Arran Birding

The aim of this page is to keep everyone, residents and visitors alike, up to date with what "unusual" birds are about. Observers are asked to contact me on info@arranbirding.co.uk. The intention is to keep the page up to date so that others can benefit from the sharing of observations. In the event of rarities being found, further details will be required from observers.

arranbirding.co.uk has complete discretion as to what information is added to these pages. In particular, any details which might reveal breeding sites of vulnerable species will be excluded. No information will be published which may in any way put birds at risk.

Species

Image

Details

Lesser Black-backed Gull

On Tuesday 21 February two Lesser Black-backed gulls were reported feeding in fields in Kilpatrick with Herring and Common Gulls. This is the first report of this species this year.

The first report in 2011 was from the mouth of the Rosa Burn on 19 February.

White-tailed Eagle

On Sunday 19 February around midday an immature White-tailed Eagle was photographed on the shore near Imachar.

The bird had a coloured ring on its left leg. It was later harassed by gulls and eventually flew off toward Carradale over the Kilbrannon Sound.

This is the first report for 2012 following on from the two reports in the latter part of 2011, namely an immature at Dougarie on 12 October and a tagged immature from 30 October to 4 November between Shannochie and Cleats Shore.

Pintail

On Sunday 19 February the pair of Pintail, first reported on Tuesday 7 February, were still on Cleats Shore.

Jay

On Saturday 18 February a Jay was watched for over an hour in Glen Cloy. This is the first report from this area.

This rare species on Arran has been around since 17 October 2011 and this was the first record since 1985.

Glaucous Gull

On Saturday 11 February a third winter Glaucous Gull was reported on the shore at Brodick. The bird was dwarfing the Herring Gulls.

This is the first report of the species on Arran this year.

Common Scoter

On Saturday 11 February a pair of Common Scoter was reported in Machrie Bay.

This is the first report this year.

Pintail

On Tuesday 7 February in the afternoon a pair of Pintail was reported on Cleats Shore. The attached photograph is a very distant record shot. This is the first report this year of this species.

The last report was a long staying female in Kilpatrick on 5 March 2011.

Bar-tailed Godwit

On Monday 6 February in the late afternoon a single Bar-tailed Godwit was reported on Cleats Shore. This is the first report this year of this species.

On 15 December there was also a report of Bar-tailed Godwit on Cleats Shore. It may or may not be the same bird.

Iceland Gull

On Sunday 5 February a second winter Iceland gull was reported with the gulls at Brodick Pier.
In January a sub adult Iceland Gull was with Herring Gulls on Sliddery shore from 5 to 31 January.

Before that the last record of this species on Arran was a second winter on Merkland shore on 25 April 2010.

Shoveler

On Wednesday 1 February a male and female Shoveler were photographed on Cleats Shore.

The last record of this rare vagrant to Arran was a male on a pond in Shiskine on 20 February 2011.

Pink-footed, Greylag and White-Fronted Geese

On Wednesday 25 January there was a report of six Pink-footed Geese with around three hundred Greylag Geese in the Shiskine Valley.

This is the largest group of Pink-footed Geese recorded this winter. Last winter sixty five was the largest group recorded on Arran.



On Tuesday 24 January there was a report of one White-fronted Goose with over three hundred and sixty Greylag Geese in the Shiskine Valley.

This is the first report of White-fronted Geese in this area since three were reported on 31 December.

Knot

On Sunday 22 January a single Knot in winter plumage was reported on the shore by the Kinloch Hotel, Blackwaterfoot along with Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Redshank and Turnstone.

This is the first report of this passage migrant this year.

Lapwing

By Thursday 19 January there had been three reports of Lapwing this year one at Strathwillan on 17th was the first. One at Kildonan on 19th was the the third. The other report was a group of eighteen in Kilpatrick from 17 to 19 January.

Whooper Swan

On Friday 13 January seven Whooper Swans were at Sandbraes in Whiting Bay.
This was the first report in this area this year.

On Saturday 14 January there were five.

Jay

On Tuesday 10 January at Cnoc na Dail and on Wednesday 4 January in Merkland Wood a Jay was reported. These are the first records of 2012. This species has now been continually reported since 17 October2011.

Prior to this the last previous Arran record was in Brodick Country Park on 24 October 1985.

Iceland Gull

On Thursday 5 January a sub adult Iceland Gull was with Herring Gulls on Sliddery shore.

The last record of this species was a second winter on Merkland shore on 25 April 2010.

Barnacle Goose

On Thursday 5 January a solitary Barnacle Goose was with the Greylags in the Shiskine Valley. This may or may not be the same bird that was reported in the same area from 9 to 11 December.

Slavonian Grebe

On Tuesday 3 January 2012 a Slavonian Grebe in winter plumage was on the sea opposite the bowling green in Whiting Bay.

This is the first report of this occasional winter and passage migrant since one was reported in Lamlash Bay on 6 March 2010.

Archived Sightings

For "Archived Sightings" click the link above.