As part ofd a rare three day escape I was up in South Scotland. Staying just around the corner (relatively ) in Dumfries I though a drive yesterday to get to Maidens at dawn would be a good idea.
Of course just like my old Mersey antics I forgot the tide times and as dawn broke at Maidens it was low tide. Drat. Not to worry, A walk round the arbour to familiarise ones self got seven Red-breasted Mergansers, two Red-throated Divers out to sea, a juvenile Gannet (!) a few Scoter and 18 Eider. Wader were about but very far out and getting disturbed by dogs at the shoreline so I opted to romp up the middle of the beach North for a couple of clicks and then return the same way. A few Curlew were about , 36 or so Ringed Plover, five Bar-tailed Godwit. The plan worked as when I was returning to the harbour the small waders were much closer by the wrack (outside the NE corner wall). Ringed Plover again, five or so Sanderling, two Dunlin, Redshank and bold in its new plume the Western Sandpiper only 20 feet away at times.
Had another check around the inside and seaward sides of the harbour and had four dark-bellied Brent Geese fly past and far to far out to be easily viewable in the surf a large pale fronted diver. (When I got back to Dumfries that night another birder out the trip had made the same journey as me but separately unbeknown to each other and had photo'd a possible White-billed Diver though the bird I saw felt a bit heavier/more bulky forwards than his pictures had - think German WWII Dreadnought vs. RN Battleship).
Honestly there is a Western Sandpiper in there somewhere (towards the seaweed and wrack) in the bay on the outside of the harbour wall - local I was talking to said this is its favoured roost at the mo, very occasionally it hops over into the harbour).
-- Edited by Andy Slee on Saturday 25th of October 2025 05:24:58 PM
Spent a couple of days in this beautiful part of the world from Tuesday 21st to Thursday 23rd October, mainly to try and spot the long staying Western Sandpiper, but also enjoy a couple of other places too. Highlights:
The Maidens: Western Sandpiper seen roosting on both the 21st and 22nd at high tide, on rocks to north of harbour mainly associating with Ringed Plover, of which 50+. Also seen: 4 Twite, Merlin, 2 Wheatear, 2 Stonechat, 10 Dunlin, 6 Rock Pipit, 30 Meadow Pipit, 7 Red Breasted Merganser, Peregrine Falcon over, 17 Linnet, 2 Little Grebe, 10 Teal, 2 Black Tailed Godwit, 3 Eider, Turnstone.
Troon ballast 23rd October am: 6 Black Guillemot, Great Northern Diver, 2 Red Throated Diver, 3 Purple Sandpiper, 17 Eider, 4 Common Guillemot, 30 Sanderling, Dunlin, 16 Turnstone, 15 Shag, Kingfisher, 10 Linnet, 4 Rock Pipit.
Red Kites seen on 2 occasions, one near Moffat and the other near Dumfries.
Made the 10 hour round trip to Maidens today, to see the continuing Western Sandpiper. Initially thought to be a winter plumaged Little Stint, it was later re identified, probably from photographs showing the toe webbing, bill length and certain plumage characteristics. After I initially found it in the inner harbour at low tide, it then went missing for an hour and a half before being found in the channel, adjacent to the rocks where it appears to have been roosting, giving decent views at times.
Didnt do much other birding, although, Ostercatcher, Eider, Common Tern, Rock Pipit and Ringed Plover were noted amongst others. Three Red Kite were seen earlier at New Galloway. I had taken the route via Dumfries and Loch Ken and can say that that general area is simply stunning. Scotland certainly doesnt start once you get past the central belt.
As it was only 30 odd miles from where I was ,thought I'd pop up for the Western Sandpiper at Maidens as I'd never seen one in this country,only in Mexico and California. Wasn't disappointed as the bird was showing well all the time I was there in the harbour.
) in Dumfries I though a drive yesterday to get to Maidens at dawn would be a good idea.
