Brambling hunt around New Abbey to Loch Arthur was negative. LA virtually birdless apart from 2♂️ Goosander, half dozen Mallard & 4 Teal. Hawfinch hunt around Kirkconnell House grounds also negative. Couple of Red Kite circling over. Kirkconnell Flow pair of Stonechat, 1 Reed Bunting & lots of winter thrushes in the wider area. Southerness Point had c30 Knot, a few Dunlin, 2 Little Egret, Heron & usual others, inc tame Jackdaw climbing scope tripod but didn't find a Purple Sandpiper. Gillfoot Bay had several Bar-tailed Godwit, possibly up to 20, c500 Golden Plover, several Grey Plover & usual others. Grey Squirrel seen off back road from New Abbey to Kirkconnell House😱. PJ

5 Waxwing flew south over RSPB Barclye this morning. Gavin Chambers. 

2 on River Annan between Hoddom Bridge and golf course, with a single bird sighted further upstream near Water of Milk, possibly one of the same two. Bill Jamieson.

Frozen ponds bringing Water Rail out. Seen skulking around bird feeders near Back Pond Hide. Robbie Purdie.

No Bittern for me today but Otter in Vendace Bay 14:30 made up for it 😊👍. Also a Red Fox, which a large gathered flotilla of mainly Mallard were shadowing as the fox walked the southern edge of the main loch. Most curious behaviour. Keep your eye on the danger I guess! Slavonian Grebe & GWE still present at 15:30 + Little Egret. PJ

1 Slav Grebe bowling green end still. Avoiding fishermens boats perhaps. Great White Egret still on southern fringe & Water Rail briefly flew across my position to disappear into the reedbed to my right. 😊 PJ

28th. Great White Egret still from Saltcot Observatory Tower hide. Via BirdGuides.

The feedback I got from Su Delve, on the ABA Fb page agrees with your assessment. "It is indeed a Common Sandpiper. Although a long-distance migrant there seems to be a few that hang around for most, if not all, the winter and - not surprisingly - it's becoming more frequently recorded. I agree there is a real chance of this being a vagrant Spotted Sandpiper, but the tail is the length I would expect of Common (longer than on Spotted), and heavily marked tertials" > On 28 Nov 2023, at 14:23, PJ wrote: > I've enhanced Robs image just on my phone, which seems to have revealed more information. That tail projection seems too long & wing covert markings not contrasty enough for spotted. Very interesting nonetheless. P. Found just a few metres north of the point where the shore path turns inland into Corsewall Farm and estate. Rob Wadsworth. 

I'm not very familiar with Common Sandpipers but isn't this a bit late for one at Loch Ryan? Rob Wadsworth. Ed. You're quite correct. It's not a Spotted Sandpiper is it?! I haven't checked the photo at time of writing ... 

27th. Trip down to Wigtown today to see the Cattle Egret. We located the bird in the field on the left going down Station Lane with the sheep. Apparently images of a Velvet Scoter on RBA yesterday at Loch Ryan, so well looking out for if you are down that way. Chris & Pat Baines.

RSPB Crook of Baldoon. 15:00 Cattle Egret just flown from favoured field over reserve eastward towards bay. 15:42 update; Cattle Egret on saltmarsh north of car park. Ivan Lang.

9 birds seen in Princes St, Lochmaben around midday. Via BirdGuides.

Cattle Egret still present in fields south of Station Road Wigtown. See screenshot for location. Flew in at 08.20 left 08.35 to east but will probably return. Ivan Lang. Ed. Many thanks again to Ivan for keeping us so well informed 👍. 

2 ♂️ Hen Harrier & Great White Egret from Saltcot Observatory Tower hide this pm. Via BirdGuides.

Wigtown. One in field off T-junction with Harbour Road. Via BirdGuides. See; https://goo.gl/maps/GYKnxLMB6c3WGDRP8

Red-necked Grebe still at Talkin Tarn near Brampton & ♀️ Ring-necked Duck at Longtown pools but which pool isn't given, though probably next to the A6071.

Short stop. Didn't hear a Cetti's Warbler from Meida Hide & encountered nothing unusual. Had to steer a Goldcrest out of a window which seems to have got itself trapped inside the hide! PJ

c100 Pale-bellied Brent Geese Loch Ryan ; 60+ Waxwing Dock Park Dumfries ; 1 Slavonian Grebe at Castle Loch from bowling green end. Via BirdGuides.

Still present Dock Park Dumfries this morning at least 54. Ivan Lang.

About 180 Pale-bellied Brent's at the south-eastern corner of Loch Ryan this afternoon. Nigel Willits. 

21st. Auchenreoch Loch; 42 Goosanders, 12 Goldeneye, 11 Wigeon, 17 Tufted Duck, 11 Little Grebe & 6 Long-tailed Tits near café. Townhead of Greenlaw; Several Tree Sparrows coming to feeders & Nuthatch. Milton Loch; small numbers of Goldeneye & Coots. Chris & Pat Baines.

Cetti's Warbler heard calling from Meida Hide, Mersehead RSPB this evening. Paul Massey.

Hooded Crow on lamp post opposite Dumfries Caravan Centre & 28 Waxwings in top of trees on Dock Park car park before they flew off NE. Paul Massey.

This morning (21st), 2 parties of Mute Swans, the breeders, 2 adults and 3 cygnets, plus another pair with 1 cygnet. In the garden, 6 Tree Sparrows on seed feeder on the last 4 days, Gatehouse of Fleet. David Hawker. 

21st. Ornockenoch Loch: 6 Whoopers with the 21 Mutes, 62 Wigeon and a rare Coot. Cally Lake: 100 Wigeon, 25 Gadwall, 28 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 15 Tufties. Bush Loch: 10 Gadwall, 35 Wigeon. Newton Loch: 2 Goosander, 2 Goldeneye, 30 Mallard. Ian Bainbridge.

Enjoyably found 2 Whimbrel, of course! Also, 1 ♀ type Common Scoter, several Bar-tailed Godwit, c20 Grey Plover & 1 Red-throated Diver perhaps the best of the bunch in disturbance-free, calm weather conditions. A miracle! PJ