Busy with hirundine this morning. Also a male & ♀️/1st-winter Blackcap munching my conference pears on the bush. Both looking dapper, the brown cap looking very adult rather than a juvvy. PJ

Interested in this? (click or tap link) RSPB Autumn Raffle . If not, please share. 

May, June, July and August reports have arrived like the proverbial bus 🚌. See A Wander Round the Wig. https://awanderroundthewig.blogspot.com/2025/09/bird-report-for-may-june-and-july-2025.html?m=1

Offshore. 13 Red-throated Diver & a Guillemot drifting in with the tide. Around 3.30pm an ad winter Med Gull found with Black-headeds in the harvested potato field, though all field-hopping until an overflying microlight drove half away. 

Apart from Robins being everywhere in numbers today, Carse Bay merse offered 3 distant Greenshank dropping into a creek & a ringtail HH heading Carsethorn way btwn Airds Point & Drummains Reedbed. However, a nuisance mobbing crow turned it around & it headed back Airds Point way 🙄. On the village foreshore with the incoming tide, 3 Black-tailed & 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, a Knot & 2 Whimbrel. 

26th. Curlew Sandpiper reported mid-pm on the estuary.

7 Crossbill this morning, also a Sparrowhawk in what was a pretty quiet 2 hour walk bird wise. Bill Jamieson.

3 adult Mediterranean Gull in field by Powillimount car park around 3pm. Gavin. 

Cetti's Warbler heard from Meida Hide this morning at RSPB Mersehead. Gavin.

1 HEARD overhead amongst a group of Jackdaws, east of the A747 & Milton, The Machars. Findlay Ramsay.

Group of 9 taken, at Loch Ryan, Soleburn stream 18.45, 26th September 2025. I believe all Little Egret, (yellow feet in flight), but some appeared slightly smaller. Terry Rowe. (Thanks to Terry for the report 😊)

"Female/juv Marsh Harrier being mobbed by crow". Connor Fraser.

Levenhall Links Bird Reserve aka Musselburgh Lagoons. Had a few hours enjoying the Marsh Sandpiper, 2 Spotted Redshank, Greenshank, 10+ Ruff, Bar-tailed and Black-tailed Godwits & Surf Scoter on the sea. Great weather & light. PJ 

c30 Barnacle Geese south over Langholm, 19:45. Steven Cooper.

13th golf tee roost. c150-200 Golden Plover, c200ea Dunlin & Ringed Plover, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 5 Snipe, 4 Rock Pipit & 1♀ Wheatear avoiding the camera. PJ 

23rd am. 2 Sandwich Tern, 1 comic, 16 Guillemot, 2 Razorbill, Wheatear, 3 Raven, 30 Gannet, 4+ harbour porpoises in flat calm conditions. Mull of Galloway pm. 8 Stonechat, 1 White Wagtail. Ian Bainbridge.

2 Ringtail HH today.

Loch Ryan east of Stranraer: 20 Scaup, 12 Brents, 250 Wigeon, 12 Knot, 80 Mute Swan. Soleburn; 15 Brents, 65 Merganser, 2 Greenshank. Ian Bainbridge. Red-necked Grebe, two today; also 10 Greater Scaup and 33 Slavonian Grebe. Soleburn; 3 Slav Grebe.

Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus) (1) - Reported Sep 21, 2025 10:15 by Connor Fraser - River Esk at Browhouses. Also 2 Little Stint & 12 Curlew Sandpiper reported. Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri) (1) - Reported Sep 19, 2025 18:34 by Simon Burton - St Michael's Cemetery, Dumfries. 

WWT Folly Pond water well up & too high for waders. Saltcot Merse Observatory hide; ringtail HH quartering far merse edge. 1 juv/♀️ Merlin on near field fence post & possibly 2 more at distance towards Brow Well interacting briefly. 2 GWE, 1 east & 1 west of hide. Also a strange looking Barnacle Goose. [ I'd suggest a Hybrid. Note the Barnacle Goose with white neck collar indicating at least some, if not all, have likely come from the feral Loch Leven flock. Gavin]. Quite a  number of Barnies with neck band ID, which are the feral birds I think?🤔, as Gavin has now confirmed. From the closed NNR Holland Hide, 5 buffy Wheatear in field. Best pics of the strange Barnie attached. PJ. 

Despite the wind being in a promising direction there seemed to be little movement offshore. Apart from the usual suspects the highlight was a Sabine Gull north, 3 Common Scoter and a Great Northern Diver. Ivan Lang. 

Brambling flying over Bladnoch, Green Sandpiper on the river and RTD out in the bay. Ivan Lang.

100 Pinkfeet south over Langholm just now (09:00). Well, they’re the first I’ve seen this autumn if not breaking any records. Steven Cooper. First Pinks (13) heading south over RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Ended the day with over 200. Also 33 Blackwit and a Barn Owl. Ivan Lang. 50 Pink-footed Goose flew south over Glencaple 16.00 on 18th September and 150 more, higher up, today at 11.00. Duncan Irving. On a wet morning/early afternoon at WWT Caerlaverock highlights were Great White Egret, Merlin, Peregrine and Kestrel. Robbie Purdie. I saw a solitary pfg yesterday 18th at Browhouses! PJ

c1400-1630. Found "only" 12 Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Ruff (1 larger), 7 Golden Plover, at least 12 Snipe, a leg tagged Little Egret (H red right, 4 yellow left), c100 Dunlin. PJ

50+ Curlew Sandpiper still today. 

