Bill Jamieson reports ; 2 Spotted Redshank this morning at Barnkirk Point, showing great guns, still on site when I left. Also worth noting, a single Greenshank only (42 counted here on 5th Sept) and 7 Greenfinch. Ed. Far more pallid than the Carsethorn bird. I'd head for looking over the Annan from Newbie next highish tide (bit low atm) to see how many there might be.

Lionel Bidwell is the latest reported sighting of a GWE at WWT Caerlaverock. At home this morning, the wandering "pair" of Blackcap in Mainsriddle again. They really like the conference pears, which I've sliced up a bit to help. Blue Tits, Robins & Blackbirds also seem to relish them! The brown cap Blackcap seems to be undergoing a head moult, so I'm wondering whether it's a young male, tagging along with an experienced adult? Any views? P

I was just about to leave North Carse for home when I received Gavin's message. Took to the bench at the "bad corner" and quickly dropped onto the bird, due to it's standout supercilium. How Gavin found it though is testimony to looking through the Redshank closely, as if you didn't know it was there, I doubt most lookers would have noticed it! At c11am, I found Mr Ahmed's 2 Scaup but they were away round the Carse Gut corner and so distant. Probably opposite Drummains Reedbed. A Whimbrel and 4 Black-tailed Godwit were on the rocky foreshore, where there was also a Snipe. Together with 6 birds flying over that made 7. The image of the Spot Red is poor due to distance and has had a fair old processing. Great find for Gavin!

1 Water Rail, 1 Kingfisher, 40 Twite & 2 Redwing at RSPB Mersehead. Slav Grebe & RTD plus P-b Brents at Loch Ryan. 2 Greenshank & a Merlin seen Kirkconnell Merse side of Nith from near Glencaple.

Spotted Redshank feeding with Common Redshank at low tide out from old pier currently. Gavin. 

Male Blackcap in Great Eastern Drive, Glencaple 10.30 today; 30/10/2025. Possible winter visitor from Continental Europe. Duncan Irving. 

It's the same observer, not sure if the same bird he saw previously but he's spent more time scrutinising today. It's a female type and he's shared some distant photos on whatsapp group which look OK for Lesser Scaup, but couldn't rule hybrid out. I see Birdguides have it as a question mark. Gavin. 

The September report was published yesterday. See; https://awanderroundthewig.blogspot.com/2025/10/on-move-bird-report-for-september-2025.html?m=1 .

Still calling, heard from the Meida Hide at RSPB Mersehead.

Greater Scaup  (2), Long-tailed Duck (1),  Black-tailed Godwit  (25), Greenshank (3), Peregrine (1), Reported Oct 28, 2025 11:07 by Ross Ahmed, Carsethorn. Red-throated Diver (1), Reported Oct 29, 2025 09:42 by Fraser McConnell, Knockinaam.  Greater Scaup  (30), Reported Oct 28, 2025 16:12 by Fraser McConnell, Loch Ryan, Innermessan Shore. Ed. Lucky Ross to catch a LTD at Carsethorn. Can't recall seeing one there.

28th. Anwoth, a single late Swallow ! Ian Bainbridge.

Tufted Duck x Greater Scaup (hybrid) (1). Reported Oct 28, 2025 07:59 by Ross Ahmed. Drake.

Newbie & River Annan. 4 Greenshank at least, maybe a dozen Goosander plus usuals. Dumfries & near Brownrigg Loaning, the Hooded Crow atop TV aerial. Nothing unusual found on the Nith from Glencaple south. PJ. 

