We left Mersehead intending to take a tour around the Wigtown area this morning. By the time we arrived at Wigtown the weather had turned to overcast with showers. After a quick coffee and cake in the "Book Town" (Wigtown is renowned for its book shops) drizzle had set in. We drove down to the Martyr's Stake car park and began walking to the Wigtown Bay LNR hide in the rain. Very little from the hide - 50+ Teal and half a dozen Snipe - but it made a good shelter to scoff our packed lunch. On the way back to the car we saw a Kingfisher in one of the ditches but no sign of any Whoopers or Pink-feet.
It looked like a day's touring in the car due to the heavy rain so we set off towards the Isle of Whithorn. A Scaup on a pond at Palmallet and a few Ravens were the only noteworthy birds until we arrived at Whithorn where there were plenty of Shags, some Common Scoters offshore and a pair of Peregrines that spooked a load of Rock Pipits. We drove to Luce Bay and the weather began to improve as we checked the gulls on the shore. By the time we reached the Cock Inn at the west end of Luce Bay the sun was shining and it was a beautiful autumn afternoon so we decided to head for Loch Ryan, hoping to see the Med' Gull that had been around recently. On arrival at the Loch we scanned the Loch in the late afternoon sunshine: 300+ Wigeon, 20+ Scaup, 20+ Mergs, several Slav' Grebes and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose (top image). No sign of any Med's so we headed towards Bishop's Burn.
After a while at Bishop's Burn I found the first-winter Med Gull bathing with BHG's, Angie counted 22 Scaup and the goose had joined the gulls. The Med' finally came onto the shore where it was a little easier to photograph and we spent some time watching it until hunger set in.
We headed into Stranraer for two take-away fish suppers, returning to the Burn to eat as I watched over the gulls. Suddenly there was a flash of white wings on the shore and this stunning adult Med' Gull came into bathe and preen. Adult Med' Gull is one of my favourite birds and it was a real pleasure to see this and a fitting end to a fine afternoon on the Loch. We didn't have much time at Loch Ryan so Black Guillemots, Long-tailed Ducks, etc will just have to wait a while .......
PS. We saw the Barn Owl back at Southerness on the way home too.....
We left Mersehead intending to take a tour around the Wigtown area this morning. By the time we arrived at Wigtown the weather had turned to overcast with showers. After a quick coffee and cake in the "Book Town" (Wigtown is renowned for its book shops) drizzle had set in. We drove down to the Martyr's Stake car park and began walking to the Wigtown Bay LNR hide in the rain. Very little from the hide - 50+ Teal and half a dozen Snipe - but it made a good shelter to scoff our packed lunch. On the way back to the car we saw a Kingfisher in one of the ditches but no sign of any Whoopers or Pink-feet.
It looked like a day's touring in the car due to the heavy rain so we set off towards the Isle of Whithorn. A Scaup on a pond at Palmallet and a few Ravens were the only noteworthy birds until we arrived at Whithorn where there were plenty of Shags, some Common Scoters offshore and a pair of Peregrines that spooked a load of Rock Pipits. We drove to Luce Bay and the weather began to improve as we checked the gulls on the shore. By the time we reached the Cock Inn at the west end of Luce Bay the sun was shining and it was a beautiful autumn afternoon so we decided to head for Loch Ryan, hoping to see the Med' Gull that had been around recently. On arrival at the Loch we scanned the Loch in the late afternoon sunshine: 300+ Wigeon, 20+ Scaup, 20+ Mergs, several Slav' Grebes and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose (top image). No sign of any Med's so we headed towards Bishop's Burn.
After a while at Bishop's Burn I found the first-winter Med Gull bathing with BHG's, Angie counted 22 Scaup and the goose had joined the gulls. The Med' finally came onto the shore where it was a little easier to photograph and we spent some time watching it until hunger set in.
We headed into Stranraer for two take-away fish suppers, returning to the Burn to eat as I watched over the gulls. Suddenly there was a flash of white wings on the shore and this stunning adult Med' Gull came into bathe and preen. Adult Med' Gull is one of my favourite birds and it was a real pleasure to see this and a fitting end to a fine afternoon on the Loch. We didn't have much time at Loch Ryan so Black Guillemots, Long-tailed Ducks, etc will just have to wait a while .......
PS. We saw the Barn Owl back at Southerness on the way home too.....
