Looking to make Arran their home
The weather in December was a little cooler and a little wetter than November. In comparison with December 2017, it was milder, 1.4 degrees warmer, and wetter with almost 20 per cent more rain.
Following on from the reports of little egrets from various locations round Arran starting on 27 September there was a further report from the east coast at Rubha Salach on 20 December, giving 13 records in total this year. Given that 2017 saw only the second ever record for Arran, this species may be about to establish here. In a similar vein, following on from no records of red kite on Arran in 2017, December saw two further reports giving six in total for the year and the report on 10 December was for two red kites on the slopes above Corrie and Sannox.
Other visitors in December included: a purple sandpiper at Silver Sands on 3rd, a merlin at Porta Buidhe on 13th, two dunlin at Kildonan on 15th and 19 redwing at Cnocantubha on 16th. In addition the Arctic breeding long-tailed duck on the sea at the north end of Whiting Bay on 7th and 9th was a particular highlight.
Wintering wildfowl were to the fore including: 13 whooper swan at Torbeg on 5th, 82 teal at Kilpatrick Point on 11th, 100 wigeon in the Shiskine Valley on 16th, 480 greylag geese in the Shiskine Valley on 28th and with these geese on 31st was a barnacle goose.
Groups of wintering birds included: nine black-throated diver off Cosyden on 3rd, 48 golden plover, 37 turnstone and 100 jackdaw at Machrie-waterfoot also on 3rd, six great northern diver off Cnoc Buidhe on 10th, 49 curlew at Cordon on 13th, 24 lapwing at Torbeg on 16th, 110 starling at Blackwaterfoot on 23rd and 56 rock pipit in Auchenhew Bay on 26th.
Other interesting records this month included: two male goosander at Fisherman’s Walk on 1st, a moorhen at Port na Lochan on 23rd, a dipper at the mouth of the Glenashdale-water on 27th and three little grebe in Loch Ranza on 31st. There were further reports of shelduck returning to Arran after their annual departure to moult with sightings from Auchenhew Bay, Carlo, Kildonan and Kilpatrick. In addition on 29 December there was a report of a gannet flying west off Silver Sands. At this time of year most gannet are wintering in the Bay of Biscay or off the west coast of Africa!
Finally, here is a date for your diary: the weekend of Saturday January 26 to Monday January 28. That weekend stock up your bird feeders, spend one hour of your weekend watching your garden birds, and note down the highest number you see of each bird species. This is the weekend of the Big Garden Birdwatch. This year will be the 40th year of this survey. Enjoy your birding. Please send any bird notes with ‘what, when, where’ to me at Kilpatrick Kennels, Kilpatrick, Blackwaterfoot, KA27 8EY, or e mail me at jim@arranbirding.co.uk
For more information on birding on Arran purchase the Arran Bird Atlas 20072012 as well as the Arran Bird Report 2017 and visit this website www.arranbirding.co.uk