Location and Access Loch Doon is a major reservoir for Ayrshire and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the Arctic Charr which breed there. It is 9km long and set high in the Ayrshire part of the Galloway hills. The beautiful vistas of moorland and forest attract the outdoor enthusiasts – walkers, […]
Location and Access Shalloch on Minnoch (NX 405 907) is the highest hill in Ayrshire and is the focal point of some fine moorland and hill birding for those fit and energetic enough to explore the tops. From Straiton, take the hill road south towards Newton Stewart. This road is part of the South Ayrshire […]
A thundery afternoon gives me an opportunity to deal with the large backlog (as usual) of photos kindly sent in for the Photo Gallery. We have the usual mix of the commoner (but still worthy) species, rarities and distinct odd-balls. For example, Cathy Cochrane’s picture of a Whitethroat demonstrates something I’ve learnt is what serious […]
The Ayrshire Bird Report names the places where sightings took place. Often these are the hot-spots listed in the Where to Watch Birds in Ayrshire section. However, for many records the place might not be so well known. The table below lists the places mentioned in the 1999 Bird Report (a typical year, I hope) […]
This page contains links to pictures of our wetland birds with the most recent first. Click on an entry to view the full-size photo. You can then use the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard to move through the gallery. Details of the bird and photographer (who retains the copyright) are shown as […]
This page contains links to pictures of our garden, woodland and farmland birds with the most recent first. Click on an entry to view the full-size photo. You can then use the left and right arrow keys on your keyboard to move through the gallery. Details of the bird and photographer (who retains the copyright) […]
This page contains links to pictures of our raptors with the most recent first. Obviously with this group of birds we need to take precautions about publishing locations during nesting. Also, photographing these birds near the nest is a big no-no (a legal term). Click on an entry to view the full-size photo. Details of […]
This page lists all the species on the Ayrshire list. Included is an indication of their current status in the county. A key to the status symbols appears at the end of the article. A separate page shows a summary of those species with fewer than 20 sightings in Ayrshire with a breakdown of sightings […]
Location and Access The outflow river from Loch Doon plunges down Ness Glen at NS 476 013 and onwards to Bogton Loch. The Glen is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Its west bank lies mainly on private land but the east bank is readily accessible on foot. Other surrounding ground is also good birding. […]
Location and Access There are a number of good birding possibilities in the vicinity of the village of Straiton (NS 8 04) on the edge of Galloway Forest Park in the Southern Uplands. Buses run regularly betweenAyr and Straiton and one companycarries cycles. The village lies on the local cycle byway network (see Ayrshire Paths […]