White morph SG, in field near/at Locharbriggs?? So vague it's embarrassing for a news service. WP on the beach still at Point of Lag, Monreith.

Very breezy & only ventured west of the lighthouse. Found 2 Purple Sandpiper. There may be another but scope-shake & skittish birds preventing confirmation. 20 or so Grey Plover, c500 Dunlin, 2 Rock Pipit & a few Knot & Turnstone were the principal others. 

No disturbance for a change! Yippee! 2 Whimbrel (Carsethorn foreshore individual carrying drooped wings, noticed it recently), just 3 Grey Plover & Knot, c2-300 Dunlin, 5 or 6 Snipe, couple of Black-tailed & I think 3 Bar-tailed Godwit, single male Comm Scoter. Also the att., which is confirmed to be a badger pp Andy Riches. 

19th. Red-throated Diver very close to shore by the lighthouse, Southerness, mid-afternoon today. Lorna Lomas.

For those not already messaged who aren't aware. Please be one of the 20% who stats say will actually act upon something. Cheers P I've just emailed Scotland's party leaders calling for more nature-friendly farming. We need to grow a future where nature thrives! Please will you add your name too? It will only take a minute and it will really help our special wildlife. Thank you! https://action.rspb.org.uk/page/174887/action/ I've spoken up for Scotland's wildlife! The Natural Environment Bill should be our chance to restore Scotland's nature, not destroy it. https://action.rspb.org.uk/page/183453/action/

Harry Huyton recently announced; This week the UK Government awarded Berwick Bank with the public subsidy contract it needed to go ahead. It means that for decades to come we will all be subsidising this project and the devastating impact it is expected to have on seabirds. And neither the UK nor the Scottish Government seem to care. This makes me angry. Of course it does. But all is not lost. Only part of the development – about 1/3 rd  of it – has been given a subsidy so far, raising questions for the future. And their consent from the Scottish Government remains conditional on a “seabird compensation plan”, which we are yet to see.   Images left to right: puffin, kittiwake and guillemot.   It was also encouraging that media coverage of this week’s announcement didn’t ignore the environmental catastrophe this development could cause. I used the interviews I gave to highlight the tens of thousands of seabirds – kittiwakes, guillemots, gannets, puffins and more – that are...

Ross's Goose not far from Wigton reported. Fem RND continues to be seen at Longtown Pools & recently a Sibe Chiffchaff reported down the road at the sewage treatment plant.

A bird claimed to be on the beach at Point of Lag, Monreith this morning.

17th. 2 TBG just off the B724 before Cummertrees on the Cummertrees Loop road.

Got the 2 Tundra Bean Geese at Cummertrees but also a 1st winter Dark-bellied Brent Goose was hiding among the Barnacles. Ian Irving.

Neil Hammatt claims a Greater White-fronted Goose, but which nationality?? Greater White-fronted Goose 1, Barnacle Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Shoveler, Wigeon, Mallard, Pintail, Teal, Pheasant, Woodpigeon, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Curlew, Snipe, Redshank, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier - "Ad female", Hen Harrier - "White rump", Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Crow, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Cetti's Warbler 1 - "Alarming from reedbed", Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Wren, Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Redwing, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Siskin 1, Reed Bunting.

So we have a Richardsons cackler near the WWT entrance with Barnies. A couple of Tundra Beans off the "Cummertrees Loop" somewhere with Barnies.

Loch Ryan between Stranraer & Kirkcolm. 158 Pale-bellied Brent, Wigeon, Mallard, Common Eider, Common Scoter, 10 Long-tailed Duck, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Oystercatcher, Curlew, 2 Knot, 4 Horned/Slav Grebe - 2 in tandem with Long-tailed Ducks, 2 further south opposite Stena Line mooring, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Red-throated Diver, GND. Also a Barn Owl again in Dally Bay.

Falling tide. Carse Gut, 1 Greenshank, lots of Teal, Wigeon & Pintail, a Kestrel & Sparrowhawk. Carsethorn & towards Hogus Pt, 1 Whimbrel, c2000 Knot, c20 Bar-tailed & 2 at least Black-tailed Godwit, 4 RBM & good/large numbers of the usual others. Coupled Mallard getting on with breeding on former Kirkhouse Fishery.

