav Grebe & Long-tailed Duck. On to the Wig, a good selection but numbers lower than expected; 15 Slav Grebe, 8 Long-tailed Duck, 24 Common Scoter and 100+ PB Brent. Finished at Stranraer Harbour with a Black Guillemot. Ivan Lang. 

Called in at Carlingwark Loch, Castle Douglas this afternoon & found a Black-throated Diver from the Gelston Road. Managed a few record shots in the gloomy conditions. Plus all the usual suspects. Chris & Pat Baines.

Slavonian Grebe still, quite close in from the A709 car park. Bird relocated to bowling green end towards dusk. Also 8 Whooper & Otter in Vendace Bay 14:30 with catch. Female Sparrowhawk fly-through. PJ

Apparently still at RSPB Mersehead Fri 8th. Heard only, I presume... Via BirdGuides.

Garden Mainsriddle. 1st-winter/female again taking apple on a proper soggy ground. Could be a male, feathers on forehead might be showing some black, or they're just wet! PJ

Around 15 birds reported today. Via BirdGuides.

Whilst topping in the field north of the car park an unexpected fly over of a Guillemot heading west. Ivan Lang. 

Not had much to report from here since the Waxwings & Swift. Today I did a litter pick & in the freezing conditions, a Water Rail walked right out in front of me in the ditch. Also one Male Bullfinch, female Sparrowhawk & a wintering Chiffchaff. Litter; Out of interest, up until now I have not scratched the surface & have removed 130 plastic bottles, 110 metal cans plus two roadsigns the "little darlings" threw onto the reserve from the road. In Ladypark woods I saw a Grey Squirrel. Regards Chris Baines.

Btwn Cowcorse & West Preston Farms, mxd flock of finches feeding on for-cattle beet (I think) seed. Only found 1 Brambling, a few Tree Sparrow & the odd Reed Bunting as alternatives to the majority Chaffinch. Also Grey Wagtail around field gates. Btwn West & East Preston, c500-1000 mxd flock of Lapwing & Golden Plover. Livestock & stubble fields generally good for birds thereabouts. From Powillimount car park, c2-3000 Knot, maybe more, 64 Grey Plover apart from 2 Little Egret, Dunlin & usual others. Jay & Nuthatch around Arbigland estate. Several thousand Barnacle Geese broadly distributed in the area with 1 Shelduck the odd-1-out. I invite Chris Packham to issue a few diatribes to fellow dog owners, who allow their charges to chase shorebirds from their feeding grounds. Step up & be counted. PJ

5th. SEO on fields South of car park at dusk with Barn Owl. Also seen around reserve the male Marsh Harrier, two ring tailed Hen Harrier and female Merlin. Ivan Lang.  Ed. Great birds yet again at the Crook!

In for a late apple supper today, the 1st winter/female Blackcap in the garden, Mainsriddle. Joining several Fieldfare & Long-tailed Tits, Treecreeper, Mistle Thrush & Yellowhammer. A couple of Tree Sparrow seen this morning. PJ

The profile of the shoreline sure has changed, becoming shallower in gradient. Changes abound. Usual suspects though no Whimbrel encountered today. 2♂️ Stonechat behind beach & a Red Kite over, on way to Carse Pow. Several Little Egret, maybe a dozen Bar-tailed Godwit all-in, c3-500 gathered Knot towards Hogus Point collected together by the presence of a Peregrine off the point. Unusual was a few Sanderling with Dunlin at low tide. Product of change perhaps. Wigeon, Pintail, Teal, Mallard etc plus a speckled part leucistic Oystercatcher. I don't think we'll be seeing any Scaup offshore given the changes to the Nith channel, for now. PJ

3rd. Seen today off Lefnoll Point but was apparently "demolished" by a Great Black-backed Gull. Devoured, perhaps? Via BirdGuides.

3rd. A chilly afternoon on the rising tide at the hide but a nice selection of birds. The main interest was a good selection of birds of prey the male Marsh Harrier which has been around over the last month or so made a close fly by over the marsh. Also at least 2 Red Kite, they were briefly joined by a Short-eared Owl heading south over the RSPB reserve. A female Merlin was seen several times and a Peregrine was hunting over the Bladnoch. Yesterday a male Hen Harrier was also present. After the discussion of the Common Sandpiper at Loch Ryan, interestingly there was also one on the Bladnoch this afternoon (I will check the photos just make sure not a Spotted). Ivan Lang.

3rd. Slavonian Grebe at Stairhaven this evening. Nigel Willits.

Mainsriddle. Both male & 1st-winter/female Blackcap feeding on fallen apples in the garden this morning. PJ

Long-tailed Ducks still present this morning. Rob Wadsworth. 

2 Long-tailed Duck & 2 Scaup seen there Friday 1st. Via BirdGuides.

Still at Castle Loch, Lochmaben. Also imm Scaup. Acc to BirdGuides.

1st Dec. Great Northern Diver at Corsewall Point yesterday. Rob Wadsworth.

1 from Garlieston acc to BirdGuides.

1 on shore at Browhouses. Via BirdGuides.

Slavonian Grebe still at bowling green end. I think a 1st winter. Great White Egret still on southern fringe. According to BirdGuides.