15th February

Eskrigg Nature Reserve, Lockerbie for first visit.  Nice walks, lake area heavily doctored by human hand and large supply of nuts and bird food around main hut.  Big flocks of chaffinches and siskins. Also all three tits, brambling, goldfinch, nuthatch, gs woodpecker.  Occasionally scattered by passing raptor (not seen).

Very little to see or hear away from this area.

A week ago there was also a female siskin in the garden, on nuts in the pear tree.  First and probably last this winter - few conifers in garden these days

29th January

Did Great Garden Birdwatch with totally unspectacular results.  Only one blue tit and no chaffinches.

Wed 25th January

Bike ride in Annandale.  Lochmaben to just South of Johnstonebridge, Applegarthtown Nature Reserve, A709 back.

Siskin, jay plus numerous buzzards, chaffinch flocks on the way North and a large flock of swans including whoopers past Fishbeck.

14th January 2011

I should have started writing a nature diary ages ago!

On a walk at Colvend Coast got superb view of peregrine falcon.  Saw it from afar as I went behind a hill. Lucky to see what I though I was a buzzard sitting on the drystone wall just West of Port o' Warren. In the binoculars it was clearly a peregrine, cheek stripes clearly visible.  Then it went up and flew right over me, slate grey male.  Probably a young bird?

Also jackdaws doing acrobatics over the cliffs, great tit giving exhibition of alarm call and a couple of meadow pipits.

There has also been a song thrush in garden - have seen it two or three times.