Western Scotland birding (10 Viewers)

[Green Sandpiper]

Irvine Harbour

Hi,

I was at Irvine harbour this morning, up to about 12 noon. Weather atrocious, visibility poor, but did get eider, cormorant, plenty of mutes, oystercatchers, lapwing, ringed plover, and a dozen or so little terns, in winter plumage.

I spent about an hour at the harbourmouth on the long promontory that stretches out. The birds seemed unfazed by my being there, although the humans passing by on the beach seemed a bit puzzled. The terns gave excellent views in flight, showing their short tails.

Possibles include turnstone (light too poor to be sure) and a small flock of either knot or sanderling (again, defeated by the light)

It'd be great if any other birders were there today and maybe gt a better look.

 

[Caledonian]

Hi,

Are you sure they where Little terns?
I had a group of aprox 50 Sandwich terns (mostly in winter plumage) on Saturday at Harbour mouth Irvine.
Also a total of 104 Turnstone.

Hi,

I was at Irvine harbour this morning, up to about 12 noon. Weather atrocious, visibility poor, but did get eider, cormorant, plenty of mutes, oystercatchers, lapwing, ringed plover, and a dozen or so little terns, in winter plumage.

I spent about an hour at the harbourmouth on the long promontory that stretches out. The birds seemed unfazed by my being there, although the humans passing by on the beach seemed a bit puzzled. The terns gave excellent views in flight, showing their short tails.

Possibles include turnstone (light too poor to be sure) and a small flock of either knot or sanderling (again, defeated by the light)

It'd be great if any other birders were there today and maybe gt a better look.

 

[Green Sandpiper]

Hi,

At the time I was convinced they were Little Tern, but now I'm not sure at all. I had based on it on the short, shallow tail and small size. Birdtrack also threw up a query, saying the numebrs were unusual.

I've had a look on t' internet at various pictures, and realised that sandwich terns are pretty small as well.

I think I'll e- mail Birdtrack and change it to sandwich terns. Still a lifer, mind, so thanks for the info, I appreciate it. (albeit with a shamed, embarrassed look)

I've been reliably informed that the flock of small white and grey birds were sanderling, as told by their scuttling behaviour.

 

[AStevenson]

Green Sandpiper - Sandwich terns are not small, little terns are very scarce in Ayrshire and it would be late for little tern - given the weather they may have been juvenile Arctic terns, which are small pale and have short tails.

cheers, Andrew

 

[JTweedie]

There is a breeding colony of little terns at Ballantrae, although that's quite a bit to the south from this report.

 

[Green Sandpiper]

I'm certain they were sandwich terns now. My first experience of any species of tern, the short tail originally made me think little tern, but if juvie Sandwich terns also have short tails, then it makes sense now.

They were a lot smaller than I was expecting, so that didn't help. (I had decided on Irvine on a whim after debating where to visit, so hadn't had time to do any homework before driving down)

Will try to go back this weekend for the turnstone. Thanks for the info, guys.

 

[JTweedie]

Terns are actually quite small birds, especially when you see them up close. From a distance when you see them swooping down on the sea, they can look as big as some of the smaller gulls, but they're actually quite dainty really. I think it's their relatively long wings that make them seem larger than they are.

 

[alunited1961]

last saturday

a lot of terns of the coast of North Ayrshire, Horse Island has a colony (in season) and further north on the 'laggon' near Hunterston.

Irvine Bay was busy last week not just the waders but also forum members...lol

 

[Green Sandpiper]

there's probably a medical term for folk who voluntarily stand on exposed shorelines during a storm. My wife has a specific word she uses, but I'm pretty sure its not a scientific one.....

My day out converted this farmboy to the wonders of shore- watching. And as I clearly need the practise, I can feel a sneaky day off work approaching.

 

[alunited1961]

Irvine Harbour

sea birds gulls and terns are diffilcult to identify when they are sitting still let alone flying around in the weather we had last week. A young sandwich or grown up little tern diffilcult with nothing to compare too

If you are going back to Irvine Harbour walk back towards irvine past the disused footbridge and look across the bogside flats turnstones and waders can be seen easily across the water.


my wife has some choice descriptions of me as well 8-P

 

[bongofury]

I'm certain they were sandwich terns now.

