SOLWAY: Loch Ryan & Environs 30 March 2009.

White Loch, Castle Kennedy 30 March 2009.

Birding Loch Ryan near Stranraer, 30 March 2009.

Black Guillemots from the Station Jetty at Loch Ryan, Stranraer 30 March 2009.

We set off earlyish on 30th March for Loch Ryan, picking up Chris Baines near Wigtown on the way. The journey was quiet apart from a cracking Red Kite over the roadside woods at Skyreburn (near Gatehouse of Fleet) and stacks of Pink-feet in the fields at the side of the A75 near Creetown.
Nearing Stranraer Chris introduced us to a couple of new sites at Castle Kennedy and Aird Quarry. White Loch at Castle Kennedy had a fair selection of waterfowl including a liberal sprinkling of Goldeneye, Tufties, Teal and Wigeon. Chiffchaff sang from the woodlands surrounding the loch and Angie located Treecreeper after a bit of a search. Driving past Aird Quarry there were no Sand Martins to be seen, but as we returned from Soulseat Loch at least 15 were around the quarry banks. Nothing of note at Soulseat Loch where the drake Lesser Scaup was present this time last year.

Arriving at Loch Ryan we made a quick stop at Bishop Burn and the nearby cafe in search of white-winged gulls but no joy there. Checking the gulls at Innermessen shore of the loch was a little better with a couple of Bar-tailed Godwits (not common here) and a Greenshank. Chris never fails to show us a few new sites no matter how many times we've visited D&G and a guided tour of the Station Jetty near the ferry terminal produced very close views of a couple of pairs of Black Guillemots with a few more more distantly offshore.
Slavonian Grebes were scattered all over the loch, many in summer plumage. The calmer, more sheltered waters off Broadstone Road were a little disappointing apart from a couple more Slav's but a summer plumaged Black-necked Grebe was what we were after. I used to see Black-necks more frequently on Ryan, usually during my regular "half-term" February week (the kids came with us then!). Nowadays they appear to be an early spring passage migrant only here and it was nice to see one as we missed them in '08.
Viewing from Soleburn Bridge produced our first Long-tailed Ducks of the day. The drake was particularly resplendent as they fed close offshore. Apart from a few more Common Scoters there was little else to dwell on so we moved on to Wig Bay.

Wig Bay, Loch Ryan 30 March 2009.

Turnstones at the Wig 30 March by Mrs. B.

Another female Long-tailed Duck, a few Slav's and a couple of Wheatears were logged as we passed Wig Bay on the rutted track. The tide was just about covering the shingle spit at the Wig when we arrived and there were a few Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Curlew and Pale-bellied Brent Geese on the move. Chris counted 62 Brents out beyond the Oystercatcher roost.

Oystercatchers flying past the Wig, 30 March 2009.

Looking south towards Stranraer from the Wig.

Pale-bellied Brent Geese at the Wig, 30 March 2009.

Returning to the eastern side of the loch Bishopburn was still quiet apart from the usual raft of Scaup so we headed for Leffnol Point.

Long-tailed Ducks, Leffnol Point, Loch Ryan 30 March 2009.

The bay from Leffnol Point, Loch Ryan 30 March 2009.

First looks out on the loch produced little apart from a few more Slav's but a glimpse into the bay revealed a few interesting looking "dots" that deserved closer inspection. Single female Long-tailed Duck was welcome (4 in a day was my best LTD total thus far), but sweeping into the bay with the 'scope produced a summer pumaged Slav' Grebe alongside 7 more Long-tailed Ducks. Eleven in a day was by far my best Loch Ryan LTD total.

A (sort of) co-ordinated search from Leffnol Point, Loch Ryan 30 March 2009.

Long-tailed Ducks and Slavonian Grebe (rear of flock), Leffnol Point 30 March 2009.

Drake Long-tailed Duck, Leffnol Point, Loch Ryan 30 March 2009.

Female Long-tailed Duck and Slavonian Grebe, Leffnol Point, Loch Ryan 30 March 2009.

Chris doesn't need much persuasion when suggesting that we keep going so we headed out to West Freugh to see what we could find. No harriers around but at least 80 Greenland Whitefronted Geese with several hundred Pink-footed Geese were feeding in the fields. Our day was rounded off very nicely indeed with a meal and a very welcome beer with Chris and Pat at their home overlooking Carsegowan Moss near Wigtown. It was great to catch up with friends again. Angie and I drove "home" approaching Southerness near to midnight where our regular Barn Owl was out hunting.