Stopped by for the 3rd week to find any Wood Warbler in the usual place. Just as I was leaving without hearing any song, the trill of a bird near & above me stopped me in my tracks. Once spotted had a good view but all too brief. Song not very loud & just the trill without the crescendo. It didn't stick around. Just turned up perhaps & sussing things out. Hope to return to a full & full blast songster ๐๐
The two (male and female) Blue-headed Wagtails still present on merse just to the north of the flash, north of the car park. Ivan Lang. (message for the 3 Amigos "go get 'em boys!)
From yesterday, reported somewhere unknown to me, bird seen in a tree near the old Cally School, Gatehouse of Fleet. Today? Possibly delivering babies, somewhere, unknown to me.
2 Blue-headed Wagtail were reported yesterday 27th at RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Swift & other hirundine over Dumfries. Whimbrel at Brighouse Bay. Cetti's & 4 Garden Warbler around Castle Wood, Caerlaverock NNR.
3 Whimbrel at Monreith, 1 from the Wigtown Harbour hide. 15 Comm Sand & 8 Comm Tern at RSPB Crook of Baldoon, 1 at the Old Military Rd, Glenluce. Osprey north of WWT Caerlaverock & over the Annan river at Hoddam plus a Redstart in the castle woods there. Hooded Crow & 5 Turnstone still at Garheugh Point. Wood Warbler & Tree Pipit at Cairnsmore of Fleet NNR. Garden Warbler at Carrifran Wildwood, Moffat Community NR & Castle Loch. Whinchat on Langholm Moor. Cuckoo's & Whitethroats now well distributed.
Carse Gut channel c1230pm. A "pair" of Scaup plus a drake in eclipse OR, 1st summer drake = 3. Also 4 Whimbrel at least with at least another 2 on Carsethorn foreshore.
Cetti's Warbler still, along with Sedge heard near beginning of the Flooders Walk at Caerlaverock NNR. No singing Wood Warbler at the traditional spot in Mabie Forest. Not yet?
A third Redstart in here this morning, birds calling and showing very well from exposed branches in the trees, also good Blackcap numbers now. Bill Jamieson.
Swift at Stoneykirk, nr Stranraer, Cuckoo at Kirkconnell Flow, Redstart at Buckland Burn, 3 Osprey & Water Rail at Threave NTS & 2 Common Sandpiper, all 3 hirundine & 60 PFG still from Glencaple.
2 Avocet & a Whimbrel at Browhouses. 25 Sandwich Tern, 8 Black Guillemot, 3 Red-throated Diver, 6 Whimbrel, 1 Black-tailed Godwit around Loch Ryan. 9 Guillemot, 13 Kittiwake & a Red-throated Diver at the Mull. 180 PFG from Glencaple & migrant hirundine. Wood Warbler at RSPB Wood of Cree.
Single Red-throated Diver close to shore at Powfoot this afternoon. Seen in bay just over small bridge as enter village. Not bothered by nearby dog walkers then flew off when returned with camera. Robbie Purdie.
Fleet Bay WeBS today : falling wader numbers but 3 Com Sandpiper at the Teapot, 18 Sandwich Tern around the bay, blackcaps, willow warbs and chiffs everywhere. Plenty of swallows. First Pied Flycatcher singing in Anwoth this pm. Ian Bainbridge.
A Redstart singing at the Giants Footprint and a Grasshopper Warbler singing on the edge of the village this morning. Also a few Chiffs and Willow Warbs. Kevin Peace.
Finally, a feeling of spring at Wigtown Hide. Lots of Sand Martin, a House Martin, Swallow, Sedge, Reed and Willow Warblers, also the first Whiethroat. Ivan Lang.
17th. 3 Red Grouse & a Whinchat at Wanlockhead. 74 Light-bellied Brent Geese in Garlieston Bay. IL still has 23 Twite at the Crook & a Reed Warbler has been reported from the Wigtown Harbour hide. Whitethroat at Browhouses & along the Nith from Kingholm Quay.
Wader passage at the Crook has started with 60 Blackwit, 60 Dunlin, 15 Ringed Plover, 19 Whimbrel and 49 Goldies. Also 14 Swallow and 3 Sand Martin. Ivan Lang.
Cattle Egret is back again on the fields to the right as you approach the Crook. 110 Black-tailed Godwit on the flash north of car park. Whimbrel over and Swallow present. Ivan Lang.
3 Cuckoo in Dalry area, at Furmiston, Stellhead & Moss Roddock. Cuckoo, Wheatear & Whitethroat btwn Kingholm Quay & Keltonbank, Dumfries. A Swift reported nr Boreland from the B723.