Afternoon looking for geese at West Freugh, 115 Greenland and 2 Tundra (Stoneykirk) but no sign of Taiga. Also male Hen Harrier and a Hooded Crow. At White Loch, Castle Kennedy a male Pochard and Woodcock. Ivan Lang. 

Hooded Crow viewed this afternoon at usual Brownrigg Loaning/Annan Road junction taking an interest in telegraph pole workers. Robbie Purdie.

Matthew Cookson saw; Peregrine & Kittiwake off the mull & a Black-throated & Great Northern Diver around the Soleburn zone of LR.

Yesterday flying south over St Medan golf course, Monreith.

Lorna Lomas has requested for this petition to do the rounds. Duly obliged.  https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2202

Matthew Cookson has seen a Greenshank in Drummore harbour & a Barn Owl at Dally Bay. At Lochrutton Loch, not much but several Goosander, 2ea of Goldeneye & Little Grebe, 4 GC Grebe, Heron, Snipe & Mallard being the only other duck.

A total of 94 in fields near Bridgelea cottages, just east of Bankend.

Ken Smith has seen today ; 51 Greenland White-fronted Geese, 2 Peregrine, 2 Water Rail, 4 Little Grebe, 1 Stonechat, 1 Little Egret.

Apologies are due to Martin Oates, whose image he kindly submitted I failed to notice!! Red-throated Diver also taken and both closer than my own so better for that. No idea how I could've missed them, unless it was the distraction of finding the American Black Scoter the same day. Martin must have left before I arrived. So, sorry Martin 🙏🏻! Hoping this makes belated amends! "Images of Surf Scoters and Red Throated Diver at Rascarrel Bay today. Thanks to Robbie Purdie for location information." M.Oates.

Forgot to add the following from yesterday 10th: Fem/imm Velvet Scoter with c230 Common Scoter east of Castle Point (roughly off Cows Snout), also another 100 Scaup. Surf still present around midday until rain set in! Gavin.

Corsewall Point Seawatch ; European Golden-Plover 350, Common Ringed Plover 24, Northern Lapwing 7, Eurasian Curlew 12, Common Redshank 5, Ruddy Turnstone 14, Red-throated Loon/Diver 1, Common Buzzard 1, Meadow Pipit 4, Rock Pipit 15. Loch Ryan ; Pale-bellied Brent 85, Common Eider 32, Common Scoter 24, Long-tailed Duck 7, Common Goldeneye 15, Red-breasted Merganser 12, Eurasian Oystercatcher 72, Eurasian Curlew 28, Common Redshank 5, Ruddy Turnstone 4, Horned/Slav Grebe 2. 

Next priority, dog mess & dogs off-lead all over our accessible beaches, driving feeding & resting birds etc away & putting them under avoidable survival pressure.  https://www.dgwgo.com/dumfries-galloway-news/citizen-scientists-save-dumfries-galloway-shoreline-from-invasive-species/

A min of 10 Taiga Bean in flock of Pinkes in field next to Wellhead, West Freugh in fading light. Ivan Lang. 

 Some updates indicate the recent Tundra's are in fact, Taiga Bean Geese.

Lawrence Gray has reported that he's "Very sad to report the Port Logan Black Redstart we've been watching over the last few days has been killed by a cat." 😡😤🤬

BTD and GND off Leffnoll Point. Ivan Lang.

Single drake Surf Scoter amongst c260 Common Scoter and 98 Scaup. Along feeding along eastern side of Hestan Island, therefore distant! Gavin. 

Black Redstart still in boulders above strand line in front of Laigh Street, Port Logan.

8th. Near Kirkcolm, at St Mary's Croft Matthew Cookson has seen; GND, 6 Slav & GC Grebe, 2 R-TD, L-TD, 2 Scaup, & of course, Eider, Black & Common Guillemot, RBM. Another GND was in Lady Bay. From the Wigtown harbour hide, Neale Minch has seen a Common Sandpiper, Greenshank & Snipe. 2 Water Rail still on left approach to Meida Hide. Ice melting so they'll not be visible soon 😕. 

4 Purple Sandpiper seen by Matthew Cookson, South Cairn Cottages, Kirkcolm. 1 GWE & 1 Peregrine at Threave NTS seen by Neale Minch who also saw 1 Water Rail at RSPB Mersehead, where Roger Coutu was lucky enough to have seen a Jack Snipe.

