This week I thought I would highlight a great local birdwatching spot, the Piltanton Burn. Located between Dunragit and Glenluce, the burn flows out into the Luce Bay and provides a variety of habitats for numerous species. It is here where we do our monthly WeBS (Wetland Bird Survey) counts, and so we visit it often and have racked up over 110 different species.
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| Piltanton Burn - taken from the Stranraer and the Rhins OS Map |
The burn can be accessed by turning off the B7084 and parking up at the golf course. From here there is a track that runs alongside the golf course before reaching the shore. There is a parking area at the end of the track for those who would like to walk less distance. In the fields and hedges, you can get all sorts of species, including House Sparrows and Tits, to Stonechats and Greenfinches.
Upon reaching the beach the Luce Sands stretch out in front of you and can be further accessed by walking in either direction. These sands are a hotspot for waders and have species like the common Oystercatcher and Curlew, to the exciting Greenshanks and Knot, with all kinds of Plovers and Sandpipers in between. When the tide is out they can be scattered across the miles of sand and mud, and you can easily spend a good hour scanning through them all. Its always worth it to look though, as occasionally you get some rarities like the White-rumped Sandpiper we had last year, which was a first for Dumfries and Galloway.
The sands of the estuary are also a great place for ducks, with Mallard and Wigeon being very common on the banks of the burn. Shelducks are often spread out across the flats with sometimes over 50 birds feeding on the shore. They aren't without rarities though, as amongst its cousins a Ruddy Shelduck was once recorded.
Being on the shore this area gets a lot of seabirds, especially if the tide is right in and they come into binocular range. Guillemots and Razorbills are often out on the sea itself, whilst Gannets are easier to see flying overhead. There are bound to be plenty more species out at sea, but occasionally they will come in close enough for us to make out. So whilst we've had a record of Pomarine Skua, its very likely that Arctic Skuas are out there as well.
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| Piltanton Estuary at low tide |
Like anywhere on the coast, this is a great place for gulls. Alongside the common species like Herring and Black-headed Gulls, we've also had Lesser Black-backed gulls and the occasional record of an Iceland and Glaucous Gull.
With all of these birds flocking to the estuary, it can be a veritable banquet for raptors. Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, and Kestrels are a common sight coming out from the woods. Between these and the Peregrines and Merlins, there is always something hunting on the burn. We occasionally, get harriers as well, including Marsh and Hen Harriers. Finally, being a burn and on Luce Bay, there is one additional food source for those specialized to catch it. And so there have been several records of Ospreys flying overhead as they pass over on a fishing trip.
Piltanton Burn has one more feature beyond all its birds that makes it such a good visit. In the summer months, on a warm day, you may want to watch where you place your feet when walking in the undergrowth. Sometimes very hard to spot (I myself have walked right past them), Adders can often be seen sunning themselves on a warm patch of sand. Their small size makes them easy to miss, but when found they are unmistakable. Often they will just move away when they hear you coming, but on occasion, it is possible to go right up to them and get some great photographs!
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| A female Adder trying to warm up in the sun |
And with that, you're back at the car park! Whilst only a short walk it is easy to spend hours on the beach trying to take in all there is to see. This definitely is the spot if you're wanting to see wetland birds, and with its easy access, I would always recommend checking it out.
(All photos are the property of Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you want to use them)
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