Osprey, Peregrine (adult) & Otter from Saltcot Observatory Tower hide, Caerlaverock WWT this afternoon. Paul Massey. 

An unspecified bird flew over the visitors centre at WWT Caerlaverock. Reported by Simon West.

Another few hours today. Carse Bay; 2 Greenshank a way up the Gut, 1 Black-tailed & 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 buffy Wheatear along shore near the far bench. Carsethorn; 2 buffy (juv & ♀️ I think) Wheatear hanging around the shingle spit. One with a metal ring. At least 2 Whimbrel, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank on foreshore. Bh Gull with busted wing & having a metal leg ring. Painted Lady on village ivy. A Grey Wagtail on Kirkbean Burn. 

Sea-watching at Southerness Point (18.30-19.45 hours): Pomarine Skua (dark-phase west @ 19.14 hours), Arctic Skua (3 west), Arctic Tern (2), Sandwich Tern (16), Red-throated Diver (1), Guillemot (1), Common Scoter (3). Plus Common Sandpiper on beach. Paul Massey. 

Spoonbill adult in flight over merse to south of Hollands Farm hide, before dropping into channel on merse. Female Marsh Harrier, Merlin, Greenshank & Wheatear here also. Paul Massey. 

Watch at Southerness Point this morning 06.15 - 08.48 . All birds heading east. Sabine's Gull 1 adult, 1 juv (both at 06.50am), Arctic Skua 2 juv, Common Tern 26, Little Gull 1 ad, C Scoter 6, RTDiver 7, Kittiwake 12, Gannet 14, Sandwich Tern 66, Razorbill 7, Guillemot 4. + Meadow Pipits c170. Andrew Allport. 

Browhouses on falling tide: 3 juv Little Stint, 78+ Curlew Sandpipers (yes 78+ !), 4 Ruff, 4 Greenshank, 13 Pink-footed Geese & 2 Guillemot. Paul Massey. 

Best birds, 1 Guillemot, 1♂️ Comm Scoter, 3 Whimbrel, 1 ad winter Med Gull, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Little Egret, c60 Knot, 50-100 Sandwich Tern, c3000 Oystercatcher. PJ

2 juv Black Tern feeding off Souterness Point. Andrew Allport. 

Intermediate type juv Long-tailed Skua off Southerness Point, dip-feeding, settling on water, 16.15- 16.26. Andrew Allport. 

Best it could offer this pm was a Greenshank & 1 but probably 3 juv Sanderling. PJ

A Turtle Dove alighted in our garden a short time ago. Flew south. About 6 miles north of Port William. Rob Wadsworth. 

0700-0800 high tide. In front of cottages. Avocet 1, Golden Plover 60, Little Stint 2, Curlew Sandpiper 35+, Greenshank 2, Dunlin, Ringed Plover etc. Ian Irving. 

1545-1630. A few bits offshore. Couple of Skua but too far to ID. One looking paler beneath with pale rear end or rump but not a gull. A trio of Sandwich Tern, Gannet adult, 3 Guillemot, 3 Rt Diver, c20 Comm Scoter. All fliers heading out. PJ

Reported as present at RSPB Crook of Baldoon & 2 seen at Browhouses today. 

Badly timed visit to Browhouses gave a Greenshank & 4 Bar-tailed Godwit. Seafield a couple of Gannet & a juv/fem Wheatear on beach. Annan at Newbie several hundred Redshank & 2 Black-tailed Godwit. Nothing unusual & v blustery for a steady view of anything. PJ

Didn't see the Glossy Ibis, but did get good views of 2 Spotted Redshank (about 6pm). Also 17 Curlew Sandpiper, 5 Ruff and a Grasshopper Warbler. Nigel Willits. 

Up to 22 Curlew Sandpiper & 2 Spotted Redshank on merse north of car park. Ivan Lang. 

4 at least observed in Scottish waters from the Cairnryan to Larne Ferry ⛴. 

50+ Barnacle Geese at WWT Caerlaverock 12.00 pm observed from Saltcot Tower. Robbie Purdie. Ed. Are these these the feral flock?? 

So there were a couple on the beach off Mersehead yesterday. 

0700-0800. Gadwall - pr, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Curlew Sandpiper 20+, Greenshank 12, Ruff 9. Ian Irving. 

Glossy Ibis reported on BirdGuides at the Crook, no further news. Ivan Lang. On merse north of flash; park at end of Shell Road (DG8 9AQ).

