Wednesday 29th February

Bike Ride to Ruthwell and Caerlaverock. Largely inspired by TV programme on exercise the previous night so more focussed on exercise than wildlife. Did however manage to see tree sparrow in hedge just before the conifers on run in to Clarencefield and 100 whooper swans in field east of Brow Well. Surprised by tree sparrow as haven't seen them in this area before - completely chance sighting while pedalling at a fair rate of knots. Also probable sparrowhawk and a lone curlew at Bankend. Heard several skylarks at Bankend and Caerlaverock Nature Reserve but could not see them. Paused for 20 minutes to look for willow tits but only more long-tailed tits and others showed themselves. Tide was out and many more curlew were on the estuary sands plus something with a brown head that didn't seem to be a shelduck.

Sunday 19th February

Sparrowhawk sat on top of the bushes outside Parkhead Court - a very good place to look for sparrows! I sometimes wonder why I see sparrowhawks so rarely, as if I'm looking for them in the wrong way or mistaking them for something else.

This also reminds me I chanced to see a couple of tufted ducks on the Nith by Troqueer Bridge a couple of weeks ago.

Monday 13th February

Long bike ride to Ae and Poldivan, then on over moors to Cample, Closeburnmill, Auldgirth, Kirkton. Two bullfinches and goldfinch plus long-tailed tits on the cycleway.  Just a buzzard or two on Amisfield Moor.  A very yellow looking crossbill just past Mitchellslacks turnoff before Loch Ettrick, only my second sighting although appaently there have been many of them in Ae Forest. This was a very cocky bird that flew down to take grit off the road right in front of the bike at three yards range.

Brief resighting of great grey shrike over lunch on the Poldivan clearing and met Brian Henderson again, who told me that my other target for the area, the merlin, is unlikely to show for a month and suggested looking for the black grouse left of the second cattle grid north.

However the wind got up and it was by then too cold for me to hang around long in cycling gear, or to spot more than a couple of pipits on the moortop. On the way down into the valley saw what I took to be a couple of greylags, except that they had a decided ridge just behind the bill.  I do not think they were white-fronted geese and cannot find any photos of greylags with that beak formation.

Completely exhausted after Auldgirth and virtually just letting the wind push me home, I startled a roe deer by Dalswinton Estate.