Spring is a great time to be birding
March was warmer and drier than February. While March this year was a little warmer, overall it was a little wetter than the same month last year. There was a lovely settled spell from 24th to 28th of March.
It is an exciting time of year, awaiting the arrival of our summer visitors and seeing the last of our winter visitors leaving.
The timing of the northerly spring migration is dependent on the weather, not just locally, but throughout the whole length of the migration route. The first summer migrants arrived earlier than last year. The first chiffchaff was reported at Sannox on 11th, 16 days earlier than 2016. The first house martin was reported at Blackwaterfoot on 22nd, almost a month earlier than last year. The first wheatear was reported at Kilpatrick Point on 20th, eight days earlier than 2016. The first swallow was reported at Kilpatrick Farm on 26th, seven days earlier than last year. The first sand martin was reported at Machrie Golf Course on 28th, three days earlier than 2016. The first sandwich tern, a group of five, was reported at Machriewaterfoot on 31st, a day later than last year.
While these first arrivals are interesting, by the end of the month the bulk of our migrants was still anticipated. Please keep me posted.
April should also see the arrival of other mi- grants like manx shearwater, white wagtail, willow warbler, whinchat, common sandpiper and cuckoo – all signs of the approaching summer.
In March, our winter visitors were still to the fore. The highlight was an adult Iceland gull in the fields in Sliddery and Corriecravie on 17th and 18th. This is the first Arran record of this white-winged gull since March 2014. Other wintering species included: five purple sandpiper at Silver Sands on 1st, one greenshank at Clauchlands on 9th, three brambling in Sliddery on 17th, 15 redwing in Sliddery on 18th, 22 fieldfare on Kilbride Hill on 26th, two rook in Sliddery also on 26th and 13 wigeon at Tormore on 31st. In the Shiskine Valley the wintering geese included 250 greylag geese and 13 white-fronted geese on 9th. Towards the end of the month skeins of wildfowl were heading north to their breeding grounds including: 40 whooper swan over Clachaig on 26th, with a similar number over Brodick Golf Course on the same date, 120 pink-footed geese over Dippen on 27th and 100 whooper swan over Shiskine also on 27th and a further 80 whooper swan over Shiskine on the 29th.
In March there were many signs of this ongoing mi- gration including: in fields 28 skylark on Kilbride Hill on 5th, 30 lapwing in Clachaig also on 5th and a male merlin in the Roddin on 9th.
By the shore there were more signs of migration including: 10 twite on Cleats Shore on 6th, three black-throated diver and four common scoter off Cosyden on 7th and four great northern diver in Machrie Bay on 21st.
In gardens there were further signs of this northerly movement of birds with 32 siskin in High Kildonan on 17th, three lesser redpoll in Sliddery on 28th and 13 goldfinch in Torbeg on 31st.
In a month in which records were received on 103 species, these are a small selection of other interesting records: four little grebe in Loch Ranza on 1st, seven common crossbill in High Kildonan on 7th, two goosander in Whiting Bay on 20th and a moorhen in Mossend Pond on 26th. In addition, it was encouraging to get short-eared owl records from five different locations in March.
Spring is a great time to be birding, as most birds are getting on with the business of breeding, attracting a mate by song, courtship display and ritual, defining a territory, nest building, and generally establishing relationships.
In March the signs were there, including: a grey heron carrying twigs in Stronach Wood on 5th, seven fulmar on nesting sites on Drumadoon Cliffs on 6th, house sparrows exploring nest holes in Lamlash on 7th, six eider courting in Loch Ranza on 12th, hen harrier displaying over Machrie Moor on 24th, 14 black guillemot in breeding plumage on Pladda on 25th and among many reports of birds singing, there was one of a yellowhammer in Sliddery on 29th. If it stays to breed it will be the first confirmed breeding of this once widespread familiar farmland bird on Arran since 1999. I am interested in all records of arriving summer migrants and any signs of breeding birds.
Enjoy your birding and please send any bird notes with ‘what, when, where’ to me at Kilpatrick Kennels, Kilpatrick, Blackwaterfoot, KA27 8EY, or email: jim@ arranbirding.co.uk
I look forward to hearing from you. For more information on birding on Arran buy the Arran Bird Atlas 2007-2012, the Arran Bird Report 2016 and visit www.arranbirding.co.uk