Sunday 19th May

A rare day of twitching as I read reports of wood warblers at Wood of Cree, so abandoned other plans and set off to Newton Stewart early.  Made things complicated by stopping at the new part of the reserve and starting with a rather barren “wood” walk that actually mainly took in moorland.  Managed sparrowhawk, reed bunting, wheatear with juvenile and willow warbler as well as hearing skylarks and seeing suspected pipits in flight. Also heard cuckoo calling from woods - so that makes three in three years.

On finding the main wood, I found a calling wood warbler almost immediately and got a good view of it fluttering in the canopy.  Several more too and wood warbler was the predominant bird in the lower part of the wood ahead of willow warbler and chaffinch. In the binoculars on a day with poor light it was heard to see much yellow on them but the song was unmistakeable (hear more than see video below!). There was just one pied flycatcher on the way back and nesting boxes seemed as yet unoccupied.  Did not see tree pipit although told by bloke on first site that there are plenty around.

So a major tick on my list and a cue to think what still is on the list after various successes over the years.  Basically in some sort of order it's willow tit, green woodpecker, hawfinch (not sure where to start with that one), merlin, goshawk, eagle).  Not a very long list now, but there are plenty that I would like to see again.  Hold on though, I forgot hooded crow.