Better weather sees many birds attempting to raise a second brood
While the mean temperature in July was a little lower than June and the rainfall for the month was more than double the rainfall in June. The period May to June this year was warmer, mean temperature two degrees higher, and drier, 30 per cent less rain, than the same period last year. This was more conducive than last year to the successful breeding of many species of birds.
For some of our avian summer visitors, such as the warblers and hirundines, which rely on insects to raise their young, the weather conditions were better than last year. Whereas last year many of these species had given up and left, this year many seemed to be attempting to raise a second brood. Examples included: house martins and swallows starting a second brood in Kildonan on 8th, sand martins with young in Kilpatrick on 13th, grasshopper warbler setting up breeding territory again in Lakin on 15th, a family of blackcaps, the young with brown caps, in Lamlash on 28th and at least 12 willow warbler including many young in a small patch of High Kildonan on 29th.
Other signs of a successful breeding season included: 10 blue tit at Gortonallister on 8th, 20 lesser redpoll on Corriecravie Moor on 12th, 105 house sparrow in Sliddery on 15th, 25 chaffinch in Margnaheglish 24th and, encouragingly, after the devastation caused by a trichomonas parasite, young greenfinch in Cordon on 8th. It was not just small birds, some larger species also seemed to be doing well, including 40 black guillemot by King’s Caves on 3rd, shelduck with 10 young at Kilpatrick Point on 14th, thriving herring and lesser blackbacked gull colonies on the Holy Isle on 20th, young great spotted woodpecker in Lamlash on 24th and six common sandpiper on Sliddery Shore on 27th.
July marks the end of the breeding season for some birds. It can be an interesting time looking out for birds that are heading south from their breeding grounds further north. This year there was an exceptional sighting when on Sunday 31 July, a juvenile red-necked phalarope was photographed on a pond on a farm in Sliddery. The rednecked phalarope breeds in the Arctic regions of north America and Eurasia. It is migratory, wintering pelagically off central-western South America, in the Arabian Sea, and in central Indonesia. This species is a rare vagrant to Arran. It had stopped off on its long flight to refuel. The last Arran record was in August 1983. The bird was also present on August 1 but there was no sign of it on August 2.
On the 27th, a number of these northern breeding species, many still in their breeding plumage, were reported including: a whimbrel at Kildonan, a greenshank at Cosyden and six dunlin, two sanderling and eight turnstone at Machriewaterfoot.
These are some other July reports of birds which are already dispersing, flocking or migrating south after breeding: 78 curlew at Corriecravie on 15th, four black-headed gull at Sandbraes on 21st, 15 redshank in Lamlash on 24th, four sandwich tern at Sandbraes on 24th, 12 golden plover at Cosyden on 26th, 26 red-breasted merganser at Machriewaterfoot on 27th, one white wagtail on Sliddery Shore also on 27th and three wheatear on Silver Sands on 30th.
More than 100 species were reported in July. Other highlights included: two moorhen on the pond by Machrie Golf Course on 5th, a pair of bullfinch in Dippin on 9th, two black-throated diver in Brodick Bay on 12th, two water rail in Corriecravie on 17th, six swift over High Kildonan on 19th, one common crossbill in Sliddery on 26th and 13 Canada geese on Cleats Shore on 29th. Interestingly, whereas earlier in the year there were reports of up to 80 gannets together, in July all reports were of single birds. Finally, in the June Bird Notes I wrote: ‘Cuckoos, whose decreasing numbers are a cause for concern nationally, seem to be thriving on Arran. Throughout May and June there have been many widespread reports. People need no prompting to report the first cuckoo. How about reporting when you hear or see the last cuckoo this year?’ My thanks go to those of you who have responded.
By now the adults will have left the UK leaving the young to be brought up by their foster parents. The young have a distinctive white spot on the nape of the neck. The latest date that I have had so far for a young cuckoo is one on Newton on July 9. Enjoy your birding. Please send any bird notes with ‘what, when, where’ to me at Kilpatrick Kennels, Kilpatrick, Blackwaterfoot, KA27 8EY, or email me at jim@arranbirding.co.uk