Went to see both Osprey nests & birds today. I was clearly unaware that a second nest site had been built downriver, viewable from the Steppingstones Hide. And much closer viewing of the birds too, so great! Summer warblers in occasional song but hard to see. Best was 3 Spotted Flycatcher along the railway walk to the Lamb Island Hide. No miracle Black Reds I'm sorry to report. Peregrine in the air around the castle, which is open to visitors again.

Spotted Flycatcher at dead the tall bleached trees LHS as approach Meida Hide. Cetti’s Warbler loud and proud too. Robbie Purdie.

2 Ruff at RSPB Mersehead reported Sunday 24th. 2 Dipper & 2 Kingfisher at New Bridge near Cluden Water, SW of Holyrood. A Green Woodpecker, 3 Wood Warbler & 2 Tree Pipit at Mabie Forest. Osprey over Loch Ken. Redstart & Lesser Whitethroat at Threave NTS by the river which I'm sceptical about, but that's me. A Great White Egret near Steppingstones Hide there. 

23rd. Jürgen Zapp has reported 2 from the Lamb Island hide at Threave NTS. Is it at all possible? One would be hard to believe but 2?? At Threave??? " I have looked through my D&G Bird Reports and have found three previous May and early June, records of Black Redstart dating back to 1991. There will probably be others too. They were from Caerlaverock in 1994, Mull of Galloway, 2006 and Port William, 2011.   Most records are from October to March backing up its status as a winter visitor in the region especially in Wigtownshire and western Stewartry. I had one in my garden in Glencaple in 1977 probably attracted to the numerous caterpillars eating my broccoli plants but that would have been a bit later in the summer. I think that they still breed in southern England so it isn't surprising that an occasional summer vagrant turns up here. Best wishes, Duncan (Irving) "

https://search.app/?link=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c87qqg7jg9lo&utm_source=dsdf,agadiscoversdl,,sh/x/discover/m1/4&utm_campaign=share-sdl-aga-discover Breeding season bans required & it's decades overdue. Ground nesting birds are at the mercy of an out-of-control human population & associated development crisis. Assertiveness by the wildlife organisations has long been necessary in putting wildlife FIRST, & human recreational interests secondary & subordinate. Necessary, in an increasingly over-populated world which our "leaders" blindly purport & promote is the way forward. Bunch of idiots all. 

23rd. Stephen Parker reported ; A walk around the Glenkiln area at 6:30am. Cuckoo, Stonechat, Whinchat, Meadow Pipit, Siskin, Redpoll, Skylark, Red Kite, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Black Swan. Best of all, I had the place to myself. Ed. Joy indeed 👍

Gropper singing in the reeds at Wigtown Wetlands. Ivan Lang. 

10 Pink-footed Geese flown east over RSPB Mersehead this morning, 8 Little Egret on wetland and Cetti's singing around Meida Hide. Gavin. 

Quail singing somewhere in the southern fields early this morning on BBS at the Crook. Ivan Lang. 

21st. 150 Manx Shearwater past Isle of Whithorn. 2 Osprey at Loch Kindar. 10 PFG still from Wigtown Harbour hide. There's a rumour that Graham Parker saw a Swift over Carsphairn 😉. A Sandwich Tern was at Chapel Finian.

Unconfirmed report yesterday of a bird off Whitesands on the Nith, Dumfries. Locals may wish to check it out ASAP?

Anyone interested in getting involved more with raptor monitoring may well be interested in the latest SRMS NEWSLETTER published April 2026. See here;  https://raptormonitoring.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Issue_32_April2026-1.pdf

2 pair of Osprey now gracing Threave NTS. A must-see for all! 6 Common Tern at the Crook of Baldoon (hopefully NOT the decoys in place to attract them!). Wood & Garden Warbler, Pied & Spotted Flycatcher at RSPB Wood of Cree. Redstart & Spotted Flycatcher at Buckland Burn. Wood & Garden Warbler & Spotted Flycatcher near Loch Trool, Galloway Forest.

A bird flew past the Isle of Whithorn sometime today.

17th. Mark Humpheys reports; Golden Eagle soaring above Barrhill Woods and High Kirkland, Kirkcudbright.

13th-16th. Up to 18 Sandwich Tern at Portpatrick. Rock Pipit, Fulmar & Black Guillemot also. RTD & Eider in Lady Bay, Loch Ryan. RTD & 3 GND off Corsewall Pt. 2 Sanderling at The Wig perhaps unusual. Redstart & Grey Wagtail at Buckland Burn. Redstart, Pied Flycatcher & Wood Warbler at RSPB Wood of Cree. Marsh Harrier & Cetti's Warbler at RSPB Mersehead.

A bird overflying RSPB Crook of Baldoon this morning. Ivan Lang. 

Green woodpecker seen and heard on 2 occasions over last week at Glen Trool. Jim MacKenzie.

Little Stint is back on north flash this morning, RSPB Crook of Baldoon. Ivan Lang.

13th. A day dominated by a strong movement of Swift with over 30 observed moving north over the Crook. Ivan Lang.