BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE!

Register for an account to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Pam_m" data-source="post: 1827757" data-attributes="member: 18672">6th May.Today was going to be a rest day after the long walks and drives of the last 3 days. A look around the shops in the market town of Castle Douglas was the plan and perhaps a drive to RSPB Ken Dee Marshes later in the day. Castle Douglas is a super town with many independent businesses selling locally produced food, drink, confectionary, gifts etc! The craft shops were a delight, I could have browsed in them all day! We headed for Threave Gardens for elevenses and then drove a full circle around Loch Ken before taking a short diversion to Claterringshaws Loch. A Red Kite was spotted on the journey, the only one seen during the entire week. Lunch was eaten overlooking the Loch. A Siskin was great to see on the feeders at the Visitor Centre. As we were about to take a short walk the heavens opened so a quick dash back to the car instead. This was the first rain that we had had whilst out in the day, it had rained only 2 nights during the whole of the week  and had dried up by morning so we had been very lucky. Once on the road to RSPB Ken Dee Marshes the rain had passed over. Don't the clouds move fast in Scotland!!! The walk to the hide at Ken Dee was rather longer than we anticipated, especially as today was to be a rest day! Even so it was a delightful walk with the sounds of Woodpeckers drumming, birds singing and the delightful Wildflowers. As we entered the hide a Nuthatch perched atop of a tree trunk that held nut feeders and a Red Squirrel was feeding on another nut feeder, a super sight! Highlights at Ken Dee were Skylark, Swallow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Twite, Teal,  Redshank, Lapwing, Greylag Geese, Oystercatcher and Brown Hare on the return walk.</blockquote>

Verification