January 2026

Bird Sightings

January was colder and wetter than December. It was similar to last January in terms of rainfall, temperature and the number of named storms.

In spite of the weather, there was no shortage of interesting birds. Highlights included: further reports of the Cetti’s Warbler (The first ever Arran record of this species was on 30 December 2025.), plus twenty-six January reports of Little Egret including three together at Merkland on 14^th, and eleven January reports of Kingfisher including two flying together in Brodick Bay on 11^th. Other highlights included: a female Common Scoter off Pirnmill on 4^th, five Great Northern Divers off Porta Buidhe on 5^th, five Little Grebe in Loch Ranza on 8^th, a Reed Bunting in the Shiskine Valley on 17^th an adult White-tailed Eagle over Silver Sands on 22^nd, two Moorhen in Corriecravie on 29^th and a pair of Long-tailed Duck off Pirnmill on 31^st. Interestingly the last Arran report of this rare vagrant was on 11 February 2025 in the same location.

Wintering wildfowl included: two hundred Greylag Geese in Torbeg on 2^nd, fifty Canada Geese in Lagg on 6^th, two Goldeneye on Mossend Pond also on 6^th, one hundred and twelve Pink-footed Geese in Shiskine Valley on 17^th, twenty-one Wigeon on Cleats Shore also on 17^th, fifty Teal in South Carlo on 19^th and two Whooper Swan flying over Sliddery Shore on 25^th.

Other wintering species included: two Rook in Fisherman’s Walk on 1^st, two Purple Sandpiper on Silver Sands on 3^rd, a mixed flock of one hundred Redwing and Fieldfare in Sannox on 10^th, twelve Fieldfare in Lagg on 28^th, twenty-five Redwing in Shiskine also on 28^th and a male Merlin in Auchenhew Bay on 29^th.

Wintering flocks included: five hundred Common Gull in Pirnmill on 9^th, one hundred Starling in Clachaig on 12^th, one hundred Jackdaw in Machrie on 13^th, sixty Lapwing in Cleats Shore on 17^th, thirty Pied Wagtail in Blackwaterfoot on 21^st, ninety-one Curlew in Corriecravie on 29^th and twelve Turnstone on Silver Sands also on 29^th.

Interesting garden birds in January included, a Goldcrest in Corrie on 4^th, a Treecreeper in Lochranza on 23^rd and a Great Spotted Woodpecker in Kildonan on 27^th. In a future Bird Note, there will be a report on the Arran RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Weekend held over the last weekend in January.

In January there were two reports of returning Gannet. There were also a number of reports of returning Shelduck on coastal territories including Auchenhew, Carlo, Clauchlands, Cleats Shore, Cosyden, Kildonan and Slidderywaterfoot. Other signs of approaching spring included Shags with breeding crests at Imachar on 6th, Collared Doves copulating in Kilpatrick on 26^th, Grey Heron carrying nest material over Brodick school on 28^th, twenty Eider displaying off Pirnmill on 30^th and a Song Thrush singing in Sliddery on 31st. But the winter is not over yet.