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Isle of Whithorn

31st. Single Sandwich Tern at Isle of Whithorn harbour at lunchtime. No sign of Iceland Gull. Colin Kinnear. 

Osprey

Seen overflying Kirkconnel Flow yesterday 29th. Colin Kinnear. 

eBird

Some possibly interesting & certainly curious & if true, excellent sightings of noteworthy birds. For example on 10th March, there were 2 Pochard & 2 Great Northern Diver on Castle Loch, according to;  https://ebird.org/checklist/S164305293 PJ

The Machars

John Miles reports; Osprey Mochron Loch, female Hen Harrier Skata Moss, Red Kite Elrig and Merlin at Palmallet. All on 28th.

Bittern

Barry O'Dowd reports that yesterday 29th, a bird flew over Kirkcudbright at 6pm. 

Crossbills

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28th. Thanks to Robbie P, I stopped by Kirkconnell Flow & stumbled upon his reported flock. About 15 were in flight but they proved elusive, disappearing in the topmost foliage. Eventually I got a reasonable view of 1 male & a female or 2, but not for long! When on the forest edge, they would drop down for water. Located where the direct path into the merse turns into the wood, where the stump fence says no access due to peatland restoration. Map location ;  https://maps.app.goo.gl/RHkSkmQ6FciDw7mm6

Willow Warbler

One at Laurieston, on Wednesday , apparently. 

RND

Ring-necked Duck still present at Carlingwark Loch this morning on Lovers Walk/cemetery side. Great Crested Grebes showing well close to old boathouse too. Robbie Purdie. 

RND & Hooded Crow

27th. Ring-necked Duck again on Carlingwark Loch. Hooded Crow on the HT tideline at the Teapot Cafรฉ near Skyreburn, Gatehouse of Fleet. 

WWT Caerlaverock/Annan

28th.Scaup still present, either Whooper or Folly Pond no doubt. House Martin at Brydekirk, Annan.  

GWE

27th. Great White Egret seen flying "downriver" at Templand.

Ring-necked Duck

Drake back on Carlingwark Loch. 

Crossbills

Flock of 12 Crossbills At Kirkconnell Flow late morning. Heard on Saturday - spotted today. Robbie Purdie. 

WeBS : Carsethorn to Borron Pt

Late survey & done in a brief dry window, meaning rather rushed with the tidal state. Best birds were the usual 2 Whimbrel & 5 Scaup offshore, 4 drake + duck. Not much of not much. Farmers goose cannon may have been a factor ๐Ÿค”. Kirkhouse Fishery, Kirkbean - 3 maybe 4 Chiffchaff, ♀️ Goldeneye, Little Grebe, pair Reed Bunting. PJ

Stairhaven

26th. Late pm from the car-park: single Black-throated Diver & Long-tailed Duck, my first Gannet of the year, several Slav Grebes, Red-throated Divers, Razorbill & lots of Common Scoter & Red-breasted Mergansers. One Oystercatcher was the only wader! Nigel Willits. 

Loch Ryan & Stairhaven

26th. For those not using paid-for info services; Bishop Burn - 1st-winter Little Gull still. Also 330 Scaup, 30+ Slav Grebe, 4 Velvet Scoter off Marian Cottage. Offshore at Stairhaven, 1 Black-throated Diver. 

House Martin

26th. Single House Martin among the many Sand Martin over Carlingwark Loch. No sign of RND. Gavin Chambers. 

Southerness HT

26th. 2 Purple Sandpiper, & 40+ mostly ghostly Sanderling on the point rocks. Along shore & off 13th golf tee, another 3 Purple Sands, c6 Knot, 4 Little Egret & 2 slatey ♂️ & 1 buffy ♀️ Wheatear, 1 Rock Pipit. Pair Ringed Plover flight-displaying. A movement of medpips off the sea with a number along the beach. PJ

Carsethorn

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26th. 2 Whimbrel on the foreshore & 2 drake + ♀️ Scaup on the tideline a welcome surprise. PJ

Super-early arrivals??

I recently received these reports. Make of them what you will. Views welcome.  On 23rd, WWT reception said a visitor saw & heard a Redstart๐Ÿค”. On 24th, Mike Smith reported; "Black Loch (west of Clatteringshaws); First Cuckoo of the year seen sunning in a tree (seems early though, usually hear them a few days before getting first sighting). Chiffchaff has also arrived". 

Bishop Burn, Loch Ryan

25th. Apparently a 1st-winter Little Gull, Swallow, 4 Slav Grebe & 13 Lt Duck. 

RSPB Crook of Baldoon

25th. No sign of the Am Wigeon this afternoon but 2 Sand Martin over the Lagoon, unusually 4 Tufted Duck & a Wheatear on the entrance track. Ivan Lang. 

Kirkcudbright +

24th. 11 whooper swans Boreland of Borgue Kbt, chiffchaffs in Kbt and Anwoth, Green Woodpecker in Anwoth. Ian Bainbridge.

Iceland Gull

24th. Adult at Whithorn harbour again today. 

Search for the Golden Eagle

24th. After just shy of 200 miles including driving the roads of the Moffat & into the Borders Tweedsmuir Hills, not a single bird sighted. Beautiful scenery everywhere & the best bird was a Peregrine WNW of Bentpath on the B709. 

On tour

John Miles reports; 2 different Green Woodpeckers - 1 by Loch Kindar, Criffel on 22nd & 1 at Gallow Hill, Moffat today 24th March. Ring Ouzel & Wheatear along Moffat Water (NT 14575 10330) today as well. 

Into the West

24th. With the fair weather headed to Loch Ryan. First stop Bishop Burn but the wind made the viewing very difficult in the choppy conditions but there were a few Scaup & Eider visable. On to the Wig, most of the expected suspects but great to see Slav Grebe & Black Guillemot in summer plumage. Highlight was a Black-throated Diver off Cairnryan. On to Corsewell Point. A slow stream of Gannet out to sea. A single Kittiwake being harassed by the local gulls. Guillemots & Razorbills on the sea were briefly joined by a single early Puffin. Ivan Lang.

Mein Water

24th. 3 Green Sandpiper & Common Sandpiper remain (surprisingly good views given the footfall here this morning). Kingfisher also worth a mention. Bill Jamieson. 

Hen Harrier

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23rd. Best pic my brother captured of the bird over Folly Pond today. 

WWT Caerlaverock

23rd. 1st-winter/2cy Greater Scaup on Folly Pond snoozing on southern shore & obscured by grassy promontory. Displaced from Whooper Pond by site works. Also seen were a ringtail HH over Folly Pond giving a great display at close range. No GW Teal nor Ruff found. 2 drake Pintail. Still good nmbr of Whooper on site. Chiffchaff along Avenue track. 3 Stonechat, pair & ♂️ - pair from Avenue Tower hide + 2 Skylark. PJ

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