Skip to main content

Posts

Crossbills

4 flocks of Crossbill, 60+ gathered together in trees by the boardwalk at Kirkconnell Flow 1.45pm. Robbie Purdie. 

Swift

At Corsewall Point around the lighthouse today. 

RSPB Wood of Cree

Image
A pleasant afternoon out in the long awaited spring sunshine. First call a gentle stroll around the trails from the main CP. A good selection of warblers including Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Garden Warbler & Wood Warbler. Single singing Pied Flycatcher & Redstart, with fly-over Common Crossbill & Tree Pipit. A stop at Barclye CP & a walk up towards the small farm with good views of both Redstart & Tree Pipit. But the highlight was a Grasshopper Warbler in the rushes which after a 20 min patient wait, kindly sat up onto a fence post & sang it's heart out. Ivan Lang.

Wigtown Hide

Popped down this evening to the hide after the report of a Garganey this afternoon. Spent an hour or so with no sign of the bird. However, a surprise was 3 Pochard, 2♂️ 1♀️. Popped over to the reedbed there & heard a couple of Reed Warbler. On the way back to the town a quick look across the lagoon back towards the hide & saw the male Garganey fly across the lagoon & landed in open water, giving excellent views. Also, a Common Whitethroat was singing close by. Ivan Lang. 

Cardoness & Wigtown LNR

Cardoness - 3 Lesser Whitethroat singing, Sandwich Terns on the shore, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff. Ian Bainbridge. Wigtown LNR - ♂️Garganey on the lagoon north of car park.

Marsh Harrier

Rumour of a MH at the marsh of RSPB Ken-Dee, which pig farmer corroborated as turning up on the 25th April every year, since he's been there I guess. PJ

RSPB Mersehead

Pr Marsh Harriers at the old hide (Ed. Meida?). Male carrying food or nest material to the female. 2 Leucistic Barnacles in the flock still there on the Merse. Speckled Wood and Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies. Also dreaded Mink seen! Anna White. 

Cold Comfort

Mabie Forest - brief view of Wood Warbler high in the canopy in usual place I see them there. No song. Then sleet! The Hills Wood - I think 2 singing ♂️Pied Flycatcher above the car park, 1 seen later with ♀️ off path above cp. Also ♂️♀️Blackcap. The Nith - 2♂️ LRP facing off, 1 flew east 1515hrs. Also 4 squabbling Common Sandpiper. Territory is everything! Castle Loch - brief visit, all waterbirds bar Swans & Mallard gone. PJ

Redstart

Woodcockair, Hoddom. Redstart remains, still playing hard to get though, but after a bit of persistence managed to get a sighting with my bins. A lot of Nuthatch and Tree Creeper activity in here also. Bill Jamieson. 

Wanderings around Laurieston & Loch Ken

Cuckoo calling in Grobdale area. Many Red Kite. Green Woodpecker calling in Retreat Wood. Willow Tit south of the kennels on way to RSPB Ken-Dee here; https://maps.app.goo.gl/oD2u9gjo8k6fCQzeA . No Willow Tit on RSPB Ken-Dee reserve, 4 singing Pied Flycatcher but no Redstart & seemingly a dearth of birds. No Wood nor Garden Warbler, certainly not singing but a possible sighting of GW. Pig family breakout & on the loose & met the farmer on their trail. PJ

Golden Plover

Stunning views of 22 Golden Plover at Corsewall Lighthouse yesterday and 1000 flying around like Starlings. Anna White. 

Southerness

Image
Afternoon ebb tide. 29 Sandwich Tern on rocks. Flock c30-40 Knot hidden on sunny side of Point rocks + 2 Whimbrel. About 4 more Whimbrel along shore towards 13th golf tee HT roost. 1 Purple Sandpiper found & 2 fine ♂️Wheatear around 13th tee, one quite pale throated. 5 large late winter grey plum Dunlin caused me ID difficulties! PJ

Richards Pipit

Seen east of the Wigtown LNR bird hide, as well as reported 65 White Wagtail. Quite a number! 

