Ken - Dee Marshes RSPB, Loch Ken May 2008 - Grim!
Mennock - Wanlockhead road, May 2008 - Not so grim!Our latest trip to D&G started very poorly indeed. Damp and grey weather did not fill us with much entusiasm as we headed north but we decided on a quick stop in at Caerlaverock WWT because we alway do that don't we? No - see later! Anyway, we did just that on the way up and saw very little although I can remember commenting how the Folly Pond "looked good to turn something up". We popped in at Mersehead too as there had been Spoonbills the day before. They hadn't come back of course but you gotta look haven't you?
Anyway, 28 May was horrible and after a morning working we headed out to Loch Ken for the afternoon. Not much here in the grim conditions either although a Pied Fly' did attempt a song briefly.
Castle Loch. Next day we returned to the Wanlockhead area and explored a different bit of moorland and struck gold at Mennock Water with a cracking male Ring Ouzel. Seemingly pretty rare up here (not reported the last couple of years in D&G except on passage), we were well pleased with this and the Whinchats, Wheatears, etc seen in the uplands. We explored a little more (Redstarts), before dropping in at Castle Loch (4 Ringed Plovers) and endimng up at Newbie. The SW wind produced 13 Kittiwakes and 11 Common Scoters but it seems we've had the skua passage now.
After a bit of nocturnal birding fun in the field the previous night we had a later start after rain on the morning of 30th. Lucky we did as we bumped into a Turtle Dove near our caravan at Southerness Point! After all the excitement we drove into New Abbey for a pub lunch and a stroll around Loch Kindar. Green Woodpecker and Willow Tit were heard here but best of all we had a tight flock of Crossbills there too. A reasonable day without going far at all.
Caerlaverock WWT - the scene of the 'crime'.
So all went well then? Saturday 31st saw us scratching round Mersehead RSPB in the morning (couple of Reed Warblers and a Garden Warbler) before heading off home. We took our usual route around the Nith and called in at Powfoot, Seafield and Browhouses. Not much about - best being an unseasonal Whooper Swan at Browhouses. So we headed off home ...........
Mrs B passes out as the news of "Red-necked Phal' showing well all afternoon ........." breaks.
So it was just a little annoying that news of a female (yes, a female) Red-necked Phalarope at Caerlaverock was released at near 9PM. Showing well all afternoon apparently ..................... Ho hum.
D&G 2008 stands at 175.
