Last week back for work again in Dumfries and Galloway, firsts for the year were Wood Warbler, Common Redstart and Spotted Flycatcher back on territory while other species that had been present the previous week had noticeably increased e.g. Grasshopper Warbler and Whinchat.

Grasshopper Warbler showing well atop a pile of brash.

Spot the Common Restart in classic breeding habitat, one of two stunning males on territory in a very small patch of woodland. Despite it's small size this area had some really nice trees-old oak, ash and beech etc. As a consequence a really nice variety of species were present with Tree Pipit, Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher amongst the other species present -there are really no better places to be on a warm sunny day in May than in Scotland with all the summer visitors back on territory. Just a shame the warm sunny part dosen't happen very often.

Saturday
Back in Fife and with SE winds and showers, hopes were high for some drift migrants. As is normally the case expectations didn't match reality but I ended up with some nice birds at each of my stops.
Letham was good with 4 Ruff including a buff and black male and a Wood Sandpiper the highlights. On route to Kilminning an Osprey flew over the road at Guardbridge. Kilminning itself was hard work but eventually I dug out 5 Spotted Flycatcher and then the best was saved to last when a cracking Ring Ouzel flew across the approach road just as I was leaving.