31st. RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Drake still on lagoon north of car park.

28th. Fantastic views of a male Hen Harrier in front of the Meida Hide. Nice to see good numbers of Tree Sparrows at the feeding station outside the reception building. Chris Sutton. Ed. Apologies as lack of Internet access reason for delay in posting as can't access the online contact form, yet! 

30th. 5 feeding on the ornamental rowan berries again by the pharmacy.

Two Kookaburra were seen together in a Kirkcudbright garden by the golf course this morning. Presumably the ones that escaped last year. If they are male & female, I wonder what chance they have of breeding successfully? Nigel Willits. 

Still present at the Crook of Baldoon. Also today at WWT Caerlaverock, 1st-winter drake Greater Scaup still. Presumably Whooper or Folly Pond. Crook of Baldoon RSPB. Apart from the American Wigeon which was showing nicely this morning, there was a Green Sandpiper flushed from one of the infield ditches, as well as a Jack Snipe when I was working out in the fields. A Great White Egret flew across the northern fields heading east. On the rising tide the Common Sandpiper was present again as well as three Greenshank. Ivan Lang.  Ed. That's possibly at least 3 Common Sandpiper that have overwintered.

27th. Carried out the WinGS survey yesterday afternoon. Still working out the official number to be submitted based on the figures I recorded, but the number of gulls peaked at around 6000, with some birds moving off west before dusk. The majority were Common Gulls with Herring Gulls making up the rest with a handful of Great-black Backed Gulls. The surprise was the lack of Black-headed Gulls with just a few noted. Gavin Chambers. 

Seen in the trees that line the path to the Sandside footbridge. Heather (Hunter?). Ed. Many thanks Heather ☺️👍

2 Green Sandpiper remain, but the surprise came in the shape of a Common Sandpiper, the first wintering bird since one at Barnskirk Point some 14/15 years ago (or is it a very early summer migrant?). Bill Jamieson. 

Snow Bunting - 2 near the trig-point on Cairnsmore of Carsphairn. Greater Scaup at WWT Caerlaverock. Waxwings - 5 at Dock Park in Dumfries. American Wigeon - Crook of Baldoon. Drake still on lagoon north of car park. 

Am Wigeon showing well on the lagoon north of car park. Wigtown harbour pond: the partially leucistic Marsh Harrier over reeds before disappearing amongst them. Mick Whitehouse & Nancy Harrison.

LG reported (on WhatsApp, surely) at Monreith 1300-ish & Peter Jordan reports a drake GS at WWT Caerlaverock.

Looking east from Vendace Burn Cottage over reeds, was watching GWE when Bittern flew over the reeds for a 100m. Ivan Lang. Ed. Well someone had to see it eventually! Just not when I'm there 🙄

25th. 65 Whooper Swan at West Freugh this afternoon. Nigel Willits. 

Good light conditions at high tide gave spectacular views of an immature Great Northern Diver, Great Crested Grebes & Red-breasted Mergansers close in to shore. The latest storm blew in decent numbers of diving ducks & auks. Good counts of Eider, Common Scoter, Slavonian Grebe (21) & Long-tailed Duck (19). Auk counts: 16 Tysties, 1 Guillemot, 2 Little Auk & 4 Razorbill. A Shelduck snoozed on the Scar, alongside two Grey Plover, & an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. Passerines incl 14 Meadow Pipit, 6 Rock Pipit, 1 Grey Wagtail, 2 Skylark & 3 'hybrid' Crows. 18 Mallard & 8 Teal are irregular visitors to the shore. Walking back through the woods reveal 1 Redwing, 3 Goldcrest, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Raven & a female Sparrowhawk. E. Grover. Ed. Grateful thanks for the comprehensive report ☺️👍

Blackbird singing off the car park 17:20! Peregrine on foreshore between Hogus & Borron Pts whilst doing WinGS. PJ

Crook of Baldoon. Am Wigeon still present also excellent count of 80 snipe on the same lagoon. Ivan Lang. 

RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Am Wigeon has returned to the lagoon north of car park now it has defrosted. Ivan Lang. Ed. Excellent news. I've yet to see it/one... 