Short walk from the bridge to Cochranes Boilers. Lots of red admiral and a few whites plus speckled wood. Loafing gulls c700, mostly Black-headed. 2 Little Grebe, Goosander, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Common Sandpiper, 12 Greenshank, a Wigeon, 1 Sparrowhawk and plenty mixed hirundine. A friendly male southern hawker if I'm not mistaken, along the path near the bench before Newbie village and the factory.  south_hawker_9.9.25.jpg PJ

Short-eared Owl and Marsh Harrier seen at RSPB Mersehead today. Gavin Chambers. 

2 Little Stint reported today at the mouth of the River Bladnoch. 

WWT Facebook post from today attached. Gavin Chambers. 

Friday - Carsluith - 149 Mallard, 166 Wigeon, 33 Pintail, 1 Black-tailed Godwit. Saturday - Southerness (13th Tee) - 4 Bar-tailed Godwit, 48 Curlew, 4 Dunlin, 125 Golden Plover, 6 Knot, 1 Little Egret, 8 Sanderling, 194 Sandwich Tern & 4 Turnstone. One colour ringed & satellited tagged Curlew at Southerness, plus at least 3 darvic ringed Sandwich Tern that were too distant to read. Sunday - Carsethorn - 70+ House Martin feeding over village and high tide. Gavin Chambers. 

Osprey flown south close in along shoreline at Carsethorn. Gavin Chambers. 

1430-1630, ebbing tide, Little Stint (4), Curlew Sandpiper (7), Ruff(2), Greenshank (8), good numbers of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Greylag Goose. Bill Jamieson. 

I believe the Seafield record was an error and refers to Seafield, County Clare, Ireland. Gavin Chambers. 

Reported to RBA (Rare Bird Alert). Most interesting in the last 9 days was 4 Sabine's Gull & a Pom Skua seen from Seafield on 27th August. Amazing what you can find out from non-D&G sources. 4 Sabine's Gull from Seafield. You'd think that would get round, wouldn't you?! Oh, & I hear that recently there was a Bittern at WWT Caerlaverock! God help birdwatching in D&G, because the birdwatchers won't! 

A Little Stint & 3 Curlew Sandpiper reported there to RBA today. 

Yesterday, 19:49 03/09/2025. One at Garlieston Bay this evening. 

Help save Coul Links! Once again this beautiful place is threatened by plans for a golf course which would irreparably damage rare habitats and wildlife. Join RSPB in sending a message to Scottish Ministers to stand up for nature. Add your voice: https://action.rspb.org.uk/page/166270/action/1  

Great Egret (Ardea alba) (1) - Reported Sep 02, 2025 14:16 by Neil Middleton - Threave Castle and Estate. 

Read this from the RSPB; Massive offshore wind expansion must not threaten Scotland's seabirds You can help RSPB have put together a suggested template email to send to Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy: Dear Cabinet Secretary, I am writing to you as I am extremely concerned about the rapid expansion of offshore wind in Scotland without guaranteed measures to address the impacts on our struggling seabird populations – or help their recovery and resilience.  Scotland is globally important for seabirds, but they are facing multiple threats including climate change, unsustainable fishing, invasive species, and avian flu. Around 70% of species are in decline, including Puffins, Gannets, and Arctic Terns. And now unsuitable offshore wind developments threaten to fast-track species towards extinction. Berwick Bank would be particularly devastating for seabirds, with the potential to kill thousands and displace thousands more. It is also undermining other les...

30 Sandwich Tern - 1 juv with yellow ring on left leg & metal on right, 8 Golden Plover, c15 Knot - 2 with russet chests still, 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, c 250 Ringed Plover. Dog walker disturbance. PJ

RSPB Crook of Baldoon. One still on saltmarsh pool; park at end of Shell Road (DG8 9AQ). 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/08/31/pony-foals-snatched-sea-eagles-scotland-hebrides-inquiry/ Isn't it long overdue for farmers to be required to farm empatheticaly with the environment? I think we should have a national job description enshrined in law to require it, but like any job, if you're not suitable, you don't get the job. If it doesn't pay enough, then in simple thinking, other work should be found. I find the sensationalist report & many of the hysterical comments left by readers seriously disturbing. It's another reveal of those who are anti-environment & yet supposedly educated (if they choose to subscribe to & read The Times?). This is also another exposé of how pets & humanly-embraced farm animals take presidence over anything wild. If it isn't controlled, it should be, or should be shot. You can guarantee that should a wild animal, in doing what is natural to it, attacks a pet or other humanly-embraced animal, t...

Hello, I hope this message finds you well. My name is Afrika, and I am coordinating a forthcoming feral goat vantage point survey in the moorlands between Langholm and Newcastleton this September on behalf of the Mammal Society. The aim of the survey is to establish an independent population estimate of the feral goats within this area using standardised vantage point counts.  We are currently reaching out to local groups and organisations to invite participation. In practice, this would involve:  - Joining survey teams at pre-assigned vantage points (always in pairs).  - Following a simple standardised protocol (training and materials provided).  - Recording observations using binoculars and/or spotting scopes, supported by maps or a Google Earth project.  - Contributing to a collective effort to improve knowledge of feral goat populations in this region. The survey is scheduled for the 27th and 28th of September, with a briefing beforehand on the 15th of Septe...