WeBS Carsethorn to Borron Pt

Late survey indeed. Most regulars & winter visitors moved out but still a few. Passage of Whimbrel with c20 today. Also a low-flying fem Merlin collecting together what few small waders were present. Quite handy when it comes to counting! PJ

RSPB Crook of Baldoon

Early morning survey revealed a Grasshopper Warbler, female Pied Flycatcher and a couple of Swallow but little else. Ivan Lang.

Wood Warbler

First Wood Warbler of the year singing along the roadside at the Wood of Cree this afternoon, also my first Cuckoo heard distantly. Gavin Chambers.

RSPB Crook of Baldoon

2 Swift west over the lagoon south of Car Park this morning. A Common Sandpiper on the lagoon north of cp around lunch but moved onto the merse pm. A few White Wagtails around & later a summer plum Black-tailed Godwit present on the Lagoon to N of CP. Ivan Lang. 

Migrants

Yesterday 20th, the Kingholm Quay birder saw 2 Common Whitethroat nearby. Today, a Garden Warbler's shown at WWT Caerlaverock. To find out, you just have to pay RBA et al money ๐Ÿ’ท 

Cuckoo

Cuckoo calling at Kirkconnell Flow. Robbie Purdie. 

Pochard

A single male Pochard on SW corner of Milton Loch at 3 30pm. Anna White. 

Re possible Brent Goose on Swans nest at Carlingwark Loch

Message for Barbara Williams.  Thanks for the report; " Carlingwark Loch. We are not experts but there is what appears to be a Brent Goose at last years swans nest at the bridge at The Buchanan. Will try to get a photo ." Please do get a photo & submit. However, I think it's most likely to be a Canada Goose ๐Ÿ˜Š. 

Leadhills to Elvanfoot - B7040

Report from John Miles; "A day for raptors covering the B7040 with several stops to scan. Total count was 21 sightings of Buzzard, 14 for Raven, Biggest surprise was 11 for Red Kite, 2 Hen Harriers, Merlin, possible Peregrine with 2 that got away. Other birds were breeding/territory Common Gulls, Ring Ouzel, Wheatear, Curlew, Oystercatcher & Lapwing. Of course the (Borders) boundary is just above Leadhills but most birds were moving, so there could have been double counting, just like sea-watching. No big birds but a Shepherd claimed birds seen last year. The sad news was more conifer planting to happen in good raptor areas of & loss of heather by over-grazing. 

Balcary Heughs

Highlights today were Sandwich Terns, Fulmars, Razorbills, Kestrel pair, and a Red-throated Diver. Robbie Purdie. 

Out in the West - Greenland Wheatear

With the weather finally changed for the better headed to Loch Ryan & Corsewell Point. With a mill pond sea at Bishop Burn the birding was excellent with the highlight a group of 12 Long-tailed Duck in resplendent summer plumage. All 3 divers present, 2 Slavonian Grebes in summer attire, over 100 Common Scoter & 40 Scaup. The Wig, very quiet, but 3 Black Guillemot, nice group of 6 LTD & a BTD. Then a relaxing few hours at Corsewell Point but there was not much moving 27 Manx Shearwaters were great to see, some sat on the sea, a single Puffin, 4 Black Guillemot, a fly past BTD, a few Sandwich Tern. Offshore 4 GND one in summer plumage. On the land several Swallow & a single House Martin, a couple of Wheatear & a Greenland Wheatear. Ivan Lang. 

Cuckoo

Cuckoo near Muil Farm road end above Glenkiln. Anna White. 

Grasshopper Warbler

"Back at Eastriggs depot. Just through the gate and in the bushes on the left. 2 Whimbrel at Browhouses around 7am….tide right out." Ian Irving. 

Birdwatching Sites 
Tap or click here to reveal interactive map