To all D&G birders, local and visiting, We are in the process of gathering all the 2023 bird records in preparation for sending to the Bird Report team.  If you still have records from 2023 to be submitted, this is a polite nudge to ask you to get them in by early February. The preferred methods of submission are through Birdtrack, iRecord and eBird or you can send them direct to ourselves at dgrecorder@gmail.com Please note that any sightings sent to various online platforms such as this group (DGBN) or social media accounts won't automatically become records, so please do use the above methods to make sure your records count and provide a more detailed picture of what species we enjoy in the region. Perhaps you've never sent in records, could this be the year to start? Mobile apps for the three main methods above are easy to use while out and about and records will be passed on to where they need to go (County Recorders, Local Records Centres etc) where ever you ...

This report is based on an image added to the WhatsApp group taken by Brian Henderson which clearly shows a hybrid aythya species. The mantle isn't coarse enough and shape isn't quite right for a pure LS. I've also been sent another image which shows enough for me to be a hybrid. Unfortunately, it would seem that you need to sign in to Birdforum to get those images at a larger scale, so you'll have to take my word for it that they show what I consider to be a hybrid aythya. Cheers, Gavin Chambers. 

A photo by Brian Henderson clearly shows a lack of scalloped mantle, so a hybrid of some sort. Nigel Willits. Ed. Many thanks to those involved in resolving the doubts. So... where's the Lesser Scaup! 😁😉

David Henshilwood reports; Auchenreoch Loch 1100. 8 sp of duck sharing a small ice-free pool opposite the lay-by, including both (the uncertainty of) Lesser Scaup & ♀️ Long-tailed Duck. Ed. It seems we do need someone to grab a record shot for ID to allay doubts. PJ

Searched the ditches & runnels at the NW side of Milton Loch a.m. & found a Jack Snipe & Water Rail. Also 2 Red-legged Partridge in a field at Milton Village. After reading about the Mandarin Ducks went down to Auchenreoch at 1.45pm. Both ♂️ Mandarin Duck were there & also the Long-tailed Duck. No sign of LS. Late yesterday afternoon I walked down the Kirkgunzeon rd from Milton & in the ditch below Byreside Farm in one's & two's I had 11 Snipe, 2 Grey Wagtails & 2 Stonechat. Anna White. 

Tractor birdwatching at the Crook. Apart from the possible Eastern spp Stonechat there were a number of common Stonechat picking up insects in front of tractor. Buzzards, Red Kite, various gulls enjoying the disturbance & a particularly excellent view of a ring-tailed Hen Harrier cruised by. Also numerous Snipe, a couple of Jack Snipe + Woodcock flushed from the field. Ivan Lang. On further research the bird I saw was most likely just a Common Stonechat a variation showing more white in the rump area, but not showing enough white for it to be a Eastern type. Ivan Lang. 

Quite a few Tufted at CL but spotted nothing scaup-like against the light. Returned to AL but a couple more scans before 3.15pm didn't reveal any LS/hybrid, nor even the Long-tailed or Mandarin Duck seen earlier. 2 Whooper were at both sites mid-pm. 😑🙏 PJ

No scaup-like duck found in the congestion of the west end whilst I was there. An immature or winter ♀ Long-tailed Duck yes, plus 2 drake Mandarin c12pm. Peter Jordan says Lesser Scaup here 10am. 

With regards the Lesser Scaup, I've been pointed towards some photos posted on BirdForum on Monday (another source of bird info!) that were added asking whether they'd photographed the Lesser Scaup. The replies have suggested it is in fact a hybrid, apparent green sheen to head, slightly larger than Tufties and general shape/jizz not quite right. I would agree with these comments based on the photos provided (see here -  https://www.birdforum.net/threads/lesser-scaup-id-needed-scotland.450714/#post-4581717 ), but we know hybrids have existed on these lochs so I can't be certain it isn't a different bird to the Lesser Scaup being recorded. Has anyone else managed any photos? Or perhaps seen a hybrid as well this, winter around the Auchenreoch and Milton Loch area? Just looking to establish a bit more information given the appearance of these photos. Gavin Chambers. 

Knot at Point of Lag on 12th Jan. I understand that they are very rarely seen there. On 15th Jan, I went in search of the Iceland Gull that had been mentioned. I hiked for a few hours including a little detour down Physgill Glen towards St. Ninian's Cave but failed to see an Iceland Gull. In fact, in all that time the only gull I saw was a single Herring ! Afterwards, I went down to the Isle of Whithorn to see if the gull was there. It wasn't, though I did see 8 Common Snipe take flight, flushed by a walker. Whilst down the glen I had a nice view of a Goldcrest & a Grey Wagtail so that made me happy. Rob Wadsworth. Ed. Quite excellent images.

