SOLWAY: Gale Force Winds.

After the night's gales I was surprised we got out at all on 12th March. As the weather was let's say "volatile" we headed over the Nith to Caerlaverock for the morning (hides, you see). We were very sorry to see that one of the Kirkbean Badgers had fell victim of the high speed driving overnight unfortunately. Single Pale-bellied Brent in the Barnacle Geese outside the WWT grounds at Brow Well but no sign of "you know who with the red underparts".

A male Greater Scaup on one of the ponds looked out of place and a Peregrine sat in the fields on view from the Avenue Tower Hide were the only other highlights.

Back at Southerness Point the tide had virtually covered all but the nearest rocks. We managed to find 3 Purple Sandpipers before heading round to Arbigland where there were a couple of hundred Pink-feet and 11 Whooper Swans.

Time to head home unfortunately. No sign of our local Barn Owl, that'll just have to wait. D&G 2008 stands at 118 after the weekend. Roll on April!

SOLWAY: Loch Ryan 11 March 2008.

After the Lesser Scaup we drove round to Loch Ryan, calling in at The Wig first. Few Slavonian Grebes, Red and Black-throated Divers, Common Scoters and Greater Scaups on the sea with lots of adult Gannets and a few Black Guillemots in mid-water.

Third D&G year tick of the day came in the form of a 1st winter Med' Gull in the fields at The Wig. Waders at the roost included loads of Curlews, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits, Grey Plover, Turnstones and a few Dunlins.

About 80 Twite were flitting around The Wig with the Skylarks and some Pale-bellied Brents were on view in the fields.

For some unknown reason we decided to check Loch Connell and this paid dividends. We stopped the car to view a huge flock of Pink-footed and Greylag Geese and immediately spotted a blue-phase Lesser Snow Goose amongst them. A cracking bird but unfortunately the dull conditons, distance and shakey 'scope in the strengthening wind made digiscoping difficult and I was unable to get a decent shot of the bird. It can be picked out though just right of bottom centre in the pic above.

Back at Loch Ryan we headed for the Soleburn shore in hope of Long-tailed Duck. Persistence with this species sure paid off bcause as we were watching a pair of LTD's 2 duck Velvet Scoters swam past at high speed!

The planned visit to Bishop Burn for gulls never really materialised as the by-now gale-force winds plus spring tides were still covering the peninsula where the gulls usually gather at the outlet. Lady Luck was on our side once more though as we spotted a Red-necked Grebe inshore - my third D&G tick of the day!

SOLWAY: Lesser Scaup at Solseat Loch 11 March 2008.

I arrived back from Mexico a day late due to delays beyond KLM's control, which meant missing a few hours of our planned short break in D&G. In fact I "did" Mexico City, Amsterdam, Manchester and Dumfries in 24 hours as I spent only a couple of hours at home on arrival in the UK before heading off north of the border! Two Badgers crossing the road near Kirkbean just before the Southerness turnoff were a nice sight too.

Manchester birder Pete Berry had found a Lesser Scaup near Stranraer while I was in Mexico and although not a D&G tick I was keen to see this bird. Mrs. B. and I stayed in Southerness overnight and next morning took in a few local lochs (seeing little of note) and a Dipper at Skyreburn (a D&G year tick) en route to Stranraer. It didn't take long to find the Lesser Scaup on the small loch associating with a dozen or so Tufties.

Despite the poor weather we got great views and the tight flock of diving ducks came pretty close due to the noise of a local with a strimmer on the banks. The important characters noted included the size (about that of the accompanying Tufties), head shape (noticeable peak at rear), black on bill restricted to the "nail" at the tip and strong dark vermiculations on the grey back.

In the bad light the head gloss was hard to make out but appeared green at times, changing to purple in the briefest moment. I seem to remember noting this combinaton on a drake Lesser Scaup on Lancashire's Fylde a couple of years ago in dark conditions. Other observers have commented that in sunny conditions a purple sheen to the head can be seen.

The bird did sit up and flap its wings a few times but as usual I was farting around with the camera, dropping gloves, blowing my nose or performing some other essential function appropriate in the study of national rarities at the time. However I did see white on the secondaries, but it was just too quick to get detail of grey on the primaries. Despite trying to "encourage" the bird to flap while I was 'scoping it (banging car doors, clapping, making Mrs. B. swim out to poke it - nah, just joking [she can't swim]), it just wouldn't oblige. This clinching feature has been noted by others however.

On to Loch Ryan then ..........

MEXICO 2008: Mazatlan.

After a final night at the cabins watching Buff-collared Nightjar we headed down to the coast and Mazatlan the next morning. A hastily arranged boat trip saw us heading out to some offshore islands and steep rocks in search of inshore seabirds.

On the "Booby Rocks" there were plenty of Brown Boobies plus a few Blue-footed Boobies and it wasn't long before the hoped-for Red-billed Tropicbird made an appearance.

Lots of Eared Grebes around the rocks and in the harbour too. After this mini-pelagic we headed towards the larger Isla de los Venados where we landed and had a bite to eat.

Birds on the shore included Willet (above), Reddish Egret, Royal and Elegant Terns, Laughing and a single Bonaparte's Gull.

