Birdwatching in Dumfries & Galloway

£2

Ayr

A7 Wanlockhead 53 Sanquhar 50 Moffat 52 51

49 54 Girvan A713 14 Eskdalemuir

A76 48 55 47 A701 Langholm Dalry Lockerbie 13 45 46 43 44 7 A 15 A7 DUMFRIES 7 12 A75 A74 1 25 A7 4 22 4 12 Newton 26 28 29 42 Gretna 23 27 Annan Stewart 24 Castle 36 40 41 5 Douglas 37 38 39 11 21 6 16 30 A75 20 35 Stranraer A710 Wigtown 17 19 33 3 32 34 CARLISLE 10 Gatehouse 31 A746 Portpatrick of Fleet 18 M 7 A7 Dumfries and Galloway 6 4 9 7 H T 10 miles 2 I R F Whithorn AY W 55 Birdwatching Locations OL 8 S 1 Southern Upland Way SUGGESTED VIEWING SITES IN D&G best sites: WWT Caerlaverock and RSPB Mersehead Two WWT Caerlaverock have CCTV at nest spring and summer -see Ranger Led Walks early August. Sometimes on CCTV at booklet for event dates in June and July, Raiders Road and Loch Ken valley at dusk. Drumlanrig Castle. Try Sometimes heard in the vicinity of Red Deer Range. Burrow Head, tops at Mull of Galloway, Portpatrick harbour is best. Also from cliff Balcary. Corsewall Point, Portpatrick, other locations on the Rhins. Mull of Galloway, Luce Bay, Less frequent in the east. Laurieston-Gatehouse Road. Galloway Hills. Not much chance of success. The Caul, Whitesands Dumfries. Castle Loch, Lochmaben (winter). Major rivers (summer). Both sides of Loch Ken in vicinity Mains Duchrae (try the goose-viewing platform for Scotland, Threave National Trust Freugh, Stranraer. at Duchrae); also near West Kelton Mains near Threave Castle. & Langholm Wanlockhead Moors north east of Stranraer, Freugh area in winter. West areas in summer. Lower reaches of Nith, Cairn, Annan Rivers, including above and below Whitesands, water. the over low flying them for look flying, fast and small are Kingfishers Dumfries. part in evening guided walks near Loch Ken or Newton Stewart. See Countryside Take Events booklet for details. Rare breeder in Galloway – nest pictures relayed by CCTV to County Buildings, Wigtown. Live CCTV images shown at WWT Caerlaverock from another nest in the region. Also seen passing through the region, at most large water bodies. for CCTV viewing Tail Hills. Especially NTS Grey Mare’s Galloway and Moffat Sea cliffs, of nest. Live images also relayed to Creetown Museum. WWT Caerlaverock and RSPB Mersehead in winter. small numbers only and hard to see. Only at very tip of the Mull Galloway, and Langholm areas. Wanlockhead for vehicles in vicinity of Loch Ken. Red Kite feeding station A signposted Red Kite Trail at Bellymack Hill farm near Laurieston. Feeding time 2.00pm area. Wanlockhead Mull of Galloway and Balcary have easiest access. Applegarthtown Wildlife Reserve, near Lockerbie – see Birdwatching book. at WWT Caerlaverock on very high tides. Loch Ryan, Southerness, Saltcot Tower Carsethorn, Powfoot, Browhouses. BEST TIME OF DAY OR WEATHER OR WEATHER BEST TIME OF DAY Dawn and dusk flights, during day. Nocturnal, but sometimes seen dawn and dusk Early morning Early morning, calm conditions winds bring the birds Westerly closer to shore Early morning Evening roost in winter Dusk only; very few places Fine days, slightly windy Busiest May to July Immediately before and after high tides BEST MONTHS IN D&G Arrive about 23 Sept Depart end of April All year spring is best All year, Summer only (April to July) April to September All year All year Arrive October Depart end of April Winter and summer All year June and July April & May August & September All year June and July End of May, only. Early spring All year Arrival end of April Depart September April to August July to May QUICK REFERENCE TIMETABLE FOR SELECTED SPECIES QUICK REFERENCE TIMETABLE RESIDENT OR VISITOR Winter visitor Resident Resident Resident (but at sea in winter) Spring and summer visitor Resident Resident Winter visitor Resident Resident Summer visitor Spring and summer visitor Resident Summer visitor Resident Introduced resident Summer visitor Spring and summer Resident Autumn, winter and spring SPECIES Barnacle Goose Barn Owl Black Grouse Black Guillemot Gannet Golden Eagle Goosander Greenland White- fronted Goose Hen Harrier Kingfisher Nightjar Osprey Peregrine Puffin Red Grouse Red Kite Ring Ouzel Seabird colonies Sparrow Tree watching Wader Barn Owl