17th. Drake Lesser Scaup(?) & Long-tailed Duck at Auchenreoch Loch 12:30pm today. 90 Greenland White-fronted Geese & Willow Tit at ( Ed. presumably RSPB ) Loch Ken. Jeff Picksley. Ed. Many thanks to Jeff for the news 😊👍 

17th. Various flocks of Pink-feet around the area, total in excess of 2500. The flock of White-fronts = 96+ & a single Barnacle. Sealseat was quiet with a few Tufted & Goldeneye. There were 4 Goosander on White Loch & a single on Black Loch but generally quiet. At dusk a Water Rail & 4 Woodcock. Ivan Lang. Ed. Many thanks to Ivan. I got about 4200 Pinkfeet north of the West Freugh Airfield at dusk and 11 Greylag to the south, but no White-fronts. Nigel Willits. 

c3000 Oystrctchr, c2000 Knot, 39 Bar-tailed Godwit, c20 Grey Plover, c15 Rngd Plover, c150 Dunlin, c25 Mallard, a few Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Whimbrel + Turnstone, Redshank. A couple of Knot had coloured leg rings & red flags. One was red over yellow & other red over white. Didn't get a chance to see any letters on the red over yellow. A dog Otter in the same place as the recently seen bitch & cub, & probably around the same time c1pm on the rising tide, just offshore. The female recently seen was carrying an injured front left paw. Not this Otter. PJ

2 in field at Ruthwell. Bill Jamieson. Ed. Many thanks to Bill.

I've been enjoying around 20 Tree Sparrow in the garden lately. Plus the usual tits & finches, including Yellowhammer, though Greenfinch is quite uncommon here. Also GSW, Song Thrush, Siskin, Treecreeper & always nice to see a couple of Stock Dove coming for what the seed scattering Coal Tits have broadcast. Nuthatch seems to vacate the locality as the winter progresses.

Large flock ( >30 ) in fields just north of High Barness farm near the Tarff. Viewed from B7005. Rob Wadsworth. 

16th. Shhh! It's a secret 🤐. Still present at the Crook of Baldoon. Don't tell anyone... Hope you see it though. 

15th. 30 Gadwall, 70 Wigeon, all the usual extras. Ian Bainbridge.

15th. Waxwings showing well this afternoon at Georgetown Road at junction with Minden Drive. Report & images courtesy of Robbie Purdie.

15th. LS still at Auchenreoch Loch late pm & 6 Waxwing remain in Georgetown Road Dumfries. Via non-free, maybe WhApp exclusivity.

2 lovely Willow Tit calling/showing 5 mins after setting off. Not much around, Nuthatch only other nice bird. Anna White. 

Auchenreoch Loch 10am. Most of the loch's frozen so Lesser Scaup easier to see as moved from right of fishing area under willows to NW corner. Anna White. Ed. Excellent news 👍

14th. Loch Connell, GWE still. Loch Ken, GND still. 

Hen Harrier Wigtown merse. Iceland Gull Glasserton near Monreith. See WhatsApp or BirdGuides for exclusive details.

50 Greenland White-fronted Geese east of Threave Castle (per usual) reported today. Via the usual.

13th. RNG proved elusive early morning. Four Purple Sandpiper were present close to high tide feeding on the beach opposite car park but were flushed by a dog towards the Point of Lag where they remained until after I left. Notably, well over 100 Golden Plover flew in from the south, circled around the point a few times and then headed out across Luce Bay. Rob Wadsworth.

Present at 15.30 still in Back Bay south of Point of Lag. One Purple Sandpiper on beach opp car park but disturbed by dogs. Ivan Lang. 

RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Still present this lunchtime. Ivan Lang. 

Chris Baines reports; Re Wigtownshire. Just to add to Fridays sightings, Great White Egret at Loch Connell, which is still present since last year but appears not to have been reported. Ed. Thanks Chris. 