Mandarin Duck (4) - Reported Oct 27, 2025 10:41 by Ollie Rasmussen. Dalbeattie Forest, "Easily identifiable due to their unique appearance. Two males and two females on Plantain Loch". Great White Egret  (4) - Reported Oct 27, 2025 14:12 by Ross Ahmed. WWT Caerlaverock, "3+ merse, 1 reedbed". Marsh Harrier (1) - Reported Oct 27, 2025 10:30 by Anonymous. RSPB Mersehead, "Passes over the reeds".  Marsh Harrier (1) - Reported Oct 27, 2025 14:12 by Ross Ahmed. WWT Caerlaverock, "Merse". Marsh Harrier (1) - Reported Oct 27, 2025 15:00 by Chris Baines. West Preston Farm, "Hunting over farmland. Cream crown". Greater Scaup (1) - Reported Oct 28, 2025 08:52 by Ross Ahmed. Milton Loch. Greater Scaup (1) - Reported Oct 27, 2025 12:58 by Ross Ahmed. Nith Estuary Flats. Also 1 Greenshank there & a Lesser Redpoll at Glencaple. Merlin (1) - Reported Oct 27, 2025 10:30 by Anonymous. RSPB Mersehead. Merlin (1) - Reported Oct 27, 2025 14:1...

A male Hen Harrier and Great White Egret at the Crook this afternoon. Ivan Lang. 

27th. Mull of Galloway : Pair of Peregrine and single Merlin divebombing flock of Pied Wagtails, male Peregrine took one midair. Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Red Kite and Buzzard also seen. 10 Long-tailed Tits in and around lighthouse garden. Gavin. 

John Rutter has been on a ramble & on this occasion he's seen a RTD offshore in Luce Bay, possibly, as the location isn't specified. 

Ring Ouzel (1) - Reported Oct 25, 2025 12:15 by Elizabeth Ogilvie - Carrifran Wildwood. (ed. somewhat late...).

Common Crossbill (11) - Reported Oct 26, 2025 07:44 by John Rutter - Marley House, South-east of Woodfall Gardens, near Glasserton, Machars.

200 P-b Brent Geese, roosting on the Wig. Whooper Swan 7, Red-breasted Merganser 2, Golden Plover 11, Horned (Slavonian) Grebe 1, Great Crested Grebe 1, European Shag 150. Reported by Roger Coutu.

25th. Black-tailed Godwit, up to 50 Scaup, 50+ Great Crested Grebe, 5 Slavonian Grebe, Red-throated Divers, Goldeneyes, juv Sandwich Tern. Loch Connel two otters. Kev & Sue Richardson. (Ed. A good morning then! 😊. Pic looking like a Bar-tailed to me - feathers on the mantle "droop" on Bar-tailed. Black-tailed are also very "plain" diffuse colouration in winter. Black-tailed supercilium is short, this bird's is long).

Just noticed 11 Whooper Swans out the window at Carsethorn sat on the shoreline as tide goes out. Gavin. 

6 Whooper, 4 Gadwall, c20 Little Grebe, c50 Mallard, c30 Wigeon, c30 LBB Gull. 2 Red Kite over. Viewed from Park Burn access track.

Brent Goose (Branta bernicla) (25) - Reported Oct 25, 2025 11:46 by Roger Coutu - Soleburn.  Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) - Reported Oct 25, 2025 10:01 by Roger Coutu - Loch Ryan, Innermessan Shore.  European Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) (75) - Reported Oct 24, 2025 10:20 by Connor Fraser - River Esk at Browhouses.  Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) (2) - Reported Oct 25, 2025 11:59 by Roger Coutu - Loch Ryan, Between Stranraer and Kirkcolm.  Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) - Reported Oct 24, 2025 12:29 by Mathieu Soetens - Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry (Scottish waters only).  Slavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus) (1) - Reported Oct 25, 2025 11:59 by Roger Coutu - Loch Ryan, Between Stranraer and Kirkcolm.  Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata) (1) - Reported Oct 24, 2025 12:29 by Mathieu Soetens - Cairnryan to Belfast Ferry (Scottish waters only).  Redwing (Turdus iliacus) (3) - Reported Oct 25, 2025 08:40 by Simon Burton - Maidenbower Path,...

The only notable records from a quick visit this morning were about 200 Fieldfare, 30 to 40 Whoopers and a Tufted Duck. Ivan Lang. 

