25th:
We left a grey but dry Great Ryburgh just after 9am and got
off to a flying start with a Grey Ghost male Hen Harrier drifting across the
fields in front of the Oriole vans before quartering the fields and flushing Skylarks. The route across the Fenland flatlands added Golden
Plovers and Pink-footed Geese but no Cranes or Swans before we reached the A1
where a Great White Egret was seen on the adjacent pits. Red Kites soon followed but there was little else
of note – even on the scenic A66 across the country. We scooped up the remaining 11 members of the
Marylebone Birdwatching Society in a breezy Penrith before the last part of the
drive to our lodgings in the Ernespie Hotel in Castle Douglas.
26th:
It dawned dry and still and after breakfast we headed into
town to check out Carlingford Loch.
There were plenty of Goldeneye and a
flotilla of Little Grebes but the Tufted Duck flock were at the far end and in
the sun and would require a return visit.
A few Siskin, Chaffinches and Greenfinches were in the trees with ‘tsipping’
Redwings along with two noisy Nuthatches which were actually my first ever in
Scotland.
 |
| Little Grebes |
On to Caelaverock WWT for the bulk of the day. Barnacle and
Pink-footed Geese and a herd of Whoopers were picked up in the fields before we
even arrived and of course much better views were had once we were wandering
along the trails. There is something very special about the sound of a a flock
of wild geese regardless of which species you encounter.
 |
| Barnacle Geese - there were a couple of neck collared birds |
 |
| Whooper Swans |
 |
| Whooper Swans |
There were Tree Sparrows around the farm building with the
House Sparrows and they were sharing the hedges with luminous Yellowhammers and
a party of seven equally vivid Bullfinches. The latter were actually feeding on
seedheads at ground level and gave some good views. The tree lined lane held lots of inquisitive
Robins and Dunnocks and we added Chiffchaff and two obliging Treecreepers.
 |
| Looking trough hedge gaps |
 |
| Tree Sparrow |
 |
| Tree Sparrow |
 |
| Yellowhammer |
Once down at the tower hide we scanned the fields and
marshes and picked up eight Little Egrets, the usual selection of dabbling ducks
and distant field full of Barnies. A
pair of Stonechat popped up outside and Ravens kronked through. Buzzards were
perched up on fenceposts and a female Hen Harrier put on a great show as it
hunted the boundary between the habitats.
A female Merlin was sat up on a stranded tideline tree and was using it
as a lookout and it retuned their a couple of times before predictably heading
out to take on the Hen Harrier when she strayed into her territory.
 |
| Barnies |
 |
| Hen Harrier - Ashley Saunders |
Roe Deer were out grazing and I counted 28 and the walk back
added a Sparrowhawk and better views of the Yellowhammers and a showy Song
Thrush. A male Hen Harrier tried its best to sneak behind us.
 |
| Roe Deer |
The days are short this time of year and we moved on to Castle
Loch at Lochmaben (slightly confusing names) and spent till after sundown
scanning the still waters where 17 Goosander and 52 Goldeneye were noted along
with both Little and a surprise Great White Egret. Two Kingfishers played chase
between the willows and a moderate Starling murmuration built up after sun down
and cut some shapes over the loch – a fitting way to round up any day.
 |
| Starlings |
27th:
Glowing fog greeted us as we peered out of the windows
during breakfast but that strange glowing orb (I think it is called the Sun)
burnt it all off before too long leaving behind a winter wonderland of thick
frost that had only retreated where the sun had reached the tree tops.
Loch Ryan was our destination for most of the day and
somehow we found this huge sea loch absolutely flat calm. Occasionally one of the ferries would send
out a slowly rolling wake that undulated across the surface but with no haze
either we enjoyed magnificent views of the ducks, divers, auks and grebes
gathered there. We stopped at various viewpoints and counted 548 Greater Scaup,
four Tufted Duck (but no other rarer Aythyas), 70 Common Scoter, 150 Common
Eider, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Mergansers, nine Long-tailed Ducks, 53 Slavonian
Grebes, Great-crested Grebes, Red-throated Divers, a single Great Northern
Diver and dozens of pied Black Gulliemots.
 |
| Mute Swans |
 |
| Slavonian Grebes |
It was one of those magic days when everything shone and the crisp light
made viewing a pleasure. I am not quite
sure that they group realised how lucky we were. The Scaup flock was the biggest I have ever
seen and not since the regular wintering flock of over 300 at Scotney Pit in
the ‘90s had I seen more than a handful together.
