Solway weekend retreat. (1 Viewer)

[Colin Bushell]

I first visited the Scottish Solway in 1979 on a twitch from London for a drake King Eider on Loch Ryan. We saw the eider plus loads of other stuff: huge rafts of Scaup, Black Guillemots, Slavonian and Black-necked Grebes, Long-tailed Duck, etc, etc. We spent the whole weekend up there taking in the Loch Ken area (Greenland Whitefronted Geese) and Caerlaverock (loads of Barnacle Geese), as well as Golden Eagle and Crossbills in the Galloway Forest. I didn't return for several years until we scampered across the country from a White-billed Diver at Hartlepool for a Long-billed Dowitcher. Once again though the sheer numbers of birds struck me during our short stay on the Solway.
Since the late late Eighties I've been up a few times a year with my family, "slipping out" for birding whenever possible. Highlights have included another King Eider and Pale-bellied Brent Geese at Loch Ryan, Hen Harriers on the Mull of Galloway, Great Grey Shrike at Caelaverock and Taverner's and Richardson's Canada Geese on the Nith. This year there was the White-tailed Plover of course.
Well, that's why we've now got ourselves a base up there, close to our favourite stretch of coastline on the Solway at Southerness Point.
Summer days can be pretty quiet but dark morph Arctic Skua on the beach between Southerness and Mersehead a couple of weeks ago was nice.
Last weekend we spent some time settling in to our hieaway but a stroll along the beach at Southerness at high tide produced 40+ Sandwich Terns, adult Arctic Tern and 3 Great crested Grebes offshore. At the point itself there were some 70+ Ringed Plovers with smaller numbers of Dunlin, a couple of Golden Plover and a Common Sand'.
Yesterday morning we walked from Southerness to Mersehead. It was pretty quiet with a juv' Arctic Tern, a pack of 30+ Knot and a couple of Wheatears on the beach. Mersehead RSPB was predictably quiet, but by the time we visit again next month I dare say the first "Barnies" will be in.

Roll on the Autumn!

 

[Colin Bushell]

Well, the Barnacles were in. Loads of them infact. By 14 October we were seeing 1000's in the fields by Southerness and on the reserves at Mersehead RSPB and Caerlaverock WWT. On 22nd we located the Richardson's Canada Goose in with the Barnies at Southerness. It had been present at Mersehead earlier in the day. There are at least 3 albino Barnacles in the area too. Other highlights in the Preston Merse area in October included Great Northern Diver, Purple Sandpipers (2), Little Gulls and a nice group of 30+ Twite.
The 14th and 15th October saw us stray a little for the Southerness area, visiting Loch Ken near Castle Douglas and Loch Ryan near Stranraer. The Laurieston Red Kite feeding station was as spectacular as ever on the way to the Ken - Dee Marshes with up to 30 kites on view at any one time. The woodlands at Ken provided us with 3 Red Squirrel sightings plus Willow Tit and Bullfinches but the Greenland White-fronts hadn't arrived by mid October. Loch Ryan held two Med' Gulls (1st wtr and a fine adult - D&G tick for me), plus the usual large numbers of Scaup and a lone Pale-bellied Brent Goose.
We returned to the Solway once again on 20th and a large scale movement of winter thrushes was well underway. We headed out west on 21st noting many Filedfares on the move over the Mull of Galloway, only to be surpassed the fololowing day in the Southerness area where several hundred were noted. Two adult Little Gulls at Ryan on 21st were worthy records too.
However our latest trip to the solway was the best. We ventured north on 24 October, stopping at Annnan to take a look at the shore at Seafield in the hope of some waders. See my blog for a full account of our discovery of an American Golden Plover there. The rest of the break was a bit of an anticlimax apart from 6 Crossbills on the Arbigland Estate near Southerness.
Still lots to do in D&G - can't wait to get back.

 

[Stewart J.]

Nice reports Colin from one of my favourite area's and like you I've been going since the seventies (also for King Eider). Fortunate in living about an hour away so visit regularly.

Stewart

 

[Colin Bushell]

Hi Stewart,

Yes, fantastic area as you say. We're going back there in a couple of days. Are you a member of the D&G Yahoo Group?
Colin

 

[Colin Bushell]

20 - 22 December 2007.

Couldn't resist popping up the M6 given the frosty seasonal weather so we stopped off at Seafield near Annan once we crossed the border. A Peregrine was the first bird of interest to show, scattering many of the Redshanks, Wigeon and Teal over the mudlfats and into the river as it bombed by. I noticed a loafing grop of around 100 Teal near the shoreline and it didn't take long to pick out the vertical white flank stripe of a drake Green-winged Teal. I made a couple of phone calls and took some record shots (see my blog) before the bird flew and started to feed on the mud with the rest of the teal. The rest of our walk along the shoreline footpath and back through town was pretty uneventful due to the area being pretty frozen up. Male Stonechat, some winter thrushes and a coople of Buzzards being the only things of note.
We spent the rest of the afternoon at Castle Loch near Lochmaben. It was mainly frozen over but the little open water there was supported a good number of Goldeneye, Goosanders and a couple of Whooper SWans.
The 21st got off to a slow start as I had to get a flat tyre fixed (great fun in sub-zero temperatures), but we made our way into the hills near Gatehouse of Fleet eventually. The scenery was superb and the birds weren't bad either with a pair of Red Grouse sitting on a wal right by the side of the road, a cracking male Hen Harrier and a Red Kite all seen. We took in some Lochs on the way back in the hope of a decent duck but most were frozen over.
On 22nd we headed out to Southerness Point but the changing weather restricted us to birding from the car for most of the morning. ur mobile hide served us well though resulting in 15 Purple Sands at the point and 34+ Whooper Swans, 4000+ Barnacle Geese and several hundred Pink-feet in the fields. We drove around the Nith in fading visibility and called in at Caerlaverock WWT - mainly for a coffee! Very few geese on the grounds but a good flock of Barnies nearby and an impressive 209 Whooper Swans near Ruthwell as we rove back towards Gretna. We pulled in at Seafield once again but there were very few Teal there and Browhouses was little better with just 60+ Dunlin and small numbers of Teal and Wigeon. Still, a good couple of days away and plenty of winter birding to come!

