A Good Place to Wander - The Wig

It would be wrong to be writing a blog focused around the Wig without properly introducing where that is. Whilst locals might know it well, the Wig is only a small part of Loch Ryan, just a short distance outside the village of Kirkcolm. It comprises of a two mile circuit that passes through a variety of habitats and in the past decade has had over 230 different bird and 30 mammal species recorded.

Loch Ryan and the Wig - taken from the Stranraer and the Rhins OS Map

Starting in the car, park you are immediately able to look out over Loch Ryan and on a good day (with a decent telescope) you can see life on the shores of Stranraer. As a sea-loch this is a fantastic habitat for all sorts of seabirds and you can see innumerable waders, gulls, divers and ducks - and that's only just the beginning.

Following the track, you walk alongside the beach and when the tide is out you can look over the great expanse of the mudflats. This is ideal for seeing waders, you can almost guarantee seeing Oystercatchers, Redshank and Curlew. Amongst these, smaller waders run about and occasionally we get some rarities such as American Golden Plover and Semipalmated Sandpiper. Further up the beach in the shingle and shrubbery is a great place to see glimpses LBJ's (little brown jobs) and is good for Rock Pipits and Stonechats.

To the other side of the path lie the remnants of what was an old WW2 airfield. Once the site of the Short Sunderlands, it is now just farm land. Due to their regular presence there we affectionately call some of these fields the Swan Fields. Swans aren't the only grazers, however, as alongside them (and the cows!) the winter Brent Geese can often been seen lifting up from the Scar and then landing in the fields to feed. Not all birds are so large and obvious though, for above the field Twites, Linnets and Skylarks flit with wild abandon.

 

The Scar and Mudflats as seen from the Wig car park

The track follows the beach until it reaches the spit that sticks back out into the loch: the Scar. Depending on the state of the tide this can be almost a kilometre long and is a great congregation point for all sorts of seabirds. Gulls of all kinds roost on the scar, including Herring, Common, Black-headed and Lesser and Greater Black-Backed. It is always good to go through all the gulls because among them you may find Mediterranean, Yellow-Legged or even Caspian Gulls. Cormorants and Shags can often be seen sunning themselves on the sand meanwhile, in the grass anything can be hiding, such as the recently seen Snow Bunting.

Once past the Scar you turn towards the mouth of the loch and follow the beach northwards. This is another great spots for waders and when the tide is in you can get great views of Ringed Plovers, Turnstones, Dunlins and Sanderlings.  Eventually the path bears left and you pass by a pool ("Fisher's Lane pool") created by a small stream as it reaches the ocean. This can be a good spot for Dragonflies in the summer but it has also been the sight of a Water Rail on occasion. To the right of the path there is a small stretch of marsh that may sometimes hide a Snipe.

Just past this and you enter a short stretch of woodland. This runs up until the bottom of  Kirkcolm village, where it expands out over the Corsewall Estate. Whilst only a short part of the circuit, its still great for seeing things like Long-tailed Tits, Goldcrests and occasionally Yellow-Browed Warblers. 

The Scar to the bottom of Fisher's Lane - as seen from Corsewall Estate

The final leg of the pathway is Fisher's Lane: a road that connects back into the village. You can look out over the Swan Fields from the other side and in the summer it is a great spot to see feeding Swallows and House Martins. Recently, a small path was added that runs along the edge of the Corsewall Estate following the small stream that creates the Fisher's Lane pool. It’s a nice alternative to the road and has even had unique species such as a Dipper in the winter. From there, you meet back up with the road and can follow it back to the car park, or as we do, up into the village and home. 

All of these species mentioned are just a taster of what can be seen around the Wig. From seasonal migrants passing through to the lost seabirds blown in by a strong wind, there is always something new and exciting to see. I hope that this given you a good idea of what the Wig is like and I'll be back with another post shortly to unveil what we've been seeing this week!

(All photographs taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.)