Heard again from the Meida Hide at RSPB Mersehead.

Usuals but good numbers today inc 2 Whimbrel still, 7 Snipe, around a dozen Black-tailed & single Bar-tailed Godwits, 3 Grey Plover. An ad Med Gull showed up late, only to be scattered to the wind by a bullish Herring Gull. Also a Chiffchaff in the sycamore adjacent path to beach from car park.

Great White Egret & unspecified Hen Harrier seen. Reported by Kim Last.

Eclipse drake seen again at Skyreburn 3pm. Along the burn itself by the look of it.

Another HT visit. A very brown Brent Goose at the point, unless anyone has a view... 13th golf tee roost was broadly the same as yesterday plus a few Knot & no Golden Plover. PJ

Drake Goosander returned from migratory moult on the Nith alongside Dock Park. Robbie Purdie.

Great Northern Diver, 6 Red-throated Diver, a few auks, Eider, Ringed Plovers, Sanderling. Passing gannets, juv Sandwich Tern, juv Arctic Tern, Merlin. Kev & Sue Richardson.

13th golf tee roost, ebbing tide. c1000 Dunlin but no white rumps spotted. c20-30 Sanderling, 6 Golden Plover, 21 Grey Plover, 2 Little Egret. Along the shore back to the lighthouse, a colour-ringed Curlew plus a surprise Kingfisher briefly, which caught a nice fish, & 3 Rock Pipit. I think the birds will be glad when half-term is over.

If anyone's interested there's currently 3 sets for sale on ebay. The best is £89 or best offer, with fair board cover. 2nd best ditto but more external wear to board cover/case, bids starting at £45 and the worst set is without the board cover/case and has noticeable scratches to one volume cover and usage wear, for £42.

20/10/25. Water Rail this morning. Kev & Sue Richardson.

One offshore from the Isle of Whithorn late pm.

Coming to your garden soon... 2 at Makbrar Meuse, Dumfries. Reported by Simon Burton.

18th. 3 RTD & 1 Black-throated Diver offshore reported by Stuart Housden.

West of Southerness Lighthouse this morning - 4 Twite feeding along shoreline, Kingfisher feeding in rock pools, usual waders on a small tide. 9 Swallow over fields near West Preston. Mersehead - 2 Cettis Warbler singing at Meida Hide, immature male Marsh Harrier over reedbed, Goldcrest and Chiffchaff scattered across site. Gavin. 

Fieldfare (42) - Reported Oct 17, 2025 15:23 by Stuart Housden - Langholm Moor.

17th. 1 Jack Snipe on the rocks at Southerness Point high tide plus 4 Grey Plover. Also 2 Wheatear on shoreline. Mick Whitehouse & Nancy Harrison.

From Stairhaven. Great Northern Diver (Ed. imm), 4 Red-throated Diver, 3 Swallow, pair of Grey Wagtail. Kev & Sue Richardson.

The usual Hooded Crow in Dumfries on rooftops along A780 just east of Brownrigg Loaning at 3pm. Gavin. 

Reported seen 1240 at Rascarrel Bay before flying inland. Apparently seen yesterday around 4.30pm & a juvenile, along the strandline. 

Barn Owl (1) - Reported Oct 17, 2025 05:18 by Gyorgy Szimuly - A74(M), Lockerbie. (presumably from the M74!?).

Wed 14th ; "31 west of B7084", Sandhead.

9 in Makbrar Meuse, Dumfries. Reported by Simon Burton.

Barry O'Dowd reports ; Drake Ring-necked Duck yesterday (14th) late pm on a small farm Loch at Borgue. Not there today. Barry O'Dowd.

A Redwing & a Kingfisher seen from there by David Leedham.

This evening. 7 Red-throated Diver, 5 Red-breasted Merganser, Mallards and Wigeon. 8+ Greenshank, 20+ Turnstone, 20+ Ringed Plover, Curlews, Redshank, a few Knot and amongst the hundreds of Oystercatcher, this pied (Ed. leucistic) individual. Kev & Sue Richardson.