Still present late afternoon. It was actively diving near the south shore of Back Bay, south of Point of Lag. Distant but clear views. Also an Otter there. Earlier, 6 Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Garlieston. Nigel Willits. Ed. Many thanks for your update Nigel, I quite forgot you're located in the west! It's all happening there! West is currently best?! 

Red-necked Grebe still present at Point of Lag. Currently in Back Bay which is the bay south of the point. Not close but close enough to be confident. Rob Wadsworth. Ed. Well done Rob 👍

Our reliable friend is still present at RSPB Crook of Baldoon, reported by our reliable man in Wigtown, Ivan Lang.

11th. 6 Waxwing feeding on yellow rowan berries Georgetown Road (Dumfries I presume?). Dalbeattie; 2 Dippers on the river from the bridge. Crook of Baldoon; America Wigeon also Lapwings. Monreith shore from Golf Club; Purple Sandpiper with Dunlin & Turnstone, Red-necked Grebe in the bay. Ringtail HH at West Freugh. Chris & Pat Baines. Ed. Wow, some report!

Esp. FAO Wigtownshire birders . Bird for the 2nd day (!), present in bay between Monreith & Point of Lag. Origin of report unknown. Ed. So Rob & Ivan, hope you get to see it.

RSPB Crook of Baldoon. I also managed to see the American Wigeon this afternoon; same place as Ivan reported. Not at all close but close enough to easily pick it out from amongst the many Eurasian Wigeon. Rob Wadsworth. 

RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Still present on same lagoon. Ivan Lang.

Low water. One Whimbrel, two Grey Plover, good numbers of Knot, Redshank, Dunlin, Oystercatcher & Turnstone. Chris & Pat Baines.

A single Pink-footed Goose at Balyett, a juvenile I think and possibly injured. Also about 12 Bar-tailed Godwits. Not much visible off-shore in the bitter northerly wind coming down the loch. Nigel Willits. 

On River Nith 100 yards above Buccleuch Street bridge. Viewable from footbridge in overgrown garden at end of bridge. Showing well. Colin Kinnear.

A Waxwing has been seen (not by me) in the visitor centre car park in the last 15 minutes. Gavin Chambers. 

! 😳. Hightae, near Lochmaben. ♂️ Seen yesterday with Crossbills in Birkshaw Forest by Irongate Road bridleway. Ed. How chance a find is that!? Via the usual.

Crook of Baldoon. After a long wait the drake American Wigeon has arrived back at the Crook, present on the lagoon north of the car park. Ivan Lang.

25 Greenland White-fronts flying over Threave Castle mid-morning today; Peregrine on the castle, but little else around. Hooded Crow in Gatehouse as usual. David Hawker. 

Townhead of Greenlaw; 3 Tree Sparrows, Greenfinches & flock of Fieldfare. Laurieston; Great Spotted & Green Woodpeckers, Nuthatch. Loch Ken; Great Northern Diver & 2 Ravens. Chris & Pat Baines.

Flew a Great White Egret south of Kingholm Quay. Via whatever platform, App or other fragmentation. Grateful, we must be. 

Still about the Bladnoch Estuary, NE of the airfield. Acc to BirdGuides. Could be Rare Bird Alert or WhatsApp. I know not. 

At Point of Lag, Monreith. Rob Wadsworth. 

Isle of Whithorn. One "in the harbour briefly late afternoon". Well, it might return!? Via BirdGuides.

Hooded Crow still present at the Junction of Brownrigg Loaning and Annan Road at 1100am. Chris Baines.  I finally saw it atop a lamppost passing through town this morning too, about midday. PJ 👍

Sunday 7th : 9 Gadwall, 7 Dabchick, 3 Mute Swan, Teal/Mallard/Wigeon/Tufted Ducks/Moorhen uncounted. Raven overhead. David Hawker. 

6th. Wigtown LNR; Cattle Egret showing from the hide on the wetland. Also 18 Whooper Swan & 1 Greenshank on the River. Crook of Baldoon; Very quiet, just Red Kite & Kestrel. Garlieston; 35 Whooper Swan just north of the village off the B7004. At the harbour; 150 Golden Plover, Dunlin, Redshank & Greenshank. On the sea; Shag & Red-throated Diver. The biggest surprise was 3 Pochard. West Freugh Airfield; One ringtail Hen Harrier going to roost. 7th. West Freugh area; 50 Greenland Whitefronts, Fieldfare, Redwing & Brambling. Loch Ryan; Flat calm conditions with good numbers of Slavonian Grebe, Eider, Red-breasted Mergansers, Scaup & 6 Common Scoter. Waders incl Knot, Turnstone, Ringed Plover & Greenshank. The Pale-bellied Brents were at The Wig. Called off at Cally Lake, Gatehouse of Fleet & saw a pair of Gadwall. Chris & Pat Baines.