From my experience, Sandwiches are best told apart from the other common terns by their bill - quite long, black and with a yellow tip. My first experience of terns was also of Sandwiches.

 

[JTweedie]

From my experience, Sandwiches are best told apart from the other common terns by their bill - quite long, black and with a yellow tip. My first experience of terns was also of Sandwiches.

Here's a photo I took of a sandwich tern in the Farne Islands. I thought this was a couple of years ago, but I look at the date and it's 2008!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25921513@N00/2618690381/in/photostream

 

[JTweedie]

If anyone is interested, the RSPB Glasgow Group is hosting a talk by Mike Dilger on Saturday 27 October, at Adelaides, Glasgow. Info here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/glasgow/news/312199/

I bought my ticket at the Lochwinnoch reserve this morning.

 

[JTweedie]

A few extra titbits about the little tern. I had a look in my copy of The Birds of Scotland, and came up with some facts about them.

The first one was that there's been no apparently occupied nests (AON) at Ballantrae post-2000. There were breeding sites down from south Ayrshire to Dumfries-shire prior to 2000, but none post-2000 - you can find out more distribution info from this report: http://www.jncc.gov.uk/PDF/S2000_21_lit_tabs_and_figs_web.pdf - if anyone knows of more recent surveys, it would be good to hear from you.

The largest nesting sites as of 2001 were Sands of Forvie NNR in the north-east with 71 pairs, Coll with 19, and Tiree with 15. One difficulty with counting them is that they move nests each year, so it's difficult to get accurate numbers each year, and the colonies are well dispersed.

They're particularly vulnerable to predation by foxes and other birds (one black-headed gull predated 36 nests in one 24-hour period in 2001 at Sands of Forvie - this despite the reserve being protected from foxes by an electric fence), as well as human disturbance.

 

[Caledonian]

It could be that I saw you because I was also there this morning. I was the guy who discovered 2 Slavionan grebes this morning 11.30am and a group of 13 Whoopers. o

Other sightings where: 4 Gadwall (3 male, 1 female) 40 Wigeon, 12 Teal, Sparrowhawk, several siskins and lesser redpolls, 6 Goldeneye, 2 Female Scaup between tufties, 3 Little grebe, 4 Great crested grebe, 2 Chiffchaff.

If anyone is interested, the RSPB Glasgow Group is hosting a talk by Mike Dilger on Saturday 27 October, at Adelaides, Glasgow. Info here: http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/glasgow/news/312199/

I bought my ticket at the Lochwinnoch reserve this morning.

 

[JTweedie]

It could be that I saw you because I was also there this morning.

Unfortunately not, I left to catch the 11.30 train, so probably left before you came into the centre.

 

[allanpcameron]

Must be Autumn

Must be autumn! I had a chance for a quick visit to Hogganfield Loch today, the first family of whoppers have arrived. Two adults and four young. There was also a ruddy duck and I saw a reed bunting.
Also had some siskins back at my feeders earlier this week.

 

[Green Sandpiper]

i was at Hoggy on Saturday, and got the whoopers. No sign of the ruddy duck, though, which was really the reason I went. Will try again this weekend, but am starting to think I've missed my chance for this year.

Is this the earliest for whoopers? They've been at Baron's Haugh/ Carbarns for over a week, and it just seems pretty early.

 

[bongofury]

i was at Hoggy on Saturday, and got the whoopers. No sign of the ruddy duck, though, which was really the reason I went. Will try again this weekend, but am starting to think I've missed my chance for this year.

They generally hang about at the far side of the loch from the feeding area. Try walking along the side of the loch (nearest the road) and start looking closely from about 2/3 of the way along, towards the middle and on the opposite banks of the island.

 

[JTweedie]

Whoopers have been around Lochwinnoch for about three weeks now.

re. the ruddy duck, I've not been this year, but the location mentioned is where I've seen it in the past, although one did come close to the feeding area on one occasion. It was also the location of a lesser scaup in 2010.