BIRDING IN SCOTLAND DAY 1

Day 1

With a long drive north ahead of me, I began my Scottish trip with three clear targets in mind. Two — Avocet and Willow Tit — lay in Dumfries and Galloway, while the third, Ross’s Goose, was wintering in Ayrshire. It was an ambitious opening day, but one that promised a rewarding start.

My first stop was Brownhouses, where I quickly located seven Avocets feeding distantly. Although heat haze made photography challenging, the elegant silhouettes of these birds were unmistakable. Securing my first target of the trip so early on immediately set a positive tone for the day.

Browhouses

The Avocets were far away, and the heat haze made it difficult to take clear photographs.

From Brownhouses I continued to Loch Ken, my first visit to this extensive RSPB reserve. The site is widely regarded as one of the strongest remaining locations for Willow Tit in Scotland, and I devoted over two hours to carefully working the area.

Loch Ken

Persistence eventually paid off when I heard a Willow Tit calling near the picnic area. Brief but clear views followed — a particularly satisfying encounter given both the species’ scarcity and the fact that I was only passing through. Seeing one here felt especially significant.

The Willow Tit is the fastest-declining resident bird species in the UK and the second-fastest declining species overall, after Turtle Dove. Between 1995 and 2020, the population fell by an estimated 86%.

The first national Willow Tit survey, conducted between 2019 and 2021, was organised by the RSPB with support from the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, Natural England (through the Action for Birds in England partnership), Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Ornithological Society. County-level surveys were carried out by local study groups, bird clubs, conservation organisations and volunteers.

Results from the survey estimate the Great Britain population at approximately 5,700 breeding pairs, with 76% in England, 21% in Wales and just 3% in Scotland. North Yorkshire, County Durham and Derbyshire were identified as the top three ceremonial counties, while in Wales the strongest populations occurred in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Breconshire and Montgomeryshire. In Scotland, almost the entire remaining population is now confined to Dumfries & Galloway.

Ongoing research aims to better understand the causes of this decline and to inform targeted conservation action. A key resource supporting this work is the Willow Tit Conservation Handbook, produced as part of the Back From the Brink project, which provides practical guidance on habitat management, monitoring and survey techniques.

After observing the Willow Tit, I headed north to Galston in Ayrshire and arrived just before dusk. 

Bruntwood Flood

Leaving Loch Ken, I headed north towards Ayrshire, arriving at Bruntwood Flood near Galston shortly before dusk. Here, among a flock of Pink-footed Geese, I located my final target of the day: a Ross’s Goose. The bird is reported as an adult of unknown origin, and while the acceptance of Ross’s Goose can sometimes be uncertain, I was keen to see it as a precautionary tick.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, I reflected on a highly successful opening day — all three target species achieved. With daylight fading, I began the long drive north to Aviemore, eventually reaching my hotel just after 10:00 pm. Exhausted, but deeply satisfied, I was already looking forward to what the following days might bring.