I've some mixed feeling about "Country Sports" but blood-sport it should be correctly accredited to be. I can understand shooting pigeons and corvids, given the majority of landscape just so happens to benefit them, but some duck and goose, and woodcock and snipe, certainly NOT. Rough Shooting – Galloway Country Sports [ https://gallowaycountrysports.co.uk/rough-shooting/ ]. Is this activity allowed on the Carse Bay merse north of Carse Pow? Isn't that area the SWT reserve of Drummains Reedbed? So do SWT allow it or do they have no say in this inappropriate activity for the location (IMO)? PJ

Large number of waders today & virtually no gulls. Usual Whimbrel, c500-1000 Dunlin, c500 Knot several Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Grey Plover, c15 Snipe. Carse Bay. Wandered to the bench at Carse Pow. No Shorelark or Snow Bunting! Fabulous male Merlin failing to catch a wader, 1 Greenshank, Peregrine over back fields, GC Grebe, plenty Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, couple of RBM, maybe up to 1000 Dunlin & probably a few Twite seen.

A bird reported at Lochar Water, Brow Well today. A Peregrine was at Southerness yesterday per Rosie Filipiak.

Checked through the flock of Teal between Garlieston and Rigg Bay but no sign of the GWT. Nice to see fly by Med Gull and hunting Merlin. Ivan Lang. 

22nd. Rosie Holdsworth reports; "Male Hen Harrier quartering over the marshes, viewed for approx. 10 minutes".

Forgot to mention 3 Purple Sandpipers at Southerness Point yesterday 22nd midday. Initially to the east of lighthouse before moving west. Gavin.

Green-winged Teal found in Rigg Bay, Garlieston this pm.

Today. Returning ♀ Blackcap. 

Hooded Crow on lampost at junc with Brownrigg Loaning today at 1050. Lorna Lomas.

A bird has been recently reported in the broad area linked. The Raiders Road is closed for the winter, not reopening until Easter 2026. Viewing is only possible by walking along the old railway track walk, passing Stroan Loch. Attempted to find the bird with Robbie P & Chris B today, but no bird found in the clear sunny conditions. Stonechats, Buzzard, a few Reed Bunting & a flock of Fieldfare being the few birds seen. General area of Airie Burn.  https://maps.app.goo.gl/wzPuhhuimfpAnGaVA

Report of a bird in voice at Castle Loch, Lochmaben. Heard on the western side of the loch.

3x 1st-winters still on town end of Carlingwark Loch. Drake Aythya hybrid on Auchenreoch Loch.

Singing Cetti's Warbler from Meida Hide, plus Water Rail, 2 leucistic Barnacle Geese & c.15k Starlings in to roost. Paul Massey.

1st-winter Scaup on Auchenreoch Loch, plus 2 drake Aythya hybrids, 35 Goosander & 16 Little Grebe. Nearby, 108 Coot on Milton Loch. Paul Massey.

A lovely winter's day at the Crook with 9 spp of raptors with 3 Hen Harrier, SEO, 2 Merlin, Barn Owl, Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Kestrel, 3 Red Kite and Peregrine. Ivan Lang. 

Green Sandpiper (2), Common Sandpiper (1), wintering for the third successive year. Great White Egret (1), a first for this route, large numbers of Fieldfares, with only 2/3 Redwing mixed with them, but the surprise was a remaining Chiffchaff at Upper Brydekirk. Bill Jamieson.

Flock of finches with Brambling Lochfoot to Lochanhead Road. Anna White. 

Well, if there's no black showing on the brown cap still coming to the Mainsriddle garden, we must have a wintering female taking the apples. PJ.  The male in our garden in Glencaple showed briefly on the 12th. I didn't post the information as it didn't stay for long enough for anyone else to see it. This definitely confirms that is is a wintering bird. Best wishes, Duncan Irving. 

Despite early report this morning, it's not been found 10am+.

Found again on the beach at RSPB Mersehead this morning.