SOLWAY: 17th - 19th October 2008.

Oh come on now, turn around!

I drove up to the Inner Solway on 17th stopping as usual on the shore at Lochmaben Stone and Redkirk Point. More birds there than ever this morning, shame many were just a little too far off. Plenty of Barnacles commuting from Rockliffe on the English side, 200+ Pink-feet (soon departing for their feeding ground to the east), several hundred Golden Plover, a good flock of 120+ Dunlin plus the usual Lapwing and single Little Grebe. A few Knot were out on the salt marsh but quality was provided by a pair of Ruff, single Curlew Sandpiper and a juv' Little Stint.

Mersehead RSPB, Dumfries & Galloway, October 2008.

Moving west Browhouses turned up little of note as the tide came in and a busy flock of Long-tailed Tits were accompanied by a couple of Goldcrests. I'm checking these for Yellow-browed Warblers - one day .......

The wader roost at Newbie was very disappointing with just a single Dunlin in with the 35 Ringed Plovers. Still a few Swallows around here, 2 Scaup flew east and 35+ Wigeon between Barnkirk Point and Annan.

Beach at Mersehead: Should have Snow Bunt's shouldn't it? It didn't.

18th October started wet and blustery so I opted for a drive down to Southerness Point and a bit of birding from the shelter of the car. Usual suspects at the point, but impressive numbers nevertheless: 500+ Oystercatchers, 300 Knot, 50+ Bar-tailed Godwits plus single Grey Plover and Whimbrel. Nothing on the move overhead but a few Rock Pipits flitting around near the lighthouse. Just inland I found a nice adult Med' Gull in a field with BHG's, so there are two Med's around as last weekend's bird was a first winter. Couldn't see if this one had a ring as like all the other gulls, it hankered down sheltering from the rain. At around 10 AM the rain stopped and the sun came out as I was checking Barnies just inland from the point. As if by magic 15 Redwings shot over. They must've been waiting for a spot of decent weather to move on.

Red Admiral, Mersehead RSPB 18 October 2008.

With clearer skies I decided that a walk was in order and headed to Mersehead. At least I can usually rely on a good walk uninterrupted by birds here! Not so. The expected large flocks of Barnies were pretty flighty but at least 30 Redwings were in the bushes on the way down to the beach. Stonechat, Goldfinch, Linnets and Yellowhammers kept me on my toes in hope of something better until I reached the beach. My dreams turned to Snow Bunting here but again no joy. Red Admirals were taking the last of the morning's sun, Water Rails squealed from the reeds and a male Merlin dashed over the wetland. I even managed the customary Hen Harrier dip as well. Two Common Redpolls in with Reed Buntings, Yellowhammers and Linnets in the track-side hedgerows were nice. Bit larger than Lessers, whiter, more obvious wing bars and a whitish patch at the top of the rump with little streaks all noted. They both flew off to the south after showing well for 10 minutes or so.



I noticed the tide was well up as I scoffed my sandwich for lunch in the caravan. About 80 Turnstones were congregating on the thin strip of beach on view as I downed a coffee before heading out again. Nowhere near the lighthouse for Purple Sand's as the tide had covered the rocks (see above) and little apart from a few more Turnstones and a Grey Plover on the rocks near Powillimount in Gillfoot Bay. Last stop (planned, at least) was the viewpoint at Drumburn, overlooking the Nith near Carsethorn. The saltings were dotted black and white by roosting Oystercatchers and about 500 Pintail fed just offshore. Further out there were a few Great-crested Grebes and Mergs but a few rafts of Scaup totalling 1200+ was my best count here by far.


This time last year (when we bought the caravan) we bumped into a Barn Owl on a few evenings, but not since. So it was really nice to bump into it (I presume it's the same one) just as Mrs B rang to say she'd arrived at the 'van (with food - no more packaged sandwiches!). Incredibly the Barn Owl flew towards me as I was on the phone in the car.

Finally got to the caravan to team up with Mrs B after spending half hour or so with the Barn Owl. We just managed a quick evening walk around the point before dark seeing 40+ Ringed Plovers and 55+ Dunlin on the beach along with 1500+ Barnacle Geese.

This morning I dashed down to the point first thing but there was little going on apart from a male Merlin that dashed over the golf course. Another Merlin, this time a female, was seen near Loaningfoot where we picked up several Redwings. Arriving at Carsethorn there was a steady southerly flow of these thrushes totalling about 160+ birds, 40+ Scaup (low tide) and 2 Swallows. By now the weather was crap so we drove round the Nith to Caerlaverock.

Mrs B was let loose with the camera, taking a few shots of the Cackling Canada Goose (above) and other pond life.

Mallards and drake Gadwall.

Wigeon, Caerlaverock WWT, 19th October 2008.

And the final entry in Mrs B's gallery: Whooper Swans and the Whooper Pond at Caerlaverock.

D&G 2008 = 190.