Siberian Chiffchaff this morning still, at Dalavan Bay south of Cardoness.

Sibe reported this morning at Dalavan Bay ( See here ), near to Cardoness.

So, there's a drake been spotted at high tide this evening at Skyreburn...

3 Green Sandpiper standing with 3 Common Snipe and 2 remaining Common Sandpiper this morning. Also a Kingfisher and a fly over Red Kite. Bill Jamieson.

Great White Egret there yesterday. Reported by Chris Baines.

Still present in much the same place at the Crook of Baldoon, about 10m further south from where it was last night. Ivan Lang (pic IL). 

Loch Ken (South end) - 2 Great White Egrets (1 at Balmagie and Mains of Duchrae), ringtail Hen Harrier and 32 Greenland White-fronted Geese by Mains of Duchrae. Gavin

Saltcot Merse hide, 1345-1610. Merlin, (female), sat on fence post in front of the hide, Marsh Harrier, (juv), Hen Harriers Quartering the merse on and off all afternoon (females). 2 together west of the hide at one point, Peregrine Falcon, showed twice, Kestrel and a Great White Egret, later showed all afternoon. Bill Jamieson.

2 Curlew Sand still on big winter wheat field, Bladnoch airfield with RP and a few Dunlin. Also about 1000 Skylarks. Someone on WhatsApp. 

RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Snow Bunting on path south of car park opp the flash at the Crook. Ivan Lang.

Highlights at Meida hide area with sightings of Great White Egret, Kingfisher doing circuits in front of hide and Cetti's Warbler (heard not seen). Robbie Purdie.

7th. Green Woodpecker calling south end of reserve nr Osprey tree. Ivan Lang.

Redwing (1) - Reported Oct 05, 2025 10:00 by Chris Baines - Auchie Glen.

SW of Wigtown on the Bladnoch River behind Penkiln Sawmill, near the distillery.

High tide at Wigtown Wetlands D&G. Wind still howling but the first main arrival of Whooper Swan with 57 recorded this morning. Other highlights 5 Greenshank, Merlin, Kingfisher and Red Breasted Merganser. Ivan Lang. 

A quick visit over to the Isle of Whithorn. Not much happening, highlights a distant Great Skua chasing gulls, a couple of RTD and a Puffin. Ivan Lang. 

12:05. A Leachs Petrel now heading roughly North East past Southerness Lighthouse. Gavin. 

Male & ♀️/1st-winter back again together to partake of ripening pear 🍐 in the Mainsriddle garden. PJ. 

0715-0830. Pink-footed Goose @1000, Barnacle Goose @30, Gadwall 4, Pintail 3, Golden Plover 75, Ringed Plover, Dunlin 200, Knot 1, Curlew Sandpiper 5, Little Stint 2, Bar-tailed Godwit 21, C Snipe 12+ & Otter. Ian Irving.

Spot Red calling over the merse in the mist. Ivan Lang.

Message received regarding the ringed Little Egret I saw recently at Browhouses.  Hi Pete. Thanks very much for reporting a colour-ringed Little Egret seen at Browhouses, Dumfries and Galloway on 18 September 2025. I have it as BTO Ring No.GY74260. In colour-ringing speak it is LAYN(4);RARW(H). For future reference this states the ring positions and colours of rings and digits as: Left leg Above the 'knee' with a Yellow ring with a black (Niger) digit of 4. Right leg Above the 'knee' with a Red ring with White digit of H. I hope that makes sense. The position of the BTO Metal ring on the tarsus is immaterial under this scheme. This egret was ringed in the nest as one of a brood of five at Birks Wood, Rockliffe Estate, near Carlisle, by Thalia Sparke and her ringing team on 14 June 2024. I will forward your report to Thalia and ask her to confirm the ringing details to you along with any re-sightings 'history' there may be of the bird. If you see this egret...