Colin

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi Colin,

I fully enjoyed the read. Look forward to reading more in the future. I really must visit the area sometime.

You will have to give me a list of the best places to visit for birding and let me know of the most scenic place to stop over near the coast including recommendations on self catering accommodation if you know of any.

Have a great Christmas and best wishes for 2008.

Regards

Dean

 

[Colin Bushell]

Hi Dean,

Yes, it's a fantastic area indeed and very underwatched.

The areas I'm most familiar with are in the eas of the region around the Nith Estuary, manly because we used to spen family holidays in the area. I'll put something moe detailed together for you later but in brief the spots I like to look at include Caerlaverock WWT, the Nith Estuary at Glencaple (waders / wildfowl) and Kelton (Barnacle Geese in the New Year) on the east side and Drummore shore on the west side (Scaup) down to Carsethorn. The Southerness area needs more coverage in my opinion in migration periods but it's a good site for Purple Sandpipers in winter. All of these sites are easily reachable from Dumfries. PM me for more details Dean and I'll dig out some B&B's for you too.

Yesterday I went up to look for the Red-breasted Goose and spet all morning going through the Barnacle Geese near Cummertees where it was seen on 23rd. Nes came through around midday of the Cattle Egret near Gatehouse of Fleet and an hour later I was watching it! Still there this morning apparently too. I've posted a couple of record shots on my blog but I'm sure today's efforts will be better.

All the best for the festive season.

 

[Upland Birder]

Hi Colin,

Thanks for the info. I will PM you in the new year. I once walked in the hills around The Grey Mare's Tail in the Southern Uplands. The Lochan above the waterfall was frozen and the hills covered in snow with icy blue skies.

Be in touch soon and have a great Xmas

Dean

 

[Colin Bushell]

Wet start to the year.

Well, our Dumfries & Galloway yearlist is stuttering to say the least. So far we've managed a couple of trips north of the border and had to spend most of the time sheltering from the rain and birding from the car!
Highlights of our latest jaunt included a Kingfisher at Seafield Bay (Annan), Pale-bellied Brent Goose in with the Barnacles near Bankend, Little Egret (an overdue D&G tick) on the Nith Estuary, Black Guillemots and several hundred Greater Scaup on Loch Ryan and Greenland Whitefronts and Hen Harrier at West Freugh. On top of all this there were a few herds of Whooper Swans, several hundred Pink-footed Geese, Peregrine, Merlin and a partially albino Oystercatcher.

Our D&G yearlist stands at a poor 89 so can't wait for next month when Loch Ken, Southerness and Mersehead are on the schedule.

 

[Claymore]

Glad you like it up here Colin! We call it Scotlands best kept secret!
Like you we used to come up here every year as often as possible and eventually moved here a few years ago (just before the house prices went sky high) its amazing the amount of wildlife we see all on our doorstep (the Roe deer come onto our car park) Best place for Eagles is Corlea which is approx 5 miles NE of St Johns Town of Dalry, we went to look at a farm to buy and saw 2 together approx 100ft away from the car (the farm was up a 6ml long single track road so very secluded) unfortunatly the farm was a wreck so we didn't buy it but sometimes wish i had)
We are just getting into identifying the birds, but we did have 3 Kites in our field and are Vnear Wigtown OS which are great to see on your way to the shops Lol

Cheers
Brian

 

[Colin Bushell]

Hi Brian,

Yes, we have been visiting for some years now and visit at every opportunity. Seems like you have a perfect setting up there Brian with birds of prey near home. Chris Baines (who also lives near Wigtown) tells me he saw 15 Purple Sandpipers at high tide at Southerness Point today by the way. Might be worth you joining the Dumfries & Galloway Birding Yahoo Group Brian?

All the best,
Colin

 

[Colin Bushell]

Solway weekend break.

Latest foray onto the Solway (16 - 19 Feb) produced Red-breasted Goose (in Cumbria on the way up), 100,000's Starlings at the Gretna roost, redhead Smews on Carlingwark and Castle Lochs, Red Kites, Pink-footed, Greenland White-fronted, Pink-footed and Barnacle Geese, Purple Sandpiper, Iceland Gull, Black-throated Diver, Slavonian Grebes and a drake Garganey(!) on Kirk Loch.

Next trip in March.