Some cracking adult Ring-billed Gulls were on the beach too but we had to head into the arid scrub after a while. A bit of "pishing" stirred up a few birds including Common Yellowthroat, Green-tailed Towhee and best of all a Five-striped Sparrow. After all this excitement we headed back to Mazatlan for dinner in the plush Playa de Mazatlan Hotel.

So that's Mexico then (apart from getting home a day late). Off to Cuba next week.

MEXICO 2008: Tufted Jays.

Although we saw the reserve's star bird quite easily last year, 2008 was much better with Tufted Jays seen every day during our stay on the Durango Highway. It wasw nice to get a half decent shot of one of these exquisite birds as they forayed in the canopy, stealing foliage from old nests.
We enjoyed an incredibly good day at the head of the barranca with Grey-collared Becard being one of the star birds of the day as it associated with a mixed flock. The day ended well with great views of a Whiskered Screech-Owl just after dinner.

MEXICO 2008: Tufted Jay Preserve.

Our first full day in the preserve began with a walk around the clearing near the cabins. Plenty of action here with large flocks of Chiping Sparrows and little "teams" of Yellow-eyed (Mexican) Juncos on the open grounds.

Rufous-capped Brushfinch.

A leaking water pipe was attracting plenty of birds aparts from the juncos and sparrows. We watched Russet Nightingale-Thrushes, Rufous-capped Brushfinches and Spotted Towhees (above) at close quarters with fleeting glimpses of Blue Mockingbird too.

Loads of White-eared Hummers (below) around as well as a single Ruby-throated Hummingbird. A stroll through the pine-oak borders just before breakfast produced a nice mixed flock of understory birds including Golden-browed Warblers, Painted and Slate-throated Redstarts, Pine Flycatcher and best of all a Colima Warbler (not that it was a tick for me or anthing like that!).

MEXICO 2008: Durango Highway & Tufted Jays.

We met Carolyn from Sendero Mexico at Miramar after our final excursion out to San Blasc to see waders etc on the pools. The very next morning we were heading along the coast towards Mazatlan seeing Rufous-bellied Chachalacas, Gila Woodpeckers and Purplish-backed Jays before headng up the Durango Highway towards the Tufted Jay Preserve near Palmito.

We stayed at the cabins within the reserve just like last year (see Jan '07 entries), although this year it was much warmer up there. We'd hardy settled in before our local guide Santos located our target bird. Several Tufted Jays made their way through the oak woods giving us stupendous views and taking the pressure off early!

After this great start we settled down for dinner under the stars. After dinner coffee by the fire was disturbed by a large owl (probably Stygian) flying past which I managed to miss, although I did hear one a little later in the canyon.

MEXICO 2008: End of Part One!

Sunset at Miramar near San Blas 3 March 2008 bringing the first section of the trip to a close. Off to the Durango Highway in the morning.

MEXICO 2008: San Blas.

The west coast resort of San Blas is well known to birders and we spent some time around the pools one afternoon.

It was literally littered with waders and ducks with a few Forster's Terns and various herons.

We scanned through the waders including Least, Semi-palmated and Western Sandpipers, loads of Stilt Sands as well as small parties of dowitchers of which Long-billed was ID'd on call.

There were plenty of larger waders too such as American Avocets, Marbled Godwits and Long-billed Curlews whilst plenty of Mangrove Swallows swooped over the lagons.

Green Kingfisher, San Blas Nayarit March 2008.

Caspian Tern, San Blas Nayarit March 2008.

MEXICO 2008: La Bajada & Miramar.

Now stationed near San Blas we explored the birding sites near to this famous locality. One morning was spent on the old cobbled road out of La Bajada and this was very productive with Mexican Woodnymph, Fan-tailed Warbler, Grey-collared Becard, Rose-throated Becard and our first Berylline Hummingbirds of the trip all seen.

Back at Miramar we made full use of our time visiting the beach where several Eared Grebes could be seen offshore as well as the regular gathering of Brown Pelicans and gulls.

There were several handsome Heermann's Gulls and plenty of Ring-billeds of various stages of maturity. This fine adult (above with a Heermann's) was particularly photogenic.

The 2nd (top) and 1st winters were not quite so attractive to say the least. Most of the Laughing Gulls were immatures too (below).

Some hulking great American Herring Gulls were on show, mostly first winters. These appeared remarkably similar to the Ring-billeds of the same age until the structural differences could be appreciated. There was also a bit of "light relief" in the form of Yellow-crowned Night Herons on the beach.

MEXICO 2008: Puerta Vallarta.

Lunchtime at Guayabitos, Nayarit W. Mexico.

We "cropped" our journey along the coast of West Mexico by staying a night at the promising Rancho Primavera in the hills above Puerta Vallarta near El Tuito. Great place to see Military Macaws as it turned out as well as Russet-crowned Motmots the next morning. Must go back there and spend a little longer sometime.

Anhinga in La Tovara Mangroves near San Blas.

We arrived at Miramar in time to check in to the hotel (clocking some Mexican Parrotlets as we unloaded the bus) and then tokk the 20 minute trip down to San Blas.

Our late afternoon boat trip in the mangroves of La Tovara poduced Bare-throated Tiger-Herons, Yellow-crowned Night Herons and Lesser Nighthawks before returning to San Blas in the dark.

It wasn't too long before we found our first Northern Potoo and by the end of the journey we'd found 10 more!