Resident Birds?
Reports
Resident bird is a term used to describe birds that spend the whole year in the same area unlike migratory birds which have different breeding and wintering areas. We are familiar with, for example, Swallows which breed here in the summer and winter in South Africa or the Whooper Swans which winter with us after breeding in Iceland.
However, it is not as clear cut as that. Oystercatcher is a familiar bird round the shores of Arran but is it a resident? Ringing has shown that Oystercatchers which winter with us do not necessarily stay here to breed. You may be seeing Oystercatcher on Arran all year, but it need not necessarily be the same bird.
This Oystercatcher was photographed breeding at Ronas Voe in Shetland in May this year by Ian Francis. As well as a blue ring on its right leg it has a white ring with the unique black number on its left leg, 12H. This bird was ringed on Arran on 4 January 2019 by Terry Southall and his ringing team, part of the Clyde Ringing Group, on the shore by Corriecravie. The bird wintered here.
Look out for it this winter and if you see it let Terry know.