Tuesday 28th August

Bike ride to and around Ae Forest, hoping to hear Green Woodpecker.  Didn't, so ended up focussing on bike ride navigation and very little seen.  Buzzards on Amisfield Moor but nothing else today, just one or two pipits heard.  Main event was a jay in garden at end of moor.

In the forest, took ages to even see a willow warbler.  Heard possible redpoll.  Didn't bother much on way back - getting windy.

A fortnight ago, I also did a walk from Mossdale down to the old Ken Viaduct checking for green woodpeckers, having read a discussion group  entry suggesting they had been there in numbers. In fact there was no sign at all, which has set me thinking that they move around a fair bit.

However there was a small consolation in this flock of (presumably farmed) red deer lurking behind the bog.

Red Deer

Friday 10th August

Bike run to Caerlaverock Wildlife Reserve and quick lookaround, ideally for willow tit.  Remarkably quiet.  Took a while to see even any willow warblers.  Notably, no noise from chiffchaffs nor indeed on previous two trips - as if they've already packed up and left.  Quite a few dragonflies and the odd meadow brown.  Meanwhile, small tortoiseshells increasing in number on buddleia and even saw one peacock.