A good day despite the wind!

1w Iceland Gull with a colour ringed 1w Mediterranean Gull H9V7 (probably Hungarian)

A reasonable sea watch from The Patch this morning despite the howling NE wind:
Myself and DW, joined by PH & LH.
08.40-10.10
Pintail: 10 up
Shoveler:  44 up
Wigeon: 1 up
Teal: 9 up
Common Scoter: 12 up
Red-breasted Merganser: 1 up
Red-throated Diver: 14 up
Black-throated Diver: 1 up
Great-crested Grebe: 9 around
Fulmar: 5 up   1 down
Gannet: 302 up      4 down
Cormorant: Present n/c
Oystercatcher: 3 up
Ringed Plover: 1 up
Grey Plover: 1 up
Dunlin: 1 up
Bar-tailed Godwit: 4 up
Great Skua: 3 up
Mediterranean Gull: 2+ around
Little Gull: 2 up
Kittiwake: 16 up   3 on beach
Iceland Gull: 2 x 2nd cal yr
Sandwich Tern: 32 up    24 down    1 on beach
Guillemot: 2 up   4 on sea
Auk sp: 9 up
Meadow Pipit: 2 in
Carrion Crow: 3 in
Harbour Porpoise: 2+

1w Iceland Gull at The Patch

Chiffchaff in the Lighthouse Garden

In the Lighthouse Garden a Chiffchaff and at least 1 Firecrest, with 3+ more in the surrounding Gorse though very uncooperative photographically.

New Diggings still holds at least 2 Black-necked Grebes and a Slavonian Grebe and the Ring-necked Duck was still on Cook's Pool.

Some of the 16 Avocets at Scotney

An afternoon walk around the back of Scotney saw my first Little-ringed Plover of the year, also there 16 Avocets, 6 Oystercathers, 2 Redshank, a Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plovers. On the sward the feral Barnacle Goose flock has returned.

2 Red-legged Partridges and 2 Stonechats were the highlights of a late afternoon visit to Galloways.