A report says the RSPB Mersehead bird has reappeared but the map would indicate the bird being around the cliffs of the Southwick SWT reserve?

I am grateful to Brian Henderson for picking out a pair of Russian White-fronts and a Taiga Beanie among the Pink-feet at West Freugh. Notable that the ruskies were not associating with the Greenlanders (provide your own Trump punchline!). Nigel W.

A day out to Wigtownshire - Didn't find the Taiga (Tundra?) Bean geese reported yesterday but good haul of geese (Brent, White-front, PF, Barnacle and Greylag). Divers, Great Northern and Red-necked spotted despite high waves on Loch Ryan. Long-tailed Duck delighted to see as always. Robbie Purdie, Colin Kinnear & Chris Baines.

2 Tundra Bean Geese, 2 Russian White-fronted Geese still in field by Mosscroft Farm, West Freugh. 

Female (Ed. Or 1st-winter male?) Black Redstart in boulders above strand line in front of Laigh Street, Port Logan. Lawrence Gray.

2 Tundra Bean Geese, 1 Russian White-front, 76 Greenland White-front, Pinks and Greylags in field by Mosscroft Farm, West Freugh. Gavin Chambers. 

Goes without reporting I guess, that there's Black Guillemot, Slav Grebe, GC Grebe, Eider et al to be enjoyed there.

A Greenshank & 2 Red-throated Diver reported by Philip Gilbert.

Chris Baines has again seen the resident Willow Tit & flushed a Jack Snipe there. Lucky CB 😊👍!

Did the full circuit walk & extra stretch to the Southwick Burn. Waters virtually 100% frozen. Duck moved into the creeks etc so virtually nothing to see. However, 2 Water Rail were out on the ice to the west side of the Meida Hide boardwalk giving great views. A dozen+ Redwing & a few Fieldfare in fields beyond the no access gate there. Pair of Reed Bunting in reeds adjacent Southwick Burn on the SWT reserve plus several Twite. At least 3 Stonechat, 3 Rock & 1 Meadow Pipit, 6+ Twite were along the beach. Plenty of ice too. Whilst finishing off a coffee & crisps at the visitor centre, a fine male Hen Harrier drifted west just beyond the frozen waters at 4pm.

8 Whooper Swans with 2 Mutes in second field on the right behind the shed on the road to Crook of Baldoon. Also Yellowhammer with Chaffinch Flock, 6 Snipe on Inks (plural for low-lying, marshy riverbank meadows) with an accompanying Twite. Catherine McEwan.

Double-glazed filtered garden visitor 😳

Bird found between Rigg Bay & Garlieston. Do we have 2 in the region? Same location as a previous sighting...

Red headed Smew still present Carlingwark Loch but elusive. Ivan Lang. 

The Black Redstart was at Mersehead again this afternoon. I also saw a Merlin skimming past the farm buildings. And a Red Kite over the wetlands between the hides. Stuart Housden. Today at RSPB Mersehead c1230pm. Near the "coaches" sign & by the excavator. PJ. Images © Pete Jeavons

Stuart Housden has seen c30 Scaup; "About 1km west of Portling. 3 more nearer Castle Point." Also 2 Rock Pipit Portling.

Redhead Smew still on Carlingwark Loch. Black Redstart going anti-clockwise around the farm building adjacent to the Sulwath Centre at RSPB Mersehead. Bird gave great views once I'd refound it. I first saw it briefly by the "coaches" sign before it flew up & over the roof. Great start to 2026! 😊👍 Image courtesy & © Dave Curley.

Happy New Year Everyone! A big thank you to everyone who has been submitting bird records to various sources throughout 2025.  Looking at BirdTrack data entered currently (easiest source for me to check quickly), there has been "231 species from 91559 records, 2416 complete lists, 3006 places". Note that this includes various hybrids and unknown gull/waders etc as different species. For the 2025 Bird Report, we will start downloading data from the various sources (BirdTrack, eBird, iRecord/iNaturalist) from the 31st January 2026, so please enter your remaining data before then if you'd like them to be considered for the bird report. Any data submitted after download is still important and we'd encourage any data (whether 2025 or older) to be entered. If you have any questions with regards data, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us via our recorder email found here:  https://www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/local-recorders-network-area/dumfries-and-galloway ...