15th. 145 Black-tailed Godwit feeding on flood NW of Auchenreoch Loch this afternoon at NX 810 726 (by A712, west of Eastlands House). Dan Haywood. https://goo.gl/maps/uwUWVWKFLFCkAp2W7
From Moss Road, 2 LRP & 13 resplendent Black-tailed Godwit on the flash pools adjacent Powfoot golf course clubhouse. c50 PFG in fields of Hurkledale Farm to the north. Plenty of Swallow along the route over firth-side fields. Willow Warbler at Priestside. At Ruthwell, opp. Thwaite Cottage 13 Whoopers in the field. A couple of thousand Barnies further away same field. https://maps.app.goo.gl/jgDrHAEpmgaE4uvj8 A couple of fields further along, 130 Golden Plover looking ready for the Breeding Ball. At Bankend, House Martins have been back on territory last few days.
Redstart this morning, male, calling and showing well darting about the tree tops. Also Osprey, with decent numbers of Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. Bill Jamieson.
Garden Warbler at Fominoch, Cuckoo at Midtown nr St John's Town of Dalry & 2 Pied Flycatcher at Carstramon Wood. 2+ Common Sandpiper, Swallow, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Grey & Pied Wagtail, Siskin & Goldfinch at Annandale Water.
In field next to cycle path along the River Nith leading to Kingholm Quay. Relatively easy to see as vegetation hasn't really started growing yet. Stephen Parker.
Interesting to see that Marsh Tit, Grey Partridge & Chiffchaff were recorded. I wonder where? Marsh Tit might be from the east, which was the focus of ID chat I recall.
Allegedly 2 birds on Blackpark Marsh, Threave NTS yesterday. Also a bird seen from the Meida Hide at RSPB Mersehead. Marsh Harrier performing there too.
A Wheatear at the Mennock Pass. 2 Red-legged Partridge at Buckland Burn. 2 Swallow at Beattock. Chiffchaffs well distributed. Cuckoo at Corsock & 5 Pied Flycatcher at The Hills FLS.
8th/9th. House Martin, 2 Blackcap & Willow Warbler on the Nith from Kingholm Quay. Willow Tit at Garroch Glen, West of Dalry. Swallow at Thornhill. Tree Pipits at Wood of Cree, Knockman Wood & Glenhoise. Sedge Warbler at High Moor, Barmeal, NW of Glasserton. Taiga Bean & 4 White-fronted Geese, West Freugh. Manx Shearwater off the Mull of Galloway.
Mull of Galloway,♀️Pied Flycatcher. Knockman Wood, 2 Tree Pipit. Caerlaverock NNR, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Jack Snipe, 3 Sedge Warbler. Kingholm Quay to Keltonbank, White Wagtail & Common Sandpiper. Monday 6th; Isle of Whithorn, Great Skua offshore.
4 singing Willow Warbler at Barstobrick near Ringford. Willow tits seem very thin on the ground, I have been checking good habitat areas with little luck. Barry o'Dowd.
Birds in D&G need your help! Message from Andy Riches; Please find bulletin link to BTO surveys in D&G. Feel free to pass it on to anyone that you think might be interested. BTO Surveys : SPRING 2026 If you have any questions about BTO surveys, then do not hesitate to get in touch. Long link ; https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DLpfy8ibbz1ADI79tEs57oB48-Lle8M4/view?usp=drivesdk
35 storm blown Manx Shearwater off Isle of Whithorn. Jack Snipe seen by a few observers + House Martin & Whimbrel at RSPB Crook of Baldoon. 16 Whimbrel on the Nith from Kingholm Quay. Ring-billed Gull 29th March & 2 Med Gull at The Wig, Loch Ryan. Kittiwakes off the Mull. Little Owl at the Motte of Mark, Rockcliffe. Willow Warbler now reported from Loch Troon. Willow Tit at Bennan (Mossdale) & Castle Corner still. 2 Cetti's Warbler reported from the closed WWT Caerlaverock.
Great White Egret showed well from Meida Hide this afternoon, though soon moved around and in and out of sight. Green-winged Teal reported in the morning also. Gavin
Update published March 29th. https://awanderroundthewig.blogspot.com/2026/03/steady-blows-wind-and-rain-bird-report.html?m=1 Didn't I send this already???๐ค
RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Cattle Egret been relocated in fields on the right as you head to the reserve. East of the conifers. Ivan Lang . The Cackling Goose has also been found on the merse to the north of the Crook of Baldoon car park. Gavin Chambers .
Weather's brought a few more birds into garden. 2 Lssr Redpoll, prob 8 Tree Sp. now, surely 8 or more ea of Yellowhammer, Siskin & Goldfinch & a single Greenfinch which are infrequent. Usual others + GSW pair.
A bird reported with Greylags at Glenlochar, Loch Ken. In fields north of Glenlochar on west side of river/loch. It was directly opposite first group of houses once out of Glenlochar. Gavin.