14:00 - 15:30. Foreshore birds today included 2 Whimbrel, 1 Little Egret & c300 Knot. A welcome surprise was a single drake Scaup dallying along the tideline, as well as what I believe would be a bitch Otter & cub, giving excellent close views through the scope. Excellent clarity, until the haar rolled in. PJ

K'bright Bridge to Tongland Bridge walk midday: 13 Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Dabchick, 3 ♂️ Goldeneye, 12 Mallard (all ♂️), 4 Teal, 9 Wigeon, 15 Curlew, 7 Redshank, 1 Raven, 1 Buzzard dismembering a bird corpse in the adjoining field, & crossbills heard in the adjoining conifer plantation. Herring & Black-headed Gulls not counted. David Hawker.

Black-throated Diver briefly on sea, at least 10 Red-throated Divers around point. Ivan Lang.

Present 11.45am close to junction at Brownrigg loaning and Annan Road Dumfries. Robbie Purdie.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO CONSIDER THE NEED FOR HELP WITH THIS SURVEY. Thank you.   See ; BTO Winter Gull Survey 2024/5 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...

18 Twite & 150 Whooper Swan today. Via BirdGuides. 

I'm looking at 2 white geese amongst Barnies & they're leucistic Barnacle . Presumably the 2 geese reported as Snow yesterday & today. So, unless there's another 2 white geese lurking in fields unseen & out of sight, there are NO Snow Geese at Mersehead. The report therefore being erroneous. PJ

Still near A714 Wigtown. Via BirdGuides.

3rd. Hen Harrier ♂️ & ringtail today. Via BirdGuides.

3rd. Excellent close views in calm conditions at Broadstone Rd of Slav Grebe, Black Guillemot, Common Scoter, Goldeneye & R-b Merganser. Also large rafts of Scaup off Balyett in choppy conditions & 37 Turnstone at Bishop Burn. 450 Oystercatcher & 170 Curlew in flooded fields at Balyett. Nigel Willits. 

Oh yeah, & there's plenty Scaup off Bishop Burn. Via...... BirdGuides!

3 apparently flew west at Cardoness 3pm-ish. How do I know? BirdGuides.

Cattle Egret briefly present 13.30 in field right of entrance but flew off. Ivan Lang.

No sign of a Lesser Scaup at either site late morning & barely a Tufted Duck to be seen either. 28 Goosander at Auchenreoch Loch was nice to see & a check of Carlingwark Loch found many more Tufted Ducks but nothing different amongst them. Gavin Chambers. 

Castle Loch Lochmaben; Slavonian Grebe still present from car park. Kirk Loch; 22 Lapwings. Mill Loch; 2 Little Grebes & Grey Wagtail. Chris Baines. 

1st. A total of 65 species at RSPB Mersehead today between 11am & 3pm. Highlights were: 3 Twite in wet field to right of main track, ♂️ Hen Harrier quartering over Preston Merse area. It then got interested in the prey a Merlin was chasing, not sure of the outcome! Some obvious missing species such as House Sparrow, Yellowhammer & Reed Bunting. I clearly wasn't trying hard enough. Gavin Chambers. 

Spoonbill again "distantly" from the Avenue Tower hide. The inevitably wonderfully present (♂️) Hen Harrier too. 2 Ruff a good find on Folly Pond. Yet again, via BirdGuides.

Lesser Scaup with Tufted west end. It is a perfect pert little bird along with Tufted for size, good head colour in the sun and nice high rear crown. Anna White.

Still at Castle Loch Lochmaben, just off the A709 car park. Via BirdGuides.

11.15 still present in field with cattle but visable from Harbour road path. Ivan Lang.

Merlin spotted on rooftop of house at the top of Gillbrae Dumfries, close to Craig's wooded area. Happy New Year everyone 🤩🦅. Robbie Purdie.