We took a quick trip around the Nith this morning to Caerlaverock. Loads (maybe 10,000+) Barnacles on the reserve this morning - just about everywhere we looked really. Only 8 Whoopers seen - the warden told me that there were more but they appeared to have moved off, probably headed south.
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We headed back around the Nith and birded Southerness Point at high tide. Waders were everywhere at the point: 2000+ Oystercatchers, 250+ Knot, 600+ Redshanks, 50+ Turnstones and best of all at least a couple of Purple Sandpipers.
I could only manage this shakey shot of the "Purp" in the wind but hopefully we'll see more of this increasingly scarce wader over the next couple of weeks at the point.
As the waters covered the rocks I decided to scan the sea and immediately picked up a Great Northern Diver. Managed a record shot from the shelter of the lighthouse. It doesn't show the huge size so obvious in the field but the large bill and steep, angled forehead can be appreciated. Not much else here apart from a couple of Red-throated Divers and 3 Mergs.
We took a quick trip around the Nith this morning to Caerlaverock. Loads (maybe 10,000+) Barnacles on the reserve this morning - just about everywhere we looked really. Only 8 Whoopers seen - the warden told me that there were more but they appeared to have moved off, probably headed south..jpg)
We headed back around the Nith and birded Southerness Point at high tide. Waders were everywhere at the point: 2000+ Oystercatchers, 250+ Knot, 600+ Redshanks, 50+ Turnstones and best of all at least a couple of Purple Sandpipers.
I could only manage this shakey shot of the "Purp" in the wind but hopefully we'll see more of this increasingly scarce wader over the next couple of weeks at the point.
As the waters covered the rocks I decided to scan the sea and immediately picked up a Great Northern Diver. Managed a record shot from the shelter of the lighthouse. It doesn't show the huge size so obvious in the field but the large bill and steep, angled forehead can be appreciated. Not much else here apart from a couple of Red-throated Divers and 3 Mergs.