Gleaming, silvery Pale-bellied Brent Geese grumbled around
the edges (no juveniles – just like with the Dark-bellied population this year)
and there was a good selection of waders too with Oystercatchers, Redshank,
Greenshank, Turnstones, Grey, Golden and Ringed Plovers, Lapwing, Curlews,
Bar-tailed Godwits, Snipe, Dunlin and a single Knot – plenty for the crew to
get on to.
 |
| Pale-bellied Brent Geese |
 |
| Mute Swans & Wigeon |
Greylags and Pinkfeet were feeding in the fields and some
patience around a kale field eventually gave us views of a couple of Twite nestled
in with a flock of Linnets and Chaffinches as well as Reed Buntings, Meadow
Pipits and a couple of Skylarks. Rock
Pipits and Song Thrushes were down in the high tide seaweed with Stonechats looking
out for disturbed prey.
 |
| Greylags |
 |
| Pinkfeet & Wigeon |
 |
| Little Egret |
 |
| Oystercatchers & Redshank |
 |
| A splodge of Golden Plovers |
 |
| Aisle Craig - home of curling stones and a view that triggered memories of my first Geography field trip at Uni over 30 years ago |
 |
| Song Thrush |
We moved to the other side of Stranraer and into the rolling
fields of West Freugh (pronounced Frew in case you were wondering) in the hope
that we might find some Greenland White-fronted Geese in the failing
light. They could have been miles away
or over a hill out of view but on this perfect day there they were illuminated
in the last sliver of golden sunlight in the fields closest to the road. We quietly got out and spent some quality
time with all 126 of them. Only the
third time that I have seen this taxon with it glowing orange bill and legs and
super barred bellies. Twelve Pinkfeet and
26 Greylags were also seen here while Golden Plover drifted over in silent ‘V’s.
 |
| Greenland White-fronted Geese |
Greenland White-fronted Geese - James Aylward
A Merlin whizzed over and a Peregrine was priming itself for
an attack on some Lapwings while lazy worm eating Buzzards stared at the ground
from the fence line. A ring-tail Hen
Harrier drifted across to roost and dozens of raucous Ravens did likewise and
sounded out the end of the day’s light.
28th:
Boy was it cold last night! Down to -6c and absolutely still. We made our way to the Ken Dee Marshes which
I thought was actually on the coast but is in fact a linear inland loch with
extensive reed beds and a fine old boggy Birch and Alder margin with Beech
woods sloping down into it.
It was still intensely cold and the woods were
actually quite quiet. Management changes
precluded the woodland bird fest around the now empty feeders and although we
heard a Willow Tit we failed to find one to show the group. Nuthatch was again
found along with Siskins, Redpolls, Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Jays. A
single Crossbill flew over and Fieldfares, Redwings and Mistle Thrushes were
all found but the only Red Squirrel was a fleeting streak of colour was all most
saw.
It may have been a little ornithologically disappointing but
it was such a glorious morning that it did not really matter. The conditions even allowed for the formation
of incredibly rare Hair Ice on small fallen branches where just the right
combination of temperature, stillness, wood decay and moisture levels allowed
these icy candyfloss fibres to form.
They even made the local BBC news from another site!
 |
| Hair Ice |
 |
| Hair Ice |
 |
| Hair Ice |
Back at the van the Robins were glad of some titbits and a
couple more apples and six Greenland White-fronts dropped into the fields and
out of site, their triple note ‘eck-eck-eck’ calls carrying easily in the calm
air. Two Great White Egrets were on the loch itself – it seems they have made
it to south west Scotland.
 |
| Song Thrush |
 |
| Great White Egret |
From here we drove back to Wigton and the Crook of Baldoon
passing numerous Red Kites on the way.
The weather had turned and although it was actually the warmest it had been all
day (+6c) the suddenly fierce wind cut us to the bone and we did not last as
long out of the vans as desired! We
huddled in the vans to eat lunch and spied several Little Egrets and yet
another Great White out on the saltmarsh where a Merlin zipped through. We did not actually see much extra once
outside but a female Goosander was on a tidal pool and there were lots of
Shelduck out on the mud but there were none of the hoed for Wigeon to check
through for Yanks.
 |
| the brave ones |
 |
| looks nice but bloody freezing! |
 |
| Great White Egret |
A final stop back at Carlingwark Loch in Castle Douglas gave
us a good chance to check those Tufted Duck but alas tat is all they were. There were well over 60 Goldeneye in small
groups and there was quite a bit of displaying but the three Goosanders were
just cruising around. We went through all the Coots and Little Grebes too
searching for something from a lot further west but it was not to be but if you
don’t look!
I think everyone was pleased to have an early return to the
hotel (where the Kerela beef curry was sublime!).
29th:
No frost but the calm had returned for our final morning in
the field and once packed and underway we made our way down towards Mereshead but stopped first at the coastal Southerness where the exposed rocks held a flock of Oystercatchers and Redshank along with four Purple Sandpipers and a couple of Barwits. A swirl of Knot undulated by in a sinuous wave and there were Little Egrets hunting the rockpools. The sea was almost devoid with just a couple of Scoter but we did find a couple of Harbour Porpoises close in heading west. The House Sparrow flock in the village was especially impressive!
 |
| Knot |
 |
| Knot |
Down at Mereshead it was good to meet up with Colin B for the first time in 13 years since he
escaped Rainham. During our short visit the Barnacle Geese performed
wondrously and included two sublime leucistic birds with a delicate ghosting of
the usual plumage.
 |
| Barnacle Geese |
 |
| leucistic Barnacle Goose |
Around the farm buildings we were once again treated to
close encounters of Bullfinch and Tree Sparrow and as a parting gift a female
Black Redstart popped up on the posts and shivered that fiery red tail to send
everyone home with great memories of their trip.
 |
| Black Redstart |
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment