A day out to Wigtownshire - Didn't find the Taiga (Tundra?) Bean geese reported yesterday but good haul of geese (Brent, White-front, PF, Barnacle and Greylag). Divers, Great Northern and Red-necked spotted despite high waves on Loch Ryan. Long-tailed Duck delighted to see as always. Robbie Purdie, Colin Kinnear & Chris Baines.

2 Tundra Bean Geese, 2 Russian White-fronted Geese still in field by Mosscroft Farm, West Freugh. 

Female (Ed. Or 1st-winter male?) Black Redstart in boulders above strand line in front of Laigh Street, Port Logan. Lawrence Gray.

2 Tundra Bean Geese, 1 Russian White-front, 76 Greenland White-front, Pinks and Greylags in field by Mosscroft Farm, West Freugh. Gavin Chambers. 

Goes without reporting I guess, that there's Black Guillemot, Slav Grebe, GC Grebe, Eider et al to be enjoyed there.

A Greenshank & 2 Red-throated Diver reported by Philip Gilbert.

Chris Baines has again seen the resident Willow Tit & flushed a Jack Snipe there. Lucky CB 😊👍!

Did the full circuit walk & extra stretch to the Southwick Burn. Waters virtually 100% frozen. Duck moved into the creeks etc so virtually nothing to see. However, 2 Water Rail were out on the ice to the west side of the Meida Hide boardwalk giving great views. A dozen+ Redwing & a few Fieldfare in fields beyond the no access gate there. Pair of Reed Bunting in reeds adjacent Southwick Burn on the SWT reserve plus several Twite. At least 3 Stonechat, 3 Rock & 1 Meadow Pipit, 6+ Twite were along the beach. Plenty of ice too. Whilst finishing off a coffee & crisps at the visitor centre, a fine male Hen Harrier drifted west just beyond the frozen waters at 4pm.

8 Whooper Swans with 2 Mutes in second field on the right behind the shed on the road to Crook of Baldoon. Also Yellowhammer with Chaffinch Flock, 6 Snipe on Inks (plural for low-lying, marshy riverbank meadows) with an accompanying Twite. Catherine McEwan.

Double-glazed filtered garden visitor 😳

Bird found between Rigg Bay & Garlieston. Do we have 2 in the region? Same location as a previous sighting...

Red headed Smew still present Carlingwark Loch but elusive. Ivan Lang. 

The Black Redstart was at Mersehead again this afternoon. I also saw a Merlin skimming past the farm buildings. And a Red Kite over the wetlands between the hides. Stuart Housden. Today at RSPB Mersehead c1230pm. Near the "coaches" sign & by the excavator. PJ. Images © Pete Jeavons

Stuart Housden has seen c30 Scaup; "About 1km west of Portling. 3 more nearer Castle Point." Also 2 Rock Pipit Portling.

Redhead Smew still on Carlingwark Loch. Black Redstart going anti-clockwise around the farm building adjacent to the Sulwath Centre at RSPB Mersehead. Bird gave great views once I'd refound it. I first saw it briefly by the "coaches" sign before it flew up & over the roof. Great start to 2026! 😊👍 Image courtesy & © Dave Curley.

Happy New Year Everyone! A big thank you to everyone who has been submitting bird records to various sources throughout 2025.  Looking at BirdTrack data entered currently (easiest source for me to check quickly), there has been "231 species from 91559 records, 2416 complete lists, 3006 places". Note that this includes various hybrids and unknown gull/waders etc as different species. For the 2025 Bird Report, we will start downloading data from the various sources (BirdTrack, eBird, iRecord/iNaturalist) from the 31st January 2026, so please enter your remaining data before then if you'd like them to be considered for the bird report. Any data submitted after download is still important and we'd encourage any data (whether 2025 or older) to be entered. If you have any questions with regards data, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us via our recorder email found here:  https://www.the-soc.org.uk/pages/local-recorders-network-area/dumfries-and-galloway ...

3 ♀️ Scaup & single Greenshank hanging around the Carse Pow inlet low tide.

Rogun Wolhuter has seen a Kingfisher at the caul as well as the usual waterbirds there, inc Grey Wagtail.

FYI the November update was issued on Dec 21st. https://awanderroundthewig.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-gift-of-birds-report-for-november.html?m=1

Steven Cooper has got a Marsh Tit coming to his garden feeders at Langholm. Single Brambling too. Very good news 😊👍. Lucky Steven! Images © Steven Cooper. Question is, how do we explain the pale wing panel if it's a Marsh? The tail end is obviously forked, a Willow feature.  Other features do indicate Marsh. Lack of an obvious bull-neck (though I think there's a partial bull), blending cheek into breast. Is it possibly a hybrid?  Are the pale wing panels an aberrant Marsh feature? Responses received say that the guide books aren't reliable & Willow features, in particular pale wing panels are NOT exclusive to the Willow. Other features suggesting Willow are also considered variable, so given the overall elements for ID, MARSH TIT is what it's considered to be.